Sunday 24 April 2011

APRIL PLAYLIST


1. Carl Perkins – “Put Your Cat Clothes On” (1957)
Cos yer gonna need something to go with those blue suede shoes.

2. Jerry Butler – “Giving Up On Love” (1964)
When The Iceman jumped from The Impressions he created a wonderful two-for-the-price-of-one deal with both acts lavishing us with treasures. This stunning ballad will stop you in your tracks, especially when Jerry delivers the line “I’m giving up on love, before love gives up on me”. Listen out also for the “My Lovely Horse” sax solo.

3. The Granville Williams Orchestra – “Honky Tonk Ska” (1965)
The title only tells half the story. Jazz and soul tell the other half. Works though.

4. Manfred Mann – “If You Gotta Go, Go Now” (1965)
Years before anyone got to hear Dylan’s original the Manfreds slayed it with this high speed version.

5. Nina Simone – “Don’t You Pay Them No Mind” (1967)
From her modestly titled High Priestess of Soul LP. It sacrilege in some circles but her warbling style often grates with me, but I’ll give her this one.

6. Swamp Dogg – “Total Destruction To Your Mind” (1970)
Jerry Williams is best known in northern soul circles for his crusty 1966 classic “If You Ask Me” yet when he reinvented himself in 1970 as a giant rat riding Swamp Dogg he came up with something altogether more interesting. Swamp’s first LP runs through seriously good southern soul which belies his nutty persona, and lowdown psychedelic funk like this title track.

7. Link Wray – “Fire and Brimstone” (1971)
Sanctified country soul isn’t what Wray is best known for, but it’s what he delivers throughout his terrific eponymous ’71 album recorded in a chicken shack on his farm. If you ever end up round Bobby Gillespie’s gaff after a night on the razz, I’ll bet you’ll find him sticking this on and doing his demented pterodactyl dance.

8. Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers – “Born To Lose” (1977)
Remember Vaughan Toulouse from Department S? Try listening to this without singing “Vaughan Toulouse, Baby I’m Vaughan Toulouse” on the chorus.

9. Senseless Things – “Too Much Kissing” (1989)
During the great indie long-sleeved t-shirt wars of the late 80s/early 90s the Senseless Things’ own Pop Kid creation - a star shaped mod target – was, relatively speaking, a design classic. They were at their best as a full throttle bash-bash-bash live act but had a few memorable tunes as “Too Much Kissing” shows.

10. Cat’s Eyes – “I Knew It Was Over” (2011)
Mesmerizing.

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