Mary J. Blige, "Going Down" to the "Car Wash" (soundtrack)

Today is Mary J. Blige’s birthday. Let’s celebrate!

I was already thinking just yesterday about posting this song, so now my hand has been forced by fate.
Like a dog tied to a rolling cart: “fate leads the willing, and drags the unwilling”. So let’s roll to the Car Wash together (you don't really have a choice).

 
Above is the original of “I’m Going Down”, covered to great effect (to say the least) by Queen Mary.

It is on the soundtrack to “Car Wash”, which is excellent, all the way through.

Not only does it have those mood-setting 2:00 long bits, for playing in the background of movie scenes, it has more standard songs with lyrics too. Pointer Sisters on “You Gotta to Believe” (“in something/ why don’t you believe in me?”)

The songs are all credited to Rose Royce and Norman Whitfield; ‘Rose Royce’ sounds like Rolls Royce, a funny little pun, which I just realized. “RR” is actually a group, not a stage name for a single person; this helps explain the wide variety of songs here, because it is not just a single writer plus one female singer, but a whole group plus the guy who wrote “Papa Was a Rolling Stone”.

--I just realized, there is way too much good stuff on this album, and way too many songs that I am thinking of to pair with each song... I gotta split this into more than one post!--

So just one little bit more, of related news… I own the movie “The Wash”, starring Dr. Dre and Snoop Lion.

It even has Eminem in it, as a crazy person… really flexing his acting chops there… I think I bought this when TLA closed up its Center City shop. Still haven’t watched it yet. I’m pretty sure it is a rubbish movie, but, some things, you just have to own.

"After Sex" is actually on the soundtrack of another movie I own/haven't seen yet... music on that film done by none other than Curtis Mayfield.

Halloween: Rockabill-o-ween edition (twang!)

With Halloween coming, c'mon, you gotta listen to The Cramps.
(listen to darn near all of it, if you wanna)


Grab that DL on the DL

It might hurt, burn, sting, a little-- yet "when the devil drives, you needs must go".

If that song brings you to a dark place, friend, try this version instead: Roy Orbison's more upbeat and swinging version. This is closer to Casper the Friendly Ghost (in the best possible way).

Download Domino by Roy Orbison




And to finish, an earlier Roy Orbison version, that sort of splits the difference between Casper and Lux:

See, everybody loves sunglasses. "Sunglasses: Not just for Albinos Anymore!"

Un-Covered Melody

So I did pull off the masterstroke, the (bloodless) coup that I promised last post. And it's pretty grand. Pretty epic, like the better-known version of this song:



-- Please download this fresh-from-vinyl version, of Belafonte's version of "Unchained Melody" --
( I also have, all ripped from vinyl, Charlie Rich, Al Green, Ricky Nelson, and Sonny & Cher covers. I can post those, of you'd please. )

Of course, the better-/best-known version of this song is by the very righteous Righteous Brothers. And I post Harry Belafonte's version, not because their version lacks anything-
No, quite the contrary-
but just to show what changes Belafonte has wrought.

Margeaux and I were talking at her house (that's the coup, FYI), and she posited her general rule about covers:
Don't cover a song that you cannot improve.
I like this rule; it makes sense. If you just want to play the damn song, sure: play it. But to record it and send it out there, why?, unless you have done it one better.

Now, we could, with all good reason, say that nobody can improve on the Righteous Brothers' version.
However, in Belafonte's slowed-down version, there is a delicacy that is not present in the Righteous Brothers' version.

Oh And Also, I failed to mention this little historical tidbit:
Belafonte covered this song in 1956, on the album pictured above.

The Righteous Brothers covered it on this album, in 1965:


So Belafonte did not violate Margeaux's good rule about covers.

The original? It's from a movie about prison!, which is where the 'Unchained'-name comes from.
Oh, and somehow, Belafonte was Oscar-nominated for Best Original Song for this, even though he did not write it, and it had already been covered a few times by then.

Anyhow, his is not the original, but it is less a cover or less un- an original (if that makes sense), than the Righteous Brothers version.

Don't Misunderstand! Or Else!

Quickly now- let's have another brief blast from the most recent mix, which includes the song below.



Turns out this was in Kill Bill:
do not recall.

I of course did not pinch my version from some Quentin Tarantino-sanctioned mix.
I do the sanctioning around here, thanks.
Instead, I found this song by what you might call the "lost-wax casting method". That is the "method" whereby one seeks records, sees records, and gets divinely inspired to snap some particular one up. In this case, inspiration struck because of this fairly intriguing record cover.



Will it be Canticles for Catholics? (Santa = Saint)
Cha-Cha, or (Two-to-) Tango?
Spanish Goth for Goya fans? (check the "Castlevania" style font)
Erotic fiction en Espagnol?

More apt pictures, here:









I think this song may have launched Ruth and I into a long little game: in which songs does the singer name herself/himself?
(An example: in "What My Woman Can't Do Can't Be Done" by Jerry Lee Lewis, he says, "If ever there's been a baby/ Jerry Lee has found him one")

No hip-hop obviously -that wouldn't be a challenging game- unless maybe you had to rap the line yourself, and actually do a decent job of it.

And since you are listening to the above song already, you probably can see the related event in that song. In probably the only lyrical derivation from the Animals' track (originally written for Nina Simone- who knew?),
a line is (for no clear reason) added: "Oh, Esmeralda". I imagine that is who he does not wish to be misunderstood by?
Anyhow, since he says "Esmeralda", and the band's name is "Santa Esmeralda", you know, it got me thinking.

Any other examples of singers naming themselves in lyrics; or saying their own band name in the lyrics? I won't say the ones we've already thought of- that way you can play the game too.
In the comments of course.

(you can still download the mix- a summery, disco-filled and disco-infused little scorcher, here- of course, it includes this song. Of Course!)

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:

Li'l Breezy- Summer on my Mind

Another selection offa that "Summer Showerz" mix.
This one is the Isley Brothers, who I have been ultragillin' as of late. Charlie and I are a two-man fan-club.



Oh yes, now that you mention it, this is a cover of Seals and Croft's "summer breeze", but this version is much better. Better, I say, than that yacht-rot version. Who would you trust to tell you about summer, these guys



or these chumps


(that's called a 'rhetorical question', because I already know the answer. Since I know all answers, does that make all questions rhetorical, when posed by me?
HA, tricked you: the above was also a rhetorical question BOOM)



The above is a representation of what this mix is like: all laid back 'vibez'. The Isely Brothers' song is a good li'l snapshot of the general feel of the mix as well.
Just a reminder, here is the tracklisting for this really stellar, star-studded mix.

Summer Showerz: LoveLeigh Days

Summer Madness ~O~ Kool & the Gang
Reunion ~O~ Bobbie Gentry
Maggie May ~O~ Rod Stewart
Summertime ~O~ Billy Stewart
Spirit In The Sky ~O~ Norman Greenbaum
Party Lights ~O~ Claudine Clark
In the Summertime ~O~ Mungo Jerry
If Not For You ~O~ Olivia Newton John
Summer Breeze ~O~ Isley Brothers
Two Tickets To Paradise ~O~ Eddie Money
I Fought The Law ~O~ Bobby Fuller Four
Summer ~O~ War

Summer Showerz: LoveLeigh Days

Now, I stand by my comments above (about the waybetterness of IBs over S&C), but I will let you in on a li'l secret that undermines that claim:
Croft goes by the first name of DASH.
Jus' sayin'.
(although his real name is Darrell, so, you see, right???)

Summer Radness: Kool & The Gang (Keeping Kool When All's Gone Mad)

Download newest summer mix. Yeah!

Well, I've gone and done you another solid. Whipped up a precise blend of parts that together join up to make a Voltron-like colossus:
Summer 'Showerz': LoveLeigh Days



("showerz" refers the "singalong in the shower" nature of all the songs; "Leigh" refers to a friend who prompted me to finish this mix. THX!)

So, specifically summer, particularly shower jamz. Summer songs are feelgood, but perfect summer songs have to be melllllooooow too.
Not sure how feelgood mixes with ultramellow? Then listen to Kool & The Gang's "Summer Madness". You'll see.





Above is from the official Philadelphia Mural thingy, visible from the El tracks in West Philly. I see this on my way to work. More info, deets etc. (like how you could have gotten a tattoo designed by ESPO, the dude what did that mural).

Just like the summer. You are feeling nice in the summer, but you know, low-key like.
A perfect example of that perfect mellow feeling is perfectly evinced by the classically perfect first song, which is Youtubing above.

Summer Madness, by Kool & The Gang. This song was looped, 'slightly transformed' (like Voltron!), for Fresh Prince & DJ Jazzy Jeff's "Summertime".
So, now we've picked up on a recent theme, of great older songs outtfitted with a little rappin'-freshness. Oh yes, surely you recall my last post, on Biggie and his Other Brothers (The Isley Brothers), whom he sampled for "Big Poppa". I'll probably drop some more of those, about songs in different forms.
Note that The Isley Brothers are included on this mix too- a clear nod to Leigh, who praised them recently.

But anyhow, here is the track listing for the mix.
Download my newest mix: Summer Showerz: LoveLeigh Days.

Summer Madness ~O~ Kool & the Gang
Reunion ~O~ Bobbie Gentry
Maggie May ~O~ Rod Stewart
Summertime ~O~ Billy Stewart
Spirit In The Sky ~O~ Norman Greenbaum
Party Lights ~O~ Claudine Clark
In the Summertime ~O~ Mungo Jerry
If Not For You ~O~ Olivia Newton John
Summer Breeze ~O~ Isley Brothers
Two Tickets To Paradise ~O~ Eddie Money
I Fought The Law ~O~ Bobby Fuller Four
Summer ~O~ War

Please note that the symbol, lovingly crafted by myself, in betwixt track and band: looks like a sun, yeah?
ahahhahhahah I'm unstoppable hahahahahahahah

Blue Lives: Fire Diamond Edition

The Massive Attack album Blue Lines came up twice lately. With Neil for sure, and perhaps with our new friend MarguaX-Y-Z.



I was telling Margauz about music I listened to in high school, and told her and Neil both that a lot of so-called 'trip-hop' hasn't aged so well. Massive Attack, however, is just as great now as then: "Same As It Ever Was".

Blue Lines' cover (see above) reminds me of this:


which is called NFPA 704 (?), and more provocatively, a FIRE DIAMOND .

It sums up the dangers associated with any chemical, on a scale of 0-4 (0 = NBD, 4 = vewwy bad) : blue is health risk, red is flammability, yeller is instabilty/reactivity (think about it, they mean the same thing), and white, much like my blog readership, is 'special'.


Neil knows about Massive Attack because he is Irish. They are one of those bands, like Super Furry Animals, where you know them automatically if you are British, and probably don't know if you are an American, and still only maybe know even if you are an American Indie Nerd.
"Just as great" also includes another album, Mezzanine.

Maybe some other time I will tell you what I think about Mezzanine, which I like even more than the excellent Blue Lines.
But today is not that day. All I will say is this little creepy American Indie Nerd gem: 'it has really good production'.

ew
that's grosser than the bug picture, innit?

The song you are listening to is a cover, although for the longest time I took it to be the original. Still never heard the original (by William DeVaughn), although I now know it to be a cover. This knowledge comes to me courtesy of the American Indie Nerd band Yo La Tengo.
Download their live cover of "Be Thankful for What You've Got" here
Yo La Tengo do a lot of covers, because one of the nerds people in the band used to be a record clerk. So he knows a bit about old obscure business, you see.
All versions of the song say "Gangster Whitewalls", which I like.