Jack de Keyzer – That’s The Way

I found this Canadian musician not long ago, and he sounds great. I’ve listened to quite a few songs, and he has a guitar tone that is hard to beat.

Some musicians spend their careers trying to make hit records. Others keep making great music without much attention. Canadian guitarist Jack de Keyzer falls into that second group. Born in London, England, he moved to Canada as a child and became one of the country’s most respected blues guitarists. Since the early 1980s, he has released a string of albums while building a reputation as a terrific live performer, winning numerous Maple Blues Awards along the way. While he never became a household name, musicians have known for years just how good he is.

It was one of the songs that introduced Jack de Keyzer to a much wider audience. Released first as a single in 1990 and later opening his 1991 debut album Hard Working Man, it blends blues, rock, soul, and a little rhythm and blues into a sound that feels both modern and timeless. It isn’t built around huge guitar solos; instead, the song succeeds because of its groove and tasteful guitar work.

Although I’m featuring the original version from Hard Working Man, de Keyzer continued to build his reputation over the years. One of his biggest successes came with The Corktown Sessions, which earned him a Juno Award and introduced his music to an even wider audience, and this song is on it as well. By the time his career reached that point, he’d already spent decades proving himself as one of Canada’s finest blues guitarists.

Before establishing himself, Jack de Keyzer was a member of Toronto’s The Bop Cats in the early 1980s. The band blended rockabilly, rhythm and blues, and roots rock at a time when interest in 1950s-inspired music was enjoying a revival. Featuring energetic performances and tight musicianship, The Bop Cats released several albums, including The Bop Cats (1981), Rockabilly Rhythm (1982), and Bootleg (1983). Although they never became a household name, they developed a loyal following throughout Canada and helped introduce many listeners to de Keyzer’s exceptional guitar playing long before he embarked on his successful solo career. I really like the Bop Cats and will have something coming up on them shortly.

His guitar never overpowers the song, and his vocals fit the music perfectly. The band locks into a steady rhythm and lets the melody carry things forward. You can hear influences from players like Eric Clapton, B.B. King, and Albert Collins, but de Keyzer never comes across as someone trying to imitate his heroes. He has developed his own voice over decades of playing clubs, festivals, and theaters across Canada and beyond.

Sometimes success is measured by longevity, respect from fellow musicians, and a catalog full of songs waiting to be discovered. This is one of those tracks that makes you wonder why more people haven’t heard of him, and that’s usually a sign you’ve found something worth sharing. He has opened shows for artists like B.B. King, Etta James, and Bo Diddley over the years. He may not be a superstar, but the legends certainly knew who he was. That’s often one of the best endorsements a musician can get.

Jack de Keyzer: I’ve done a lot of session guitar playing for live gigs with people. When I played with Bo Diddley and Etta James they were live shows – they weren’t in the studio. In the studio I have worked with a lot of different blues people like Rita Chiarelli, Willie Big Eyes Smith, who was Muddy Waters’ drummer, King Biscuit Boy, Harmonica Shah, David Rotundo, The Shaftmen, Brant Parker and Erin McCallum.

Pretenders – Brass In Pocket

Sometimes a band’s biggest hit isn’t the song that best represents them, and I think that’s true here. If you explore The Pretenders’ catalog, you’ll find songs with more bite and emotion. But this one was the perfect introduction. It made me want to hear more, and that’s exactly what a great first hit should do. Even if Chrissie Hynde has had mixed feelings about it, I’m glad she still plays it. Some songs become bigger than the artist’s opinion of them, and this is definitely one of those.

When The Pretenders released their debut album in 1980, few people knew what to expect. Led by Chrissie Hynde, the band mixed rock, punk, pop, and new wave into a sound that was all their own. While the album was packed with strong songs, it was this song that introduced millions of listeners to the band and turned them into stars.

The song was written by Chrissie Hynde and guitarist James Honeyman-Scott during an early rehearsal. Musically, it has a relaxed groove with a touch of soul that was inspired by Stax and Motown records. Hynde later admitted she wasn’t crazy about the song and didn’t think it represented the band very well. She even resisted releasing it as a single. The record company disagreed, and history proved them right.

One of the things that has always made the song memorable is its unusual lyrics. The phrase “brass in pocket” is old British slang for having money in your pocket. Even though Hynde has said over the years that it isn’t one of her favorite songs, she also understands what it means to fans. It’s still a regular part of the Pretenders’ concerts because she knows audiences want to hear it.

This was the song that introduced me to The Pretenders. Looking back, it’s interesting because it doesn’t really sound like much of what came later. Their music would become tougher, sharper, and more guitar-driven.  But this song has a warmth and bounce that makes it stand on its own. It may not be their best song, but it is certainly one of their catchiest, and after all these years, it’s still the first one that comes to mind when I think about discovering the band.

The song peaked at #1 in the UK, #14 on the Billboard 100, #5 in Canada, and #25 in New Zealand in 1979.

Brass in Pocket

Got brass in pocket
Got bottle, I’m gonna use it
Intention, I feel inventive
Gonna make you, make you, make you notice

Got motion, restrained emotion
Been driving Detroit leaning
No reason, just seems so pleasing
Gonna make you, make you, make you notice

[Chorus:]
Gonna use my arms
Gonna use my legs
Gonna use my style
Gonna use my side step
Gonna use my fingers
Gonna use my, my, my imagination

‘Cause I gonna make you see
There’s nobody else here
No one like me
I’m special so special
I gotta have some of your attention give it to me

Got rhythm I can’t miss a beat
Got new skank it’s so reet
Got something I’m winking at you
Gonna make you, make you, make you notice

[Chorus]

‘Cause I gonna make you see
There’s nobody else here
No one like me
I’m special, so special
I gotta have some of your attention
Give it to me
‘Cause I gonna make you see
There’s nobody else here
No one like me
I’m special, so special
I gotta have some of your attention

Give it to me

Notting Hillbillies – Your Own Sweet Way

I remember these guys in the early 1990s. It was completely different than Dire Straits, and Mark Knopfler could change like great artists do.

The Notting Hillbillies were never meant to be a full-time band. They came together almost by accident in the late 1980s when Mark Knopfler was working on a television soundtrack and invited a few friends to join him. Along with guitarist and songwriter Steve Phillips, keyboardist Guy Fletcher, and singer Brendan Croker, they enjoyed the sessions so much that they decided to record an album. The result was Missing…Presumed Having a Good Time, released in 1990. It wasn’t built around the Brothers in Arms sound. Instead, it mixed country, folk, blues, and the kind of music these four musicians had loved long before they became famous.

This song is one of my favorite tracks on the album. It was written by Mark Knopfler, and it has everything I enjoy about his songwriting. The melody is simple, the lyrics never try too hard, and the song breathes. Rather than showing off, everyone plays exactly what the song needs. It feels more like four friends sitting in a room making music than a carefully planned studio production.

Knopfler’s guitar is instantly recognizable, but what really makes this recording special is the relaxed atmosphere. Brendan Croker’s voice blends perfectly with Knopfler’s style, while Guy Fletcher’s keyboards and Steve Phillips’ tasteful guitar work add just enough color without ever getting in the way. You can hear the country influences, but there are also touches of folk and British roots music throughout. It has the feel of an old back porch performance that just happened to be captured on tape.

I like songs like this because they remind me that music doesn’t always have to be loud or complicated to leave an impression. It’s simply a well-written song played by musicians who clearly loved making it together. Sometimes those are the recordings that stay with you the longest, and this one has done exactly that for me.

This song peaked at #76 in the UK and #13 in Canada in 1990. The album Missing…Presumed Having a Good Time peaked at #2 in the UK and #29 in Canada.

Your Own Sweet Way

Nothing I can do
Nothing I can say
You’ll do what you want to
Go your own sweet way
You’ll go your own sweet
Your own sweet way
Now I can talk to you serious
I can talk to you nice
When it comes to love
You won’t take good advice

You’ll go your own sweet
Your own sweet way
Yeah, you’ll go your own sweet
Your own sweet way

It doesn’t matter what I say
What I do or what I think
You can lead a horse to water
You can’t make him drink

You’ll go your own sweet
Your own sweet way
I said, you’ll go your own sweet
Your own sweet way

Turtles – Elenore

I had this single as a kid. I had a cool cousin who had a lot of records in the sixties, and she gave many to me when she found out that I discovered the Beatles. She greatly influenced my young musical tastes. I will always be grateful to her. I still have that single packed away somewhere, and I remember her every time I hear the song.

The Turtles had become one of the biggest pop groups in America thanks to songs like Happy Together, She’d Rather Be With Me, and You Showed Me. Their record company wanted another smash that sounded just like those hits. The band had other ideas.

Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman, along with songwriters Al Nichol and Jim Tucker, decided to have a little fun. They intentionally wrote this song as an exaggerated version of a Turtles love song. Every cliché was turned up a notch. The opening line, “You’re my pride and joy, etcetera,” was meant as a joke. Who starts a love song with “etcetera?” That was exactly the point. They figured the label would reject it.

Instead, the opposite happened. The record company loved it and released it as a single in 1968. It climbed to No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became another gold record. The joke was on the band. Fans never realized it was a tongue-in-cheek parody. They simply heard another great pop song with one of the catchiest choruses of the decade. Kaylan later admitted they couldn’t believe people took it seriously, but they certainly weren’t complaining.

There was just something about that melody that stuck with me. And, of course, that unforgettable opening line. I still smile every time I hear “You’re my pride and joy, etcetera.” I can’t think of many hit songs that worked the word “etcetera” into the lyrics, yet somehow it fits perfectly. Whether it started as a joke or not, it became exactly what the band was trying to parody, another timeless pop classic. That’s one of the reasons I have always liked the Turtles; they never took themselves seriously.

Behind many of these singles is a story that’s every bit as entertaining as the song itself. And thanks to my cousin handing me that years ago, because it has always been one of those records that takes me right back to being a kid.

The song peaked at #1 in New Zealand,  #6 on the Billboard 100, #4 in Canada, and #7 in the UK in 1968.

Howard Kaylan: It was never intended to be a straight-forward song. It was meant as an anti-love letter to White Whale (their record company), who were constantly on our backs to bring them another ‘Happy Together.’ So I gave them a very skewed version. Not only with the chords changed, but with all these bizarre words. It was my feeling that they would listen to how strange and stupid the song was and leave us alone. But they didn’t get the joke. They thought it sounded good. Truthfully, though, the production on ‘Elenore’ WAS so damn good. Lyrically or not, the sound of the thing was so positive that it worked. It certainly surprised me.” 

Elenore

You got a thing about you
I just can’t live without you
I really want you Elenore near me
Your looks intoxicate me
Even though your folks hate me
There’s no one like you Elenore really

Elenore gee I think you’re swell
And you really do me well
You’re my pride and joy et cetera
Elenore can I take the time
To ask you to speak your mind
Tell me that you love me better

I really think you’re groovy
Let’s go out to a movie
What do ya say now, Elenore can we?
They’ll turn the lights way down low
Maybe we won’t watch the show
I think I love you, Elenore, love me

Elenore, gee I think you’re swell
And you really do me well
You’re my pride and joy, et cetera
Elenore, can I take the time
To ask you to speak your mind?
Tell me that you love me better

One more time!

Elenore, gee I think you’re swell, ah-hah
Elenore, gee I think you’re swell, ah-hah-hah

Ducks Deluxe – Fireball

Every now and then, I stumble across a song that makes me wonder how I missed it for so many years. This awesome song by Ducks Deluxe was one of those. It has everything I like about pub rock. Enough energy to make it sound like the band is playing ten feet away. The first time I heard it, I knew it wouldn’t be the last.

Ducks Deluxe formed in England in the early 1970s and became one of the pioneers of the pub rock movement. While progressive rock bands were hot and glam rock was dominating the charts, Ducks Deluxe took a different path. They played straightforward rock and roll mixed with country, rhythm and blues, and a little rockabilly. The band never became a household name, but they helped build the foundation for a scene that would later produce artists like Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, Graham Parker, and many others. Several members even went on to successful careers after the group broke up, proving just how much talent was packed into one band. Some band members joined Graham Parker’s band, The Rumour.

This song captures everything that made Ducks Deluxe special. The rhythm never lets up, the guitars have plenty of bite, and the whole band sounds like they’re having a great time. There isn’t a lot of studio polish here, and that’s part of the charm. Pub rock was about songs and musicianship, not gimmicks. Listening to it now, it’s easy to imagine hearing it in a crowded London pub with people packed shoulder to shoulder, enjoying every minute of it. This song was released in 1974 on their self-titled debut album.

What I like most about this is its honesty. It doesn’t try to be bigger than it needs to be. It’s simply a great rock and roll song played with confidence and heart. That’s something I’ve been discovering more and more as I dig into the pub rock scene. They left behind some outstanding music. Ducks Deluxe is another reminder that sometimes the best songs are the ones you have to find for yourself.

Mickey Jupp – Switchboard Susan

Sometimes all it takes is a great song title to pull me in. Switchboard Susan was one of those. Before I heard a note, I wanted to know what it sounded like. Then the guitars kicked in, the rhythm started rolling, and I knew I’d found another hidden gem. It’s one of those songs that sounds like it should have been on the radio every day, yet somehow slipped through the cracks.

Mickey Jupp was born in England and began recording in the late 1960s with his band Legend before launching a solo career in the 1970s. He never became a household name, but among musicians, he earned enormous respect as a songwriter. His music blended rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country, and a little rockabilly, making him a perfect fit for the growing pub rock scene. Jupp stayed true to the music he loved. Artists like Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, and Rockpile were all fans of his writing, and several of his songs found a wider audience through their recordings.

It’s on his album Long Distance Romancer, released in 1979. It’s built around a simple idea, but that’s part of what makes it work so well. The guitars have that familiar style snap, and the melody sticks after just one listen. A year later, Nick records it for Labour of Lust, backed by Rockpile, Dave Edmunds, Billy Bremner, and Terry Williams. So although the album says Nick Lowe, you’re really hearing Rockpile playing behind him., but it all started with Mickey Jupp’s pen.

What I like most about this song is how natural it feels. Nothing is forced. It’s just a great rock and roll song played with confidence and heart. Mickey Jupp may not have had the fame of some of his friends, but songs like this remind me that influence isn’t always measured by chart positions. Sometimes it’s measured by how many great musicians keep coming back to your songs.

NIck Lowe: Mickey Jupp is touched with genius but he could be a difficult and contrary man. … I nearly had to throw myself across the tracks to stop the train and prevent Rockpile from leaving town. But “Switchboard Susan” had a cracking backing track, so I offered to buy it off Mickey, and he agreed. Then I stuck my vocal on it.

I want to thank Randy from mostlymusiccovers. I always email him about blues artists or Rockpile because their history is very confusing at times. He helped me out with this song.

Switchboard Susan

Switchboard Susan won’t give me a line
I need a doctor get me 999
The first time I picked up my telephone
I fell in love with your ringing tone

I’m a long distance romancer
And I keep on trying until I get an answer
Give me! give me! one more chance
You’re a great, little operator

Switchboard Susan let me off the hook
I’ve been this way since you just gave me a look
Switchboard Susan girl you’re all the rage
Come on woman now let’s get engaged

I’m a long distance romancer
And I keep on trying until I get an answer
Give me! give me! one more chance
You’re a great, little operator

Now when I look at you girl I get an extension
And I don’t mean on Alexander Graham Bell’s invention
Switchboard Susan can we be friends
After six and at weekends

I’m a long distance romancer
And I keep on trying until I get an answer
Give me! give me! one more chance
You’re a great, little operator

Ace – Sniffin’ About

Most people know Ace for How Long. It’s a great song and deserves its place on classic rock radio. But every now and then, I like to dig a little deeper, because sometimes you will find hidden treasures. This one was one of those discoveries for me. The first time I heard it, I couldn’t believe this was the same band. It has a tougher edge, a great groove, and more hooks than a pirate’s convention.

Ace formed in Sheffield, England, in the early 1970s and quickly became part of Britain’s growing pub rock scene. The band featured the soulful voice and keyboards of Paul Carrack, along with guitarist Alan “Bam” King, bassist Terry Comer, and drummer Fran Byrne. Unlike many of the louder bands of the day, Ace relied on tight musicianship and tasteful playing. They fit perfectly into the pub rock movement, where good songs mattered more than flashy stage shows.

This song appeared on the band’s debut album, Five-a-Side, released in 1974. This was the B side to How Long. While How Long became a worldwide hit, this track shows another side of Ace. The rhythm section stays locked in, and Paul Carrack delivers an effortless vocal like he always does. Like so many pub rock recordings, it’s straight ahead. It simply lets the band do what they did best: play together. That’s probably why it still sounds so fresh today.

This reminds me not to stop with the hit singles. So many great bands have albums full of songs that never made the radio but are every bit as rewarding. Ace is one of those bands. It’s another reminder that some of the best discoveries are hiding just below the surface. The album peaked at #11 on the Billboard Album Charts and #16 in Canada in 1974.

Sniffin’ About

Takin’ it easy, takin’ our time, sniffin’ about
We got a notion, time gonna tell and it’ll work out
It goes
There ain’t no sly seducer fooling me
And nothing you can do, Sir, oh no

I learned me a lesson when I was a boy
Just sniffin’ about
You get a connection, selected perfection
It’ll work out

It goes
There ain’t no sly seducer fooling me
Ain’t nothing you can do, Sir, anyway

Sniffin’ about
Checking it out
Sniffin’ about
Checking it out

Well, I learned me a lesson when I was a boy
Sniffin’ about
You get a connection, selected perfection
It’ll work out

It goes
There ain’t no sly seducer fooling me
Ain’t nothing you can do, Sir, anyway

Sniffin’ about
Checking it out
Sniffin’ about
Checking it out

Alright
Alright
(Sniffin’ about)
Alright, I
(Sniffin’ about)
Alright, I was sniffin’
Just sniffin’, sniffin’ about
Just sniffin’ about
I was just sniffin’, sniffin’ about
Checking it out
Sniffin’ about
Oh, I was sniffin’ about
I was checking, checking it out
Yeah, I was was sniffin’ about

Brinsley Schwarz – Surrender To The Rhythm

This is so extremely catchy, and that organ just makes it flow. Also, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Nick Lowe this young before in the video you will hopefully watch. You know… when I cover pub rock or the Paisley Underground scene, it doesn’t feel like I’m reviewing songs anymore. I feel like I’m mapping out musical neighborhoods because these musicians all knew each other and worked together.

Brinsley Schwarz never had a big hit, but they did influence artists like Elvis Costello and The Clash. They were known as a pub rock band and were active between 1969 and 1975. The band released 6 albums in that time. Their members included Nick Lowe, Bob Andrews, Brinsley Schwarz, and Billy Rankin…they were later augmented by Ian Gomm on guitar and vocals.

Some songs don’t need a big chorus or a fancy production to grab you. They just have a groove that feels right from the opening notes. That’s what this song has always been for me. It isn’t one of Brinsley Schwarz’s best-known songs, but it should be. Every time I hear it, I think of a band that simply loved playing together. Musicians locked into the same groove and having a great time.

Nick Lowe wrote this song, and the band recorded it for their 1972 album Nervous on the Road. The song rides on Lowe’s knack for writing melodies that sound familiar the very first time you hear them. The title says it all. Quit overthinking things and let the music take over! It became one of the band’s signature live songs and has appeared on several later compilations, proof that even the band knew they had something special with it.

They were formed in England after evolving from the late 1960s band Kippington Lodge. The group featured guitarist Brinsley Schwarz, but before long, another member began writing many of the band’s songs. That was Nick Lowe. Along with Bob Andrews, Billy Rankin, and later Ian Gomm, they became one of the leading bands in the growing pub rock movement. While progressive rock bands were adding longer solos and glam rock was becoming more theatrical, Brinsley Schwarz went the other direction. They looked back to American rock and roll, country, soul, and rhythm & blues.

It’s one of those records that reminds me why I enjoy digging a little deeper than the obvious songs. If you like Nick Lowe’s solo work or the music of Dave Edmunds, Rockpile, or Graham Parker, you can hear the roots of all of that right here. Sometimes the most influential bands aren’t the ones filling stadiums. They’re the ones quietly showing everyone else how it’s done.

Allmusic gave it 5 stars, and grumpy critic Robert Christgau gave it an A-.

Surrender to the Rhythm

Well they danced to every tune the band could play
At just about midnight when they decided to call it a day
Now there’s one thing that’s left here on their mind
Yeah, yeah, yeah
To get a little slice at any price, yeah
To store the shoes and rice
And surrender to the rhythm that is calling them home

Oh she was dumb, she was dirty
Yeah, but she was a princess
Custom made to fit right in to his arms
She could thrill him, she could chill him
Down to the bone
But he was in his teens, yeah
He had to spill the beans
Still looking for ways and means
To surrender to the rhythm that is calling him home

And who’s to say if it’s right or wrong
Not another singer in another song
I say we’re doing alright
Yeah we’re doing okay
Oh now guess what, guess what happened
Guess what happened then

She had to go, said she was meeting up with one of her friends
So there was nothing more or less than another mess of the blues
Now he had more to lose
Started putting in booze
Oh yeah, paying his dues
And surrendering to the rhythm that is calling him home

Surrender to the rhythm
Surrender to the rhythm
Surrender to the rhythm
Surrender, yeah, to the rhythm

Mason Proffit – Sweet Lady Love

I was looking around for some roots-style bands, and this one fit the bill. They have a polished, unpolished sound if that makes sense. They remind me a little of Buffalo Springfield.

It is one of those songs that doesn’t try to impress you with complicated arrangements. Instead, Mason Proffit lets the song breathe. The acoustic guitars and warm harmonies create a sound that feels natural and honest. It has one foot in country music and the other in rock, making it a perfect example of the roots music movement that was beginning to take hold in the early 1970s.

They were formed by brothers Terry and John Michael Talbot, Mason Proffit built a reputation on blending folk, country, bluegrass, and rock into something that sounded both familiar and fresh. While bands like The Eagles would later bring country rock to the top of the charts, Mason Proffit was already exploring much of that same territory. This one captures the band’s strength. It is simple without being plain, melodic without sounding commercial, and heartfelt without becoming sentimental. This song was the B-side to Two Hangmen.

What I like most about this song is how authentic it feels. Nothing seems forced. The musicians sound like they’re playing because they love the music, not looking for a hit. The harmonies are rich, the instruments fit together perfectly, and there is just enough polish to make everything shine without losing its roots. It reminds me of sitting on a front porch on a warm summer evening rather than listening to something created in a corporate boardroom.

This is another reminder that some of the best music never climbs the charts. Mason Proffit may not be as well known as many of their contemporaries, but songs like this deserve a much larger audience. If you enjoy music that sounds honest, genuine, and timeless, this is a band worth discovering.

They released 7 albums from 1969 to 2005.

The A side of the single, Two Hangmen

Sweet Lady Love

I was born on the river
21 years ago
Now I’ll tell you my story
Something there that you’d like to know
Sweet lady love, love me down
Sweet lady love, love me down
Got me a job on a river barge
Learned the ropes up and down the line
Workin
Picked up a girl in natchez
Took her home and I made her mine
Sweet lady love, love me down
Sweet lady love, love me down
Little log cabin down home
And I’m takin her to it
We can make it alone
And I know we can do it
Then I got into some trouble
Hit a man and I watched him die
Now me and my woman are runnin
It won’t be long and she’ll learn to fly
Sweet lady love, love me down
Sweet lady love, love me down

Neil Young – Mystery Train

I think this album has gotten a bad rap over the years. If you forget about record company politics and just listen to the music, it’s a fun tribute to the early days of rock and roll. Neil wasn’t trying to reinvent Mystery Train or the other covers. He was tipping his hat to the music that helped shape rock in the first place. Sometimes it’s nice to hear an artist simply enjoying himself, and that’s exactly what I hear every time this song comes on.

I’ve always liked it when artists take a chance, even if the fans don’t quite know what to make of it. That’s exactly what Neil Young did with “Mystery Train” from Everybody’s Rockin’. If you were expecting another Harvest or Rust Never Sleeps, you were probably surprised. Instead, Neil stepped back almost thirty years and made a record that sounded like it came straight out of a 1950s jukebox. I have to admit, I’ve always had a soft spot for this album.

I heard this album in the 80s and really liked the song Wonderin’and the video. When I first saw the 80s time-lapse video…I thought Young looked a little like Stephen King around this time…looking at it again…I still do. In the early eighties, David Geffen signed Neil Young to a huge contract with Geffen Records. Neil Young, who will do his own thing no matter what or when, released an album called “Trans” which was his foray into pure electronic music. Geffen wanted another Harvest with another Heart of Gold or Old Man…instead, he got songs like Computer Age and We R in Control with Neil singing through a Vocoder.

After the electronic Trans, Neil turned in a country album called Old Ways (which wouldn’t be released until 2 years later), but Geffen Records rejected it and told him they wanted a rock and roll record instead. Neil’s response was to give them exactly that, just not the kind they expected. He made a genuine 1950s-style rockabilly album. The sessions were cut quickly with musicians having fun in the studio, but before Neil could finish his original concept, Geffen shut the sessions down and released the short album anyway. Before long, the label actually sued Neil Young for making records they claimed didn’t sound enough like Neil Young. This album is full of early fifties Doo-wop and rockabilly-sounding songs in the middle of the 80s (thank you, Neil! We needed it). The record company was not amused…he then released an album full of country music… In his contract, Neil had full artistic freedom.

Geffen had claimed the new albums were unrepresentative of Neil’s music. He sued Neil for 3.3 million dollars, but the case was settled, and Geffen lost and had to apologize to Neil. That shows you…sometimes life is fair. If you look at Neil’s career…it was all about change and evolving, so I don’t know what Geffen expected. Neil rarely repeats himself.  Geffen was expecting early seventies Neil, and that wasn’t happening. Young is not an artist that you mess with.

This song was written by blues singer Junior Parker and producer Sam Phillips before Elvis Presley turned it into one of the defining records of early rock and roll at Sun Records in 1955. Rather than trying to improve on the original, Neil simply had fun with it. Backed by the Shocking Pinks, he captured that rockabilly sound with upright bass, slapback vocals, saxophone, and simple guitar work. The recording wasn’t meant to be polished. It was meant to sound like the records that inspired an entire generation of musicians.

The album peaked at #22 in Canada, #46 on the Billboard Album Charts, and #50 in the UK in 1983.

I’m also going to include the song that connected me with the album….Wonderin’

Mystery Train

Train I ride, sixteen coaches long
Train I ride, sixteen coaches long
Well that long black train took my baby and gone


Train, train, comin’ down, down the line
(Mystery train, mystery train)
Train, train, comin’ down, down the line
(Mystery train, mystery train)
Well it took my baby
But it never will again, no, not again


Train, train, comin’ down, down the line
(Mystery train, mystery train)
Train, train, comin’ down, down the line
(Mystery train, mystery train)
Well it’s bringin’ back my baby
Because she’s mine, all mine


Train, train, comin’ down, down the line
(Mystery train, mystery train)
Train, train, comin’ down, down the line
(Mystery train, mystery train)
Well it’s bringin’ back my baby
Because she’s mine, all mine

You might also like
Everybody’s Rockin’
Neil Young & The Shocking Pinks
Cry, Cry, Cry
Neil Young & The Shocking Pinks
Old Man
Neil Young


(Wooh, wooh)
(Wooh, wooh)
Train, train, train (Mystery train, mystery train)
Train, train, coming ’round, ’round the bend (Wooh, wooh)
(Mystery train, mystery train)

Van Morrison – Almost Independence Day

Last year, one of my readers, MY, suggested this song, so this year I’m going to post it. This and the title track were the first songs to get my attention on this album. The drums and guitar really make this song so strong, along with Van’s voice, of course.

The intro to this song is worth the price of admission. Van Morrison and guitarist Ron Elliot trade guitar licks, and then Lee Charlton joins with some great jazz-influenced drumming. Van has said it was written in a stream of consciousness style. The recording was more of a jam than a thought-out, rehearsed process.

The song was on his 1972 album Saint Dominic’s Preview, and it closed the album in a way that only Van Morrison could do. It has that long, drifting feel that he was so good at during this period. You can feel the mood more than the story. This is the Van Morrison who could take a simple phrase and turn it into something epic. He can make any song feel spiritual.

When I got the album, I had a summer job in the middle of nowhere in a backwater town. I had to drive over an hour to get there, and Van kept me company singing about Safeway’s Supermarket, fireworks, and Redwood Trees. One listen to this album, and I’m young, carefree, and having a really good time living life. Music brings back memories, and this one makes me feel exactly like I felt then.

It’s easy to get lost in this song. I’ve always liked the Van Morrison songs that feel more like a place to visit than just a song. Almost Independence Day is one of those. It rolls and flows along at its own pace. Van has many songs that sound like memories, and this one sounds like a memory that is still happening.

The album peaked at #15 on the Billboard Album Charts and #14 in Canada in 1972.

Couldn’t find a live version but I did find this wonderful concert by Van.

Almost Independence Day

I can hear them calling way from Oregon
I can hear them calling way from Oregon
And it’s almost Independence Day

Me and my lady, we go steppin’ (we go steppin’)
We go steppin’ way out on China town
All to buy some Hong Kong silver
And the wadin’ rushing river (we go steppin’)
We go out on the, out on the town tonight

I can hear the fireworks
I can hear the fireworks
I can hear the fireworks
Up and down the, up and down the San Francisco bay
Up and down the, up and down the San Francisco bay
I can hear them echoing
I can hear, I can hear them echoing
Up and down the, up and down the San Francisco bay

I can see the boats in the harbor (way across the harbor)
Lights shining out (lights shining out)
And a cool, cool night
And a cool, cool night across the harbor
I can hear the fireworks
I can hear the people, people shouting out
I can hear the people shouting out (up and down the line)
And it’s almost Independence Day

I can see the lights way out in the harbor
And the cool, and the cool, and the cool night
And the cool, and the cool, and the cool night breeze
And I feel the cool night breeze
And I feel, feel, feel the cool night breeze
And the boats go by
And it’s almost Independence Day
And it’s almost, and it’s almost Independence Day

Way up and down the line
Way up and down the line…

Continental Drifters – Christopher Columbus Transcontinental Highway

I love finding bands like this. The Continental Drifters remind me that some of the best music never reaches the Top 40. This song has the sound of musicians who have nothing left to prove and are simply making the music they believe in. If you like The Band, The dB’s, or early Americana, I think you’ll find yourself coming back to this song again. I listened to two of their albums and you get a variety. You get female-driven songs like this, and you get male-driven songs like Mezzanine.

The band is made up of musicians who had already built impressive careers, including Susan Cowsill of The Cowsills, Vicki Peterson of The Bangles, The Dream Syndicate, Peter Holsapple of The dB’s, and several outstanding New Orleans musicians like Carlo Nuccio, a great New Orleans drummer and singer/songwriter. Everyone in the band could write songs, sing, and play multiple instruments, which gave them a rich sound without ever becoming cluttered. They never became a hit band, but musicians and critics knew just how special they were. Although they formed in Los Angeles, they eventually settled in New Orleans, and you can hear both musical worlds in their sound.

Some songs grab you the first time you hear them, and then some songs slowly work their way into your head. This one did that for me. I was drawn in by the title first. Then the guitars kicked in, and it had that loose, rootsy sound that reminds me of The Band. It feels like you’re riding down an endless highway with the windows down, even though the story underneath isn’t nearly as carefree.

The song was written by guitarist Vicki Peterson, formerly of The Bangles, and she also takes the lead vocal. She based it on a difficult cross-country trip with fellow band member Gary Eaton during a time when their relationship was coming apart. Instead of writing a typical breakup song, she wrapped it in the image of traveling across America. The result is a song that sounds hopeful on the surface but carries just enough sadness to make it memorable.

Without a major label, they released a song as a single in 1997. It served as a preview of the sound that would soon appear on Vermilion, the album that many fans consider their masterpiece.

I also wanted to give you another song by them called Mezzanine. Carlo Nuccio, a great New Orleans drummer, singer/songwriter, wrote this song and is singing the lead vocal.

Christopher Columbus Transcontinental Highway

It took two hours to drive out of post-quake l.a.
Where the freeway is sliced up like sheet cake
Got new tires I’m not gonna worry
Got three days to go so I’m not in a hurry
Get into tucson and what do I find
I’m having some trouble just keeping my mind
On the 10.

Driving by that detour we took
To watch the sunset at the scenic overlook
The light was lovely but to my surprise
The most violent colors were in your eyes
All the reds and yellows, black and blue
It’s what I remember from driving with you
On the 10.

On the 10.

Whoa oh, white noise and lightening
Ooooo on the radio, oh no.

Looking up a tree like a georgia o’keefe
And the texas stars are in high relief
University road, you think I’d have learned
So many new ways to get bitten and burned
At the devil’s river inn at three a.m.
Hey, give me those keys I gotta get
Back on the 10.

On the 10.

Whoa oh, white noise and lightening
Ooooo on the radio, go robert, go!

Feeling unbound of heart and breast
Got the visor down and I’m headed west
A little wiser now, I’m unimpressed
By the secret you and I confessed
On the 10 (whoa oh).

On the 10 (whoa oh)
On the 10 (whoa oh)
On the 10 (whoa oh).