Badfinger (Max)

Frank Zappa – My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama

I’ve heard people say that to truly appreciate Frank Zappa, one must have an understanding of humor, jazz, and rock and roll. I agree with that, but many of his songs are so engaging that you can just start listening to them, and they grow on you. I heard a live cut of this one first, and it was so good…I thought it was a studio cut. The song is also known as “My Guitar.”

Zappa was one of the best guitarists in the music scene. His band was always top-notch. As we talked about last week, Little Feat was born out of that band, and we all know how great they are. Flo and Eddie also graduated from the Mothers of Invention.

When it starts, it comes right at you, like Zappa is daring you to keep up. The title alone tells you what kind of ride you’re in for, and I’m a sucker for a great title. I love the humor of it, but this is a rock song that knows exactly what it’s doing. Zappa’s vocal delivery stays pointed, almost like he’s reading a message off a note he left on the refrigerator.

You can laugh at the story, but the groove is real, and the guitar work carries weight. Zappa could have stretched it out into something longer, but keeping it short makes it hit harder.

This song first appeared on The Mothers of Invention’s 1970 album Weasels Ripped My Flesh, released in 1969. Frank Zappa wrote this song…who else could have? The song was released as a single.

Here is a live cut from December 23, 1984.

My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama

You know, your mama and your daddy
Saying I’m no good for you
They call me dirty from the alley
Till I don’t know what to do

I get so tired of sneaking around
Just to get to your back door
I crawled past the garbage and your mama jumped out
Screaming, don’t come back no more
I can’t take it

My guitar wants to kill your mama
My guitar wants to kill your mama
My guitar wants to burn your dad
I get real mean when it makes me mad

Later I tried to call you
Your mama told me you weren’t there
She told me don’t bother to call no more
Unless I cut off all my hair

I get so tired of sneaking around
Just to get to your back door
I crawled past the garbage and your mama jumped out
Screaming, don’t come back no more

My guitar wants to kill your mama
My guitar wants to kill your mama
My guitar wants to burn your dad
I get real mean when it makes me mad

…

Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen – Smoke Smoke Smoke (That Cigarette)

This song and Hot Rod Lincoln were part of my childhood on AM radio. Love the guitar they put in both songs. The song was written by Merle Travis and Tex Williams. Tex sang the song, which went to number one for 16 non-consecutive weeks on the Hot Country Songs Charts.

The band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in the late 1960s, centered around pianist and singer George Frayne, who went by Commander Cody. Cody was obsessed with jump blues, western swing, honky-tonk, boogie-woogie, and the kind of records that sounded like they’d been played to death in roadside bars. The “Lost Planet Airmen” weren’t a gimmick; they were keeping that music alive.

The song itself dates back to the 1940s, a country lament about addiction long before the word was fashionable, but Cody and the Airmen turbocharged it. That rolling piano and the rhythm section swing instead of stomps. Commander Cody delivers the lyrics as a cautionary but also a sing-along.

When Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen cut their version in the early 1970s, they were reviving the forgotten corners of jump blues, western swing, and boogie-woogie. Commander Cody covered the song, and it peaked at #94 on the Billboard 100 and #97 on the Country Charts in 1973. It is somewhat of a novelty song, but a novelty song done right.

The band’s style mixed country, rock, western swing, rockabilly, and blues together. This song sounded similar to their other hit song Hot Rod Lincoln from the year before. Decades later, it still feels like a late-night radio find, the kind of record that makes you turn it up, grin like an idiot.

Smoke Smoke Smoke (That Cigarette)

Now I’m a fellow with a heart of gold
With the ways of a gentleman I’ve been told
A kind of a fellow that wouldn’t even harm a flea
But if me and a certain character met
That guy that invented the cigarette
I’d murder that son of a gun in the first degree

That ain’t that I don’t smoke myself
And I don’t reckon they’ll injure your health
I’ve smoked ’em all my life and I ain’t dead yet
But nicotine slaves are all the same
At a pheasant party or a poker game
Everything’s gotta stop when they have that cigarette

Smoke smoke smoke that cigarette
Puff puff puff
And if you smoke yourself to death
Tell St Peter at the Golden Gate
That you hate to make him wait
But you just gotta have another cigarette

Now at a game of chance the other night
Ol’ Dame Forson wasn’t doin’ me right
Them kings and queens just kept on comin’ round
Well I got a full and I bet it high
But my plug didn’t work on a certain guy
He just kept a risin’ and a layin’ that money down
He’s raise me and I’d raise him
I sweated blood I had to sink or swim
He finally called and he didn’t raise the bet
I said “aces is full pal how about you?”
He said “I’ll tell you in a minute or two
But I just gotta have another cigarette”

Smoke smoke smoke that cigarette
Puff puff puff
And if you smoke yourself to death
Tell St Peter at the Golden Gate
That you hate to make him wait
But you just gotta have another cigarette

The other night I had a date with
The cutest gal in the fifty states
A high bred uptown social little dame
She said she loved me and it seemed to me
That things were like they ought a be
So hand in hand we strolled down Lover’s Lane
She was oh so far from a chunk of ice
And our smoochin’ party was a goin’ real nice
So help and I think I’d of been there yet
But I give her a hug and a little squeeze
And she said “Willie excuse me please
But I just gotta have another cigarette”
Smoke smoke smoke that cigarette
Puff puff puff
And if you smoke yourself to death
Tell St Peter at the Golden Gate
That you hate to make him wait
But you just gotta have another cigarette
Smoke smoke smoke that cigarette
Puff puff puff
And if you smoke yourself to death
Tell St Peter at the Golden Gate
That you hate to make him wait
But you just gotta have another cigarette
Just gotta have another cigarette

Buddy Holly – Peggy Sue

It is one of Buddy Holly’s best-known singles, built on a simple idea and a drum beat you can’t miss. The song moves fast, with Holly’s voice staying calm but urgent. This song is one of those records that feels like it was cut in one take, even if it wasn’t. It hits fast, and it doesn’t waste a second getting to the point.

Holly wrote this about Peggy Sue Gerron, who was dating Holly’s drummer with The Crickets, Jerry Allison. Holly was not involved with Peggy Sue but liked the name for the song. Allison and Peggy Sue eventually got married but divorced nine years later. At first, Holly was going to call this “Cindy Lou.” Jerry Allison asked if the name could be changed as a favor to him. It probably wouldn’t be heard outside of Lubbock, Texas, anyway, and it would really mean some brownie points for Jerry. Buddy had no problem with the name change.

The song peaked at #3 in the US, #6 in the UK, and #4 in Canada. Peggy Sue was written by Buddy Holly, Jerry Allison, and Norman Petty, and originally performed, recorded, and released as a single by Holly in early July of 1957. It started out with a cha-cha beat, but Allison couldn’t get it right. He reverted to a warm-up drill he did with the high school band, and Holly changed the guitar around, and it worked. Buddy wrote a sequel to this song that I covered a few years ago called Peggy Sue Got Married. Peggy Sue passed away in 2018.

A little trivia: On September 8, 2001, 48,000 people in Lubbock, Texas, tried to get into the Guinness Book of World Records by singing this at the Texas Tech-New Mexico football game. Horn-rimmed glasses like Holly used to wear were distributed to get them in the mood. The day before the game is when Holly would have turned 65. From the info I’ve looked up…they did it.

Peggy Sue

If you knew Peggy Sue
Then you’d know why I feel blue without Peggy
My Peggy Sue
Oh well, I love you gal, yes, I love you Peggy Sue

Peggy Sue, Peggy Sue
Oh how my heart yearns for you
Oh Peggy, my Peggy Sue
Oh well, I love you gal, yes, I love you Peggy Sue

Peggy Sue, Peggy Sue
Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty Peggy Sue
Oh Peggy, my Peggy Sue
Oh well, I love you gal and I need you Peggy Sue

I love you Peggy Sue
With a love so rare and true
Oh Peggy, my Peggy Sue
Well I love you gal, I want you Peggy Sue

Peggy Sue, Peggy Sue
Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty Peggy Sue
Oh Peggy, my Peggy Sue
Oh well, I love you gal yes I need you Peggy Sue

I love you Peggy Sue
With a love so rare and true
Oh Peggy, my Peggy Sue
Oh well I love you gal, and I want you Peggy Sue
Oh well, I love you gal and I want you Peggy Sue

Kolchak: The Night Stalker – The Trevi Collection

January 24, 1975 Season 1 Episode 14

If you want to see where we are…HERE is a list of the episodes.

In the first few minutes, we have a lot happening. A man named Mickey Patchek jumps out of a salon window and dies. A model’s face gets attacked by a cat. Another model gets scorched to death in a shower. This episode involves a lot of moving parts. The snooty fashion industry and the mob. The mob thinks Kolchak has some evidence, and they want it within 60 hours. This episode is different. More like a noir detective show for part of it. So far, this doesn’t sound like a Kolchak episode… okay, let’s throw in The Witch. Now we are getting somewhere!

As Kolchak investigates, he uncovers the presence of Madame Trevi, a powerful and wealthy woman who runs a private fashion empire and lives surrounded by luxury and secrecy. Beneath the surface glamour, Kolchak begins to suspect something far older and darker is at work. She treats him with contempt, like most do, but he has to investigate a little more to get to the bottom of it.

Lara Parker, who plays Madeleine, is a good actress, but she does go over the top a little but considering the subject, it does get the point across. Not a girl you would want to take out for dinner or to meet the folks. One scene I really like was when Kolchak visited a witches’ coven in their robes. It shows he will go to the end of the earth to find the truth.

While overall this episode is never exactly scary, it IS somewhat creepy. It’s one of my favorite episodes. There are some well-known television stars in this one. Marvin Miller (voice of Robby the Robot) as the lecturer, Bernie Kopell (Love Boat) as a doctor, Richard Bakalyan (Chinatown) as a mobster, Douglas Fowley as a super, and Henry Brandon in a bit part.

Spoilers!

Very good episode, and it has a satisfying ending. For once, a big article will come out over the fashion world fraud…but of course, nothing about The Witch…but she gets hers…who I’ll never tell.

Little Feat – Cold, Cold, Cold

This band was one of the most talented bands of the 70s. Well, more like all time in the history of rock and roll. Other musicians would go out of their way to see Little Feat. It’s an honor to put headphones on and listen to them. I’ve been doing that with other songs lately as well, trying to have a different view on my posts. Trying to describe the mood, and with this band, it’s a lot to describe.

Guitarist Lowell George and keyboardist Bill Payne formed Little Feat in 1969. Lowell George was a member of Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention. Bass player of the Mothers, Roy Estrada, joined along with drummer Richie Hayward.

After Lowell George left the Mothers of Invention, he began writing songs that showed blues forms, rhythm, and breathing space rather than so much complexity. This one was designed to feel natural rather than a studio production. What you hear is close to how it sounded in the room. I wish more bands would do this. Lowell George’s voice just melts into this beat. The sync of the drums and keyboards is fantastic!

This song was on the album Sailin’ Shoes, released in 1972. When the song was recorded, producer Ted Templeman kept the song at a reasonable length. The take reflects how the group played the song live at the time, with minimal studio adjustment. Vocals were delivered with feel, and the band avoided overdubs that would alter the structure.

This song showed their interest in groove and patience. The song was not meant to stand out on its own. Back in that time, bands made albums, not just individual songs. Everything had to fit and sound good as a whole, transitioning from one song to another. I wrote in another Little Feat post: Only Little Feat could’ve made this record. That sentence fits this album.

The album didn’t come close to the top 40, but it has grown in stature. This album set the stage. Their next album, Dixie Chicken, would go gold. The lineup had many changes through the years, and unfortunately, Lowell died in 1979 of a heart attack. The band broke up after George’s death but reunited in 1987. The band continues today with Bill Payne still a member.

This is, to me, a pure album band. You don’t just sit through single songs…you listen to the album and get the entire vibe. Below is the album. Put on some of your sailin’ shoes, headphones, and eat some Dixie chicken and groove to Little Feat on this Sunday!

Cold Cold Cold

Cold, cold, coldCold, cold, coldFreezing, it was freezing in that hotelI had no money, my special friend was goneThe TV set was busted so she went alongI called room, room service,I’m down here on my kneesA peach or a pear, or a coconut please,But they was cold

Well it’s been a month since I seen my girlOr a dime to make the call‘Cause it passed me up, or it passed me by,Or I couldn’t decide at allAnd I’m mixed up, I’m so mixed upDon’t you know I’m lonelyAnd I wish the world would get off of my caseAnd get on one of it’s own

Cold, cold, coldCold, cold, coldThat woman was freezing, freezing coldWell I tried everything to warm her upNow I’m living in this cold hotel‘Cause she passed me, up or she passed me by,Or I couldn’t decide at allOh I’m mixed up, yes I’m mixed upDon’t you know I’m lonelyOf all the things I had to doI had to fall in loveYou know she’s cold

Turn your clock back woman when you see me comin’ roundMy feet don’t, feet don’t even touch the groundDon’t be cold, don’t be coldDon’t be cold, don’t be cold

…

Stranglers – No More Heroes

What draws me to this band is the bass. It’s so raw in some of their songs that it sounds like it was plugged into an Ampeg amp and turned to 11. Before I heard them, this is close to the sound I got live, so it sounded totally natural to me. The Stranglers were labeled a punk band, but it’s clear they were musically superior to their peers and managed to retain that rawness. So a shout out to bass player J.J. Burnel.

This song was released in 1977 as the title song to their 1977 album. The Stranglers doubled down on their refusal to play by punk’s rulebook. While many of their peers were playing with speed and volume, the Stranglers were more into structure and order. It was written during a period of constant touring and confrontation, and with this band, that is totally believable. They already had a “difficult” reputation. Rather than celebrating rebellion, this song questioned the idea of hero worship altogether.

The track is driven by Jean-Jacques Burnel’s bass line, which carries the song as much as the vocals. Hugh Cornwell’s guitar work is sharp, while Jet Black keeps the rhythm steady and controlled. The playing sounds like a band that knows exactly what it wants to say. Producer Martin Rushent encouraged clarity and separation, helping the bass dominate without muddying the sound. Cornwell’s vocal was delivered straight, like he was observing something in real time. The list of names in the song came together naturally, chosen for how they fit the theme rather than for provocation alone. Basically, a rejection of dependency on figures to lead the way.

Lyrically, Cornwell runs through a list of historical and cultural figures, not to praise them, but to question why society keeps needing replacements for fallen idols. The chorus is blunt and repeated without any form of apology. This is a band more interested in thought than a the punk posture. Now, years later, the song still holds up because its message never tied itself to a moment. Heroes come and go.

The album No More Heroes peaked at #2 on the UK Album Charts in 1977. The song peaked at #8 on the UK Charts. This song was written by Hugh Cornwell, Jean-Jacques Burnel, and Jet Black.

No More Heroes

Whatever happened to Leon Trotsky?He got an ice pickThat made his ears burn

Whatever happened to dear old Lenny?The great Elmyra, and Sancho Panza?Whatever happened to the heroes?Whatever happened to the heroes?

Whatever happened to all the heroes?All the Shakespearoes?They watched their Rome burnWhatever happened to the heroes?Whatever happened to the heroes?

No more heroes any moreNo more heroes any more

Whatever happened to all the heroes?All the Shakespearoes?They watched their Rome burnWhatever happened to the heroes?Whatever happened to the heroes?

No more heroes any moreNo more heroes any more

Jimi Hendrix – Bold As Love

After seeing the clip of a younger Jimi Hendrix with Jr. Walker and the All-Stars, I had to post something by him since it’s been a while. His playing and writing still blows me away. Hendrix had a flow through his songs. Is this one very commercial on the surface? No, but it IS because of the way he arranged his songs. His songs draw you in with that flowing sound. I first really found Hendrix when I was 11 or 12. Later on, when I started to play guitar and bass… no, I couldn’t do his solos (still can’t!), but I took some of his movements to the bass.

His guitar playing was off the charts and identifiable like a fingerprint. He slid a lot while playing, and after him, many guitar players picked that up as well. This song closed out his album Axis: Bold As Love, released at the end of 1967. Six months after his debut album, Are You Experienced. The biggest difference between the two albums can be heard. It was Hendrix realizing that the studio itself was an instrument, and learning how to play it or work it. I also read where his songwriting was catching up with his guitar playing, which fits.

The basic track was cut live by them, with Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell locking into a loose groove. Hendrix kept the structure simple at first until the end, when it exploded. His voice was very intimate and more confident than on the first album. You could tell from this album that he wanted his lyrics more exposed.

The verses move gently with Noel Redding’s bass and Mitch Mitchell’s drumming, keeping everything fluid rather than forced. The album Axis: Bold As Love peaked at #3 on the Billboard Album Chart and #5 in the UK in 1967-1968.

Bold As Love

Anger!He smiles, towering in shiny metallic purple armorQueen jealousy, envy waits behind himHer fiery green gown sneers at the grassy ground

Blue are the life-giving waters taken for grantedThey quietly understandOnce happy turquoise armies lay opposite readyBut wonder why the fight is on

But they’re all bold as loveYes, they’re all bold as loveYeah, they’re all bold as loveJust ask the axis

My red is so confident, he flashes trophies of warAnd ribbons of euphoriaOrange is young, full of daringBut very unsteady for the first go round

My yellow, in this case, is not so mellowIn fact, I’m trying to say it’s frightened like meAnd all these emotions of mine keep holding me fromGiving my life to a rainbow like you, but I’m

Yeah, I’m bold as love, yeah-yeahWell, I’m bold, bold as loveHear me talking, girlI’m bold as loveJust ask the axis

He knows everythingYeah-yeah-yeah

Yeah

…

John Cale – Dirty Ass Rock ‘N’ Roll

Well, it’s too damn early and your eyes are bleedingFrom the vicious bottle the night beforeAnd the last thing you need is a nicety-niceAnd small talk crawls out your ears

I always wanted to know more about John Cale of the Velvet Underground. That band influenced so many, and Cale was one of the reasons for that. This 1975 song is messy, mean, and totally alive. It’s a little offbeat and disjointed, but it never goes off the tracks. He has a nice groove going and space in the music.

By the mid-seventies, Cale was pushing back against the “serious composer” label that had followed him since the Velvet Underground days. Punk had taken off, and he pushed back by reconnecting with in-your-face rock ’n’ roll. The sound is quite dirty; this is not a crystal clear recording, and that is perfect for this.

The song took shape on the road, worked out with a touring band that thrived on volume and chaos. Cale wanted imperfection like letting riffs sprawl, tempos jumping forward, and vocals that snarled more than sang. It was finished without much revision at all. Cale resisted adding extra parts or effects. The final version reflects the session as it happened.

Lyrically and musically, the track was meant to sound blunt and slightly offensive. It would have been a deliberate swipe at anyone expecting his avant-garde music. This was on his 1975 album Slow Dazzle. On this album, he had Brian Eno on synthesizer, Chris Spedding on guitar, Geoff Muldaur on backing vocals, and super producer Chris Thomas on violin and electric piano. Cale produced the album.

John Cale – Dirty Ass Rock ‘N’ Roll

Well, it’s too damn early and your eyes are bleedingFrom the vicious bottle the night beforeAnd the last thing you need is a nicety-niceAnd small talk crawls out your ears

Maybe it makes you feel just like an undercover Sigmund FreudI hear it makes you feel just like an undercover Sigmund Freud

Hey there, hey now, hey there, hey nowWell, you can make a pacemaker blink, yeah, easy thingMake a man’s heart go bibbity-bom, bippity-bom, bippity-bomLike a gentle drum and knowing you, it ain’t ever done

So go on, go on, go on, darling, go onYeah, go on, go on darling, go on, go on

Yeah, the secretaries and typewriters chattering awayChatter-chatter-chatter-chatterChatter-chatter-chatter, chatter awayIt ought to make you sick when you hear a woman cry

When she don’t get just whatever she wantsBut not my woman, she just keeps on keeping onThat’s my woman, my womanThat moving on shuffle side to sideThat sure can turn me on

Dirty-ass rock ‘n’ rollDirty-ass rock ‘n’ rollDirty-ass rock ‘n’ rollDirty-ass rock ‘n’ roll

Hey now, hey now, hey now, hey nowAnd the beach is a thing and the bees don’t stingLike complaining from a downtown whoreI got my plasma patches and my hypodermicIn hermetically sealed kid gloves

Yeah, tell meTell me, tell me, tell me, tell meTell meTell me, tell me, tell me, tell me

Dirty-ass rock ‘n’ rollDirty-ass rock ‘n’ rollDirty-ass rock ‘n’ rollDirty-ass rock ‘n’ roll

…

Band of Heathens – Medicine Man

I found this band a few weeks ago, and they have stuck with me. This song I really like because it’s subtle and not in your face, but strong at the same time. A slow groove that hooked me in. Give it a try…you might like it. I think I’ve found a winner. I’m digging into more Texas bands. They have it going on there.

The band was formed in Austin by Colin Brooks, Ed Jurdi, and Gordy Quist in 2005. They were built around multiple singers and songwriters. The band’s name originated from a misprint in a local newspaper. The three original singer-songwriters used to perform separate sets at an Austin club called Momo’s on Wednesday nights, billing the show as “The Good Time Supper Club.” A local paper mistakenly listed the act as “The Heathens,” and the name stuck.

Some songs are bombastic and kick down the door, but this song just walks in easily and uneasily at the same time. It rolls on slowly but with depth. They are doing what they do best, blending Southern rock blues with gospel harmonies.

Musically, this 2011 song breathes. The guitars don’t rush the song whatsoever; they flow like a twig on the shoulders of a mighty stream (Thank you, John Candy for that quote!). The rhythm section keeps things steady but loose, and the groove settles into your bones. You can hear a little of The Band and Little Feat in them, but nothing here feels copied. This is a band that understands dynamics, knowing when to turn up and when to let silence do the talking.

This is some great roots rock. Pour a drink, turn it up just enough, and let it do its work. Cognac or Brandy, anyone?

A BONUS song…Hurricane by The Band of Heathens.

Medicine Man

Across the land, I’m spoken of*Wise as a snake, tame as a doveJust like a wolf, in the sheep’s clothesShake the dust off, before I goI’m your medicine manI’m your medicine manI walk the land never seen beforeI’m on a mission, conquistadorI’ll be your slave, I’ll be your kingI’ll be what you want, be your everythingI’m your medicine manI’m your medicine manGot juju beads and a mojo drumGotta a whole lot more, where that come fromI’ll make a sign, I’ll cross your headMake you shake and dance, Gonna raise the deadI’m your medicine manI’m your medicine manI’ll take your pulse, I’ll fix your healthGive what you need, to save yourselfMight lose your house, might lose your homeBut I’ll give you back more than you have knownPut you in the black, gonna shake your bonesYour healer, your dealer, your only oneI’m your medicine manI’m your medicine man

Kolchak: The Night Stalker – Primal Scream

January 17, 1975 Season 1 Episode 13

If you want to see where we are…HERE is a list of the episodes.

It’s good to be watching Kolchak again after the Christmas and New Year’s break. Welcome back, everyone! In this one, we have two recognizable TV stars. Jamie Farr (MASH) and Pat Harrington (One Day At A Time) both appear.

The episode has Kolchak investigating a string of killings tied to a missing anthropology professor, and from there, it spirals into the missing link. The best course of action here is restraint; the monster is rarely seen clearly, and when it is, it’s brief, violent, and deeply unsettling. Director Robert Michael Lewis shoots much of the episode in shadows and tight frames, letting your imagination do most of the work. Frozen cell samples from the Antarctic are accidentally exposed to heat and grow into a missing link that breaks out from the lab and embarks on a rampage.

Kolchak, in this episode, is stubborn to the point of self-destruction, but also shaken by what he’s uncovering. There’s a moment when Kolchak realizes the killer isn’t driven by malice but by something older and uncontrollable. It works because it taps into a universal fear that, beneath our suits and the rules, we are still animals. The supporting cast, especially John Doucette as Sheriff Frank Packer, grounds the episode in realism, making the supernatural elements feel plausible.

No catchy catchphrases, no tidy ending, just a reminder that some monsters don’t come from folklore books, they come from inside us. Tony Vincenzo doesn’t get much to do this time, but there’s some comical interaction between Kolchak and Updyke as the latter threatens to have Kolchak’s car towed if he keeps parking in Updyke’s parking spot…but Kolchak gets him back.

Another good episode. Not the best one, but still up there. Again…with 7 more to go, I haven’t seen a clunker episode yet.

The Complete Episode Here.

Next Week’s Episode

Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes – Havin’ A Party

When that chorus kicks in, I’m in heaven. It sounds like early sixties greatness, and it’s just fun to sing along with. I’ve never been to New Jersey, but Southside Johnny and Springsteen make me feel like I did. Asbury Park has served as a musical mecca for decades. I’m hoping that one day I will get there.

This is not just a cover of the Sam Cooke standard; it is a full Jersey Shore revival meeting, led by Southside Johnny, who sounds like he has lived every lyric and is still catching his breath. When I see him perform on film, he performs with the audience rather than for… in what I’ve seen. He gets them involved and everyone has a good time.

I love this version because he doesn’t try to out-sing Sam Cooke, because who could? You can hear him reacting in real time, stretching lines, yelling encouragement as he feeds off the band as much as they feed off him. They are built to hear live, and they live up to that job.

It was on the album Havin’ a Party With Southside Johnny, released in 1979-1980. This song on the album was live, and it’s from 1976. The song was written by Sam Cooke and released in 1962. The original version peaked at #17 on the Billboard 100 and #30 in Canada in 1962. Rod Stewart also did a version that charted in 1994.

Havin’ A Party

Yeah, everybodyYeah, get every one apartIs there a problem, whooCan we do this now

We’re havin’ a partyEverybody’s swingingDancing to the musicOn the radio (we’re on our way, man)So listen, Mr. DJKeep those records playing (alright)‘Cause I’m having such a good timeDancing with my baby

We’re having a partyDancing to the musicPlayed by the DJOn the radioCokes are in the ice boxPopcorn’s on the tableMe and my babyAre out there on the floor

And we’re havin’ a partyEverybody’s swingingDancing to the musicOn the radioSo listen, Mr. DJKeep those records playing‘Cause I’m having such a good timeDancing with my baby

Everybody’s swinging (oldies)Oldies, doing the twist nowIf you take requestsI’ve got a few for youDon’t forget the soul twistPlay that one called “I Know”I got to hear what suites meNo other songs will do

And we’re havin’ a partyEverybody’s swingingDancing to the musicOn the radioSo listen, Mr. DJKeep those records playing‘Cause I’m having such a good timeDancing with my baby

‘Cause I’m having such a good timeDancing with my baby‘Cause I’m having such a good timeDancing with my baby

Baby, is alright (baby, is alright)Baby, is alright (baby, is alright)Baby, is alright (baby, is alright)Baby, is alright (baby, is alright)Baby, is alright (baby, is alright)Is alright (is alright)Is alright (is alright)Baby, is alright (is alright)Is alright (is alright)Is alright (is alright)

Is alright (is alright)Baby, is alright (is alright)Is alright (is alright)Is alright (is alright)Is alright (is alright)Baby, is alright (is alright)Is alright (is alright)Is alright (is alright)Is alright (is alright)Baby, is alright (is alright)

…

John Prine – John Prine …album review

Ever since I wrote up the John Prine song Paradise (thanks to halffastcyclingclub) I knew then I had to write up the album. This album is very daunting to write up. If one person listens to it, then my job is done. It is one of the best debut albums I’ve ever heard in rock, pop, country, folk, or anything else. I’m truly ashamed I didn’t dive into John Prine sooner. I knew some of his well-known songs like Dear Abbey, Angel From Montgomery, and a few other songs of his, but it was the song Paradise that totally won me over. Like the old lyric I remember from a long time ago…listening to this album is like taking a trip without leaving the farm.

John Prine was working as a mailman in Chicago, delivering letters by day and sharpening songs by night. He began playing open mics at the Old Town School of Folk Music, where his storytelling and humor transfixed the audience. One night in 1970, Kris Kristofferson wandered in, heard Prine sing Sam Stone, and reportedly told his record label mates he’d just seen “the best songwriter I’ve ever heard.” That moment changed everything for Prine.

Atlantic Records moved quickly, pairing Prine with producer Arif Mardin, a surprising choice. Mardin, known for polished soul and pop productions. He immediately understood that these songs didn’t need a big production. Sessions were kept deliberately restrained, focusing on clarity and feel rather than polish. Many of the songs were already road-tested long before they were recorded. Hello In There, Sam Stone, and Paradise had been perfected in coffeehouses and small clubs

At 24 years old, he plays thirteen songs that feel lived in, warm, sly, funny, haunted, and most importantly, human. There is one thing I found out about this album. On first listen, I thought it was charming. On the tenth, it is devastating. On the twentieth, it feels like a friend you have known your whole life, and I’m not exaggerating.

Right from the opener Illegal Smile, Prine is already telling you “Last time I checked my bankroll, it was gettin’ thin, Sometimes it seems like the bottom is the only place I’ve been”. Then comes Spanish Pipedream, which practically bursts out of the speakers, preaching the joys of ditching society’s noise. blowing up your TV, and finding your own piece of mind. But the album’s heart and soul song runs deeper. Sam Stone, with its unforgettable line “there’s a hole in daddy’s arm where all the money goes,” still lands like a gut punch.

And then, of course, there is Angel from Montgomery. If Prine had written only that one song, he would still have ended up on songwriter Mount Rushmore. I won’t go over every song, but if you like great lyrics and great melodies, this is the album for you. Google the lyrics on this fine Sunday and sing along with John Prine. It will be a beautiful Sunday…trust me on that. My personal favorites? Paradise, Sam Stone, Illegal Smile, Angel from Montgomery, and…ah, just listen to them all.

Sam Stone

Sam StoneCame homeTo his wife and familyAfter serving in the conflict overseasAnd the time that he servedHad shattered all his nervesAnd left a little shrapnel in his kneeBut the morphine eased the painAnd the grass grew ’round his brainAnd gave him all the confidence he lackedWith a Purple Heart and a monkey on his back

There’s a hole in daddy’s arm where all the money goesAnd Jesus Christ died for nothin’, I supposeLittle pitchers have big earsDon’t stop to count the yearsSweet songs never last too long on broken radiosMmm-hmm-hmm-hmm

Sam Stone’s welcome homeDidn’t last too longHe went to work when he’d spent his last dimeAnd soon he took to stealin’When he got that empty feelin’For a hundred dollar habit without overtimeAnd the gold rolled through his veinsLike a thousand railroad trainsAnd eased his mind in the hours that he choseWhile the kids ran around wearin’ other people’s clothes

Sam Stone was aloneWhen he popped his last balloonClimbing walls while sittin’ in a chairWell, he played his last requestWhile the room smelled just like deathWith an overdose hoverin’ in the air

But life had lost its funAnd there was nothin’ to be doneBut trade his house that he bought on the G.I. BillFor a flag draped casket on a local heroes’ hill

There’s a hole in daddy’s arm where all the money goesAnd, Jesus Christ died for nothin’, I supposeLittle pitchers have big earsDon’t stop to count the yearsSweet songs never last too long on broken radiosMmm-hmm-hmm-hmmHmmHmm-hmm-hmm-hmm

Jr. Walker & The All-Stars – Shotgun

Good R&B song from Jr. Walker and The Allstars. A little trivia on this song. If you look at the live video below, you will see a young Jimi Hendrix in the background playing guitar. They were on a show called Night Train, and it was videotaped at Channel 5, at that time, WLAC in Nashville. He didn’t play on the original recording, but it’s cool to see him here playing guitar in 1965.

Walker, whose real name was Autry DeWalt, was a great saxophone player who made his vocal debut on this song. He recorded the vocals because the singer didn’t show up. He didn’t expect his vocal track to make the cut, but the Motown producers liked the sound and left it in. Junior Walker & The All Stars were Motown, but I would have sworn they were Stax. They had more of a raw, unpolished sound than Motown usually had.

This was the first hit for Junior Walker & The All Stars, who were signed to the Motown label. The “Shotgun” is a dance. There were many dance crazes in the ’60s, and 2 of them are mentioned in the lyrics: The Jerk “Do The Jerk, baby”, and The Twine “It’s Twine Time”. The band had several more hit songs, including What Does It Take (To Win Your Love) and a cover of the Supremes’ song Come See About Me. Walker also played sax on Foreigner’s Urgent before he died in 1995.

The song peaked at #4 on the Billboard 100 and #1 on the Billboard R&B Charts in 1965. It was written by Jr Walker himself.

Here is the video of their performance on Channel 5. Jimi Hendrix is on the right side of the drummer when you are looking at it, and of course, playing left-handed.

Shotgun

I said shotgunShoot ’em for he run nowDo the jerk babyDo the jerk nowHey

Put on your red dressAnd then you go downtown nowI said buy yourself a shotgun nowWe’re gonna break it down, baby nowWe’re gonna load it up, baby nowAnd then you shoot him for he run now

I said shotgunShoot ’em for he run nowDo the jerk babyDo the jerk nowHey

ShotgunShoot ’em for he run nowDo the jerk babyDo the jerk nowHey

Put on your high heel shoesI said we’re goin’ down here to listen to ’em play the bluesWe’re gonna dig potatoesWe’re gonna pick tomatoes

I said shotgunShoot ’em for he run nowDo the jerk babyDo the jerk nowHey

I said it’s twine timeI said it’s twine timeI said it’s twine timeHey, what’d I say?

Robert Gordon – Flying Saucer Rock And Roll

I wanted to get a rockabilly post in before the new year got any older, and Robert Gordon is a great place to start! He did rockabilly proud as he stuck to the roots while also sharing his unique style in the songs.

Gordon released his debut album (Robert Gordon with Link Wray) in 1977. This song is on that album. Everyone thought he would be huge. His producer was Richard Gottehrer, and he helped launch the careers of Madonna, Blondie, The Ramones, and The Talking Heads. Gordon paved the way for future rockabilly acts like The Stray Cats, which emerged in the 1980s. He also shone a much-needed light on the legendary guitarist Link Wray. He saw Wray playing the oldies circuit and convinced Wray to play guitar with him.

Much like The Yardbirds and John Mayall, Gordon had a knack for picking great guitar players to play with him. Chris Spedding (a versatile session guitarist), Danny Gatton (toured with Roger Miller and others), Eddie Angel, Quentin Jones, and, most recently, Danny B. Harvey. Gordon’s 2020 album Rockabilly For Life had players such as Albert Lee, Steve Wariner, and the great Steve Cropper.

This song was written by Ray Scott and first recorded by Billy Riley and His Little Green Men (Love that name) in 1957. Others have covered this song like The Flamin’ Groovies, The Box Tops, and many others. This was on Gordon’s debut album, and it rocks! For a music fan, it’s pure entertainment.

From 1977 to 2022, he made 12 studio albums and 4 live albums. Gordon died in 2022 of acute myeloid leukemia.

Flying saucers Rock & Roll

Well, the news of the saucer been a-flyin’ around
I’m the only one that seen it on the ground
First thing I seen when I saw it land
Cats jumped out and they formed a band

Flyin’ saucer rock and roll, flyin’ saucer rock and roll
I couldn’t understand the things they said
But that crazy beat just a stopped me dead

Well the little green men, they were real hep-cats
Rockin’ and rollin’ doin’ their crazy flats
They brought out a sax and they started to blow
They brought out the drums and they started to roll

Well, I come out a-hidin’ and I started to rock
Little green men tought me how to do the bop
They were three foot high, hit a few bars
Started rock and roll al the way from mars

Sly and the Family Stone – Hot Fun in the Summertime

Some of us need his right now with the cold we are experiencing. Some way more than others. I live near Nashville, so we are in the 20s and 30s, but nothing compared to the northern states. I think of a few of my readers who live in Wisconsin and Michigan…I can’t imagine.

A gentle, sun-soaked groove that felt like the last afternoon before school started again. It’s a song that takes summer with it whenever you listen. Most of his radio hits were positive, like this one and Everyday People. He was huge during his heyday, but has been neglected since. He had such a span of success between 1967 – 1973. 9 singles in that span in the top 40 including 3 number ones. He also wrote most of their hits, including this one. A terrific songwriter.

This song came out in 1969, sandwiched between the more serious Everyday People and Stand!. The song primed their audience for their successful upcoming appearance at Woodstock. Some thought their set was one of the best of the festival. I was only two in 1969, but I would imagine this song was drifting out of car radios, backyard barbecues, and AM stations every summer like clockwork. You didn’t analyze it, you lived in it.

The song peaked at #2 on the Billboard 100 and #4 in Canada in 1969. In January of 2026, let’s listen to the song and think warm thoughts, and catch that warm vibe.

Sylvester Stewart passed away in June of 2025.

Hot Fun In The Summertime

End of the springAnd here she comes backHi, hi, hi, hi thereThem summer daysThose summer days

That’s when I hadMost of my fun, backHi, hi, hi, hi thereThem summer daysThose summer days

I cloud nine when I want toOut of school, yeahCounty fair in the country sunAnd everything is trueOoh, yeah, yeah

Hot fun in the summertimeHot fun in the summertimeHot fun in the summertimeHot fun in the summertime

First of the fallAnd then she goes backBye, bye, bye, bye thereThem summer daysThose summer days

Boop-boop-boop-boopWhen I want toOut of schoolCounty fair in the country sunAnd everything is coolOoh, yeah, yeah

Hot fun in the summertime (hey, hey, hey, ooh)Hot fun in the summertime (ooh, yeah)Hot fun in the summertime