This is a pretty classic psychedelic cover of the ever-romping Big Boy Pete. I had no idea these guys looked so fuckin goofy. I couldn't find out much about them except that they opened for Sam the Sham. The Olympics had a mild hit with the song, before it was reworked by the kingsmen into "Jolly Green Giant." It seems like the kingsmen's sound was prolly more the inspiration for this version, with ramped up guitars and oversung vocals, but also the Grateful Dead covered this a lot in the early garage days. It's a perfect fit for any garage/retro night, esp coupled with Mitch Ryder or even something by Junior Parker, due to the shouting storytelling or barroom drunken delivery. But, like any good song, it has a moral: don't be flashin or packin unless you can take the action.
Mr. Fountain was an original member of the Blind Boys of Alabama. He went solo cause he knew his shit was hot, and this soulful gospel ballad on jewel from 1965 (before he left the band) demonstrates his ability to crossover into a more mainstream feel. This song captures the mood of these confusing times and while it doesn't make you wanna holler, you will def sit back and let them tears well up inside. He doesn't offer hope, he is just tellin it like it is, was and always will. I will post some other gospel gems and jewels, but here is another one by him from a little later I found on another blog.
My Friend Zack pulled this original promo single out of a wall of records, neither of us the wiser until we put it on. Amazing sampling keyboard bee sounds and anthemic cheese synth hook line with with extremely childish and confused vocals ('like honey to a bee, yr love will stick to me'-I am not sure thats the exact relationship of honey and bees). People always ask me if this is Madonna, it could be, but its a little too far out for that, the production is a little too lo-fi (yes!) and the beat is a little too danceable. Here is a link I found to a DJ remix of it, probably better than the original though the original has all the charm of a teenage girl who only wears one earring.
This is a single released by ReR records, something I am extremely lucky to have. Both sides are great, but this "Extract 4" has more prog to it so I can get away with playing it live. This is krautrock at its finest, maybe not the song, but the band. I highly recommend any of their old records if you are just getting into the genre. Faust was kind of a super band, hand chosen so to speak, but now they have divided into 2 different bands that fight over rights and tours etc. Its sad when demi-stardom destroys a band, especially one as obscure yet important as they are. Its funny, cause I play this at indie rock nights as well as kind of arty bullshit parties, no one seems to notice or care. But I do remember one old man coming up and giving me a thumbs up (though he did that every time I played anything old and proggy, like Focus or Can).
Part of my "pussy" related collection, this song is a cool instrumental with breathy female vocals that highlight the organ melody (I'm a pussycat, sweet, sweet, pussycat). It has a great chromatic build up and is a perfect lounge background. I often start a slow night with this song, or slip it in near the end, just to sleaze and cheese things up a bit. I know nothing about the man excpet he did some famous broadway songs and duets, but here is more info.
This song is a classic, not only for its violent yet playful message, but also for the instrumentation and style. Not yr typical country, it has a more mexi-cali feel, with the trumpet and the accordion borrowing from the vocal lead. Many people have covered this, but the original is still the best. It more or less tells of an unrelenting ladies man that gets killed by his jealous woman after promising never to go pussy-huntin again. The final tag (as from the tombstone) being "Now there goes Al Dexter, he always had his fun, but with some lead she shot him dead, his honkin days are done." Perfect addition to any party or drinkin night, its fun but a little sick, the way we po-mo party people like it.
These boys made some of rippin'-est western swing tracks the west has ever seen. The kooky and springy pedal steel of Speedy mixed with the 'take off guitar' telecaster style of Bryant is the perfect combination for any event. Besides DJing them at fashion shows or dingy bars, I put them on to clean my apartment, have a dinner party, or just to dance around in my underwear. They are seriously from another world, but not 'a session musicians gone wrong' world, something much more wholesomely fucked up than that. They put the giddy back into giddy up. Here is them backing up Tennessee Ernie Ford on Youtube.
Snakefinger, Residents guitarist extraordinaire, has such a unique approach and tone. Many people find his disjointed rhythmic sense and phrasing to be "too quirky" or "pretentious" but I love it. His attempt at virtuosity and camp is well appreciated, though often not on the dance floor. I will play this one just to make sure people are paying attention, and there is always some guy that comes up to say that its too loud (he always wants "more old school, dude"), and another guy (the weirdo with glasses that has been at the corner table all night) that says finally a song he can dance to. You know who will win of course (the ladies, but not the 80's ladies-that gets tiresome fast).
Professor Morrison's Lollipop was the original name of the Coachmen who then split off into a bunch of Buddah groups (Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus, 1910 Fruitgum Co, etc). This song is a simple beat song that just rocks. Its a hit with the ladies, kind of pre-psychedelia that is easy to get into, with revved up guitars, and repetitive vocals. Definitely one of the hits that keeps coming back. This one goes out to a little lady of my past.
The Champs were a session band best known for their smash hit "Tequila". I go wild for this side because of the more raw and throaty sax sound that seems some how less 'square' than the other proto-rock/surf/boogie instrumentals I have. Maybe its because I think of "Tequila" as a limbo game song, or some kind of forced nostalgia, but the rhythm of this song takes that beach party feel a little further, especially the drums and the guitar. This will kill any dance floor, I don't care how cool the people think they are, arms and hips start swingin and feet start stompin.
