New Chataqua, Pat Metheny (1979)
Recorded in Oslo Norway. I used to play this song at sunrise on solo road trips after listening to farm reports and Paul Harvey.
Shake ‘Em On Down, Mississippi Fred McDowell (1970) Excellent cover of Bukka White‘s Shake ‘Em On Down (1937). “If you pay attention, what I sing, the guitar sings, too, and what the guitar says, I say.” – Fred McDowell
Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town, The Harmony Grits (1959) When The Drifters were fired by their manager after an incident at the Apollo Theater, they were immediately replaced by members of The 5 Crowns. Clyde McPhatter had begun a solo career, so the others, Gerhard and Andrew Thrasher with Bill Pinkney and Little David Baughan(?) formed The Harmony Grits, as their former manager owned rights to The Drifters name. They recorded two songs before renaming themselves The Original Drifters. [More on the story here.]
Girls Are Out To Get You, The Fascinations (1966) Produced by Curtis Mayfield, this song reached No. 92 on Billboard Hot 100. Formed in 1960, Shirley Walker (aka Shirley Lawson) and Martha Reevesoriginally planned on calling their group the Sabre-ettes. Reeves had more success as lead singer for Martha & The Vandellas.
Being Without You, Maurice Williams (1966) Maurice Williams (with The Zodiacs) was best known for the classic 1960 hit Stay, the shortest recorded number one hit in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 chart (US).
It Ain’t Nothin’ But Rock And Roll, The Matadors (1963) Puerto Rican street corner vocal group The Epsilons formed in Brooklyn NY, changed the name to the The Matadors and recorded four songs in 1963. There was another group with the same name, and rather than give up their matching bullfighter garb, they became The Toreadors.
Tacky Raccoons 