Sunday, March 29, 2009

Reverend Billy brings us all the (old) hits!

What on earth would I do without the totally indispensable Reverend Billy's Rhythm Revival!? Last night, he played an amazing singer I was only marginally aware of, South Carolina's own Baby Washington. Immediately, I knew Dead Air has been waiting all this time for her wonderfulness. Let's hear it for husky-voiced, alto girls! (I am one, too.) Just take a listen to this.

The old-timey drive-in visuals for this first one are great, too. This particular tune sounds like a Bacharach-David song, who influenced the songwriters Holley and Raleigh, according to the guy who put it on YouTube. It shows!


That's how heartaches are made - Baby Washington



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This is an excellent up-tempo, Northern Soul song... GREAT!

Think about the good times - Baby Washington



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Soul ballad with some antique cars as accompaniment (?)... hey, I was just thrilled to find the song!

Nobody knows, nobody cares - Baby Washington



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And then, Reverend Billy wound up his show with a surf band, The Pyramids.

Penetration - The Pyramids



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Here they are with shaved heads in Bikini Beach. And check those choreographed dance moves; the lead guitarist even does a back-flip, impressing Annette Funicello (Frankie, you will notice, was never impressed by anything). Not sure what the guy in the monkey suit is doing sitting at the table, I guess you'd have to watch the whole movie. And then Don Rickles, of all people, appears in the middle of the video, with a bird on his head. Those wacky 60s!

Bikini Drag - The Pyramids



I bow before the good Reverend and profusely thank him for his knowledge of musical arcana!