February is my least favorite month. Too cold to do much of anything but wait for spring and play tunes.
1) Barry White-I’m Gonna Love You Just A Little More, Baby.
More evidence that songs with commas rule. “My hands just wont keep still…I love you baby” I’m positive if I talked to women the same way Barry White did, I’d have gotten a lot more action. Smooth talker for sure. He could really make a record, too. This one is among his most steamy. Love the way he double tracks his voice. This track just runs and spills out like a waterfall.
2) Rollin’Over (live) Small Faces
I’ve been trying to write a piece on these guys, but it just doesn’t seem to want to get written.
3) Crawling King Snake-The Doors
A bloated, alcohol fueled Jim Morrison bellows his “poetry” over a basic 12 bar blues. It was getting pretty old by now Jimmy. Go take a bath in France, already.
4) Temptations-I’ve Been Good To You
From the 1966 “Getting Ready” album. Waltz time. Purely an album track, unbeatable vocal blend.
5) You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ -Beach Boys
Brian first time around with Dr. Landy. Trying to get him in the studio functioning again. This is an outtake from the ”Love You “ sessions. He’s probably playing everything here himself. Not so much a cover version as much as it is an exercise. It’s actually not that bad at all.
6)I’m So Bored With The USA – The Clash
Me, too.
7) Art Of Dying-George Harrison
George puts it all in perspective for us. I actually get a fair amount of comfort from these lyrics
sometimes. Very cool descending chord progression .
8) Misty Eyes-Tommy Roe
I have this because Curt Boettcher produced it. Boettcher had a great feel for stereo especially with percussion. This is very Adam And The Ants-ish- not bad for 1967. Curt was a genius.
9) D’yer Mak’er – Led Zeppelin
I hated it then and I hate it now.
10) Jocko Homo-Devo
These guys were brilliant. Brian Eno produced, but I have to think he just set up the room and let them play. A minimalist masterpiece.
11) I Am Waiting-Rolling Stones
The “Aftermath” album never fails to slay me.
12) Ain’t It Baby-Smokey Robinson And The Miracles
Very early Smokey. What a voice. Doo-wop harmonies. Within a couple of years he’d be Motown’s mega-mogul, and for good reason
13) Who Needs The Peace Corps?-Frank Zappa and The Mothers
Hilarious lyrics here as Frank blasts the flower power generation at the height of it’s power.
The truth hurts. “Everyone Must have a place where phony hippies meet” “I will ask the chamber of commerce how to get to Haight Street, and smoke an awful lot of dope” Sounds like a plan.
14) Utterly Simple-Traffic
God, I hate this tune. When I spoke earlier this week about half of Dear Mr. Fantasy being nothing but pseudo-psychedelic claptrap, I was thinking about this song right here. Just as I had managed to block it out of my memory, here it comes again. Christ, this is bad.
15) Hole In My Shoe-Traffic
Nigel from “The Young Ones” did a much better version because that one at least was funny. Astounding in its un-originality. Still, it’s a million times better than “Utterly Simple”
16) Save Me A Place-Fleetwood Mac
From the “Tusk” album where Lindsay Buckingham fucks with the formula. It’s actually very beautiful. Remember all the used copies of this album that floated around because of all the people that bought it expected to hear “Rumours Part 2”? Fooled Ya.
17) Wichita Lineman-Jimmy Webb
Incredible version from his solo album, Ten Easy Pieces. Those piano chords should be outlawed because they just tear me up every single time.
18) River Deep, Mountain High-Elle Greenwich-
In the seventies, Elle did a solo album of her biggest hits. It’s called “Let it be written, Let it be sung” If you ever see it, be sure to scarf it up, you wont be disappointed.
19) What You’ve Got-Thee Milkshakes
Garage Rock to the hundreth power. Undeniable. These folks also recorded as “Thee Headcoats”
20) God Save The Queen-Queen
A fitting closer, now will the sun please come out so I can go back to sucking at golf?