Laura Lee - Crumbs Off My Table (again)

Look, it was only yesterday. No fair. Better tomorrow please.

Laura Lee - Crumbs Off My Table

ORIGINATION I'm A Good Woman - Funk Classics From Sassy Soul Sisters
LAST LISTENED TO last night
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT screaming satellites
RATING

It's funky and it's about not getting it. You know: it. You do.

The song starts with a swelling brass and wah wah intro, which is always going to go down well. As is the great key change leading into the bridge before the first chorus. The chorus, like many of the lyrics, are suggestively colourful: You've got me hungry for your lovin' - you ain't able / All you want to give me is the crumbs off your table. Such is the manner of the song.

Sadly at a minute and a half it all unravels, when a drum and bass break cuts in. Admittedly, it does build back up over the next minute but it feels like time wasting and it's too much of a drop down, without enough of a build up either before it or after. It kills the heart of the song stone dead. Not only that, but it's also a wasted opportunity for the kind of mischievous groaning sounds that we know all funkers love to make in these breaks, especially considering the subject of the song. If you're going to make a song that is already well down the lewd path, why chicken out half way down it? The song has such promise, so it's quite a let down. Even the ever-pleasing peal of the wah wah isn't enough to rescue this.

If it was only two and a half minutes, it might've gotten an extra star. Sadly, it just goes on that minute too far.

The Beatles - Come Together

ORIGINATION Abbey Road
LAST LISTENED TO mostly quite a while ago
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT fair
RATING

See, the thing was, i heard a sample of this yesterday and i heard it many times, so it was bound to stick. Well, sort of.

It's the Beatles at their funkiest with a chunk of lyrics knicked from Chuck Berry's You Can't Catch Me and probably the finest bass line that McCartney ever produced. I 'm writing nothing else about him now. See? No mention of frogs. Let us just forget about the last 36 years and remember the Beatles at their best.

Argh ma heid

Too sore up top to have a song in there today. Just exactly what i could do without of a morning. Bah.

Distraction

This morning i was a bit distracted when i woke up and i completely forgot to pay attention to the little songs in my head. I do remember that there were a lot of them and, being that i saw a big band yesterday, there's a good chance Glenn Miller was involved in it somewhere. On which subject i ask, why do big bands, in this country at least, always insist on playing Glenn Bloody Miller (and almost nothing else). It's as if none of them have ever heard of Duke Ellington of Count Basie, to name but two. Honestly. Bloody whitewash.

Ricky

Today doesn't count. What i had was a guitar riff that Ricky was playing yesterday on a song we were working on. So not only is it not even a finished song, but it is one of my own and they don't get a mention here.

Ennio Morricone - Farewell To Cheyenne

ORIGINATION Once Upon A Time In The West
LAST LISTENED TO yesterday
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT mucho high
RATING

It's back again. It can be found here.

Office bugs

Today i woke with something i had heard from the shared msuic pool in the office. Not only is it a song that i don't like, but i have no idea who it is by or what it is called and i don't wish to either. In fact, i have removed it from my head already using the patented Morricone magic. It as probably by Richard Ashcroft or some such other nonse.

Nowt

I forgot to remember to forget today. Or whatever. No song number whatever.

Stevie Wonder - Isn't She Lovely

ORIGINATION no idea
LAST LISTENED TO never
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT should be nil
RATING

No, no, no. The contrast between the extreme goodness and extreme badness of Stevie Wonder's music never ceases to amaze. This is nasty, nasty over-sweetened soul that is enough to make your teeth fall out. Don't go here.

Quiller - General Direction

ORIGINATION 7"
LAST LISTENED TO last night
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT mighty high
RATING

This one appeared way back in January.

Honey Boy Martin - Dreader Than Dread

ORIGINATION 400% Dynamite
LAST LISTENED TO last week
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT reasonable
RATING

I really have no idea what this is about. Being that it is rocksteady era Jamaican, there is a good chance that it is about being hard in some way. There's a few things that support this: firstly, there is the song title which could be seen as threatening and secondly the song does contain a threat that 'anyone trying to stop rude boys… will end up dead'. However, the call for unity and the meeting format of the lyrics confuse things.

In fact, that's what this is song is about: a rude boy meeting. It's all so clear now.

Incidentally, the music is a fine piece of loping rocksteady that just rolls along nicely.

Count Basie & His Orchestra - Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball?

ORIGINATION The RCA Blues & Rhythm Revue (v/a)
LAST LISTENED TO last week
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT quite good
RATING

It's so nice to finally have the Count here. He was one of the most important band leaders of the swing era, who played with his big band for over fifty years. This song was recorded at the tail end of the swing era, when smaller (and cheaper to run) bands were taking over. Their stripped-down and more raucous sounding, this style became known as rhythm 'n' blues and was as much a child of swing as the blues.

Count Basie And His Orchestra were clearly dipping a toe into that sound with this tune. Whilst it opens with the kind of big brassy fanfare you'd expect, what happens next comes as a surprise: a vocal. We get treated to several verses about the baseball player Jackie Robinson, interspersed with the full band singing the chorus.

The song fits into the smoother end or r'n'b, apart from the short solo section. Here the big band returns to support two short solos, the second of which is taken by a fiery trumpet and is really swinging.

This is not your every day Basie number, but none the less it's a cracker.

Ennio Morricone - Farewell To Cheyenne

ORIGINATION Once Upon A Time In The West
LAST LISTENED TO yesterday
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT high
RATING

Thanks and respect must be paid to the Ennio Morricone Experience, who are performing at this year's Edinburgh Fringe as the Spaghetti Western Orchestra. Their great performance has filled my head with Morricone for over a week now. If you get a chance you really ought to go see them.

Farewell To Cheyenne (a part of their show that can be see here) is quite a slow tune, whose rhythm is the simple clip-clop of a tired old horse combined with the homely sound of a strummed ukelele.

The main theme is played by a variety of instruments and runs through the whole piece. A piano and some kind of string instrument (the Ennios used a box, stick and string affair) come first, separated into either channel. There's a real jangly, old western saloon sound to the piano, whilst the string sounds twangy and oddly flat. It makes for a light-hearted tune that may not be what you'd expect if you're only familiar with the Dollars 'trilogy' music. However, a change of key and a whistler taking over from the string soon reminds you that it's still Morricone.

Of all his western music, this is probably the closest he ever came to sounding like western music. Or, at least, the music associated with western films before he redefined the whole genre. It's simplicity and air serve to show the range and skill of this prolific composer.

The Monkees - Last Train To Clarksville

ORIGINATION The Best Of The Monkees
LAST LISTENED TO last night
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT annoyingly high
RATING

I'm never been too sure of the Monkees. It's manufactured pop music, which just doesn't sit right. However, i did enjoy watching their antics as a kid (on repeats, by the way) and they do appear to actually play their own instruments (for at least some of the time). So maybe they're ok and anyway, when you're listening to pop music, it doesn't pay to wave around the 'manufactured' label. You might hit Motown or Stax or even a good deal of Jamiaca, depending on which way the wind is blowing.

Anyway, Last Train To Clarksville has always been one of my preferred Monkee moments. It abounds with a variety of both guitar and vocal hooks and is driven by a simple rhythm that favours the tambourine. Basically, it is as close to being the Beatles as the Monkees ever got which is no bad thing, even if that is what the manufacturers intended. The most interesting part of the Monkees career, however, is that which happened once they broke this particular mould. But that's another story…

Bob Marley - One Love

ORIGINATION dunno, around
LAST LISTENED TO many years ago, except for last night when Bill Bailey made us all listen to it in his show
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT irritatingly good
RATING

I just can't be bothered with Bob Marley. I'll admit it might be due to musical snobbishness. Or, then again, maybe it's just that i don't like his music. Although it's hard not to like, so i dunno. What's most likely is that it's due to his ubiquity. He is the only Jamaican artist most people ever hear, which is pretty sad.

One Love, along with No Woman, No Cry are the most over-played of all of his tunes and, consequently, are the two i am most sick of hearing. Take it away.

Thurston Harris - Little Bitty Pretty One

ORIGINATION From Route 66 To The Flamingo (v/a)
LAST LISTENED TO yesterday
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT good, rising
RATING

A little bit of rhythm 'n' blues is always welcome 'round these parts of a morning. This one, like Professor Longhair's of a days past, is pretty simple - just piano, drums and a pile of vocals. Harris takes the main vocal with a relaxed tenor and plenty of assured humming. He's backed by at least a trio od doo-woppers who hum and bum along for the whole track.

It makes for a delightful track that happily straddles the ground between rhythm 'n' blues and doo wop.

The Return Of The Monday Morning Mess

Today the chorus of Barbara George's I Know (You Don't Love Me No More) was banged up against Three Little Maids from Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado. The first is a reasonable soul tune and the second is, um, well, i really couldn't say. It's not something i have ever listened to and i am pretty doubtful that i ever will.

Professor Longhair - She Ain't Got No Hair

ORIGINATION Honky Soul, Race Music, Hard Bop & Anachronic Jazz (v/a)
LAST LISTENED TO last week
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT ok-ish
RATING

Down-home, piano-led rhythm 'n' blues from New Orleans, that was recorded more than 50 years ago. There's not much to it. The Professor signs and tinkles his ivories, with the accompaniment of some simple drums and a little backing vocals. It's about the wife of a friend of his who, well, ain't got no hair. Looka there! It would appear that having no hair is a bad thing.

The White Stripes - Little Room

ORIGINATION White Blood Cells
LAST LISTENED TO a few days ago
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT goodish
RATING

Forty-five seconds of whiney White Stripe voice and drums. No guitar. Leave it alone.

Babe Ruth - The Mexican

ORIGINATION Funkrock: Rock Breaks And Guitars For Funky People
LAST LISTENED TO May
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT lowish, although there's been a lot of Morricone action since seeing the Spaghetti Western Orchestra
RATING

It's one of those tunes that turns up regularly on breaks compilations. The reason for this, however, is nothing to do with any break in this tune. It doesn't really have one. Instead it's all about its the second part.

The first part of the tune starts out with a little Spanish guitar, before things heat up in a Santana-y way, albeit with less percussion but with heaped tablespoons of funky, distorted guitar and electric piano. Has it something to do the the Mexico-US was? Hard to say and, frankly, who cares: once the second part gets going, you'll forget all about it. That's because the whole second part is, basically, a funk rock version of the Theme For A Few Dollars More.

It's every bit as good as can be hoped for. That funky, distorted guitar and electric piano play the main theme in tandem, with one the left channel and one in the right. The funky beats from the first part keep on rolling and, to top it off, there is even some wah-wah guitar down in the mix.

That's why it's always turning up on breaks comps. It's not because of any incredible break - there is none here. It's because if you were at a block party, who wouldn't want to dance to funky Morricone?

Paul Bloody Weller

This morning's song was by Paul Bloody Weller. I neither know nor care one jot what it was because it was by Paul Bloody Weller, a man in whose work i have no interest. Sod 'im and his 'Modfather' nonesense and ludicrous sideys.

Neil - A Hole In My Shoe

ORIGINATION who gives a
LAST LISTENED TO can't say i have
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT bugger all
RATING

No, no, no, no. No. Really. No. I have nothing to say about this. Nothing at all. Seriously.

(radio silence)

Ah now. This is getting silly. Seriously. What do you think you're doing Mr. Brain?

To be fair, i was in a bit of a hurry this morning and it was early, so i didn't really give my head a chance to come on-line before it was being pumped with walking music.

With luck normal service will be resumed shortly…

(radio silence)

Bum. Again. No fair.

Harlem River Drive - Harlem River Drive

ORIGINATION Harlem River Drive
LAST LISTENED TO october
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT duh, no much
RATING

A nice, laid back latin soul number. More laid back soul than latin, but none the less it's latin. Lovely organ. Nice sax. Too busy to be this relaxed today. Terribly sorry.

No comment

Today was one of my own songs and here is neither the time nor the place to go into that. And i'm not really the best person to do it. So, until tomorrow…

Nick Ingman - Down Home

ORIGINATION Sound Book Part Two - De Wolfe Music Library & Background Sound
LAST LISTENED TO yesterday
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT quite good
RATING

After yesterday's reminder of the joy of library grooves, it took over a large part of the day's playlist And so having another today comes as little surprise. This British one is just as funky as yesterday's and, as the title suggests, lurks in nearly the same area. I'm getting hints of pimps strutting and a very strong flavour of cop shows.

It begins with a lovely big of synth and brass action, before the drums kick in with a perfect dum-bum-dadum roll. Much like yesterday's wah guitar, the synth runs through the whole song providing some lovely texture, whilst over there is a mountain of brass, organ and, yes, more wah wah. The drummer's also having a great day and his funky beats are high in the mix. And to top things off, someone has got their hands on one of those percussion instruments beloved of all cop show themes, the name of which i have never discovered. It's the one that goes cr-r-r-r-r-r-r. You know it.

This really is just brilliant. Everything works exactly how you'd want it too. The synth is gritty and burbling. The drummer is hitting hard and groovy. The big brass comes in on long, slow building notes, but also has some great, hard hits. There's even more low-down brass playing along with the synth deep in the mix. The organ is blue and funky and the guitar that backs it up is wah wah'd to perfection. And the bass player, he's so far in the pocket, he's practically out the other side.

The whole tune just keep building layer on layer, each successive one adding more instruments to the mix and moving up a key. After three all-too-short minutes it stops dead on a snare. You can't ask for better funk than this.

P. Cannizzo - Black California

ORIGINATION Vroommm: Funk Cinematique - High Performace 70s Turbo Sounds For Sprint-Exotic Movie Scenes
LAST LISTENED TO yesterday
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT reasonable
RATING

Ah, back to funky library music. That's much better.

This one, about which i know so little, i don't even know the composer's first name, is another favourite. Little surprise that it's partly due, once again, to some hefty wah wah guitar. Here it runs the entire length of the tune and in so doing becomes part of the rhythm section, that comprises bass, drums and piano. The piano is notable, being proper left-hand style and real low-down. It is therefore perfectly suited to the down and groovy, make a funky ah-yes face mood of the track. It's got a kinda pimp strutting vibe.

The song opens with a fabulous combination of the wah guitar and funky bass, before being quickly joined by the drums. The piano comes in soon after, at the same time as a tenor sax, together playing some nice counter melodies.

Having established the opening melody, the sax takes off on a solo, taking up some way over half of the tune. The solo has a blues-based structure, which again is in keeping with the overall flavour and it's played with a very straight forward tone, that is both clean and punchy. It's a real archetypal bluesy tenor sax solo.

An electric piano takes over from the sax and keeps to the same formula. However, due to the nature of the instrument's sound, it has a lighter feel and is consequently less effective in this setting.

In the final moments the sax returns, bringing its main melody and the song sadly fades.

Italy's library music scene was not only one of the most vibrant in the world, but it also produced one of the most well known composers ever to have worked in the genre, in Ennio Morricone. So, whom ever Sig. Cannizzo is, he was in good company and he was also damned funky. It would do you no harm to spend a little time investigating the myriad sounds of him and his brethren from in the Italian library scene.
There's plenty more library music in the song for the day vaults, but you'll need to use search engine to get to it. I've got better things to do today than do it for you.

Three for the price of two (or how i learned to loathe indie pop)

A quick 1-2-3, bash, bash, bash to shake me from my slumber this morning. Luckily, it's a far less bizarre combination than other multi-song days. To begin with it was

The White Stripes - I Think I Smell A Rat
ORIGINATION White Blood Cells
LAST LISTENED TO a fraction last week sometime
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT not much
RATING

It begins with a slight Spanish guitar flavour, before moving into the stark loud guitar and drum sound that brought the Stripes fame and fortune. This pattern is repeated several times and constitutes what is a pretty basic song.

Lyrically, it feels just a tad self-righteous, having a go at many kinds of disrespectful youth. Not that that is a bad thing. It just feels a bit wrong.

Next up is

The Levellers - Plastic Jesus
ORIGINATION Five Years After (single)
LAST LISTENED TO kee-ryst knows
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT bugger all
RATING

Not quite as serious this one and consequently a lot more fun. In fact, it's one of the few moments of levity that i am aware of in the terribly right-on (yes, yes, pot kettle black) career of these yoghurt weavers. I'm all for music with a message, but it needn't always be so damned blatant. Although to be fair it has been a long time since i last bothered to listen to the Levellers' music and when i did last i was pretty naïve myself. So maybe i should give them the benefit of the doubt. Hmm…

Anyway, Plastic Jesus is a ramshackle cover on the b side of a single put out when the Leverllers were at the height of their popularity. It's in much more of a country & western style than anything they had recorded up to that point and thus stands out. Perhaps that's why i have a small degree of fondness for it.

'Plastic Jesus riding on the dashboard of my car.' You know, i kinda want one. Possibly one that lights up. Of course, i'd have to get a car first. And learn to drive. But enough of that, now it's on to… oh no

James - Come Home
ORIGINATION neither know nor care
LAST LISTENED TO pass
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT if only it had been nil
RATING

Come home? No. Bugger off! We don't want your sort round here.

Regular readers (if there are any) will have noticed that i have a slight soft spot for the Wonder Stuff. Which might lead them to naturally conclude that i'd like James as well. Wrong!

I realise that it's a little like splitting hairs, but i just can't stand James. The Stuffies always had a playful feel and a certain sense of humour. James, on the other hand, didn't. And they recorded (urgh) Sit Down, which is simply unforgivable. I recall to this very day tramping on the hands of fey indie-loving students, as they sat on the dancefloors of dingy clubs. How i loathed them.

Come Home is a lot better than Sit Down. However, it still sounds a bit like it BECAUSE IT WAS RECORDED BY THE SAME PEOPLE (who shall never be forgiven). So, it's not awful, but it reminds me of awfulness. Make it stop.

The Puppini Sister - Heart Of Glass

ORIGINATION Betcha Bottom Dollar
LAST LISTENED TO in bed last night
CHANCE OF WAKING TO IT plenty high
RATING

These three lovely ladies seem to be making a bit of a name for themselves right now. Their album which has been out for a few weeks now revisits the swinging '40s and with nice close harmony vocals. Benôit Charest of Belleville Rendezvous is along for the ride in part, which you just know can only be a good thing.

Heart Of Glass is, of course, the Blondie number. Here it's given quite an uptempo treatment in a kinda French jazzy acoustic guitary kinda way, with some double bass and rattly percussion moving it along. Over it Marcella, Kate and Stephanie's vocals glide along deliciously. Part close harmony and part solo singing, it brings to centre stage the vocal of the tune, which was always the best part or the original. They also ad-lib many scat parts, many of which are harmonised.

Oh, and there is a musical saw. There just aren't enough of those in the world today.

Joy.