Moon Out Tonight...

Don't think I have featured an Italian - American Doo Wop group from Queens, New York before but that all changes tonight with The Capris and their early 1960's hit "There's A Moon Out Tonight". Originally released in 1958 it did not become a hit until it was re-released on the Old Town label in the early 60's. A big favourite of John Peel, I could not even begin to do this track justice, so won't even try. All I will say is that it is simply beautiful and one of the greatest Doo Wop songs of all time..I do know someone out there who will appreciate this track so this is for you...

There's A Moon Out Tonight

2541...

I had been thinking the other day about great songs with numbers in the title, such as 54-46 (That's My Number), The Magnificent Seven, 1963, and whilst reading  Charity Chic's Husker Du post I was reminded of the wonderful 2541 from Grant Hart's debut solo album, "Intolerance". Sometimes assumed to be about the breakup of Husker Du (who had an office with the same street number) it is apparently about the breakup of a relationship and having to face up to an uncertain future but could just as easily be about his musical future after Husker Du's split. It has quite a melancholy, languid feel to it that just suits the lyrics perfectly.

2541

Some Sunday Soul...

Today's soul tune features the raw, impassioned vocals of the one and only, Mr Wilson Pickett. Most of his best music was recorded at The Stax Studios in Memphis and The Fame Studio in Muscle Shoals with the wonderful studio bands that they both had, but you know all that already. He produced some of the most incendiary soul music of the 60's, similiar in style to Otis, and I kinda like that no holds barred approach he had to singing and life...

I'm In Love

Disco Friday...

Named after a Brooklyn neighbourhood, Crown Heights Affair released today's disco classic in 1978 at the height of disco's popularity. Grooves, horns, harmonies and some trouser crunching vocals, to make The Bee Gees envious, all combined to give them their only UK Top 40 hit. I listened to this song last night for the first time in years and it sounds truly bonkers, in particular the last minute or so where it just veers off into a duel between all the different instruments. A true disco classic that should bring a smile to your face and make you wanna dance, it certainly did for me...

Galaxy Of Love

Freakin' Awful...

As a companion piece to Tuesday's posting on former Jam drummer Rick Buckler today's post features former Jam bass player, the one and only, Mr Bruce Foxton. His first post Jam single, "Freak" barely troubled the charts and it's fairly easy to see why. Somewhere along the way Bruce seemed to have forgotten that a decent song requires a decent melody. God Only Knows (now there's a decent melody) why he chose this unmelodic awful dirge to start off his solo career. I was not holding out much hope for his debut solo album but it turned out to be a fairly decent set of songs, with "Freak" being the worst track on the album.

Bruce wrote some decent tunes in The Jam,"Smithers Jones" being a prime example, and his solo album proved he could still pen a tune. "Touch Sensitive" is full of great pop songs including "Whatever The Reason" and a remix of "Writing's On The Wall", the b side to "Freak".

"Writing's on The Wall" was aimed squarely at Mr Weller and his decision to walk away from the most successful band in the UK at the time....

Writings On The Wall

Time For The Cabaret...

Many bands should have released three singles and then split up. Time UK did. Probably because by the third single they had ran out of ideas. Even so, I have always had a soft spot for their first single, "The Cabaret". Also had a pretty decent B side from what I can recall.
Hints of The Small Faces in the single, not surprising as bassist Nick Smith was in the Steve Marriot's All Stars. Strange to think that "The Cabaret" sold enough to get to Number 1 these days, but only manged to reach Number 63 when it was released.

The Cabaret

Disco Friday...

Disco Friday is a bit later this week due to being out drowning my sorrows. Tonight's post was originally going to be Kool And The Gang's "Celebrate", but somehow that does not seem to be appropriate now. So instead this week's disco classic comes courtesy of Earth, Wind and Fire with their 1978 Top 10 hit "September".

Although last night did not produce the outcome I hoped for it is time to move on, accept last night's result and hope that the three Westminster parties stick to their "vow" and devolve greater powers to Scotland, and the rest of the UK. We live in hope.

September

Destiny Calling ?

This time tomorrow we will, hopefully, all know whether the people of Scotland have voted for Independence or more of the same. I sincerely hope that everyone who can vote today does. There will never be a more important election in most people's lifetime, and no matter whether you are voting Yes or No, it is essential that people vote. Especially as the result is too close to call.

Independence Day

Yes...

In three days time the people of Scotland have a once in a life time opportunity, an opportunity to take control of their future and make decisions for the good of the country and the people who live here.

I have thought long and hard for many months about where I will be placing my X on the ballot paper on September 18th and have came to the conclusion that all the decisions about Scotland should be made in Scotland, that I no longer have any faith in the UK government to make the required changes to build a nation with greater equality and that Westminster does not represent the Scottish people anymore in an effective, positive way. We, in Scotland, have the power to change the way we are governed and, more importantly, who governs us and I shall be voting for independence.

It is an opportunity to redefine our relationship with all the other nations of the world and I believe, with independence, that Scotland will find a self belief that has been lacking for many, many years.

I came to my decision after all the lies, scaremongering and bias that has been representative of Better Together and the UK media from the start of the campaign reached its zenith in the last few weeks, in order to scare the Scottish people into voting No. There is no doubt that it has been one of the most uninspiring and negative campaigns that I have witnessed in my lifetime.

I also believe that we must get rid of the abomination of Trident, and that the future of the NHS in Scotland will be safer after a Yes vote than it will be if we continue to be governed by Westminster where it is being privatised by stealth on a daily basis. It will also be Scotland’s decision whether we send Scottish soldiers to war and we will no longer have to take part in any illegal wars.

There is no doubt it will be hard, that the benefits will not be immediate and that tough decisions will have to be made but, in order to grow as a nation, we must be in control of our own future and our own finances.

I'm not some flag waving Nationalist but I firmly believe that it is in Scotland’s best interest to embrace this once in a lifetime opportunity with both hands. No longer will we be able to blame Westminster because we will be responsible for our own decisions. Scotland has the potential to be a fairer and more just country. We have the resources and people to make it work, it’s now time to prove we also have the courage.

Yes
Cap In Hand  

Some Sunday Soul...

Before "What's Going On" and the best of Curtis Mayfield's wonderful social commentary material in the 70's we had the debut album from the extremely gifted Donny Hathaway. Released in 1970, "Everything Is Everything" was one of the first albums to comment directly on what was really happening in inner city US cities in the early 70's.  His rich, emotive vocals on his debut introduced the world to one of the finest soul voices ever. Hathaway's background in gospel and classical music are both very much in evidence on an album that seems to have been forgotten about over the years. Shame really as it is the equal of 70's material from the likes of Marvin, Curtis and Gil Scott Heron.

For some top quality soul head over here where Mr Charity Chic has just finished his 50 week Southern Soul series with a couple of terrific songs from James Carr.

The Ghetto

Disco Friday...

 

A few years before "A Night To Remember", the tune that most people know them for, Shalamar released a bona fide disco classic in "Take That To The Bank". Released in 1978 it reached the Top 20 in the UK and pretty much became the blueprint for the Solar label.
Would like to have written a bit more this morning but I have some body popping to do before heading to work...
Most people associate the moonwalk with a certain Mr Jackson, but it was in fact a certain Mr Jeffrey Daniel who performed it initially in 1982 on TOTP when Shalamar were on the show...

Take That To The Bank

Robert Young

 

Just seen the sad news about the death of former Primal Scream guitarist, Robert "The Throb" Young at only 49 years old. One of the early members of the band back in the mid 80's, originally as bass player, he played guitar with The Primals for over 10 years on classic tracks such as Rocks and Loaded, before leaving the band for good in 2006. His contribution to their success over those ten plus years is immeasurable.

Go easy Robert....

Jailbird

Some Smooth Sunday Soul...

 

A little bit of late 60's Philly soul today courtesy of The Delfonics and this beautiful number from 1968....

Many guys have come to you
With a line that wasn't true
And you passed them by (passed them by)
Now you're in the center ring
And their lines don't mean a thing
Why don't you let me try (let me try)
Now I don't wear a diamond ring
I don't even know a song to sing
All I know is
La-la-la-la, la-la-la-la, laaaaaa means
I love you
Oh, baby please, now
La-la-la-la, la-la-la-la, laaaaaa means
I love you"

Does exactly what it says on the tin. Lush, smooth harmonies, sublime arrangement, lyrics that leave no room for ambiguity and that falsetto vocal. It's a bit of a cliche (that I use often) that they don't make 'em like that anymore but, in this case, that is true. Makes you wonder how much of today's music will still sound this good 46 years later.One of the greatest love songs ever that is quite simply timeless.

La La Means I Love You

Disco Friday...

Tonight's disco classic comes courtesy of Scotland's finest funk, soul, disco band, The Average White Band, who are apparently the 15th most sampled act in history. "Pick Up The Pieces" managed to get to the top slot in the US Billboard chart in 1975 and is a perfect example of the passion that AWB had for making funky music that was the equal of their peers such as Earth Wind and Fire, with one of the best rhythm and horn sections of the 70's, and all from the funk capital itself, Dundee.

Pick Up The Pieces

It Doesn't Make It Alright...

The first album I owned was the debut album from The Specials, bought with Christmas money from my grandparents. As mentioned on a previous post my choice of attire when in late primary school consisted of a pork pie hat, sta press trousers and skinny tie. I recall going on holiday to Scarborough when I was about 10 and being in awe of all the Madness and Specials fans and wanting to be part of their gang. I fell in love with the whole image that they had, and the music just struck a chord with me. Being a bit too young to see them live or join the gang, my best option was to start buying the music instead.

Pretty much every penny of my pocket money would be spent on purchasing these new sounds that I was hearing, starting off with "The Specials". Even now, it is an album that I never tire of hearing. From the opening track right through to the end of track 14, there is not a dull moment. Exciting, energetic, bursting with youthful enthusiasm it is just a great album. I'm not a huge fan of live albums but it almost feels in places like a live album and is all the better for it. I never saw them live in their prime so this album is the nearest I will get to that experience. I did see them a couple of times many years later and they were still a terrific live act.

Mostly made up of original material with some great covers thrown in, "The Specials" is that rarest of beasts, an album that manged to blend all the anger, disillusionment and bitterness of the day straight into their music. Produced by Elvis Costello who managed to capture their live sound perfectly it is an album I still enjoy as much now as I did back in '79. Perfectly encapsulates Britain in '79 just as we were about to enter eighteen years of Tory rule. Few, if any, other bands have captured a moment in time as well as The Specials did on their debut album and that is just one of the many reasons why it is the fifth choice on my Top 10 rundown...

Doesn't Make It Alright
Monkey Man

Favourite Cover Versions...Part 8

Originally written for, and recorded by, Nina Simone in '64, "Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" is best known by most people for the classic '65 recording by The Animals. The lyrics almost feel as though they could have been written for The Animals and their version is, for me, the definitive one. Starting off with a great guitar/organ combo before Eric Burdon's impassioned vocals pull you in, they took one hell of a song and completely transformed it into one of their own that surpassed the original. There is a very good reason why Eric Burdon is considered to have one of the most soulful, powerful voices in rock and it's there for all to hear in the raw power of "Misunderstood"

I don't do karaoke but if I did this is one of the songs I would like to get up and sing. I done karaoke once at a house party a few years ago and literally had everyone come in from all the other rooms, but sadly not for the right reasons. I did try out singing for a few bands years ago but strangely enough it never got past the first rehearsal. One can but dream....

Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood

Favourite Cover Versions...Part 7

I was looking through some old postings last night and realised that I have not posted any fave covers for quite a while. In fact I had forgotten that I had started this series a few years back so today seemed a good time to continue the series, in light of one of my fave covers popping up on the shuffle.

When Gloria Jones recorded the Northern Soul Classic "Tainted Love" back in '64, little would she have known that Soft Cell would take their unique interpretation to the top of the chart in the early 80's or that Rockabilly Queen, Imelda May, would record such a stonking version for her third album, "Mayhem" in 2010. It's unusual to find a song with so many unique versions of it. I have always loved the original, but in their own ways the covers are the equal of Gloria's with each of them putting their own stamp on the track and making it their own, which is surely what you are meant to do if you choose to cover someone else's tune.

Tainted Love