Back to the seasonal theme, here's Baron covering a lot of ground including Oh Come All Ye Faithful and Hark the Herald Angels Sing.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Byron Lee & The Dragonaires - Tiny Winy
Interrupting this Christmas segment to post the original Tiny Winy... Kanchan's wonderful ripoff is here.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Freddie McGregor - Come All Ye Faithful
Probably my favorite Christmas song... there's a better reggae version out there somewhere but this is all I could find.
Jacob Miller - Wish You A Merry Christmas
Getting in the spirit of the season now... Christmas songs have beautiful melodies which sound especially good with a drum'n'bass backdrop. Reminds me of Hawthorne street days when the Medgar Evers College radio station would play lots of this stuff around Christmas time...
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Drupatee Ramgoonai - Roll up de Tassa
Remember this, Bisesar? First Chutney Soca I ever heard--I thought you sent me the cassette, no?
Friday, December 5, 2008
Sonny Mann - Lotay La
Winner of the first Chutney Soca competition in 1996. The audio is not great here, but the only better one I could find is a remix, and this original version is better. The customary ripoff from bollywood is here.
And here is a fascinating article by Kim Johnson on the Indo and Afro currents in Trini music, well worth reading.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Sundar Popo - Nana & Nani
Aage Aage Nana Chale
Nani goin behind
Nana drinkin white rum and
Nani drinkin wine...
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Sundar Popo - Surajie My Darling
While we're roaming the Islands, here's the Bob Marley of Chutney music...
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
The Charmer - Is She Is Or Is She Ain't
Back to Calypso for this curiosity: is he is Louis Farrakhan? Apparently he was.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Frankie Paul - Not A Pretty Gal
Roaring Lion's 'never make a pretty woman your wife' reminded me. Different generation, same archipelago.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Becket - Gal Ah Rush Me
Here's a song about a haircut:
Since I take this "gal ah rush me" trim
It's like my whole life just begin
Everybody say its true
The Becket lookin brand new
Since I take this new hairstyle
All the girls goin wild
From the time I leave the barber
Gal ah rush me...
Since I take this "gal ah rush me" trim
It's like my whole life just begin
Everybody say its true
The Becket lookin brand new
Since I take this new hairstyle
All the girls goin wild
From the time I leave the barber
Gal ah rush me...
Monday, November 17, 2008
Tribute to Roaring Lion
Found it! He sings Mary Ann starting at about 4:35 but the whole thing is worth is worth watching.
Roaring Lion - Ah Nora Darling
One of the greatest Calypsonians of all time... if I ever find his classic "Mary Ann" I'll post it right away.
Lord Kitchener - Sugar Bum Bum
Time for some calypso I think... first up, the late great Lord Kitchener.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Papaito - Caramelo A Kilo
A classic. This one's for Ignacio Perrotini, who lent me a Papaito tape and got me hooked on Afro-Cuban music forever...
Thursday, October 9, 2008
El Gran Combo - Telefono
Moving from Colombia to Puerto Rico now, here's a band sometimes called La Universidad de la Salsa...
Monday, October 6, 2008
Joe Arroyo - Te Quiero Mas
Still in Colombia, one of my favorite artists... This one reminds me of Pablo Zamora, whom I knew in Bielefeld.
La 33 - Pantera Mambo
Starting the Latin segment now... here's La 33 from Colombia messing around with the Pink Panther theme... This one's for Juan Camilo Cardenas.
Coldplay - Clocks
This is the salsa version, so I can transition to a Latin segment... more Coldplay here
Friday, September 26, 2008
Coldplay - In My Place
Haven't posted for a while now but (having given upon you) I'm going to start again. Still not sure what to make of Coldplay but this is a good song.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
REM - Losing My Religion
This seems like an appropriate transition... one of my favorites from the nineties.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
MS Subbulakshmi - More to Giridhar Gopal
While my father would listen to ghazals and filmy music, my mother would play bhajans... I especially remember MS Subbulakshmi's Meera bhajans, this one included.
Pankaj Mullick - Piya Milan Ko Jaana
Two more for my parents, and then I'll move on to other things. Listening to this one brings back a lot of childhood memories...
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Lata Mangeshkar - Yeh Raatein, Yeh Mausam
This is for my parents, who used to sing the song as a duet...
Begum Akhtar - Aey Mohabbat Tere Anjam
Another one for my father... I must have heard this a thousand times growing up.
Jagjit Singh - Kal Chaudavin Ki Raat Thi
Moving away from Bollywood now, but continuing with Indian themes... here's one of my father's favorite ghazals. Listen closely to the lyrics, they're beautiful. The Ghulam Ali version is here.
Kal chaudvin ki raat thi
Shab bhar raha charcha tera
Kuch ne kaha yeh chaand hai
Kuch ne kaha chehra tera
Kal chaudvin ki raat thi
Hum bhi vahin maujood the
Humse bhi sab poochha kiye
Hum has diye, hum chup rahe
Manzoor tha parda tera
Kal chaudvin ki raat thi
Is shaher mein kisse mile
Humse to chhooti mehfilein
Har shaks tera naam le
Har shaks deewana tera
Kal chaudvin ki raat thi
Koonche ko tere chhodkar
Jogi hi ban jaaye magar
Jungle tere, parbat tere
Basti teri, sahera tera
Kal chaudvin ki raat thi
Bedard sunni ho to chal
Kehta hai kya achchhi ghazal
Aashiq tera, ruswaan tera
Shaayar tera, inshaa tera
Kal chaudvin ki raat thi
Friday, August 29, 2008
Lata Mangeshkar - Hum The Jinke Sahare
And here's another wonderful song from Safar, to go with this one...
Kishore Kumar - Zindagi Ka Safar
Just got back from Delhi on Air India and saw Safar (with Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore) on the plane. Here's one of two irresistible songs from the movie...
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Peter Tosh - Legalize It
Moving on now, from drink to related substances. Here's Peter Tosh singing: Legalize it... And I will advertise it.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Chico Science & Nação Zumbi - A Praeira
The track itself only starts after 46 seconds of the video unfortunately. But it's worth the wait. The only bit I understand is "Uma cerveja antes do almoço é muito bom". which is alcoholic enough for this list.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Aziz Nazan - Jhoom Barabar Jhoom Sharabi
This song reminds me of my father.
I wish I could find an original version of Madhushala by Harivansh Rai Bachchan but there doesn't seem to be one on YouTube. All I could find is Amitabh performing it very badly here, or some random guy sitting around with snacks and a coke performing it quite well here.
Tom Waits - Warm Beer, Cold Women
So many fine drunken songs from this guy but I'm in the mood for this.
Billie Holliday - One for my Baby and one for the Road
"We're drinking my friend, to the end of a brief episode"
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Maikhana
Glorious tack! And can we start a thread on alcohol with this please?
Friday, August 1, 2008
Rob Thomas - Little Wonders
New segment for a new month... I'm posting three songs from Shiva's iPod, starting with this one...
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Elvis Costello - Everyday I Write The Book
Even in a perfect world where everyone was equal
I'd still own the film rights and be working on the sequel...
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Elvis Costello - Chelsea
Inspired by this post of yours, I'm starting an Elvis Costello segment. What I like most about Costello is the way he combines great melodies with ironic, playful, clever lyrics. First up, this classic...
The Sisters of Mercy - Temple of Love
This is one of two bands (the other being The Damned) that remind me of Alastair Leyland. Haven't seen Al seen since college.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Spear of Destiny - The Wheel
I remember going to a Spear of Destiny concert in London with Ron Belgrave and Dagger many many years ago. Ron was a huge fan, and used to play this song a lot. I also remember Ron and I going to a few schools in the Southamption area to do skits and information sessions on Apartheid, which was very much alive and kicking at the time. Mandela was still behind bars and PW Botha was Prime Minister I think. In any case, this post is for Ron.
The Clash - The Card Cheat
My favorite track from one of the best albums ever recorded. I remember seeing The Clash in concert in Brixton but by that time they had descended into Rock the Casbah banality. I went to that concert with Eliseo "Dagger" D'Agostino, my best friend in college, to whom this post is dedicated. In fact, Dagger introduced me to much of the music I've posted this month, and we went to a bunch of great concerts together, including Orange Juice in Birmingham, The Psychedelic Furs in Southamption, and Spear of Destiny and Killing Joke, both in London. Dagger was events manager at Southampton University for a year and booked some interesting bands, including The Fall, Thompson Twins, Monochrome Set, Dead Kennedys and Maximum Joy. I'll post some of these too at some point.
Elvis Costello - Red Shoes
That Joe Jackson album 'Look Sharp' always reminds me of this Costello song. Shoes I guess. They were released one year apart, I think. The Elvis first.
Joe Jackson - It's Different for Girls
And while we're being memorious, as usual: this one reminds me of Ann Rohini, specifically in her flat in Ravenscourt Park.
Iggy and the Stooges - The Passenger
Saturday, July 26, 2008
The Stone Roses - I Wanna be Adored
This one's for Rajesh Joshi, who brought a Stone Roses tape with him when he visited us in Brooklyn all those years ago. Raj had such interesting and varied taste in music and I wasn't sure what to post for him. He liked REM and The Pixies, but also Cliff Richard and bhajans. I was tempted to post this or even this for him...
The Style Council - You're The Best Thing
Another reminder of college days... I'll post The Jam sometime soon, but meanwhile here's Paul Weller after he switched gears. A lot of Jam fans hated The Style Council and I saw Weller pelted with mud at a free outdoor concert in London once. The band played two songs and then walked off. This post is for Susan Pettit, who used to like the Style Council a lot if I remember right.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Simple Minds - Promised You a Miracle
This reminds me of Nigel Couch, whom I knew in college but haven't been in touch with since... when he wasn't listening to Simple Minds he was playing Roxy Music. I'll post Same Old Scene next.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Squeeze - Up the Junction
Continuing with the theme of melancholy lyrics, although this one is not as piercing as the last two I posted...
Monday, July 21, 2008
Dire Straits - Tunnel Of Love
Another very lovely and sad song from Making Movies... it's worth listening closely to the lyrics.
She put her hand in my pocket, I got a keepsake and a kiss
And in the roar of dust and diesel I stood and watched her walk
away
I could have caught up with her easy enough but something must
have made me stay...
And now I'm searching through these carousels and carnival arcades
Searching everywhere from Steeplechase to Palisades
In any shooting gallery where promises are made
To Rockaway, Rockaway... Rockaway, Rockaway
From Cullercoats and Whitley Bay... out to Rockaway
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Dire Straits - Romeo and Juliet
This is from the Making Movies album, which has some of the most heartbreaking lyrics I've ever heard:
Juliet, the dice was loaded from the start
And I bet, and you exploded into my heart
And I forget, I forget... the movie song
When you gonna realize, it was just that the time was wrong?
Come up on different streets, both were streets of shame
Both dirty, both mean, yes and the dream was just the same
And I dreamed your dream for you and now your dream is real
How can you look at me as if I was just another one of your deals?
When you can fall for chains of silver, you can fall for chains of gold
You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they hold
You promised me everything, you promised me thick and thin, yeah
Now you just say "Oh Romeo, yeah, you know I used to have a
scene with him"
Juliet, when we made love, you used to cry
You said "I love you like the stars above, I'll love you 'til I die"
There's a place for us... you know the movie song
When you gonna realize, it was just that the time was wrong?
I can't do the talk, like the talk on the TV
And I can't do a love song, like the way it's meant to be
I can't do everything, but I'd do anything for you
I can't do anything except be in love with you
And all I do is miss you and the way we used to be
All I do is keep the beat, and the bad company
And all I do is kiss you, through the bars of a rhyme
Julie, I'd do the stars with you anytime...
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Echo and the Bunnymen - Silver
Must remember to post Ocean Rain and Killing Moon also at some point...
Prefab Sprout - When Love Breaks Down
I remember when we first started talking to each other about music, this is one band that came up a lot (along with Lloyd Cole, Echo and the Bunnymen, Elvis Costello, Clash and Smiths). I'll post Silver next.
Lloyd Cole and the Commotions - Charlotte Street
Had a hard time posting a Lloyd Cole song. Blocked for some reason. But this is one of my favourites from 'Rattlesnakes'.
The Woodentops - Well Well Well
Gosh! Now that you've gone silent I'm going to catch up on that seminal period when we were both in inglan but didn't know each other. Three favourites from 1985. First the Woodentops...
David Bowie - In The Port of Amsterdam
Sorry can't avoid this chestnut--Bowie doing Jaques Brel. I really like it.
Spacehog - In the Meantime
And this guy frequently sounds like Bowie (and occasionally like Axl Rose)
David Bowie - Sound and Vision
This song is half-asleep for about a minute and a half and then suddenly comes to life...
Take a look at this music map. Looks like those who listen to Bowie also listen to Iggy Pop, Velvet Underground, and Lou Reed. Who knew? Actually the bands on the fringes are more interesting: Brian Eno, Clash, Talking Heads, Pogues, and yes, Bauhaus! All of these are worth posting at some point.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Queen & David Bowie - Under Pressure
I had no idea how to follow your last post, so I'll just stick with the duo theme... this is a video remix made to look like a joint performance but it's all I could find.
Speaking of duos, do you remember the song we recorded for the gang of four (Malini, Madhavi, Bindu, Aaliyah) before they took off for Europe? Chidiya Jaise Bindu Khati, Malini to Jaise Haathi? Ronnie was on percussion with a saucepan lid...
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Bob Dylan & George Harrison - If Not For You
Oh dear Rajiv, what with your last two posts and the incredible news about R I have to post this duet of the young coots.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Bob Dylan - Lay Lady Lay
I don't know much about the Allman Brothers but I do know that Ronnie loved Dylan. Maybe someday his son (Ravi Garcia-Basu) will come across this blog and discover something about his father.
Listening to this is making me feel terribly sentimental...
Alpha Blondy - Travailler C'est Trop Dur
Ronnie played Alpha Blondy all the time. This one seems kind of apt. From his pre-rasta phase he loved the Allman Brothers and he was a Lenonist I think
Shabba Ranks - Mr. Loverman
Another Ronnie favorite... I was thinking of starting a segment dedicated to him but aside from Reggae Dancehall, all I can think of is Bob Dylan... any ideas?
JC Lodge - Telephone Love
Transitioning from Roots to Dancehall now... I remember Ronnie blasting this in the Brooklyn apartment and it will always remind me of him.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Gregory Isaacs - Night Nurse
This skips a couple of times at the start but settles down... no video unfortunately but the audio is pretty good and the segment wouldn't be complete without it...
Sugar Minott - Good Thing Going
A classic...
This starts a segment dedicated to Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, the most prolific rhythm section and production team in history, who have produced and performed on albums by Sugar Minott, Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Black Uhuru, Chaka Demus & Pliers, and dozens more. Rumor has it they've done around 200,000 tracks, which I don't think is too much of an exaggeration...
Monday, July 14, 2008
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Asian Dub Foundation - Fortress Europe
Amazing how much things have changed in the UK. Not only can you get curries in pubs now, but Asian kids can listen to stuff like this. All we had were Bid of the Monochrome Set and maybe Freddie Mercury...
High quality audio here
Bally Sagoo - Gori Naal Ishq Mitha
Starting an Asian segment now... Chura Liya is sadly all alone down below but here's Bally Sagoo again...
The Pointer Sisters - Fire
Hey, welcome back... the opening guitar riff in the Tom Waits song you posted is almost identical to the opening here, not sure which came first...
Tom Waits - Downtown Train
And this though it's just a heartbreak song I guess. Got this in Duesseldorf too. I remember reading a 'marxist' review in a student rag in NYC slamming the song for the lines about working class Brooklyn girls on the downtown train.
Gang of Four - Damaged Goods
And this... which I think you knew before but I heard via Drew Simpson in Brooklyn.
Violent Femmes - Add It Up
And sticking with thwarted love/frustration in the 1980s (I know you've raced ahead to other genres but I have to catch up). This was a brilliant album. I bought it in Duesseldorf 1986?
The Smiths - Handsome Devil
"There's more to life than books, you know--but not much more." Was sulking ever since you did The Smiths after Joy Division because I tried to post this and it didn't work. I think I fixed it now.
Bally Sagoo - Chura Liya
Still by far the best of the Bollywood Remixes... Asha Bhonsle and Mohammad Rafi on the original vocals...
Everything But The Girl - Each and Everyone
Can't decide whether Tracey Thorn's voice is naturally melancholy, or whether it's her singing style that makes her sound so sad... in any case, my favorite EBTG song.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Regina Spektor - On The Radio
No, this is how it works
You peer inside yourself
You take the things you like
And try to love the things you took
And then you take that love you made
And stick it into some
Someone else's heart
Pumping someone else's blood
And walking arm in arm
You hope it don't get harmed
But even if it does
You'll just do it all again...
Thursday, July 10, 2008
The Associates - Party Fears Two
From one Scot (Edwyn Collins) to another (Billy Mackenzie). Like Ian Curtis of Joy Division, Mackenzie committed suicide. Apparently "William, It was Really Nothing" by The Smiths is about him, I'll post that next.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Orange Juice - I Can't Help Myself
Nothing worth finding is easily found, try as one might... That was supposed to sound very profound, probably sounds trite... Just like the Four Tops, I can't help myself... brilliant.
The Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
Well, you seem to have disappeared for a while so I'll keep posting. Hard to follow Joy Division. There's nothing by New Order I really like, and I can't find good versions of early Cure. So I settled for this, probably my favorite Smiths song. And its suitably moody.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
I had to post this sooner or later, might as well do it now. Lots of musical histories begin with a Joy Division performance, and there are so many interesting directions you could take from here. Looking forward to see what you come up with.
Cocteau Twins - Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops
I can't make out a word of what Elizabeth Fraser is singing and even if I could it probably wouldn't make any sense. But I guess that's the point. In any case, the Cocteau Twins were ahead of their time, anticipating the emergence of trip hop by a decade. This particular track is brilliant.
The Human League - Empire State Human
This is from the original Human League, before Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh left to form Heaven 17. Actually it sounds very Heaven 17ish as you'll see.
Soft Cell - Say Hello Wave Goodbye
Interesting that you posted Are Friends Electric... I was thinking of posting Cars but will wait for a while now.
We can't exit from synth without some Soft Cell, right?
Sparks - #1 Song In Heaven
Sorry, but I had to whack this in from the old blog while we're still on synths. I was saving it for the Irony list but what the hell.
Tubeway Army - Are Friends Electric?
You're not going new romantic on me? Can we take the synths as a theme? This was one of the first songs I heard and liked in England in 1979.
OMD - If You Leave
Transitioning out of ska mode now, we can always come back later. Here's a song that has stood the test of time and still gets a fair amount of airplay.
Not sure where to go from here though. I'm definitely not posting Spandau Ballet or Classix Nouveaux. Maybe you'll think of something.
Regarding the PC stuff, once we get there, we should remember Barack the Magnificent by Mighty Sparrow.
Oh, and I changed the artist name on your last post to The Beat, which is how I remember them. For some reason they were marketed in the US as The English Beat.
Special AKA - Free Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela has long been free but this is still a good song and there was a time when it would get everyone dancing at college parties in Southampton. There's also a slightly weird recent live version by Amy Winehouse that you can find on YouTube.
By the way, did you know that Jerry Dammers was born in India?
Why aren't you posting? I've done three in a row now...
Bad Manners - Lip Up Fatty
I know it's your turn to post but I wanted to get this classic up before we move on from the ska segment...
The Selecter - On My Radio
Sticking with the ska theme, here's one of my favorites from the British revival, with the amazing Pauline Black on lead vocal. The volume is a bit low on this so crank it up...
The Ethiopians - Train to Skaville
Then this, I'd put it on the musicblog too. The third one I can't find on youtube. I've got it on cassette so I'll try to put it up myself but there's a clip here. It's Leonard Dillon the lone 'Ethiopian' and 'Locust' Great
Amy Winehouse - You're Wondering Now
Finally, Amy Winehouse, live in Berlin. I really like this version.
The Specials - You're Wondering Now
I'm posting three versions of the same amazing song. First up, The Specials, from an amazing debut album...
Camera Obscura - Lloyd I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken
An 'answer song' to the last track of my favourite album of 1984: Lloyd Cole and the Commotions 'Rattlesnakes'. This one reminds me of the Bunnymen as well somehow.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Elvis Costello - Watching The Detectives
I remember watching this performance live on Top of the Pops. It was so much edgier and more interesting than anything I'd seen before and it opened my eyes to a whole new world of music. Favorite line: Now fear is here to stay, love is here for a visit...
Bob Marley - Trenchtown Rock
Here it is, the song that inspired the blog title and url. Like all good poetry, simple and precise. We'll be posting all kinds of music videos here, with occasional commentary, so stay tuned.
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