Weekend Mixes: "The Rhite Album" and More

It has been some time since I was inspired to put together a Weekend Mix, which may be why this weekend we have two.

First up, something I am calling "The Rhite Album." Your indulgence please.

Most Beatles fans feel about "The White Album" the way Paul McCartney feels. "It's the fucking White Album." Young-ish Beatles fans love "The White Album" and "Abbey Road" and cannot listen to early Beatles. And there are some who think the record is crap. Well, I don't think it's crap by a long shot. But, it is my least favorite Beatles record. I simply can't get behind about half of it. So for my listening pleasure, I put together what I am calling "The Rhite Album." (Get it? Heh.) This sequence of songs plays pretty damn well for my purposes, so I thought I'd share it for the hell of it.

The Rhite Album (In Mono)
Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except For Me & My Monkey
Blackbird
Happiness Is A Warm Gun
Martha My Dear
I'm So Tired
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Julia
Cry Baby Cry
Dear Prudence
Mother Nature's Son
Sexy Sadie
I Will
Helter Skelter

The second mix is a handful of songs that popped up this week alongside some others. These stood out for various reasons.

The Del Shannon track is from his 1967 London sessions, which came out in the USA as "Home & Away" and in the UK as "And The Music Played On." For years, I only knew Del Shannon's hits, the most famous being "Runaway," which I could take or leave. But over the last few years, thanks to a brilliant collection of early singles on the Norton label called, "Move It On Over," I have become a bit obsessed. This guy was a genius at making records and he could sing anything and make it sound passionate, and at time desperate. This track made me think of ELO's cover of "Little Town Flirt," so both are here.

"Mother Nature's Son" has never been a go-to Beatles track for me, and it was only this week, while listening with headphones on a train ride, that it popped up and smacked me across the head. Why does this happen? I don't know, but I am grateful for these random moments of musical discovery. What made it even more fantastic was that the damn iPod algorithm segued into "Bye Bye Blackbird" from McCartney's standards record from a few years ago. I was impressed by both the span of time between the tracks and the way Paul's voice changed. I think both are quite beautiful, and I was especially moved by Paul's phrasing and delivery of this standard, as if he had written it himself.

I can't say enough about Chris Price's most recent release, "Stop Talking." Please, please check it out. And if you dig it, go backwards and listen to "Homesick," which is also a gem. "One Of Us" is from that record and it sets up the Roy Wood track very nicely.

And speaking of gems, if you are a fan of Boz Scaggs, I suggest spending time with his 1997 release, "Some Change." It might be his best and "Time," which closes out the mix, is from that set.

January, 2018
Shy Boy- Tomorrow
One Of Us- Chris Price
Oh What A Shame- Roy Wood
36 Inches High-Jim Ford
Outbreak Of Love- Midnight Oil
Led Along- Del Shannon
Little Town Flirt- ELO
Mother Nature's Son- The Beatles
Bye Bye Blackbird- Paul McCartney
Time- Boz Scaggs

Well, dat's dat.

Enjoy, I hope.

Rhite Album

Jan'18