Animal Wednesday

 

We continue this little series with a song from 1958. Another song by Don and Phil Everly that reached the top of the charts back then.

In 1970, Apeman was released as the follow-up to Lola and steadily climbed the charts. And this despite the fact that Ray Davis already had an inkling back then of what we were doing to our planet. Whether the consequence of this is a life in the jungle is still hotly debated today.

I was introduced to this song by Ed, an American friend of mine back in 2008 when he played this song while preparing barbecue. A simple but nice country song by Zac Brown from Georgia.

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

 

After a short hiatus this series continues as usual without big words.

1966: The Supremes

1979: The Human League

1987: George Michael

1967: The Troggs

1966: The Easybeats

1972: The Osmonds

1977: Elvis Costello

1995: Everything But The Girl

1961: The Tokens

1969: The Band

1968: Jimi Hendrix

1969: The Kinks

Singles Released This Week Years Ago

 

Another eclectic journey through music history with chart breakers and simply great songs.

1964: The Kinks

1967: The Small Faces

1986: The Pretenders

1971: James Taylor

1983: Stray Cats

1970: Bobby Bloom

1981: Greg Kihn

1968: The Band

1969: Creedence Clearwater Revival

1980: David Bowie

1980: The Clash

1994: Everything But The Girl

1983: The Fixx

1987: Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield

Singles Released This Week Years Ago

   

This week's compilation takes us back to the early Rock 'n' Roll, give a little soul, some singer songwriter, former hits and early British rock from 60's. Just for your pleasure.

1958: Eddie Cochran

1972: J.J. Cale

1978: 10cc

1992: Lithium

1985: UB40 Featuring Crissie Hynde

1965: Lee Dorsay

1976: Blue Oyster Cult

1983: ZZ Top

1964: The Zombies

2006: Snow Patrol

1974: Barry White

1980: Peter Gabriel

1967: The Kinks

1969: Johnny Cash

1974: Kiki Dee

1979: The Clash

1957: Buddy Holly

1968: The Who

1979: AC/DC

Singles Released This Week Years Ago

 

Welcome to another journey through the time and various musical styles.

1960: Johnny Kidd and the Pirates

1965: James Brown

1982: The Clash

1971: Janis Joplin

1984: The Bluebells

1970: The Kinks

1981: The Specials

1981: The Go-Go's

1969: The Cambers Brothers

1975: Janis Ian

1975: Jim Croce

1979: The Cure

Singles Released This Week Years Ago

 

One more journey to some songs from my musical education.

1967: The Kinks

1981: Talking Heads

1998: Madonna

1970: The Temptations

1982: ABC

1966: Wilson Pickett

1980: Roxy Music

1969: Joe Cocker

1974: Bad Company

1987: Suzanne Vega

Days

 

Today's Valentine's day, when lovers give each other presents and honour their love with gifts. There was a Valentine of Rome, an early priest of Christianity, who was executed for his faith on 14 February 269. He is said to have performed Christian marriages for couples, although this was forbidden at the time, more than a hundred years before Christianity was declared the state religion in Rome. In 1950, the first "Valentine's Ball" was organised in Nuremberg. From then on, the customs of Valentine's Day spread throughout Germany. Valentine's Day became widely known during the years of the Federal Republic's economic miracle thanks to increased advertising by the flower industry. I didn't celebreted this days since ages because it is just a commercial day where flower shops make the most sales. Anyway it is a day where love songs still come to my mind. Thinking of love songs there are always some that thematise the separations. And there is one song that shows a big love even if one got separated from his partner. Ray Davis wrote great songs with fantastic lyrics but Days is a highlight because he found the right words for maybe a never ending love. And CC your right a faithful cover seldom can fail.

The Kinks - Days

Kristy MacColl - Days

The Way Love Used To Be

 

It seems like Andy Bell is in a highly productive phase these days. Since his fantastic album Flicker at the beginning of the year he released almost every second month a new EP. Now he surprised me with Untitled Films Still an EP with four songs originally released on soundtracks. I am grateful that he took a song by Ray Davis to cover. The Way Love Used To Be originally released on Percy soundtrack is one of these songs by The Kinks that was seldom played but in it's beauty it is one of Davis' highlights.

Another song Bell chosen for this EP is a song by Arthur Russel an American cellist, composer and producer who died 30 years before. I have to admit that this song was new to me and I don't know the movie Keep The Lights On where it is from. Anyway this version is one of those songs you can listen from the start until the end and start playing it once again. 

Brass In Pocket

40 years ago The Pretenders released their first album, a milestone of British new-wave pop/rock. I loved this album not only because the deep and smoky voice and of Chrissie Hynde her ability to write great songs. The songs and the sound were also a bridging to the best of the early 60's. Best shown on their cover of a forgotten Kinks song. Still makes me smile listening to them.

Pretenders - Brass In Pocket
Pretenders - Stop Your Sobbing