Conway Twitty - I've Already Loved You in My Mind

Two things occurred to me this morning as I was listening to a Conway Twitty compliation I dug out of my cd pile: 1.) You really have to give it to a man that was obsessed with singing about laying the wood to silver haired ladies in an age prior to Viagra and 2.) This guy was kind of a sociopath.

Don’t get me wrong I love some Conway, but the more you delve into his catalog the more you realize that this guy was fighting with demons that would make Tiger Woods look like Andrea Dworkin.

I wasn’t sure which song could best sum up the Twitty experience; there were plenty in the running. It could have been “How Much More Can She Stand” where he talks about the devil that runs his body and renders him unable to stray from his woman, and hopes that she can understand. Also in the running, “Happy Birthday, Darlin’”, a sort of update on his classic “Hello, Darlin’”, but this one highlights all the things he would like to take away instead of giving to his lady on her birthday this year.

Also choice, “You’ve Never Been This Far Before” where that gosh darn devil now has his hands “exploring forbidden places”, or “Don’t Take It Away” which follows suit, but features one of the best Casio rhythm sections $200 could buy at the time. And trust me, if you ever check out his version of “Slow Hand”, you might never listen to the original the same way again.

However, I decided to settle on “I’ve Already Loved You In My Mind.” This sweet and touching tale of what I can only decipher as an ode cranking one out in the crapper at the club definitely wins the Ron Burgundy award. Grab a hankie, this one definitely will pull at your heartstrings.

Ladie's and Gentlemen... Conway Twitty.

The B-52's - Private Idaho

Few bands scream summer and Friday as perfect as The B-52's. This clip offers some great early footage of one of my all time favorite bands/songs.

Enjoy!!

The Isley Brothers - Between the Sheets

R.I.P. Marvin Isley (August 18, 1953 – June 6, 2010)

I let this slip through the cracks with the format change and some other things that have been going on over the past month. It would be real easy to make a joke about him being to busy "fighting the power" to fight the diabetes, but that would just be cheap, seeing how he had already lost both of his legs during his struggle with the disease...

Trying to pick a favorite song by the Isley's is tough work. I love "It's Your Thing",the aforementioned "Fight the Power", "Footsteps in the Dark" and "That Lady"; Actually my favorite might be their cover of Seals and Croft's "Summer Breeze". However at the end of the day, it is hard to top "Between the Sheets". Plus I have had "Big Poppa" as my ringtone from my wife for so many years now that I would just feel guilty slighting this track.

Link: The Isley Brothers - Between the Sheets

Joni Mitchell - Just Like This Train

I was thinking this morning how it only took a week for the new format train to jump the tracks (as in I have not been able to post everyday as planned), and then I started trying to think of some great train songs. There are only a million of them to choose from.

With that in mind I decided to skip the hobo motif, and Blackfoot and have picked Joni Mitchell. I am sure Boxcar Willie and Rickey Medlocke won't mind (although for the record Medlocke's insane guitar break to open "Train, Train" is pretty unfucking believable).

So with that intro, here is the first female vocalist post with the new format.

Link: Joni Mitchell - Just Like This Train

Sonny Sharrock - Soon

Even though amazing jazz guitarist/shaman Sonny Sharrock recorded with Peter Brotzmann, Bill Laswell and Pharoah Sanders this vocal collaboration with his wife Linda is probably one of my favorite tracks from him.

"Soon" is taken from a compliation of other brain smelting cuts from the heavyweight free jazz label Jazzactuel. Some sites claim this comp is out of print, but it is still readily available if you are willing to dig.

If there is any interest in any of the other tracks here, let me know and I might be willing to post the whole comp.

Morphine - Buena

Three day weekend?

Buena, Buena, Buena, Buena, Good, Good Good!

Big Boi - Tangerine (w/ T.I. & Khujo)

Ok, so now I know the difference. Andre likes to shake it like a polaroid, while Big Boi likes to shake it like a tambourine.

Mystery solved.

Link: Big Boi - Tangerine (w/ T.I &Khujo)