Hard Times

For some reason this is the Mirah song that is most deeply embedded in my brain. I'd already been a fan for awhile when this came out and I don't really like most of this album, but there it is, stuck. It's slow and stately, gorgeous and sad. I guess I'm a sucker for the bare voice of sorrow. Watch out, though, it's sticky. (Yes, I know it's a cover.)

Mirah and the Black Cat Orchestra's Hard Times

Ocean Songs.

I love the ocean. I grew up in the Bay Area next to it, I love driving along it, I photograph it a lot, and I've missed it terribly while in Arizona. I made a mix about it. While in Arizona. Yes, it made me feel better. (And yes, I stole the title from Dirty Three.)

OCEAN SONGS.
Nina Nastasia- Ocean
Dirty Three- Restless Waves
Low- Over The Ocean
Dirty Projectors & Bjork- On And Ever Onward
Dennis Wilson- Pacific Ocean Blue
Modest Mouse- Grey Ice Water
Sun Kil Moon- Ocean Breathes Salty
Sandy Denny & the Strawbs- Sail Away To The Sea
Beachwood Sparks- The Calming Seas
Billy Bragg & Wilco- Secrets Of The Sea
So Cow- International Waters
Saturday Looks Good To Me- (Even If You Die On The) Ocean
Love Is All- Sea Sick
The Jesus Lizard- Seasick
The Thermals- At The Bottom Of The Sea
The Velvet Underground- Ocean (Outtake)
Patrick Watson- Man Under The Sea
A.A. Bondy- Of The Sea
Alela Diane- The Ocean

Ocean Songs.

*Image credit- Lisa M. Robinson from her show Oceana opening April 28th at Klompching Gallery.

Versions: Baby Blue

Back with another Versions, this time one of about 50 I could do from Bobby D songs. It would be tempting to have done Don't Think Twice, It's Alright and posted the Four Seasons' version, which is in the running for the worst song ever recorded. I actually had a twinge of regret about not choosing It Ain't Me, Babe, as there are two phenomenal covers of it, but I'm sticking with my current favorites. Here are two ridiculously good covers by two 60s garage gods.

It's embarrassing to admit, but I'd never paid much attention to It's All Over Now, Baby Blue before finding these songs in practically the same week. Bob Dylan has so many songs and albums that I'd just never gotten around to listening to Bringing It All Back Home. My mistake. Both these bands make the song their own. Not much else to say. Enjoy.

Them's It's All Over Now, Baby Blue

13th Floor Elevators' Baby Blue

HE from OAKLAND?!

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Their Pain, Our Gain 2

The soul mix of my life, the sequel.

THEIR PAIN, OUR GAIN 2
Ernesto Djedje- Zadie Bobo
Showmen- 39-21-46
Brenton Wood- Oogum Boogum
Bill Moss- Sock It To ‘Em Soul Brother
Ronnie Whitehead- Out Of Breath
Solomon Burke- Home In Your Heart
Lon Rogers & the Soul Blenders- Too Good To Be True
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings- I Learned The Hard Way
O.V. Wright- Nickel And A Nail
Charles Bradley- Why Is It So Hard?
Willie Hightower- Walk A Mile In My Shoes
Ronnie Taylor- Without Love
Archie Bell & the Drells- Go For What You Know
Aretha Franklin- Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody
Cymande- Bra
Toussaint McCall- Nothing Takes The Place Of You
James Carr- The Dark End Of The Street
Them Two- Am I A Good Man
Bobby “Blue” Bland- I’m Not Ashamed
Curtis Mayfield- Power To The People (Demo)
Parliament- Oh Lord Why Lord/Prayer
Sam & Dave- When Something Is Wrong With My Baby (Live)
The Combinations- While You Were Gone
Ray Charles- Tell The Truth (Live)

Their Pain, Our Gain 2

*Image credit- still from Sam & Dave Live in Europe

Hunxa Hunxa Burning Love

Shiiiit. Seth's fucking KILLING IT these days. Listen to that swagger. I can't wait to get back to the Bay and catch these songs live. (On a Johnny-related note, one of Seth's earliest bands, The Knock Ups, covered Johnny, Are You Queer? and there's a Johnny song on this album, too.) Just go buy it.

Hunx And His Punx's The Curse of Being Young

Johnny, Johnny, Johnny?! (or Hella Johnny)

What is it with Johnny? Why does every band write a song about him? Is there some implicit agreement amongst bands that Johnny will be the generic rock n roll stand in name? Is it just that everybody knows a Johnny? Is it Chuck Berry's fault? Is there another name that's been the title of more songs? Anyways, here's a buncha Johnny songs from a longer list of Johnny songs I turned into a mix.

Josie Cotton's Johnny, Are You Queer?

Suicide's Johnny

Boris Vian et Juliette Greco's Fais-Moi Mal Johnny

Stiff Little Fingers' Johnny Was

Freda Gray & the Rocketeers' Stay Away From My Johnny

Violent Femmes' Johnny

The Bouncing Souls' The Ballad of Johnny X

The Replacements' Johnny Fast

Even Julie Brown gets in on the action at the end of The Homecoming Queen's Got A Gun