I Know I Done Wrong

Songs like the following are why i have grown steadily more interested in old country and western music of late. A real story in the lyrics (not just words about some things that merely happened); and sad beautiful. Like watching a big ship, slowly sinking into the sea, in a film.
(not like "Titanic", you dope)



There are infinite good versions of this song. Like much C 'n' W music, it's based on songs that are so old, nobody can tell just who "originally" wrote them. Even professors don't know, and dude trust me, professors KNOW IT ALL.
Marty Robbins has my favorite version- that's why it's playing now- but I just copped another version by Elton Britt with the Zeke Manners' Band. The song-writing credits on the Britt record say "Manners", which got me wondering if ol' Zeke originally wrote the song; but no. Must've just arranged it or sumtin.
Now this song tugs on the old heartstrings more nearly every time I hear it. I SING this song, do you see? You realize what it takes to get me singing, out LOUD?? A pretty special song, that's what it takes (or a fair bit of coffee).

I'd wager that this song is more sad and touching than even Bruce Springsteen's "Streets of Philadelphia", no mean feat.

Recall that I posted (way yonder) re: a band called Salem, and their version of "S of P"? Well, their album is coming out late
summer, very exciting. I'm even going to PURCHASE it. You can download a track of theirs here, at XLR8R.com.
See how I draw all this together? I'm a very special man, aren't I?

Some Bodies Have Organs

All right, the archive extends- Part Two- the second half of records I bought last trip to West Philly.


Charlie Rich, singing about 'The Most Beautiful Girl in the World'


Elton Britt: The Wandering Cowboy. His band probably is not wandering too far; there is plenty of honky-tonk organ in this.
Surely, you can drag your slide-steel, your banjo across the country- but not your Wurlitzer.

"My Organ is too BIG!"

This is my record's cover:
(I sort of wish this was the cover:)



Jose Melis Plays the Latin Way. His album before this is titled Senior Prom!

Don't know much of anything about this/him yet.


Beatles '65, Older B's stuff. I can't hardly be bothered to listen to most Beatles' stuff, for various reasons. This, however, is good.

Chuck Berry covers, Birth-of-Rock-n-Roll kind of stuff, which, if you've been downloading my mixes, you know is my passionate attachment lately. ("IF?") I think the first Beatles Anthology has different versions of a lot of these songs.

Lou Rawls Merry Christmas Ho! Ho! Ho! and an Al Green Xmas album. The Rawls is solid- even behind a veil of ignorance (...) you would recognize that.

The Rev. Green's Xmas, though, is basically a bag of coal.
I would wear the hell outta that suit above, btw.

Richie Havens Mixed Bag

Quite Good, one of the real discoveries of this music-spelunking trip.

Charlie Rich Silver Fox.

Check the sweet Fox Logo!
Does a very odd 'medley' on the first side. In which he discusses his bio (including his many musical shifts- from Jazz, to Rock 'n' Roll, to Country), cracks a few 'jokes', etc. In between the spoken bio bits, he plays newly-recorded versions of his most famous songs, usually just the chorus and a verse. Why does he do this? I haven't the foggiest, frankly.

Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway

A little mellow for my normal listening tastes, but real slow burn soulful heavenly stuff. Perfect for relaxed cooking, doing the dishes, a light summer rain outside, etc. (I know all that does not sound like high praise, but I'm trying to describe the mood that would make you put this record on- it is much more enjoyable than washing the dishes.)
Unfortunately, the first two tracks- on both sides- are all warped to hell. So I can only listen to about 60% of this album.
Pffffffff.

I Ain't Square; I Just Like To Share

I'm your Sponsor; I Buy-Buy-buy (records).
Charlie and I went to Slought Foundation. Both of us, not to put words in his mouth, were underwhelmed by the exhibit that we went to see. But both were 'whelmed' by the other exhibit, archival footage from '60s of teachers/students in the British education system. Sounds boring; my apologies- to split the difference,
here are some exciting records that I bought while we were in West Philly.


The Stylistics: Pieces

And what did I buy this time?.....

Isaac Hayes Live at the Sahara Tahoe. Cover has cutout folds; they open like the doors of the theater; opening, of course, onto a picture of Isaac Hayes on stage.




Better still, inside, is this spread.


(Sidenote- one really nice thing about being a little sick, is all the soup and tea you get to consume. Not generally a big fan of Minestrone soup, but I am killing a bowl of it right now at the cafe.)

Eric "Slowhand" Clapton: On White/ Something I might could maybe try to sell.

White vinyl; 'Cocaine' and other big songs on there; promo/DJ/radio copy, so maybe 'rare'.

Vicki Sue Robinson 12". Still sealed, which, normally, who fucking cares. But... used copies of this 12" sell for around $10-$40 online, although I'm not entirely sure (is this a reissue, explaining why it is sealed? etc). I don't particularly want to get into the hustle of selling/swapping records, but eventually... it probably will have to happen.
If I do start selling records, I will take the title of this blog for a motto... "I Ain't Square, I Just Like To Share".
Vicki Sue Robinson is well known for "Turn The Beat Around".

Stevie Wonder Presents Syreeta. Not that impressive.
More fun is Jay Z's recent line, at a show, that his mother was going to be so proud of him, because Steive Wonder was sticking around some festival, just to hear Jay Z's set.

The Stylistics: Round 2. Great Album Cover.

Perhaps only one song that I really like on it though; that is the song to which you've been listening.

I've already written the second half of this blog- check out this space on Monday for the continuation...

I Fought the Road- and the Road Won

One more from the Summer mix... more mixes in the pipeline too. Going to make one about girls, one very disco-y, and one about my birthday.

The mix re: my birthday may involve songs about bikes, since I fell off my bike while riding to get my birthday presents.
Falling = fighting the road and losing
Damage = minimal cos I'm tuff

(That is my arm- look at my Popeye-ass forearms. What can I say- I invented muscle!)
Presents = DVD player and new CD/DVD burner for computer
-- {both stopped working months ago- I was utterly without lazerz in my house : laserless}
-- {but no longer: thanks Mom and Dad!}

Bobby Fuller Four: "I Fought The Law"

( Various versions can be found here )



Here is the original version of Bobby Fuller Four's "I Fought The Law". Well, theirs is the original; this is a sweeeeeeet live version.
Except on old TV, so, probably not really even live. I dunno; old stuff is fun, but confusing, yeah?
One of the Four is sitting on a (prison-style) bunk bed; there is a woman in a cell, but dancing; the warden eventually starts dancing; etc etcet etcetera...

Oh, and you probably want to see my wound again:


You know the expression "Zounds!" (it is used much like "Gadzooks!")?
It's short for "God's Wounds"; lotsa expressions are just not-really swearing substitutions for for-real curses. I mean, even 'curse' is the word for bad words, because heathens used to invoke their gods in order to destroy their enemies. You used to curse when you wanted someone destroyed, essentially.

When you wanted them smote with holy hellfire, justly turned to dust.

And that reminds me- a girl stepped out in front of me on this fateful bike ride
(on purpose)
(before I fell)
and then when I said "YO!"
(honestly said just that)
because I nearly hit her
(but didn't - I'm a real aware rider, okay? My control is super-right)
she then replied, "You on a bike, Bitch!"
(which can be interpreted in various ways)
-- {as, 'you are a little bitch because you are on a bicycle- what are you, ten?'}
-- {or as, 'I can step out in front of you, because, Rock Paper Scissors style, walker beats biker')

So I think she cursed me. I sure the hell cursed afterwards.

One for the Road (heh) : Live (really live) Clash version too:

Suicide, By Machete- I Are The One

Oh, some art things are coming up that are total musts.


Klute- We R The Ones (Remix). Relased on the stellar Commercial Suicide label. You'll see why I chose this in a sec.

Slought Foundation is doing this project where they are displaying all these mysterious objects. At one time, they were part of a sort of foreign travel/foreign commerce edutainment thing at this old 'Commercial Museum'. The Commercial Museum, for various reasons, got phased out.... committed suicide, you might say....
but they were in possession of all these random artifacts. So Slought is displaying them.

They're foreign.
Old.
and WTF-y.
Somewhat like this:

Or like the book I have of Chinese paintings of the Life of Christ.

Read more about the exhibit at Slought; there is much more to it then I am saying here.

Did I mention that you can borrow some of the pieces?
Do you realize how much more awesome inexplicable artifacts I could add to my house with this deal?

So let's go to that soon, yeah? We only have until June 12th.

Also, we are already going to Marginal Utility's First Friday. Marginal Utility also puts out the Machete zine/periodical/provocation.


And, Vox Populi is in the same building as Marginal Utility, so we all slip from one floor to the other throughout the eve. Always a good time; I'll see you there.