Sunday, August 6, 2023

Songs Of The Week, 2023: 7/29-8/4


 

Listen To Me- Baby Huey
Hollywood Swinging- Kool & The Gang
Come On- Chuck Berry
(I'm Just A) Fool For You- Jimmy James & the Vagabonds
In The Cool Of The Night- David Ruffin
One Step Beyond- Prince Buster
Calhoun Square- Prince

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Listen To Me- Baby Huey
The Baby Huey album's rep is just maybe a bit greater than the music itself, or at least that's how I feel. But there is no denying the greatness of the opening cut. This is one hell of a groove.

Hollywood Swinging- Kool & The Gang
That Baby Huey track led me to this funky fave.

Come On- Chuck Berry
Reading "Charlie's Good Tonight," Paul Sexton's love letter to Charlie Watts, and this track gets mentioned a few times early on, so I needed to hear it.

(I'm Just A) Fool For You- Jimmy James & the Vagabonds

I spent a few days down a blogger's rabbit hole. It began while searching for a record by legendary New Orleans drummer Gentleman June Gardner. I found it, as well as a few other gems, including the first Jimmy James & The Vagabonds album. I've had this record a number of times over the years, though I usually just priced it and sold it...back in the good ol' days when records used to sell. But I digress. This week, I listened to it and was pleasantly surprised. Nothing earth shattering, just a solid collection of upbeat soul music. This is one of the tracks that stood out.

In The Cool Of The Night- David Ruffin

While I'm never surprised when I find something worthwhile in Motown's vault, I am surprised by just how amazing some of their unreleased shit is. This Ruffin track, for example. How do you not release this?

One Step Beyond- Prince Buster

The real find during that blogger's rabbit hole was 400 Blue Beat 45's, beginning with BB 001 and 200 Prince Buster 45s on Blue Beat, beginning with 001. A trove! Over 900 a-sides and b-sides. Here's one, 899 to go.

Calhoun Square- Prince
We started funky. We'll end funky.


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've got one volume of the Motown unreleased series - it is amazing as to the quality of that stuff. It's a testament to how great those artists were that such great songs were left to dwell in the "cellar".

Great funky goodness for a Sunday listen, thanks!!

Randy

kevin m said...

I never heard of Baby Huey until "Listen to Me" appeared on a Uncut Magazine CD about 20 years ago. It remains a a classic!

steve simels said...

That David Ruffin song is ridiculously great. I can’t believe it languished in the vaults.

cmealha said...

1. The two finds for me are the Ruffin and Jimmy James cuts.
2. Never knew that "One Step Beyond" was a cover.
3. I've been catching up on a lot of the Prince stuff I skipped over including "Crystal Ball:. "Calhoun Square" is one of the great tracks. Great heavy guitar.

Anonymous said...

"Come On" the only (or best-known) Chuck song with a minor chord? And they left his daughter's background vocal flub in.