As Good As Advertised- P. Hux
You'll Forget- Neil Diamond
¡Ghostbusters!- Los Straitjackets
He's Got You- Dean Martin
Back Water Blues- Irma Thomas
I'm 28- Toni Basil
He's A Rebel- The Crystals
As Good As Advertised- P. Hux
P. Hux has a new one. I've lost track over the years, but I've always loved what I loved. Here's the excellent title track from the excellent new album, which you can buy here.
You'll Forget- Neil Diamond
Covered this one back in the pre-Pep In The Cat days and it's still a favorite.
¡Ghostbusters!- Los Straitjackets
These guys can cover anything and make it better.
He's Got You- Dean Martin
And speaking of covers, I think Dino's take on the Patsy Cline classic gives hers a run for its money.
Back Water Blues- Irma Thomas
About a month after Hurricane Katrina, there were a number of benefit concerts in New York. I think I went to all but one, because there were two on the same night--one at Madison Square Garden and one at Radio City Music Hall. I was at MSG and witnessed Irma Thomas cry out "Back Water Blues." There wasn't a dry eye in the house. You can dial that performance up if you so wish. But this is the recorded version from "Our New Orleans," a benefit record that was released a few months later.
I'm 28- Toni Basil
Miss Toni Basil turned 80 this past week. Here is a b-side written by Graham Gouldman, recorded when she was 23 called "I'm 28." (Third base!)
He's A Rebel- The Crystals
My whole life I've been singing "He's my rebel, you know, you know, to me" never once questioning in almost 60 years that it didn't make sense. I decided this week, I wanted it to make sense. "He's not a rebel, no no no no, he's not a rebel, no no no no, to me." A perfect song is now perfecter.
12 comments:
Never listened to Neil Diamond's Bang Years tunes. And I call myself a fan??!! :) Cool song.
Thanks for this mix Sal - and good luck on your record-sifting trip (envious).
And Tony Basil 80???? wow!
I've been listening to Hux's new one for a couple of weeks now - just put one of the tunes on a new playlist this morning.
I'm jealous of your trip - have fun, but make sure you don't inhale.
Randy
That Ghostbusters cover is to die for! Thanks for sharing!!!
Have a safe and enjoyable trip, Sal.
-Thanks!
Good luck in Jamaica.
Songs of the week-
P. Hux – As Advertised – Definitely is! Thanks for the heads up.
Neil Diamond – You’ll Forget – I Iike the fuzz but it cuts in awkwardly in the mix – fade out chorus is kinda weak. Otherwise, a cool tune. Is there a recorded version of “Raising Cain?”
Los Straitjackets – Ghostbusters – I hate the Ghostbusters Theme but these guys make it tolerable – gonna put this CD in the jukebox for Halloween – I love Los Straitjackets, especially when I’m energized in a psychedelic way. Saw them with Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello a few nights a couple months back. Nick was fine. During his set, he let Los Straitjackets have a solo turn. IMO it was the best part of the entire night. It pains me to say it, but Elvis sucked. His singing was way out of key and out of synch. It was a mess. A frickin’ trainwreck. Over the years I’ve seen him dozens of times and was never disappointed. This was bad. It was in Ventura and I had tix for the following two shows in L.A. and Las Vegas. I thought maybe Ventura was just a bad night – an outlier. But it wasn’t any better in L.A. and it was him that was dragging everything down. What the fuck happened to him? The song selection was interesting, the in-between song banter was somewhat amusing, but it just wasn’t happening musically. I ended up giving my Vegas tix away.
Dean Martin – He’s Not You – I like Timi Yuro’s version better.
Irma Thomas - Back Water Blues – Superb! Better than Bessie Smith. One of the most memorable shows I’ve seen was Irma and James Booker at the Ash Grove circa 1973. Fantastic!
Toni Basil – I’m 28 – B-Side or not, I heard this song on the radio in Palm Springs around Easter 1966. My parents and I spent the week at the Riviera Hotel there. We towed our dune buggy behind the 2 + 2. I remember hearing it several times during our stay. It was in the rotation. The reason I remember it is that after we heard it a few times, my mom started goofing on it. My mom was 27 at the time and I was 10. Yeah, she got knocked up in her Senior year. It was a memory filed away till Sal played it. At the time, I had no idea who the artist was, let alone the songwriter.
Crystals – He’s a Rebel – I never misheard the words. Bought this record, along with Marvin Gaye’s “Stubborn Kind of Fellow” on a bike trip to Gillette’s Records summer 1962. Sandy went with me and picked up Rick Nelson’s “Teen Age Idol,” and Gene Pitney’s “Only Love Can Break a Heart.” When shopping, Sandy pointed out that Gene Pitney wrote “He’s a Rebel.” “Surfin’ Safari”/”409” was top of the L.A. & Berdoo charts at the time. By the time “He’s a Rebel,” peaked, we were in the midst of the Cuban Missile Crisis. But I was 7 and didn’t give a shit about that. I was more upset that the Twilight Zone” got canceled. This is actually Darlene Love & the Blossoms, right? Rhetorical.
VR
Double agree on Los Straightjackets and the Dino song.
Bill
Oh man, that P Hux song is my new favorite tune. Listening to songs off that recent CD of his now and it's SO GOOD! Ordering it tonite.
Was not aware of this site until Noel tipped me off. Thanks for highlighting my new album, Sal. Hope everyone here enjoys it. P. Hux
Thanks for saying hi, P.Hux.
And thank you Noel for passing it on.
This was nice!
I love LS's they were/are Nick Lowes backup band i believe. Check out their rendition of Rainy Night In Georgia it is fabulous! rs
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