Sometimes, when a DJ speaks to you there is nothign you can do but take notice. I was out for a beer with a couple of old friends last night and I heard this for the first time in ages. Said DJ hit the nail on the head and who am I to argue?
It’s all too beautiful…
/RjK
Gladys Knight and The Pips – Midnight train to Georgia
Have been busy preparing for a busy week ahead today – sorry for short post. This is a classic soul tune, heartfelt and moving. It was one of the very first soul tunes to register on my musical radar.
Another point to note. I had the interesting experience of eating in a Gladys Knight and Ron Winans chicken and waffles (better than it sounds) restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia a few year ago (see picture below).
/RjKSolomon Burke – Everybody needs somebody to love
After being inspired to post Brian Wilson after seeing him on Jools Holland I was moved to mine YouTube for some more BBC musical gems and I came across this. Pretty good.
I have wanted to post it for a while anyway, as it is a classic soul tune. A great version also features in a favourite movie of mine – The Blues Brothers. Check out Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi MOVE.
I need YOU, YOU, YOU. Just to see me through.
Brian Wilson – Good Vibrations
I am slightly cheating on my rule of only one song per artist today, having already posted The Beach Boys. But this version is taken from Brian Wilson’s amazing solo album smile so I am just about okay.
The reason I had to post it is that Brian Wilson played on Later with Jools Holland on Friday night and his version of this was so amazingly good it has left me incapable of thinking about anything else. The melody and harmonies are so rich and it manages to pull off the neat trick of sounding both sunny and wistful. I imagine when it was first released this blew some people’s minds.
Scott Walker – Jackie
The sad news today about John Walker of The Walker Brothers made me think of this.
It is another song from the mythical paternal mix tape that is the distillation of many long car journeys in my youth to and from the Continent on family holidays. It is perhaps the song I most vividly recall – full of such eclectic and colourful lyrics and full of such flamboyance. This maybe a product of it being a translation of a song orignally sung in French by Jacques Brel.
Both Scott Walker and The Walker Brothers made some great music and are well worth some investigation.
If I could be for only an hour, if i could be for an hour every day.
The Beatles – Revolution
I thought it best to post something slightly less esoteric today. I don’t think there can be many more things as ubiquitously popular as The Beatles. And rightly so.
I agonised about which their songs to post. They made so many great records, from the earlier trailblazing pop to the later, more conscious and world-weary stuff like this. It was all great.
In the end I went for this as George Harrison’s guitar is so startlingly good good. Also, it still sounds really fresh and raw which, given that it was recorded 43 years ago is quite an achievement.
The first time I heard this song was a startling experience. It is one of the most powerful songs I have ever encountered. It has a slow, quiet urgency. It is said that this song inspired Bob Dylan to write The Times They Are a-Changing.
Sam Cooke’s life was tragically short but he managed to released so much great music. From his early gospel days with The Soul Stirrers to when he threw off the shackels of less enlightened times and began to release tracks like this he blazed a trail for all that great soul music that was to follow.
There are a few of reasons why I wanted to post this today. Firstly, it’s awesome. It is one of the best tracks from my favourite album of all time. Astral Weeks is a masterpiece, wistful and captivating – it has been beguiling me since the first time I heard it.
Secondly, a couple of days recently have felt like winter is finally coming to a welcome end and this song always makes me think of spring. Full of vivid imagery, when I listen to it I can nearly smell the “gardens misty and wet with rain.”
Finally, Van Morrison is one of my heroes and guilt about not posting him already had been gnawing at me. Also, he is also Irish and today felt like a good day to post a fellow countryman.
Happy St.Patrick’s day to one and all.
The Band – The night they drove old Dixie down
Similar to Cortez the killer, this is a history lesson wrapped in an excellent song. My school curriculum didn’t feature any Conquistadors or Civil Wars (not American ones at any rate) so tracks like these are illuminating for me. The lyrics weave a rich narrative. Also, Virgil (the protagonist) is an excellent name – both a classic Roman poet and a Thunderbird.
Finally, this song features in a classic concert and documentary – the last waltz, capturing the end of The Band’s touring career. It featured guest appearances from lots of the great and good from the mid-70’s including a performance from my ultimate musical hero – Van Morrison.
This is another Motown favourite. It is so pure and joyous.
The video here is also amazing, I love how fun and innocent it all seems. Looking at some contemporary hip hop videos it makes me wonder where it all went wrong. An added bonus is the amazing suits which I believe are the same ones worn here and the black and white pictures don’t really do justice to.
/RjK