Welcome to the RPM Record Club Seven Day Soundtrack, week ending Friday 30th October. What aural delights are in store this week, I hear you cry.........without further ado, it's over to..........
"Lastminute.com but just in time! Here's my 3 for the week...........Continuing best wishes to all at RPM - week 9 of our post-lockdown fun and still no sign of any chance to meet up in person..........."
Gold Dust Woman by Fleetwood Mac - "I had a few days away last week and took in a movie on the Wednesday in Woodbridge. The film was a Stevie Nicks concert called "24 Karat Gold", The billboard outside read "Stevie Knicks....." but I don't think she was there to notice. She only did a handful of Fleetwood Mac numbers as the point of the tour was to showcase some of her less well known works but she did include a stand-out version of this song so I've chosen some footage of FM's "The Dance" We had front row seats at Birmingham's NIA a few years back - unforgettable."
Hoochie Woman by Tony Joe White - "Another act that I'm glad I managed to see when I had the chance - at Mean Fiddler in London. "
Spiders and Snakes by Jim Stafford - "....and speaking of swamp music, how about this from the very talented (on guitar) Jim Stafford. "
"Last week's Rice Krispies advert by the Stones saw me scurrying back to their early stuff.... and what a great group they were! Jagger's vocals were, initially, almost a pastiche of the 'real thing' but, by 1965 he had developed a fine individual vocal style based on the blues, not merely parodying them. Like many of the sixties bands (Moody Blues excepted) I think the Stones best work was from that decade. My collection shudders to a halt with 1972's 'Exile on Main Street', an album whose reputation has soared in the years since it's release. However, it should be remembered that the recording took place at the very time that Keef was deeply involved with heroin and the album's recording was severely affected, in part by the involvement of Gram Parsons who, allegedly, had access to almost pure 'medication'. Such was the state of the band at the time that many tracks were recorded separately by individuals or pairings as and when they were able to attend sessions. Despite this, respected author Bill Janovitz rated the album "the greatest, most soulful, rock & roll record ever made" which "distills perhaps all the essential elements of rock & roll up to 1971, if not beyond" making it "the single greatest rock & roll record of all time"! Praise indeed..... However, back to the earlier recording and here's three of my favourites...........
Loved all the selections again recently, what a catholic bunch we are!!
Stay safe everyone............. we'll continue to avoid entering supermarkets and shops wherever possible, especially now there's a large outbreak in Watton around half a mile away!!!"
It's All Over Now - Live at the London Palladium January 22nd 1967. 45RPM label released June 2019 ('unofficial' release).
"Live?.......Or is it? In fact, the band recorded the backing track a few days earlier at Olympic Studios with Jagger singing live on the night. Despite that, this is a totally successful reworking of one of my favourite Stones singles without, unfortunately, the crunching chords heard on the singles finale. Great stuff from the very week the band released 'Between the buttons', perhaps their final album in the original Stones 'style', which hit number 3 in the UK and number 2 in the US. Pity they didn't put this reworking on there too!!!"
Time Is On My Side - Original, 'mono single' mix, US release, September 1964.
"First recorded by Danish American jazz trombonist Kai Winding, it was closely followed in June 1964 by Irma Thomas' classic soul reading. Most RPM'ers are probably familiar with the Stones version on their January 1965 '...No 2' album but, the band had gone into Decca's London studio in late August '64 to lay down this sparser version, with an excellent organ intro This version was a US single, released 25th September 1964, and the Stones were rewarded with their biggest US chart hit (No 6) to date. The original recording remained unreleased in the UK until 2016's mammoth (and expensive) eight album box set which included the '12x5' US second Stones album. I had first heard this at a friends house back in '64/65 (on an EP I seem to remember) and I did manage to pick it up a few years ago on an obscure Spanish compilation. I do love the UK version, but I do keep returning to this one....... "
Stewed and Keefed - (AKA 'Brian's Blues') Unreleased demo, recorded late January/early February 1963
"Another track from the fine 'Bright lights, big city' bootleg, here's one of the few Stones instrumentals. 'Come on' (the first single) had 'Stoned/s' on the flip, an obvious ode to Mary Jane, then there was the excellent ' 2120 South Michigan Avenue' on the brilliant '5x5' EP, released 11th June 1964, and the debut albums ferocious 'Now I've got a witness'. It's just a pity they didn't continue to put out instrumentals .............."
"Hi Everyone, hope you're keeping safe and well. Here are my selections from the music I've been listening to this week........."
Where I Find My Heaven by Gigolo Aunts - "Came across this the other day as I was looking through my collection of CD singles..... a great format in it's day; sometimes you'd have something close to a mini album, courtesy of a number of bonus tracks. An example being Lil' Devil by The Cult - in addition to the title track you got Zap City, She Sells Sanctuary (Live), Phoenix (Live) and Love Removal Machine.... clocking in at just under 23 minutes! Bargain!!"
George's Son by Brass Monkey - "I've not been listening to a great deal of English Folk Music recently but one LP that hit the turntable this week was 'See How It Runs' by Brass Monkey. This is the opening track and the lyrics are a synopsis of an early chapter from Thomas Hardy's 'Far From The Madding Crowd'. Very dramatic...."
By The Rivers Of Babylon by The Melodians - "I've got four different versions of this great song in my collection (two by The Melodians and two by Sinead O'Connor). You may be surprised to learn that I don't have the version by Boney M....."
"This is another week when I want uplifting music and performances played loudly. Here they are......."
The Greatest Showman performed by Hugh Jackman (from CD of the Film 2017)
So Right, So Wrong performed by Linda Ronstadt (from Cry Like a rainstorm Howl like the wind CD featuring Aaron Neville 1989)
Grandma’s Hands performed by Merry Clayton (from CD compilation kindly put together by Piers a while ago. Thanks Piers.)
"As we’re in for the long haul, please continue to keep safe everyone and keep sharing that magic music."
No Gods and Precious Few Heroes by Dick Gaughan (from Sail On, 1996) -
Sleep Of Reason by Billy Bragg (from Bridges Not Walls 2017) -
Socialism Train by The Ethiopians (1975) -
"Hi RPMers.........hope you are all keeping well . Here’s my 3 off the week.........".
TK1 by Twinkie -
Superteen Scene by Magoo -
C'mon Let's Go by Girlschool -
Come O’re The Stream Charlie performed by The Corries -
The Greenland Whale Fisheries performed by The Dubliners -
The Auld Triangle performed by The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem - https://youtu.be/XOblMyKvfcg
"Hi Folks................All a bit bluesy this week, I hope you enjoy them........"
Black Snake Moan by Blind Lemon Jefferson -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3yd-c91ww8
Too Late To Cry by Lonnie Johnson -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS36Mt0OCCM
Country Blues by Dock Boggs -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a54YpZIdFS0
"This week it's an Election Special. I see that our own Pound-Shop Trump, the appalling Mr. Farage, has been enthusiastically supporting Agent Orange at one of his rallies. (On TV they always put me in mind of Nuremburg... can't think why). Incidentally, I see that it has been suggested that Kent's magnificent new lorry park should be named "Farage's Garage." Sounds like a plan. Let's start with........."
Elected by Alice Cooper - "Whatever you think of the horror-show theatrics (and I don't think much of them) it must be admitted that Alice Cooper had one of the better hard rock bands of the early '70s. Furthermore, he could write a decent song- even Bob Dylan and John Lennon have said so. In fact, Lennon apparently went into the studio when this number was being worked on and expressed his approval, but added "Paul would have sung it better."
Man Without a Soul by Lucinda Williams - "Who could she possibly have in mind? Apparently at first she thought accusing him of having no soul might be going too far. No, Lucinda, it's not. I consider him to be evil incarnate."
Thoughts and Prayers by Drive-By Truckers - "Not the first to use this song title with this intent- that is to call out the hypocrisy of gun lobby supporting politicians. However, would even a new Democrat administration have the courage to take on the NRA? Perhaps they could point out that the 2nd Amendment is two centuries out of date because :
A). The Natives are no longer a threat.
B). The British are no longer a threat (more like a laughing stock actually).
C). You do not need a high-powered rifle to hunt in Walmarts.
"Well, I was pretty excited last Saturday when the nice Postie delivered the brand new Bruce Springsteen LP to my door..........it's the first proper recording with the full E Street Band for about 6 years, a recording by a band still full of enthusiasm for playing together and making Bruce's songs into full blown reality. In other words, this is a great record from a great band! Recorded over a 4 day period, live, with minimal overdubs, Letter To You just sounds so vibrant; the musicians are totally having a ball. Apparently, some of the material here Springsteen wrote in his 20s and is taken from old note books he had been looking through.........I think you can tell which songs are these as the lyrics are more convoluted and playfully wordy than his current writing style and use the type of alliteration found on Greetings From Asbury Park. The more recent material reflects on mortality and memory and although nostalgic, feels hopeful and uplifting rather than melancholic. It's 3 of these thematically orientated songs I'm selecting this week as I haven't played any other albums!"
One Minute You're Here by Bruce Springsteen -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-RT3nxr3T4
I'll See You In My dreams by Bruce Springsteen -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9Wi5ff4pNw
Ghosts by Bruce Springsteen -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lo5QNcFioZ4