Song of the Day: "With Every Heartbeat"

ARTIST: Robyn and Kleerup
TITLE: "With Every Heartbeat"
YEAR: 2007

I have no idea why this song has suddenly become big with me, but for the last day or two I have been listening to it like crazy. "With Every Heartbeat" was Robyn's comeback single in most of Europe (discounting Sweden and the surrounding areas, where she's remained consistently popular since her debut). It's just a really solid all-around song.

The song is available on the recent edition of her self-titled album, which is supposed to see a U.S. release later this year. Hear it here.

O Bluegrass Celebration (Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys)

Another recent CD for me is Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys' O Bluegrass Celebration. It's a 10-track budget compilation. I got it because I needed one of the songs on here for some work. I have no idea from where these recordings were drawn because there're basically no liner notes at all. Still, it's good to have an introduction of some sort to Stanley, a bluegrass legend whose work I never really knew. I know next to nothing about the genre, so I can't really comment, but it wasn't a bad listen. Just under a half hour of music here, so for very casual bluegrass fans like myself, this is enough to indulge a hankering and not enough to overwhelm. For serious fans, it wouldn't be any good, but then, serious fans likely wouldn't be looking at compilations this small or this cheap.

Tracks:
1. I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow
2. Orange Blossom Special
3. Sittin' on Top of the World
4. Clinch Mountain Backstep
5. Pretty Girls, City Lights
6. Cracklin' Hen
7. Daddy's Wildwood Flower
8. Oh Death
9. Daybreak in Dixie
10. Rocky Island

"Love It When You Call" single (The Feeling)

I picked up the CD single for The Feeling's "Love It When You Call." It's one of my favourites from their first album, Twelve Stops and Home, and I'm really looking forward to their second. Tracks:

1. Love It When You Call
As I said, this is one of my favourite songs on an album I find overall very enjoyable.

2. The Child
An original tune from the guys that didn't make the album. Good song. Worth a listen.

3. Don't Give Up (acoustic version)
This is a version of the Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush song. It's pretty good. Taken on its own (i.e., not trying to compare it to the Gabriel & Bush rendition), it's enjoyable. Actually, upon second listen, it's enjoyable anyway, just different enough to take a bit of getting used to.

4. Love It When You Call (U-Myx)
Not sure exactly what this is. A live version from somewhere? Has some banter throughout. Whatever the source, it's a cool listen.

Grand Ole Opry

Went to the Grand Ole Opry on Friday. It started at 8:00, but I got there at 8:30. Still, it was a cool experience, seeing so many classic country folks. Here's what I saw, song-wise:

Connie Smith: "Run Away Little Tears" and "Once a Day"
Andy Griggs: "I'll Go Crazy" and "You'll Never Be Lonely"
Little Jimmy Dickens: "We Could"
Bill Anderson: "Give It Away"
Jack Greene: "There Goes My Everything" and "Statue of a Fool"
The SteelDrivers: "If It Hadn't Been for Love" and "Blue Side of the Mountain"
Bill Anderson: "Deck of Cards"
Vince Gill: "When I Call Your Name"
Jesse McReynolds and The Virginia Boys: "Ashes of Love" and "Orange Blossom Special"
Ms. Patti Page!!!: "Mockin' Bird Hill" and "Tennessee Waltz"
Vince Gill: "Go Rest High on That Mountain"

The Very Best of The Smiths

For the last couple days I've been enjoying this recent pickup, The Very Best of The Smiths. It's a 23-track collection that basically contains the hits plus a few other popular tracks. Great stuff. Everybody should own something by The Smiths.

Tracks:
1. Panic
2. The Boy With the Thorn in His Side
3. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now
4. Ask
5. Bigmouth Strikes Again
6. How Soon Is Now?
7. This Charming Man
8. What Difference Does It Make?
9. William, It Was Really Nothing
10. Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others
11. Girlfriend in a Coma
12. Hand in Glove
13. There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
14. Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want
15. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
16. I Know It's Over
17. Sheila, Take a Bow
18. I Started Something I Couldn't Finish
19. Still Ill
20. Shakespeare's Sister
21. Shoplifters of the World Unite
22. Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
23. Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before

Song of the Day: "Girlstown"

ARTIST: Super Cat
TITLE: "Girlstown"
YEAR: 1995

My brain must be stuck in 1990's mode. Yesterday's song of the day has also played a significant part of my day, but just as prevalent has been this one, Super Cat's minor mid-90s hit. Can't say Super Cat and The Sundays are very similar (well, except I suppose they're alphabetically close) but there you go. Anyway, this is a great dancehall song. It should have been a huge hit because it's also wildly fun, but dancehall rarely gets big in the States I suppose.

You can hear the song here. If you'd like to own it on CD, the song comes from his 1995 album Struggle Continues. I don't know what version is on the album, however, so it may be worthwhile to seek out a copy of the CD single instead (or in addition) which definitely contains the mix I believe to be the hit one, the BW Vibe Mix.

"Sunday Girl" single (Erasure)

I just picked up the CD single for Erasure's "Sunday Girl," a 2007 release from their album Light at the End of the World. While there are a select few singles I actually seek out, I wanted this one for its b-side, "Take Me on a Highway," which is quite a good song. I had also purchased the Storm Chaser EP as it had quite a few goodies on it, and the "I Could Fall in Love With You" single on impulse one day at the store, so I guess I've got the Light at the End of the World era represented pretty well in my collection. Anyway, this is a nice single and if you like the band, it's worth the few bucks for "Take Me on a Highway" and a few decent remixes of the a-side. I thought the radio edit made things a little abrupt, but that could just be because I'm used to the album version. However, the extended 12" mix is worth a few plays, as is the Riffs & Rays club edit.

Tracks:
1. Sunday Girl (radio mix)
2. Take Me on a Highway
3. Sunday Girl (extended 12" mix)
4. Sunday Girl (Riffs & Rays club edit)
5. Sunday Girl (Riffs & Rays dub edit)

Song of the Day: "Here's Where the Story Ends"

ARTIST: The Sundays
TITLE: "Here's Where the Story Ends"
YEAR: 1990

I don't know why this popped into my head, but it did, and I found myself needing to listen to it. For some reason, this song put me in a bit of a nostalgic mood. It makes no sense, because I was a bit young to be seriously into music at the time it came out, and indeed I didn't hear it for the first time until many years after it was a hit. Still, there you have it.

Anyway, I adore this song. Harriet Wheeler's voice is beautiful, and this one just comes together wonderfully.

If you'd like to take a listen, you can do so here. If you'd like to own it on CD, it was released on their 1990 album Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic.

In the interest of being thorough, I'll mention that there was a version done by Tin Tin Out featuring Shelley Nelson that was a hit in the UK in 1998. Tin Tin Out are a popular dance music and mixing duo. The two are talented, but this version of the song is a bit tragic. Well, that may be overly harsh. It's decent enough for what it is, but it just does not compare to the gem that is the song as performed by The Sundays.

Legendary Rick Springfield

In order to supplement the Rick Springfield Anthology set (see this post) I also picked up this set, entitled Legendary. The two complement each other well as far as providing a solid overview of Springfield's career. I mentioned the draw of Anthology is that it contains several early hits. Most of these are absent from this set, although "Speak to the Sky" and "Take a Hand" are here. However, the main draw of Legendary is that it provides a good overview of his 1980s output. Songs included here that initially drew me to the set include the hit duet with Randy Crawford, "Taxi Dancing," the rock radio hit "Calling All Girls," and the album track "Living in Oz." For chart-inclined people, I'll include a look at Springfield's hits at the end of this post.

New standouts for me include "Carry Me Away," "The Light of Love," "Daddy's Pearl," "Calling All Girls," "Living in Oz," "Can't Stop Hurting You," "Walk Like a Man," and "World Start Turning," which are the sort of rock Springfield became famous for in the early 1980s; "Red Hot & Blue Love," which is a bit of an adventurous romp with a rockabilly influence; "Tonight," which sounds like a classic waiting to happen had it been released as a single and not just the b-side of "Don't Talk to Strangers;" a rockin' remake of the Los Bravos hit "Black Is Black;" "How Do You Talk to Girls" and "Tiger by the Tail," which seem to take stylistic nods from Joe Jackson and Elvis Costello and artists of that sort; and "Honeymoon in Beirut," an awesome song that really should have been a huge hit.

And am I really the only person who loves "Taxi Dancing?" Springfield's slow songs usually aren't my favourites, but I think he and Crawford do an ace job on this. Haven't seen many other reviews which are very kind to this particular song, though.

I forgot to mention in my Anthology review that "I've Done Everything for You" was written and originally recorded by Sammy Hagar. I've not heard Hagar's, but damn I love Springfield's version. Such a great song! Another brief personal note: "State of the Heart" has been growing on me with every listen. I think it's among my Springfield favourites now.

Track listing for the set:
1. Speak to the Sky
2. Love Is Alright Tonite
3. Jessie's Girl
4. Hole in My Heart
5. Carry Me Away
6. I've Done Everything for You
7. The Light of Love
8. Everybody's Girl
9. Daddy's Pearl
10. Red Hot & Blue Love
11. Inside Silvia
12. Calling All Girls
13. I Get Excited
14. What Kind of Fool Am I
15. Kristina
16. Tonight
17. Black Is Black
18. Don't Talk to Strangers
19. How Do You Talk to Girls
20. Still Crazy for You
21. Just One Kiss
22. April 24, 1981
23. Human Touch
24. Alyson
25. Affair of the Heart
26. Living in Oz
27. Me & Johnny
28. Motel Eyes
29. Tiger by the Tail
30. Souls
31. I Can't Stop Hurting You
32. Like Father, Like Son
33. Love Somebody
34. Taxi Dancing (with Randy Crawford)
35. Bop 'Til You Drop
36. Take a Hand
37. Dance This World Away
38. Celebrate Youth
39. State of the Heart
40. Walking on the Edge
41. Walk Like a Man
42. Rock of life
43. Honeymoon in Beirut
44. World Start Turning
45. One Reason to Believe
46. Soul to Soul
47. Tear It All Down
48. Woman
49. Dream in Colour
50. Hold On to Your Dream

I saw one review complain about the mastering on this set, but to my ear it sounded just fine. I do not have particularly discerning ears when it comes to these matters, however. My only problem is the skimpiness of the included liner notes, but that's a minor issue.

As I mentioned I'd provide, here is a rundown of Springfield's U.S. charted tunes. I'll also make a note as to which set contains which songs: (A) for Anthology and (L) for Legendary.

1972
"Speak to the Sky" (#14) (A) (L)
"What Would the Children Think" (#70) (A)

1974
"American Girls" (#98) (A)

1976
"Take a Hand' (#41) (A) (L)

1981
"Jessie's Girl" (#1) (#10 album rock) (A) (L)
"I've Done Everything for You" (#8) (A) (L)
"Love Is Alright Tonite" (#20) (#40 album rock) (A) (L)

1982
"Don't Talk to Strangers" (#2) (#11 album rock) (A) (L)
"Calling All Girls" (#4 album rock) (L)
"What Kind of Fool Am I" (#21) (A) (L)
"I Get Excited" (#32) (L)

1983
"Affair of the Heart" (#9) (#23 album rock) (A) (L)
"Human Touch" (#18) (#34 album rock) (A) (L)
"Souls" (#23) (L)

1984
"Love Somebody" (#5) (#13 album rock) (A) (L)
"Don't Walk Away" (#26) (#41 album rock)
"Bop 'Til You Drop" (#20) (A) (L)
"Taxi Dancing" (#59) (L)
"Bruce" (#27) (A) (recorded in 1978)

1985
"Celebrate Youth" (#26) (A) (L)
"State of the Heart" (#22) (A) (L)

1988
"Rock of Life" (#22) (#45 album rock) (A) (L)

As you can see, from a hits perspective, both sets do a pretty good job collecting them, with each having a few that the other omits. The main draw of Legendary is not just the hits, but also the many cool Springfield album tracks, such as those mentioned in this post. The only hit omitted by both is "Don't Walk Away."

Song of the Day: "Fight Outta You"

ARTIST: Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals
TITLE: "Fight Outta You"
YEAR: 2007

It always happens that there are songs and artists that I should know while they're current, but don't. Such is the case with this Ben Harper tune. There's no real reason why I didn't hear it when it was released and being promoted, but I was late to the party. The first time I heard it was around the holidays, so either late December '07 or early January '08.

Anyway, I've been enjoying this song quite a bit. Before this, I, like many others, basically only knew Harper for "Steal My Kisses," despite his releasing many an album over the last dozen or so years. I really should try to become more familiar with his catalogue, though. He seems quite talented.

You can hear the song here. If you'd like to own it on CD, it's on 2007's Lifeline album.

Anthology (Rick Springfield)

Rick Springfield's Anthology is another of my latest purchases. Anthology is a 24-track overview that includes a mix of Springfield's early hits from the 70s and more well-known 80s tunes. Particularly cool is the inclusion of "What Would the Children Think," one of Springfield's early hits that many other compilations seem to ignore.

I was very pleased with this CD musically. I like Rick Springfield, especially songs like "I've Done Everything for You" and "Human Touch." I discovered that his early stuff is also quite good as well, and enjoyed hearing songs like "Speak to the Sky," "Hooky Joe," and "What Would the Children Think." Also fun to hear was his comedic hit "Bruce," about the Springfield-Springsteen confusion.

While there are some big hits missing from this CD, Anthology is a nice disc to start with for a Springfield collection.

Tracks:
1. Jessie's Girl
2. I've Done Everything for You
3. Don't Talk to Strangers
4. Love Is Alright Tonite
5. What Kind of Fool Am I
6. Affair of the Heart
7. Human Touch
8. Love Somebody
9. Bop 'Til You Drop
10. Celebrate Youth
11. State of the Heart
12. Rock of Life
13. Speak to the Sky
14. What Would the Children Think
15. Comic Book Heroes
16. I'm Your Superman
17. Believe in Me
18. Hooky Joe
19. American Girls
20. Child Within
21. Eleanor Rigby
22. Take a Hand
23. Archangel
24. Bruce

Music Town (Walter Hyatt)

I bought Walter Hyatt's 1993 album Music Town because I needed the song "Are We There Yet Momma" for some work I was doing. Walter Hyatt is a Texas countryman who headed Uncle Walt's Band. David Ball, who has achieved much solo success, was also a member, and he supplies harmony vocals on some of the tracks on this disc.

This is pretty traditional Texas country. It was decent but not really my thing. Probably not a disc I'll play a lot but Hyatt seems to have been talented. I learned from reading a bit about him that the plane crash that killed Hyatt is the same one that killed San Diego Chargers running back Rodney Culver. Sad.

Track list:
1. Get the Hell Outta Dodge
2. Must I Fall
3. When You're Down to Your Last Quarter
4. Are We There Yet Momma
5. The Evening Train
6. In Black and White
7. Teach Me About Love
8. I'm Calling
9. Out Where the Blue Begins
10. All the Time in the World
11. Here Today
12. Last Call

Song of the Day: "All I Want Is You"

ARTIST: Carly Simon
TITLE: "All I Want Is You"
YEAR: 1988

Today's song is Carly Simon's "All I Want Is You," a song that should have been a huge hit, but instead only became a moderate one. Simon wrote the song along with Jacob Brackman and Andy Goldmark and included it on her Coming Around Again album. The title track was the bigger hit, but I think this is the better song. Roberta Flack does backing vocals on this track, and her parts are quite good as well.

You can hear the song here, a Youtube video where somebody has set this song to the video for "Coming Around Again." If you'd like to own the song on CD, there are many options, including the Coming Around Again album and various hits compilations, running from budget sets to in-depth looks at Simon's career.

The Ultimate Collection (Billie Jo Spears)

I recently picked up a copy of Billie Jo Spears' The Ultimate Collection. It was assembled and released by EMI Gold in 2007. It's probably the best Spears retrospective currently on the market, as it contains two discs that span various stages of her career, although the tracks are not arranged chronologically. My only complaint is that the liner notes are pretty skimpy. Spears is a U.S. country artist who placed over thirty hits on the Billboard country chart, but had very little crossover success; however, she had much more in the UK.

I became interested in Spears when I heard her hit "Mr. Walker, It's All Over" and fell in love with it. This collection is highly enjoyable, and I would recommend it to country music fans. Here are the tracks:

1. Blanket on the Ground (#1 U.S. country, #6 UK, #78 U.S. pop / 1975)
This is probably her signature song. It was one of her biggest hits for sure, and it holds up very well in my opinion.

2. What I've Got in Mind (#4 UK, #5 U.S. country / 1976)
This one was written by Kenny O'Dell. Another big hit.

3. Sing Me an Old Fashioned Song (#34 UK / 1976)
I wonder if this just wasn't released in the U.S. or what. It's quite good.

4. I Will Survive (#21 U.S. country, #47 UK / 1979)
This is indeed the song most closely associated with Gloria Gaynor, and it is indeed a country version. It's actually a very good one, believe it or not.

5. (I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden
A version of the Joe South song that Dobie Gray recorded in the 1960s, but that is likely most closely identified with Lynn Anderson.

6. See the Funny Little Clown (#80 U.S. country / 1974)
A remake of the Bobby Goldsboro hit.

7. Stay Away from the Apple Tree (#20 U.S. country / 1975)
Roger Bowling, who wrote "Blanket on the Ground," also co-wrote this one. It's an Eden reference.

8. Silver Wings and Golden Rings (#20 U.S. country / 1976)
I need to revisit this one to form a more concrete opinion.

9. Misty Blue (#5 U.S. country / 1976)
This Bob Montgomery tune has been taken on by everyone from Eddy Arnold to Dorothy Moore. Spears does a fine job with it too.

10. Never Did Like Whiskey (#18 U.S. country / 1976)
This is one of my favorite discoveries on this collection. Great song. It's another penned by Kenny O'Dell.

11. Lonely Hearts Club (#18 U.S. country / 1978)
Another Roger Bowling co-writing credit on this track. I like it very much.

12. I've Got to Go (#17 U.S. country / 1978)
Bowling strikes yet again, penning this one with Larry Butler. I don't actually know much about Mr. Bowling, but Spears does this song of his justice yet again.

13. Country Roads
This is a version of John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads." Not bad.

14. Desperado
About a million versions out there, so here's another for the mix. It's decent. "Desperado" has never been one of my favorite songs in any form.

15. '57 Chevrolet (#16 U.S. country / 1978)
I really enjoyed this one! Roger Bowling strikes again.

16. Yesterday (#60 U.S. country / 1979)
A version of the Beatles tune. I'm not a big fan of the song itself, and this version didn't do much to change that. She sings it well enough, though.

17. Livin' Our Love Together (#23 U.S. country / 1979)
This one was written by Ben Peters. Good tune.

18. Rainy Days and Stormy Nights (#21 U.S. country / 1980)
Decent tune.

19. (Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song
A good version of B. J. Thomas's big hit.

20. If You Love Me (Let Me Know)
I can't figure out when she recorded this one. Anyway, it's a version of the song that's also been tackled by the likes of Loretta Lynn and Elvis Presley, but is likely best known in the recording done by Olivia Newton-John.

21. That's What Friends Are For
Not the song introduced by Rod Stewart and later a big hit for Dionne Warwick & Friends, but rather a version of Barbara Mandrell's 1976 country hit. This version also came out in '76.

22. Standing Tall (#15 U.S. country / 1980)
A good song, this is. Ben Peters co-wrote this one.

23. Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad (#13 U.S. country / 1981)
Great song! Some of you may be familiar with the big hit version by Tammy Wynette from 1967. Spears does a wonderful job with it in this updated arrangement.

24. What the World Needs Now Is Love (#58 U.S. country / 1981)
Her take on the oft-remade Jackie DeShannon classic (penned by Burt Bacharach and Hal David) is decent enough. Oddly enough, the only version I've ever heard that I really like is the one by Dionne Warwick with The Hip-Hop Nation United from the late 1990s. I'm not sure which is odder - that that's the version I like most, or that this is the second time I've had cause to bring up Warwick while talking about a Billie Jo Spears collection!

25. He's Got More Love in His Little Finger (#48 U.S. country / 1969)
As disc two starts, we go back to some of her earlier songs. This one's a good one, and I believe it was her first chart hit.

26. Mr. Walker, It's All Over (#4 U.S. country, #80 U.S. pop / 1969)
I adore this song. As I mention, it's the reason I decided I really wanted a Spears set. Great, great song that tackles the "big city" theme of country music from a woman's perspective.

27. Daddy, I Love You (#40 U.S. country / 1970)
Pretty enough tune.

28. Marty Gray (#17 U.S. country / 1970)
Fairly easy to hear why this was a reasonably big hit. Kinda catchy.

29. I Stayed Long Enough (#30 U.S. country / 1970)
A Tammy Wynette writing credit! I wonder why Wynette didn't release it as a single herself. Strong song.

30. Souvenirs and California Memories (#68 U.S. country / 1972)
I was surprised to see that David Allen Coe co-wrote this one. I guess I didn't realize he'd been around that long. Anyway, it's a good song.

31. Harper Valley P.T.A.
Jeannie C. Riley made it a huge hit. Bobbi Martin had a cool version too. Now we can add Spears to the list of 1960s women whose mamas socked it to the Harper Valley PTA. I enjoy all three renditions.

32. Heartaches by the Number
A country classic. Good rendition.

33. Tips and Tables
Not sure if this was an album track or a failed single or what. It's shown with a 1969 copyright, so it must be among her early work. Regardless, it's a very good song.

34. Stand by Your Man
The oft-recorded Tammy Wynette hit. Spears renders it well.

35. Faded Love
Another country classic. Another good version.

36. I Don't Wanna Play House
Another one that was a hit for Tammy Wynette (1967). Spears does a very good job with it.

37. Ode to Billie Joe
I never could figure out what the heck goes on in this song. The Bobbie Gentry classic gets a decent treatment here.

38. Paper Roses
All sorts of people (e.g., Anita Bryant and Marie Osmond) have taken cracks at this one. Spears does a good job with it too.

39. Snowbird
Better known in its Anne Murray rendition.

40. Sweet Music Man
A version of Kenny Rogers's 1977 hit.

41. She's Out There Dancin' Alone
Pretty song. Barbara Mandrell also recorded it, but as far as I can tell this version predates that one. Not sure if it's the original or if we need to look elsewhere for that.

42. We Love Each Other
Very good song! It was a minor country hit in 1979 for R.C. Bannon and Louise Mandrell, but the Spears version seems to predate that one. Again, I'm not sure if it's the original or not. Written by Buddy Killen.

43. Lizzie and The Rain Man
A huge hit for Tanya Tucker and another Kenny O'Dell writing credit. This is a decent reading of it.

44. Hurt
This one's been recorded by just about everyone (Timi Yuro, Little Anthony and The Imperials, etc.) Spears does it pretty well.

45. Permanently Lonely
A Willie Nelson penned tune. I'm guessing it wasn't released as a single, because I don't see how else it wouldn't have been a hit.

46. I've Never Loved Anyone More
Co-written by former Monkee Michael Nesmith. Lynn Anderson had the hit with it. Good song.

47. Callin' Baton Rouge
Written by Dennis Linde. This is one of my favorite discoveries on here. In 1989, it was a minor country hit for New Grass Revival, whoever they may be. It was later a much bigger hit in 1994 when Garth Brooks laid his version down. However, I really love Spears's take on the song, and it's quite interesting to hear it being sung by a woman. Also of note is that this one came years before either of the aforementioned hit versions, as it was recorded on her 1980 Standing Tall album. The earliest version I can find is a 1978 recording by The Oak Ridge Boys. I assume that one is the original.

48. Slow Movin' Outlaw
Decent tune to close out the set. It was written by Dee Moeller and probably most famously recorded by Waylon Jennings.

Standout tracks include "Blanket on the Ground," "Sing Me an Old-Fashioned Song," "I Will Survive," "Never Did Like Whiskey," "Lonely Hearts Club," "'57 Chevrolet," "Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad," "Mr. Walker, It's All Over," "Tips and Tables," "I Don't Wanna Play House,"and "Callin' Baton Rouge." Many other good tracks here, too, though. As you can see, Spears did her own readings of many others' hits, and she oftentimes hit the mark well with her interpretations.

And here are her other U.S. country chart hits, for those wondering:
-Stepchild (#43 / 1969)
-It Coulda Been Me (#23 / 1971)
-On the Rebound (duet with Del Reeves) (#29/1976)
-Teardrops Will Kiss the Morning Dew (duet with Del Reeves) (#42/1976)
-If You Want Me (#8/1977)
-I'm Not Easy (#11/1977)
-Too Much Is Not Enough (#18/1977)
-Love Ain't Gonna Wait for Us (#24 / 1979)
-Natural Attraction (#39 / 1980)
-Midnight Blue (#39 / 1984)
-Midnight Love (#51 / 1984)

Super Hits (Crystal Gayle)

Another of my latest acquisitions is a budget compilation from Sony: Crystal Gayle's Super Hits. It contains ten tracks from the period 1979-1983. Obviously, it's not the only Gayle disc one would ever need, but at $7, it's a good value for plugging in some holes in one's collection, as all ten of these are hits one would want for a good Gayle career overview, including her big crossover hit "Half the Way." The other Gayle CD in my collection is Rhino's 2002 Best Of, which has a good overview of her 80s hits. This does, of course, mean that I'm still missing a few essential tracks, so perhaps some more of her stuff will be showing up in my collection at some point.

Tracks:
1. Half the Way
2. It's Like We Never Said Goodbye
3. The Blue Side
4. If You Ever Change Your Mind
5. Too Many Lovers
6. Take It Easy
7. You Never Gave Up on Me
8. Livin' in These Troubled Times
9. Keepin' Power
10. The Woman in Me

"Don't Stop Now" single (Crowded House)

One of my latest acquisitions is the CD single for Crowded House's "Don't Stop Now." Released in 2007, this is the lead single from their big comeback album Time on Earth. I still haven't gotten around to picking the album up, but I plan on doing so soon, as I really like Crowded House. Here are the tracks on the single:

1. "Don't Stop Now"
A very good song! True to the classic Crowded House sound. If it's at all representative of the new album, I know I won't be disappointed whenever I finally get it. Johnny Marr is credited with playing electric guitar on this track, which ups its cool factor.

2. "Lost Island"
Pretty cool b-side. Worth a listen.

3. "Mean to Me" (live from Real World Studios)
This is a live recording of the track from their 1986 self-titled album. It's a good song and this version is very nice. Makes me regret not seeing CH when they were touring to support the new album. Hopefully there'll be another...

4. "Stare Me Out"
This is my favourite of the b-sides. Very strong track.

Set lists: Editors, Hot Hot Heat, Louis XIV

12 January 2007 - Editors, Hot Hot Heat, and Louis XIV. I went to see HHH without really knowing a lot from the other two, but I have to say, Editors were truly rocktastic live. Great sets from both. Louis XIV wasn't too bad either.

Louis XIV
1. The Grand Apartment
2. Louis XIV
3. Pledge of Allegiance
4. Paper Doll
5. Air Traffic Control
6. Finding Out True Love Is Blind
7. Guilt by Association
8. God Killed the Queen
9. There's a Traitor in This Room

Hot Hot Heat
1. Dirty Mouth
2. Harmonicas and Tambourines
3. No Not Now
4. Bandages
5. 5 Times Out of 100
6. Let Me In
7. Middle of Nowhere
8. My Best Fiend
9. Talk to Me, Dance With Me
10. Goodnight, Goodnight

Editors
1. Bones
2. All Sparks
3. An End Has a Start
4. Bullets
5. Escape the Nest
6. When Anger Shows
7. Lights
8. Blood
9. You Are Fading
10. The Racing Rats
11. Munich
Encore
12. Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors
13. Fingers in the Factories

While I was there, I also picked up a 45: "Bandages" b/w "Apt 101." That's only the third 45 I actually own. Not exactly sure what possessed me. Cool picture sleeve, I guess.

Born to Be Hurt: The Anthology 1966-1982 (Sandy Posey)

My latest purchase is a collection of Sandy Posey's recordings. It's entitled Born to Be Hurt: The Anthology 1966-1982. The name is derived from one of her big pop hits, "Born a Woman." I previously had all of her pop hits on CD as I also own Single Girl: The Very Best of the MGM Years. However, there are some cuts on this CD, issued by the excellent Australian reissue label Raven Records, that made me want to add it to my collection. I'm glad I own both CDs, however, as some of the tracks unique to the other are also quite good. Anyway, to get back to this one:

Tracks and commentary:
1. Born a Woman (#12 US pop / 1966)
This song is the subject of much debate: is it subtly feminist or blatantly anti-feminist? Take a listen and decide for yourself. Also included on the Single Girl CD.

2. Single Girl (#12 US pop / 1966)
Another song bemoaning the status of women. She made a career out of feminine troubles. Also included on the Single Girl CD.

3. See Ya Round on the Rebound
This is one of the tracks I wanted that was not on the Single Girl CD. It's a P. F. Sloan composition, which is always a promising thing. Sloan is known for such classics as "Eve of Destruction" and "Where Were You When I Needed You." This song is another goody. It's especially interesting coming from Ms. Posey, as it's one of her few early songs where she gets to be firmly proactive. Incidentally, the track was also released on a 45 by Shelley Fabares. I sure would love to hear that version at some point. Anyway, I really like this song, so it alone was worth the disc.

4. Here Comes My Baby Back Again
This one is also included on the Single Girl CD. Posey returns to her usual abused stance in what the liner notes appropriately term a "weeper."

5. What a Woman in Love Won't Do (#31 US Pop / 1967)
Another of Posey's hits, also included on the Single Girl CD. It's one of her weaker tunes, in my opinion, but it's not bad. It was written by John D. Loudermilk, and I'll give him credit for keeping it interesting at least.

6. Hey Mister
Also on the Single Girl CD. This should have been a huge hit single. It's right up her alley, and her vocal delivery is excellent.

7. Bread and Butter
This was one of the new tracks for me on this disc. Unexceptional, but decent enough.

8. Love of the Common People
It seems everyone took a crack at this song. Perhaps you're familiar with the 1969 version by The Winstons? Or the 1980s version by Paul Young? This is another track I'd not heard by Posey before, and she does a very good rendition. Surprisingly good, actually.

9. I Take It Back (#12 US Pop / 1967)
What is it with this woman's singles stalling at #12? This track is also on the Single Girl CD and it's one I really like. It was written by the prolific songwriting team of Buddy Buie and James Cobb. This time Posey tries to be proactive and remove herself from a relationship, but she can't keep her resolve in the face of her man breaking down every time she tries. I swear, she plays every role, eh?

10. Standing in the Rain
Another new track for me. Sad song, kinda pretty. Worth a listen. I'll have to revisit it for a more concrete opinion.

11. Sunglasses
This is also on the Single Girl CD. It's another Loudermilk composition, and this deceptively upbeat track is definitely one of my favorites. Should have been released as a single. A little promo and it could have been huge.

12. Are You Never Coming Home (#59 US Pop / 1967)
Posey's last pop hit, also included on the Single Girl CD. Cool song that should have been a bigger hit. As you might guess from the title, Posey bemoans an absentee love, one whom she recognizes she should be able to get over, but can't.

13. Just You, Just Me (And Love for Company)
New one for me. Great song! Driving beat and lyrics that don't include an oppressed Sandy Posey. Really good.

14. One Man Woman
This is also on the Single Girl set, but I'd completely forgotten it. I suppose I didn't spin it very much. Not too bad. Posey's a one man woman who's got herself a one woman man. This one was written by the great Joe South.

15. Silly Girl, Silly Boy
One of Posey's few self-penned tunes. Another new one for me. It's actually quite good. It addresses the heartbreak aspects of love, but somehow it seems a bit different from some of her many other songs of woe. It's a shame she didn't write more. She was apparently a capable woman in that respect. This song was released as the B-side of Posey's almost-hit "Something I'll Remember" (#2 US Bubbling Under / 1968). That hit is absent from this set, but it is on the Single Girl CD.

16. Deep in Kentucky
Also included on the Single Girl set. It's not one I listened to much, but it's actually a good song now that I hear it again.

17. Ways of the World
From here on out, none of these tracks are on the Single Girl CD. We seem to be getting to mature songs now. It was written by Martha Sharp, who also wrote the opening two tracks, but you'd never know it. Good tune.

18. Your Conception of Love
Whoa! You tell 'im, Sandy ol' girl. Posey finally lashes out at someone whose conception of love is flawed by nature of its being incredibly self-centered. Written by the team of Toni Wine and Doc Pomus. Excellent song. Probably a bit too sophisticated to have been a hit, more's the pity.

19. Bring Him Safely Home to Me (#18 US Country / 1972)
Here's where Posey finds a new home in the country market. It is markedly more country-sounding than her earlier efforts. It's a nice song. Sounds like something Lynn Anderson could have done well.

20. Why Don't We Go Somewhere and Love (#51 US Country / 1972)
The liner notes say this was likely held back on the chats for being a bit too risqué for the times. I concur. It probably would have been more acceptable as delivered by a male vocalist. It's a good song, though.

21. Lonesome City Blues
Written by Linda Hargrove. Amazing song! I'm guessing it wasn't released as a single, and that's a pity. One of those many country songs that bemoan the trip from the countryside to the big city, but one of the better examples of them that I've heard.

22. Happy Happy Birthday Baby (#36 US Country / 1972)
You've probably heard some version of this, be it the doo-wop hit by The Tune Weavers or the later country hit version by Ronnie Milsap or one of the multitudes of others. It's not one of my favorite songs, but Posey sings it well.

23. Don't (#39 US Country / 1973)
This is the song that was popularized by Elvis Presley in 1958. I'm pretty indifferent to his version, and I expected that indifference to carry over to this one. Wrong! Something about Posey's delivery here makes me really like it. Score one for her.

24. Why Do We Carry On (The Way We Do)
Another self-penned tune. Released 1976. This one is a bit of a move away from traditional country and toward country-rock. It's actually quite good. Nice lyrics. Good guitar on it. The woman really should have written more songs! This was released as the b-side to the absent minor country hit "Trying to Live Without You Kind of Days."

25. It's Midnight (Do You Know Where Your Baby Is?) (#93 US Country / 1976)
The liners call this "a piece of blatant paranoia set to a haunting melody augmented by atmospheric piano and strings." I can't really improve upon that description.

26. Born to Be With You (#21 US Country / 1978)
This is a rendition of the 1956 Chordettes hit. It's pretty good. Can't call it a standout track as it's been arranged rather generically so that you could stick basically any credible vocalist in there. That said, it's still an enjoyable track, and if the goal, as I imagine, was to make something capable of commercial success, I would say it was achieved well.

27. Love Love Love/Chapel of Love (#26 US Country / 1978)
A medley of two older hits: one the old doo-wop song recorded by the likes of The Diamonds (whose hit 1956 version is a cover, but forgive me as I can't think who did the original) and the other the girl group classic recorded by The Dixie Cups in 1964. The two songs segue together well here, although the slow arrangement turns "Love Love Love" into a bit of a plodder at the beginning. Once it hits the "Chapel of Love" segment it picks up considerably, and the reprise of "Love Love Love" is more enjoyable as well.

28. Love Is Sometimes Easy (#26 US Country / 1979)
Posey co-wrote this one with Billy Robinson. I wasn't surprised to find out she had a hand in writing it, because it's again one of the new tracks that had an immediate impact for me. Really good song! I don't understand why this wasn't a bigger hit. I wonder if it might have been bigger a few years later, or if perhaps radio was just turning against veterans like Posey at this point. Whatever the case, it seems like this song should have been huge.

29. Can't Get Used to Sleeping Without You (#88 US Country / 1983)
Posey's last country hit. Another Billy Robinson composition, this time with help from Ray Davis and Robbie Rodgers. The sound is pretty easily identifiable as 1980's country. It's a good tune, but nothing special either. Still, I can't help but wonder if it might not have fared better if a different name had been attached to it, like Crystal Gayle or someone like that.

So there's that. Overall, it's a very strong CD. For any Posey fan, I would definitely recommend owning both this and the Single Girl CD. The combination gives a very nice overview of Posey's career. If you have to choose just one, choose this one, but here's what you'll be missing out on:

-Blue Is My Best Colour (b-side of "Single Girl"): Another Posey lament, this time of her lover leaving her. Good tune. Posey-penned.
-Arms Full of Sin: Also Posey-penned. A warning against a man in the same vein as "Sweet Talkin' Guy" and "Johnny One Time."
-Satin Pillows: The country classic that also became a pop hit for Bobby Vinton. This is a good rendition.
-Just Out of Reach: Another classic that's been recorded by just about everyone. aka "Just Out of Reach (Of My Two Empty Arms)." Posey does a very good job with it. Very credible vocal.
-Shattered (b-side of "What a Woman in Love Won't Do"): Great song. I prefer it to the plug side. Might have been a big hit in its own right if given the chance. This one laments a love in tatters.
-Patterns: A very strong pop song. Don't know why this wasn't a hit. One of the standout tracks.
-I'm Your Puppet: The classic song that was a hit for James & Bobby Purify. It's interesting to hear a female rendition. She does a good job with it, but then, I guess she had practice delivering vocals about being at someone else's control.
-Don't Touch Me: Another country classic, probably best known in its Jeannie Seely version. Posey does an all right job with it.
-The Boy I Love (b-side of "I Take It Back"): A Posey-penned song about a guy who kisses and tells, thus ruining her reputation. Strong song, but probably not a theme that could have been dealt with on radio at the time. Too bad.
-Come Softly to Me: Classic song recorded by The Fleetwoods and scads of others. Posey's rendition is very good.
-Something I'll Remember: the near-hit mentioned in the text. Another one from the Buie-Cobb team. Decent song. The flip side was the stronger tune but this one's worth a spin or two. It's also probably the more commercial song, although as mentioned, it didn't quite make it to hit status.
-Will You Love Me Tomorrow: A whole lotta people have taken this Gerry Goffin-Carole King song on. Posey does a good job with it.

For chart enthusiasts, the Posey hits not mentioned yet in this text (i.e., the ones not on either CD):
-Trying to Live Without You Kind of Days (#99 US Country / 1976)
-Try Home (#82 US Country / 1979)

Song of the Day: "Darling Be Home Soon"

ARTIST: The Lovin' Spoonful
TITLE: "Darling Be Home Soon"
YEAR: 1967

And now
A quarter of my life is almost past
I think I've come to see myself at last
And I see that the time spent confused
Was the time that I spent without you
And I feel myself in bloom

It startled me when I realized just how relevant that verse was becoming for me, although "you" would be a tad more abstract as applies to my life at this point. Anyway, this is one of The Lovin' Spoonful's many hits (#15 on the Hot 100) and it is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded, both lyrically and musically. Simply amazing. The song comes from the film You're a Big Boy Now.

"Darling Be Home Soon" is available for purchase on several Lovin' Spoonful products. It can be heard here.

Another notable recording is that by Bobby Darin, which was also released as a single in 1967. It peaked at #93 and, in my opinion, it's easy to hear why The Lovin' Spoonful version was the more successful of the two. However, Darin's is also a good rendition and can be heard here. If you'd like Darin's version on CD, I would recommend the 2-albums-on-1-CD set If I Were a Carpenter/Inside Out. That also contains Darin's various other hits for Atlantic Records, including "If I Were a Carpenter," "The Girl That Stood Beside Me," "(Sitting Here) Lovin' You," and "The Lady Came from Baltimore." It also contains his versions of such classic songs as "Until It's Time for You to Go" and "Reason to Believe."

Spotlight: The Best of Tompall Glaser & The Glaser Brothers

The spotlight feature is me discussing an album not because it's a new acquisition, but just because it's something I own and about which I feel like blogging.

This spotlight is of The Best of Tompall Glaser & The Glaser Brothers, the title of which is a good description of the content. The tracks include a good retrospective of the early Glaser Brothers sound, which is country music with folk elements. You also get some of Tompall Glaser's biggest solo hits as well as the Glaser Brothers' less folky ones. The only songs missing are some of their later hits. Still, this is a great CD with many highly-enjoyable tracks. I'd recommend it for both fans of the folk side of country and fans of outlaw country. Tompall Glaser is one of the heroes of outlaw country, after all.

Track listing (songs by Tompall & The Glaser Brothers unless otherwise noted):
1. Streets of Baltimore
2. Gone, On the Other Hand
3. Gentle on My Mind
4. Through the Eyes of Love
5. The Moods of Mary
6. One of These Days
7. California Girl (And the Tennessee Square)
8. All That Keeps Ya Goin'
9. Walk Unashamed
10. Wicked California
11. Gone Girl
12. Faded Love
13. Rings
14. Sweet, Love Me Good Woman
15. Ain't It All Worth Living For
16. A Girl Like You
17. Charlie
18. Bad Bad Bad Cowboy (by Tompall Glaser)
19. Texas Law Sez (by Tompall Glaser)
20. Musical Chairs (by Tompall Glaser)
21. Put Another Log on the Fire (by Tompall Glaser)
22. Wild Side of Life (by Tompall Glaser)
23. T for Texas (by Tompall Glaser)
24. Lovin' Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)

Some of my favorite tracks are the early tunes, especially those written or co-written by the legendary Jack Clement. One of these, "California Girl," is the reason I bought this CD in the first place. It's a great, great song. Others of his include "The Moods of Mary," "Wicked California," "Gone, On the Other Hand" and "Gone Girl." All excellent. Other highlights include the Shel Silverstein penned "Musical Chairs," a countrified version of Cymarron's hit "Rings," and the version of the Kris Kristofferson composition "Lovin' Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)." Jim Glaser's own composition, "Walk Unashamed," is also not to be missed. Really, though, there's not a single track on here that I skip. If you don't want to take my word for the caliber of the music, listen to a fan video of "Lovin'..." here.

For chart fans, here is a comprehensive look at Glaser placements on Billboard's country chart. GB denotes a Glaser Brothers hit. JG denotes a Jim Glaser hit. TG denotes a Tompall Glaser hit. CG denotes a Chuck Glaser hit.

1967
-Gone, On the Other Hand: #24 (GB)
-Through the Eyes of Love: #27 (GB)

1968
-God Help You Woman: #32 (JG)
-One of These Days: #36 (GB)
-The Moods of Mary: #42 (GB)

1969
-California Girl (And the Tennessee Square): #11 (GB)
-Wicked California: #24 (GB)
-Please Take Me Back: #40 (JG)
-I'm Not Through Loving You: #52 (JG)
-Molly: #53 (JG)

1970
-Gone Girl: #23 (GB)
-Walk Unashamed: #30 (GB)
-All That Keeps Ya Goin': #33 (GB)

1971
-Rings: #7 (GB)
-Faded Love: #22 (GB)

1972
-Ain't It All Worth Living For: #15 (GB)
-Sweet, Love Me Good Woman: #23 (GB)

1973
-A Girl Like You: #46 (GB)
-Charlie: #47 (GB)
-I See His Love All Over You: #67 (JG)
-Bad Bad Bad Cowboy: #77 (TG)

1974
-Musical Chairs: #63 (TG)
-Fool Passin' Through: #68 (JG)
-Gypsy Queen: #81 (CG)
-Texas Law Sez: #96 (TG)

1975
-Put Another Log on the Fire: #21 (TG)
-Woman, Woman: #43 (JG)
-Forgettin' Bout You: #51 (JG)
-One, Two, Three (Never Gonna Fall in Love Again): #88 (JG)

1976
-T for Texas: #36 (TG)
-She's Free but She's Not Easy: #66 (JG)

1977
-It'll Be Her: #45 (TG)
-Don't Let My Love Stand in Your Way: 86 (JG)
-Chasin' My Tail: #88 (JG)
-It Never Crossed My Mind: #91 (TG)

1978
-Drinking Them Beers: #79 (TG)

1980
-Sweet City Woman: #34 (GB)
-Weight of My Chains: #43 (GB)

1981
-Lovin' Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again): #2 (GB)
-Just One Time: #17 (GB)

1982
-It'll Be Her: #19 (GB)
-I Still Love You (After All These Years): #28 (GB)
-Maria Consuela: #88 (GB)

1983
-When You're Not a Lady: #16 (JG)
-The Man in the Mirror: #17 (JG)
-You Got Me Running: #28 (JG)

1984
-You're Gettin' to Me Again: #1 (JG)
-If I Could Only Dance With You: #10 (JG)
-Let Me Down Easy: #16 (JG)

1985
-In Another Minute: #27 (JG)
-I'll Be Your Fool Tonight: #54 (JG)

1986
-The Lights of Albuquerque: #40 (JG)
-If I Didn't Love You: #53 (JG)

Several of the later Glaser Brothers hit are available on the 2-albums-on-1-CD release Lovin' Her Was Easier/After All These Years, but I don't own that yet, so I can't comment. Jim Glaser's solo work is hard to find on CD, as is Chuck's lone hit. The Tompall solo hits not included on the CD discussed here are available on a set entitled The Outlaw which I don't currently own.

Song of the Day: "I Don't Wanna Die in an Air Disaster"

ARTIST: Albert Hammond
TITLE: "I Don't Wanna Die in an Air Disaster"
YEAR: 1974

Singer-songwriter Albert Hammond is, in my opinion, rather underrated. He's best known for the hit "It Never Rains in Southern California," but he had so many other great songs that fly under the radar, including this one. It was released as a single in 1974 and only managed a peak of #84 in the USA. Still, it's an excellent song, and one I'm surprised others didn't jump at the chance to remake.

I'd kind of hoped that Hammond's son (Albert Hammond, Jr.) being a member of The Strokes might inspire some sort of revival of his work, but alas, that doesn't seem to be the case.

For the lyrics to this song, click here. While you're there, explore. It's Hammond's official website and it's very well-constructed, packed with information about the man and his music.

If you'd like to hear it, a fan has put up a Youtube video here.

If you'd like to own this on CD, the best option appears to be Albert Hammond/99 Miles from L.A., a CD which takes his 1974 and 1975 albums and remasters them onto one disc. Other hits of his included on the disc include "I'm a Train," "Half a Million Miles from Home," and "99 Miles from L.A." Also included is his original version of "Lay the Music Down," which was later recorded by Cilla Black. Note that the version of "Down by the River" here is not the 1972 hit version, but a newer version which was made for the original 99 Miles from L.A. album.

Second Half 2007 Concert set lists

I've been trying to keep set lists from shows I've seen recently. Since I'm trying to mainly keep this about my year in music as it occurs (so I can look back and remember the whole picture) I thought I would dump my 2007 ones all in one post. Have a look at some of what I've heard live in the last few months.

The Police (14 July 2007)
1. "Message in a Bottle"
2. "Synchronicity II"
3. "Walking on the Moon"
4. "Voices Inside My Head"
5. "Don't Stand So Close to Me"
6. "Driven to Tears"
7. "Truth Hits Everybody"
8. "The Bed's Too Big Without You"
9. "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic"
10. "Wrapped Around Your Finger"
11. "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da"
12. "Invisible Sun"
13. "Walking in Your Footsteps"
14. "Can't Stand Losing You"
15. "Roxanne"
Encore 1: "King of Pain"
"So Lonely"
Encore 2: "Every Breath You Take"
Encore 3: "Next to You"

Kanye West (12 October 2007)
1. "Through the Wire" (snippet)
2. "Champion"
3. "Diamonds from Sierra Leone"
4. "Can't Tell Me Noothing"
5. "Flashing Lights"
6. "I Wonder"
7. "Heard 'em Say"
8. "Homecoming"
9. "Drunk and Hot Girls" (extended improv)
10. "The New Workout Plan"
11. "Overnight Celebrity" (snippet) / "Slow Jamz"
12. "All Falls Down"
13. "Gold Digger"
14. "Good Life"
Encore
15. "Touch the Sky"
16. "Jesus Walks"
17. "Everything I Am"
18. "Big Brother"
19. "Stronger"

Serena Ryder (26 October 2007)
I lost this set list, unfortunately. Here are the songs I remember her doing:
1. "Melancholy Blue"
2. "Blown Like the Wind at Night"
3. Some song that didn't yet have a title
4. "Brand New Love"
5. "Lovesick Blues"
6. "Sing Sing"
I believe at some point she also sang "Weak in the Knees"

Sara Bareilles (26 October 2007)
1. "Vegas"
2. "Morningside"
3. "Bottle It Up"
4. "City"
5. "Love on the Rocks" with a chorus of "Bennie and the Jets" thrown in. Pretty cool.
6. "Love Song"
7. "Many the Miles"
8. "Gravity"

Paolo Nutini (26 October 2007)
1. "Alloway Grove"
2. "New Shoes"
3. "Rewind"
4. "These Streets"
5. Not sure what it's called. It included the phrases "get you to listen" and "give me your heart" in its lyrics.
6. "Natural Blues"
7. "Million Faces"
8. "55 to 1"
9. "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)"
10. "Rainbows"
11. "Lovin' You"
12. "You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover"
13. "Jenny, Don't Be Hasty"
Encore
14. "Last Request"
15. "Nashville Cats"
16. "Everybody's Talkin'"
17. "Funky Cigarette"

Stevie Wonder (1 December 2007)
1. "Love's in Need of Love Today"
2. "Too High"
3. "Visions"
4. "Livin' for the City"
5. "Masterblaster (Jammin')"
6. A funky instrumental followed by a medley including snippets from: "Nashville Cats" / "Walking the Floor Over You" / "The Rain" (the Oran "Juice" Jones song) / "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" / "We Are Family" / "Tear the Roof Off the Sucker (Give Up the Funk)"
7. "Higher Ground"
8. "Golden Lady"
9. "Ribbon in the Sky"
10. "Overjoyed"
11. Medley: "You and I" / "The Days of Wine and Roses"
12. "Send One Your Love"
13. Sara Beck sang her original song "To Love Somebody" with Wonder accompaniment
14. "If It's Magic"
15. "How Will I Know" with Aisha Morris
--solo by two drummers on what I believe were bongos--
16. "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing"
17. "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours"
18. Medley: "Rehab" (Winehouse, only one line) / "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It" / country rework of "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours"
19. "My Cherie Amour"
20. Medley: "For Once in My Life" / "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" / "Do I Do"
21. "Sir Duke"
22. "I Wish"
23. "You Are the Sunshine of My Life"
24. "Superstition" with Mike Wagner
25. "As"

Ben Lee (2 December 2007)
Ben Lee established himself as the "king of the blue collar jam" :) He also had some sort of preoccupation with Jordin Sparks's "Tattoo," which he mentioned a few times during the show and even worked into the lyrics of "Catch My Disease." Ah, Ben Lee, so awesome.
1. "Bolt"
2. "How Can That Be?"
3. "American Television"
4. "Thrash Unreal"
5. "Close as I've Come"
6. "Gamble Everything for Love"
7. "Numb"
8. "What Would Jay-Z Do?"
9. "Into the Dark"
10. "Love Me Like the World Is Ending"
11. "Is This How Love's Supposed to Feel?"
12. "Burn to Shine"
13. "Ache for You"
14. "Deep Talk in the Shallow End"
15. "Matthew Modine"
16. "Sex Without Love"
17. "Surrender" (the Cheap Trick tune) with Kate Voegele and Cary Brothers (they opened but I didn't keep set lists for either. Voegele was kinda cool, but Brothers wasn't my thing.)
18. "Catch My Disease"
19. "We're All in This Together"

Top 65 Songs of 2007

I was inspired to devise this by a friend of mine at a music message board (yep, I'm that music geeky) and ended up posting it there. It's a list of my top 65 songs of the year 2007 based both on my opinion of their high quality and personal impact. I made an effort not to repeat artists, so some songs I really like aren't included simply because another by the same artist is. Enjoy.

65. Colbie Caillat: "Bubbly" (listen)
64. Björk: "Earth Intruders" (listen)
63. Cupid: "The Cupid Shuffle" (listen)
62. OneRepublic: "Apologize" (listen)
61. Feist: "1, 2, 3, 4" (listen)

60. Darren Hayes: "On the Verge of Something Wonderful" (listen)
59. Pharoahe Monch: "Body Baby" (listen)
58. Say Anything: "Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too" (listen)
57. Timbaland featuring Keri Hilson & DOE: "The Way I Are" (listen)
56. Rufus Wainwright: "Rules and Regulations" (listen)
55. Common: "The People" (listen)
54. Ne-Yo: "Because of You" (listen)
53. Michael Bublé: "Everything" (listen)
52. Enrique Iglesias: "Do You Know (The Ping Pong Song)" (listen)
51. Chamillionaire featuring Slick Rick: "Hip Hop Police" (listen)

50. Chromeo: "Fancy Footwork" (listen)
49. Erasure: "Sunday Girl" (listen)
48. The Hoosiers: "Worried About Ray" (listen)
47. Muse: "Supermassive Black Hole" (listen)
46. Gwen Stefani: "Four in the Morning" (listen)
45. Duran Duran: "Falling Down" (listen)
44. Girls Aloud: "Call the Shots" (listen)
43. Fabolous featuring Ne-Yo: "Make Me Better" (listen)
42. Hot Hot Heat: "Let Me In" (listen)
41. Jamie Scott & The Town: "When Will I See Your Face Again?" (listen)

40. Kaiser Chiefs: "Ruby" (listen)
39. Taylor Swift: "Teardrops on My Guitar (listen)
38. Nelly Furtado: "All Good Things (Come to an End)" (listen)
37. Fanny Lu: "No te pido flores" (listen)
36. Justin Timberlake: "LoveStoned / I Think She Knows" (listen)
35. Unklejam: "Stereo" (listen)
34. Garbage: "Tell Me Where It Hurts" (listen)
33. Shakira: "Pure Intuition" (listen)
32. Andrea Corr: "Shame on You (To Keep My Love From Me)" (listen)
31. The Fratellis: "Flathead" (listen)

30. Lily Allen: "LDN" (listen)
29. Mika: "Grace Kelly" (listen)
28. Ben Lee: "Numb" (listen)
27. Just Jack: "Glory Days" (listen)
26. Macy Gracy: "Finally Made Me Happy" (listen)
25. Keith Urban: "I Told You So" (listen)
24. Nya Jade: "Live" (listen)
23. Maroon 5: "Makes Me Wonder" (listen)
22. Rob Thomas: "Little Wonders" (listen)
21. Joss Stone featuring Common: "Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now" (listen)

20. Rooney: "When Did Your Heart Go Missing?" (listen)
19. Dashboard Confessional: "Stolen" (listen)
18. Natasha Bedingfield: "I Wanna Have Your Babies" (listen)
17. Matchbox Twenty: "How Far We've Come" (listen)
16. Amy Winehouse: "Rehab" (listen)
15. Kanye West: "Can't Tell Me Nothing" (listen)
14. Finger Eleven: "Paralyzer" (listen)
13. The Ordinary Boys: "I Luv U" (listen)
12. Orson: "Ain't No Party" (listen)
11. Mary J. Blige: "Just Fine" (listen)

10. Buckcherry: "Everything" (listen)
9. Sara Bareilles: "Love Song" (listen)
8. Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings: "100 Days, 100 Nights" (listen)
7. James Blunt: "1973" (listen)
6. David Gray: "You're the World to Me" (listen)
5. Jamie T.: "Calm Down Dearest" (listen)
4. Mark Ronson featuring Daniel Merriweather: "Stop Me" (listen)
3. DJ Tiësto featuring Christian Burns: "In the Dark" (listen)
2. Kate Nash: "Foundations" (listen)
1. Just Jack: "Starz in Their Eyes" (listen)

Song of the Day: "I Just Let It Take Me"

For the "song of the day" feature, which may not actually occur daily, I'll be spotlighting a song which was in my head during the day on which I'm writing, which I discovered that day, or about which I just felt like writing. Today's is a song I really like that popped into my head today.

ARTIST: Bob Lind
TITLE: "I Just Let It Take Me"
YEAR: 1966

Bob Lind is still actively singing, but he's best known for his work during the mid-1960's. His music is a blend of pop and folk. He's likely best remembered for the divisive hit "Elusive Butterfly," which some people really like, while the rest seem to passionately hate it. I can't understand what evokes such a violent reaction, but if you've not heard it, then pick a side.

Anyway, "Elusive Butterfly" was a top ten hit, but while I like it okay, it doesn't hold a candle to the wonderful "I Just Let It Take Me." "I Just Let It Take Me" was released as a single on World Pacific Records in 1966 and it inexplicably didn't find much success on a national level. I think Lind's voice and exceptional lyrics mesh particularly well on this track. The chorus speaks for itself: "Some may call it wanderlust / Some may call it crazy / I don't call it anything / I just let it take me." While I can't find a place to link to a stream of the whole song, it is streamable at last.fm, so users of that site who want to hear this tune should add it to their playlists and take a listen, or at least play the clip here. If you like folk-pop at all, you won't regret it.

For those who wish to own it in CD form, amazon.com lists a 25-track collection of Lind's work entitled Elusive Butterfly - The Complete 1966 Jack Nitzsche Sessions. Given how much I love this song, that CD may someday find its way to me just so I can own and play it on demand. (Also included on that CD are Lind's other national hits, "Remember the Rain" and "Truly Julie's Blues," and the oft-remade track "Cheryl's Goin' Home.")

First acquisitions of 2008

My first new purchases of 2008 are all from sorting through the CD clearances racks at the awesome Half Price Books. There are two locations in my hometown. The first is where I went on my last shopping trip of '07 (31 December, in fact.) The second is where I got this haul:

A*Teens: Pop 'Til You Drop (2002)
The A*Teens are one of the many guilty pleasures of my youth. While they certainly weren't a new generation's answer to growing up without ABBA, they made fun pop that I was always happy to consume; however, because of the time at which they were popular, I never really got around to buying their stuff, so this CD is their first entry into my collection. It's not consistent, but going in knowing about what to expect from this group, I wasn't disappointed. My favourite track of theirs, "Bouncing Off the Ceiling" aka "Upside Down," is not on this album, so don't be surprised if another of their titles appears at some point.

Standout track: "Floorfiller"

Various Artists: Heavy Nuggets: MOJO Presents 15 Lost British Hard Rock Gems 1968-1973 (2007)
The title says it all, really. If you're a fan of Rhino Records' Nuggets box set, or, an even closer match, Nuggets II, then you'd enjoy this CD too. It's got some fine examples of British garage rock, blues-rock, psych-pop, and the likes. A note on the back insert says "Given away free with MOJO December 2007. Not to be sold separately." I'm glad some subscriber chose to dump it off just the same.

Track listing: 1. Terry Reid: "Tinker Taylor" /2. The Pretty Things: "Old Man Going" / 3. The Open Mind: "Magic Potion" / 4. Mighty Baby: "Egyptian Tomb" / 5. Second Hand: "Rhubarb!" / 6. Leaf Hound: "Freelance Fiend" / 7. Atomic Rooster: "Night Living" / 8. The Move: "Don't Make My Baby Blue" / 9. Slade: "My Life Is Natural" / 10. Possessed: "Climb the Wooden Hills" / 11. Procol Harum: "Long Gone Geek" / 12. Blossom Toes: "Peace Loving Man" / 13. Luv Machine: "Witches Wand" / 14. Pete Brown & Piblokto!: "Aeroplane Head Woman" / 15. Warhorse: "Solitude"

Standout tracks: "Tinker Taylor," "Magic Potion," "Egyptian Tomb," "Freelance Fiend," "Don't Make My Baby Blue," "My Life Is Natural," "Climb the Wooden Hills," "Peace Loving Man" ... good sign for the album when there are that many, eh?


Simian Mobile Disco: "Hustler" promo CD (2007)
It contains three of the five mixes of "Hustler" featured on the U.S. single: the extended club mix, the Armand Van Helden remix, and the UK version. Awesome track. This was my introduction to Simian Mobile Disco, and if it's at all representative, then I won't be disappointed if I ever get their album. This is a solid dance track, and even better, it contains some nice quotable lines. If you haven't heard this song, check it out.

ATB: "Don't Stop" single (2000)
I'm only somewhat familiar with ATB's catalogue of work, and this song was not amongst the ones I knew. I'm glad it is now! Great trance track. Included mixes: airplay edit, X-Cabs radio edit, SQ-1 mix, C.L.U.B.B. mix, Sash! Remix, and Spacekid Contacts Woody Van Eyden remix.

Hear it here.

Jocelyn Enriquez: "When I Get Close to You" single (2000)
I didn't know this song before picking this single up, but I got it because I recognized Enriquez's name and because it comes with a nice number of mixes (eight), including some by Thunderpuss 2000. This is a nice dance tune. It's nothing wow, but Thunderpuss does solid work, and Cubanito's mixes are also good. It's worth a spin or two, anyway. Included mixes: Thunderpuss original radio edit, Cubanito's Breakbeat radio edit, Thunderpuss club remix, Lectroluv mix, Thunderpuss Tribe-a-Pella, Thunderpuss remix dub, Cubanito's Breakbeat remix, and Cubanito's Electro Mixshow edit.

Hear it here.

Lara Fabian: "I Will Love Again" single (2000)
Do you suppose the same person sold back all these dance maxis from 2000? Lucky for me, anyway, especially since they were $0.50 a piece. I vaguely remember this track from when it was popular, but I don't think I had feelings for it one way or the other at that time. I liked it pretty well when hearing it now, however. I wasn't so wowed that I plan on picking up more Lara Fabian products, but I'm glad I own this one. I read a piece that compared her voice here to Céline Dion's, and I would say that's an appropriate comparison. Included mixes: album version, David Morales club mix, Hex Hector main mix, Thunderpuss 2000 club mix. The Morales and Thunderpuss mixes were both quite good. The other two were not as exciting in my opinion, but neither were they bad.

Hear it here.

Martika: Martika (1988)
Martika's sophomore album, Martika's Kitchen, was already in my collection, and I found it enjoyable enough, so I decided to go ahead and pick this album up too. I think this gives me the basic Martika discography. Anyway, this album was pretty cool. While I'm not a big fan of the big hit, "Toy Soldiers," I thought some of the other tracks were solid dance-pop in the vein of Paula Abdul and others in that late 80s/early 90s group of folks. I was also pleasantly surprised by her hit version of Carole King's "I Feel the Earth Move." King's version is of course the better of the two, but Martika did a respectable job with it.

Standout tracks: "Cross My Heart," "You Got Me Into This," "I Feel the Earth Move," "It's Not What You're Doing"

Donna Summer: Another Place and Time (1989)
I bought this because it had the name Donna Summer on it. I'm a big fan. Unfortunately, because so many others are, the market is flooded with many substandard products of hers, so it's hard to find desirable ones in stores. My first purchase of hers was the two-CD Gold set, which is about the best compilation you can hope to find of her music. It's not everything you'd want, but it's a good start. I mention that set because it contains three songs from this album: "I Don't Wanna Get Hurt," "This Time I Know It's for Real," and "Love's About to Change My Heart." I didn't know any of the seven other tracks here, but I love those three, so this was an easy purchase to make. The Stock-Aitken-Waterman production is great, as it usually is. The other single released, in addition to the three previously mentioned, was "When Love Takes Over You." Overall, this is a very satisfying album, and I'd recommend it.

Standout tracks: All ten tracks are high quality, in case you couldn't tell by my urge to link a bunch of titles.

Trick Pony: Trick Pony (2001)
A nice debut from this rockin' country group. I'm not sure why they didn't have more success. Perhaps they're a bit too country for most modern listeners? Still, they seem like they should have been mainstream enough to succeed. Anyway, my first exposure to them was through their version of "It's a Heartache" that got some airplay a few years back. That's not on this album, but I'm pleased with this purchase. In addition to their own material, there's also a pretty cool version of the Johnny Cash classic "Big River." The group also has a decent sense of humour that shines through.

Standout tracks: "Pour Me," "Big River," "More Like Me," "On a Night Like This," "Now Would Be the Time"

LFO: Life Is Good (2001)
Okay, I admit it. I have a soft spot for those late 1990s and early 2000s boy bands. The Lyte Funkie Ones may not have been doing anything innovative, for sure, but catchy tunes and clever-ish lyrics make this a decent enough representative of the boy band era, if that era produced music you enjoy. Plus, it contains the hit single "Every Other Time," of which I have fond memories from when it was a current.

Standout track: "Every Other Time"

Frente!: Shape (1996)
I've had Frente!'s breezy Marvin the Album in my collection for years, but I'd never really had the impulse to seek out this, the follow-up. It's not a bad album by any means, but if I had to choose just one to hear, Marvin would win. Nothing here compares to songs like "Accidentally Kelly Street," "Labour of Love," and their great remake of New Order's "Bizarre Love Triangle." Still, some of the tracks are good, so it's worth a listen if you can get it on clearance.

Standout tracks: "Horrible," "Harm," "What's Come Over Me"

Oleta Adams: Circle of One (1990)
I basically bought this because I remember her one big hit, "Get Here." The album was nice enough, with other tracks in that style showing up. Oleta Adams has a good voice, and while I wouldn't call the album outstanding, I wouldn't call it bad either.

Standout tracks: "Get Here," "I've Got a Right"

Duran Duran: Astronaut (2004)
I'm a big fan of Duran Duran, and the recent release of Red Carpet Massacre caused my listening of them to increase significantly again. While I had a few of their albums, I'd yet to acquire this one, despite loving "(Reach Up For The) Sunrise" and "What Happens Tomorrow" when they were currents. As I expected, the rest of the album was also strong. A friend of mine saw them on tour in support of this album and said they still put on an awesome show. I'm hoping they'll hit the road in support of RCM so I get a chance to see them soon too.

Standout tracks: "(Reach Up for The) Sunrise," "Want You More!," "What Happens Tomorrow," "Taste the Summer"

The Go-Go's: "The Whole World Lost Its Head" single (1994)
I like quite a few Go-Go's tracks, yet, for whatever reason, I'd not gotten around to buying anything of theirs until I saw this. I really do need to get the CD versions of their three 1980's albums. Anyway, this is a cool tune, and it's a shame that it never made it further than the Bubbling Under chart in the U.S. (For those of you who may not be chart freaks, Bubbling Under is the name given to the chart which tracks the songs not quite popular enough to have debuted yet on the actual hit chart, the Hot 100. All of these are determined by and published in Billboard magazine.) The Go-Go's were part of that Cali scene that combined new wave elements with pop music and sold it to the masses, and this song continues that trend. The B-sides: three live versions of songs from their previous albums ("Automatic," "Lust to Live," and "You Thought") and the single edit of "We Got the Beat."

Eve 6: It's All in Your Head (2003)
I had Eve 6's self-titled album (1998) and Horrorscope (2000), but I never got around to picking this one up despite greatly enjoying the alternative radio hit it spawned, "Think Twice." I'm glad I finally did, however, as it's another solid offering.

Standout tracks: "Without You Here," "Think Twice," "Good Lives," "Friend of Mine," "Girlfriend"

General Public: Rub It Better (1995)
"Here comes Mr. Wakeling to rub it better." Ah, ska-pop. So underrated, as are both Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger. I must admit, prior to this, I was only really familiar with General Public's 1984 hit "Tenderness," which I love. I do have a nice little collection of hits by The Beat, however, so I thought I'd take a chance on this album. The hit from it (well, minor hit) was "Rainy Days," and it's actually a good album.

Standout tracks: "Rainy Days," "Hold It Deep," "Big Bed," "Punk," "It's Weird," "Blowhard," "Warm Love," "Rub It Better"

Various Artists: Pretty Woman (soundtrack) (1990)
Not much to say here, really. Who doesn't love this film? (Okay, a lot of people don't, but I'm not one of them.) The soundtrack contains quite a few songs I previously knew and like, so I was more than happy to pick it up. I believe it's currently one of the only CDs one can easily find that contains Natalie Cole's "Wild Women Do," so that alone made it worthwhile. Also, "King of Wishful Thinking" is a song I absolutely love, so I was happy to get that one. Some of the tracks I hadn't previously known are also quite good, including former Go-Go Jane Wiedlin's "Tangled." For a woman who made such good solo material, her music is surprisingly hard to find on CD. Sad.

Standout tracks: "Wild Women Do" (Natalie Cole), "King of Wishful Thinking" (Go West), "Tangled" (Jane Wiedlin), "It Must Have Been Love" (Roxette), "Life in Detail" (Robert Palmer), "Real Wild Child (Wild One)" (Christopher Otcasek), "Show Me Your Soul" (Red Hot Chili Peppers)

The Cardigans: First Band on the Moon (1996)
My introduction to The Cardigans was, like many, the catchiest song ever written about unhealthily obsessive love: "Lovefool." However, I didn't really fall in love with the group until years later when I heard the amazing "For What It's Worth." Even then, I never got around the buying the albums, so I was happy to find this one. I can't say it was as great as I thought it would be, but it's pretty good. I think I need to listen to it more to really appreciate it.

Standout tracks: "Happy Meal," "Lovefool," "Iron Man," "Choke"

Manu Chao: Clandestino (1998)
An impressive disc from an impressive man. I was first turned onto Manu Chao my freshman year in college by one of my professors, who recommended him to me. The song he said I should hear was the title track. I checked it out and quite liked it, but never got around to investing in a CD. My next Chao exposure came through a remake of his songs "Bongo Bong" and "Je Ne T'aime Plus" by Robbie Williams on his Rudebox album. I thought the songs sounded quite good, but it wasn't until now that I actually picked up the album that contains all three. (Incidentally, I'm also familiar with "Rainin' in Paradize," the lead single from the recently released La radiolina, and it too is a strong track.) The tracks here are in various languages, including English, Spanish, and French, which are three of the many languages in which Chao is apparently fluent. The album is one of those in which the tracks segue cleanly into one another. Even if you can't understand all three of those languages (as I don't know but a few words of French), you can appreciate the music of what is undeniably a finely-crafted album of great songs.

Standout tracks: Hard to pick. Just get the album. And make sure you check out the linked video for "Bongo Bong" & "Je Ne T'aime Plus," because it's frickin' awesome.

WhatsitgonnaB?

Just what the world needs - yet another blog. Not only is it another blog, but it's another one by an amateur critic writing about music. Anyway, I thought this might be an enjoyable project for myself, and if I actually attract a reader or two, even better. For the most part, I plan to write about new CDs I buy, but I'm sure other things will move me to write too. I suppose that's all there is to know.

If you're wondering, I took the title of this post from the song by Brian Anthony. The blog itself is, of course, titled after the famous winning 1970 Eurovision entry by Irish contestant Dana.