Singles Released This Week Years Ago

 

Here is the second edition of a journey through former hits and some eclectic songs from the past this year.

1972: Little Feat

1964: The Searchers

1969: The Byrds

1983: Prince

1965: The Righteous Brothers

1965: The Shangri-Las

1968: Otis Redding

1971: Ike & Tina Turner

1990: Sinead O'Conner

1981: Ultravox

1969: Tommy James and the Shondells

1994: Tori Amos

1971: Janis Joplin

1974: The Allman Brothers Band

1974: Paper Lace

1974: Joni Mitchell

New Song On Sunday

 

I must admit that I like the idea and execution of Flying Mojito Bros. Take a piece that's already 50 years old and turn it into a contemporary piece that would look good on any dance floor. A few weeks ago, they tackled Spanish Moon by Little Feat. The bass was mixed to the foreground, synths and guitar licks set the tone and transformed the old blues number into a stomper.

Little Feat were for me one of this old time bands that had their greatest time before punk and new wave took over the control. For me they were one of the few bands I could listen with joy although new great music appeared. For those who didn't know them here is the original from their 1977 live album Waiting For Columbus.

Little Feat - Spanish Moon

Singles Released This Week Years Ago

 

Another journey through decades of music and genres.

1969: True soul-funk by Sly and the Family Stone

1973: Little Feat was one of the only bands you could listen with joy in pre-punk days.

1978: Steely Dan was the only old school band I listened to when punk arrived.

1967: A highlight of British blues-rock by Eric Burdon and the Animals when he told us tales from his younger days.

1996: Foo Fighters released a superb example of alternative power pop.

1984: A very fine song by R.E.M. from their excellent second album.

1977: Blondie appeared on the scene with one of her best songs.

1975: Rubber Bullets by 10cc was one of the earliest singles I ever bought.

Feats Don't Fail Me Now

 

In August 1974 Little Feat released their fourth album Feats Don't Fail Me Now. It wasn't their best one but I still remember the day when I bought it. From 1979, I had to do my military service for 15 months. One day when I was at home for weekend the news arrived that one of the oldest discotheques in our town will close down and they will sell all of them records. The location was more a pub than a discotheque were me and a friend often went to because they didn't mind to sell beer to teenagers like us and they had a turntable where they played music. This place was heavily frequented by American soldiers and late hippies and we were introduced to psychedelic rock, funk and soul. It was the first time I listened to James Brown, Marvin Gaye and The Temptations on the one side and to Little Feat and comparable bands. The pub had a bad reputation because it was known as a marijuana distribution centre. And so I experienced more than one raid by the American military police. Nevertheless, it was a meeting place for us youngsters and I have seen older friends taking pictures, chairs and glasses as souvenirs with tears in their eyes on the last day. Amongst other albums, I was also able to purchase the Little Feat album, which I still enjoy listening to today, along with sentimental feelings.

Little Feat - Feats Don't Fail Me Now

Little Feat - Skin It Back

Little Feat - Spanish Moon

Little Feat - Oh Atlanta

Back To Normal Life

 

Since today, public life in my hometown has moved back towards normality. The incidences have fallen so far that it is again possible to meet in groups also in a pub. Of course not without the government having ordered regulations for this. So visits to a pubs and beergardens are only allowed to those who can show a negative vaccination test. For this reason, the public test centers cannot save themselves from an unusually high rush. Yesterday after work I managed a date for testing today and so in the late afternoon I will be able to meet some friends personally to those I had only contact via chat or Zoom. Hopefully this will be a few steps into normality. Today some songs I found on a sampler that was played often in times when me and mates met in a pub.

Pretenders - Brass In Pocket

Tom Robinson Band - 2-4-6-8 Motorway

Dr. John - Right Place Wrong Time

Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop

Little Feat - Dixie Chicken

Velvet Underground - Sweet Jane

Dr. Feelgood - Milk and Alcohol

Live Music On German Television

 

From time to time I come back to a series of live performances in German television I started a couple of years ago. The recent days I found a clip from an appearance by The Byrds in 1971. It is an almost 14 minutes long version of Eight Miles High but frankly speaking it has nothing more in common with the original than a few chords but shows a side of the band that is seldom heard. This version is like The Byrds jamming with Little Feat and or Grateful Dead. What makes this song great is to listen to the superb bass played by Skip Battin and the guitar picking by Clarence White. It is a kind of stuff they don't do in this days anymore.

Uschi Nerke, the little lady appearing at the start of the songs tells the story behind the song: five years before, 8 Miles High had been banned from US radio. The song they're performing is a new version from the album Untitled.

Three In A Row - Again

Another day in office with several meetings without a final result. So we have to finish and fix the jobs tomorrow. Feeling empty on my way home listening to the songs that shuffled up on my mobile phone. Then this songs appeared in a row and brought my memories back to years ago when this songs were in many ears. So this is a short insight into my spectrum to my musical influences over the last decades. Nothing special but some songs that mean a lot to me (not at all times but right now). Tomorrow is another match day for my team. Now they are number 2 at the table and we've got a new manager and coach. Seems like we going the right way. Anyway, it is the right way to finish working week and watch the game.

Enjoy and have great weekend.

Little Feat - Sailing Shoes
The Sonics - Save The Planet
FSK - I Wish I Could Sprechen Sie Deutsch

Dixie Chicken

Back in 1973, a few years before punk and new wave appeared it was hard to find music that was different from the mainstream. One of those who gave us another kind of music was Little Feat. Formed by Lowell George, a former member of Frank Zappa's Mother's of Invention they played a very unique kind of country-rock, blues and boogie. Little Feat were always a live band. I saw them in the mid 70s and was fascinated (but I was more fascinated a few years later when I saw those new punk and new wave bands). In these days Little Feat were one of those bands you could agree with other people who were concerned to new music (Wishbone Ash was one of the others). Anyway, their music last over 40 years now and sometimes I play them when I am in a sentimental mood and their songs and arrangements have still a little magic inside.

Live Music On German TV # 6

Back in the late 70s / early 80s it was a change in musical preferences. Lot's of people were based in traditional common music - the others had open ears for the new sounds British punk rock bands offered to us. In this time there were less bands you could agree to both parties. One of them were Little Feat. They made a very unique sound, influenced by traditional R'n'B, Funk and Soul. I was a huge fan of their music in these times. First was the voice of Lowell George with his nasal sound. Second was the arrangements in their songs. They combined the slide guitar on a funky, laid back groove. I remember one day when the first real discotheque closed their doors back in 1980. This location was the first real location we had in my hometown where they played very different music that we used to listen to. Frequented mostly by GI's from nearby. And so we got lead to the music of James Brown, Temptations, The Doors and the whole psychedelic stuff. And of curse it was a place where were was dealt with drugs. For me and my lads it was a place where you are close to the 'real tough guys'. This location was closed down because the owners couldn't stand the pressure of of the public guidelines any more. On the last day they made an auction of their records. One of the records I got there was Little Feat's record from 1974 Feats Don't Fail Me Now. This album was very mint but it is still a memory to a place I used to hit often.

Enjoy this little gems and have a good time.