Singles Going Steady-Record Finds during the Corona 19 Outbreak

1.   All Day Every Day-Joe Henderson (Todd 45-1084)  1963

That trademark vocal style similar to Brook Benton, Joe got a top ten hit with Snap Your Fingers but each ensuring single the chart placement went further and further south and this song managed to stay under the top 100.  Joe does sound a bit bored on the b side You Can't Lose.


2.   Goodbye Cruel World-James Darren (Colpix CP-609)  #3 1961

Teeny bopper pop but I think Darren was somewhere along the lines of Brian Hyland of getting songs that were not too sappy or corny, tho he swears about joining the circus after his love interest told him to go elsewhere.  B side Valerie, would sound at home had Bobby Rydell recorded it.  The A side wins out.

3)   Don't Pity Me-Dion & The Belmonts (Laurie 3021)  #40 1958

Along with James Darren, this was the second single bought at the Goodwill Maquoketa store and for its age, it plays better than it looks.  One of the lesser singles from Dion and the guys, it's mellow doo wop but it's not seen on many best of comps, except for the on that Laurie issued on CD years ago. B Side Just You basically has the same arrangement, including sappy horns. The A side is better.

4)   Don't Be Cruel-Percy Sledge (Atlantic 2414)  #40 1968
B Side: What Am I Living For #91

Percy never really got the credit due to him since Atlantic had all these great soul singers and Percy got regulated to the back tho, his When A Man Loves A Woman is always played.  A nice soul remake of the Elvis Presley staple.  This is a good followup to the Dion song.  B side, a update of the Chuck Willis hit.

5)   Stop The World And Let Me Off-Susan Raye (Capitol 3038) 1974 #18 Country

6)   First We Take Manhattan-Jennifer Warnes (Cypress 661 115-7)  1988

One of the best female singers that doesn't get credit where credit gets due, Jennifer made an album that she covers Leonard Cohen's songs, Famous Blue Raincoat.  Looking up the chart position, this didn't chart but radio played it a few times.   Nothing against her Arista albums and Up Where We Belong but Famous Blue Raincoat is her classic moment. The 45 is quite warped but it plays fine, just like the Eric Clapton/Tina Turner Tearing Us Apart.  Me thinks this record came from the same pile.

7)   Dance With The Guitar Man-Duane Eddy (RCA 47-8087)  #12 1962

The highest charting single for Duane when he was on RCA, with The Blossoms with Darlene Love singing the song, renamed the Rebelettes.  Produced with Lee Hazelwood.  What's not to love.

8)   If We Try-Don McLean (United Artists UA-XW206-W)  #58 1973

The second single from the S/T album   I remember buying this album for the single Dreidel and finding this album hard to stay awake to.   The buying public kinda ignored this.  B side The More You Pay The More Its Worth was one of the tracks I remember off the album. Probably the fourth best song.

9)   Dreidel-Don McLean (United Artists 51100) #12 1972

One of the things I requested when I invited my classmates over to celebrate my birthday was to buy some 45s, the look upon their faces when I suggested this one, kinda prophetic nonsense that is fun to hear Don get worked up toward the end of the final chorus. But in a era which Three Dog Night, The Osmonds and K Tel dictated the radio, Dreidel was left field from the guy that gave us American Pie. My original copy kept skipping and I destroyed many a needle trying to get the record played.  So I found a decent copy years later.  I also found Don McLean's Legendary Hits, to which I have yet to play since purchasing it a couple months ago.

10)   Before My Heart Finds Out-Gene Cotton (Ariola 7075)  #23  1978

Gene's highest charting song.  The B Side Like A Sunday In Salem was issued as a single later in the and placed at  number 40.  And it's a rocker.  Probably the finest song that Cotton ever came up with.

11)   Reno Bound-Southern Pacific (Warner Music 7-28943)  #9 Country 1986

After the demise of the Doobie Brothers, Keith Kundsen formed a country band with John  Tim Goodman and John McFee for the minor supergroup S.P.  While this was a top ten single, a later version had John McFee doing lead vocals for the Pink Cadillac movie soundtrack.  In some ways, Tim was the best singer they had, after the second album Killbilly Hill, Goodman went solo and disappeared and David Jenkins from Pablo Cruise took his place.  Still Tim's version wins out, but you never hear it on the radio anymore.  Too country.  B side is a cover of Tom Petty's Thing About You with Emily Lou Harris dueting with Mr. Goodman.  This could have been a country hit too.

12)  Lonesome Number One-Don Gibson (RCA 47-7959)  #59  1961  #2 Country

Don's last pop chart placement.  From I Wrote A Song LP, an album that I grew up with, tho this single version is a different take than the album.  B Side Same Old Trouble is written by B and F Bryant, songwriters to the stars (Everly Brothers, Roy Orbinson etc).

13)  Try (Try To Fall In Love)-Rick Nelson (MCA 40392)  1975

In the meantime, Rick Nelson continue to make singles for MCA through the mid 70s tho nobody was buying them.  The teen idol slowly became more of a folk country rocker.  Try is a nice mellow number, but not exactly memorable.  Louisiana Belle, the B side, shakes the tempo up a half step, it also helps having a female singer too.  Still, like the A side, not one of Rick's best efforts.

14)   Names, Tags, Numbers, Labels-Albert Hammond (Mums 6032)  1974

Originally this song comes from 1972 to which new labelmates The Association covered this and for their effect it made number 91 on the charts.  This song also was found on the S/T album in 1974 and CBS decided to issue this as a single.  To which it made the local top 30 but not the Billboard chart.  B Side Fountain Avenue is a mellow forgettable number complete with a sax solo sounding very Kenny G, it could have been David Sanborn or Tom Scott blowing away.  I thought Names, etc was a worthy Hammond song.  The 1974 version is a update and this time out Hal Blaine keeps a straight beat rather than the tossed off one he played on the Association version.

15)  Live And Let Die-Wings (Apple 1863)  #2 1973

Apple Records are hard to come by in decent shape but the gang at Moondog Music have had a nice collection of Apple music.  Of course George Martin produced this, of course this is better than Guns And Roses.  Linda McCartney is missed too.  Tho this record didn't have a sleeve it's plays like new.  B side I Lie Around has Denny Laine singing lead.  This was later added on the CD version of Red Rose Speedway and probably made that album sound much more better too.

16)   Standing At The End Of The Line-Lobo (Big Tree BT-15001)  #37 1974

The last of the Moondog Music finds is yet another soft country rock number from Lobo, who seems to be becoming more of the SGS puzzle.  Back in the 70s soft country rock was a big deal but nowadays nobody plays it much.  As with most Lobo songs, it is catchy and I prefer it to the overplayed Corporate Classic Rock Crap anymore.  B side Stoney is more of the same.  I can't tell you why I get into this sort of music.


17)   When There's A Will, There's A Way-Delaney & Bonnie (Atco 45-6863) #99 1972

Bought this at Analog Vault and then had to clean it up, a lot of dirt buildup in the grooves.  Things were unwinding down for D & B, who would eventually leave for Columbia Records, made one album and then got divorced.  Bonnie Bramlett could belt it out and was a perfect foil for Delaney.  Kinda reminds me of Soul Shake, another forgotten classic you never hear on the radio.

18)   The Fireman-George Strait (MCA 52586)  1984  #5 Country 1985

I'm surprised this didn't make number 1, for a number 5 showing it feels like a disappointment. But to me it's like hearing Rockpile going country.  I've been looking for some sort of media storage to get this song and found it on Greatest Hits Volume 2 but then found the single a week later.  It doesn't look to be a jukebox copy, it would have the grooves wore off.  B side What Dif You Expect Me To Do, is passable.

19)  Harbor Lights-Art Kassel (Kapp KE-108)  1969

Post release by the late great saxophonist and big band leader.  The guess is that these sessions were done in the late 50s or early 60s and released on Kapp Records.  B Side Hell's Bells is more polka than big band.  More Lawrence Welk than AC/DC, smart ass. ;)

20)   Big Yellow Taxi-The Neighborhood (Big Tree  BT-102)  #29 1970

I have the Oldies reissue and had the original white label but the latter had a big scratch across the groove that that had to be replaced.  I actually found the Yellow/Orange label to which Big Tree would be sold to Ampex.  This song brings back wonderful memories of spending the summer with my grandparents and listening to the radio. KRIL from Peoria.   Fun times.

And Finally.

Moms Mabley covering Abraham Martin and John and Sunny, but Sunny was the only side I could play since there was a big scratch across the hit single.  There's a strange charm of hearing Moms trying to sing Sunny over a hippy dippy funky rhythm, I wouldn't say it's a bad thing.  However, I might be on the lookout for a better copy.  She got a number 35 chart rating for Abraham Martin and John. via Mercury 72935, She would release 3 more singles for Mercury.  Mostly curio pieces for hoarders to seek and find and listen to.

The Dubuque Bargain Hunts in the time of Corona Virus and Social Distancing

While Mad City Music X and Strictly Discs decided to close down due to the Coronavirus issues, Dubuque contined on.  Moondog Music and Books A Million were open and also CDs 4 Change. Moondog kept their doors open, even after Hy Vee and Fareway closed shop at 7.  So basically I decided to postpone Madison instead.


Books A Million is discontinuing their CD section, with 75 percent off all stock. I managed to get Lindsay Buckingham's Greatest hits along with The Delfonics and Parliament best of, and the Muff's first album for 8 dollars total.  A couple years ago, BAM decided to do a cash for your music deal but that didn't pan out, so technically they are doing away with that and CDs and just going with vinyl.  In the meantime, I went to Moondog Music and they politely removed 74 dollars from me on new releases from Chris Knight, Gordon Lightfoot and Drive By Truckers and a Lee Brilleaux best of.  Plus 14 scratchy 45s as well.   However, with the clerk hacking n coughing, I decided to head home and wash my clothes, since Dubuque County has no reported cases of Corvid 19.  However we had two co workers that got affected by loved ones but were not at work.

Goodwill was open too, till 6 PM as well as Stuff Etc. But nothing was found at those locations and i found a couple of 45s and George Strait's 50 Number 1 hits on 2 CDs for a dollar.  I tend to think we will have plenty of cheap cds to be found, even if BAM is joining the ranks of Best Buy of not selling them.  Moondog Music is doing quite nicely thank you.

After 25 years, Second Spin is closing up their online store.  I guess CDs ain't selling like they used to. Back in the early 2000's Second Spin was one of my go to online stores for new music but the prices of late have been outrageous and I don't think I ordered from them in over 10 years. They have 40 percent off as we speak but I doubt if i'll find anything of value.  But I'll miss them just the same.

Reviews:

Gordon Lightfoot-Solo  (Warner Music 2020)

At 81 years old, Gordon really has nothing left to prove, but for his first album since 2004, it's Gordon alone with guitar in hand and 10 songs, mainly unpolished and a bit rough but the guitar is steady as she goes, clocking just over 33 minutes and no one song goes over 3:48   He's done better of course, but the one that stands out the most is Just A Little Bit, a list of questions, but the line Are you getting tired of hearing me whine or are you getting tired of hearing this song., or something to that effect, which got me laughing on that one.  Solo is isn't vintage Gordon, his voice and whistling does betray him a bit, but it's reveals that he's human.  Be glad he's still around

Grade B

Drive By Truckers-The Unrevealing (ATO 2020)

The DBT's frustrate me.  In their 30 year existence they have made classic albums and threw them in flimsy digipaks, and in this case another flimsy digipak and the worst recording, a sound that is so damn compressed and too much bass that we really don't hear the songs as they're intended to be.  Mexico can't seem to make remastered CDs worth the shit but great songs such as Thoughts & Prayers and Everybody Is Back In Town.  I also find their 9 minute finale Another Resurrection is a chore to listen through.  If any band out there outside of Neil Young, that can trash the occupant of the White House it would be these guys.  This ends up being their answer to Living With War, another underachieving album credited to Mr. Young.  Their worst.

Grade B-

A Introduction To Montrose (Rhino) 2019
A Introduction To Doctor John (Atco/Rhino) 2019

At this point and time of the dying CD era, The Introduction series from Warner Music is mostly a 10 song afterthought mixtape.  The Gordon Lightfoot Introduction is the better buy had you not have the Complete hit singles CD and has less filler to contend with.  I find the Doctor John Introduction to be worthwhile and slightly better than the Rhino Best Of, that this replaced.  It has the hit Right Place, Wrong Time, and Such A Night, and if anything Iko Iko proves that Gumbo, his 1972 New Orleans tribute album is his best.  You also get the voodoo Gris Gris Gumbo Ya Ya, and Mama Roux, and of course I Walk on Guided Splinters, to which Humble Pie turned into a 21 minute snoozefest. I think this finish strong with Everybody Wanna Get Rich Rite Away.

As for Montrose, 4 songs are from their classic debut album, a template for Van Halen to copy Ronnie Montrose's guitar play and Eddie Van Halen turning it into something different.  Paper Money, the followup, suffered greatly but the two best tracks I Got The Fire and Paper Money are present.  The last four come from the Bob Evans' led band and the quality falls greatly, I'm not a big fan of All I Need but the last two from Jump On It are the better two than WB Presents Montrose, but if anything, that cover art of WB Presents is a classic.  I think back in 1990 these introduction at a cheap price would have worked better than stuffed Very Best of both Dr John and Montrose  If anything A Introduction To Montrose will keep me to rebuying the uneven Paper Money.

Both albums B+

Cheap CD Reviews:

Hairspray Soundtrack (MCA 1988)

John Waters is good at putting together soundtracks to his movies and Hairspray was no surprise.  Mostly late 50s to early 60s AM mini classics, you get Jan Bradley's Mama Didn't Lie, Ray Bryant's The Madison Time, The Five  Du Tones' Shake A Tail Feather which The Romantics would cover, Foot Stompin (The Flares) is good time jive.  Waters always had a deep love for Little Peggy March's I Wish I Were A Princess.  Only Rachel Sweet is the newbie with the title track which fits the mood, despite dated drums and production.  Toussaint Mccall's Nothing Takes The Place Of You is a odd choice to end this soundtrack, a very dark moody break up song.   Waters would up the ante on Rachel Sweet on the half assed Cry Baby S/T, however, that album introduced me to the original Rubber Biscuit by The Chips and the mutant doo wop Bad Boy from the Jive Bombers.  Hairspray is more to the point.
B+

The Essential Porter Wagoner (Real Gone 2014)

Country music in the 1950s and 60s were a whole different sound rather than the Florida Georgia Line/Dustin Lynch/Hunter Hayes/Old Dominion bullshit you hear on I Fart KHAK.  Wagoner had put out a ton of music for RCA but never got a well deserved overview till Real Gone licensed the BMG/Sony import collection.  Porter could do it all, bluegrass, gospel, honky tonk, whatever the case may be.  Jasmine  put together a collection of Porter's 50s output and called it the First Ten Years which ends with I Enjoyed As Much Of This Than I Can Stand.  This collection gathers the best known songs and choice cuts.  It's odd how the CDs start out with fun songs like Howdy Neighbor Howdy and Y'all Come and he's covered Uncle Pen a good five or six times.  What Porter does best is really tackle the dark side of life, be it suicide (Cold Dark Waters), Depression (Your Old Love Letters, Sorrow On The Rocks), running into exes (I Enjoyed As Much As This...) mental health breakdown (The Rubber Room) down on their luck folks (Skid Row Joe) and revenge and murder of cheating spouses (Cold Hard Facts Of Life, Julie ) or jealous rage that leads to murder (The First Mrs Jones).  Cold Dark Waters makes Love Will Tear Us Apart sound more upbeat.  I do have other Porter Wagoner compilations that tell part of the story, the Essential Porter Wagoner the go to album tho Cold Dark Water and Rubber Room found themselves on a budget priced Pair best of.  Real Gone issued this as a limited edition best of and it still remains the best overview of one of the more varied artists of the country music 60s era.
Grade A-

Playing The Black And Whites (Pickwick 1989)

Featuring Dick Cary, Cliff Jackson, Art Hodes, Nat Jaffe

I'm a sucker for old piano blues and jazz and this unloved comp was found for a quarter at the pawnshop in Waterloo and has been up there for many years it seems.  All the selections came from the Black And White label, which was famous for blues and jazz and hillbilly music.  T Bone Walker got his start there.  These notable four had stellar music careers in the jazz field and Cliff Jackson and Art Hodes have the most rocking barrel house boogie and rag time.  Jaffe's songs tend to stray into pop MOR territory with ho hum versions of These Foolish Things and If I Had You.  The ADD recording is misleading, it's sounds like it was processed via the CEDAR method, which smooths out the scratches big time. Royal Garden Blues from Jackson pays tribute to James Johnson and Fats Waller.  Even in 1989, these four were hardly known outside of the hard core jazz know it alls, and thirty years on, most are probably dead.  For off the wall, piano pieces, it makes decent background music.
Grade B+

Andy Williams-Lonely Street (Cadence 1958)

A song cycle concept in the way of Frank Sinatra sings Only For The Lonely, this is mostly quiet afterhours music of love gone lost.  This record kills off whatever rock moves that Andy ever made, not that he really did, he was always MOR lust pop music.  He adds  melancholy to Autumn Leaves, doesn't go overboard on Unchained Melody and turns Hank Williams I'm So Lonesome That I Could Cry from country to pop.  But in terms of melancholy,  Williams's finest hour is the title track.  Joy Division wasn't the only band that could sing depressing and make you live it too.
Grade B

Dealer's Choice-Best Of The Blue Band (Hot Fudge 1988)

You'd never would have guessed that the former Bobby's Blue Band would be a Iowa legacy and icon on the music circuit.  Bob Dorr and Jeff Petersen, the mainstays through their four decades of blues really were the band to see when they were in town.  Even today Dorr and Petersen can be found at various blues jam in the state.  But in the early years, The Blue Band connected themselves with Reggae and rock blues that was more Southside Johnny than Bruce (Madness On Main Street) and good time oldies that bordered on bawdy (Walk Right In) and down right fun (Cincinnati Fireball).  You also get extended blues jams featuring Molly Nova and her amazing electric violin and distinctive vocals, to which her presence made The Blue Band the most varied and entertaining before she and Turk E Krause (who later joined the Blue Band after this comp was made) moved on.  While the 90s brought forth more recognizable and well known stars (Billylee Janey and Bryce Janey, Dan Johnson, the before mentioned Krause) The 80s' version of The Blue Band captured perfect midwestern blues rock.
Grade B+

The Animals-K Tel Presents The Animals (BCI 2006)

The Animals were my fave band growing up. It started with Gonna Send You Back To Walker and then Inside Looking out. But out of all the British Invasion bands, The Animals flamed out and by the mid to late 60s Eric Burdon led them to hippie dippy land. Then Burdon retired the name and then the Original Animals got together for a 1977 album that was worthy and two 80s albums that were not and the live album was terrible. Burdon couldn't sing, neither could Alan Price, and the band imploded again. John Steel somehow kept the name and in the 1990s The Animals came with a ignored album of greatest hits and crappy new songs. No information of who played what but John Steel is probably the only original Animal on this. Or maybe Hilton Valentine. The Cover photo is the New Animals minus Eric.

Since K Tel (or better yet BCI) didn't give a shit, the new songs are basically tossed off tossers with not much thought to them, To Love Somebody is actually listenable had they edited the song by about two minutes. Stand Up I actually found myself singing the chorus, but Howlin is simply stupid and Night Fighter isn't much better. I heard better bar bands cover We Gotta Get Out Of This Place and *GAWD* the electric Casino drums suck. The highlights remain House Of The Rising Sun, San Francisco Nights and When I Was Young. They're also the three original recordings on this 1.98 comp.

Grade C-