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.
Showing posts with label wailers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wailers. Show all posts
Friday, January 25, 2008
Friday, December 28, 2007
So You Children of the World, Listen to What I Say
“What do we want?”
“The Shuffle!”
“When do we want it?”
“Now!”
“Children of the Grave,” Black Sabbath
When I was a kid, I found Ozzy Osbourne very strange. But who would have thought that nearly a quarter century later he’d be starring in a very warped (Master of?) reality TV series with his family? Now, that was disturbing! With its menacing riff “Children of the Grave” was not your father’s anti-war song! Here’s Sabbath live in 1974, with Ozzy’s signature maniacal clapping. And listen to the song alongside Blondie’s “Call Me.” You won’t be disappointed.
“Boplicity,” Miles Davis
Finally, jazz makes its first appearance on the Shuffle. To me, Miles Davis is the avatar of cool. In fact, this tune is from the 1949 sessions that were called The Birth of the Cool. It marked a new chapter in the history of jazz. The so-called “Cool School” wasn’t as aggressive as bebop, which was the dominant form at the time. On these sessions, Davis played with a nonet which included Gerry Mulligan, Lee Konitz and Max Roach. Gil Evans served as arranger. Here he is, over 40 years later, playing "Boplicity" at the Montreux Jazz Festival, with Quincy Jones conducting the orchestra. Davis was dead less than three months later.
“Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright” (Witmark demo), Bob Dylan
From Volume 7 of the Bootleg Series, “No Direction Home.” Genius.
“War,” Bob Marley & The Wailers
Another anti-war song, this time in a Rastafarian vein. The source for the lyrics is part of a speech given by Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia to the U.N. in 1963. The song is both a call for basic human rights and a tribute to Selassie, who was revered by Rastafarians and referred to as The Lion.
“Memory Lane,” Elliott Smith
Another in a long line of artists who have “What if…” as part of their legacy. This is from From a Basement On a Hill, released a year after his death.
“The Shuffle!”
“When do we want it?”
“Now!”
“Children of the Grave,” Black Sabbath
When I was a kid, I found Ozzy Osbourne very strange. But who would have thought that nearly a quarter century later he’d be starring in a very warped (Master of?) reality TV series with his family? Now, that was disturbing! With its menacing riff “Children of the Grave” was not your father’s anti-war song! Here’s Sabbath live in 1974, with Ozzy’s signature maniacal clapping. And listen to the song alongside Blondie’s “Call Me.” You won’t be disappointed.
“Boplicity,” Miles Davis
Finally, jazz makes its first appearance on the Shuffle. To me, Miles Davis is the avatar of cool. In fact, this tune is from the 1949 sessions that were called The Birth of the Cool. It marked a new chapter in the history of jazz. The so-called “Cool School” wasn’t as aggressive as bebop, which was the dominant form at the time. On these sessions, Davis played with a nonet which included Gerry Mulligan, Lee Konitz and Max Roach. Gil Evans served as arranger. Here he is, over 40 years later, playing "Boplicity" at the Montreux Jazz Festival, with Quincy Jones conducting the orchestra. Davis was dead less than three months later.
“Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright” (Witmark demo), Bob Dylan
From Volume 7 of the Bootleg Series, “No Direction Home.” Genius.
“War,” Bob Marley & The Wailers
Another anti-war song, this time in a Rastafarian vein. The source for the lyrics is part of a speech given by Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia to the U.N. in 1963. The song is both a call for basic human rights and a tribute to Selassie, who was revered by Rastafarians and referred to as The Lion.
“Memory Lane,” Elliott Smith
Another in a long line of artists who have “What if…” as part of their legacy. This is from From a Basement On a Hill, released a year after his death.
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