Rod's Top Ten For 1-6-10

Greetings folks. Welcome to my first top ten of the year here in sunny Blogspot. The rules are simple, I pick ten songs that I have been playing on my player and I make witty observations. I've done this at MSN Groups from 2003 to 2008 when they shut it down, and I've done this at My Space from 2006 to 2009. I moved it over here to Blogspot since it's easier to compile them and not lose them over at My Space.

I try to go more past the usual overplayed stuff you hear on the radio but sometimes I have been known to throw a classic oldie. Sometimes I'll throw in a jazz number or country or something before 1954. I think the majority tracks will fall between 1966 to 1993. Why do I do this? Simply to point out there's much more out there to choose from in terms of music and it's my job to keep the forgotten alive. Shall we start?

But first, a moment of silence for the passing of Willie Mitchell, who produced most of the soul music from Hi Records and produced Al Green's best known songs. He was 81.

Thanks to everybody who commented on The Brains post which was written a few years ago. I still think The Brains need to have their albums reisssued on cd and their music has better staying power than most of those MTV keyboard Crank Yankers. Tom Gray we salute you!

This week's selections
1. Combination Of The Two-Big Brother & The Holding Company 1967 I am not the biggest Janis Joplin fan out there and I have heard better versions of this song off Live At Winterland 68 but since Clyde Clifford from Beaker Street played this, I thought I pull Cheap Thrills out and hear it once again. I miss those days of the 60s that you can go to the Fillmore and see a Big Brother or Jefferson Airplane or Grateful Dead.

2. Can Your Monkey Do The Dog-Rufus Thomas 1962 As a youngster I used to listen to a lot of soul music simply of the fact that you can get them 4 for a dollar at Arlan's or K Mart. Or 29 cents a piece. Anyway, this was originally off the Walking The Dog album that I found on CD for a buck at the pawnshop. Later The Cramps would remake this as Can Your Pussy Do The Dog (Quit snickering Sassy).

3. Long May You Run-Stills-Young Band 1976 Sadly missing Crosby and Nash, Neil and Steve put this album out and I still don't know what to think of it. Sounds a bit like Manassas if Neil took over for Chris Hillman but this was a nice mellow number that found its way on Neil's Decade album.

4. The Universal-Blur 1995 One of those British bands that got hyped up to the max, I think Parklife is their best but their followup The Great Escape seems to be missing something but I do like this number. I just got done hearing The Great Escape the second time around and still can't get into that album. Blur was on their way of becoming the 90s answer to The Kinks till they went with a Pavement like sound on their S/T album, with mixed results.

5. What Are We Doing Here-John Entwistle 1971 Pigeon's-Cedar Rapids Iowa, KCRG was given out free albums and I managed to pick up Smash Your Head Against The Wall, John's first solo album and it remains his best overall. In fact it rocked pretty hard, problem was the record skipped on My Size which frustrated me and took me years to get a replacement copy till they finally reissued it on CD. This track is pretty mellow. Jerry Shirley from Humble Pie guest stars on drums. Produced by Roy Thomas Baker who'd go on to do great things with Queen.

6. Can't Get Used To Losing You-The English Beat 1980 Nice ska remake of the Andy Williams classic number and I do like Andy's version too.

7. What You Got-Duke & The Drivers 1975 Originally heard on some Memphis station in the mid 70s, it took me a good ten years to find this song. Duke & The Drivers came from Boston and they do remind me of J. Geils Band without a distinctive lead singer. But they have such a love for Willie Ellison and The Soul Brothers Six that they do a credible version of Check Yourself. But What You Got is their ultimate one hit wonder and it's a gritty garage rock number. Originally on ABC Records and I'm sure the bastards at Universal won't be reissuing this song nor album (Crusin) anytime soon on CD. Side Note: Bobby Chouinard aka Bobby Blue Sky would go on to drum for Billy Squier and Ted Nugent before passing away from cancer.

8. He's Gonna Step On You Again-John Kongos 1971 Later covered by Happy Mondays, this is another one hit wonder from somebody who was produced by Elton John's producer Gus Dudgeon. In the end Gus decided to stick with EJ and John Kongos went into the archives of one hit wonder land. Collector's Choice Music reissued the album on CD but outside of the hit, not much to recommend it.

9. Calypso Blues-Marvin Gaye 1965 One of the cds that I found in the cutouts at the soon to be closed FYE store was Marvin Gaye's Tribute to Nat King Cole, an album that Motown put out but didn't promote all that much although it did get reissued on Cd. And Gaye sings Cole very well but I like this little number to which it's only Marvin and some bongo player accomplying him. Reminds me of Chuck Berry's Havana Moon but I'm sure once you hear this number you won't believe your ears it came from Motown.

10. The Weapon-Rush 1984 From The Grace Under Pressure Tour CD that came out I had to include this simply of the fact that SCTV's Joe Flaherty guest stars as Count Floyd as he leads the introduction to this song. One thing about Geddy Lee and company is that they always have had a barbed sense of humor and it's too bad they never did make it to SCTV the TV show.