Not a music meme

[caddyman]

Sometime last week, littleonions tagged me for a music meme. I don’t do memes as a rule, though I did have a go at the LJ Dungeon game. Anyway, largely because I am a contrary swine, I am not going to do the meme Ms Onions tagged me for, but I am going to ramble about something similar.

Over the weekend, I dug out and listened to a couple of albums that I rather enjoy but which for one reason or another, I haven’t listened to for ages. This started me thinking about songs, which I always enjoy listening to, but which never pop into my head when I am compiling one of my occasional "favourites of the day" lists, or which haven’t popped up on random play on my network Walkman for as long as I can remember. In no particular order, then:

"Maybe I’m Amazed" – Paul McCartney. From his first solo album, "McCartney" released in 1970. This is the Beatles song that never was, and though recorded solo (Macca played every instrument on the track), it was clearly run past Lennon at some point in its gestation as it shows every sign of the quality control that has often been lacking from McCartney’s solo work.

"And You Need Me" – Sandy Denny and the Strawbs. From the album, "All Our Own Work" (1973) by Sandy Denny and the Strawbs, and itself an edited re-release of an earlier, eponymous LP. In some ways a superior demo version of a track which was to be re-recorded a number of times, notably by Fairport Convention, there is a rawness and clarity about this version sung by a 19 year old Denny that I like, and which never quite comes across in later recordings.

"Year of the Cat" – Al Stewart. From the album of the same name. One of those albums and one of those tracks I have owned on vinyl, cassette tape and CD. A prog pop masterpiece.

"Mr Bojangles" – Sammy Davis Jr. From any number of live compilations. This had passed me by until a couple or three years ago, being a sort of lounge-country-folk-jazz melange. rumfuddle has a copy on a CD he put together for listening to on the road, and we have given this full lung and vocal chord a number of times whilst we got lost driving in Norfolk at the end of a November.

"Stranger on the Shore" – Acker Bilk. The first British recording to reach the number one spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1961. Smooth clarinet piece written for his daughter, I am lead to understand. Always reminds me of Sunday lunchtimes when I was a little kid.

"Wheels On Fire" – Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and the Trinity. You probably know it best as the theme to Absolutely Fabulous, which is an odd fate for a classic soft jazz treatment of a Bob Dylan song. Not really much to say about the track itself other than I love it, and recommend this version from 1968, not any of those mangled for the TV show at Jennifer Saunders’ instigation.

I seem to have run out of steam on this.

Time to do something else.

Comments

[sea-strands.livejournal.com]

A very respectful line up indeed!
If you have a moment do pop along to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=advhefzPFWc&search=tori%20amos%20%2B%20al%20stewart It's rather classic mark my words.

[bluesman.livejournal.com]

Yes, the McCartney track does rather stand out on that elpee, doesn't it, though there are other lovely thingies on there, like "Junk". According to the ripping Beatles biog I just read, there was next to no quality control or even a thrilled "hey listen to what I just wrote" between Jennon & McCartney from the White Album onwards. This was mostly because Macca couldn't get to JL as that bloody leeching woman monopolised the latter's time and fed his paranoia and resentment of Paul's driving ambition for himself and the band, when JL had been sick and tired of it since the time of "Help". So maybe this song was just a flash in the pan on this album.

Sammy Davis Jr? What an eclectic chap you are, to be sure. I must do one of these on my tatty page, though it'll probably consist of a few songs by dead bluesmen.