Harmonica Day

In 1970 Black Sabbath released their self titled debut album. It was a monument in heavy metal and screaming guitars combined with a bluesy harmonica.

David Bowie released this song in 1973 on his album Aladine Sane when glam rock was at its peak. A timeless classic even though people keep claiming that the song sounds too much like Blockbuster by The Sweet

Ten years later Elton John released another highlight of his later work, in which he dared to incorporate a harmonica that sounded as if it were being played by Stevie Wonder.

By the time you read this, I’ll have already been in Hungary’s capital, Budapest, for a few days. It’s a city I’ve wanted to visit for a long time, but Orban’s regime has kept me from going until now.

Singles Released This Week Years Ago

 

Let's take another journey into the past and listen to classic and forgotten songs.

1968: Love

1973: Stevie Wonder

1967: Spencer Davis Group

1971: Marvin Gaye

1971: Grateful Dead

1973: Elton John

1982: Joan Jet and the Blackhearts

1984: Echo and the Bunnymen

1965: Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders

1965: The Temptations 

1977: Climax Blues Band

1982: Haircut One Hundred

1968: Blue Cheer

1978: Eruption

1970: Creedence Clearwater Revival

2009: The XX

1963: The Cascades

1983: Eurythmics

1967: Cream

Singles Released This Week Years Ago

 

This will be the last post of this series for a couple of weeks because leave today for my annual trip to Sri Lanka. Probably I will find the time to post a few blogs but I can't promise. Until then, I wish you all good health, a merry Christmas with your loved ones, and a happy New Year. See you again in mid-January.

1965: The Mamas & The Papas

1967: John Fred & His Playboy Band

1966: Cream

1983: Bob Dylan

1989: The Smithereens

1971: Sly & The Family Stone

1963: Lesley Gore

1969: The Kinks

1972: David Bowie

1974: Stevie Wonder

1975: George Harrison

Singles Released This Week Years Ago

 

Another eclectic journey through decades of chart hits and long time not played songs for your pleasure.

1976: Stevie Wonder

1965: Crispian St. Peters

1976: Flamin Groovies

1982: The Kinks

1984: Tears For Fears

1964: The Righteous Brothers

1966: The Monkees

1975: Bob Dylan

1975: Blues Brothers

1980: The Clash

1978: The Records

Singles Released This Week Years Ago

 

Another week, another journey through the decades with songs that became hits and others that didn't make it, but are still worth listening to again.

1967: The Box Tops

1972: T. Rex

1978: Buzzcocks

1978: Rick James

1994: Stone Temple Pilots

1991: Nirvana

1969: Dusty Springfield

1980: Stevie Wonder

1981: J. Geils Band

1970: Quicksilver Messenger Service

1979: XTC

Singles Released This Week Years Ago

 

Enjoy this week's selection of a ride through various genres.

1958: Big Bopper

1970: Chicago

1978: Human League

1972: Seals & Croft

1991: Pearl Jam

1965: The Yardbirds

1978: Donna Summer

1958: Bo Diddley

1982: The Jam

1966: The Lovin' Spoonful

1969: John Lennon

1976: Blue Oyster Cult

1986: Run DMC

1989: Public Enemy

1974: Dobi Gray

1974: Stevie Wonder

1979: The B-52's

Singles Released This Week Years Ago

 

1966: The Bobby Fuller Four was a short time existing rock and roll band. Their legacy is that they first brought Sonny Curtis song to the charts.

1970: CSN&Y released Joni Mitchel's Woodstock a swan song to an era

1965: For me, Donovan always seemed to be poor man's Dylan, but this song is beautiful.

1985: Dream Academy, a small one hit wonder appeared with a with a melancholy tribute to their youth.

1966: The Byrds got success with a cover by Bob Dylan.

1974: Steve Wonder released on of his best records.

1983: David Bowie's album Let's Dance when me and a couple of friends made a short trip to France.

1986: Robert Palmer - just because of the video.

1889: Heart made probably the best song about a one night stand.

Innervisions

 

It was 50 years ago since Stevie Wonder released his sixteenth album Innervisions. It was one of the first albums I bought on request of an older friend. At this time I used to listen to late 60s music and glam and with this album I first got in touch with soul music. Since then I came back to this kind of music from time to time. Innervisions appeared in a period Stevie Wonder had his best outputs. Listening to this record again it shows how great and creative Stevie was at this time. Most of the instruments were played by himself and he made synths compatible for our ears long before they were used in the early 80s. He also had a spread in his sound from ballads over funky sounds to storytelling songs. Still a masterpiece after a half century.

Stevie Wonder -  Loving For The City

Stevie Wonder - Higher Ground

Stevie Wonder - He's Mistra Know-It-All

Stevie Wonder - Don't You Worry Bout A Thing

The Return Of Soul

 

Soul is a genre you might love or not but sometimes artists appear building bridges from the classic sound of blues and gospel inspired music to a very own kind of psych-rock and hip hop. Curtis Harding shows on If Words Are Flowers what today's soul music can be. A smooth and voluminous voice drifting between all named genres. Perfect arranged songs shows the acoustic spectrum that modern soul could offer. Full horn sections meet guitar licks and wah-wah sounds. Sometimes I think Stevie Wonder meets Jimi Hendrix or other psychedelic guitarists. If you decide to get a modern soul album from this year go and get it (otherwise you can own the latest Sault album).

Live Music On German TV

Another footage from German TV show Musikladen. In 1974 Stevie Wonder played a short concert in the studios in Bremen. I suppose that I don't have to introduce him. Everything what made him great you can see in this 30 minute concert. And it was in his very young years when he was just 24 - a truthful giant.

Live Music On German TV

Searching for old music in the internet I found this appearance by Stevie Wonder on German TV. I can remember when I saw it the first time more than 40 years ago and I was impressed about the presence of this blind man. When I heard his voice the first time it touched my soul for ever. it was a new experience to me and from this time I started to investigate in soul music and was never disappointed in this music. Stevie's in 1974 appearance is still fantastic.

Enjoy.

Visions

Yesterday I played some very old albums that I nearly forgot that I have them in my collection. So I grabbed out Stevie Wonder's 1983 album Innervisions once again. It took me back to these days and I've to admit that this record is full of classics with his fantastic voice.

I searched in the web for something more information about this record and stumbled over a short review. Playboy once wrote about this album:

"Stevie Wonder's Innervisions is a beautiful fusion of the lyric and the didactic, telling us about the blind world that Stevie inhabits with a depth of musical insight that is awesome. It's a view that's basically optimistic, a constant search for the 'Higher Ground', but the path is full of snares: dope ('Too High'), lies ('Jesus Children of America') and the starkly rendered poison of the city ('Living for the City'). Wonder seems to say that all people delude themselves but have to be well to pay their dues and existentially accept the present. 'Today's not yesterday,/And all things have an ending' is the way he puts it in 'Visions,' the key tune of the album—pretty yet serious, harmonically vivid. There's a lot of varied music here—Latin, reggae, even a nod to Johnny Mathis ('All in Love is Fair')—but it's all Stevie, unmistakably.

These wise words are enough - enjoy and have a good week.

Stevie Wonder - Visions

Back to Sri Lanka

Yes it is true - I'm leaving to Sri Lanka again; starting end of this month for three weeks (of course after CL final, where I'll support Dortmund). It's horrible, how we are treated by the weather. Now is nearly end of May and we can count the days we could sit outside in the beergarden only on one hand. And the last days the weather changed daily: Friday - cloudy and some rain; Saturday: Sunny and warm - right for BBC; Sunday: rain all day; Monday: cloudy, cold and windy. I will not complain because I know other parts of Europe it is even more worse. 

That's one reason, why I go to Sri Lanka again. The others are seeing C. again and see how our projects are developed. Think it will be a good balance between recreation and forcing our projects. I know that one of the family members made a driving license for a TukTuk and now it should be realized that we check out a vehicle to start them business running. 

Todays track is from my favorite Stevie Wonder album 'Innervisions'. 

Enjoy and have a good week.

Stevie Wonder - He's Misstra Know It All