Matthews Southern Comfort – Road to Ronderlin
I bought this album in 1970 and it’s one of my favorites of that era. Iain Mathews split from Fairport Convention and formed this group, they released two albums that first year and had a number one in UK with ‘Woodstock’. I like his voice and the gentle tone of this song, there’s a 70′s review here. – goneforeign
We’re Leaving – Devotchka
Just because it’s beautiful, and sad, and gives me goosebumps whenever I
hear it. – blimpy
The Royals – Free Speech And Movement.
The Royals survived for about 20 years until the mid-80s. Free Speech And Movement is one of my fave reggae tunes. Its hypnotic groove hangs around for days after I listen to it. A recurring guitar figure, cowbells, and a series of futuristic synthesiser and organ bleeps carry the familiar Rasta message. Before fading out the song morphs into a brilliant up-tempo dub. No surprise that founder, singer, composer Roy Cousins now concentrates on producing other artists. – webcorewebcore
Electronic – Forbidden City
Five things that make this the perfect pop single:
1) The cryptic title; 2) the unflagging urgency – from Barney’s blurted vocal opening to the final drum kickoff; 3) a lyric encompassing heartbreak, resentment, homesickness and a desperate yearning for (parental?) love; 4) Johnny’s distorted guitar solo; 5) the fact that its parent album was so disappointing in comparison! -bishbosh
Robert Wilkins – Old Jim Canan’s.
Robert wishes he was down the pub with his baby and his whiskey, beer, cocaine and gin. Bit naughty for a Reverend, I’d say. Still, the guitar playing is jaunty, with that ‘delta bend’ in evidence just before the chorus (at 1:15, spoons too!). Great Friday night song, even if Maki’s going to put it out on a Monday! – williamsbach
Anita Baker – Sweet Love
No apologies for posting a classic : from Anita Baker’s 2nd LP the multi-million selling Rapture from 1986 here is the opening track Sweet Love which became her first mainstream hit, winning a Grammy to boot. It’s a brilliant slice of 80s soul from one of the finest voices America has produced. ‘Twas also the soundtrack to the early days of my wife and I courting… – magicman
Coupla things…
1.) Today is Mrs Maki’s birthday so one of her all time earworms is nº 7 in the player this week. Happy Birthday to my beloved wife!
2.) Our texts are getting a bit too long methinks. Some of the recent posts have been a bit too word heavy. Now, I’ve never been one to use three words when I could get away with ten! Consequently, I’m probably not the best person to edit your texts. I don’t know where to start! Let’s try to keep it to around fifty words per submission. Thanks!
And finally, thanks for your submissions. Keep ‘em coming: earworm@tincanland.com
¡Feliz cumpleaños a Mrs Maki!
Got a few minutes whilst my customer rearranges his staff ahead of a late-shift training course, so …
… can’t listen until tonight at the earliest, but I’m tingling with anticipation for webcore‘s selection in particular after that write-up!
1.) Happy Birthday, Señora Maki.
2.) Message received and undertstood, Maki.
Feliz cumpleaños, Señor Maki! Have a fab day. And great earworm choice – you can never go far wrong with a bit of “Me and Bobby McGee”… Dunno how many times I’ve heard it before, but it never ceases to move me. Wonderful stuff.
Of the others… I likes them all! As a disaffected 14-year-old, the Anita Baker is one of those songs I would have scoffed at publicly but loved in private. That and Stevie Winwood’s “Back in the high life again”. And Black’s “Wonderful Life”… All those smooth, soulful, quality records that were always played over footage of someone windsurfing ineptly on No Limits.
You’re right about the MSC singer’s voice, gf – very soothing. Neither The Royals and Robert Wilkins are my usual cup of tea but really enjoyed both. And the Devotchka is perhaps my pick of this week – singer’s voice really reminds me of someone else, but I can’t think who it is. But loving the ‘Beirut-ish’ sound. And props to blimpy for avoiding the unnecessary verbosity of some of the rest of us!
Señora, sorry! Could have sworn I’d typed that…
Happy B-Day Mrs Maki!
I’m liking the lap/pedal steel on Goneforeign’s pick. Not normally an instrument I’m a fan of.
I proved my own claim and got goosebumps from Devotchka.
Webcore – more cowbell!! Nice tune!
Drinking cocaine and gin, williamsbach?!! Yikes. Top tune, tho it sounds like he’s singing about Old JEFF Canan’s to my ears. My pick o the bunch.
I think there may be a band called The Bobby McGees
Happy Birthday Mrs Maki – that tune would be the pick of the week almost every week.
Good to hear Matthews Southern Comfort – I saw them at Cropredy a few years ago, but have never heard anything by them other than Woodstock. I remember they played a rather excellent cover of Yo La Tengo’s Our Way to Fall.
Loved Devotchka, and will definitely be investigating further. The intro had a bit of a Sufjan Stevens rhythm going on.
Didn’t know, but enjoyed, that Electronic song. They were definitely a singles band. Royals and Robert Wilkins were fun, but I’m afraid I had to skip Anita before the end – I just can’t get past the 80s pop sheen. My loss, I’m sure.
Weirdly, listening to my own earworm in this context, I dunno where I got the idea of “unflagging urgency” from. Maybe I just had the volume turned up to high on my headphones when I was trying to come up with a blurb! Or I just liked the sound of the phrase… Whatever, I still love the song.
“too high” – argh! I seem to have lost the ability to write today.
Ms. Maki, happy birthdays, you share it with my old dog Seamus, he’s 13 today, that’s pushing it for a German Shepherd, 91 in our time.
Love your earworm, always loved Janice especially that song, love the instrumental/vocal jam that develops at the end, full tlit boogie indeed!
El Blimp; great choice of mariachi music, loved it. Thanks for a new name to me, Devotchka.
Webby; Another great cut, one I haven’t heard in years. Reggae always makes me feel good. I knew there was one Royals album somewhere in my collection, just found it, Israel be Wise from 1978, totally appropriate lyrics still, great backing band.
Bish: Nice instrumental behind a good lyric, loved the gtr break and the final drum kickoff.
WB: Another new name to me, Robert Wilkins, it reminds me of the Lomax recordings of the 30′s.
Magic: Classic indeed, takes me back too,
Maki: Thanks for including the 1971 Rolling Stone link.
Happy happy birthday, Mrs. Maki!!!!!! (I love her earworm)
I liked all of the tracks this week, but standouts for me were Devotchka, which I just loved – nice sort of joyous melancholy. Also loved Robert Wilkins, of course!
Thanks for putting it all together, Maki.
Many Happy Returns Of The Day, Mrs. Maki!!
Haven’t time yet to listen but will certainly return at the first opportunity
Happy Birthday Mrs M – that was my favourite of this week’s earworms.
Loved The Royals and Anita Baker (where is that vinyl LP?) too.
1 My favourite…I need to rush out and get some Matthews Southern Comfort records NOW! (only I won’t, cos it’s 9.43 pm. ) Thanks, gf.
2 What an interesting band. I need to find out more.
3 Never get tired of reggae – and a cowbell too! Terrific stuff.
4 Yes, I wondered about the ‘urgency’ too, bish. Lovely tune, I thought, but too much going on in the background for me with this one.
5 Roll on Friday, williamsbach! Though I did kinda start thinking, towards the end ‘all right, all right, I heard you already.’
6 Not my kind of thing, magicman, though I’m always envious of people who have songs that remind them of their courting days!
7 Well, I was lying when I said no. 1 was my favourite. No, not really, but Janis is just wonderful on this. Good earworm Mrs M!
I liked the Matthews Southern Comfort – if “gentle” isn’t seen as damning-with-faint-praise, then I’ll agree with gf that it has that in its favour.
Devotchka – I found myself grinning and nodding-along too much to figure it as either “sad” or “goosebump”-inducing. Joint first place this week, with …
The Royals. My reggae knowledge-pool continues to grow outwards, if not any deeper.
Never a fan of Electronic, but donds for bish‘s line about Steve Winwood & Black etc. I think you’ll find I have a future Earworm already lodged in Maki’s shell-like along just those lines.
And I’m with barbryn & tfd over the last two cuts; sorry magicman.
Except I forgot that Me & Bobby McGee is tacked on the end, didn’t I? Not in my personal Top 5 JJ songs, but beyond critical reproach, surely.
As we’re still celebrating her birthday on this side of the planet let me extend my congrats to La Senora Maki & a thanks for Janis at the end. Made me smile it did. As to the list – another fine diverse effort. Standouts for me were Devotchka (Mariachi is irrestible to me most often) & the Robert Wilkens which if you set in a juke would leave ‘em dancing. Always like cowbell & nice guitar work on MSC & Electronic. Which brings me to an awkward defence of Anita Baker. Exquisitely polished, sultry and nearly over produced it’s (to me ) the kinda song that , unfortunately, lacks an extensive programming peofile so you often hear it & others like it on ‘soft jazz’ stations. Shame really ’cause it’s just the type of song makes you want to grab someone significant & indulge in it’s creamy atmosphere. I hope that came across as I really like it ’cause I do.
Many happy returns to Mrs. Maki – you are looking younger than ever!
I’ll have a listen properly tomorrow to the toonz
and a very happy birthday to mrs maki from all at RR, but most especially, me.
Enjoyed the spread as usual this week, MSC reminded me of the sixth form at school, afghan coats and joints glowing, nice one.
I’d never heard Devotchka before, and it didn’t tingle my spine sorry.
The reggae was sublime, music indeed to my ears.
Electronic – now there’s a band I didn’t check at the time, but I liked the song very much.
Robert Wilkins was my earworm of the week – I can see that spinning round my ear for a while yet.
Janis I find admirable rather than lovable.
And as for Anita Sweeter Baker, very interesting responses and rather as I had suspected, it is an RR blindspot. Thanks to those who like it, commiserations to those who don’t like it, but I’m the only one who loves it I rather suspect – and it is a stone-cold classic 80s soul tune, not an obscurity, collector’s item, a proper top ten soul records of the 80s tune SO NOW – I can now corner 80s soul as my own special interest group – Michael Jackson, Prince, Anita Baker, Luther Vandross, Chaka Khan, The Jones Girls, Odyssey, Donna Summer, Phyllis Hyman, Jean Carn, Fatback, Patti Labelle, Whitney Houston, late-period Stevie I will be your champion bring it on !!
ucksake – that was me mr magicmenagerie magicman.
MSC’s tune took a couple of listens before it began to grow on me, and yes, unexpectedly, I like it now, even picked up my guitar and worked out the changes.
Devotchka are new to me but they grabbed me from bar one. Loved the arrangement.
Electronic. Hmm, I’d forgotten about these. Thought it musically very sophisticated and had to look ‘em up. Ah, yes, that explains it. Never considered Sumner a singer, but he carries this tune very well. Could sing along to this.
Robert Wilkins’ song was new to me, although I have a couple of his tunes. Just . . . just . . . perfection.
Don’t know why Magicman feels he has to fight his corner, (sorry if that’s not the case but the posts read that way), he’s right, this song is an absolute classic and will be around for a very long time. It isn’t the kind of music that I’d normally listen to, but I know quality when I hear it. I bought the Rapture album on cassette for Mrswebcore back in the day. She wore the printing off the casing from loading it, but I didn’t complain, I was just glad she was enjoying herself. Some years ago, going through some boxes of old tapes, I found the cassette and had to play it in order to find out what it was.
As for Janis, I never heard her sing better than this.
didn’t feel like I was fightong a corner, just makin’ an observation based on replies to date…
glad you liked it nonetheless. One of the best voices of the last 30 years
Having now given them all an airing, the standout track for me was The Royals. Janis, of course, was great, although I like other versions of this song just as much.
Robert Wilkins’ track reminded me of stuff I have on several compilations collected by Paul Oliver. Very good, too.
Matthews Southern Comfort track was pleasant and very listenable.
Devotchka sounded nice. Electronic reminded me for some reason of students in oversized sweaters drinking cider and blackcurrant!
And Anita Baker – Very polished, very smooth,very professional, but not my scene, I’m afraid.
Magicman – I like a lot of your noms – and the ones I don’t? Probably equivalent to my noms you don’t like. Cool, or what?
A really good mix this week. Liked all of them.
Smooth and relaxing.
By the way, can’t find them in the dropbox just yet. !
Hey bluepeter. I suspect Maki is away with the missus celebrating her birthday (he certainly set the post to appear on the blog ahead of times) – I’m sure he’ll ‘box them upon his return.
Alternatively, you can usually download the linked mp3s by clicking on the ‘Posts’ Feed up top right.
Another great list, mostly discoveries apart from Janis and Anita.
Belated feliz cumpleaño wishes to Sra Maki
Mrs Maki says thanks for the birthday wishes and for liking her earworm. Her birthday was spoilt by me putting my back out and she had to look after me and make a fuss of me which is not the way it should be…
WB apols for the DB mess up – they should be there now.
Passing your apols to Bluepeter….. And happy post-birthday to MrsM, whose turn to be looked after and made a fuss of is surely only postponed!
It’s taken third listens all round to put some kind of order to the picks this week; I genuinely like ‘em all. Here’s the differences (in preference, not merit) that gradually worked their way to the surface.
Electronic and Devotchka – Both lovely songs, with that early-Eighties vocal sound. Now, everyone knows that I’m a blinkered and curmudgeonly old guitar snob, and that most of the Eighties was a musical desert for me. No surprise, then, that those vocals aren’t top of the reasons-to-like-me list for these songs. It’s guitar ‘n’ drums in the one, and brass ‘n’ guitar in the other.
Matthews Southern Comfort – Gentleness, and a guitar break that Glenn Frey and Don Henley must’ve been picking out in their bedrooms. I can hear an older, calmer Marc Bolan doing this, though that’s probably anathema to most MB fans.
The Royals – Dub reggae in an accessible pop package? Bleeperty-blooperty heaven? Sounds like a put-down, but it’s not. Clearly what the first-two-albums UB40 were trying to achieve before they settled for the anodyne. Any more, Webcore?
Anita Baker – Above remarks about the Eighties notwithstanding, I do like this. I have a promo CD EP with it and ‘Body And Soul’ that was given to me by a guy who used to DJ early mornings on Jazz FM. (He quit when the playlisting got so tight that he couldn’t play dedications to his mates at 6:15am – all changed now). Yes, it’s Sade-slick. Yes, it’s overproduced. Yes, it’s had all its hooks nail-polished out so that it slips through the brain without sticking. But that voice, man. It’s all about the voice.
Janis – It’s a great song, isn’t it? Alt country before rock bands grew wary of the c-word. A story-telling, wistful love song with strong lyrics (‘Busted flat in Baton Rouge, waiting for a train, Feelin’ just as faded as my jeans‘ – what an opener! Kris Kristofferson out-Dylaning Dylan), a powerful and appropriate voice, and great guitar once you listen properly. I do sometimes wish Janis would pipe down and let the band come through, but it works here.
PS – Don’t leave us in suspenders, DsD – what are your top 5 JJ songs?
Oh, and I kind of agree with TFD about the Robert Wilkins; I think it’s a side-effect of the digital remastering bringing the vocal to the fore. I’m sure that the repetition wouldn’t be as sticky-out obvious if the voice was only as loud as the guitar. Blimpy, I first heard it as ‘Jack LeNane’s’.
Super suggestions everyone, and great picking Maki! A total joy this week.
Had to listen to Robert Wilkins again, cos it’s been stuck in my head since listening to it the other day & I need to dislodge it, the sign of a true earworm!!
Plenty more where that came from, Williamsbach, but I shall be sparing of them lest I get typecast. Glad you (all)liked it.
Webby/WB et al: The recent responses to reggae hereabouts prompted me to spend several hours yesterday scrolling through my various iTunes reggae files, they’re quite substantial plus there’s a million more in the other room. The thought had occurred to me over a period that the Spill needs some fresh blood and that triggered the idea of doing a new weekly post of classic reggae; I don’t mind being typecast.
I’m still pondering it, it will depend on whether I can technically master a few things besides posting pics and tunes, I’m working on it.
Whilst you lot were absorbing whatever the 70/80′s threw up as pop I was literally obsessed with all things Jamaican, it was almost literally all I listened to, so it could be interesting.
Go for it, gf! I’m up for listening to whatever you throw at me. As I hinted earlier, I know that there is an ocean of music out there collectively known as reggae, but I have NO idea how deep those waters run. I am just getting a handle on one or two of the sub-genre headings, enough to know that I generally do like dub (provided I’m in the mood in the first place), normally find lovers rock a bit insipid, and songs listed as dancehall stand less than a 50/50 chance of me liking it. But even that description should tell you how little I truly know.
Now I’m not looking to embark on a life-changing odyssey, but I do want to at least find a little ground firm enough to put some roots in (sorry, bad pun!).
Cheers.
DsD
I’ve mentioned before that the first two girls I fell in love with were Elly May Clampett (Donna Douglas) and Millie Small (My Boy Lollipop). It was 1964. I was eleven. I’ve paid attention to Jamaican music ever since. Wouldn’t consider myself an expert, just a fan, so anything GONEFOREIGN can throw my way would be extremely welcome.
Another Spiller who could do with being (and would love to be) educated on all things reggae. My knowledge is pretty much limited to Bob Marley and a couple of Trojan compilations…
Well I’m still struggling, this time with GarageBand, I’m trying to come up with something different and I have no experience with it. I have thought in the past that it’s such a waste that this large collection just sits here basically unplayed, I think it needs to be shared, that’s what’s triggered these thoughts. Webby’s posting of Big Youth’s S90 Skank at RR [should be a shoe-in] this week prompted me to pull up a chair and start pulling vinyl and that took me back to happier times then his posting the Royals did it again.
As others have said, GF, go for it. I would look forward to the posts.
If Mrs. Maki’s birthday is Nov. 15, it’s the same as my little Isaac’s!! Sweet and sunny dancing spirits?
Yes it is. And yes they are. We’re both very lucky, aren’t we!
YES WE ARE!
So it’s belated birthday greetings to Isaac! Hope you had a good day, poppet.
Yes, happy birthday Isaac! Sorry we missed it….
And from me! x
Thanks from Isaac, everyone! I was thinking how nice it is to be turning 5, because OF COURSE he had a good day! He looked forward to his birthday for 2 weeks, and he wasn’t disappointed, and he still calls himself the birthday boy. Wouldn’t that be nice?
so very late catching up ..
a late happy birthday to the Mrs. Maki, hope you treated her very special (for the day and always)
to not so little Isaac.. 5 is a GREAT age says z-boy.
and panthersan – happy birthday to you too fella – treat yourself to some new converse mate (both pairs of my really fat skate converse have finally died on me, at the same time, wherever I look I can’t find replacements.. knew I should have purchased more than the two pairs – but they have kept going since ’96 – so can’t complain)
Happy Birthday Mrs Maki and Isaac! it’s 2 days after mine! which was spent trudging around the Swedish town of Jonkoping in the freezing rain with a hole in my Converse without even a measly card to open!
I think my computer may be playing up as is just says File Not Found…hmm….
I fear my public links may have been disabled!
I’ll find a solution for next week, meanwhile they’re in the box…
Happy birthday, Panthersan. Nice to see your name again. I have holes in my converse, too, they’re useless on a rainy day.
and apologies to Maki too, my computer WAS playing up after all, but is all OK now. Great selection as always, loved the Royals and would most definitely welcome a Goneforeign reggae post.
Garageband is pretty user friendly (to make my podcasts I just record from vinyl on Wiretap and then drag the MP3 into the “Jingle” channel of Garageband’s “Podcast” application – simple as that!) from that just click “Send to iTunes”, then Maki’s step-by-step guide is all you need – go for it GF.
I somehow managed not to wish Isaac a Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday – you are the birthday boy for just as long as you want to be!
And no apols necessary Panther – the links weren’t working but now they are, very strange! Anyway, it led to my making contingency arrangements for future Earworms posts so it’s actually been a good thing!
More very very belated birthday wishes to panthersan and Isaac – Darcey get to 5 in 3 weeks time, and can’t wait.
And @ Shane and JP – my padded white leather Converse, bought in 1999, are still going strong. Doing particularly well given their status as #1 preferred winter non-worktime footwear.