Friends…
I’m excited to bring you the second installment of Songs for Saturday with a play list that is about as random as you can get top to bottom. In this one we are going from Aretha to Black Sabbath and beyond. At first I really had no idea how it all came out this way, but I realized that most of the music from my computer now is albums that I feel no one should be without. After I get this up, I will put up a list of all the albums included on this mix. As for the reader/listener I hope you enjoy and I put this up with full confidence that this play-list is going to jumpstart your Saturday, and whatever other day you choose to listen. ENJOY!
TRACK LIST:
1) Aretha Franklin - Soul Serenade
Starting off with a little Aretha today cause she just makes you feel so good. Lawd! Her voice can pierce right through you. This is no auto-tune, no computers, or other fancy technology, just unmitigated soul and God-given talent. It’s hard to imagine a time when this was what you heard when you turned on the radio. This is one of those songs that just makes you happy. It is off her 1967 album “I Never Loved a Man the Way I love You”, easily one of the greatest albums ever made.
2) Van Morrison – Into the Mystic
I don’t know where to start with song. I had a write up all worked out for it but I’m not putting up. I’m typing this as I listen to it and my words can’t do it justice. Just turn it up…
3) Neil Young – Heart of Gold
Somewhere along the line I have become a huge Neil Young fan. Normally I can track these things back to an album I got, or a concert that blew me away, but not with Neil. But I have to say he is one of my favorite artists. I love his early stuff with Danny Whitten & Crazy Horse. The combination of his voice and the music just has such a unique and distinct sound that I love. Lyrically the man is a genius, and it shows on this track and album. I hope to see him live soon, before he hangs it up... I hear he can still rock it.
4) Queen – Death on Two Legs
No better way to move into some classic rock than with Queen and Death on Two legs, a song about their former manager, Norman Sheffield. Coming off their tour and hit album “Sheer Heart Attack” the guys of Queen were flat broke. They had been locked into a terrible contract by there manager, and he had basically stole all their money. Rumor has it that upon learning of all this Freddie Mercury came into the studio mad as hell, sat down at the piano and wrote this scathing song. The lyrics hold back no punches about his feelings and are only more amplified by the ferocity in his voice. You can hear the anger and the feeling is matched by Brian May’s guitar. There is a sense of urgency and anger throughout this song. It is a masterpiece in my opinion and a small sample of the awesomeness of Queen.
5) Black Sabbath – Children of the Grave
This may be a little to heavy for some but I dare you to listen to the first minute and not have the uncontrollable urge to play the air drums…I dare you. Also lyrically this is a great song, very instructive message delivered with spookiness only Ozzy could bring.
6 – 7) Widespread Panic – Machine > Barstools and Dreamers
After some Ozzy is a perfect place for this jam > song. Panic’s music live has been likened to a clangy, old battle ship moving across the sea picking up steam. I always think of this description when I hear “Machine” There are a lot of moving parts in this jam built off heavy bass and drums under Houser’s chainsaw like guitar licks. This sequence also shows off why Panic is one of the greatest live acts, when they drop seamlessly into Barstools. I get chills every time I listen to this flawless transition. You get the feeling of wonderment on where the music is going and on a dime they drop into the straight nasty, funk that is “Barstools and Dreamers”. Good God no words can describe the feeling of witnessing this live. On this recording you can hear the crowd go insane as Schools bass bombs fly, and the steady sound flowing from Jojo’s organ. As Houser moves from his low growl to his trade made heavy lead the music physically hits you in the stomach. You just can’t fight the urge to boogie. As far as “Barstools and Dreamers” goes for people unfamiliar with this band I’ll use the same description that someone used to describe the weather when I lived in Illinois
8) Talking Heads – Cross-eyed and Painless
There really is only one way to describe the Talking Heads and that is that they are some weird MF’ers. Their music can be really out there but great at the same time. They were so far ahead of their time when it comes to what they did musically in the late 70’s and 80’s. I highly recommend this album “Remain in the Light.” This is one of those songs that makes you want to drive fast in your car, or break into an alcohol induced MC hammer running man dance. Pure funk as only the Talking Heads can give it to you.
9) Stevie Wonder – Boogie on Reggae Woman
Staying with the grove with a little Stevie Wonder. If you can’t get down to Stevie we may never be friends.
10) The Band – Don’t Do It
“Legends of our time” That’s the only way I can describe The Band. I wish I could have seen these guys in their prime. The music, the vocals, and the song writing, they had it all. This is a perfect example of how they get down. I could listen to this song on repeat for an hour.
11) Little Feat – On Your Way Down
My girlfriend ask me a while back if I had a favorite song, and I really couldn’t come up with a song that I could say totally stood out above all others. Well after dusting off Little Feats 1973 album “Dixie Chicken” I think we might have winner. This rendition of Allen Toussaint’s “On Your Way Down” maybe my favorite song of all time. Not only is the music supersonically amazing, the message is one that all should heed. This is a very instructive tune, with deep layers of guitar, piano, drums, bass, and perfect harmony on vocals.
12) Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit
I had to put these guys new tune on here. I’m really digging their new album and this is my favorite song off it. No gimmicks or fancy stuff here, just straight ahead southern rock, with heart and soul. I love the line “So find me a place with salt on the road…I’ll do what I’m told, buy what I’m sold again”
13) Drive-By Truckers – Play it all Night Long
This Warren Zevon cover really shows DBT’s southern grit. This song reminds me of weekend nights with my buddies out in the country when we were young and stupid. We had music like this playing from some ones truck, while a heated game of horse shoes goes down, giving each other hell with an ice cold cooler full of beer and bottle of hot whiskey in close proximity. The night would usually end with someone bloody or out in the woods with some ones vehicle neck deep in mud. What were we thinking?
14) Modest Mouse – Spitting Venom
I mistakenly chalked these guys up to being a band that emo suburbanite teenagers listen to while they cut their selves because mommy and daddy took their brand new car and cell phone away for a week. I was way off! This is one my girlfriend’s favorite bands and she turned me onto some of their music. I liked what little I heard. Then she took me to a concert and boy they got after it. One of the best concerts I’ve ever been to. If they are in your neighborhood don’t miss them.
This is song is one of my favorites. I love how its starts off so simply then rocks out. The song has a lot of layers musically and very good lyrics. Lead singer Isaac Brock is a hell of a songwriter and delivers it with a certain amount of distain and anger in his voice. This is a great band, and another group that is hard to get into because of the depth of there work. They have about 15 albums and EP’s, but they are definitely worth it.
15) Green Day – Long View
I pulled this album out the other day. Classic 90’s Generation X music. Great song for puttin a hurtin on a Saturday.
16) J. Roddy Walston & The Business
I gave my friend that needs tunes for his ipod, a list of every album from 2010. A couple weeks later he text me and says, “Check out said band”. This event has changed my life. J. Roddy Walston and The business is the best album I’ve heard in 10 years, I kid you not. This guy is the bastard child of Little Richard and Gun & Roses. I guarantee he will be a house hold name in year. GET THIS ALBUM! And get ready for it to rock your face.
17) Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers – I Should Have Known It
Tom Petty…still doing it after all these years. Love some Tome Petty.
18) Neil Young – Everybody Knows this is Nowhere
Another classic from Neil. Sorry for the double post, but I can’t get enough. This is one of my favorite tunes, and very fitting as my girlfriend and I fist fight our way into New York City
19) The Guess Who – No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature
If there was ever a Song for Saturday, this would be it for me. Good ole classic rocker right here to wrap up our list. Turn it up!
20) Outro
In honor of the randomness of this mix I leave you with the most random thing I have musically, The Wu-Tang Clan over the Music of the Beatles. Yep, that’s not a type-o. There’s actually an entire album of it and it’s pretty awesome.
SS-Link
Link Fixed. I Have more stuff I want to put up, but it takes forever to upload, plus I've been extremely busy. Stay tuned and thanks for being patient.
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