I had this album back then. Holland is uneven but “Sail On Sailor” is great, “The Trader” is very good, and “Funky Pretty” has excellent music and terrible lyrics.
Category: Music
The Times They Are A-Changin’ released on 1/3/64
One of the few Dylan albums where the album title was a song title
His last strictly folk music album although his next one was also acoustic
Think I’ll do a covers post now
Tweets on low royalty rates paid to musicians by streaming services
Alex Chilton
Alex Chilton was born on December 28, 1950. He had three music careers. He was a teenage star with the Box Tops in the 1960s and a great but not popular at the time run with Big Star. He later had a solo career.
There’s a fine book about him A Man Called Destruction by Holly George-Warren. There’s a fine film about Big Star called Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me. The Replacements recorded a song about him.
Highlights of The Complete Stax-Volt Soul Singles, Vol. 2: 1968-1971 box set
The Complete Stax-Volt Soul Singles, Vol. 2: 1968-1971 is not nearly as good as Volume 1. On the first set, Booker T. & the MGs were the backing band for almost all of the records and this great group gave the set consistency. Volume 2 is uneven but there are still many good songs. This period included many records from Isaac Hayes, Johnnie Taylor, Rufus Thomas, and the Staple Singers.
One thing I like about box sets is I learn about artists I didn’t know or obscure songs by artists I did know. Here are some of those.
now for better-known records
American Songwriter on causes of death in country songs
“You Never Even Called Me by My Name” written by Steve Goodman and John Prine does a great job of skewering country music cliches.
Washington Post’s top 100 Christmas songs (and other lists)
I didn’t know all these. I have added YouTube videos of some of the strangest ones. They left out “Father Christmas” by the Kinks. I love Chuck Berry’s “Run Rudolph Run”. He didn’t write it but it sure sounds like one of his songs.
11/30 – I have added lists from Pitchfork and No Depression.
Two more not on the list:
Another list: John Prine’s “Christmas in Prison” is excellent.
Earl King
New Orleans musician George Porter, Jr.’s recent posts on a tribute to Earl King prompted this post. I saw King perform twice, once around 1990 at 8×10 and on July 22, 2000, at Artscape, both in Baltimore. He was a great musician with a lengthy career that lasted around 50 years. He is probably best known for “Come On” and Trick Bag”. He wrote “Big Chief” which was recorded by Professor Longhair.
My photos from July 20, 2000:
Remember Tower Records?
The first post reminded me of Tower Records. I used to go to the ones in Washington, DC, and in Manhattan. I still have a bag from there.
All Things Must Pass is an excellent documentary about the history of Tower Records
Tower Records still exists in Japan
Sad! 