MUSIC: MY 100 FAVOURITE TRACKS

Introduction.
I was a kid in the 50’s but a teenager in the 60’s and that’s when I really started listening to music and when popular music really exploded. I still like a lot of stuff from the 60’s and maybe this list will show how my taste evolved while remaining true to the music that I first loved. Or maybe not

This isn’t a definitive list and it never could be. It’s compiled mostly by going through my Itunes list of tracks –and therefore not in any meaningful order- mostly copied from my own CDs plus some downloads. A number of my CDs are packed in boxes in the garage and are inaccessible and not all of them have been copied to my hard drive so there will be a few omissions which I’ll only recognise later. It certainly isn’t a definitive guide to my taste and there are lots of artists I like that I’ve left out. The tracks I’ve included here have something special about them.
Though I’ve tried to keep it to one song per artist, I’ve sometimes included a runner up track (or three). There are some notes or odd comments but often the tracks will be left to speak for themselves.  And I’ve shoved in one unattributed but hardly obscure quote from the lyrics of one song just because I’d been listening to it recently and it amused me.

My single all-time favourite track ever and will never change.
Fotheringay: The Way I Feel.
Fotheringay was basically Sandy Denny’s band but she didn’t take all the lead vocals with her husband Trevor Lucas sometimes getting one as he does here with this Gordon Lightfoot song. Denny comes in gradually on harmonies building slowly and beautifully until it almost becomes a duet. The imagery is autumnal and reflects the breakup of a relationship but it can also be considered a metaphor for death. There’s some great understated drumming from Gerry Conway and simply gorgeous guitar playing by the brilliant American Jerry Donahue.
I love this so much that I’ve left an instruction in my will that it’s to be played at my funeral.

Runner-up: Fotheringay: The Banks of the Nile.

Albert King: I’ll play the blues for you.

My favourite Blues guitarist.

Headless Heroes featuring Alela Diane: Just one time.

For those of you saying: Who? Headless Heroes were a group put together in the studio by a pair of producers who wanted to create interesting cover versions. They picked singer/songwriter Diane for vocals. The result is sheer brilliance and a great showcase for Diane who is a singer who impresses me so much that the last time I felt this way was when I discovered Sandy Denny.

The B-52s: Is that you, Mo’Dean?
Alien abduction was never so much fun or so crazy.
BB King: The thrill is gone.
Beach Boys: Sloop John B.
Big Country: In a big country.
Their greatest hits album is one of my favourite CDs. A great Scottish guitar band lead by the late lamented Stuart Adamson. Runner-up: just about any off that CD.
Big Mama Thornton: Wade in the water.
A big woman in every sense of the word with a voice which could knock Howlin Wolf through a wall but also caress with great delicacy. This gospel tune has some great guitar work in it.
Billy Boy Arnold: Shake your hips. 
Harmonica player who came up with Bo Diddley but went off to do his own thing until Bruce Iglauer of Alligator Records brought him back to great effect. There’s some great interplay between his harp and the guitar on this driving track.

Blind Willie Johnson: Nobody’s fault but mine.
A legend of gospel-blues. Hell, a legend full stop who should rank with Robert Johnson.
Blondie: Hanging on the telephone.
One of the greatest pop singles ever.
Bob Dylan: Lay, lady, lay.
Just to pick one of a dozen or more. Runners-up: All along the watchtower, Hurricane, Subterranean homesick blues, etc.
Bonzo Dog Doo-dah Band: The intro and the outro.
British surrealist humour which manages to be good music.
Booker T & the MGs: Green Onions.
Bronski Beat: Smalltown boy.
Poignant effective song about being young and gay.
Bruce Springsteen: Born in the USA.
Come on, I mean what else could I pick? Runners-up: The River, Glory Days, Into the fire, Cover me, etc, etc.
Buffalo Springfield: Mr Soul.
The Byrds: So you wanna be a rock’n’roll star.

Byther Smith: Give me my white robe.

Powerful blues singer/guitarist with a melancholy piece about a man gradually realising that he’s died. Runner-up: Blues on the moon.

Canned Heat: On the road again.
Let’s boogie! Runner up: Burning Hell (with John Lee Hooker).
Chicken Shack: I’d rather go blind.
Chris Rea: Steel river.
Chuck Berry: Roll over Beethoven.
Cowboy Junkies: Sweet Jane.

Cream: Crossroads.
Turbo-charged journey to hell. If this doesn’t stir you, you’re dead.
CSNY: Ohio.
Cyndi Lauper: Time after time.
Just lovely. Runner-up: True colors.

Donna Summer & Barbra Streisand: No more tears (enough is enough), long version.
I don’t like disco, I don’t like Streisand (though I do like Donna Summer) but this epic has just brilliant singing, a great arrangement and is just a great song.
The Doors: Riders on the storm.

Echo & the Bunnymen: Villiers Terrace.
Runners-up: Crocodiles, Zimbo (live), The Cutter, etc, etc.
Eric Clapton: Knockin’ on Heaven’s door.

Fairport Convention: Matty Groves.
Runners-up: Fotheringay, Crazy Man Michael, Sloth, etc, etc.

Fela Kuti: Zombie.
Brilliant piece of music as politics –the zombie is any and all soldiers of the Nigerian government and boy did it piss a lot of people off. Runners-up: Shakara, Water get no enemy.

Fleetwood Mac: Black Magic Woman.
Runners-up: The Chain, Oh well pt1. I like the blues band and the later incarnation.
Florence and the Machine: My boy builds coffins.
Frank Zappa (feat.Captain Beefheart): Willie the Pimp.
George Thorogood: Gear jammer.
Nobody plays electric slide better, or louder, than George: Put this track on and set your speakers for 11. Your neighbours will love you forever.
The Glee Cast: Bust a move.
Runner-up: Gold digger. Don’t. Say. A. Word!
Grateful Dead: China cat sunflower/I know you rider (live).

Runners-up: New new Minglewood blues, Sugar magnolia, etc, etc.

Heart: Crazy on you.
Runners-up: Barracuda, These dreams.
The Hollies: The air that I breathe.
The best of mid-60’s Brit pop when I was a teenager.
Howlin’ Wolf: Smokestack Lightning.
Human League: The Lebanon.

Janis Joplin: Ball & chain.
Jefferson Airplane: Volunteers.
Runner-up: We can be together.
Jimi Hendrix: All along the watchtower.
Runner-up: Catfish blues.
Johnny Cash: Hurt.
Johnny Clegg: Take my heart away.

This man formed a multi-racial band in the darkest days of apartheid in South Africa. He stood up to be counted and made great music to boot and, yes, that is who you think it is on stage having just sung backing vocals -I have the DVD to prove it..
Jonathan Richman: Pablo Picasso.
Joy Division: Love will tear us apart.
The Kingsmen: Louie Louie.
Like I wouldn’t include this. Runner-up The Trashmen: Surfin’ Bird.
Kirsty MacColl: In these shoes?


Larry Garner: Thought I had the Blues.

Thoughtful good-humoured blues.


 Lyrics.
“She don't like other women, she likes whips and chains.
She likes cocaine and flipping' out with great Danes.
She's about all I can handle; it's too much for my brain
She got me under pressure.”


Lazy Lester: Bloodstains on the wall.
The Levellers: Hope Street.
Crusty folk/rock that’s live and exciting and left-wing.

Lightnin’ Slim: My starter won’t start.
From the Excello label down on the bayou, the laid-back swamp blues of Lightnin’ Slim. Electric blues at its most minimalist: electric guitar, percussion, and harp (often Lazy Lester), plus the most wonderful world-weary voice you’ve ever heard in your life.
Link Wray: Jack the Ripper.
Great lyrics.
Lucinda Williams: Lonely girls.
New Country? Singer-songwriter? Who cares, she’s just great.
Luther Allison: Bad love.
Electrifying blues and his double CD Live In Chicago is one of the best live albums ever.

Mahavishnu Orchestra: One word.
Something quite extraordinary and unique.
Mike Scott & the Waterboys: Will ye go away.
Sometimes he’s Mike Scott, sometimes he’s The Waterboys, sometimes he’s both. But he’s always good. Runner-up A fisherman’s blues.
Muddy Waters: Hoochie Coochie Man.
The master.

Neil Young: Like a hurricane.

Runner up: All along the watchtower (feat. Chrissie Hind), Southern man, Tonight’s the night. I could fill up the rest of this page with titles. For me, the greatest rock star ever.
New Order: True Faith.

Otis Redding: Dock of the Bay.

Pat Benatar: Love is a battlefield.
Pattie Smith: Babelogue/Rock’n’roll nigger.
Runner-up: Because the night.
Pentangle: Cruel sister.
Peter Gabriel: Biko.
The Police: Every breath you take.

R L Burnside: Goin’ down south.
The Ramones: I wanna be sedated.
Oh hell, just pick any of their songs at random.
The Rolling Stones: Sympathy for the Devil.
A minor 60’s band. Had a couple of hits then disappeared. Runner-up: Wild horses.

Sandy Denny: It’ll take a long time/ Who knows where the time goes. Tie.

My precious, my precious.

Sheryl Crow: Soak up the sun.
Just a good time.
Simple Minds: Waterfront.
Steeleye Span: Thomas the Rhymer.
Everybody needs some British folk-rock in their lives. Runner-up: Gaudete.
Steely Dan: Do it again.
Stephen Stills: Soldier.
Made a couple of really good solo albums but Neil Young he aint.
Steppenwolf: Born to be wild.
Is there anyone who doesn’t like this?
The Stranglers: No more heroes.

Talking Heads: Take me to the river.
The Teardrop Explodes: Reward.
Classic Brit-pop by a madman/genius who also writes really good books.

U2: Pride (In the name of love).
Runners-up: One, New Year’s Day, With or without you. Plus a load more. One of my very favourite bands ever. Just listen to the music.

Youssou N’Dour: Leaving (Dem).

ZZ Top: Sharp-dressed man.
Doing the iconic boogie.

CD: GLEE THE MUSIC, VOLUME 3, SHOWSTOPPERS, DELUXE

An Amazon 4-star review (slightly expanded).

Third to be release, third in quality.

Admittedly it could just be me but I think that the song choices this time around aren't as strong as on the previous albums. It doesn't help that it opens with one of my least favourite Beatles songs and that I'm not a big Beatles fan in the first place. No matter, it picks up again straight after with Gives You Hell and there are lots of good songs like Total Eclipse of the Heart, One, Dream On (a great two-hander by Morrison and Harris), Safety Dance (given the poignancy that it's a fantasy number sung by the wheelchair-bound Artie), and Rose's Turn from Chris Colfer. But there are just a few two many so-so songs and at least one serious misstep with Poker Face. And not enough rock songs, but then again maybe that's just me.

What I'd really like is a DVD of the musical numbers from the show as the songs are all stronger set in the context and the dance routines don't hurt either. 

Incidentally, I don't know what is 'deluxe' about it as there appear to be no other editions, neither ordinary nor mega deluxe. Bollocks.

MUSIC: GLEE VOLS 1 & 2

(Previously appeared on Amazon)

5 star review.

Don't buy this CD.

Don't buy vol.2 either, or download the MP3s. Don't watch the TV show and definitely do not buy the DVD. They are bad for you and I'm going to tell you why.

A few weeks ago I was a normal person who liked their entertainment to have an edge. I love raw Blues (Blind Willie Johnson, Howlin' Wolf) and hard Rock (Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen) and Johnny Cash (I don't like Country otherwise). I like music so raw that if it was steak (and if I wasn't a vegetarian) I'd eat it raw and bloody. I like tough TV. I like Skins and I like True Blood and I like Dexter. And when I heard there was tv series about High School students who sang in a glee club I wanted to throw up. I would make it my mission to exterminate such a vile and inspid and bland thing and eradicate its memory from the collective human consciousness. So of course I had to watch at least one episode to make sure it was as sickening as I expected.

And another.

And another.

And another, until I began to weep. It had snared me in its insidious clutches and my destroyed my credibility in my own eyes. I enjoyed the stories and the characters, but my exposure of their particular horrors shall wait until I've watched the DVD and all the extras. Twice.

I enjoyed the music -me who likes his music raw and bleeding. I loved the range of the strong voices, leads and harmonies. I loved the mix and the arrangements of the blend of pop songs and shown tunes and, yes, rock. I loved the choreography and colour and bounciness. And so I bought Glee: the Music CD vol 1. And Glee: the Music CD vol 2. (And pre-ordered Glee: Season 1 the DVD.) And, like the show itself, the music made me smile and it made me happy and I couldn't deny it any longer. I loved Glee.

Keep away lest this devious piece of skilled wonderfully enjoyable delightful entertainment ensnare you too and destroy all your credibility and illusions. Don't buy this CD! 

5 star review

You really should not be buying this.

I explained why in my review of Glee: The Music, Volume 1 If you haven't read it, please do before continuing. It could save your life.

Okay, I think we're alone now. There just us no-hopers left who have fallen victim to Glee's insidious spell. We're already ruined so I may as well get on with the review.

It occurred to me that it reminds me of a BBC1 Saturday evening show about three years ago in which amateur choirs competed against each other. The songs were, like Glee, very varied but more so. While there were solo vocals, the strength came from the harmonies. To my surprise I really enjoyed the show which, with hindsight, explains why I fell in love with Glee despite my normal predilection for edgier music.

As for this CD, if anything, I think it's slightly better than vol.1, only slightly though. It opens with a terrific version of Proud Mary. Other standouts include I'll Stand By You, Imagine, and True Colours which is just great; the rest of the songs are all fine too. As I said, the harmonies really make the CD, but Lea Michele and Cory Monteith are terrific singers whose playing off each other is particularly striking. This is simply lovely enjoyable stuff and if you liked the first CD then you'll like this just as much as it's more of the same.

My previous review was tongue in cheek but I'm being serious when I say that this isn't deep or profound music and is all the better for it. Sometimes we just need a little light among the shade. You may not always get what you want but sometime you get just what you need and Glee is it. 

MISCELLANY

Being a collection of bits and pieces, none substantial enough to have their own entry.

Music.

Not mentioned before but last week I bought Florence and the Machine's Lungs. I'd been waiting for the expanded edition to come down in price from around £12.00, but as it showed no sign of doing so I bought the ordinary edition for just over half that. I've been playing Dog Days Are Over since I first heard it on last year's Skins and caught other tracks as well. It's an uneven album (or that may be I just haven't got all of the tracks yet) but I particularly like the morbidly amusing and catchy My Boy Builds Coffins and the rather lyrically dubious Kiss With A Fist (A kiss with a fist/ is better than none). Love her voice. 

Been weeding out some CDs to sell on Amazon Marketplace. My criterion is: if I don't love it, it goes. So, two collections by Credence Clearwater (one sold within hours), two recent blues CDs by Gary Moore, The Best of Simple Minds double, Echo & the Bunnymen's 2003 Live at Liverpool, and an Ace compilation of 60's girl bands (as opposed to vocal groups) Destroy That Boy.

DVDs

Also going up for sale shortly, and surprisingly, is Kwaidan. It's a beautiful film which I haven't finished watching yet but it is just too slow for me and I'll know I'll never be watching it again. I'm sure this is my loss but there you go. I really hope I don't feel the same about Kurosawa's Ran which just arrived this morning.

Arrived yesterday was a cheapish 3-disc box set of Lugosi's Dracula (1931), Dracula's Daughter (1936) and House of Dracula (1945). But this so-called Dracula Triple is actually a Dracula Quadruple as it also (and rather more quietly contains) the Spanish version of Dracula which is the one I really wanted to see. I'd never heard of this until a few years when all the Uinversal b/w monster movies were re-released in fancy editions of coincide with Van Helsing which they hoped would set the world on fire but didn't. Anyway, this version was filmed at the same time, except at night, on the same sets as the Lugosi version, though the director was American and needed a translator. Barry Norton (as Juan Harker) is Argentinian despite the name, and the names of the female leads were also changed as well. It's also 29 minutes longer. Renfield (who goes to Transylvania, not Harker) becomes and major character and is played by an actor who goes over the top every time. Carlos Villarias is quite effective as an oleaginous and somehow rat-like Dracula. I rather enjoyed it but it did feel a bit too long. I'll watch the rest of the set some other time.

Politics/Society.

When I was out for a drink with Barry a couple of nights ago, he mentioned he'd taken the Political Compass test (see website sidebar) and, unsurprisingly  (to me) he ended up in the middle of libertarian left quadrant  where I found myself the last time I took the test a few years ago and not too far from Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama which is good company to be in.

Basically rather than do a simple left/right, they do a grid with four quadrants of 10*10 squares per quadrant (using geographical terms) authoritarian is north, libertarian is south, left is west and east is right. So, as I said, Barry found himself in the centre of the libertarian left quadrant with an approximate score of -5.00 and -5.00 for his political and social views. Someone completely centrist would be 0.0/0.0.

So I thought I'd take the test again and found it had changed somewhat since the previous time, presumably being refined over the years. This time my score came over as Economic lLeft/Right at 6.38 a little more to the left than before but not by much) and  for Social Libertarian/Authoritarian scale scored -7.38 which represented a noticeable increase in the radicalism of my left libertarian views. I should emphasise here that it is social libertarianism not the American equivalent. It's almost impossible to find yourself in the social libertarian/right quadrant because the two views are impossible to reconcile.

If this doesn't make sense, do please check the website out because it is genuinely fascinating.

MUSIC: Luther Allison

Luther Allison (1939-1997) is little known outside Blues circles which is a shame. Even more of a shame is that he died just as he'd begun to establish himself as one of the very best of modern bluesmen and when he was writing, singing, and playing electric guitar better than he had done in the rest of his life.

He started early in the 60's but did nothing of note until the 70's when he became the only bluesman ever signed by Tamla Motown. Despite recording some pretty good albums, they didn't do good business, and he was dropped. Following tradition, like many other black bluesmen (and while there are genuine white bluesmen they are few and far between), he buggered off to Europe and lived in France for a number of years where he recorded for several labels. Always a good live performer, many of these were live albums.

But his real talent only final burst into flame when Bruce Iglauer signed him for legendary label Alligator -an independent blues label with a wide definition of what constituted the Blues and the source of many of the greatest Blues recordings in the last 30 years -check out any of their many compilations. When he signed for Alligator, Allison became a man on fire as his blend of blues, rock, funk, and even reggae electrified audiences. His voice roared, his songs were great, his guitar playing brilliant, his backing band hot. His 2-disc live album for Alligator -Live in Chicago- is one of the greatest live Blues albums ever.

Luther Allison was flying until his cancer-ridden body finally failed. But he died as one of the greatest Bluesmen of his time.