Peace on Earth

Editors Note:

I'd like to thank all of the contributors for their thoughtful posts here this week at the Boogie Woogie Flu. As I sit here on the eve of the last night of Hanukkah, trying to write something about today's selections from the songbook of Gerry Goffin and Carole King, I am, perhaps at a loss for words, but more than likely, humbled by the quality of writing turned out by everyone's entries. I'm really floored, thank you. It's hard to keep this thing going, and to have such generous and talented friends and cohorts makes it much easier.

The idea for this week's Hanukkah posts was simple: first night - one song, second night - two songs, etc. Some of these were assigned, and some not. I tried to get everything up at sundown each night, and miraculously, like the oil in the temple - it all worked out. All the writers and all the subjects are Jewish, but as Alex so poignantly pointed out in his post, we'd all be better off by a softening of these distinctions. Does it really matter what we are? We're humans, and from the look of things in the news right now, we don't treat each other very well. These very distinctions are the basis for most of the the hate and war we inflict on one another.

So, excuse me while I break free of format, and play one by a non-jew: Steve Earle, who introduces the following song every time he performs it by saying that he's "gonna keep on playing it until there's peace in the Middle East." I think it fitting that we listen to it today.

"Jerusalem" mp3
by Steve Earle, 2002
available on Jerusalem

********************************

And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming: Eight songs written by the Jewish songwriting team of Gerry Goffin and Carole King. Happy Hanukkah.

Spin your dradles and rock.




Download:

"Long Way To Be Happy" mp3
by Darlene Love, 1965.
available on Back to Mono (1958-1969)

"Don't Bring Me Down" mp3
by The Animals, 1966.
available on Animalisms

"Is This What I Get For Loving You" mp3
by Marianne Faithfull, 1967.
available on Marianne Faithfull's Greatest Hits

"Halfway To Paradise" mp3
by Nick Lowe, 1977.
available on Jesus of Cool

"Let Me Get Close To You" mp3
by Alex Chilton, 1987.
available on High Priest/Black List

"Goin' Back" mp3
by Nils Lofgren, 1975.
available on Nils Lofgren

"Wasn't Born to Follow" mp3
by The Byrds, 1968.
available on The Notorious Byrd Brothers

"I Can't Make It Alone" mp3
by The Continental Drifters, 1994.
available on Continental Drifters

dradle photo by Lincoln Barron © 2008

Victory

Congratulations America.

I was on 125th street in Harlem when the news broke. I think you could have been anywhere in the city and elsewhere in the country and experienced the same collective sigh of relief. It was the most joyous celebration I've ever witnessed. There was dancing in the streets. New York can be like that, but I haven't seen it for a long time, and this was something much bigger than us that we were all a part of. When the announcement came on the jumbotron, the crowd erupted. "He won!" I yelled. An older woman turned to me and threw her arms around me jumping up and down. My friend Barron said it looked just like The Price Is Right. I was Bob Barker, yet she and we all won something much better than a new car. We got our country back.

Here's to the future.


Download:

"Back In The USA" mp3
by The MC5, 1970.
available on Back in the USA



"Brown Eyed Handsome Man" mp3
by Chuck Berry, 1956.
available on The Great Twenty-Eight

"(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, & Understanding" mp3
by Nick Lowe, 2001.
available on Live At the World Cafe - Tenth Anniversary Edition

"(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, & Understanding" mp3
by Brinsley Schwarz, 1974.
available on The New Favourites of Brinsley Schwarz

"(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, & Understanding" mp3
Elvis Costello and The Attractions, 1979.
available on Armed Forces

"(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, & Understanding" mp3
Steve Earle and The Dukes, 2003.
available on Just an American Boy

"(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, & Understanding" mp3
The Holmes Brothers, 2006.
available on State of Grace

"(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, & Understanding" mp3
by Nick Lowe, 1995.
available on KGSR 107.1 Austin Broadcasts Volume 3

Elvis 1969

In the very first post here on the Boogie Woogie Flu, we listened to some records that more than likely Elvis had in his record collection. Today we'll do the same, with a few of the tracks Elvis recorded on The Memphis Record in 1969 - the greatest recordings and best batch of songs he cut outside of his Sun sessions. Elvis, fearing he'd lost his vitality with the younger portion of the record buying public, returned to Memphis to make this record with the very hot American Studio house band, produced by "Chips" Moman. Neil Diamond had been at American the previous year to record "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show"and "Sweet Caroline." Dusty Springfield would be in after Elvis (I think) to record Dusty In Memphis, as were a cavalcade of other stars preceding and following Elvis's sessions including Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Dionne Warwick, The Box Tops, James Carr and B.J. Thomas. They were churning out the hits. The Memphis strategy worked for Elvis and he had three top ten hits from this record, including "Suspicious Minds" which was his first #1 since 1962. So, let's boldly spin the axis of Elvis and listen to some tracks from The Memphis Record, some artists who recorded these songs first, and the some post-Elvis versions.

Please enjoy.

Download:

"Any Day Now" mp3
"Suspicious Minds" mp3
"Long Black Limousine" mp3
"I'm Movin' On" mp3
"Gentle On My Mind" mp3
"True Love Travels on A Gravel Road" mp3

Elvis Presley
from The Memphis Record, 1969.
Buy at Amazon or at your local independently owned record store.

Download:

"Any Day Now" mp3
by Chuck Jackson
available on The Very Best of Chuck Jackson 1961-1967

"Suspicious Minds" mp3
by Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter, 1976.
available on Wanted! The Outlaws

"Long Black Limousine" mp3
by Wynn Stewart, 1958.
available on California Country

"I'm Movin' On" mp3
by Hank Snow, 1950.
available on RCA Country Legends

"Gentle On My Mind" mp3
by Glen Campbell, 1967.
available on Gentle On My Mind

"True Love Travels on a Gravel Road" mp3
by Nick Lowe, 1994.
available on The Impossible Bird

***********************************************************************
Bonus:

Yet another (and maybe the best) version of Joe South's classic, also recorded at American Studio with "Chips" Moman and company. Brenda Lee recorded the great country soul LP Memphis Portrait there on the heels of Dusty In Memphis. Pick it up if you can find a copy.

"Walk a Mile In My Shoes" mp3
by Brenda Lee, 1970.
available on Memphis Portrait
Out of Print

***********************************************************************
For more on American Studio in Memphis TN,
check out the Soulful Music blog.