Why don't we travel to another big country? How about Turkey? The land of 3 Hür-El, a band of three brothers who dared to rock.
The first 1:07 of this song is worthy of rock fame; there are at least four or five different electric guitar tones and effects, bassist laying down some bottom, middle eastern percussion.
Typical of Turkish rock from this period, the vocals are smooth yet passionate and have a kind of religious aspect, like the singing of a cantor.
Shock! In A Big Country has amazing energy, cool double-tracked vocals, excellent singalong lyrics, and intense electric guitars that sound like bagpipes blowing the walls down on some poor sucker's kingdom. Of course, Big Country were a Scottish band. The video is great as well, back when more effort was put into music videos and MTV meant MUSIC television. Now it's a bunch of stupid reality shows, or so I imagine (I don't have MTV and I don't want it...it might make me pull my head up off the floor and come up screaming!) I'm still bummed about Stuart Adamson. Even though this is probably the only song I really know by him, he should still be alive somewhere, still singing this fantastic song.
This is an atmospheric, ethereal experience. I imagine a shadowy entity floating slowly over a quiet pond in the woods and dropping little pebbles from above to make ripples in the water, then going on its way. It is hauntingly beautiful music, good for a quiet summer night as a light breeze lifts the curtains and darkness settles in among the furniture.
I only first heard Harold Budd around five years ago, after reading about him in a book about ambient music. This piece is from the album The Pearl. Recorded with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. Highly recommended.
'Sway' has always been one of my favorite songs by the Rolling Stones. It sits there on Sticky Fingers, second song, right after Brown Sugar. And can you believe it, it's yet another what the heck is Mick singing about? I still can't get the lyrics right.
What I heard: 'It's just that demon eye forgot me in its sway'
What Mick sings: 'It's just that demon life has got me in its sway.'
What I heard: 'Ain't been ten years out on the dust covered ground.'
What Mick sings: 'Ain't flinging tears out on the dusty ground.'
What I heard: 'Someone who brought me up with some kinda (?).'
What Mick sings: 'Someone that broke me up with a corner of her smile, yeah'
I am obviously paying more attention to the music, which includes two excellent slide guitar solos from Mick Taylor. So smooth, like buttah. Charlie Watts is his usual incredible self on the drums.
This song has grown on me over the years. Thirty some years ago I probably would have said I thought it was so-so. But I have come to appreciate it for many reasons. First would be the synthesizers, little nibbling tones scurrying out left and right, like those staccato beeps at 2:00, and that motorcycle sound revving away every so often. Second would be the catchy two chord guitar riff. And third would be Eddy Grant's voice. I love his accent, his 'oh no', 'out in the street' and 'we gotta rock down to' moments. Like Dylan, I enjoy trying to imitate his voice. 'And then we'll take it high-ah.' Eddy played all the instruments, too. It is definitely of the 80s, but it resonates more with me from this future perspective.
Finally, I always thought it was cool that Eddy had his Blue Wave recording studio in Barbados, used by artist like the Rolling Stones, Sting, and Elvis Costello.
Melting Pot is a fantastic instrumental. This version is from the Rhino Best of compilation CD.The version off the self-titled album is over 8 minutes long, but I think the shorter version here gets the point across just as well. There is enough time for the whole band to display their talents, especially Booker T.
Virtuoso keyboardist Bernie Worrell takes the lead vocals on Hit It and Quit It, probably my favorite song by Funkadelic.
The lead in features organ, bass, and guitar playing the same lick. Then the vocals kick in at 0:24 and we are on our way into Funky Town, via the Psychedelic Express...lots of 'good God' and 'oh mama' shout outs, as the backup singers 'do do do' along. The music surges at 1:00 - 'you can shake it to the east shake it to the west'. Bernie takes a groovy little organ solo in the middle as the singers implore the act of hitting and quitting. So far, guitarist Eddie Hazel has been keeping back in the mix, but at 2:45 he is set free to jam, and he unleashes a truly outstanding solo that lasts to the end of the song. My favorite moment is around 3:16 - 3:19, when Eddie's guitar sounds like car tires squealing through a parking garage.
As much as I hate to say it, Chris Bell sounds like he really needs to use the bathroom here. 'Every night I tell myself, I have to pee-ee...' In all seriousness, though, he is a tortured man. This is a heartbreaking song, Chris had left Big Star and was struggling mightily with depression. He sounds lost and worried. The power of this song comes from the music: the brilliant layers of electric guitar that shine so much light in all the darkness, the 70s power pop drums and bass, the sweet guitar solo. The fade out is so anguished...'I'd really like to see you again, I really want to see you again.' Are you crying yet? Someone give him a hug...poor Chris, such a brilliant, tragic artist. A member of the 27 club. :( Nice article about him here.
One of my mellow faves. As close and light as I dare get to brushing up against something like Elton John's 'Your Song' or Rita Coolidge's 'We're All Alone'. If You Could Read My Mind includes a folky air of mystic dreaminess and presents a romantic honesty without flying off into Sapland. The music is pretty subdued, nice acoustic guitars and the use of one of my favorite techniques, the gently rising, unobtrusive string arrangement. Then there's Gord's voice, so soft and comfortable, like a perfectly worn baseball mitt. I also like that the lyrics don't always rhyme in the places where you think they should. It's a Dear Jane letter, the writer trying to explain why he is no longer in love, and having a hard time understanding it himself. Lots of cool images - a ghost from a wishing well, a fortress strong, a paperback novel from the drugstore, an old-time movie.
There are many different photos of Gordon Lightfoot out there...I prefer the rugged curly haired mustachioed mid 70s AM radio adult contemporary Gord's Gold version. Reminds me of this macho guy cigarette ad too. Yup, a man belongs in a land of rocks and rusty old trucks and tires and cigarettes. Lymphoma. Kool.
Check out the cover of ELO's Out of the Blue...space shuttle craft docking in the giant ELO Simon-esque spaceship. A common theme back then, see album covers by Boston and Journey, Paul McCartney's Back to the Egg, etc.
Turn to Stone features all the common ELO accoutrements: great hooks, magical baroque/Beatlesesque string arrangements, high falsetto harmonies, interesting synthesizers and effects. I like this one for the 13 second descending metallic fade in, the driving beat, the strings throughout, the weird middle fast spoken bit, the little 'day in the life' outro, the imagery, e.g. 'the tired streets that hide away.' It's a song like the Beatles's 'Misery' - the lyrics tell a story of self-pity and hopelessness, but the music sounds otherwise. No point in 'bringing us down' too much, eh Jeff? Ho...ha ha ho...fuh-knee guy.
This is the No One's Gonna Change Our World version. Don't care that much for the Spectorized one on Let It Be. Hey, if I'm gonna choose between birds tweeting and no birds tweeting I'm gonna choose birds tweeting. Plus, this version has some cool wah guitar. The Let It Be version has the dang angels singing, fuhgitaboudit. Great lyrics by Lennon, poetry. Jai Guru Deva OM.
This mostly instrumental track is my favorite tune by the Police. The groove is amazing, it just flies out of the gates. Now and then I can do without the CHA!!s but they are short-lived so can't complain too much. Although I don't care that much for Sting, and I frickin can't stand Roxanne and Message In A Bottle (how many times do I have to hear 'sending out an s.o.s.' just end the damn song already!...this one and 'Glory Days'...end the song, Boss), I think the Police are generally pretty awesome. Well whatayaknow about that? woo. See, I'm more of a Zenyatta Mondatta fan. It was one the first cassettes I bought from Columbia Record and Tape Club. It was one of my 1¢ choices. Ghost in the Machine is also a fantastic album. Such good musicians, Stewart Copeland is a drum wizard, they eventually got so huge that they couldn't deal with each other anymore and disbanded. I guess they've mellowed out since then and are friends. awww.
Yes, as I said a couple days ago, beware of darkness. George was all over that concept. With all his Krishna spiritual studies, and his experiences with the Beatles, he was very aware of the dark power of the material world. A mystic, a seeker of truth, the quiet one.
George often used interesting chord progressions in his own songs, majors, minors, sevenths, sixths, he was all over the place. This one starts off innocently enough with B, but then it drops down to a G7, which really sets one's ears on edge, with a second guitar doing same progression higher on the neck. From the G7 he goes up a half step to G#m then to C#m. An Emaj and Dsus get in there too, and we are into the second verse. Some quiet strings appear under the surface, Phil Spector's influence I suppose.
He plays a nice slide guitar solo, something he employed often, on songs like What is Life and My Sweet Lord, kind of that Hawaiian style. I prefer this song over his 'hits' because Classic Rock radio never shoved it down my throat on a daily basis.
Sprechgesang...whoa, I learned a new word. German, man. That's what Mick does on this song, that singing/talking thing. Mick is really on his game here: 'this town's full of money-grabbers', 'we got rats on the west side, bedbugs...' etc. So classic. The music just grooves along with Keith's phaser geetar and Ronnie Wood's bass. Where was Bill Wyman? Wearing tatters? Nice little middle eight section there. Just a funky rolling clanking jalopy, this one. Sh-doobie. Pile it high on the platter!
Listen to this one in the dark for added spookiness. If you've been following my blog, you are aware that the music I love is mostly from the 60s and 70s. Although Half Day Closing can no longer be considered recent, it should be noted that it came out 31 years after yesterday's choice.
The 30 second intro takes us deep into a strange and unnerving place, with haunting low strings and other discouraging sounds. When Beth Gibbons's voice comes in, it is not to calm us but to up the ante and lead us into Blair Witch territory. It's all distorted and panicky. Yoinks! Where's the Mystery Machine? More scary sounds appear after the first verse. Beware of darkness.
Fortunately, around 2:00, a guitar pokes its head into this desolate landscape to remind us that there is indeed a pretty cool chord progression going on here. This is my favorite part of the song, especially that little riff around 2:13. After another chorus, Beth's voice is given the siren treatment and sent off into electronic space. Whew, what a trip. Now let's find out who our witch really is...Geoff Barrow?! "And my music would have scared away the whole town if it wasn't for those meddling kids and their dog."
I bought this CD in 1997, when I was living in South Korea. I read a review of it in Q magazine, which also reviewed Radiohead's OK Computer, which I also bought. I think I paid around $12 for the magazine, not sure how much the CDs were, probably more than necessary. Such was life, pre-youtube.
Arguably the most underrated Rolling Stones tune ever, it's on Flowers and More Hot Rocks. There is also a crappy version with strings, I think that's on Metamorphosis? If I remember correctly, you can also hear this song in the film Coming Home. It opens with some memorable marimba from Brian Jones, simple I-V-IV pattern, G-D-C-D. A memorable chorus, with nice organ riffs from Ian Stewart.
Lyrically, it describes a girl who left Mick then wants him back, but she's too late. Its use in Coming Home reflected the observations of many Vietnam vets who returned home to find a country that had changed dramatically in its feelings about the war.
How many zillions of guitarists learned the intro to this tune? Three. Three zillions. Simple enough: Em, then a little stroll up the neck to G, then Am, followed by the little stroll up the neck to C, then a B7 to round it out. Repeat. Then strum these chords during the verses.
Written by singer and guitarist Alvin Lee, it expresses bewilderment at the crazy madness going on in the world but also frustration at not knowing how to fix it. The guitar solo that comes in at 2:09 is a classic. If you've ever seen Woodstock, which my brother and I watched a zillion times, you also know about the great solo Alvin plays during I'm Going Home...'by helicopter.' Then he walks off stage with a watermelon.
It took me a minute or two to figure out how to type the inverted exclamation point at the beginning of ¡Que Vida! (Alt 173 if you're interested). This means 'What a Life!' in Spanish. I have loved this song since I first heard it lo those many years ago, probably in 1987 or so. It is a fun tune to play on the guitar, that cool little picked intro is pretty straightforward. The middle section is trickier, but not too hard. That little finger pop at 0:07 is great, a lovely idea, as well as the sleigh bells at the end. Lyrically, this is another esoteric Arthur Lee composition, and sung so sweetly. 'With nickels and dimes, you soon will have a dollar.' Sweet!
Another mean junkyard scrap metal classic from Ann Arbor, Michigan's Stooges. Hard guitars, Iggy's grunts, pounding drums. Early punk. Grit. Grease. Beer. Music for working on your car, punching a brick wall, or smashing a tv set. Sadly, Iggy is the only one still alive from the original line-up.
A cool guitar intro from Keith Richards, another 'hard to tell what Mick's singing' Stones tune. This is the primary classic rock radio single from the double album Exile On Main St. Recorded in France.I love the drums throughout, especially on the outro, which was played by producer Jimmy Miller. Mick Taylor plays the bass on this, not Bill Wyman. This is your classic early 70s Stones. Sorry for the short entry today, I have a bad cold and don't feel like typing much.
The title song from the soundtrack, written and recorded by the star of the film. It doesn't get more Jimmy Cliff than this. A watershed moment in Jamaican film and reggae music, the film is a cult classic and so is the album. The music is fairly straightforward, it bops along to Jimmy's manifesto to himself: life is short and he is going to go out there and get what he wants, no matter what. He sings that he would 'rather be a free man in my grave than living as a puppet or a slave.' I seem to recall a discussion among friends about this universal concept; as long as one has hope, then one must continue to survive, even as a slave. But everyone has a breaking point, when you can't take it anymore and you are willing to die in order to be free. What do you think?
'A year ago today, was when you went away....' This is a song of empty boasting from a guy pretending that he's got the upper hand on a girl when in reality he was dumped by her and a year later he's still going on about it. He creates a dream where he turns her away because she cheated and told lies about him. Poor guy.
Frank Zappa concocts a doo wop lounge experience as satirically amusing as the one I posted the other day, which was also from Freak Out! The spoken word sections are hilarious: I dig you, why don't you dig me?, I got my hair processed...let the tears fall down your dress, who cares if it makes a mess? A frickin brilliantly clever artist who surrounded himself with fantastic musicians, he really knew how to sock it to the mainstream and never worried about offending society's narrow-minded tastes.
My favorite song from this legendary North American, well, band. Kind of a Grapes of Wrath theme told from the point of view of a farmer who has been through a rough stretch of late: weather too dry for his crops, his barn burned down, and his horse Jethro went mad. He is persuaded to join a farmers union, that he hopes will at least provide a means for him to survive this bad luck and keep going. It is a tense situation for him. He prays for rain. In the meantime, the mighty King Harvest has surely come, as all the signs are creeping out to announce the coming harvest; for the poor farmer, it feels like a storm is stirring, not a party. The leaves of the magnolia trees have that scent about them, the wind is changing, creepy scarecrows lurk about, and there is an eeriness about the 'carnival on the edge of town.' I hope the union has his back.
Musically, we've got Levon and Rick providing the hushed reverential chorusus and and some tense yet funky interplay between Robbie and Garth. Throughout we have Richard's pleading vocals trying to hold it all together. This song get me thinking about Hoosiers, with those scenes of rural Indiana. Cool late autumn days, lots of work getting finished up, and then nothing but high school basketball teams crisscrossing through the harvested farmlands. Or Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska.
Here we see The Band in their Sunday best, getting ready to celebrate with the King:
Freak Out! was the first album released by Frank Zappa and the Mothers, and it is also extremely funny. It is one big satire of pop culture, drug culture, and American society in general. It pokes fun at teens and their hangups, like hair, cars, girls, basic teen vapidness.
You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here is hilarious. My favorite line is 'Mom I tore a big hole in the convertible.' Musically, vibes and kazoo are represented alongside the regular guitar bass and drums rock set up. Like any great pop song, it is also very catchy. Zappa seemed to compose these tunes in his sleep, it's like he was saying 'look how easy it is to write this teen stuff.'
Time for some groovy dub...it's June, the air is sweet. Rico Rodriguez, Cuban-born Jamaican ska and reggae trombonist, teamed up with the legendary Sly and Robbie rhythm section to record the album Man From Wareika. This album is noteworthy as being the only roots reggae album released on the Blue Note label.
With that being said, this particular track is taken from the rare dub version of this album. The atmosphere is so swampy, it is a humid day in the tropics, mon. Just lay back and enjoy a nice June afternoon as you gently drift along on the bass and the little tinkly glass bottles...it's so unobtrusive...wait, what's that guitar at 3:25?...it snapped me back to reality.
Wait a minute...that kid from the TV show Modern Family is also named Rico Rodriguez? I had to add 'reggae' to my image search to avoid photos of that kid. Great, now I have images of that kid's chubby little face stuck in my mind.
This is Erkin Koray, from his amazing psychedelic self-titled album. An example of Anatolian Rock, this tune has lots of cool elements. The first 30 seconds consist of a bass line with percussion and tambourine, joined up by a little electric guitar. Then it slows down, leading into the opening lyrics:
Çılgın bir rüzgarla
Geçiyor mevsimler
Aramızda mesafeler
...Mesafeler... Mesafeler
According to Google, this translates into English as:
a crazy wind
Going through seasons
Distance between us
... Distances ... Distances
After these words, and a bit of psych guitar atmosphere, at about 1:20 it's time to break out the cowbell and start rocking out with some excellent psychedelic guitar. The main lyrics are repeated again, and well, OK sure, you can slow it down if you want, Erkin, it's your tune. That bass really shakes my speakers. Let's start rocking again, I need more cowbell!!
There's Erkin on the right, hanging out with John and Yoko.
Written and sung by the late great Crazy Horse guitarist Danny Whitten, this is a song about scoring heroin. It was recorded in live in 1970 and appears on the 1975 Neil Young album Tonight's the Night, which is itself a collection of songs of raw grief that came about after the tragic overdoses of Danny and roadie Bruce Berry.
I love the ramshackle catchy power of this tune. The dual guitars that leap out from the get go and the little riffs at the end of each line. It is a joyful but desperate appeal to go downtown in order to score...'let's go let's go'...come on, man, we gotta get it done. Really sad, the illness of a junkie, just living for the next high.
It's going to be 100 degrees F in Portland today. I don't want to go downtown. I want to stay in my cool basement. Glad I don't have to work today!
Yeah yeah yeah...this tune is sung by Billy 'Bass' Nelson. drums are distorted to add texture to this mood piece about the need for unity among poor people. Eddie Hazel echoes the yeah yeah yeah on his guitar during the first verses.My favorite part goes from 1:02-1:28, with these excellent Bernie Worrell piano parts, especially the very cool chords at 1:09. Eddie rocks out low in the mix after this.
'The rich got a big piece of this and that, the poor got a big piece of roaches and rats..." yup.
Oh I can't resist another woe is me Morrissey tune for the blog. I believe this is the third Smiths tune for the year. Morrissey, you are morbid and pale. Hey, you said to call you this, don't blame me. Also, I believe you go on longer than five seconds telling the story of your life. I do not believe the Y.......WCA will let you stay nor do they have a vacancy for a back scrubber, nice try though. Check out the YMCA, they might have a need for you there, young man. In the meantime, I believe there should be a restraining order in place after six years of this mopey nonsense.
To comfort us during this pathetic tale, we are given a healing double guitar massage. Guitars rarely sound so smooth as they attempt to comfort Morrissey during his time of need. This song is a WXRT classic, I don't know how many times I heard them play it.
A great song to kick off June, driving down the road, top down, sun shining. This is joyful pop about a fun-loving girl enjoying herself at the expense of men who are unable to resist her. Weird synth sounds during the opening, into the first verse: 'she's driving away, with the dim lights on....' The second verse starts up with another great line: 'She's winding them down, on her clock machine...' and a new synth comes in for some nice counterpoint. This song has a so many nice little hooks, like the 'she's a frozen fire...' bit at the end of the second verse, followed by the 'I don't want to hold her down' interlude that leads into 'let's go'...this would be enough for any song, but what makes this one great is that they turn it up yet another notch with the classic 'I like the nightlife baby' part. That part just blasts out of the speakers, like there was a big wind-up followed by a smash into the bleachers. And we have come full circle and head into the third verse and the cars head off down the highway and into the sunset.
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