Okay. Back to the basics. Here’s Robin Trower‘s “Too Rolling Stoned” from 1975. There was a blues revival going on back then, but it was overshadowed by theatrical rock.
I was gonna jump to George Thorogood‘s classic cover of “One Bourbon…” but thought I’d look for John Lee Hooker‘s original. Found several on the Utoobage, until this jumped up: “Hobo Blues” from 1965. Judging by his odd fingerings, he’s got his guitar tuned to Dmajor, but that’s just a guess. (Hooker always looked to me like he’d been popped in both eyes during a bar fight.)
Since Friday the Thirteenth comes on a Saturday this month, here’s The 13th Floor Elevators, 1966.
Odd. Consider it a cartoon before the main feature.
Best opening sequence for Cheers without the cloying theme song.
Buddy Guy talks about how his career began with a salami sandwich. True rags-to-riches story. (G.E. Smith backing.)
I was prowling for some early Thunderbirds when I found a name I’d forgotten about. Here’s Kid Ramos and Los Fabulocos cranking on “Burnin’ the Chicken” in New Braunfels, Texas, 21 March 2009.
This is the funniest version of Dylan’s “It Ain’t Me, Babe.”
The Turtles made a mockery of pop love songs, but created a decent string of hits anyway. Flo and Eddie eventually joined Frank Zappa’s Mothers. (Mrs. Strutts pointed out that Eddie dances the Freddie at the end of the clip.)
Don’t know who these folks are, but “Oh Gee” was a hit in 1955 by the Crows. Could be them.
The Persuasions were/are possibly the most underrated acapella group (featuring bass singer Jimmy Hayes, who Frank Zappa called “the human sub-woofer”).
(This group was featured here before, but unfortunately the videos were yanked by Utoob for seventy mental reasons.)
This is an old one from the Beeb, narrated by David Attenborough. It’s cool, bizarre and gross at the same time, but it’s nature. I posted it just because Thelit said her kids and their friends love this kinda stuff. Go for it.
After the Slugs (wasn’t that a Grateful Dead tune, or maybe a Peter Sellars movie?) this may help clean your eye sockets. Other than the dopey devilpigs, it’s all cool.
It all makes sense now, considering Jimbo Hendrix’ love of the ‘grass and his discography:
Hey Bud
Purple Hayes (tribute to Woody)
All Along the Wheat Flour
Breakdown Traffic
MooMoo Child
Stone Fence
Fox-N-Ladle
The Wind Cries Opal
(Many more classics were showcased at the Monterrey International Harvester Festival in 1970.)
Aside from Jimbo, The GrooveGrass Boyz mixed some Grand Ole Opry standards with funk, with Bootsy Collins on bass. Really.
1973. Ugh. Rock N Roll was losing its edge, and then some unknown band like Focus got a lot of airplay, at least for a few minutes. We did our best to ignore the yodeling, except for the Popeye part. Here’s a rare live version of “Hocus Pocus,” with Gladys Knight(?!) doing the intro.
1973 also brought this to our FM converters so we could hear it on our AM car radios. Golden Earring‘s greatest hit, “Radar Love,” wasn’t their best song, but it was great roadtrip music.
1973 had THIS highlight, though: Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” (before he went weeny on us).
1973 music sucked on a whole lotta levels never seen before. Top BillBoard hits included:
“You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon
“Crocododile Rock” by Elton John
“Bad Bad Leroy Brown” by Jim Croce
“Top of the World” by the Carpenters
“There’s Got To Be A Morning After” by Maureen McGovern
“Tie a Yellow Ribbofdpnoa oh man I can’t type any more of that garbage without gagging.
BUT THERE WAS THIS:
Gladys Knight was awesome. We were all Pips in the days of old (“Whoo-whoo!”). Then I lost my direction again with this:
Edgar Winter’s “Frankenstein” was being played on the radio about the same time brother JohnnyRick Derringer was getting airplay for “Rock And Roll Hoochie Coo.” [cbullitt corrected me in the comments section.]
Johnny Winter was better at the blues, but he cranked on Dylan’s “Highway 61.” (Look for G.E. Smith on rhythm guitar.)
Dang. I could take this string for another dozen utoobage links, but I’ll cut it here… temporarily.
* “SatMat” means “Saturday Matinee.” It looked better abbreviated on the title.
Excellent version of The Foundations’ “Build Me Up Buttercup.” You know she’s singing to YOU… wait for it. (Bunkessa found this one.)
Well, gabba gabba hey.
*Jake Shimabukuro’s Ukelele Gently Weeps.
*Led Zep on Uke with eggs and sausage and hot coffee.
*Minitallica!
Don’t forget the trainwreck previously posted here.
Videos marked with (*) were recobamended by saraH, who should have her own website by now but doesn’t. She’s been lurking around for a long time, dropping rare occasional comments about batmobile babe magnets.
[Tip ‘o the tarboosh to saraH… your eco-friendly VatoMobile is in the works.]
Tacky Raccoons 