This one ought to get your blood pumping today. A little up-tempo number by Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder as they do the old country gospel tune “I’m Ready to Go.” Our Spiritual Sunday selection comes from one of the Gaither videos. It goes to show that some of the best musicians in the world come from the Central Appalachian Mountains.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Alvin Lee & Mylon Lefevre So Sad (No Love Of His Own)
In 1973, Alvin Lee of Ten Years After and Mylon LeFevre formerly of the LeFevres and Mylon and Holy Smoke recorded “On the Road to Freedom.” It was a great little album that is hardly remembered now nearly 40 years later. I bought this LP as a poor college sophomore in 1974 and still enjoy it. The LP charted in 1974 at #138 on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart.
The album has a star studded cast of session musicians including George Harrison, Steve Winwood, Ron Wood, Jim Capaldi, Mick Fleetwood, and the talents of Lee and Lefevre. Although our feature track “So Sad (No Love of His Own)” was not a radio standout, it was my favorite cut on the album. Mylon Lefevre handles the lead vocals on this track.
“So Sad (No Love of His Own)” is a George Harrison composition that later appeared on his 1974 LP “Dark Horse.” Because of his contract with EMI, George appears on slide guitar on this LP under the pseudonym “Hari Georgeson.” This is one of the several pseudonyms he used over time – others include L’Angelo Misterioso, George Harrysong, Nelson Wilbury, Spike Wilbury, and Geoge O’Hara-Smith.
Listed only as “So Sad” on George’s LP “Dark Horse,” I prefer the original version by Lee and Lefevre. The arrangement and Mylon’s vocals are much better. In my estimation, “Dark Horse” is not one of George Harrison’s best albums on Apple.
The album has a star studded cast of session musicians including George Harrison, Steve Winwood, Ron Wood, Jim Capaldi, Mick Fleetwood, and the talents of Lee and Lefevre. Although our feature track “So Sad (No Love of His Own)” was not a radio standout, it was my favorite cut on the album. Mylon Lefevre handles the lead vocals on this track.
“So Sad (No Love of His Own)” is a George Harrison composition that later appeared on his 1974 LP “Dark Horse.” Because of his contract with EMI, George appears on slide guitar on this LP under the pseudonym “Hari Georgeson.” This is one of the several pseudonyms he used over time – others include L’Angelo Misterioso, George Harrysong, Nelson Wilbury, Spike Wilbury, and Geoge O’Hara-Smith.
George Harrison’s later version
Listed only as “So Sad” on George’s LP “Dark Horse,” I prefer the original version by Lee and Lefevre. The arrangement and Mylon’s vocals are much better. In my estimation, “Dark Horse” is not one of George Harrison’s best albums on Apple.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Desmond Dekker & The Aces: Israelites
OK, think quickly. Name all of the artists that you can who recorded for the Uni label (1966-1972 – not the later 80s version). Hmmm, there was Elton John, Neil Diamond, Olivia Newton-John – OK, I now I have to look. There also were the Strawberry Alarm Clock, Hugh Masakela, Brian Hyland, and Desmond Dekker and the Aces.
Our one hit wonder is Desmond Dekker’s and Leslie Kong’s composition “Israelites.” The songwriting credits list Dekker’s birth name of Dacres. I remember playing this single at WWNR during the oldies format days – and so the Uni Record’s mustard yellow label is memorable to me.
Dekker was the first Jamaican to have a US hit and the first reggae recording to reach the number one slot in the UK. In 1969, “Israelites” peaked at #9 in the US despite the majority of Americans’ difficulty understanding Dekker’s thick Jamaican accent. Is it “Get up every morning baked beans for breakfast” or “Get up every morning slaving for bread sir?”
The song was re-released in the UK in 1975 where it climbed once again into the top 10. In all, “Israelites” sold two million copies.
Our one hit wonder is Desmond Dekker’s and Leslie Kong’s composition “Israelites.” The songwriting credits list Dekker’s birth name of Dacres. I remember playing this single at WWNR during the oldies format days – and so the Uni Record’s mustard yellow label is memorable to me.
Dekker was the first Jamaican to have a US hit and the first reggae recording to reach the number one slot in the UK. In 1969, “Israelites” peaked at #9 in the US despite the majority of Americans’ difficulty understanding Dekker’s thick Jamaican accent. Is it “Get up every morning baked beans for breakfast” or “Get up every morning slaving for bread sir?”
The song was re-released in the UK in 1975 where it climbed once again into the top 10. In all, “Israelites” sold two million copies.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Mícheál Ó Domhnaill & Kevin Burke: Lord Franklin
In 1978, Kevin Burke and Mícheál Ó Domhnaill released their album “Promenade,” which featured one of the more beautiful renditions of the traditional English folksong “Lord Franklin.” The song from the mid 19th century was also titled “Lady Franklin’s Lament” and details the search for Sir John Franklin who set off to discover the Northwest Passage in 1845.
Franklin never returned nor was his body or final resting place ever discovered. The men of the HMS Erebus and the HMS Terror died from a variety of maladies which include, but are not limited to, the following: scurvy, starvation, hypothermia, tuberculosis, and lead poisoning. Interestingly enough, it is said that my second great grandfather’s first cousin, John Gillon of Leith, Scotland, provided the provisions for Franklin’s voyages; however, I have yet to be able to confirm this.
The late Mícheál Ó Domhnaill is not only joined by fiddler Kevin Burke, but by his sister Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill who sings harmony.
Franklin never returned nor was his body or final resting place ever discovered. The men of the HMS Erebus and the HMS Terror died from a variety of maladies which include, but are not limited to, the following: scurvy, starvation, hypothermia, tuberculosis, and lead poisoning. Interestingly enough, it is said that my second great grandfather’s first cousin, John Gillon of Leith, Scotland, provided the provisions for Franklin’s voyages; however, I have yet to be able to confirm this.
The late Mícheál Ó Domhnaill is not only joined by fiddler Kevin Burke, but by his sister Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill who sings harmony.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Blackfoot: Highway Song
It’s a Monday and I need a little jumpstart to get the week off and going. So, I am going back to 1979 to the third album by Blackfoot – “Strikes.” It is one of their best albums from this Southern Rock quartet that was named in honor of the Native American heritage of three of the bands members; however, none were from tribes that were part of the Blackfoot Confederation.
Lead vocalist and guitarist Ricky Medlocke is part Sioux, bassist Greg T. Walker is of Eastern Creek heritage, and drummer Jakson Spires is part Cherokee. “Strikes” charted on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums Chart at 42 and produced the bands only two Top 40 singles: “Highway Song” at #26 and “Train Train,” which barely made the Top 40 at #38.
It’s a really good album and one of my favorite tracks, next to “Highway Song,” is their rendition of Free’s “Wishing Well.” Have a good Monday.
Lead vocalist and guitarist Ricky Medlocke is part Sioux, bassist Greg T. Walker is of Eastern Creek heritage, and drummer Jakson Spires is part Cherokee. “Strikes” charted on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums Chart at 42 and produced the bands only two Top 40 singles: “Highway Song” at #26 and “Train Train,” which barely made the Top 40 at #38.
It’s a really good album and one of my favorite tracks, next to “Highway Song,” is their rendition of Free’s “Wishing Well.” Have a good Monday.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
The Lovell Sisters: In My Time Of Dyin'
Took a well needed break from the blog yesterday, but I am back with a song that has been recorded by numerous artists that include Blind Willie Johnson, Josh White, Bob Dylan, the Shocking Blue, John Sebastian, Led Zeppelin, The Black Crowes, and John Mellencamp to name but a few. While generally credited to Blind Willie Johnson, printed references to the song predate his recording by several years. Its actual author is unknown, and therefore it is the public domain.
The song has been recorded under the title “In my Time of Dyin’,” “Well, Well, Well,” and “Jesus Make Up my Dyin’ Bed.” Today’s selection is a very nice acoustic rendition by the Lovell Sisters that was recorded on the Music Fog Celebrity Bus on September 21, 2009.
Lead vocals are provided by the bands fiddle player Jessica Lovell. She is joined on harmony by sisters Megan and Rebecca. Megan has a nice Dobro® lead and Matt Wingate provides the excellent acoustic guitar accompaniment and flat-picking leads. This band is extremely tight. It is too bad that three sisters are no longer performing together these days.
The song has been recorded under the title “In my Time of Dyin’,” “Well, Well, Well,” and “Jesus Make Up my Dyin’ Bed.” Today’s selection is a very nice acoustic rendition by the Lovell Sisters that was recorded on the Music Fog Celebrity Bus on September 21, 2009.
Lead vocals are provided by the bands fiddle player Jessica Lovell. She is joined on harmony by sisters Megan and Rebecca. Megan has a nice Dobro® lead and Matt Wingate provides the excellent acoustic guitar accompaniment and flat-picking leads. This band is extremely tight. It is too bad that three sisters are no longer performing together these days.
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