Songs Of The Week, 2026: 3/14-3/20

 

Tell That Girl To Shut Up- Holly & The Italians
I'm Shakin'- Little Willie John
Hurry Sundown- Little Richard
Mary- Olive Jones
Silver Naked Ladies- Paul Westerberg
Keep Your Hands On The Wheel- Roy Wood
All The Way- Frank Sinatra

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Tell That Girl To Shut Up- Holly & The Italians
(This is the one song everyone remembers by Holly & The Italians. And it's a great single, for sure. But I listened to the whole album for the first time in 40 years and there are a half dozen more great songs on "The Right To Be Italian." Still, I went with the hit.)

I'm Shakin'- Little Willie John
(A rare case where I think the cover by The Blasters is better than the original. But we don't get to hear Little Willie John enough, so...)

Hurry Sundown- Little Richard
(Preach!)

Mary- Olive Jones
(Loving this new record from Olive Jones. As a matter of fact, a number of readers are feeling the same way.)

Silver Naked Ladies- Paul Westerberg
(One of fourteen great songs on "14 Songs.)

Keep Your Hands On The Wheel- Roy Wood
(How's this for a version of The Move-- Roy Wood, Carl Wayne and John Bonham. Well, that's what you get on this pop gem.)

All The Way- Frank Sinatra 
("Taller than the tallest tree is/That's how it's got to feel/Deeper than the deep blue sea is/That's how deep it goes if it's real."

 

BW's Saturday #78

 

ELO, Too

 

 

I guess by 1982 the Electric Light Orchestra was pretty much over, at least in terms of being fashionable. So Kelly Groucutt, who became a member on the "Eldorado" tour in 1974, decided to release a solo record.  And that record, "Kelly," is basically an ELO record without Jeff Lynne, who Kelly had fallen out with. Long story short, I bought this record back in 1982 and I liked it. But I didn’t love it, because it was missing one thing, Jeff Lynne. 

I hadn't heard the record for years and then a copy showed up in this recent record collection that came my way, and listening to it made me realize, it’s a pretty good ELO record. The reason it isn’t a great ELO record? No Jeff Lynne.

But Bev is here, as is Jeff's right hand man Richard Tandy, and Mik Kaminsky and it's full of pop earworms.

 

 

"I Have A Circular Saw & A Miter Box, You Have A Recording Studio. Let's Make A Record!"

 

I wasn't really a fan of Juliana Hatfield, not with the Blake Babies or solo. I'll admit, I hadn't listened to much, but what I did hear went in one ear and out the other. But then I fell in love with her tributes to Olivia Newton-John and Jeff Lynne. So, at the suggestion of a few readers who were indeed Juliana fans, I listened to a few of her records again. Nothing. In one ear and out the other.

And now there is "Bets," her new surprise record with her contractor Eric Payne. And I am in love again.

Common denominator here- Juliana didn't write the music on any of these three records I love. Maybe that makes her a fantastic interpretor. 

"Best" is a quick 29 minutes and there isn't a bad second to be heard, at least not to my ears. Eric Payne wrote all the music and plays all of the instruments, while Hatfield sings and plays a few guitar parts. It's unclear from the Bandcamp page if these are her lyrics.

The songs are chunky and hook-filled. Payne's guitar playing occasionally veers into Verlaine (or Nels Cline) territory and the sound of it all simply slays me.

Unless I am really dense, none of the songs are on YouTube. So you'll have to fend for yourselves. 

 

How To Make A Black Crowes Record

The Brothers Robinson have been getting along so well, they wasted no time getting back into the studio. Almost two years to the day since their reunion album was released, The Black Crowes have released "A Pound Of Feathers." It sounds like The Black Crowes. As a matter of fact, it sounds almost exactly like the last record, "Happiness Bastards." The boys stuck to the template, and I am not complaining.

If you are fan, there is plenty to love here. If you're not, I don't imagine this record will change your mind. Still, I write about these guys because I love these guys. They remain one of my favorite live acts of all time and I'm thrilled that they are back in the game.

Take a listen to a couple of my faves from "A Pound Of Feathers.

Songs Of The Week, 2026: 3/7-3/13

 

Ram On- Paul McCartney
Talking Parrot- Count Lasher
Colonel Brown- Tomorrow
Street Walkin' Woman- Donnie Jacobs
Over, Over & Out- Davey Lane
Children Of Rain- The Electric Prunes
Kaya- Bob Marley & The Wailers

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Something for everyone here, including some early calypso and mento (Count Lasher, a very cool track, by the way,) two psych tracks (one from the U.K. featuring Steve Howe four years before Yes, and one from the U.S., by the Prunes), a little bit of groovy Louisiana blues from Donnie Jacobs and Jin Records, and some pop perfection from Davey Lane, whose record "Finally, A Party Record" gets better with each pass, all bookended by two legends, Paulie and Bobbie.

Dig in and dig it!

BW's Saturday #77