Welcome to the RPM Record Club Seven Day Soundtrack, week ending Friday 3rd February 2023...and it looks like bonus track bonanza week!! I wonder if this new edition will be as diverse as last week's? Let's find out; over to....
"For the fourth time in a little over a year friend John Fincher and I have been invited to return to Elmham to play for one of their regular community get togethers. I played the 2022 Community Panto, and later in 2022 the Trussell Trust charity event to collect for the local food bank. Last time, which seems only a month or so ago, John and I played at ‘Tea at Two’ when Tea and Cakes were served to the gathered locals. (The highlight for me was the cucumber sandwiches which even had the crusts cut off! Very nice they were too). This time it will be soup for lunch, and a collection of donations for the Trussell Trust again. I am happy to play for good causes but realise that the audience may become all to familiar with our repertoire. For a bit of variety we have decided that I will take along my old National Tricone, and John has said that he will take his banjo. (Even though I can’t even tell the difference between Scruggs picking, sawmill, clawhammer or frailing, John can and is able to actually do all of them!). As a result, this week I have been poking about amongst some of my favourite early blues and ‘old timey’ recordings."
"We will probably perform this as I used to play it regularly..."
Some Cold Rainy Day By Tampa Red (Husdon Whittaker) Georgia Tom (Dorsey) & Chippie (Bertha) Hill -
"And I used to sing the Frank Fairfield /Jack Elliot Version of this song (Call Me A Dog When I’m Gone) which is also often known as ‘Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down’, and has become a bluegrass standard."
Don't Let The Blues Let You Down by Wade Ward And The Buck Mountain Band -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJoFvdecd0I
"I still find it fascinating that so many ‘English’ folk songs which had been assimilated into the Appalachian tradition were collected from the descendants of primarily Scottish and Irish Settlers. When we decided to include this one in our set list I went back and listened to the first versions of this song that I was aware of, by Pentangle and Clarence Ashely (accompanied by the very young Doc Watson), and could easily have chosen either but instead I chose this gorgeous modern rendering."
The Cuckoo by Rising Appalachia -
Bonus Track -
"And once again I beg the indulgence of a bonus track, as, whilst putting this list together I found this a cappella recording by Wade Ward’s brother Fields, (who also fronted ‘The Buck Mountain Band’ at one time or another) which I had never heard before."
Sweet William by Fields Ward -
"Happy Imbolc dear RPMers. This week’s three comprise; No. 1 courtesy of the car CD player, No. 2 heard at a session and No. 3 also at a session (and was reminded of what a great song it is)."
Lost In The South by Rod Picott -
Women Of The World by Ivor Cutler and Linda Hirst -
Mandolin Wind by Rod Stewart -
"Hi RPMers, hope all is good with you guys. Here’s my tunes for this week.". .
Night Vision by Super Furry Animals -
Remember by Air -
Rivers To Cross by The Alarm -
"I've been reading an historical novel that might be of interest in particular to those RPM members who are musicians. It's called "Simon The Fiddler" and was written by Paulette Jiles, who has a reputation as a poet as well as a novelist. It is about a group of itinerant musicians trying to scrape a living in the Southern part of Texas (there's a title for a song... oh, somebody's already used it) at the end of the American Civil War in 1865. At one point they are commissioned to play at a garden party for a wealthy family (no common, ribald, or over-boisterous stuff of course) and the daughter of the house asks them to play a new song she's heard called "Red River Valley," but they are unable to comply because they've never heard it. This led me to research the origins of the song. The earliest known publication date for the lyrics is 1879, but no doubt it was around before then, and apparently it has the same tune as a previously existing song called "Mohawk River Valley." (What's the betting it was even older? Wye River Valley or Ouse River Valley might work for example). All that is a preamble to playing this..."
Red River Valley in a version by Marty Robbins -
Problem With It by Plains (Katie Crutchfield and Jess Williamson) - "From another fine album that came out late last year."
Is A Good Man Real? by Rachael and Vilray - "From their brand new album. This version is from their impressive appearance on Jools Holland's "Hootenanny," which is where I first heard them. Rachael is Rachael Price of the Boston band Lake Street Dive and Vilray is a Brooklyn based singer/guitarist."
"Best wishes and good health to everybody."
"Hi Everyone, Really enjoyed your tracks last week.
Before I give you my three tracks for this week, just a few notes to add to Alan's extensive piece on David Crosby. There were many highlights beyond The Byrds including, as Alan mentioned, his magnificent first solo LP 'If I Could Only Remember My Name'. His work with CSNY is also worth a mention (Almost Cut My Hair) as is his subsequent work with Graham Nash (Another Stoney Evening). I also have a couple of albums from 1999 and 2001 released under the name of CPR (Crosby Pevar Raymond). The first of these is a live recording of a 1998 concert in Los Angeles just after a time when Crosby averted a 'near brush with death' by a receiving a liver transplant and also ''his discovery of James Raymond, the young musician who is his son and CPR partner'. (The italics are quoted from the album liner notes). He has also contributed his unique vocals to albums by, among many others, Joni Mitchell, Elton John, Jefferson Airplane, Neil Young, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan....
A belated RIP to David Crosby.
Here are my three tracks from albums I've listened to in the past seven days...."
Food Clothes and Shelter by Misty In Roots - "From the album Musi-O-Tunya. This is a quote from the back of the LP sleeve: "On the borders of Zimbabwe and Zambia lies one of the Greater Wonders of Mother Africa.The Smoke That Thunders (Musi-O-Tunya) stands a monument to Africa. There is so much which was never told".
Payday by The Stranglers - "From their most recent (and possibly final) album, 'Dark Matters'."
Winsome by Halfpint - "Many of you will recognise this from a version (re-titled 'Too Rude') that The Rolling Stones covered on their 'Dirty Work' LP."
"Here's my 3 for the week. Last minute rush as usual. Best wishes to everyone as we begin to leave our igloos."
I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Arthur by The Shadows - "This choice doesn't have any particular musical merit but a 'B' side I spotted on the back of 'The War Lord' single and it reminded me of the Shad's delight at twisting phrases etc. around to give a humorous ring to their track titles e.g. Genie With The Light Brown Lamp, Scotch on the Socks, Alice in Sunderland, Rhythm and Greens and Theme from a Filleted Place. This title proves that they were well ahead of the game with the LGBTQ+%£$ community. Hi to all the Theys out there!"
I Got It Bad by Matraca Berg - "I caught a program on Sky Arts showing some of The Transatlantic Sessions which I enjoyed immensely and reminded me of some of the great US ladies I've seen in my time. Here's one of them."
(The next 2 videos are not viewable via the RPM page...I have tried. They have been disabled by the owner so please access via Youtube. Tim.)
"And another from The Sessions..."
I Will by Kathy Mattea -
"...and if I can ask for a little Transatlantic bonus please.......????"
Bonus Track -
By The Time It Gets Dark by Mary Black With Emmy Lou Harris - "I've never seen either live but live in hope."
"This week I watched a Jeff Beck Concert filmed at the Hollywood Bowl. It was tremendous and covered every genre you could think of including a section of The Yardbirds material. I enjoyed several of his guests and have chosen to highlight them this week. Everyone seemed to be having a marvellous time and Jeff was so humble. Have a good week everybody. Keep the music going."
"Apropos of absolutely nothing, here's a few points about some of the current Tory Party 'bigwigs'.
The Labour Party were in office 1997-2010
Jeremy Hunt founded Hotcourses in 1996. Stood down in 2009. Retained 48% of shares and received £14million when the Company was sold in 2017.
Nadim Zahawi founded Yougov in 2000. Was CEO from 2005 to 2010. His 'founder shares' were 'transferred' to an offshore trust in Gibraltar controlled by his parents. Became Tory MP 2010. Non Exec director of SThree 2010 to 2017. Stood down with £70,000 shares. Joined Gulf Keystone Petroleum 2015 until 2017, paid £1.7million 'salary'. Reports circulated in 2017 that he had purchased property around London worth £25million.
Rishi Sunak joined Goldman Sachs 2001 to 2004. Became a partner in Children's Investment Fund Management in 2006 until 2009. Joined Theleme Partners 2010 and partner in father in laws investment firm 2013 and 2015. Became MP 2014.
Now, is it my imagination or did all three of these guys become 'successful' during the 'glory days' of the Blair/Brown era? I can't remember any of them giving Labour any credit for creating the environment where they could become (very) rich thanks to Labour's policies.
Oh Well..................
This week's selection are from the folky side of the Watson collection."
(Wild) Willy Barrett- 'Hair across the frets' (from 'Contemporary Folk Guitar' compilation double LP released 1982. Cambra label)
Pentangle- 'Watch the stars' (from 'Sweet Child' double LP released 1st November 1968. Transatlantic label)
Iron and Wine- 'Jezebel' (from 'Woman King' CD released February 2005. Sub Pop label)
"Looks like there's gonna be a world shortage of imaginative lead guitarists soon!!! Tom Verlaine is the latest to go to the great gig in the sky."
Bonus Track:
"Here's a live version of Televisions first single 'Little Johnny Jewel' from the 'Blow Up' double LP with great guitar duelling from Verlaine and Richard LLoyd."
"And a farewell to the guy who gave us all 'Money (That's what I want)', Barrett Strong. Composed by good friend and label boss Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford, the song was Motown's first charter (although released nationally by the Anna label and distributed by Chess). Legend has it that the guitar and bass were played by "two white kids walking home from high school [who] heard the music out on the street and wandered into Hitsville [and] asked if they could play along.". Strong went on to compose a string of classic Motown songs, generally with Norman Whitfield, including:
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine"
"War"
"Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)"
"Cloud Nine",
"I Can't Get Next to You",
"Psychedelic Shack",
"Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)"
"Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"
"Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)"
Not a bad list!
Stay well."
"Three from the sounds that passed my ears this week..."
Darktown Strutter's Ball performed by André Ekyan and Django Reinhardt - "Recorded in 1939, Django lays down a solid rhythm part."
Alexander Graham Bell by Richard Thompson - "As promised, more RT, this time from the third in his trilogy of acoustic guitar reimaginings of his electric back catalogue, Acoustic Rarities. Overall, this collection of songs is more melancholy and reflective than the previous two volumes, but this is one of the more up tempo moments which showcases the ingenuity of his lyric writing, combined with his amazing guitar dexterity."
Space Between Your Ears by Ozric Tentacles - "From the band's "golden era" and found on their 1991 Strangeitude album."
'Til Next Time....