The Four Seasons - "Beggin'"

 

I often think about the fact that most people stop listening to new music in their 30s.  I realize that partially applies to me too, but I do make an effort to listen to new music with an open mind.  So when I hear something new on the radio and like it, I have a moment of self-congratulation.  

This happened recently when I heard a song on 96X I didn't recognize but quite liked. Shazam told me it was "Beggin'" by Maneskin, and I was feeling pretty happy with myself for "discovering" a new song.  When I got home and did some digging, I realized:

• The song came out in 2017, on their debut EP "Chosen", and at seven years old, I'm not sure it still qualifies as "new". 
• Upon reflection, it occurred to me that the arrangement borrowed heavily from the Violent Femme's "Add It Up" (1983).  
• And finally, I realized it was a cover of the 1967 song by the Four Seasons.  

As a big fan of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, I was disappointed that I did not immediately recognize it.  Although it was not one of their major hits, Frankie Valli even performed "Beggin'" when we saw him at Chrysler Hall in 2022.  In my defense, Maneskin does a great cover with the arrangement sounding more like the Violent Femmes than the Four Seasons.  

So the self-satisfaction of being open minded enough to take in new music evaporated, but I was left with a new-ish cover, arranged in a classic, college-alternative 1980s idiom.  Still good stuff.

Maneskin - "Beggin'"

Violent Femmes - "Add It Up"

The Four Seasons - "Beggin'" 

PS -- At about the same time, I heard on 96X "Sad in Carolina" by Dexter and the Moonrocks -- an actual new song that's great.

Willie Nelson - "Just Breathe"

 

A month ago, we went to the Outlaw Music Festival in Va Beach.  It was an outstanding lineup: Allison Krauss & Robert Plant, Bob Dylan, and Willie Nelson.   Unfortunately, Willie Nelson was sick and while he was originally projected to return to the tour in time for the Va Beach show, he did not join until the next show on the tour.  I missed a chance to see Willie Nelson in Norfolk in 2008, and I had hoped this would be a chance to make up for that.  He's 91, so realistically my chances of seeing him live are running out.

Allison Krauss and Robert Plant were the opening act, and were definitely the highlight of the show -- we would definitely see them again.  For example, their interpretation of "When the Levee Breaks" was darker, more predatory and menacing that Led Zeppelin's version.  Drew had seen them a couple of times before, so I sort of knew what to expect, but they exceeded my expectations and we would definitely see them again.

I saw Bob Dylan once in college (ca. 1988) and he's not exactly a showman.  I mostly enjoyed his show here, even though he purposefully did some of his most obscure songs. His set fit the bar room, honky tonk aesthetic of this tour, but I certainly would have appreciated at least a couple more of his classics.  

Since Willie was still too ill to perform, Lukas played his set.  He looks and sounds like a lot like his father, and they made the best of the situation.  We enjoyed the set, but we couldn't quite shake the feeling that we were watching a Willie Nelson tribute band.  

Even with the limitations, we enjoyed the concert and it was an evening well-spent (even though it was a million degrees).  But the song that I am choosing to mark the event is not one that they performed, but one that we heard in between sets.  It is a cover of Pearl Jam's 2009 "Just Breathe", a single from their 2009 LP "Backspacer", a late-career "hit" for Pearl Jam that I always enjoyed.  I did not know until that evening that Willie Nelson and Lukas Nelson did this as a duet for Willie's 2012 LP "Heroes".  It's a great song, and they turn in an inspired cover, and I could not help but think of Johnny Cash's work with Rick Rubin.  

Pearl Jam: Just Breath (studio), Live at Austin City Limits (2009)

Willie Nelson (Featuring Lukas Nelson): Just Breathe (studio), Live at Farm Aid (2012)

The Moody Blues - "Go Now"

 

Denny Laine, co-founder of both The Moody Blues and Wings, died last month.  Most people consider Wings as just a Paul McCartney solo project, and that's mostly true, but few realize that Laine was a constant member of the band (along with Linda), pretty much from start to finish. In addition to other various projects, Laine was also a member of Ginger Baker's Air Force.  

Although he left before what we now consider the "classic lineup" of The Moody Blues, he did sing lead on the "Go Now", which wasn't their first single, but probably their earliest single that still gets airplay today.  It was only today that I learned that "Go Now" is actually a cover of a song originally recorded by Bessie Banks, with her version predating the The Moody Blues version by a few months.  Normally I credit the original artist, but The Moody Blues version is a great way to remember Denny.  

The Moody Blues - "Go Now"

Wings - "Go Now" (live, 1976)

Bessie Banks - "Go Now" 

Angels of Light - "I Pity the Poor Immigrant"

 

Almost three years ago, Miles Seaton, a founding member of Akron/Family, died in a car accident.  I learned of Akron/Family, one of the coolest bands you've never heard of, from Butch Lazorchak during one of our many musical exchanges.  I struggle to define Akron/Family, but imagine Tortoise and other post-rock bands, channeling 1967-era Brian Wilson.  

My favorite LP of theirs is the "Akron/Family & Angels of Light".  The story behind this LP is a little complicated: it's a split LP, ostensibly between two bands: Akron/Family and Angels of Light, but Akron/Family plays on all the Angels of Light tracks.  

Angels of Light is the neofolk persona of Michael Gira, founder of the noise rock band The Swans.  I'm a big fan of The Swans and have several of their LPs, but did not know about Angels of Light until Butch turned me onto them.  Michael Gira runs his own record label, Young God Records, and was the first to sign and promote Akron/Family, with Akron/Family serving as the backing band for many Angels of Lights releases.  

The full LP deserves its own review (see the Pitchfork review: "...Gira's fatherly measuredness is a nice foil to Akron's hyperkinetic mini-opera..."), but for the moment I'll just spotlight their cover of Bob Dylan's "I Pity the Poor Immigrant", from his 1967 LP "John Wesley Harding".  I'm a sucker for obscure Dylan covers, as well as Gira's drawling baritone.  

For the moment, Akron/Family is defunct, and Seaton's death might keep it that way.  Fortunately, they left a significant discography to explore.  

Angels of Light (with Akron/Family) - "I Pity the Poor Immigrant"

Bob Dylan - "I Pity the Poor Immigrant" (live 1976, with Joan Baez)

I pity the poor immigrant
Whose strength is spent in vain
Whose heaven is like ironsides
Whose tears are like rain
And who eats but is not satisfied
Who hears but does not see
Who falls in love with wealth itself
And turns his back on me

 

Ashley O - On A Roll

Danette and I are late in watching Black Mirror, and we just recently watched the 2019 episode "Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too", which featured Miley Cyrus playing a fictional version of herself (in a dystopian, sci-fi Black Mirror idiom, of course).  In the course of the episode, the "Ashley O" character performed a cleverly rewritten, up-beat synth pop version of Nine Inch Nail's "Head Like A Hole", retitled "On A Roll".  At the end of the episode, once her character has been freed and rebranded as "Ashley Fuckin O", she performs an actual cover of "Head Like a Hole".  

The full story of how this song and episode came to be, as well as Trent Reznor's reaction. are detailed in a 2019 GQ article.  I particularly enjoyed this episode because I remember when "Pretty Hate Machine" came out in 1990 and the impact it had on popular music. Sure, there had been bands like Ministry, Skinny Puppy, Godflesh, etc., but NiN was the first to have genuinely catchy songs and find a cross-over audience.  They had popular impact, and when they were played on the radio/MTV, they sounded nothing like anyone that had been played before. Listening to "Pretty Hate Machine" now, it sounds relatively tame -- but that's not a not a knock against NiN, but rather a testament to Reznor's impact: the reason why "Pretty Hate Machine" sounds conventional now is because for the last 23 years, artists have strived to replicate, incorporate, and in some cases just straight rip-off their sound.  That's real impact.  That fact that "Head Like A Hole" was 1) chosen and 2) works so well for this "Hannah Montana-in-an-alternate-universe" episode is just further illustrates this point.  Also, the song just simply rawks.

Ashley O - "On A Roll"

Ashley Fuckin O - "Head Like A Hole"

Nine Inch Nails - "Head Like A Hole" (studio, live 2013)

Electric Chairs - "Barbie Girl"

I haven't seen "Barbie", yet, anyway.  I suppose it's too big to ignore, and I'm sure Greta Gerwig and company have done a good job, but I guess I'm more of an "Oppenheimer" guy.  I can only assume that Aqua's 1997 minor hit "Barbie Girl" is featured in the film.  I got their debut LP. "Aquarium", based on the strength of "Barbie Girl", but I can't remember the last time I listened to it.  

I'll assume you've heard Aqua's version of the song: it's fun and cute, while remaining subversive.  But have you heard the cover by Electric Chairs?  They released an EP in 2001 of different mixes of the song.  I haven't seen that EP (there can't be many copies in existence), but I first heard this song on The Orb's excellent "Back to Mine" mix CD (check out the entire series).

The Electric Chairs version really brings out the disturbing, menacing, predatory element* that is present in the Aqua version, but a lot easier to miss.  When Aqua sings "Come on, Barbie, let's go party", it sounds like a dismissive critique.  When Electric Chairs sing "Come on, Barbie, let's go party", it's a threat.  And when the beat comes in (~2:38), it is simultaneously super cheesy and awesome -- a plastic but fantastic copy of what a dance beat should sound like.  

Electric Chairs - "Barbie Girl (TF Long Version)"

Aqua - "Barbie Girl" 

* I was tempted to draw a parallel to Sonic Youth's cover of the The Carpenters' "Superstar", but SY's cover changes the meaning of the song, inverting victim to predator.  I think the Electric Chairs cover just emphasizes the scathing commentary that was lurking under Aqua's Europop veneer.  

Sinead O'Connor - "War"

We found out today that Sinead O'Connor died.  Probably best known for her cover of Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U", if you weren't there, it's hard to convey just how big she was in the early 1990s -- right up until she became famous for her other cover: Bob Marley and the Wailers's "War".

I'm 95% certain I watched this live in 1992 on SNL, though it's possible that I watched later coverage of it and the mists of time have caused me to conflate source.  The reaction was nearly universal revulsion, and it's safe to say this greatly curtailed a promising career.  I wasn't offended, but I was surprised at her boldness and conviction.  

And with the benefit of time, it should be clear to all her detractors from 31 years ago that she was 100% right.  I don't recall child abuse in the Catholic Church being well-known at the time, but that started to change after her performance.  There are innumerable villains in the story, but when you're the pope, the papal buck stops with you.  

What I didn't know until today is that Bob Marley's original song, from the 1976 LP "Rastaman Vibration", is based on a 1963 speech to the UN by Ethiopia's Haile Selassie:

That until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned; That until there are no longer first-class and second-class citizens of any nation; That until the color of a man's skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes; That until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race; That until that day, the dream of lasting peace and world citizenship and the rule of international morality will remain but a fleeting illusion, to be pursued but never attained; And until the ignoble and unhappy regimes that hold our brothers in Angola, in Mozambique and in South Africa in subhuman bondage have been toppled and destroyed; Until bigotry and prejudice and malicious and inhuman self-interest have been replaced by understanding and tolerance and good-will; Until all Africans stand and speak as free beings, equal in the eyes of all men, as they are in the eyes of Heaven; Until that day, the African continent will not know peace. We Africans will fight, if necessary, and we know that we shall win, as we are confident in the victory of good over evil. 

Bob Marley adapted that speech into a song, and Sinead O'Connor adapted the song to be about child abuse.  She repeated the song (sans picture) at the 1992 Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Concert.  

Her SNL version starts off a little shaky and unsure, likely because she knows she's on the precipice of an act she can't undo, before it builds to its powerful conclusion.  The best definition of bravery I've seen says it's not about "not being afraid", but rather "being afraid and doing what you have to do anyway."  Sinead was brave, and she was right.  

Sinead O'Connor -- War (1992 SNL; 1992 30th Bob Dylan Anniversary Concert)

Bob Marley & The Wailers -- War (1976 LP version, live 1979)

N.B. It's also a nice reminder that if all you have is "Legends", which admittedly was standard issue when I was in college, you're missing out on Marley's overtly political canon.  

Len - "Steal My Sunshine"

I've always liked Len's 1999 hit single "Steal My Sunshine", but I always considered it more of a guilty pleasure rather than a song I would end up writing about.  It's fun, festive, infectious, has a nice groove, sounds like summer, and I just love how Sharon Costanzo sweetly sings "L-a-t-e-r that week".  Her voice, contrasted with her brother's raspy vocals, helps craft Len's unique sound.  It also blows my mind to think that this song came out last century -- it feels like last year. 

I recently discovered, quite by accident, that there was a recent (2021) cover by LA band Bikini Trill, who seem to be channeling the same aesthetic and sound that Len did on this record some 20+ years prior.  It's a fun cover, and Bikini Trill -- who were probably not yet in grade school when the original came out -- finds a new perspective on the song while still maintaining the essence of the original.  

But what really blew my mind about "Steal My Sunshine" was recently learning the funky sample repeated throughout the song comes from the 10 second break in the 1976 song by the Andrea True Connection, "More, More, More".  I have a vague contemporary memory of this song from the 1970s, but I could not have told you that it was sung by former porn star (!) Andrea True, and I'm sad to say I did not recognize the sample from Steal My Sunshine until I learned of it from "Show Me the Sample".

So summer is just about officially here, so it's time to dust off the Len version, the new Bikini Trill cover, as well as the source of the sample.  If you don't immediately listen to all three songs, you'll miss a million miles of fun.  Enjoy.

Len - "Steal My Sunshine"

Bikini Trill - "Steal My Sunshine"

Andrea True - "More, More, More" (the break is 2:20--2:29 in this 3:11 radio edit);  6:16 LP & 12" version (the break is 2:30--2:39 in this version, and then repeated at 5:20--5:29)

Julee Cruise - "Summer Kisses, Winter Tears"

It's been almost a year since her death, but somehow I failed to mark the passing of Julee Cruise.  I indirectly referenced it when I wrote of the death of Angelo Badalamenti, but somehow I mistook sending a flurry of texts to my friends last year for actually writing about it.  

Having covered Julee extensively in the past (Twin Peaks, Industrial Symphony #1, Floating into the Night), I'm not sure I have anything new to say.  I have a fair amount of her later collaborations (i.e., those not with Angelo Badalamenti and David Lynch), but instead I want to draw your attention to a cover of an Elvis song she did for the "Until the End of the World" soundtrack, "Summer Kisses, Winter Tears".  

I'm guessing it was recorded during the sessions for either "Floating into the Night" or maybe even "The Voice of Love".  To the best of my knowledge, it never appeared on a Julee Cruise LP and the soundtrack is the only place to get it.  

As I've mentioned before, Cruise was a titan in the dream pop genre and her discography is just too short.  Unless there are some unreleased tracks sitting in a vault somewhere, this is it, so enjoy this excellent Elvis cover -- and bonus points for a cover of an obscure B-side too. 

Julee Cruise - "Summer Kisses, Winter Tears"

Elvis - "Summer Kisses, Winter Tears"

Low - Live at Austin Community Television (ACTV) Main Studio (1996)

 

Mimi Parker, the drummer for Low, died last month, after a battle with ovarian cancer.  She and her husband Alan Sparhawk were the two main members of the long-running and genre-defining slowcore band Low.  

I first learned of Low from the Joy Division tribute LP "A Means to an End", where their cover of "Transmission" was a standout among a strong LP.  Based on my enjoyment of their track, I got several of their early LPs, although I don't have nearly enough of their lengthy discography.  

Low's sparse, slow sound is perfect for contemplative late night listening.  Mimi's three piece drum kit,  as shown in the image above, is a nice metaphor for their minimalist, yet surprisingly large sound.  This 1996 four song set, which includes "Transmission", is a good example of their sound at the time.  I don't know the exact date of this concert, but setlist.fm puts them in Austin on both 1996-04-18 and 1996-03-15.

Low had a number of different bassists through the years, but Alan and Mimi were the constants.  Even if Alan continues to make music, I'm not sure he can continue as "Low" without Mimi.  

Bonus link: "Transmission" (studio version), original (Joy Division)

PS -- Given Alan a follow on Twitter; he's thoughtful and engaging.

The Supremes - "You Keep Me Hangin' On" (In Memoriam)

Mary Wilson, co-founder and only continuous member of The Supremes from 1959-1977, died earlier this month.  Though I write about it infrequently here, I'm a big fan of Motown (who isn't, really?), and The Supremes were one of the core elements of the Motown sound (honorable mention to session musicians extraordinaire, The Funk Brothers, as well as the incomparable songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland). 

I was going to mark Wilson's passing with my favorite track from The Supremes, "Someday We'll Be Together", but I was surprised to learn that Mary Wilson does not appear on the studio recording.  Instead, I'll choose the defiant "You Keep Me Hangin' On", which checks all the boxes: Mary Wilson (and co-founder Florence Ballard) appear, as do The Funk Brothers, and it's written by Holland-Dozier-Holland. 

Of course, this song has been covered more times than I can count, but any child of the 80s will immediately recall Kim Wilde's version.  I'm also sneaking this in on the last day of Black History Month.

The Supremes - "You Keep Me Hangin' On" 

Kim Wilde - "You Keep Me Hangin' On"

John Prine - "Sam Stone" (forgotten song)

I'm far behind in my In Memoriam posts, so I'll close out 2020 by scratching one off the list and acknowledging the passing of John Prine, who we lost to Covid-19 near the beginning of the pandemic. 
 

I'll admit that while I knew of John Prine, I was mostly ignorant of his music.  But I did know the he was a songwriter's songwriter (cf. Roky Erickson, Daniel Johnston, and Leonard Cohen), and was revered by people I revere, such as Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan. 

I'm marking his passing with one his most celebrated songs: "Sam Stone", from his 1971 debut LP.   Today I learned that this song was referenced via melody in Pink Floyd's "The Post War Dream" and lyrically in Spiritualized's "Cop Shoot Cop", which are both on extraordinary LPs: "The Final Cut" and "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space", respectively. 

 

John Prine - "Sam Stone" -- live 1997, Sessions at West 54th; live 1988, Austin City Limits; 1971 LP Version

Bonus link: Johnny Cash, "Sam Stone" -- live 1987, Austin City Limits

Walk Off The Earth - "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall"

For this year's installation of Danette's birthday song, I'm choosing a recommendation that she shared with me: a cover of Bob Dylan's "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall" by the Canadian alt-folk group Walk Off The Earth.  

I would not normally pick a Bob Dylan song for Danette's birthday, but there are three reasons to do so.  First, it is illustrative of Danette's policy of liking songs by Neil Young, Tom Waits, Bruce Springsteen, and especially Bob Dylan as long as they're covered by other people.  And as much as I venerate those artists, I concede her point.  

Second, it's also a recognition by Danette of my preference for male/female duets: few songs can not be improved by splitting the vocals between a man and a woman.  

Third, I believe Danette heard this song in an Outlander episode.  Apparently Walk Off The Earth's version was not released on any their LPs, and was just a one-off cover they did and posted on YouTube.  The Outlander producers wanted to use "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall" but figured they could not get Dyaln's permission, and then they stumbled across this version.  Julianne is a big Outlander fan, and the TV series has been on high-rotation in the house as a result, pulling various members of the family into the story.  In the future, Outlander, Charmed, Supernatural, and similar shows will likely remind us of this point in our lives. 

Happy Birthday Danette!  Sorry it's "only" a Bob Dylan song, but at least it's a cover...

Walk Off The Earth - "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall"

Bob Dylan - "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall"

Previous birthday songs:

2019: Nicki Minaj - "Monster"
2018: Bear Hands - "Giants"
2017: Alvvays - "Archie, Marry Me"
2016: Molly Hatchet - "Flirtin' With Disaster"
2015: Avett Brothers - "Kick Drum Heart"
2014: Ani DiFranco - "32 Flavors"
2013: The Green Pajamas - "Kim the Waitress"
2012: The Cure - "High"
2011: Blink 182 - "Josie"
2010:  Dead Milkmen - "Punk Rock Girl"  

P.S. Danette hates Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, so I won't mention their cover.  Besides, there's no M/F duet ;-)

Little Richard - "Rip It Up" (the song remains the same)

Little Richard (Richard Wayne Penniman) died in May.  I've been meaning to cover his death, but couldn't find the song or a succinct way to describe his enormous influence on rock-n-roll.  I've decided to just link my way out of describing his impact on music since I'm unlikely to have anything novel to say on the subject.  But thanks to a tip from my friend Gregg, I've finally found the right song.

"Rip It Up" was a 1956 single from the LP "Here's Little Richard".  It's been covered by numerous musicians, but the 2020 collaboration between Richmond's Butcher Brown and Little Richard for the NFL's Monday Night Football theme is the latest.  Bottom line: continuing with a Bocephus MNF theme was no longer tenable, again.  Swapping to an updated Little Richard song?  Perfect.

"Let's ball tonight!"

Little Richard - "Rip It Up" (1956)

Little Richard and Butcher Brown - "Rip It Up" (2020)

Fleetwood Mac - "Black Magic Woman" (the song remains the same)

Peter Green, a founding member of Fleetwood Mac, died last week.  I already covered Peter Green's contributions to Fleetwood Mac, including their existence long before prior to Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joining in 1975, so I won't retell that story here.  Instead, I will focus on yet another popular song that you might not have known that Peter Green wrote, and the parallels between Peter Green and Syd Barrett.

First, the similarities with Syd Barrett.  Like Syd, Peter Green left a band that he founded after only a few years.  Also like Syd, his career afterwards was limited, in part by substance abuse and mental illness. And like Syd, Peter apparently briefly reappeared during a 1970s recording session with the old band. And like Syd, many artists list him as an influence.

One measure of influence is the number of covers you inspire.  This will news to most, but although Santana popularized "Black Magic Woman" in 1970, it was written by Peter Green and originally released by Fleetwood Mac in 1968 as a non-LP single.  Although you've heard the Santana version 1000 times, give a listen to the original (admittedly, Carlos Santana is one of my least favorite -- yet undeniably talented -- guitar players, but that's a story for another time).  Peter Green's version is heavier than the smooth Santana version.

It's been a long time since Peter Green was in Fleetwood Mac, but his influence was significant.

Fleetwood Mac - "Black Magic Woman" (live 1970)
Santana - "Black Magic Woman"

Yoko Ono - "Listen the Snow is Falling" (the song remains the same)

In my final installment for Women's History Month 2020*, I'll conclude with Yoko Ono's "Listen the Snow is Falling".  I have limited knowledge of Ono's discography, as well as Lennon's non-Beatles discography, and how they intersect and overlap, but it appears that "Listen the Snow is Falling" was first released as a B-side to the Plastic Ono Band's 1971 single "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)", and then later as bonus tracks on re-releases of 1969's "Wedding Album".

My introduction to this song is from Galaxie 500's 1990 final studio LP "This Is Our Music", and bassist and occasional lead vocalist Naomi Yang turns in an understated but powerful cover; one of the LP's highlights to be honest.  Galaxie 500 made incredible, genre-defining music but part of their appeal to me was their impeccable taste in choosing cover songs (see also: the posthumously released "Peel Sessions" LP).  Thanks to Galaxie 500 for choosing this obscure but delightful B-side, almost 20 years after its release, and thereby furthering my education.

Yoko Ono - "Listen the Snow is Falling"
Galaxie 500 - "Listen the Snow is Falling"

* This post was begun in March, but events delayed it until April.  

Yo La Tengo - Yellow Sarong (the song remains the same)

photo credit

Continuing with the previous theme of Yo La Tengo and Women's History Month, today I'll focus on one Yo La Tengo's great cover songs: "Yellow Sarong", originally by The Scene Is Now.  My first experience with the song was Yo La Tengo's 1990 LP of covers, "Facebook".  The original version was from The Scene Is Now's 1985 LP "Burn All Your Records".  I prefer the YLT version over TSIN version: that could be because I heard YLT's first, but I also just love YLT and how they remake all the covers in their own idiom.

When Johan and I were practicing for our DJ premiere (ca. 2003), I always tried to find a way to work this song into the set list.  It never worked with what we were shooting for (Thievery Corporation-style, downtempo, coffeehouse jazz), but I kept trying because the song is that much fun.

The live 2015 version on soundcloud (from acidjacknyc) features a good shot of Georgia Hubley, so I chose that as the main image for this post.  I don't know that much about The Scene Is Now, but they do have a female member as well (Sue Garner), so much like my work with Johan, I'm going to shoehorn "Yellow Sarong" into Women's History Month, whether it fits or not, because the song is that much fun...

The Scene Is Now - "Yellow Sarong"
Yo La Tengo - "Yellow Sarong" (studio version), live 2015-10-10, live 2016-09-09

Rainbow - "Since You Been Gone" (the song remains the same)

While researching my "Frida" post last month, I learned that "Since You've Been Gone" was also written by Russ Ballard.  Like most people, I first heard this song from Rainbow, from their 1979 LP "Down to Earth".  I recall the video from MTV but I'm not sure if the local radio ever played it.

MTV used to play a handful of Rainbow videos in the early days, but I became a big Rainbow fan after I learned about Ronnie James Dio and started working my way backwards through his discography.  "Down to Earth" was the first Rainbow LP post-RJD, and although I haven't listened to it in forever, I recall it was similar to many of the post-RJD LPs: ok, but not great.  But as I watched this video for the first time in a long time, I was reminded that this lineup of Rainbow was great: obviously guitarist Ritchie Blackmore is the center piece of the band, but it also has Cozy Powell (Jeff Beck Group, later Whitesnake, Black Sabbath, and many others) on drums, Roger Glover (Deep Purple) on bass, and journeyman keyboardist Don Airey (later Ozzy, Deep Purple, and others).  Even vocalist Graham Bonnet, in his single LP with Rainbow, is pretty good even though he's no Ronnie James Dio.

So with a lineup that strong, other than a handful of good singles, why aren't the post-RJD LPs more memorable?  RJD consistently brought a fantasy, D&D feel (e.g., "Kill the King", "Man on the Silver Mountain"), and earlier Deep Purple often had an epic, sci-fi mysticism (e.g., "Child in Time", "The Mule").  Starting with "Down to Earth" and continuing through the 80s, Rainbow scored some radio-friendly hits, but the LPs themselves don't have a unifying theme and are not special.

Putting that aside, "Since You've Been Gone" has strong hooks and a crunchy guitar riff -- it's hard to believe this was not a bigger hit, as well as a karaoke favorite.  Don't take my word for it, take the word of guitar gods Ritchie Blackmore, Yngwie Malmsteen, Chris Impellitteri, and Brain May.

Russ Ballard - "Since You've Been Gone"
Rainbow - "Since You've Been Gone"

Alcatrazz (ft. Graham Bonnet & Yngwie Malmsteen) - "Since You've Been Gone" (from "Live Sentence")

Impellitteri - "Since You've Been Gone"

The Brian May Band - "Since You've Been Gone" (from "Live at the Brixton Academy")

Frida - "I Know There's Something Going On" (forgotten song)

I could have told you that "I Know There's Something Going On" was a song from the 1980s -- I have a vague memory of the song from back in the day, even though I don't recall the video or remember hearing it on the radio --  but it's been only 72 hours since I learned these facts:

• Frida is actually Anni-Frid Lyngstad of ABBA, who is also now a German dowager Princess and Countess and living in Switzerland.

• The song itself was written by journeyman song writer Russ Ballard, who also gave us songs like "Back In The New York Groove", "Winning", and "Since You Been Gone".

• Phil Collins was the producer, backup singer, and drummer for the entire LP, "Something's Going On".

Who knew?  Sure, "Who cares?" too, but I since I recently learned this hat trick of trivia I wanted to share it with you.  Of course, the drums have Phil Collins's signature gated reverb sound, but that was not uncommon in the 80s.  Also, I had no idea that ABBA members had solo careers. 

Frida -- "I Know There's Something Going On"

Roky Erickson - "For You (I'd Do Anything)" (forgotten song)

I'm pretty late getting to it, but on my birthday this year Roky Erickson died.  He was probably best well-known for his time in the 60s with The 13th Floor Elevators, but even they are all but lost to history, making Roky yet another installment in the "influential but not famous" category.  A song writer's song writer, his passing was noted by Rolling Stone, NPR, The New Yorker, and others. 

To say this life and career had many ups and down would be an understatement -- rather than rehash his troubles here I'll simply recommend the 2005 documentary "You're Gonna Miss Me", a documentary that is both entertaining, and then profoundly disturbing as it veers into Southern Gothic.

There are many parallels between Roky and Daniel Johnston, who died a few months after Roky.  One of the things they shared in common was a near universal respect from other artists.  As such, I'm choosing to mark his passing with a song I learned of from "Phases", Angel Olsen's excellent 2017 LP of covers, demos, and outtakes.  Angel Olsen is a tremendous song writer, and on "Phases" she covers a song by Bruce ("Tougher Than The Rest") as well as "For You (I'd Do Anything)" from Roky's 1995 LP "All That May Do My Rhyme".  There are about 100 reasons why I think Angel Olsen is incredible, and that fact that she does obscure covers from Bruce and Roky is one of those reasons. 

Roky Erickson - "For You (I'd Do Anything)", live version (IIRC, this is from the documentary)
Angel Olsen - "For You"*



Bonus link**: 13th Floor Elevators - "You're Gonna Miss Me"

Bonus bonus link: trailer for "You're Gonna Miss Me"


* So technically, Angel misnames her cover.  "All That May Do My Rhyme" has two different songs with similar titles: "For You" and "For You (I'd Do Anything)"; the song that Angel covers is actually "For You (I'd Do Anything)".

** By law, every article about Roky must mention this song.