Let us pray.
“Why Me Lord?,” Johnny Cash
With all the talk of “greatest” songwriters going on around here this week, I would be shirking my duties if I didn’t give an honorable mention to Kris Kristofferson. Along with composing this tune, he also wrote “For the Good Times,” “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” and a little ditty called “Me and Bobby McGee.” Here he is with the great Texas hippie Doug Sahm in a short scene from Cisco Pike. Sahm cracks me up.
“Gimme Shelter,” The Rolling Stones
One of the greatest lead-off tracks in rock history. I’ve heard this song a quadrillion times but I always stop what I’m doing when that signature guitar opening hits my ears. The Stones appeared on Ed Sullivan as he introduced the song as a track from the new album, Let It Be. Priceless. Michael Sragow wrote about the genesis of the film Gimme Shelter in this 2000 Salon article.
“Carousel,” Iron & Wine
Sam Beam has one of the best beards in rock. He keeps it so well-groomed. Here’s a nice live version from nearly a year ago.
“Sunrise Sunset,” The Fiddler on the Roof OST
Whoa, how did that get in here? I have to admit a soft spot for Topol and this song. What can I say? I’ve got a daughter who’s growing up way too fast.
“Simmer Down,” Bob Marley & The Wailers
Early Marley tends to get forgotten sometimes. This was his first hit (1964) and set him apart from other artists as far as social awareness was concerned. Clement Dodd, who developed the “Studio One sound” of early ska and reggae, was the producer. It also reminds me of Cheri Oteri.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
Listen Up and I'll Tell a Story
No jinx this week, as I had feared in last week’s Shuffle. Unless you consider a 45% appearance rate by Beck a jinx.
“Round the Bend,” Beck
Beck successfully channels Nick Drake’s melancholia on this song from 2002’s Sea Change. In other news, Odelay is being reissued on January 29.
“Can’t Stop Thinking About Her,” The Red Button
Poptastic deliciousness by this duo from Los Angeles. Seth Swirsky is an accomplished pop songwriter, making music for people like Al Green, Rufus Wainwright, Jane Weidlin and a host of other artists. Mike Ruekberg is Alex Chilton reincarnated. Well, that is, if Alex Chilton were dead. Anyway, local music aficionados will remember Mike from his days fronting pop trio Rex Daisy. And who can forget his alter-ego Monty De Carlo in 2 Tickets 2 Paradise? Sweet.
“Story of an Artist,” Daniel Johnston
This song breaks my heart every time. As luck would have it, and as Christina Schmitt told us last week, Daniel Johnston is playing a gig at First Avenue in February. He epitomizes the term Outsider artist. The Devil and Daniel Johnston is an absolute must-see.
“The Slummer the Slum,” The “5” Royales
Making their second straight Shuffle appearance, this song is like a blueprint for the blues-rock that would follow in its wake. Plus, whenever I hear the word “roy-yal,” I think of this scene in Pulp Fiction. “Royale with cheese” does sound a lot more appetizing, doesn’t it?
“Iko Iko,” The Dixie Cups
The history of a song is always appealing to me. And this tune’s New Orleans heritage is particularly interesting.
“Round the Bend,” Beck
Beck successfully channels Nick Drake’s melancholia on this song from 2002’s Sea Change. In other news, Odelay is being reissued on January 29.
“Can’t Stop Thinking About Her,” The Red Button
Poptastic deliciousness by this duo from Los Angeles. Seth Swirsky is an accomplished pop songwriter, making music for people like Al Green, Rufus Wainwright, Jane Weidlin and a host of other artists. Mike Ruekberg is Alex Chilton reincarnated. Well, that is, if Alex Chilton were dead. Anyway, local music aficionados will remember Mike from his days fronting pop trio Rex Daisy. And who can forget his alter-ego Monty De Carlo in 2 Tickets 2 Paradise? Sweet.
“Story of an Artist,” Daniel Johnston
This song breaks my heart every time. As luck would have it, and as Christina Schmitt told us last week, Daniel Johnston is playing a gig at First Avenue in February. He epitomizes the term Outsider artist. The Devil and Daniel Johnston is an absolute must-see.
“The Slummer the Slum,” The “5” Royales
Making their second straight Shuffle appearance, this song is like a blueprint for the blues-rock that would follow in its wake. Plus, whenever I hear the word “roy-yal,” I think of this scene in Pulp Fiction. “Royale with cheese” does sound a lot more appetizing, doesn’t it?
“Iko Iko,” The Dixie Cups
The history of a song is always appealing to me. And this tune’s New Orleans heritage is particularly interesting.
Friday, January 11, 2008
I Have To Be Crazy to Ever Think Someone Could Love a Nobody Like Me
Everybody wants to be somebody's somethin'.
“All My Life,” Steve Earle
A song from 2000’s Transcendental Blues. Steve Earle is one of my heroes. There aren’t many artists who have the testicular fortitude to write a song in the voice of John Walker Lindh, the so-called “American Taliban” (“John Walker’s Blues”) or bust a lusty move on the Secretary of State (“Condi, Condi”). Robert Chalmers profiled Earle last summer in the British newspaper, The Independent, with the provocative headline “Is Steve Earle America’s Greatest Living Songwriter?” I don’t know if he’s the greatest. He’s certainly the bravest. Here he is as Waylon on the greatest TV drama in the history of TV dramas, The Wire.
“Trying to Explain,” Matt Elliott
First operating under the name The Third Eye Foundation, Matt Elliott is a musician who has relied heavily on sampled sounds and drum and bass rhythms to create his atmospheric sound. This is an instrumental interlude from his 2005 album Drinking Songs, put out on the Ici Dailleurs imprint.
“We Don’t Need,” Daby Toure
This lovely tune is from Stereo Spirit, which made my year-end list of stand-out albums from foreign born artists. Toure (no relation to Ali Farka and Vieux Farka) is Mauritanian. The album showcases his love for Western style song-writing while still maintaining that West African lilt that I love so well.
“Priests Knees,” Destroyer
Just what is a “west-coast maximalist” anyway? The usually media-shy Dan Bejar did this surprisingly revealing interview for Exclaim! during the run-up to the release of Destroyer’s Rubies. I love his quirky pop sensibility and I admit, whenever a New Pornographers album comes out, I listen to his songs first. Two parts Bowie, one part Al Stewart? I don’t know if Bejar is into doing covers but “Year of the Cat,” Destroyer-style, absolutely needs to happen. Look for a new Destroyer album this spring.
“Just As I Am,” The “5” Royales
One of the early R&B and doo-wop groups, this quintet were huge hitmakers. The thing was, though, they made hits for other people. James Brown, Aretha Franklin, the Shirelles, and the Mamas & the Papas all recorded tremendously popular versions of the band’s songs. Lowman Pauling, the main songwriter and lead guitarist, also inspired a generation of blues-rock guitarists with his fiery guitar work.
“All My Life,” Steve Earle
A song from 2000’s Transcendental Blues. Steve Earle is one of my heroes. There aren’t many artists who have the testicular fortitude to write a song in the voice of John Walker Lindh, the so-called “American Taliban” (“John Walker’s Blues”) or bust a lusty move on the Secretary of State (“Condi, Condi”). Robert Chalmers profiled Earle last summer in the British newspaper, The Independent, with the provocative headline “Is Steve Earle America’s Greatest Living Songwriter?” I don’t know if he’s the greatest. He’s certainly the bravest. Here he is as Waylon on the greatest TV drama in the history of TV dramas, The Wire.
“Trying to Explain,” Matt Elliott
First operating under the name The Third Eye Foundation, Matt Elliott is a musician who has relied heavily on sampled sounds and drum and bass rhythms to create his atmospheric sound. This is an instrumental interlude from his 2005 album Drinking Songs, put out on the Ici Dailleurs imprint.
“We Don’t Need,” Daby Toure
This lovely tune is from Stereo Spirit, which made my year-end list of stand-out albums from foreign born artists. Toure (no relation to Ali Farka and Vieux Farka) is Mauritanian. The album showcases his love for Western style song-writing while still maintaining that West African lilt that I love so well.
“Priests Knees,” Destroyer
Just what is a “west-coast maximalist” anyway? The usually media-shy Dan Bejar did this surprisingly revealing interview for Exclaim! during the run-up to the release of Destroyer’s Rubies. I love his quirky pop sensibility and I admit, whenever a New Pornographers album comes out, I listen to his songs first. Two parts Bowie, one part Al Stewart? I don’t know if Bejar is into doing covers but “Year of the Cat,” Destroyer-style, absolutely needs to happen. Look for a new Destroyer album this spring.
“Just As I Am,” The “5” Royales
One of the early R&B and doo-wop groups, this quintet were huge hitmakers. The thing was, though, they made hits for other people. James Brown, Aretha Franklin, the Shirelles, and the Mamas & the Papas all recorded tremendously popular versions of the band’s songs. Lowman Pauling, the main songwriter and lead guitarist, also inspired a generation of blues-rock guitarists with his fiery guitar work.
Friday, January 4, 2008
The News Today Will Be the Movies for Tomorrow
O, Shuffler, why have you forsaken me?
“Start of Something New,” Original Cast – High School Musical
I told you I live with a seven-year old girl, right? I apologize, in advance, to anybody who gets this song stuck in their heads over the weekend. I hope this makes it all better.
“Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum,” Bob Dylan
This is from Love and Theft, part of Dylan’s 21st Century trilogy. Or, rather, is it from Junichi Saga’s 1989 book Confessions of a Yakuza? Remember that whole kerfuffle? Whatever became of that? A tempest in a teapot, perhaps.
“Boys Don’t Cry," The Cure
Here’s Robert Smith doing his goofy, little Robert Smith dance.
“For Today I Am a Boy,” Antony & the Johnsons
Antony Hegarty’s voice is simply not from this planet. In this interview, from the March 17, 2005 Daily Telegraph, Antony discusses his background in experimental theater and his musical inspirations. While Boy George certainly was an influence, Marc Almond may have been an even stronger touchstone.
“A House Is Not a Motel,” Love
What do The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s, Pink Floyd’s The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, and Love’s Forever Changes have in common? They were all released in 1967. Sean Murphy, in an article published in PopMatters shortly after Arthur Lee’s death in August 2006, makes a persuasive case for “Forever Changes” as the album that truly stands the test of time. Here’s Arthur Lee with a 2003 incarnation of Love playing at the Glastonbury Festival.
“Start of Something New,” Original Cast – High School Musical
I told you I live with a seven-year old girl, right? I apologize, in advance, to anybody who gets this song stuck in their heads over the weekend. I hope this makes it all better.
“Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum,” Bob Dylan
This is from Love and Theft, part of Dylan’s 21st Century trilogy. Or, rather, is it from Junichi Saga’s 1989 book Confessions of a Yakuza? Remember that whole kerfuffle? Whatever became of that? A tempest in a teapot, perhaps.
“Boys Don’t Cry," The Cure
Here’s Robert Smith doing his goofy, little Robert Smith dance.
“For Today I Am a Boy,” Antony & the Johnsons
Antony Hegarty’s voice is simply not from this planet. In this interview, from the March 17, 2005 Daily Telegraph, Antony discusses his background in experimental theater and his musical inspirations. While Boy George certainly was an influence, Marc Almond may have been an even stronger touchstone.
“A House Is Not a Motel,” Love
What do The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s, Pink Floyd’s The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, and Love’s Forever Changes have in common? They were all released in 1967. Sean Murphy, in an article published in PopMatters shortly after Arthur Lee’s death in August 2006, makes a persuasive case for “Forever Changes” as the album that truly stands the test of time. Here’s Arthur Lee with a 2003 incarnation of Love playing at the Glastonbury Festival.
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