Townspeople,
I know I’ve been tough on you the last few days. You had it coming to you. I’ve been tough on myself as well. It’s pretty stressful trying to be as fair an open-minded as I was in heaping that relative and appropriate amount of praise on George Thorogood these last few days. He had it coming to him. Remember when Spock would do that Vulcan Mind Meld thing to save someone’s life, how exhausted he would be for minutes afterward? That’s how I feel. To encourage a well-deserved period of healing for us all I offer the following tracks, burned from vinyl, with all the love and surface noise I can offer. You are truly the greatest!
This kick-off track from Graham Parsons’ GP album, like all these tracks, goes out to each and every one of you. But this one especially goes out to Dr. John. We still tight, right, bro?
Graham Parsons, “Still Feeling Blue”
Here’s a rare song written by Neil Young that shows a trace of his supposed Motown heritage. Has anyone ever verified the story of the band he and Rick James had as youngsters being signed to that label? This track goes out to any fans of The Byrds whose feathers I may have ruffled in the past. I’ll take Buffalo Springfield any day of the week, but we’re cool, right, Byrds fans?
Buffalo Springfield, “On the Way Home”
I’ve always dug this Everly Brothers track. This one goes out to no one in particular…OK, maybe myself. I’m feeling better already.
The Everly Brothers, “I Wonder If I Care As Much”
This next track, from The Turtles’ Ray Davies-produced Soup, is for HVB. We’ve gone through the fire more than once. I’m sure our latest bout won’t be the last time. And you know what? I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
The Turtles, “She Always Leaves Me Laughing”
I sensed that Alexmagic was trembling with a mixture of fear and disgust during our recent Steel Cage Match. I’m pretty sure this song from The Bee Gees’ Cucumber Castle lp will help calm his nerves.
The Bee Gees, “My Thing”
Years ago I turned General Slocum onto this Van Morrison tune. I believe he since bought the album, Veedon Fleece, in digital format. I’ve been keeping my eye out for a digitally remastered copy myself, but I bet the General sometimes misses the pops and scratches from my old vinyl copy. I bet you’ll miss it too, if you familiarize yourself with this version and then move on.
Van Morrison, “Fair Play”
Let the healing continue! Please share your experiences here. Thanks.
Mod queries:
According to a Neil Young fan site (trasherswheat.org) I just checked, The Complete Motown Singles Volume 6: 1966 contains both sides of a Mynah Birds single. There’s more on the Young/James connection here: http://www.thrasherswheat.org/friends/rick-james.htm.
In the last few years Neil has been using a horn section and revealing some heretofore hidden soul influences. And remember he toured with Booker T & The MG’s as his backing band some years back, though I don’t think any recordings were ever released.
And it’s always a pleasure to hear Fair Play, and example of how Van could make a perfectly beautiful song out of next to nothing — two chords, some literary references, and a few snatches of private conversation.
Fair Play is a great tune and in fact I love that whole first side of Veedon Fleece. But hey, no healing number goes out to me? I disagreed with you too. I just did it while simultaneously actually trying to hear what you were saying. And that gets me no healing number, and right during a work week when I really need one? Okay then. Next time, I promise to be a total asshole.
Mwall, my apologies for no individual healing “shout out.” This oversight will be addressed later today. I didn’t think healing was needed between us and between me and BigSteve. You two debated with me within the guidelines of the queries I’d set forth from the start of the Steel Cage Match. I see, though, that damage had been done, if only in the post-healing stage. This will be addressed, and I believe you will experience great healing from what I have in mind for you. Thanks.
Boy, “My Thing” is pretty baffling. What are they singing about? The first part is about a guy watching his dog licking his brother’s girlfriend’s hand under the table. And then, without any context clues that would indicate that he’s no longer singing about the dog (and evidence, in fact, that he probably is still singing about the dog), the second part is about some kind of haunting obsession… “I can’t understand those eyes that keep staring at me/I can’t understand how you do what you do to me” and “I can’t get used to the feeling you give to me”. Oh, and “Bowzy wow wowzy!”
Lest people think I’m suggesting that this is – as we learned about “Cherry Hill Park” – an unspeakably filthy secret sex song, I am in no way claiming any such thing of Barry and Maurice. I’m simply suggesting they wrote a song about a dog ordering his master to kill people, like Son of Sam.
On a related note, is there a more ill-advised and curious attempt at going solo than Robin Gibb’s shot at ditching his brothers?
I’ve never heard Robin’s solo album, have you?
Thanks for the shoutout, Mr. Mod. As you may well already know, I consider our sparring to be an intellectual exercise. I never take anything personally.
No, in fact, this is the first song I’ve heard from the unfortunately-titled Cucumber Castle, too. If I’d known that they were writing songs about evil, telepathic dogs, I would have given the Bee Gees more of a chance over the years.
I was thinking more about the line of thought that Robin must have been following to arrive at the conclusion that he was the Gibb the kids wanted to see. And the short-lived nature of their split, with him coming back to the band like Larry David trying to pretend he didn’t quit SNL. And I was also thinking of the cover to the album, with his name and Robin’s Reign all huge over that lonely, tiny picture of him standing there dressed like Pop of Rice Krispies fame. It’s kinda sad, looking at it. But more importantly, it’s kinda funny.