Count Five - Psychotic Reaction

Over, Under, Sideways, Down

Help on the Way

Me neither

And I don't wanna fake it anymore

I love this even more than the electric version! Can't stop listening to it, so thought I would share.



AND LIVE TOO!

#hispappyisabusinessman

WANDA JOHNSON - "Rise in the morning"

I have seen Miss Wanda and her fabulous band many times, and she is always an experience. Enjoy!

Carolina in the Pines

Carolina is stunning this time of year! It always makes me think of this song. First recorded in 1975.

Shout out to David Hoffner, the magical piano player.

Garbage - Stupid Girl

Music and age: you've always wondered

I could once veer effortlessly from reggae to country to punk to old Rogers & Hammerstein to RED DETACHMENT OF WOMEN (which was especially fun to listen to, if you consider the fact that Richard Nixon was forced to sit through it and even applaud afterwards) and then start all over again. Last year, I finally sold the ancient vinyl record collection (which you may remember I threatened to do HERE), and was embarrassed to find GUY LOMBARDO AND HIS ROYAL CANADIANS, good Lord, where did THAT come from?

For every White Light, White Heat (which made local collector/entrepreneur Gene Berger's heart go pitty-pat when he saw it), there was something goofy like HEAVY METAL TOP HITS, which featured B-sides nobody ever heard of, they weren't top hits at all. Scanning the cover, I realized I bought it dirt cheap just to listen to Golden Earring's RADAR LOVE.



At left: poster advertising the famous communist opera/ballet, RED DETACHMENT OF WOMEN. It sounds pretty much like you think it does.



I find it difficult to listen to new music now, in the proper open-eared fashion. At first, didn't think much of this, but later, I worried. WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME? I think we know the name for it: its called getting old.

I have lost so many of my favorite musicians recently, age and death are unavoidably on my mind. David Bowie lived on the edge for years, so it was not as surprising that he didn't hit age 70, although still heartbreaking. But Prince? He was a vegan, didn't even drink. And (take note) he is YOUNGER THAN ME. I repeat, YOUNGER THAN ME. People younger than me ain't supposed to die. Alarming and saddening.

Also alarming and saddening, regarding the musical tastes of aging people, here is a fascinating account of some research by Stanford University neuroscience professor (and great author) Robert Sapolsky:

[Sapolsky], irritated by his young administrative assistant’s eclectic taste in music, tested whether there are maturational time windows during which we form cultural tastes. He and his research assistants called oldies radio stations, sushi restaurants in the Midwest, and body-piercing parlors and asked the managers when their service was introduced, and how old their average customer was. They found that if you’re more than thirty-five years old when a style of popular music is introduced there’s a greater than ninety-five per cent chance that you will never choose to listen to it. For sushi restaurants, the window of receptivity closed by age thirty-nine; for body-piercing, by twenty-three. The findings were reminiscent of studies that show that creativity declines with age. These studies also indicate that great creative minds not only are less likely to generate something new but are less open to someone else’s novelty. Einstein, in his later years, fought a rear-guard action against quantum mechanics.

Psychologist Dean Keith Simonton has shown that the decline in creativity and openness among great minds isn’t predicted by age so much as by how long people have worked in one discipline. Scholars who switch disciplines seem to have their openness rejuvenated. That may be because a new discipline seems fresh and original, or because a high achiever in one discipline is unusually open to novelty in the first place. Or maybe changing disciplines really does stimulate the mind’s youthful openness to novelty. Or it may just be that established generations resist new discoveries because they have the most to lose by them. The explanation is not neurological: in most brain regions there isn’t any dramatic neuron loss as we get older, and there is no such thing as a novelty center in the brain. Given that aging contracts neural networks and makes cognition more repetitive, it would be a humane quirk of evolution if we were reassured by that repetition. There may even be some advantage for social groups if their aging members become protective archivists of their cultural inheritance.

But the writer remains dispirited by the impoverishment that comes with this closing of the mind to novelty. If there’s a rich, vibrant world out there, he figures it’s worth putting up a bit of a fight, even it means forgoing Bob Marley’s greatest hits every now and then.

It also seems important to listen to as much different music as you can before this cultural "window" closes.

The problem isn't just that the window seems to close, but that we haven't seen everything out that wide window first... therefore, expand those boundaries as far as you can. Best advice would appear to be: Listen to it all when you are young and have open-ears.

RED DETACHMENT OF WOMEN still doesn't annoy me the way it does most people... and its undoubtedly because I heard it so many times as a young pup, even if I WAS forced by the Progressive Labor Party.

And what would the eager young comrades in this 70s, old-school Maoist opera-ballet company say if they saw modern, hyper-capitalist China? Relieved, upset, suicidal, happy? The opera is the sound of a whole nother China, which sounds more familiar to me than today's China... just as I feel oddly warm and cozy when I see now-extinct cold-war thrillers on TV: Its all over now kids, at least the worst! Whew, was that some shit or what?

Entertainment like The Hunt for Red October used to stop my heart, and now I am thinking: I never noticed how Sean Connery's Russian accent needs some work.

Got music?

Haven't had as much time for blogging, since its the holidaze.




But I have been storing up songs, so you're in luck.

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First, a song about Daisy's childhood. Yes, this is about MY MOTHER, and all those other mouthy beehive-hairdo white trash ladies of the 60s ... I miss yall so much. (And especially during the holidays, I always miss my mama terribly.)

In my lifetime, I have gone from embarrassment over this song (amazingly accurate, thought the 12-year-old me, how did Tom T. Hall KNOW THIS ABOUT US??????), to giggling-glee and pride, to tearful nostalgia. Its from another time. This could never happen now.

But hey, really: it used to happen. My mother was a bit more colorful in her language than ole Tom's lyrics could be in 1968.

I included a version with the lyrics:

Jeannie C. Riley - Harper Valley PTA



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Speaking of nostalgia, any comments I attempt on this one, would probably degenerate into blubbering... so I won't.

Cassidy - Grateful Dead



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A sentiment I have often had, about people I love... it was such a surprise to hear the same feelings come from a man.

Delightful, sweet and very honest.

I wish I was your mother - Mott the Hoople



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For you headbanging kidz, I remembered to bring the punk.

This song comes highly recommended; it once destroyed one of my friend's car speakers.

New Rose - The Damned



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Next up, a song about my husband's hometown:

Little Feat - Oh Atlanta



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Big finish!

Despite copious promises, I never have updated my old INSTRUMENTALS post, which continues to get hits from desperate music-lovers looking for the names of ancient, wordless tunes ... and so, as a consolation prize, here is a stunning instrumental tune you have probably heard many, many times, done with consummate class and finesse by Jeff Beck.

My very favorite version of the jazz classic first written and recorded by Charles Mingus in 1959.

Goodbye Pork Pie Hat - Jeff Beck

Got music?

Its been awhile since I shared some old music with yall.

This first one was on the soundtrack to the movie "Car Wash" (1976)--which I once reviewed for the (very) long-defunct Focus Rock Entertainment, back in the day. I wrongly predicted it would be a hit; instead, the theme song "Car Wash" was the big hit. (sigh) But it did become a funk classic and was popular in the discos, as the B-side of the hit ballad from the film, "I wanna get next to you."

Produced and written by the late, great Motown-powerhouse, Norman Whitfield, this song features the legendary funk bass of Lequeint 'Duke' Jobe--an amazing groove. All punctuated with beautiful big brass noise, which defines 70s funk for me.

To this day, now and forever, when someone says "put your money where your mouth is"... I mentally finish the sentence: "or you ain't said a damn thing"...

Yep.

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is - Rose Royce



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I know I have played this here before, probably more than once. Its one of my favorite pieces of instrumental music, ever.
(PS: Link for those who missed the old instrumentals post! I never did get around to posting part 2, so consider THIS part 2.)

Although I love the original studio version (and most live renditions), the Allman Brothers video clips currently on Youtube have some fuzzy audio and are not as good as simply listening to (Allman Brothers guitarist) Dickey Betts play it as an 8-minute guitar lesson (with his son Duane) for Guitar World magazine... elegant, spare, and oh so lovely.

They have to slow down at around the 3:45 mark (the "second theme"), where it gets somewhat complicated and psychedelic. Other than that, this version is almost good enough to stand on its own.

In Memory of Elizabeth Reed - Dickey Betts



Aside: I didn't know Betts had named his son Duane, which gets me rather choked up.

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Time for working class proletarian bluegrass. You can blame the election. Class consciousness uber alles!

This is an old union song I grew up with. The Blue Diamond mines in Kentucky are still going strong, in case you didn't know. The union? Not as strong.

You old black gold you've taken my soul
And your dust has darkened my home
And now that we’re old you're turning your back
But where else can an old miner go

It’s Big Leatherwood and it’s Algoma Block
And now it’s Blue Diamond too
The pits they are closing - get another job
But what work can an old miner do

John L. had a dream but it’s broken it seems
And the union is letting us down
Last night they took away my hospital card
Saying why don’t you leave this old town.

The union didn't let you down, the Rockefellers did. Now they have decided they were wrong; they are divesting and fast-dissociating themselves from fossil fuels. And how many miners died to make them rich?

A day late and a dollar short. Not our dollar, though.

Blue Diamond Mines - Jean Ritchie

Blood, Sweat and Tears

I recently realized I had never posted any songs by BS&T (as they used to be called, and everyone knew the acronym too). These are two songs you won't hear on the oldies radio stations.

I never noticed there are (gasp) VIOLINS in this song. Sung and co-written by Al Kooper, who would soon depart the band, I just adored this record and listened to it every single day when I was about 13 years old. Which is probably why I never noticed the violins. The melody is lovely!

I Can't Quit Her - Blood, Sweat and Tears



And this is the Blood, Sweat and Tears most of you will remember; BEAUTIFUL BIG BRASS NOISE, headed up by singer David Clayton-Thomas.

Go Down Gamblin - Blood, Sweat and Tears

Too late for Tuesday Tunes

I woke up and thought, I'm wide awake, I'm not sleeping... and then I thought, wait, what song is that?

BAD - U2



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... which of course, made me think of ...

I'm only sleeping - Beatles



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And finally, when you sleep, you get...

Dreams - Allman Brothers Band



... which I might have posted here before?

That last song is so intense for me as I age, I can barely listen to it.

After so many years, it remains a masterpiece. Duane was amazing.

Sweet as cherry pie

Cherry Pie - Sade



Again, a tip of the hat to WPCI!

Sunday music

Why Does Love Got to be So Sad? - Derek and the Dominos



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Namesake of this blog, Uncle Dave's Dead Air, featured this gem last week:

The Other Side Of This Life - Jefferson Airplane



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Hope you are all having a lovely sabbath too!

PS: Map of where the week starts, worldwide. (that's just the sort of Tumblr-nonsense I end up lost in, for alarmingly long periods.)

Monday Music - Grateful Dead, Johnny Cash

Music history lesson: You will notice that the traditional "Little Sadie" shares some of the same lines from Johnny Cash's "Cocaine Blues"... the first song is ominous and haunting; the second song more whimsical and defiant.

Both versions are great.

Warnings for woman-killing, drugs, etc.

~*~

Little Sadie - Grateful Dead (acoustic, live in Austin, TX 2/23/70)



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Cocaine Blues - Johnny Cash

Deportees

We saw Arlo Guthrie on Sunday and he did this song. I love it so much.

Whenever there is a news story about immigrants/undocumented workers, and their names are omitted, I always think of this song.

I found this version of the song by Arlo and Emmylou Harris. So beautiful! (Unfortunately, the audio-synchronization seems a bit OFF in this video, and their mouths don't quite match up to the lyrics, but that's quibbling.)

Happy 100th birthday, Woody Guthrie.

Arlo's tour started two years ago, to celebrate his father's centennial celebration.

~*~

Deportees - Arlo Guthrie and Emmylou Harris



EDIT: And yes, this is "Tuesday Tunes" because I wrote it on Tuesday and did not post it until today. THANK YOU FOR NOTICING! :P

I have removed the "Tuesday Tunes" designation for those readers who are uncompromising sticklers for accuracy. Truthfully, I didn't even notice. I DID manage to say "Wednesday edition" on the radio today, so I am NOT a total loss.

Thanks yall! :) Its so nice to know you care.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Oh My Love - John Lennon

Merry Christmas from the Family

We featured all of these songs on our Christmas-edition radio show, broadcast on Monday, December 23rd. (It was just me and Gregg, and it was Double-A's turn to take a break.)

Hope you all have happy holidays, as we continue to Occupy the Microphone for another year.

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Merry Christmas from the Family - Robert Earl Keen



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Merry Xmas Everybody - Slade



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I believe in Father Christmas - Greg Lake



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Slipping into Christmas - Leon Russell

Southern Culture on the Skids

I MET MARY HUFF! I talked to her! Seriously! A thrilling moment of my life, to be sure. (Isn't it so great to meet our personal musical heroines?)

I told Mary about my late mother, who played bass and dressed just like her... and she high-fived me.

MARY HUFF HIGH-FIVED ME!!!

I floated out of there... after purchasing an autographed copy of DIG THIS, DITCH DIGGIN, VOLUME 2.




And here are some photos from this very entertaining, landmark event, which was yesterday at Bohemian Cafe. (you can click to enlarge) More photos at my Flickr page.


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