Welcome to week 6 of the Isolation Room Listening Booth, songs as chosen by RPM club members week ending Friday 1st May. This time in order of how near (I think) you live to RPM HQ, nearest first, it’s over to……
Jackie –
Hal-an-Tow performed by The Oyster Band – “It’s May Day as I’m choosing this…….”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ruvmo5bCGg
Under Downham by Richard Durrant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTfgM-KcduE&list=OLAK5uy_lMu8yZkArohgRZN9TM8OfFSfG6eavDp5Q&index=6
Jean – “Here’s my selection……..I’m partial to Italian melodies and had picked one of my favourites for this week. Then I thought I should make my theme ‘tracks sung in a foreign language’. Let’s face it, you don’t need a translation to feel passion in a performance.”
Mai by Josh Groban from ‘Awake’ Album – “Very dramatic Italian lyric – oh the agony of ending a love affair.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh9jo7X0ZxA
La Vie en Rose performed by Andrea Bocelli – “…..with excerpts of Edith Piaf from Love in Portofino Album. Classic romantic French lyric about life being rosy.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StA5HiAkycM
Bamboleo by Gipsy Kings from Essential Latin Collection – “ Sung in Gitane (Gipsy language being a mixture of Spanish/French and Catalan). This is for Saturday’s daily exercise. Get up and Samba Flamenco – nobody’s watching. You know you want to!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0B7sRSBGl4
Nina – “Here's my 3 for this week, no theme really.”
Final Day by Young Marble Giants – “Short & sweet. Been listening to Peel Sessions on vinyl, this was one of them.”
Kites by Simon Dupree & the Big Sound – “……..'cos I miss kitesurfing loads, it's moving meditation. Making do with dreams, YouTube vids & homemade balance boards for now. This is a live version, tickled me how the keyboard player tried to sing the female part.”
You'll Never Walk Alone, by Captain Tom, Michael Ball & Choir – “Ok, he may not be the best singer but he's an absolute legend. Happy 100th birthday, dude!”
Philip – “I've had several changes of mind this week, but eventually decided to go with a record label based theme. The label in question is Hightone, which began in the 80s with the intention of being a blues outlet, but which rapidly expanded its' repertoire to become perhaps the premier American roots music company of the 90s. Best wishes to all RPMers as always.”
Phone Booth by Robert Cray (1983) - "Bad influence" was Hightone's first album release, and it introduced probably the most significant artist of that decade's blues revival.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMdGqfrT7Ro
Irma Jackson by Barrence Whitfield (1994) – “One of Hightone's projects in the 90s, overseen by two of the label's stalwarts, Dave Alvin and Tom Russell, was the album "Tulare Dust- A Songwriters' Tribute to Merle Haggard." The twist in this version of the song, about an inter-racial love affair, is that it is here performed by a black singer. The electric guitar part, by the way, is played by the marvellous Amos Garrett.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHtDbOYAhWc
When Sinatra Played Juarez (2001) – “….by Tom Russell from his "Borderlands" album. If "uncle Tommy" thought things were bad in 2001…..”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC-VL0AFZto
Jayne – “Good wishes to you all. Here’s my selection for the Week 6 Isolation Booth - music to accompany those kitchen-based activities (dancing in the kitchen is always best)”
The Blues Are Still Blue by Belle and Sebastian -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXuGzdfURak
True Jit by Bhundu Boys -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmIZDABil60
Tease Me by Chaka Demus & Pliers -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixZjoc_jlmQ
Piers - "Still just hope everyone's alright; this represents what I’ve been listening to along with shed loads of RPM selections, bits of Orland Gibbons, the Beatles at their finest, some very groovy Jazz and lots of birdsong (including a cuckoo at Lyng).”
Rainy Night in Georgia - Tony Joe White
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=het5D9KVkXM
Rain - The Beatles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK5G8fPmWeA
Astral Traveling - Pharaoh Sanders
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4nAGtdkU88
Morra –
Catman by Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps - “I missed RPM the night the theme was cats and dogs. This was gonna be my choice. I really love this record and when I was looking on line for it I found this very literal video for it. Clearly made (probably by a student) in the ‘80s. I have to say at first I thought “this is funny” but then I thought creepy and concluded IT IS JUST NOT RIGHT!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsgAgTwqm2Y
See You by Depeche Mode – “Heard this on the radio and although I hated it at the time, I just thought it so appropriate for this strange time. Great video shots of things long gone.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuWQitNlvf0
The Gift by The Velvet Underground – “A little story for ya…………..”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mI-YiaWDgB4
Dave – “Hi All, hope you are well. This week I have been listening to music I have been involved in making. I came across the unreleased Magoo EP 'Ice Cave'. The idea behind it was as Magoo has been together since 1992, we wanted to approach these 3 songs like a new band who dont have much time or money and see what happened. We set ourselves 2 weeks; week 1 - song ideas & writing, week 2 - 1 day in the studio all recorded in the live room. The EP has never been released, so I have put it on Youtube with some Magoo footage for your pleasure.”
Ice Cave -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCt-4FNTick
Simple Pier –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itnjyRpayPo
Totally Tonic –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W2AxUytMYE
Alan – “Here we are, six weeks into a twelve week lockdown for us 'old 'uns' and the way the 'experts' are talking, we may have at least another 12 weeks to follow before we're allowed out to be infected! That would take us through to September so, here's some songs from my vinyl singles collection to celebrate (if that's the right word?) that period of time. Hope everyone is keeping well out there and that you're all enjoying the opportunities to catch up on gardening, decorating, listening, reading etc. Pity the weather has broken.... the tan was just starting to appear………”
First of May by The Bee Gees – “Taken from their 1969 'Odessa' album, originally recorded in demo form in New York and, apparently, it's a celebration of the birthday of Barry's dog Barnaby! The demo was taken back to London where the piano track formed the basis for this lush, and typically morbid Bee Gees outing. The release of this track as the topside saw Robin temporarily leave the group as he had wanted the singles b-side, 'Lamplight' which he composed, to be the featured track.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s88TOcjU_z4
June, July and August by Freddie Cannon – “Released in 1962 as the b-side to Freddie's last (of three) UK hits. 1959 saw him at number thirteen with 'Tallahassee Lassie' and number fourteen with 'Way down yonder in New Orleans' and, in 1962, he hit number fifteen (there's a pattern there!) with the top side 'Palisades Park'. Many of Freddie's early singles were out and out rockers and, to my mind, probably influenced Brooooce Springsteen as much as anyone else from that era. Cannon's 'The Explosive….' album was the 1960's first album chart topper (for just one week) and could also lay claim to being 'rock' music's first ever concept album as every song related to either an American city or state. Unlike many of the fifties rockers, Cannon has retained the rights to all his recordings and not only tours the nostalgia circuit, he's still releasing singles with 2016's "Svengoolie Stomp" being the latest.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inMnYWOeQEY
It might as well rain until September by Carole King – “One of my all-time favourite singles, by one of my favourite singers (and composers). Written as the follow up to Bobby Vee's biggest US hit 'Take good care of my baby'. Such was the (usual) high quality of the demo that, when label boss Don Kirshner heard both versions side by side, he released Carole's version as a 'double-a' (with 'Nobody's Perfect) in September 1962 and Vee's version went on to his 'The night has a thousand eyes' album. Promotion for the single was limited as Carole had no desire to be a pop star, preferring to look after her two children and spend time in her Brill Building songwriting booth with hubby Gerry Goffin. To date, Carole has co/composed 118 US Billboard chart hits and 61 UK chart hits, making her the most successful female co/composer in both countries. Because many of Carole's early songs were 'demos', there are only 'acetate' discs available meaning that later issues are pressed disc to disc and suffer from inferior sound quality. The few tracks that do survive are on the excellent 'Legendary Demos-13 unreleased original recordings'. BTW, be sure to check out Helen Shapiro's version too......”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEK4z9-b2eo
Tony – “Here’s my week 6 choices for the Isolation Room. No particular theme, just stuff I like.”
Turn The Page by Bob Seger – “There are lots of 'road' songs by various artists and bands. This is a good 'un too.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GONmFCkCGCc
Mandolin Wind by The Faces – “An old favourite of mine and this is a good live version. Would be lovely to have the Faces back again but with no Ronnie Lane or Ian McLagan it's never going to happen. Here with Rod on banjo and Ronnie not on anything illegal for a change.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xlo1NvEdAw
Silver Thunderbird by Marc Cohn - "Anybody who likes old cars will identify with this, especially if they have nice memories of their dad with old cars and if applied to their favourite model.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-JZFxpuEnw
Sal – “My 3 tracks are all songs that I heard on 6 Music during the week.....”
Some Velvet Morning by Lee Hazlewood & Nancy Sinatra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb-SVPJM4L4
Clouds by Psychic Markers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CznJDoq1qME
The Staunton Lick by Lemon Jelly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AWuKHTYvgA
John – “Here are my selections for week six. All the best to all RPMers.”
Say No More by Humble Pie – “Steve Marriot at his best. Wit, pathos, regret, humour, romance, hope, humility..... all in barely two minutes.”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovl7KjMD3vQ
Get Off Of My Cloud by The Rolling Stones – “……… 'And I sit at home looking out my window imagining the world has stopped...….'. But not from the ninety-ninth floor!”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sWqmMAvmdU
Romeo's Tune by Steve Forbert – “This is from his 1979 album Jackrabbit Slim. This LP was my raft on choppy seas - now it's a luxury yacht on a calm ocean.”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8sUlqvVf_w
Tim – “Don’t quite know why, but It’s all been a bit of a psychedelic swirl this week when reaching for the vinyl…….…so here are 3 of my week’s trippy-hippy faves…..”
Oddplonk by Ed Wynne – “Ozric Tentacles main man goes solo with his 2019 album Shimmer Into Nature……which amazingly sounds just like…er, Ozric Tentacles actually, which is fine by me.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHwC_sipmNU
Getting In Tune by Steve Hillage – “When pulling out a Steve Hillage album to play, I seem to go for his immediate post Gong LPs and had, in my mind, written off the Open album as too 80s pop funk for my liking. As our Steve was a big influence on Ed Wynne, I thought I’d give a Hillage LP a spin after I’d listened to Shimmer Into Nature and for some reason rather than putting on Fish Rising, indeed plumped for Open………..and I’m very pleased I did. It’s in fact none of what I’d (mis)remembered it being, neither too pop or funk and was in fact recorded in 1979……..and it’s a rather splendid outing. On this track, is our hippy hero in fact getting a bit punky, even…..?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfPf69RrnrU
Forever Reoccurring by Gong – “And so to complete the trail of breadcrumbs, here’s Gong, Hillage’s old band. This is the first song from last years The Universe Also Collapses album, the 2nd LP following the death of Mr Gong himself, Daevid Allen; a band re-incarnated in fact and sounding great. When Steve Hillage toured last year, it was with Gong as his backing band which kinda neatly brought things full circle. So, make yourself a pot of herbal tea, light some joss sticks and settle back……the 1st song on the LP is also side 1 of the LP…………there’s nothing else to do at the moment, now, is there?”