Singles Going Steady-2019 Edition

It has been a very quiet year on finding 45s of note but for the most part I continue to look for them but alas, the ones I do find are scratchy and have seen better days.  And to the Salvation Army of Davenport that usually has then, the last trip they had none in the store.  None to be found, no jukebox copies, no scratchy and broken records.  But Davenport has had their own problems of late, basically the all time highest Mississippi River crest on record.  And they still can't play baseball there.  The stadium is an island in the river.

(Ragged Records Flood of 2019)

Let's face it.  Us record crate diggers who take pride in their record finds will continue to search the area over for more music, and more 45s.  I have noticed that this year I have found three copies of disgraced comedian Bill Cosby's Hikky Burr (Part 1 and 2) at Goodwill and did pick one up.  He knows how to get funky, he has a great ear for jazz, but it's hard to listen to Bill and keep an open mind.  I also did find Garland Green You Played On A Player.twice. The original copy I found last year had a nasty scratch on the B side.  It's weird to find two singles from 50 plus years ago in decent shape from Bill Cosby an Garland Green.  But then again, I have a knack of locating better copies of 45s and Cds for that matter.  Just a force of habit, anybody can do it.  But in this day and age the young generation don't give a shit about 45s.  They're too busy gazing into their smart phone as the world passes them by.

I have written about 40 blogs about the 45s that I found and for a reference to myself, I tend to marvel or gasp at what I did find for music.  If the song is memorable and part of my childhood years then that's another piece of the puzzle that is my life.  I've been lucky in past years of finding past tunes and reconnecting with a lost part of my youth.  But this year it has been slow going.  Half Price Books haven't had much, neither has Goodwill.  Analog Vault does managed to get something in from time to time and last Sunday, I had a chance to actually find some cool stuff.  While Davenport failed to yield anything of note, Goodwill Moline had three pop singles, one from Dean Martin and two from Bobby Darin, who is enjoying a comeback of sorts here on Record World.   He would have a third record but it was too chewed up to be played.   The big surprise was finding The Beatles/From Me To You as a Vee Jay Promo, which cost me 8 dollars when I found it at Analog Vault.  And it was in VG plus condition.   After that, we're back to country singles and off the wall stuff that only myself would be interested to hear.

(bob herrington photo credit-Ragged Records May 9, 2019)

As of this writing, Ragged Records in Davenport still has Mississippi mud sludge in their building and any trip will have to wait but their second location in Rock Island is dry and perhaps that might be worth going to next time I'm in town.   Until I go to Madison, there's not going to be much to report about 45s. But I do keep my eyes and ears open for the next estate sale that does sell 45s.


1)  Hello Dolly-Bobby Darin (Capitol 5359)  #79  1965
2)  Mane-Bobby Darin (Atlantic 2329)  #53  1966

Two songs written by Jerry Herman, both did get covered by Louie Armstrong, those ones I remember quite well.  Richard Weiss who arranged most of Bobby's earlier Vegas stuff does the Hello Dolly song, Perry Botkin Jr arranged Mane and I think Mane is fun stuff.  Even more fun is the B side Goodbye Charlie (Hello Dolly) which is the most jazz that Bobby Darin ever attempted.  Walking In the Shadow Of Love, the Atlantic flip side is country sounding but not one of the better songs that Bobby ever did.  But at this point, Darin was slowly moving into a more folk style that would come into play later with If I Were A Carpenter.  But at this point, Bobby was still doing more of a swinging pop style.

3)   Not Enough Indians-Dean Martin (Reprise 780)  #43 1968

Written by Baker Knight, Dean is using Jimmy Bowen as producer, and Ernie Freeman on dated arrangements, just like Everybody Loves Somebody but the results and chart placements were getting lower and lower.  Deano made it easy, he usually did one take and went on his merry way.  B side Rainbows Are Back In Style was covered by Slim Whitman.

4)  Thank God And Greyhound-Roy Clark (Dot DOA 17355)  #90 1970

My favorite Roy Clark song of all time.   Great guitar player but he made some of the most blandest country songs of the 60s and 70s but this one has the Hee Haw wit and since of humor.  On the country charts he did well, on the pop side of things, not so much.

5)   Lonely Women Make Good Lovers-Bob Luman (Epic 5-10905)  #4 Country 1972

Like most rockabilly artists, Luman enjoyed a decent country music career before pneumonia cut his life short at age 41 in 1978.  Out of all the country singles he did, this is probably my favorite song of his.  Took me forever to find a decent 45 and even my copy must have spent some time in somebody's jukebox.

6)  Honky Tonk Wine-Wayne Kemp (MCA 40031)  #17 Country 1973

Another journeyman country singer, Kemp had his highest charting single with this Mack Vackery written number, complete with a fuzz tone guitar, quite uncountry like for the times. He's best known for writing One Piece At A Time, a number 1 country hit for Johnny Cash in 1976.  Back when country was still fun to listen to.

7)  Let Me Know-Dick Todd (Decca 9-28583)  1953

Known as Canada's answer to Bing Crosby, Todd recorded for Bluebird, Rainbow and Decca.  Of course I wouldn't be that interested but till I heard this song.  B side was Bumming Around to which Johnny Horton had a minor hit  but I know this song from Jan Howard, who recorded a country version of this.  Backed by the Ray Charles Singers to which is not related to the Genius of modern country and blues.

8)  Ain't It Amazing Gracie-Buck Owens (Capitol 3563)  #14 1973

The last great period of Buck's recording years with Capitol.  Times were changing and tho' his singles continued to chart, the newer country stars were pushing Buck to the back of the bus.  But I still grant Buck had a ear for crafting 2 minute songs that were straight and to the point. Omnivore is slated to release the third and final volume of Buck's Capitol years, if they haven't already.  Hard to find a record store that would stock it.

9)  Moody Woman-Jerry Butler  (Mercury 72939)  #24 1969

Butler's best songs were with the Gamble/Huff production team and the Philadelphia sound went very well with Butler's smooth Chicago R and B vocals.  The template for the Philadelphia International sound later with the O Jays, Harold Melvin and The Blues Notes and others, but it actually started with Jerry.  B side Go Away Find Yourself is a very moody slow r and b cooker.

10)   Wake Up Wake Up-The Grassroots (Dunhill  D-4105)  #68 1967

I was listening to the now deleted Complete ABC/Dunhill singles that Real Gone issued a few years ago (not complete since No Smoke Without Fire was omitted for the censored Let's Live For Today version) and was taken by how samely the songs would be beginning with Midnight Confessions and so on and so forth.  You can tell the difference between the more inspired I'd Wait A Million Years, or Heaven  knows  and watching the Grassroots recycled the same arrangements for later songs (the awful Two Divided By Love or Sooner Or Later) and the songs became a cliche formula.  But on Wake Up Wake Up, PF Sloan still had some say in having the guys branch out a bit.  Somewhat of a cross between Paul Revere and the Raiders and even Del Shannon comes to mind.  Slightly psychedelic and bubble gum, Wake Up Wake Up could be the answer to My World Fell Down or  Susan by the Buckinghams.  The fun of trying to figure out the influences and sounds of a band that Steve Barri would hijack and rewrite the same songs over and over, but as long as they charted in the top 30, things would be fine.  B side No Exit is a band comp without Sloan nor Barri's help. Sound kinda dull too.

(Photo Courtesy:  The Bargain Hunters Network: Found at Analog Vault, CR, IA)

Finally.  If you read this far.  The find of the day.

From Me To You-The Beatles (Vee Jay 522)  #46  1964 (released in 1963)

Back around 1963, there was a certain band from Liverpool who was tolling in the underground music scene at Hamburg but was causing up such a rawkus that the american  Capitol label, didn't promote much of their music before I Wanna Hold Your Hand, to which that song made number 1 and the world was never the same but at that time, Capitol was rather license the songs out to minor labels and not give a shit.  Things changed big time once I Wanna Hold Your Hand blew up the charts.  Vee Jay, was the second biggest R and B label next to Chess but they managed to grab hold on a few singles and managed to manipulate things and released the same songs on various albums before EMI/Capitol said enough.   The version that charted was Vee Jay 581 but my copy is a DJ promo VJ 522.  And I paid 8 dollars for a DJ promo, which is cool.  You do not see many Vee Jay Beatles pressings out in decent shape anywhere, unless you take out a second mortgage should you find a unmarked copy at a deceiving record store and they have to look it up on EBAY and apply the screws on you.  I don't mind paying 8 dollars for a VG VJ copy.  It's one of those rare singles which Paul McCartney/John Lennon are co writes, later editions would fall under Lennon/McCartney.
B side is Thank You Girl, to which Vee Jay would issue a stand alone promo copy that's is quite hard to find if they haven't been broken up in little pieces after the license to Vee Jay ran out and Vee Jay was forced to destroy the records. In the process by losing the battle, Vee Jay would go out of business.  But in the CD era, the Vee Jay Partnership has returned, putting out compilations of the blues hits of John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Reed and a few others.  However, the Beatles (and Four Seasons) songs were hands off.  But there is something special of owning a Vee Jay Beatles records (or a Swan or Tollie) and fifty years on, they remain a good investment for the 45 collector. And of a special time before the major labels, realizing what they have, would issue product to the independent labels.  You won't see that anymore.

The Davenport Flood of 2019

It's been a quiet five months here in Record World land.  I have been busy in my other blog world, and taking notes of the the songs and places that I played at and bands that I have been playing in.  I don't promote that page much,  it's for a reference for me to see what songs worked and what songs don't, and the continual up and down of being a adversary in a relationship that hasn't pawned out much.  Less said the better and I already said too much.

2019 hasn't been a boom in looking for new music, in fact I only bought three new albums and am more interested of what I can find for two dollars or less at the thrift store.  I do frequent the record stores when I'm in the neighborhood.  In fact two weeks ago, I stopped at Davenport to get the new Dawn album, but got to Ragged Records too late and they were closed (they closed at 5, I got there at five minutes afterwards) and to take in a River Bandits game.  This season, that hasn't been possible.

For you see we had a very wet winter, and a rapid snow melt and two cyclone bombs to make the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers into one great big sea. The Missouri is somewhat back to it's banks but for 40 straight days and counting, the Mississippi has flooded parts of Davenport, normally on River Drive and the parks next to the river.  In fact The River Bandits have only played three home games all year since Modern Woodsman Park is a island and the parking lot flooded.  It's not about to change anytime soon.

The city of Davenport had installed HESCO flood barriers to keep the Mississippi at bay.  The HESO barriers were a success keeping the Cedar River out of downtown Cedar Rapids in 2016, but they were only good for a quick flood. The Mississippi on the other hand, is a whole different river, and for 40 days, the HESCO barrier was not supposed to be used that long.  On 3:30 Tuesday Afternoon, the river broke through and flooded the South East corner of downtown.   To which Bob Herrington at Ragged Records woke up to find the river approaching closer and closer and decided to take action and move his inventory upstairs and six feet off the floor for the lesser stuff.  He has kept us updated on the situation and as of this morning, he has resigned in frustration that the inventory downstairs might be a total loss now that the Mississippi is now four feet into the record store.  Trash Can Annie, the vintage clothes shop that shares the space with Ragged Records.  They managed to clear out that part of the store within two hours.

While the media tells you that downtown Davenport is all flooded, it's not. The area where Ragged Records is located at is down hill. Centennial Park, located next to Woodman's Park is basically on the riverbank and everything is flooded down there. The amphitheater,the bathrooms, the old hot dog stand are underwater. Front Street Brewery Company, they tried to save with sandbags but that failed after the Hesco breach.  The old Antique Mall/Pawnshop, flooded big time as well. The Source Book store is doing okay, but I'm not sure about the basement, there's probably water in the basement there too.  But the area around 2nd Street and Pershing got nailed.  The Peterson Paper Company Loft Apartments, an Art Center, any store, any bar in that vicinity is dealing with the flood.

At any point, The Flood of 2019 will be bigger than the 1993 Flood that for 85 days, made parts of Davenport, part of the Mississippi.  Back then, Davenport wasn't the vibrant city of micro breweries, restaurants and live entertainment after sundown, it was quite depressing to be downtown back then.  The best known photo was the ballpark flooded big time.  26 years onward, improvements to the ballpark and the infield doesn't get flooded.  But the city prided itself on having a riverview and so they chose not to build a flood wall, like Moline across the river did. There's some flooded streets in the lower areas tho but not as bad as when the rainy season hits Davenport.

Barring any more rain, the Mississippi should crest later today.Around 22.7 feet which would be the biggest flood in their history.  But the forecast is not being kind to them.  Predictions of more heavy rain forthcoming this weekend.  Meanwhile at Ragged Records, they can only look from a distance and hope the damage will be minimal.   But it will be a while before downtown Davenport gets back to normal if ever. I have a feeling this flood will last longer than the 85 days of the 1993 Flood.  

The Best Of 2018 In Music An Oxymoron At Best

That time of year again.

Where NPR and Pitchfork and Paste Magazine puts out their best albums of the year.

Yawn

With each passing year, I continue to lose interest in the next big thing, the next big band or the next big hype and it makes less sense to continue to put out a best of music blog.  Even with new releases I tend to listen one time, base a judgement and then file it away, only to donate it or sell it to Half Price Books for pennies on the dollar.   If Greta Van Fleet is the future of rock and roll, they better do a better job on the next album, it simply wasn't enough rock and roll fun for me.

Let's face it, fifty years ago, rock and roll was in the glory years, always new exciting music on the horizon.  Fifty years later Beatles White Album outtakes are still selling but nobody is breaking in new acts.  There's too much rap and hip hop and autotuner for me to give a flying f**k. And for the so call new rock, it sounds the same,  right Lukas Graham?  The major labels don't give a shit, new country is worse and corporate radio still plays the same 30 to 40 year old songs over and over. Nothing new, nothing surprising and people are glued to their smart phone and streaming to care anymore.  With Best Buy jumping off the CD bus and Wal Mart and Target shrinking CD shelf space to 10 feet, it's hard to get anything new on CD.  But you can always buy the LP for 25 or 30 dollars.

It doesn't help that digipacks are the main supplier of albums.  I quit buying Neil Young's album simply of the fact that he has them in overshaped mini LP facsimile digipack.  Do I see a need to pay 70 dollars for a 2 LP archives collection?  Nope and as Neil Young falls by the wayside I continue to took my attention more to those who still use the jewel case, not good for the environment but at least you can stack them just right unlike the Neil Young albums.

For the most part, the classic rock acts are now into their 60s or 70s and even 80s and still make albums from time to time.  Willie Nelson will make 100 more albums before he's dead and gone and Neil will have 200.  With no foreseen future rock bands grabbing my attention, I'm resigned to go to second hand stores to find albums in the dollar bins to get me through the day.   If there was anything new worth getting, it would be a trip to Moondog Music to get such music or up to Madison.   This year I did buy some new albums but in my estimation, I didn't buy as many as I did in 2017.  Except for that rare occasion of new music that came out in the same week (Bottle Rockets, Rhett Miller, Marianne Faithfull) new music was few and far between.  Even the Gin Blossoms put out their first album in a few years but I can't remember how most of the songs went, they came and went past by me like a summer wind.  Or the Judas Priest, which was better than the last album but again about four songs too many and my attention span went back to the Train Cam at Rochelle Illinois.

Last year's best of 2017 I found myself still playing Deep Purple's Infinite and So You Wanna Be An Outlaw by Steve Earle which must have meant there was some substance there.  Of course there was, but Steve Earle was too country for new country and as for Deep Purple, Classic Rock Radio don't care. The Question remains if the Best of 2018 will have one or two of the top faves still in the player a year or two from now and there'll be one or two.  But overall, when you're dealing with 60 plus years of rock music, you're not going to have time to hear everything.  Reality won't wait and neither will the better half.  When I checked out NPR and Pitchfork's best of, none of their selections were mine, nor did I care to seek out their best, tho' number 3 Kasey Musgraves Happy Hour was in my possession for a couple months.  It's a good pop album but in reality I couldn't relate to it very well. But for Mitski and Janelle Monae,  I'll stick with Marianne Faithfull.   It's the sign of the times and it's the youngster's music, but I guarantee you five or ten years from now, nobody will remember Janelle Monae, but they'll remember The White Album From The Beatles.  Especially if they reissue the GD thing for the 60th or 70th anniversary  reissues.  By then, I'll be dead by then.

So once again, in no particular order or indifference, is my faves of 2018.  The ones that haven't gotten taken to Half Price Books for cash.  But I'm sure that will change a month or two from now.


My Faves of 2018

Willie Nelson-Last Man Standing  (Legacy)

He's 84 and still putting out two to three albums per year and he'll make another 20 more before he's dead and gone, but Last Man Standing is a better and more lighthearted album than God's Problem Child.  Album number 2 of the year My Way, shows that he can still channel his inner Frank Sinatra, tho' it's not as good as say, Stardust was, but it does kick Healing Hands Of Time all over the place.

John Prine-The Tree Of Forgiveness (Oh Boy)

His first new album of originals in quite some time and like Willie's Last Man Standing is one of his best album's ever.  When I Get To Heaven is a fine ending and grand statement to this cd.

Richard Thompson-13 Rivers (New West)

Freed from Concord/Fantasy, Thompson puts in one of his more angriest guitar playing albums ever. That's saying something.  Not for the faint of heart.

Blackberry Smoke-Find A Light (Thirty Tigers)

Their last album kinda left me thinking they were missing something but Find A Light returns them to a more Southern rock and roll that was heard on Holding All The Roses.  Flesh And Bone rocks.

Nik Turner-Life In Space (Purple Pyramid)

He's has more of the classic Hawkwind sound down better this decade than his former band.

The Damned-Evil Spirits (Spinefarm)

The biggest surprise is how good this record is from start to finish.  Tony Visconti helps with the production.  Paul Gray, ex Eddie and Hot Rods bass extraordinaire adds collective bottom cool too.

The Bottle Rockets-Bit Logic (Bloodshot)

I don't think they ever made a bad album and there's always a guaranteed spot in the top ten best of when they put a album out.  I tend to think Jeff Tweedy gets to be overrated but at the same time Brian Henneman is a much better songwriter in terms of getting older.

Rhett Miller-The Messenger (ATO)

Another fine effort by Rhett.  The shiny love songs do get darker as the record goes on.  Of course he will always be the voice behind the Old 97s but this album is better than last couple Old 97s album.

Ace Frehley-Spaceman (E One)

40 years after his Casablanca album, which blew away his bandmates solo albums, Ace returns to the style and sound of that album.  Even gets Gene Simmons to write a couple songs and play too.

Crack The Sky-Living In Reverse (Loud N Proud)

Another 40 year old band finally getting some much needed love, Living In Reverse is in reality their most visable album, thanks to being signed to a major/minor independent label. Crackology, their digital only streaming album, revisits their better known hits.  Until, somebody wrestles the album away from Cashman/West Lifesong Records this will have to do, but they might be that 40 year old overnight sensation band that you might get to hear on the radio.  Or maybe not.  


Reissues of the year:

Bram Trchovsky-The Complete Albums
Strange Man, Changed Man and Funland are excellent albums, the second album Pressure (Or The Russians Are Coming) isn't that good, but Funland was one of my all time favorite albums of 1981

Neil Young-Songs For Judy

79 minutes of prime Neil unplugged back in 1976, when he was restless, writing and scrapping songs at a record pace but whatever he thought was throwaways or not ready for the public, most if not all of these tracks captures him at his best.  I'm still not that thrilled at A Man Needs A Maid but listen for the riff that would eventually become Like A Hurricane later on.

Bob Dylan-More Blood More Tracks
The single CD was the one that I got instead of the Dust collector 6 CD Set. Tho' the single CD isn't the original first release of Blood On The Tracks it does provide an interesting insight of what Dylan would have done had he kept it a unplugged folk album. It does include Up To Me, an outtake that didn't make the album but Roger McGunn did cover for the 1976 Cardiff Rose album.

Bob Seger And The Lost Heard-The Cameo/Parkway Singles- A very brief look at Bob's early singles for that label before Capitol claimed him.  Before he decided to go all out on the Springsteen true confessions route, he embarked on blazing display of Detroit rock and roll on these singles, including Heavy Music Part 1 and 2 and Sock It To Me Santa, which is much more harder rocking than anything Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels ever came up. The missing link between the MC5 and The Detroit Wheels, even if he only did five singles for Cameo. Detroit rock in the 60s kicked ass.

Don Gibson-Best Of The Hickory Records Years- He had some good songs after leaving RCA for Hickory and spent over a decade there. Highlights include Woman, Sensuous Woman (A song that you may have heard me cover this year), One Day At A Time and Touch The Morning.

Buck Owens-Country Singer's Prayer-Originally Capitol planned to issue this but had cold feet and issued a half assed best of Buck Owens Volume 6. After the death of Don Rich, Buck never recovered and the record wasn't that inspired.  The new female singer didn't sound right for the Buckeroos.  Best song was John Law, which Rich recorded and sang lead vocal on.

Marianne Faithful-Come Away With Me. Mostly pop songs of the mid 60s, starts out with fairly great, then goes nowhere. Marianne would drop out for a couple years before returning with a new vicious sound with Sister Morphine, her sweet honey voice became an inflamed mix of drugs, booze and lots of cigarettes. That song would point the way for her alternative rock career with Broken English.

Honorable mention:

Marianne Faithful-Negative Capability (BMG)
Ministry-AmeriKKKant (Nuclear Blast)
Judas Priest-Firepower (Epic)
Willie Nelson-My Way (Legacy)
Gin Blossoms-Mixed Reality (Cleopatra)
Pistol Annies-Interstate Gospel (RCA)
Kasey Musgraves-Golden Hour (MCA)
Alice In Chains-Rainier Fog (BMG)
Brian Fallon-Sleepwalkers (Island)
Roger Daltrey-As Long As I Have You (Republic)

The honorable mentions are basically the rest of the albums that I listened to that came from 2018.  There were a few other new albums from artists that I didn't get around to review or listen to due to unavailability, or I didn't get the order in, nor seen the bands at hand.  Delta Moon, Amy Rigby and local faves Wooden Nickel Lottery issued new albums and I'm sure I'll get around listening to all of them.  Graham Parker's latest album was ordered at the last minute and will be the first album of 2019 to review.  I have come to find the new Ministry was a better listen than,Judas Priest or Alice In Chains but all three albums were better than most metal or hard rock albums that came out. I'm getting too old to really get into the new metal bands.  I'm sure there's some great albums out there, but since radio doesn't play nothing but 30 year old corporate classic rock, Sirius XM is slightly better but still has its nose stuck in the past as well and I am not a fan of streaming new stuff.

The honorable mention does have a couple albums that would have made my turd list but I will not mention names.  Musgraves outdid herself on Happy Hour, which was more of a pop album than country, but even a country mode, that record seemed too country for new country music, which is basically watered down rap pop pap.  While critics gave The Pistols Annies room on the best of, I still can't get into this album of theirs.  Perhaps Miranda Lambert's time as country music darling is now past, she is the Loretta Lynn of new country, loved and cherish by many but not suitable for country radio anymore.   To which I blame the music corporations for their narrow minded and sexist playlist of hack fools (FGL, Kane Brown) and copious amounts of autotuner and snap beats.  And it won't get better anymore. Thank Newt Gingrich and Bill Clinton for that 1996 Telecom Act this is responsible for outdated classic rock and new bands who grew up on Nu Metal, Wu Tang Clan, Backstreet Boys, Poison and New Direction for lack of decent music.  Sorry folks, the classic rock years are gone, what was new and exciting is now stale and boring now.  Even when they bring back Woodstock this summer, we can't return to the garden.  The hippie dream is gone.

But even in this list, we saw the return of the Gin Blossoms, 25 years removed from their classic New Miserable Experience and still making 3 chord songs  but they never recovered from outing the doomed Doug Hopkins who made their best songs.  Danny Wilde tries, as he has been the last couple of GB albums but it just isn't the same.  The Roger Daltary album does have Pete Townsend helping out, tho' it's not a official Who album, As Long As I Have You was better than Endless Wire but not by much.  And Brian Fallon quietly put out a album that recalls The 59 Sound from his idled band Gaslight Anthem but nobody paid much attention to it.  The reason why Best Buy had about 5 copies of that album on their liquidation sale for 20 percent off.  The last CD I ever bought from Best Buy as well.  Useless trivia if there is ever one.

For reissues, I'm am aware of the Beatles White Album 50th Anniversary Album but didn't think it was worth 40 bucks buying the whole thing over just to hear bonus tracks that have been out in various bootlegs  Wounded Bird, did put out some of the out of print Rhino Handmade double CD sets (Lee Hazelwood Story, Peter Ivers) but even for specialized labels reissuing albums that made an impact years ago, there wasn't much to hang your hat on.  Real Gone, the best of the reissue labels did put together a decent Four Tops ABC Dunhill Records Overview which captured the final finest moments that the Tops had to offer and The Essential Eric Andersen to which I did buy and thought it was okay, warts and all, much to my chagrin, I saw that one used when I was up in Madison during the WNBR weekend bargain hunt.

I don't forsee 2019 to be any better for new music that will be memorable.  I don't have time to listen to subpar music when there's so much from the past that needs to be rediscovered.  Joe Jackson has a new record that might grab my attention for a second.  Plus I'm tired of buying digipack albums that don't fit on a shelf  (Neil Young is notorious for this).  Collector's Choice Music has been the best mail order for getting the hard to find but even their shipping and handling charges and now us paying Iowa income tax (thanks Republicans) I haven't bought much of late.  Unless something that hasn't been reissued before   (Bram T.)  I'm not going pay much mind.  Most of the Elvis stuff has been recycled, Led Zep, Beatles as well.  I kinda took note on the Steven Wilson remastered prog rock albums from King Crimson and Jethro Tull but unless he takes a crack on The Godz Nothing Is Sacred, I continue to pinch pennies and take chances in the dollar section at Half Price Books or Stuff Etc.

In the end, the best of 2018 is nothing more at this point than posting the albums that I did buy, the good and bad and both are beginning to be part of the best of and that's not a good thing.   It used to be that the best of, were the best of and the worst likewise.  Nowadays it blurs in just like radio.

No rhyme or reason.
Happy new year.

2019 Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame

In order of importance.


Roxy Music

For many years they been ignored by the HOF but this year the biggest surprise.  Led by Bryan Ferry and helped by Phil Manzera and Andy McKay, they went from Prog rock glammers to a more mellower MOR rock sound.    They were rock with Phil Thompson on drums and John Gufstason on bass and Brian Eno added oddball sounds on the first two albums.  They never made a bad album, in fact Avalon is fun music to get romantic with, but I enjoy the craziness that is their 1979 album Manifesto.  Siren is a bit overrated, Country Life is better.  Ferry's solo albums of that time had Roxy members guest starring but by the 1990s, Ferry's albums weren't standing out either.  After Avalon, Roxy Music never made a new album, but did put out a couple a reunion albums that kinda captured the spirit of the early years.

The  Zombies:

One of the best singles band from the UK, their Odessey And Oracle album probably were the inspiration for another Rock Inductee band Radiohead.  The best introduction remains any of their best ofs out there.  Rod Argent and Colin Blumstone are the only two remaining members of that band still out there.  Varese Records did issued a couple comps with lesser known and b sides that are worth seeking out and loaded up the bonus tracks on OAO, which can be a good thing since the original album didn't go past 30 minutes.

The rest;

The Cure

Cutting edge mope rock.  Their best years were with Sire but I really didn't pay a lot of attention to them.  I did get a chuckle out of their Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me album but the only album that ever made to my player was Staring At The Sea best of, later replaced with The Cure Greatest Hits.  Maybe sometime I'll search the Sire albums to see what I have missed but for a band that gets lumped in with Bauhaus, I don't have that much enthusiasm to go look. Unless the records are in the dollar bins.


Stevie Nicks

I'm sure Lindsay Buckingham is LOL on this one and truthfully, Stevie's albums have been problematic.  She was a sex symbol around the time of Rumors and Bella Donna and as time marches on, you wonder what the fuss the solo albums were about.  Not exactly hall of fame material.  Trouble In Shanghai has been my favorite of her solo output even with Sheryl Crow (2027 rock inductee) on it.  Her shining moment remains, Silver Springs, the B side to Go Your Own Way and should have been included on Rumors, to which Rhino did tack on a limited edition reissue.

Radiohead

For most overblown and overhyped band Radiohead is first ballot all the way baby!  OK Computer being the most overhyped album ever,tho' it does seem to be one of the more listenable albums, overall best ever?  No.  Kid A influenced a lot of the new acts (Lukas Graham, Franz Ferdinand) but to me it's a crap album. Best album I'd think would be In Rainbows, but I don't have a lot of use for Radiohead.  They did shed that Cure Mope rock skin after Pablo Honey and became something more to the critics but they never did rock much.

Def Lepherd

This year's fan favorite.  Their best was On Through The Night, which remains their hardest rocking album, and they traded Tom Allom for Robert John Lange and scored big time.  There's a AC/DC influence on the next two albums and then Pyromania broke them big.  They really had nothing to say with their goofy lyrics (rock rock till you drop, rock rock never stop) and Photograph had that trademark RJ Lange method of catchy lyrics and riffs and a hooky chorus to remember that song by.  On Hysteria, they sold their soul to the classic rock radio mode (mold).  Pour Some Sugar On Me is their answer to Yummy Yummy Yummy.


Janet Jackson

Like Radiohead  JJ's induction was coming and like brother Micheal, Janet dominated the R and B charts of the 1980s, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis the secret weapon.  Control and Rhythm Nation are her two best but after that, I couldn't tell you anything off later albums.


And there you have it.  Your 2019 rock hall members.

The Crabbys: 2018 Best of Places.

And so, it begins again.


The year end of awarding the Crabby Awards to my favorite places.   And they're getting to be few and far between.

2002.  Was the year that CD sales were sliding down and places to hang out to buy CDs are now faded memories.  2002 was the year that Pawnshops decided that CDs weren't worth selling and nobody was bringing their Pink Floyd or Zeppelin but the tons of dog shit rappers and plastic pop and American Idol rejects making shitty EPs or CDs.   But in 2002 we still have FYE and Hastings to find the cheap stuff. Trans World or who ever owned FYE bought up the Wherehouse Music stores, which made my trip to Seattle tolerable since the woman I was seeing at the time was making my vacation a trip to hell.  At that time,  I had a choice of 7 Wherehouse Music stores or in Spokane 4 Hastings stores to keep me occupied.

Going to the big cities would enable me to find the hard to find stuff.  Cellophane Square Music in Seattle was the place to go to, in Phoenix there was FYE, Wherehouse Music, Zia's, at least 25 stores in the area, not including Goodwill.  For a bargain hunter I was doing well.  But as the 2000's continued on, record stores were closing up.  The Virgin Music Store in Vegas and Phoenix closed their doors, so did Tower Records, yeah they were overpriced as hell but I could waste 2 to 3 hours looking at inventory.  Up in my town, Relics closed shop, so did Rock n Bach.  Co Op Cedar Rapids and Waterloo were no match for either stores but at least I didn't have get on a airplane to look.

Northern Arizona had Hastings as well and all of a sudden, I had a place to hang out when I was in Kingman or Flagstaff and even discovered one in Ames before they pulled the plug in 2010 in the area and gave up the ghost in 2016.  I haven't been back to Arizona in over five years, but as far as I know Zia's is still going strong, but FYE did closed my favorite hangout on Longmore across from Fiesta Mall, now also history.  The places that I used to go to are now long gone.

I think the vinyl revival is finally slowing down, however  Wal Mart and Target continue to shrink their CDs down to a paltry 500  and Best Buy stopped selling them this summer.  We still places that sell records and CDs, and they're still hanging on.  The places and people are changing tho'.  Thrift stores are doing well but Marion decided to boot the Salvation Army out of their longtime area on 7th Avenue in favor of a Dollar Tree.  One less thrift store to find records or donate.  The demise of Best Buy has opened Books A Million to have their own used DVD and CD section  and I managed to find some cheap finds at both Dubuque and Davenport locations.  The Books A Million buy back program is no different than say, Half Price Books but at least you can get something back for your unwanted stuff.   The BAM selection will not wow people but once in a while they might have something 30 percent off if you planned it just right.

So anyway, the rules are simple.  I put up the best places to look for records being used or whatever. But it's not what it was were.  What is number 1 is my go to place and the rest do get a visit.  But the top rated ones are, shall we say, more reliable than your local Wally World or Target or the obsolete K Mart.


Best Record Stores In My Area


Moondog Music-Dubuque
Analog Vault-Cedar Rapids
Ragged Records-Davenport/Rock Island
Wax Ecstatic-Marshalltown
Co Op Records-Moline
Weird Harolds-Burlington
CD's 4 Change-Dubuque
Record Collector-Iowa City
Metro Records-Cedar Falls
Mohair Pear-Cedar Falls
Books A Million-Dubuque/Davenport
Wal Mart-(Various locations)
Barnes And Noble-(Cedar Rapids, Davenport)
Target  (Various)
Best Buy (Lp's only)



If you're looking for new releases on Cd, Moondog Music remains, hands down, the best for that. Look hard enough and they might have some new releases on sale. Ragged Records has grown so much that they now have a second location in Rock Island.  Bob Harrington continues to outdo the competition on new vinyl releases.  Analog Vault is the closest and therefore remain the second best place, they're in New Bo, what better place to relax and chat and hear music from scratchy LPs. Wax Estatic in Marshalltown had a tornado that tore through town and cause the store to shut down for about six weeks but they have rebounded quite nicely.  Co Op Moline does a better job in terms of new CDs,  Reid Robinson has done wonders.  The new owners of Record Collector in Iowa City continue the tradition of Kirk Waltier and they still are worth a trip to Iowa City, even if they are the last standing record store in Iowa City.  But I have found going to Dubuque is a better place, they have three record stores in a two mile radius, with Books A Million getting into the used Cds field.  Until Dubque or Davenport get a Half Price Bookstore, they're not match for BAM.  Davenport has their share of good stores, but Waterloo is lacking and Cedar Falls I only heard of Metro Records, and judging by their inventory, I wouldn't be in there very long. Mohair Pear is owned by the leader of House Of Large Sizes band, and is the place to go if you're looking for their music on vinyl.

As for the the retail stores, It's Wally World or nothing else.  Target only has the top 10 best sellers or new releases.  They haven't been relevant in quite some time.  Barnes N Noble, better on the lesser known but still overpriced most of the time than not.


Best Used Stores for Music;

Half Price Books (CR, Des Moines, Madison)
Stuff Etc:  (CR, Coralville, IC, Davenport, Waterloo)
Sweet Living Antiques (Iowa City)
Housewerks (Iowa City)
The Closest Door (Iowa City)
Goodwill (Various locations)
Salvation Army (Davenport, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo)
St. Vincent De Paul (Madison, Waterloo, DBQ)
Books A Million (DBQ, Davenport)
Super Pawn (Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo)

As long as there's a Half Price Book store in the area, there'll still be plenty of bargains to be found in their bargain bins, And still will be my second home.  Per usual, the thrift stores and bric bracs stores are always hit and miss, but I did notice that Stuff Etc did have, for a while, major inventory of decent music.  For old time pop 45s, St Vincent De Paul have them, tho' the only rock records they get are scratched up to the point of decent plays.  The closing of the Marion Salvation Army store, now has only the Council St Army still in business.  But now, that 45s are now no longer made, except the overpriced Record Store Day crap that really makes no dollar sense to get. I'll take my chances of one song both sides promo every time.

What's missing from this list?  Pawnshops.  Super Pawn up in Waterloo has the most, but even what they have are junk that nobody wants but for 50 cents you might score a Beatles Sgt Pepper CD.  Iowa City did have Klaatu's first on CD but it was too scratched to buy, but they did have Ted Nugent's S/T remaster and also where I got a cheap copy of Pearl Jam 10.  Siegal's Jewelry has dropped out of this list, they don't sell CDs any more.


Best Stores for music instruments.

Uncle Ike's (Asbury-DBQ)
965 Guitars (CR)
Bob's Guitars (Cedar Falls)
Musician's Pro Shop (IC)
Rondellei's (DBQ)
West Music (CR, IC, DBQ)
Guitar Center (CR,Davenport)
Griggs Music (Davenport, CR)

It's sad to see the kids of today not playing music as we did growing up.  The internet has made slaves out of us all.  Uncle Ike's in Dubuque always takes me back to the days of hanging at a old forgotten store and they still have the best used drum selection in the area.  In town, you're got a choice of Guitar Center or West Music, who seems to have the latest drums and cymbals than Guitar Center.  Darwin at 965 Guitars is the place to go if you're in Cedar Rapids, Bob's Guitar in Cedar Falls worth the drive itself.  Griggs continues to disappoint but then again nobody can't afford the latest DW sets.

CD Reviews:

The Monkees Christmas Party (Rhino 2018)

Mostly the Micky Dolenz show with Davy Jones singing two from the grave and Mike Nesmith adding two off the wall traditional numbers. Peter Tork adds a Christmas Turd and if you really care, Target has a CD with two bonus tracks.  I'm certain that the Old 97's Christmas album is better, but this album does start out with a couple pretty good Dolenz numbers and House Of Broken Gingerbread is fairly good.  Nesmith really doesn't go all out, his take on The Christmas Song is nice.  Questionable stuff remains, Alex Chilton's Jesus Christ is tedious, and the world doesn't need another Wonderful Christmastime, tho' it's not as odious as Paul McCartney's original.  Compared to Cheap Trick's Christmas album, this isn't in the same neighborhood but for yuletime background music you can do worse.
Grade B

November Thoughts

There seems to be some viewers coming in from the cold.  So thought I pop in to let the world know the Crab Curator of Record World is still around.

The major story is the major winter storm that dumped a foot of snow, an all time record in November in the Quad Cities and Iowa City got 7 inches of the lovely white crap but up here in Cedar Rapids we missed out.  Which doesn't break my heart.  The car doesn't do well trying to get up an icy 2 inch snow cover that we had two weeks ago.  We missed out but rest assured I saw the storm from afar as I made my way to Stone City to play in the Acoustic Showcase Sunday.  Snowstorms do glow in the darkness.  We were supposed to have 4 to 6 and a Winter Storm Warning was issued, but as Saturday Night progressed on and waking up to take pee breaks and looking outside, all I saw was brown grounds and howling winds.  But no snow. Sunday Morning, the storm teased and threatened us but nothing came of it.  But I was watching the Rochelle Train cam and watching that turned into the nightmarish scene from the Shining of blurry lights and a blinding snow with an occasional snow covered train coming in from time to time.  In the meantime, Oskaloosa got 17 inches of snow and traffic stalled on the I-80, but up here, the winds howl and nothing came out of the skies.    On Monday, The Quad Cities continue to dig themselves out of a foot of snow and traffic is still not recommended.  But this does seem to signal that winter, it will be a lot more snowy and colder than previous.  And, as most people know, I'm no fan of the snow or cold.  But we did managed to miss this storm,

If Kane Brown was pop he'd be taken more seriously than his "country" album.  I have no use for him, autotuned rap masquerading as country isn't for me but the folks at Saving Country Music wrote up the review.  We'll take them at their word on this forgettable album that nobody will remember a year from now.  As with new music anyway.  https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/album-review-kane-browns-experiment/?fbclid=IwAR2BMTdvFiFSF8PVckKJK0QEB-SNiQre3SdRZnHzu_KJQ-MNgwGtpOD44J0

I'm surprised at the ratings jump for the month here since Record World is no longer an active blog, unless I find a bunch of 45s to write about.   12 years ago, Record World came into being after My Space decided to drop the blog and I toiled around in another obscure website before using Blogspot.  So far the archives are full of forgotten songs, thoughts and sports related nonsense and some eye candy.  And some of the old pictures have disappeared, never to be seen again.  I try my best to keep things up for use and replace the old deleted pictures but nowadays it seems like a lost cause.  Time flies and yes I spend too much time on the internet, 12 years gone just like that.  I do have a special friend (not GF) that I get together every now and then and go watch a movie with or hang at the house.  As they say, It's complicated.  Like you and yours.

The big story and reissue is The Beatles White Album which has loads of outtakes but that has never been one of my favorite albums and most of the highlights were on Anthology anyway.  I have gotten burned out of rebuying these albums back in the past. I did decide on the single CD of More Blood More Tracks, rather than buying the complete coffee table 6 CD box set of the Blood On The Tracks sessions.    Probably would have been better had Columbia issued the first edition of BOTT but for a different view, the single CD More Blood will do.  But it won't replace the original go to album.

Samantha Fish, the Kansas City dynamo guitar blues slinger has been signed to Rounder Records after many years on Ruf.  Fish has managed to play in this neighborhood on a regular basis for close to 8 years now and continues to get better.

Paste Magazine has already put together a the best of 2018 albums and I don't have any of the top 50 albums at all.  Kinda like that in 2017.  I have no use for Father John Misty, he tends to be one of those overblown critics darlings and the last album I heard I didn't care much for.  The only album I thought about was Ashley McBridye Girl Going Nowhere, and it's more country than Kasey Musgraves last album, which Kasey made her pop move.  From what I heard on You Tube, Ashley's songs are more folk than country and make nice background music at coffee houses.  A bit too mellow for my listening consumption.

RIP Steve Hillenburg https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/spongebob-squarepants-creator-dead-dies-stephen-hillenburg-1203037362/?fbclid=IwAR2gWdoOorvfqJzM9GLqCDUMKMXRlar6CWvK84JU3aX70tit1xQKB19HJkk


In decemeber I'll try to put together the best of 2018 in music and of course the famed Crabby Awards for best places but that list is also shorter than usual.   Plus we await who will be the next Rock and Roll Hall Of Famers for next year, but the interest is waning on that too.  But I am surprised at the surge of readership this month  Even when this was dormant for a while.

Sit back, do nothing and watch the ratings rise.  But we're  back to only 40 or less views per day.

Back to normal again.

2018 Worst Country Singles: https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/saving-country-musics-worst-songs-of-2018/?fbclid=IwAR3xAWWmjURipJ4f_TNRglxh0VYmB94hjz1FqJrXiKAzbLMFVnbINzsIptM



Reissues:

10 Years After:  A Space In Time, Going Home, Live At The Fillmore East (Chrysalis)

Remastered for the digipack era,  A Space In Time Returns back in print and it still might be their best overall album, tho' time has treated Rock N Roll Music To The World better it seems but that record lacks I'd Love To Change The World.  It's not the B minus album that Robert Christgau claimed it is (Not enough hip hop or African World Music to his liking) but it still remains a solid listening especially on the second side with I've Been There Too, or Once Upon A Time.  In theory, Alvin Lee was never much of a lyricist and he does recycle the Good Morning Little Schoolgirl riff on Let The Sky Fall.  His jams are hit and miss but One Of These Days is solid boogie and Baby Let Me Rock And Roll You is 2 minutes of boogie fun.

In 1978 London Records in the US, on their death bed issued Going Home, a very spotty best of, that is about as half assed as they come, taking three songs off Stonedhedge (at that time out of print in the us), the single edit of Love Like A Man and side two started with I Woke Up This Morning and a cut from Undead and then the crowd pleasing I'm Going Home from Woodstock, Lee's signature song.  10 Minutes of in your face boogie rock, then after the 2 minute mark extending the song to boring proportions.  Better seen live when trying to hear it fifty years after the fact.  I have good memories of Going Home, I bought it on a sky blue cassette,cheaply made that sounded like crap in the car, especially on cold winter days which was the winter of 78-79.  Unless you're a completest, Going Home isn't essential and since Stonedhedge  is still in print, redundant.  However, this is the first time it has been issued on CD and under the Chrysalis banner to which most if not all 10 years after albums are now under.

Which leaves us to Live At The Fillmore East, which Capitol issued in 2002.  Before that, we had Recorded Live, a bloated 1973 2 LP set that Columbia released and to these ears a better way to check out the Alvin Lee Guitar show, but that album is much more polished than the rough drafts of the 1970 set. Lee and company go through a 20 minute I Can't Keep From Cryin Sometimes and a 16 minute blistering Help Me, to which I'm Going Home in it's 11:57 glory seems to be a Ramones type run through.  Make no mistake, Alvin Lee cooks on lead guitar but fifty years on, droning 10 plus minute guitar tend to lose favor and attention spans and on Ric Lee's 10 minute drum soloing on The Hobbit still remains boring as hell, a bathroom break for all of the other guys.  Another complaint: Alvin can't remember the words to Sweet Little 16 to save his ass, it didn't help him on Watt (which might be the same version as the Fillmore). And if you make it past the other blotched Chuck Berry cover, you get a new run through on I Woke Up This Morning and the concluding Spoonful . In the long run, Recorded Live was the better and more tolerable effort.  For excessive rock noodling Live At The Fillmore East is Lee's grand statement.

Grades:
A Space In Time:  A-
Recorded Live B-
Going Home: Greatest Hits: C+
Live At The Fillmore East C+

Black Friday Singles From Davenport and Elsewhere

I'm surprised I have 993 views on one day.  So for that effort, I throw together yet another batch of singles found in various locations.  Even the Marion store had some decent shape of 60 year old 45s.

Betcha they're pop singles.


1)   Tiger Lilly-Rusty Draper (Mercury 70989)  #88  1957

Mercury's answer to Guy Mitchell, tho' Mitchell was more convincing as a country star than pop.  Tiger Lilly was arranged by Hugo Peretti (of the Hugo/Lugini production team). This song is aimed for the teen pop crowd, it did some airplay enough to hang on the billboard top 100.  B side Confidential is a ballad of course.  Draper would eventually go straight country and recorded some sides for Monument in the 60s.  Fun fact: this 45 was sold from Ferris Records up in Austin Minnesota.  It's like archaeological finds, seeing tags and price stickers from forgotten record stores.

2)   Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes-Johnnie and Joe (RCA 47-5040)  1952

Country remake of the Perry Como super hit.  Johnnie Wright would marry Kitty Wells and had a nice long life together.  I tend to favor hillbilly music over poptopia stuff and Johnnie and Joe has a better version tho' not as memorable.  For a 66 year old 45, this is better sounding than most 45s.  Whoever had this one, took great care of it.

3)    A Girl Like You-Larry Hall (Strand 25013)  1960

Hall was a one hit wonder with Sandy (#15 1959) but this followup didn't chart.  Sounding somewhat like Frankie Avalon's Venus.  B side Rosemary basically the same format and pop style. In fact, some radio stations went with Rosemary as the Plug side. Burt Bachurach co wrote A Girl Like You.  I don't know, it's passable teen pop.  For better or worse.

4)    Sing Me Something Sentimental-Marty Robbins (Columbia 4-21145)  1953

It's hard to believe how far back Marty goes with his music.  I remember him with El Paso, A White Sport Coat and Singing The Blues but in 53, he was honky tonk hillbilly. And I have found quite a few of his singles in thrift stores.  To find them in excellent sounding shape is a different story.  Hillbilly music in the early 50s didn't stand out all that much, mid tempo ballads moreorless.  Tho' the record is slightly warped, it sounds like you're in the recording studio, it's that pristine.  B side At The End Of A Long Lonely Day is hillbilly  blues with a steel guitar.   Both songs written by Marty

5)   Mirage-Johnny Mathis (Mercury 72464)  1965

Johnny's Mercury years aren't documented all that much, Collector's Choice issued some of his albums on CD.  Usually when I pick up his Mercury sides, it's curiosity.  Quincy Jones co wrote this 2 minute ditty. Sounds a bit like Maria, with a bit of mysterious strings and melody.  It might have been a bigger hit in 1959 rather than 1965 tho'.  Mercury didn't promote this very well and one year later Mathis returned back to Columbia to where he still records to this day.

6)   Teenage Sonata-Sam Cooke (RCA 47-7701)  #50  1960

Sam Cooke could sing just about everything, sometimes good, sometimes bad and sometimes he had to sing what the label or Hugo & Luigi wanted him to play.  Jeff Barry wrote this banal pop number and it isn't one of Sam's best songs.  In fact it might one of the worst that he ever did.  Glenn Osser, who also arranged Mirage from Johnny Mathis can be blamed for this sappy sound.  B side If You Were The Only Girl is better suited for Frankie Avalon.  Cooke would have much better songs later on.

7)   Oh Carol-Neil Sedaka (RCA 47-7595)  #8 1959

I'm not sure if my mom had this 45 in her collection or not,  Neil had a bit more grit to his teen pop numbers more than Paul Anka.  I think Anka had better songs at that time but Neil made better albums in the 70s, after all Neil had Elton John helping him out, Paul got lucky with You're Having My Baby and getting raked over the coals.  Oh Carol was written about Carol King or so the story goes.  B side One Way Ticket (to the blues) is a better song I think.  A bit more catchy on the tunes.

8)  Just As Long As You Love Me-Jim Edward & Maxine & Bonnie Brown (RCA 47-6631)  1956

Back to hillbilly country blues, Jim Ed and his sisters had some nice harmonies for their 50s recording for RCA.  In my return to collecting forgotten 45s,  I think I have found about 10 of their singles but never bought The Old Lamplighter or The Three Bells, I have those on the classic Town And Country album that came out on CD for a short time.  Next to Don Gibson and Porter Wagoner The Browns are probably my favorite RCA recording acts of the 1950s.  B side Don't Tell Me Your Troubles is not the same song as Don Gibson.

9)   Ashes Of Love-Don Gibson (RCA 47-9460)  1968

Speaking of Don, he continued to record for RCA and still managed to get Chet Atkins to produce his music, and Don had free reign to find songs from Acuff-Rose to sing and Ashes Of Love is an old Johnnie And Jack song, b side Good Morning Dear did get some country airplay as well, it's a MOR ballad.  Mickey Newbury wrote Good Morning Dear; he also wrote Funny, Familiar, Forgotten Feelings as well.  Both are not my favorites.

10)  Norwegian  Wood-Waylon Jennings (RCA  47-8822)  1966

Time To Bum Again was the A side but Waylon wanted to record the Beatles number.  Can't say that I blame Waylon.

11)  Darlin'-Tom Jones (Mercury 76100)  1981

A sizable country hit, I remember the days when I was roller skating on Wednesday nights at Super Skate they would play this song.  Memories.

12)  Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)-Melanie (Buddah  BDA-167)  #6 1970

Hippie singer songwriter....I found a dollar copy of her greatest hits and found most of her songs silly (Brand New Key anybody?)  but I always loved Lay Down, thanks to the Edwin Hawkins Singers in the background.wailing away.  Mott The Hoople did their own version of Lay Down.

13)   Well Did Ya Evea?-Bing Crosby/Frank Sinatra  (Capitol F-3507)   #92 1956
         True Love-Bing Crosby with Grace Kelly #3

Grace had the bigger hit but Frank had the most fun on this double sided single written by Cole Porter.  Never in my life I ever thought I would have this single in my collection.  It brings out the hoarder in me.

14)  My Maria-B W Stevenson (RCA APB0-0030)  #6 1973

Later a number 1 country hit for Brooks and Dunn but this original gets my nod for better song.

15)  You Need Love-Styx  (Wooden Nickel PB-10272)  #88   1975

Of course any followup to Lady, would be a bomb but You Need Love did score on the regional top 30 here.  At times I prefer this to Lady since radio doesn't play it that much.  Once Wooden Nickel closed their doors, Styx would find new life with A&M.  For better or, namely worse.

So this ends the Black Friday finds.  On Sunday, a big snowstorm would hit the Davenport area, getting one foot of snow for a record breaking snowfall in November.  Surprisingly, my area didn't get snow but it's an early snow season and I'm sure there'll be many more chances of a white Christmas.

For now, the NO SNOW chant worked for me great this weekend.