The thing that I’ve found about Cale is that his music isn’t in your face. It really sneaks up on you while you listen. I remember this getting played on AM radio when I was a kid, and this song introduced me to J.J. Cale. Yes I may have heard some of his songs that were covered by others, but I knew this by Cale and no one else.
Oklahoma blues guitarist and songwriter J.J. Cale is best known for a number of songs that became radio favorites when covered by other artists. These include both After Midnight and Cocaine, which were written and recorded by Cale before Eric Clapton cut his versions. Also, Cale’s track Call Me The Breeze has been covered by numerous acts, most notably by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
The record feels loose, almost casual, like you just stumbled across him jamming in a Tulsa roadhouse. Yet the track is locked in tight, every note exactly where it needs to be. Musicians took notice; countless guitarists, from Mark Knopfler to Neil Young, would later cite Cale’s minimalism as an influence.
He made this hit song without raising his voice or speeding up this song. Remember this was the era of bombast, arena rock, prog, and wall-to-wall sound. Cale proved that restraint could be just as powerful. It’s no surprise that Clapton and others gravitated to his songs; Cale had a way of making music that felt timeless and genuine. This song may have been his only chart hit, but it wasn’t his only masterpiece.
Crazy Mama is a song from Cale’s debut album, Naturally, and was his only Top 40 hit in the US. Naturally peaked at #51
This song peaked at #22 on the Billboard 100 in 1971.
Crazy Mama
Crazy mama, where you been so long? Crazy mama, where you been so long? You’ve been hiding out, I know that’s true Crazy mama, I sure need you Crazy mama, where you been so long?
Standing on the corner, looking for you, babe Standing on the corner, looking for you, babe Lord have mercy, can I see, that crazy mama coming back to me? Crazy mama, where you been so long?
This was written for Dave’s Tuntable Series. The topic is Going out on a High Note. We all have seen artists who stick around long after they should have exited gracefully. For this round, pick a musical artist who you think ended their career on a high note, a great final album, or a triumphant concert tour before they grew stale.
I could have picked The Beatles, probably one of the best examples of going out on top with Abbey Road, but as usual, I wanted to go down the path less travelled. I wanted to feature Big Star’s last album, recorded in 1974. Parts of the band did release an album in 2005 under the Big Star name, but I’m not counting that one. This album was on Rolling Stone Magazine’s 500 Greatest Albums list at #285.
If there’s an album that feels like the final curtain was lowered, it’s Big Star’s Third/Sister Lovers album. Recorded in late 1974, it dribbled out years later in different forms; the record doesn’t just mark the end of Big Star, it feels like the end of Alex Chilton’s patience with power pop itself. This album had test pressings in 1975, but didn’t get officially released until 1978
Unlike #1 Record and Radio City, which had power-pop perfection, Third/Sister Lovers is messy and sometimes unsettling. It sounds less like a polished album and more like a band trying everything while the tape keeps rolling. Jim Dickinson’s production at Ardent Studios only added to the loose, haunted feel, he let Chilton and whoever else showed up throw down takes that feel unfinished and unfiltered.
Songs like Kizza Me, Jesus Christ, and Thank You Friends have some of Big Star’s old jangle, but the edges are jagged. Then you get Holocaust and Kanga Roo, two of the most desolate tracks they ever did. Holocaust is not something you hum; it’s something that stays with you afterward.
Part of the mythology of this album is that no one really knows the “real” tracklist. Different labels sequenced it differently when it trickled out in the late 70s and early 80s. By the time Rykodisc issued it on CD in the 90s and Omnivore Recordings gave us the expanded Complete Third box, it was clear… this wasn’t one neatly tidy album, it was choppy, uneven, and brilliant.
For all its chaos, this album became a blueprint for generations of indie and alternative bands. You hear its fingerprints in REM., Replacements, and Wilco, artists who weren’t afraid to experiment with pop and let it stand on its own. For a band that never could catch a break, Big Star ended with an album that was seldom properly released, yet somehow became arguably their most influential. That’s Big Star in a nutshell: tragedy, beauty, and magic all together.
Thank You Friends
Thank you, friends Wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you I’m so grateful for all the things you helped me do.
All the ladies and gentlemen Who made this all so probable
Thank you, friends I rejoice to the skies Dear ones like you do the best I do As far as can see my eyes
All the ladies and gentlemen Who made this all so probable
Without my friends I got chaos I’m often a bead of light. Without my friends I’d be swept up high by the wind
do, do…
All the ladies and gentlemen (I said all) All the ladies and gentlemen (I said all) All the ladies and gentlemen Who made this all so probable
Thank you friends (thank you again) Thank you friends (thank you again) Dear, dear friends (thank you again) Thank you friends (thank you again) And again, and again… Never too late to start
If you want to see where we are…HERE is a list of the episodes.
This show acted as a direct sequel to the original TV movie The Night Stalker. It’s a really good episode! This story has Kolchak chasing down Janos Skorzeny’s (the original vampire in the movie) “offspring,” a female vampire who rises in Los Angeles after a series of mysterious murders. Where the original movie thrived on Darren McGavin’s tense battles with a powerful vampire in Las Vegas, this time Kolchak is once again the only man connecting the dots as bodies begin piling up with familiar fang marks and drained blood.
We can always rely on Carl Kolchak to stubbornly pursue the strange stories even when under orders to pursue something decidedly more mundane. Carl is sent to Los Angeles to interview a young guru and instead becomes intrigued by a series of killings involving the draining of blood, first told to him by an old acquaintance named “Swede” (guest star Larry Storch). Kolchak is once again quick to jump to the most extravagant conclusion, and of course, he’s right: the culprit is a sexy female vampire unearthed from her slumber by a highway crew outside Las Vegas.
The climax is classic Kolchak. Armed with a cross, hammer, and stake, he hunts the vampire into her lair beneath the city. The episode builds tension with along the way with lighting, camera work, and McGavin’s energy as he fends off a supernatural predator. Unlike many horror shows of the era that shied away from violence, Kolchak goes into the dread of facing a creature of legend. The confrontation with the vampire feels unsettling, reminding viewers that Kolchak isn’t a superhero; he’s just a reporter willing to risk his life for the truth.
Watching McGavin shuffle around Los Angeles in his seersucker suit, trying to convince hardened cops that a vampire is on the loose, is both hilarious and chilling. For me, this one stands out because it proves Kolchak never gets an easy win, and he doesn’t even get peace of mind. But what he does get is the truth, and he’ll drive a stake through anything, or anyone, that tries to bury it.
The change of setting also works well for the episode, allowing Kolchak to comment on the nature of L.A. and demonstrating some ingenuity in the end when it comes to dispatching his unearthly foe; there’s some good imagery there.
A groove you can drive a truck through wider than a Texas mile
I’ve been waiting until I could start listening to the former lead singer of the Sir Douglas Quintet. The time has arrived, and I knew it would be some quality music, and I’ve enjoyed dipping my toe in the Doug Sahm waters. I’d heard his music from the ’60s and ’90s, but didn’t know much about the 1970s; it didn’t disappoint.
Texan Doug Sahm was an exceptional talent. By the time most kids were still figuring out how to play Little League, Sahm was already on stage. At age 11, he played steel guitar at the Skyline Club in Austin, sharing the bill with Hank Williams on what was one of Hank’s final performances on December 19, 1952.
Why choose one genre when you can play ‘em all? He could play country, blues, Tex-Mex, rock ‘n’ roll, R&B, and anything else that came his way. He was one of those musicians who seemed to be a walking jukebox.
This song is very country-rock and has a San Francisco hippie feel to it. He was basically Americana before Americana was a popular word. He didn’t chase trends at all; he did what made him happy, and that is why his music sounds so genuine. He hung out in San Francisco for a while in the early seventies. Among his friends were Bob Dylan, Dr. John, Willie Nelson, and the Grateful Dead. But he always went back to Texas.
This song is the title track from his 1974 album. It was produced by none other than Doug Clifford and Stu Cook of Creedence Clearwater Revival; the album has a loose, laid-back feel, and Clifford played drums. This song is a tribute to Austin, celebrating the unique blend of hippies, cowboys, and soul that defined the city in the mid-1970s.
For me, he was like a bridge between genres and generations. He could play an accordion song, a honky-tonk ballad, then rip into a garage rock, all in the same set.
Here is one of his sons, Shandon Sahm, playing this song.
An entire concert, but I have it starting on Groover’s Paradise.
Groover’s Paradise
Go out on the highway I thumbed myself a ride Too long in New York City My mind is taking a ride
I want to go back to Texas Cosmic cowgirls playin’ I want to have some fun in a good ole Texas way Down in Groover’s Paradise Groover’s Paradise, Groover’s Paradise
Told you one or two times Ain’t gonna tell you no more Too long in Detroit city I can’t hardly breathe no more
I need a whole lot of cold Pearl beer and a little Texas smile A groove you can drive a truck through wider than a Texas mile Down in Groover’s Paradise Groover’s Paradise, Groover’s Paradise
Groover’s Paradise!
Well the guacamole queen is there Man she’ll really curl your hair Enchiladas and Bar B Que Come on baby what you gonna do?
Come on over here beside me Tell me how you’ve been When I get done layin’ it on you Then you’ll know I am back again Back in Groover’s Paradise Groover’s Paradise, Groover’s Paradise
This song is always played when I’m in a Buddy Holly mood and even when I’m not. This song is so Buddy Holly. What I mean is he doesn’t complicate it; he just infuses this simple song with energy, and the result tells it all. This is the kind of song that makes you remember why rock ’n’ roll mattered in the first place. It’s not about overthinking, it’s about fun.
The title was inspired by the 1956 Sun Records recording “Dixie Fried” by Carl Perkins, which uses the refrain “rave on.” The B-side was Holly’s composition “Take Your Time“. Petty’s production gave the song just enough polish without sanding down all the grit. I think Holly understood that a song could be a bolt of lightning, two minutes of pure adrenaline.
This was written by Sonny West, Bill Tilghman, and Norman Petty and recorded in January 1958 at Petty’s New Mexico studio, where Holly laid down most of his hits. Petty wanted to give it to another act, but Holly protested and persuaded the songwriters to let him record it. Holly and the Crickets transformed it into the definitive version.
Every time I hear Rave On, I picture a small garage with a beat-up amp, drums, a cheap guitar, and a group of kids who believe they can play rock music. And thanks to Buddy, they can.
The song peaked at #5 in the UK, #12 in Canada, and #37 on the Billboard 100 in 1958.
Rave On
A we-a-e-a-ell The little things you say and do Make me want to be with you-a-hoo Rave on, it’s a crazy feelin’ and I know it’s got me reelin’ When you say, I love you, rave on
The way you dance and hold me tight The way you kiss and say goodni-hi-hight Rave on, it’s a crazy feelin’ and-a I know it’s got me reelin’ When you say, I love you, rave on
A-well rave on, it’s a crazy feelin’ and I know, it’s got me reelin’ I’m so glad, that you’re revealin’ Your love for me Rave on, rave on and tell me Tell me, not to be lonely Tell me, you love me only Rave on to me
A-well rave on, it’s a crazy feelin’ and I know, it’s got me reelin’ I’m so glad, that you’re revealin’ Your love for me Rave on, rave on and tell me Tell me, not to be lonely Tell me, you love me only Rave on to me
When most folks hear the words Fleetwood Mac, they immediately think of the Rumours-era band. But rewind just a few years earlier and you’ll find a very different band, one still rooted in the blues, still searching for direction after the departure of founding guitarist Peter Green. Starting that transitional phase is the album Kiln House.
Fleetwood Mac was changing throughout the decade, but 1970s Kiln House was one of their strangest detours. After Peter Green’s sudden exit, the band found itself leaderless. Instead of breaking up, Jeremy Spencer and Danny Kirwan took the lead and led the band through a melodic 1950s-inspired sound with that glorious echo. The entire album isn’t that, but it’s a heavy influence.
This is one of the most interesting bands ever. You can find a song in one of their many eras to satisfy anyone. This album was a departure from the Peter Green era. It didn’t have the intensity that Green brought, but it made up for it in some great songs. It was highly melodic with some complicated melodies, like Station Man (written by Danny Kirwan, Spencer, and John McVie); the later incarnation picked up on that song as well. The first song of this period I took notice of a few years ago was Jewel Eyed Judy from this album.
Jeremy Spencer adored that 1950s rock style, and This Is the Rock is one of his tributes to that era. Another obvious one is the song Buddy’s Song. They also had some nice straight-out rock on the album with Kirwan’s Tell Me All the Things You Do.
This album ties the eras together for me. You had straight out rock, a touch of blues, rockabilly, country, and some pop that foreshadowed what was to come. It is probably the most varied Fleetwood Mac album I’ve listened to. You can hear Fleetwood Mac going toward something new.
The album peaked at #69 on the Billboard Album Charts, #67 in Canada, and #39 in the UK. Christine McVie not only drew the cover, she also contributed to the album with backup vocals, keyboards, and even cover art. After this album, she became a full member.
This Is The Rock
This is the rock We’ve been talking about (this is the rock) Yeah, this is the rock Makes you jump and shout (this is the rock) This is the rock That knocks you right out
It makes you lose All your troubles and cares You’ll lose your blues They ain’t going nowhere This is the rock That hits you right there
Well you can get back on the roof And shout it all around Get up off your seats is what I’m putting down Get ’em all a hoppin’ to that crazy beat Get ’em all a boppin’ and a tappin’ their feet
‘Cause it’s the rock Moves you all day long (it’s the rock) Yeah, it’s the rock Gettin’ everyone (it’s the rock) This is the rock It really turns you on, woo
Well you can get back on the roof And shout it all around Get up off your seats is what I’m putting down Get ’em all a hoppin’ to that crazy beat Get ’em all a boppin’ and a tappin’ their feet
‘Cause it’s the rock (it’s the rock) Moves you all day long (it’s the rock) Yeah, yeah it’s the rock Gettin’ everyone (it’s the rock) This is the rock It really turns you on
Yeah, this is the rock It really turns you on This is the rock It really turns you on
The 1966 song begins loudly with a snake-charming-sounding riff by Jeff Beck. It jumps out of the turntable. I had one of the many Yardbirds greatest hits packages in the 1980s and became a fan.
Jeff also plays the bass on this song. When you talk about the Yardbirds, you almost have to pick which Yardbirds you’re talking about. The Clapton Yardbirds? The Jeff Beck Yardbirds? The Page Yardbirds? They were a band in constant transition, always chasing the next sound (and guitar player). With Jeff Beck holding the guitar reins, they gave us one of their strangest and coolest singles.
From the opening guitar riff, you know you’re not in typical British Invasion territory. The tune was inspired by Middle Eastern scales. The band had been soaking up Indian and Eastern music around the same time the Beatles were dabbling in sitars. Instead of George Harrison’s spiritual leanings, though, the Yardbirds went for having a good time at all costs.
The song was a group composition, something the Yardbirds often did to keep things fair. Beck’s guitar is the real star, but the whole band had a hand in shaping its feel. It was one of their last sessions with bassist Paul Samwell-Smith, who would leave shortly afterward to focus on production. Chris Dreja, their rhythm guitarist, has said the song captured the manic, party-heavy atmosphere of their lives at the time.
Over, Under, Sideways, Down peaked at #13 in the Billboard 100 and #10 in the UK in 1966. I must say it’s one of my all-time favorite titles.
Jim McCarty: “‘Over Under Sideways Down’ was about the situation of having a good time – a bit of decadence, really – in the ’60s. Cars and girls are easy to come by in this day and age, and laughing, drinking, smoking, whatever, till I’ve spent my wages, having fun.”
Jim McCarty: “On ‘Over Under Sideways Down’ I think we all put in our bit. I put in a tune, somebody else said, ‘How about the state of things at the moment, it’s all over the place, so it’s sort of over, under, Sideways, down.'”
Jim McCarty: “It’s very much up and down. Yeah, it was very much like a microcosm of a life, really. Very extreme, because we’d go from being on top of the charts and going to fantastic places and traveling to places like California that were just our dream after being in a sort of post-war London, which was rather dismal and rather miserable. Suddenly we were going to sunny California where things were happening and things were rich and there were lovely girls and cars and everything. From that to sitting all night in a bus driving to a gig and not being able to stop and feeling absolutely wretched from being so tired. And getting on each other’s nerves and arguing. (laughing) So it’s very much the extreme life.”
Jeff Beck:“I actually didn’t have a guitar of my own, I was so hard up. The Yardbirds sort of sneaked Eric’s guitar out. He’d finished using the red Tele (Fender Telecaster) and was using a Les Paul, so he didn’t care about the red Tele. The bands manager, said well, ‘You’d better use Eric’s guitar—we can’t afford to go out and buy one now.’ So I borrowed Eric’s for the first couple of gigs”.
Over, Under, Sideways, Down
(Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!) Cars and girls are easy come by in this day and age. Laughing, joking, dreams, weed smoking, till I’ve spent my wage. When I was young, people spoke of immorality. All the things they said were wrong are what I want to be.
(Hey!) Over, under, sideways, down, (Hey!) I bounce a ball that’s square and round. (Hey!) Over, under, sideways, down, (Hey!) I bounce a ball that’s square and round. When will it end? (When will it end?) When will it end? (When will it end?)
(Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!) I find comments ’bout my looks irrelativity. Think I’ll go and have some fun, ’cause it’s all for free. I’m not searchin’ for a reason to enjoy myself. Seems it’s better done than argue with somebody else.
(Hey!) Over, under, sideways, down, (Hey!) I bounce a ball that’s square and round. (Hey!) Over, under, sideways, down, (Hey!) I bounce a ball that’s square and round. When will it end? (When will it end?) When will it end? (When will it end?)
There are so many versions of this song out there, and I like many of them… It’s that good a song. But, Jackie Wilson had a way of taking a song and turning it into pure energy, something bigger than rhythm and melody. When he recorded this song in 1967, he gave soul music one of its best anthems of pure joy. I can’t dislike this song.
Jackie Wilson almost didn’t get this one. The song was originally cut by The Dells, but Brunswick producer Carl Davis didn’t think their version worked. The track sat on the shelf until Davis and arranger Sonny Sanders decided to hand it to Jackie. At the time, Wilson’s career was in a bit of a stall; this song was intended as a shot in the arm. Wilson thought it was a bit light at first, but when he started to sing it, they knew they had something great here. It was written by Raynard Miner, Gary Jackson, and Carl Smith.
Billy Davis secretly recruited members of Motown’s Funk Brothers, James Jamerson on bass, Richard “Pistol” Allen on drums, Robert White on guitar, guys who were technically under contract at Hitsville but were moonlighting for extra cash. Their tight groove gave this song that perfect sound.
It was released as a single in August 1967, and it immediately reignited Wilson’s career. Critics hailed it as a perfect marriage of “gospel fire and pop.” And you know how some songs wear out with too many plays? This one doesn’t. Whether it’s on a movie soundtrack or my car radio, it still hits home and makes me smile.
The song peaked at #6 on the Billboard 100 in 1967.
(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher
Your love, lifting me higher Than I’ve ever been lifted before So keep it it up Quench my desire And I’ll be at your side, forever more
You know your love (your love keeps lifting me) Keep on lifting (love keeps lifting me) Higher (lifting me) Higher and higher (higher) I said your love (your love keeps lifting me) Keep on (love keeps lifting me) Lifting me (lifting me) Higher and higher (higher) Now listen
Now once, I was down-hearted Disappointment, was my closest friend But then you, came and it soon departed And you know he never Showed his face again
That’s why your love (your love keeps lifting me) Keep on lifting (love keeps lifting me) Higher (lifting me) Higher and higher (higher) I said your love (your love keeps lifting me) Keep on (love keeps lifting me) Lifting me (lifting me) Higher and higher (higher)
I’m so glad, I’ve finally found you Yes that one, in a million girls And I whip, my loving arms around you I can stand up, and face the world
Let me tell ya, your love (your love keeps lifting me) Keep on lifting (love keeps lifting me) Higher (lifting me) Higher and higher (higher) I said your love (your love keeps lifting me) Keep on (love keeps lifting me) Lifting me (lifting me) Higher and higher (higher)
Now sock it to me Hold me, the other woman Keep my love going Higher and higher I said keep on lifting Lift me up mama Keep on lifting me Higher and higher
If you want to see where we are…HERE is a list of the episodes.
I’m really liking this series. It’s a shame it only lasted 1 season, but I can see why. It was so different for the time.
This episode isn’t as cut and dry as the others so far. Unlike the zombie, vampire, or werewolf stories that had clear monster traditions, here the writers took a sharp turn into sci-fi, giving us a story about mysterious cattle mutilations, vanishing zoo animals, and an unseen extraterrestrial presence wandering through Chicago. I have said before how this show influenced the X-Files, none more than this episode.
The episode begins with odd reports: animals in the zoo are vanishing, bones are found curiously stripped clean, and a trail of strange electromagnetic interference follows the incidents. Naturally, Carl Kolchak, with his nose for weird stories, senses a huge story. His digging leads him to discover that the culprit may not be human at all.
As always, Kolchak’s determined spirit and undeterred methods make for the typical conflict with authorities, but in this one, that conflict is much more subdued and believable as the police bosses are as much in the dark as he, and prone to benefit from what Kolchak learns on his own.
Written by Dennis Clark and directed by Allen Baron, the episode was praised for its eerie, almost minimalist approach. The producers intentionally avoided showing the alien much, knowing that the limited 1970s TV budget would probably betray the effect. In other words, they didn’t make the same mistake that Star Trek would make at times. The choice worked in their favor; what we don’t see is far scarier.
A funny subplot, as the hometown Cubs are battling the Boston Red Sox in the World Series (both would have to wait decades to end their respective droughts). Darren McGavin later cited this as one of his favorite episodes because it strayed from the usual monster formula and went for something more mysterious and unsettling.
This band is a natural for me. I’ve read about them a lot, and now I’m listening to them much more. They fit into why I love rock and roll. The band is fronted by Tommy Stinson of The Replacements. Stinson started playing bass at age 11 and at 13 years old, played with the Replacements. After they broke up, he played bass for Guns N’ Roses for 16 years. He also played with Soul Asylum off and on. Before he joined Guns N’ Roses, he formed this band, which he would reform a few times in the future.
In 1993, Bash & Pop released their debut album: Friday Night Is Killing Me. It wasn’t another Replacements album. It was more Faces than Replacements. Paul Westerberg was the main writer of the Replacements, and here Stinson wasn’t trying to rewrite Let It Be or Tim. Instead, he played into a ragged, Keith Richards-type vibe that owed as much to the Stones and Faces as to his original band. The songs were loose and built around Stinson’s raspy vocals. I can’t get enough of this album.
This was released at a time when grunge was dominating radio, so it got lost in the shuffle. But for those who found it, the record became a classic. It showed that Tommy Stinson could front a band and write quality songs with soul. They don’t have that slick commercial sound to it, and I applaud that.
Tommy Stinson wrote most of the songs on the album, except one, Fast and Hard, which he co-wrote with Steve Foley. This album could be considered power pop, but a rough, as hell raw version of it, which I love! I’m super excited about this album as a whole. I really missed out in real time with this one.
I’ve picked two songs off the album to highlight (Loose Ends and Never Aim To Please), and a link to Spotify to the source album. It is one of those records you hand to someone who thought rock was dead by the early ’90s. It’s alive here and full of heart. This album is for the fans of The Replacements, The Faces, or anyone who likes rock music and some great hooks.
I usually don’t mention critics, but here are two. AllMusic wrote that “decades after its release, the album feels like a bit of the hangover from the ’80s, a celebration of irreverent roots rock performed with an audible grin.”Magnet considered it “the best batch of songs by any Replacement since 1987’s Pleased To Meet Me.”
Loose Ends
Miss come-and-go Where you been now? Put a red light on the rest And wondered why and how Your love it grows But no one knows Who’s on your mind, who’s on your lap Don’t they look the same yet It’s alright
Early morning, drinking tea, a slice of whole wheat Another lesson you should’ve learned, you had to wait You care too much, you care less Headin’ for a better view, fail to impress Well, I guess you’ve got too far to stray No place particular is where you end your day You know I got no, the pavement holds no one
It’s time to tie your loose ends up Never mind which way Time to tie your loose ends up (Tie ’em up) No one left to blame, oh yeah
Butterflies that turn to knots In your guts around your neck You get ’em too tight and they slip again ‘Cause you look too far, ’cause you fall too fast It’s a raincheck for a date, but you’ve no interest Guess you’ve got too far to stray Your heart’s breakin’ all over the place You know I got no, the pavement holds no one
It’s time to tie your loose ends up (Tie ’em up) How much you gonna take? So time to tie your loose ends up (Tie ’em up) You’ve got too much to shake
When mom comes home at last It’s a whisper through the glass Can’t you hear the voices screamin’ Yeah, I’m screamin’, “Go ahead and tie ’em up!”
You fall apart before my eyes I’ll sweep the mess And the shortcut through the dirt is always best You look too far, you look to the west Heading time is all you needed I know best And I guess you got too far to stray (stray) No place particular is where you end your day (your day), oh no And the pavement holds no one
Time to tie your loose ends up (Tie ’em up) Never mind which way, yeah Time to tie your loose ends up (Tie ’em up) No one left to blame (Tie ’em up) Time to tie your loose ends up (Tie ’em up) How much you gonna take? (Tie ’em up) Time to tie your loose ends up (Tie ’em up) You got a lot to shake (Tie ’em up) Time to tie your loose ends up (Tie ’em up) Time to tie your loose ends up (Tie ’em up) Time to tie your loose ends up (Tie ’em up)
This title track was my first introduction to Ian Hunter. I had no clue he had been with Mott the Hoople when I heard it. In the eighties, I heard this on our local rock station, WKDF, daily, and I fell for it. It’s one of those songs I never hear now, except maybe at a grocery store, and it’s a shame. It is a nice jangly song in the synth-heavy 1980s, an underrated song. For a bonus, we have Clarence Clemmons doing the sax solo. The video, as well, got my attention with a take on the movie Arthur.
Hunter had moved from Cleveland to New York by this point, being influenced by his new city. He later said that the recording reflected his uneasy stance in the musical landscape of that time. His longtime guitarist, Mick Ronson, wasn’t in the picture for this album (although he played on one song); Hunter instead used Robbie Alter and New York session players.
There were two versions of this song: the version most radio stations played and a slow version. What I liked about this song, too, is that the version I heard sounded out of step with 1983, and I appreciated that. Many of his fans often point to it as one of his most underrated tracks, and I totally agree.
This song peaked at #25 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in 1983. I had the album and the cassette that I wore out in my car tape deck.
All Of The Good Ones Are Taken
Girl, things ain’t been goin’ too good for me Girl, I’m living in the middle of a mystery You’re the one that can turn me on ‘N’ now that you’re gone I said Girl, I’m livin’ in the middle of your memory Girl, you’re still the figure in my favorite fantasy I know you know that’s the way it goes And still my love grows
I said all o’ the good all o’ the good ones are taken All o’ the good all o’ the good ones are taken
I’m hangin’ around with my head in the air Watchin’ the lovers go by I had a lover, but she never cared All you could say was goodbye Maybe I was mistaken, maybe I got it wrong But all of the good ones are taken from now on ‘N’ girl, I’m livin’ in the middle of a broken dream I said girl all this fallin’ in love ain’t like it seems Out in the rain can’t you feel my pain Again ‘n’ again ‘n’ again ‘n’ again ‘n’ again All of the good all o’ the good ones are taken Maybe I was mistaken, maybe I got it wrong But all of the good ones are taken in my song
This is the album’s opening track, and it doesn’t so much kick down the door as quietly invite you in. If you only know the Layla album for the title track, you might miss how the whole journey begins with this two-and-a-half-minute sigh of regret.
Unlike Clapton’s past work in Cream or Blind Faith, this wasn’t about ripping incredible riffs. The melody flows with a natural grace, closer to something from The Band than the psychedelic guitar Clapton had been known for.
Derek and the Dominos was a band formed in the spring of 1970 by guitarist and singer Eric Clapton, along with keyboardist Bobby Whitlock, bassist Carl Radle, and drummer Jim Gordon. All four musicians also worked with George Harrison on his All Things Must Pass album. Clapton didn’t want his name in the title and had hoped to keep his involvement as low-key as possible.
The album peaked at #16 in 1970 on the Billboard 100. Although Derek and the Dominos were poised to record a follow-up album in 1971, because of tensions and drug abuse among the band members, along with the tragic death of Duane Allman later that year, this remained their sole album.
This song and Bell Bottom Blues are my two favorites off the album. Everyone knows Layla, but these other songs are great as well. Eric Clapton and Bobby Whitlock wrote this song. As with most of the songs on this album, Patti Harrison was the main inspiration.
I Looked Away
She took my hand And tried to make me understand That she would always be there, But I looked away And she ran away from me today; I’m such a lonely man. It came as no surprise to me That she’d leave me in misery. It seemed like only yesterday She made a vow that she’d never walk away. First Verse And if it seemed a sin To love another man’s woman, baby, I guess I’ll keep on sinning Loving her, Lord, till my very last day. But I looked away And she ran away from me today; I’m such a lonely man.
I first found this band because of this song. This is my favorite Prince song by a long shot. They do a super cover of it with the rawness I like. They weren’t a band in the traditional sense, no tours, just a one-off gathering of talented artists who happened to be in the right studio at the right time.
The beginning of Hindu Love Gods started in the mid-1980s Athens scene, where REM were quickly rising. Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Bill Berry often participated in jam sessions with other local players. One of those orbiting figures was Warren Zevon. With REM, he found collaborators.
The name Hindu Love Gods first surfaced around 1984 when members Buck, Berry, and Mills backed up a local singer named Bryan Cook. That version fizzled, but the name stuck. When Zevon began working with REM’s rhythm section in the late ’80s, the name resurfaced, this time attached to something much more intriguing.
This song was written by Prince, and his version was released the year I graduated in 1985. This version came out in 1990 on the self-titled album. This song peaked at #23 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks. The album peaked at #168 on the Billboard 100.
Warren Zevon on Letterman
Raspberry Beret
I was workin’ part-time in a 5-and-dime The boss was Mr. McGee He told me several times that he didn’t like my kind ‘Cause I was a bit too leisurely I always was busy doin’ somethin’ close to nothin’ But different than the day before That’s when I saw her, oh, I saw her Walk in through the out door, out door
She wore a raspberry beret The kind you’d find in a second-hand store Raspberry beret When it was warm, she didn’t wear much more Raspberry beret, I think I love her, love
I’m built the way she was, she had the nerve to ask me If I meant to do her any harm So I put her on the back of my bike and We went riding down by Old Man Johnson’s farm Now rainy days never turned me on But something ’bout the way the clouds and her mixed She wasn’t too bright, but you know the way she kissed me I knew she knew how to get her kicks, yeah
She wore a raspberry beret The kind you find in a second-hand store Raspberry beret And when it was warm, she didn’t wear much more Raspberry beret, I think I love her, yeah!
Raspberry beret The kind you find in a second-hand store Raspberry beret And when it was warm, she didn’t wear much more Raspberry beret, I think I love her A raspberry beret The kind you find in a second-hand store Raspberry beret And when it was warm, she didn’t wear much more Raspberry beret, I think I love her A raspberry beret The kind you find in a second-hand store Raspberry beret
I played this single so much when I was around 7 years old. I wore it out and know every nuance of this song. Just a great vocal by Withers on this. The simple piano riff makes this song so powerful to me. Still one of my favorite songs. Sometimes less is better.
It’s been covered by many other artists, but this is my go-to version. Bill Withers wrote this song after he left his childhood town of Slab Fork, West Virginia, to live in Los Angeles in a poor section of town. Members of the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band were used on the recording.
Producer Ray Jackson (who doubled as the keyboard player) and engineer Bob Potter kept the recording dry and uncluttered. No strings, no brass, no unnecessary sweetening. Just voice, piano, bass, drums, and a touch of guitar. It’s like Bill is in your living room singing to you.
What’s remarkable is how this song has transcended its era. It’s been sung at weddings, funerals, movies, and classrooms. It’s part of the American pop culture now, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with songs such as Amazing Grace and This Land Is Your Land.
The musicians on this recording were Ray Jackson, Benorce Blackmon, Melvin Dunlap, and James Gadson. Some of these musicians were in The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band. The song peaked at #1 on the Billboard 100, #18 in the UK, and #20 in Canada in 1972.
Bill Withers: “This was my second album, so I could afford to buy myself a little Wurlitzer electric piano. So I bought a little piano and I was sitting there just running my fingers up and down the piano. In the course of doing the music, that phrase crossed my mind, so then you go back and say, ‘OK, I like the way that phrase, Lean On Me, sounds with this song.’ So you go back and say, ‘How do I arrive at this as a conclusion to a statement? What would I say that would cause me to say Lean On Me?’ At that point, it’s between you and your actual feelings, you and your morals and what you’re really like. You probably do more thinking about it after it’s done.”
Lean On Me
Sometimes in our lives we all have pain We all have sorrow But if we are wise We know that there’s always tomorrow
Lean on me, when you’re not strong And I’ll be your friend I’ll help you carry on For it won’t be long ‘Til I’m gonna need Somebody to lean on
Please swallow your pride If I have faith you need to borrow For no one can fill those of your needs That you won’t let show
You just call on me brother, when you need a hand We all need somebody to lean on I just might have a problem that you’ll understand We all need somebody to lean on
Lean on me, when you’re not strong And I’ll be your friend I’ll help you carry on For it won’t be long ‘Til I’m gonna need Somebody to lean on
You just call on me brother, when you need a hand We all need somebody to lean on I just might have a problem that you’ll understand We all need somebody to lean on
If there is a load you have to bear That you can’t carry I’m right up the road I’ll share your load
If you just call me (call me) If you need a friend (call me) call me uh huh(call me) if you need a friend (call me) If you ever need a friend (call me) Call me (call me) call me (call me) call me (Call me) call me (call me) if you need a friend (Call me) call me (call me) call me (call me) call me (call me) call me (call me)
If you want to see where we are…HERE is a list of the episodes.
This episode was written by David Chase, yes, the same David Chase who would go on to create The Sopranos; the script is one of the tightest of the entire run. You can already see Chase’s fascination with mobsters, moral issues, and revenge from beyond the grave.
In the first two movies and the first episode, we have been visiting different cities in each one. This time, it opens with a string of mob-related murders and he is still in Chicago. At first, the killings look like standard gangland executions, but Kolchak quickly uncovers that something darker is at play: the mob has wronged a Haitian family, and in retaliation, a dead man has been raised from the grave to exact revenge.
This episode leans more on pure horror than the others. Where the pilot movies (The Night Stalker and The Night Strangler) established Kolchak’s mix of noir and horror, The Zombie proved the series could have frights. The scenes of the zombie slowly rising in the mortuary are classic TV horror, low budget, yes, but brilliantly lit and paced.
When this was aired, blaxploitation movies were all the rage, and this does borrow some from them. One actor in this one was Antonio Fargas, who would later become widely known to television audiences as restaurant owner and informant Huggy Bear on Starsky & Hutch.
In a comedy subplot, Vincenzo wants Kolchak to show an executive’s niece from New York the ropes of journalism. Little does she know that it will involve seeing the mangled corpses of mob enforcers lying in the street. This was creepy, moody, and more disturbing than network TV usually allowed in the mid-1970s. A must-watch for fans of horror television.
Well, I had found a full episode of this one, but they took it down. Most of them I will be able to supply, but I struck out on this one. If any of you find it, please tell me.
Here is a video of someone talking about the show, but it plays a lot of the show. I would put my version here, but I know I would violate some copyright.
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