It’s that time again to look back on what’s been playing in Monkey Mansions. Feel a bit guilty about not including a Bob Dylan track seeing as how I played over twenty of his LPs this month but competition is tough. Ten songs in 27 minutes and a winner every one.
1. Sister Rosetta Tharpe – “This Train” (1946)
Wonderful to see Tharpe gather a new batch of admirers this month. Easy to hear why.
2. Graham Bond Organization – “Long Legged Baby” (1964)
Mr. Bond, ably assisted by Messer’s Baker, Bruce and especially Heckstall-Smith, tears it up.
3. Melvin Davis – “It’s No News” (1964)
A clippity-cloppity dancer featuring the immortal lines “If a monkey rode a donkey on a trip to the moon and got back by noon – that’s news” is more than enough to secure a place in this month’s highlights.
4. Q65 – “Cry In The Night” (1966)
Few beat combos could out-punk the Pretty Things like Dutch delinquents Q65.
5. The Golden Dawn – “My Time” (1967)
This is the way to make a psychedelic garage record.
6. Jim Sullivan – “U.F.O.” (1969)
Jim Sullivan had the voice of a giant singing marshmallow. Maybe he still has, but he vanished into thin air in 1975. An alien abduction seems the most likely explanation.
7. New York Dolls – “(There’s Gonna Be A) Showdown” (1974)
My money’s on the other guy. Johansen and the other Dolls can hardly stand, bless ‘em.
8. The Sea Urchins – “Pristine Christine” (1987)
The Sea Urchins were hindered by having a singer whose voice peeled the paper from damp bedsit walls but with the jingle-jangle set to ten it provides just enough distraction.
9. Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan – “Hawk” (2010)
How can fair maiden Isobel be responsible for this junkyard howl “Green Onions”?
10. Lloyd Cole – “Westchester County Jail” (2010)
There were about four contenders from Broken Record. This is the most “instant”.
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