August 2016 – “Tasmania’s most famous wave comes to life to launch the Australian winter with a roar. When the southern hemisphere starts to rumble and shake under the weight of wild winter weather, The Stern, out there on the south-eastern tip of Tasmania, bears the full brunt of the conditions.”
Oh yes he does, you Manc poofter. He knows exactly what he’s talking about. “Olymic” indeed.
The Olympics sounded like every other group that performed a Leiber & Stoller song and then faded away to oblivion, but they didn’t. Let’s do the HullyGully.
That was the first John Prine song I ever heard, and I heard it before I knew who John Prine was, er, I mean is. (The first time I heard his name was in an introduction to a song the late Steve Goodman performed (and co-wrote with Prine) that he described as an attempt to write the best country song ever.)
Prine’s song “Souvenirs” is one of my favorites, it’s been covered by more than a few, and I may have posted it here before.
And here’s another Prine classic performed with Iris DeMent.
“So, Bunk why all these sad sentimental songs?” you ask?
Iron Fist passed away last night, and although I never met him (we only “knew” each other on the internet), his struggle to live reminded me of my own father’s demise last year. These songs are for Mrs. Fist, aka Velvet Glove.
I suppose the meaning of life is to enjoy the company of those who are still around. Rock on, my friends.
I was looking for a live performance of “Brazil” (perhaps by Xavier Cugat) to commemorate the Competitions of the Grecian Gods, but instead we must settle for The Theme Song to Terry Gilliam’s Brazil as performed by Geoffrey Muldaur. He was famous for marrying Maria Grazia Rosa Domenica D’Amato who recorded some popular songs in 1973 about putting camels to bed, and another one about feeling her leg.
There’s no live performance for that one, so I looked for some more Olympics-themed stuff.
Procul Harum in 2013(?) playing their 1967 hit “Whiter Shade of Pale,” featuring Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher, Robin Trower, Chris Copping.
Okay, the slow dance is over. Let’s crank it up.
Clarence Gatemouth Brown (1924-2005) burns through “Pressure Cooker” and “Up Jumped The Devil.” Amazing musician, and his 1981 album “Alright Again!” is one of my favorites.
Dinosaurs are always fun, and this video has a great cast of relative unknowns. It’s over an hour long, but that’s just a day in dinotime.
Ted Hawkins (1936-1995) had more success in the UK than the US, although he had a local fan base in Venice Beach CA where he was a popular busker. Check out his background at the link.
[h/t Charlie L.]
This version of Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground” is fascinating, as it appears that all the players recorded remotely. Playing For Change is not a band, it’s an organization based in Venice California that records musicians from around the world, and is dedicated to creating and supporting music schools particularly in developing countries.
This magnificent feat was engineered with slide rules, and it amounted to blasting a giant bullet containing a human into the sky, then recovering both it and Alan Shepard intact [via]. Those early astronauts had big brass ones, and the creepy music made it even better. (John Glenn appears at 04:15.)
Spodiodi was street slang for chipping in for a cheap bottle of fortified wine in a brown paper bag and sharing it with your buddies. Urban Dictionary says “Spodiodi” is a glass of wine spiked with bourbon. Nah.
BTW, Sticks McGhee was the brother of Brownie McGhee, who partnered with harmonica player Sonny Terry known for his harmonica whooping. “Key to the Highway” was covered by many, including what’s his name. That famous British guy. You know. That guy.
Here’s some Easy-On-The-Ear-Holes stuff from The Yonder Mountain String Band. They need some authentic whooping in my opinion. Maybe even some eefin.
Have a great weekend, folks, and be glad that you’re not in Turkey.
Unusual animation from the 1980s. It reminds me of Terry Gilliam‘s “Brazil” from the same period, and it’s apropos, given yesterday’s #Brexit vote in the UK.
Tacky Raccoons 