I was on a roll in September, wasn’t I? I posted nearly every day and included offbeat and esoteric MP3s from my record collection. I even asked folks to come and check out the blog. Good times.
Well I ran out of steam. No lame excuses. No major life traumas. Just lost interest.
But December! Oh my word, December 2010 will see a post a day here at MatthewK.com.
As lame as this post is, it still counts.
The image below was randomly selected to add visual interest.
Remember how the U.K. rockers recorded Do They Know It’s Christmas, and that prompted the U.S. rockers to record We Are The World? Both were efforts to raise awareness and money for African famine relief. If you are of a certain age (over 35) and from a certain city (Cleveland) you might also recall The Eyes Of the Children by C.A.R.E. (Cleveland Artists Recording for Ethiopia).
Cleveland produced a few well-known artists like the Dazz Band, the Raspberries, and Ben Orr from the Cars who participated. But there were also band members from regional acts like Beau Coupe, Moonlight Drive, Paul Fayreweather – and the quintessential Cleveland band in the 80’s -MSB.
I remember hearing this on WMMS and thought it was a pretty good song. The sentiments are in the right place and it really is unmistakeably a 1985 pop anthem. I’m posting the Edited Version which runs about five minutes. The Long Version is over seven minutes. But in either case, I think they started repeating themselves at about the two minute mark.
By the way, proceeds from the album went to U.S.A. for Africa Foundation and the Ohio Hunger Task Force. There is a order form where you could order pins, T-shirts and the like with the silk-screened logo for C.A.R.E. Being 1985 one of the items available was a turquoise muscle shirt.
Elevator music is generally a dismissive term for songs performed instrumentally in a staid manner that is often hardly recognizable as the same tune as the original (more popular) version.
I’ve always had a little more respect for elevator music. Firstly, I have to respect the fact that these are real musicians earning a paycheck. You have to respect anyone making an honest living, particularly if he or she has skills you don’t. Secondly, I don’t mind soothing music in confined spaces that are hurtling me hundreds of feet off the ground.
I suppose the Riviera Strings can be said to make elevator music. I’ve digitized their album from the late 60’s called Love Is Blue. You might be familiar with the title track as it was a big hit by Paul Marriott. I’m not going to share that with you. This cover sounds so much like the original there really is no point to it.
I would like to share, however, their version of Theme From Bonnie And Clyde. I’ve always heard it called Foggy Mountain Breakdown. The banjo pickin’ features mighty fleet fingers. But the strings kind of keep it all in elevator land. (Come to think of it, I might not want to hear a song with “breakdown” in the title on an elevator ride.)
The second track I would like to share just screams 1960’s popular music to me. Lulu had a big hit from To Sir With Love. I far prefer the instrumental version found on this album for one reason: Lulu isn’t singing.
By the way, the title for this post is taken from the liner notes –
Whether you listen to these exquisite sounds in the privacy of your home or groove them at a party, the result will be the same: TOTAL ENJOYMENT!
“One hit wonder” is the term we apply to an artist, duo or group that have just one song that becomes popular. Some might look at is as a put-down, but I think even having one hit is pretty impressive. With all the really talented people in this world, just getting a record made and distributed is an accomplishment. I tip my hat to Timbuk 3, Bobby McFerrin and all the others who had one brilliant moment in the sun.
Richard Harris (yes, the actor) had a monster hit called MacArthur Park in the 1970s. You may remember that “someone left the cake out in the rain.” Careless, yes, but not as careless as allowing Richard Harris to hang around the studio long enough to lay down enough tracks to make a full album called A Tramp Shining.
I’m compounding that mistake by converting some of the tracks from the album to share with you as MP3s. I say “some of the tracks” because I couldn’t force myself to listen to the whole album.
There is a bit of a sub-genre of songs that recall the names of former girlfriends, lovers, flings. Solitary Man by Neil Diamond and A Bang On The Ear by The Waterboys are fine examples.
Name Of My Sorrows is not.
If you are up for one more, please tell me the lyrics for Lovers Such As I are the result of some contest to write a song using an early prototype software that produced a random rhyme generator.
Excuse me, I need to pour rubbing alcohol in my ears now. (Don’t try this at home.)
Jackie Gleason is probably best remembered for his comedy. Specifically, most will know him from The Honeymooners. But I don’t really remember his character Ralph Kramden romancing Alice with a little seductive music.
The real-life Jackie Gleason, however, made some very smooth music meant to put the little lady in the right mood. My hat is off to Jackie. Apparently the man could not play any instrument or even read or write music but that didn’t stop him from leading an orchestra that made best-selling albums. That’s something I aspire to.
And that brings us to tonight’s LP to digits project. Gleason released an album called Jackie Gleason presents Velvet Brass. Here is the liner notes tease –
Sensuous, sophisticated…a new musical concept that embodies the luxurious richness of velvet and the masculine brilliance of bright burnished brass.
The album consists of jazz and pop standards of the day. I decided to let my software automatically detect the tracks on this pass at digitizing. It didn’t go so well. I don’t know of the false endings or the popping and hissing threw it off. In any case, you are getting a two-for one deal here. You’re Driving Me Crazy and Skyliner just kind of ran together.
And just because I’ve liked this song by various artists for many years, here’s September Song. Never mind the pops and scratches, somehow I think it adds authenticity to the experience. Just imagine your date is on the couch, pour yourself a scotch and drop the needle on your record player.
I had the pleasure of accompanying Patrick’s preschool class to Eddy Fruit Farm today. It is a tradition now that Daddy takes the boys to the apple farm for the field trip. I went with James’ kindergarten class last week to Patterson’s. In previous years I took John.
So I’ve been to one or the other apple farm on at least four trips in recent years. And you would be amazed at what you can still learn. For instance, I learned that the official apple of the State of Ohio is the Melrose. Farmer Eddy taught us that.
But the best part is when the instructors have a Q & A with the preschoolers. Three-year-olds are not shy about talking a wild guess when asked a question.
For instance, Farmer Eddy said that they are picking so many apples at this time of year that they can’t put them all in in the store and sell them. What do you think we do with the rest of the apples? Patrick was quick to blurt out “Eat them!”
The nice lady reading the book about baking apple pies asked what spice people use in apple pie. Pat offered “Apple Pie Spice”. I think she was looking for cinnamon, bit when you think about it, any spice that is used on making apple pie really is apple pie spice.
Mr. Eddy and the nice ladies at story time have probably seen hundreds of preschoolers, perhaps thousands through the years. I tip my hat to how kind an patient they are with the little ones. And I can’t wait to see them next year.
By the way, you can find Eddy Fruit Farm on Facebook
I think regular readers of this blog will agree my musical taste is wide-ranging. But every now and then even I have a hard time grooving with the tunes on a first listen. That’s the case with the Greek music from John Liatsis and his Meraklides Singers and Orchestra.
The album is called Recorded Live at a Greek Party (Volume Four) and I’m thinking that all the really accessible pop tunes were all on Volumes 1-3. That’s not to say they are not fine musicians. And if you could see the album art, there are a couple of hotties belly dancing.
(Sorry, my scanner won’t accommodate an LP cover)
If I haven’t scared you off yet, let’s tell a mini-story through song titles.
Hasapiko (Gypsy Dance)
Mour Moura (Nagging Wife)
Vasilim Tama Takiasou (William Your Eyes Are Roving)
I might be crazy, but I think a couple of these tunes would be good re-interpreted by a Doors cover band or serve as a good loop sample in a Hip-Hop tune. You’re right, I’m crazy.
Update: When I wrote the title of this post, I assumed that Hellenic Hoedown was a new coinage. Turns out there is a composition by that name and it is really cool -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Zn5tlEIHeE
One of the perils of buying used albums at thrift stores is that the sleeve of the album might not match the contents of the LP contained within. When you are paying 10¢ for the record, it isn’t really a big deal that somebody pulled the old switcheroo.
That’s what happened to me when I thought I was buying 16 Great Square Dance Tunes by Canada’s Top Fiddlers. I got it home an realized I had 16 songs, performed by Canadians. However, the album is called 16 Great Barn Dance Tunes. If you know the technical difference between a Square Dance and a Barn Dance, please do share in the comments section.
Since I’ve been sharing Polish polkas with you, I suppose this is a good time to mention that Irish and Scots also enjoy polkas. Since their music heavily influences Canadian culture, it is not surprising that a barn dance album from Canada would include the Canal Street Polka by the Rodgers Brothers.
Joe Murphy performs the Liberty Two Step (two steps are not the exclusive province of Texas, you know)
Let’s hear a reel from Joe MacIsaac – since we are talking about Canada, the Snowshoer’s Reel is appropriate.
I posted Hang On Sloopy in the polka style earlier. It was from an album of what at the time were modern popular tunes filtered through a polka lens. Larry Chesky and his Orchestra were responsible for that, for better or worse.
But Larry Chesky can also bring it old school Polish polka style. Tonight’s album has Larry and his crew backing Regina Kujawa on Hello Lalka. She toured the Midwest with the Orchestra and they cut the album Hello Lalka right afterwords.
Most of the album is what I must assume are traditional Polish tunes. I know virtually nothing about Polish heritage and culture. I liked Karol Woltya a lot. I admire their bravery in WWII. Polish sausage is good, too.
I need to learn more, I suppose. My children have Polish blood by virtue of Joyce’s grandmother. But for now, let’s polka.
Here is the title track Hello Lalka. To be honest, I think it needs Louis Armstrong’s help.
Here is the Pretty Girl (Piekna Dziewczyna) Polka
And let’s end with the Mary Had a Little Lamb (Marysa Baranek) Polka. Because it doesn’t get much more old school than a lamb that follows a girl to school one day.
Part of the fun of my record collection is that I’m amused by songs that were made popular in one style, but were recorded in another style. Often the song is a chart topper, and the other artists seem to riding on the coattails.
I remember when I was in grade school, each class would perform some song or dance in an all-school program once or twice a year. Not many stand out. One that do recall was when I was in first or second grade the eighth-graders performed Age of Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In. I don’t know what kind of groovy mind blowing psychedelia they must of dropped on us. But it did make an impression.
I don’t think it sounded like Larry Chesky and his Orchestra. But this brings me back to a Catholic grade school auditorium in the early 70’s. I’m dragging you with me.