I started the “S’s” with one of my favorite albums of this century, Scarlet’s Walk by the incomporable Tori Amos. The melodies, wordplay and musicianship take the listener on a wonderful journey through, what I have always imagined as America’s heartland. My favorite track remains, “Don’t Make Me Come To Vegas:”
“And the jacaranda tree
Is telling me
Its not over yet,
Just by the way she bends
If you come breezin through
You said Ill know that its you
By the taste on my lips,
Bet on the deserts kiss
I could slip through your net
Over my dead body”
I moved next, tonight to great up and coming artist, Phil Ayoub – Schoolbus Window Paper Heart, Scissor Sisters – Scissor Sisters, Seal – Seal Best Remixes 1991-2005 and Seal IV, Minnie Driver – Seastories, Fleetwood Mac, Selections from The Chain, and landed on Buffalo Springfield’s Selections from the Boxed Set.
I have a special affection for Buffalo Springfield. I backed into them via CSN when I was in Junior High School. Then when I started doing commercial radio in Boston in the 1990’s, I ran board for a show called “Sunday Morning Unplugged.” For some reason the song, “Rock and Roll Woman” would also come up when we went back to electric. Everytime I hear the song, I remember the crisp New England autumn air, when I would drive home at seven in the morning. Of late, a particular woman comes to mind when I hear this song.
” Familiar places she’s been by, that I know
Could it be, she don’t have to try
And tomorrow, she’s a friend of mine
And the sorrow, I see her face is lined
She’s no longer blind, she’s just hard to find”
Back to more Bob Dylan with Self Portrait, Hey Tiger – September, Norah Jones – Sessions at AOL, Sexpod - Sexpod, and the The Allman Brothers Band – Shades of Two Worlds.
This album contains a particular song that I should hear more and more these days, but don’t. It’s a Dickey Betts / Warren Haynes song called “Desert Blues” and was written about the first Gulf War. They lyrics are identical to what is going on today. It’s important enough to share the whole song:
“Can’t get no this,
And I can’t get no that,
Can’t get no you know,
I don’t even know where its at.
Ain’t got the smoke and uh, aint no booze,
Got them low down dried out desert blues, yes I do.
Uncle George callin’ said I had to go,
Just what he wanted I did not know,
I’m over here dug in so far from home,
Lookin’ all around try and see whats going on.
I got the sand in my collar,
Got the sand in my hair,
Got it in my pockets,
Got it everywhere.
I got sand in my shirt,
Got it in my shoes,
Got them low down dried out desert blues
Joined up in the army
Where it was hard to find,
End up over here, got my young ass on the line,
But I’ll be right here until my work is done,
If I get back home I hope I never see no more guns.
Clear across the ocean,
I left some of my good friends behind,
I hope somebody’s thinking about me,
Especially that sweet little woman of mine.
Can’t get no this,
And I can’t get no that,
Can’t get no you know,
I don’t even know where its at.
Sand in my collar,
Got the sand in my hair,
Got it in my pockets,
Got it everywhere.
I got sand in my shirt,
Got it in my shoes,
Got them low down dried out desert blues,
Yes I do.”
Next up: The Black Crowes - Shake Your Money Maker, Grateful Dead – Shakedown Street (Disco Dead baby!), Sheryl Crow – Sheryl Crow, Frank Sinatra – Show Stoppers, Zero 7 – Simple Things, Frank Sinatra again with Sinatra at the Sands, Sinatra Love Songs and The Sinatra Treasures.
Frank (with a little help from his friend Jack Daniels) has relaxed me properly for the evening, so that’s all for now.
Happy Listening!
The P’s started with the essential Simon & Garfunkel: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, which is also where my lawyer works.
I started the O’s with a rash of Soundtracks, coincidentally enough all George Clooney films: O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Oceans’ 11, 12 and 13.