Woo Hoo!!! September is birthday month, so (same as I did last year) I'm just gonna throw together a list of favorites. I'm not sure how I got into 1950's-60's girl groups - maybe it was movies like "The Big Chill" and "Stand By Me", which featured a lot of recordings from that time. But for whatever reason, I've always gravitated towards these artists. Whether they're singing about first love, broken hearts, or just missing the party of the century - these women (girls?) gave it everything they had. Listen to Dusty Springfield sing about the uncertainty of new love in "How Can I Be Sure" or Reparata & the Delrons wail in gorgeous loneliness after a breakup in "I'm Nobody's Baby Now". It's no wonder Janis Joplin and Amy Winehouse were inspired by this music.
As I've gotten older, I think I appreciate these ladies even more. Today's young women seem a lot more 'worldly' - one might even go so far as to label them Hoochie Mamas - but rarely do you hear them singing with such passion (Adele is admittedly an exception). Perhaps the Autotuner filters it out. But it seems a shame that an artist today can be singing about a menage-a-trois with less emotion than someone reciting their grocery list.
But enough editorializing. Let's kick it old school this month and think back to the days when our biggest problems were curfew and whether or not our crush was going to "like us back" (and not just on Facebook)! Enjoy.
1. My Baby Loves Me (Martha & the Vandellas) - They had bigger hits with "Love is Like a Heatwave" and "Dancing in the Streets", but this simple love song has always been my favorite in their catalogue.
2. Sweet Talkin' Guy (the Chiffons) - A bittersweet warning from someone who's learned the hard way.
3. The One You Can't Have (the Honeys) - Rare single from Mrs. Brian Wilson (of Beach Boys fame), mother to Carnie & Wendy Wilson (of Wilson Phillips). The Honeys often toured with the Beach Boys, and Brian Wilson produced and wrote many of their songs.
4. Needle in a Haystack (the Velvelettes) - Forgotten Motown girl group serve up some cynical soul.
5. Mr. Sandman (the Chordettes) - Bridging the gap between the Andrews Sisters and later Doo Wop acts, these ladies had their first hit with this classic in 1954. "Lollipop" would be an even bigger hit a few years later. Mr. Sandman would go on to be recorded by numerous acts ranging from Emmylou Harris to "The Golden Girls"!
6. She Don't Deserve You (the Honey Bees) - It sucks when someone you love dates someone you hate!
7. It's Gonna Take a Miracle (Royalettes) - Another song that has been covered many times. I think this original is still my fave.
8. Please Mr. Postman (the Marvelettes) - The first #1 Pop song for Motown, these ladies cleared the way for later female acts like Diana Ross & the Supremes.
9. Mixed Up Shook Up Girl (Patty & the Emblems) - This beach music gem was the only hit for the group. Always reminds me of hanging out on the pier at Myrtle Beach.
10. Don't Say Nothin' Bad About My Baby (the Cookies) - Sassy warning for all the haters out there!
11. Will You Love Me Tomorrow (the Shirelles) - Carole King's classic song was also the first song to hit #1 by an all-female group! Carole went on to record it herself for her Grammy winning album "Tapestry" in 1971.
12. Dream Lover (the Paris Sisters) - Dreamy remake of the classic Bobby Darin song
13. A Lover's Concerto (the Toys) - This catchy tune was based on Bach's "Minuet in G major" (hello! they were 'sampling' way back in 1965?!)
14. Party Lights (Claudine Clark) - Predecessor to Ke$ha? The whole song is about missing a party!
15. Born Too Late (the Poni-Tails) - It's no fun being a chicken when your man's not a chicken hawk.
16. I'm Into Something Good (Earl-Jean) - The Cookie's lead singer recorded this first, but it wasn't until Herman's Hermits did it that the song became a hit.
17. You Don't Have to Be a Baby to Cry (the Caravelles) - This fluttery tune is just begging to be in a Quentin Tarantino film!
18. I'm Nobody's Baby Now (Reparata & the Delrons) - Probably not anything you'd hear Beyonce' sing in these modern times of "Independent Women" and "Single Ladies", but we've all been there and felt like this.
19. Tonight You Belong to Me (Patience & Prudence) - Famously sung by Steve Martin & Bernadette Peters in "The Jerk", this is the 1956 version recorded by sisters Patience & Prudence McIntyre.
20. Walking in the Rain (the Ronettes) - Ronnie Spector did this song in 1 take! It wasn't as big a hit as their earlier songs "Baby I Love You" and "Be My Baby", but it was still a moderate success. Interesting piece of trivia - Cher started out as a back up singer for the group's recording sessions!
21. Love Is Here and Now You're Gone (the Supremes) - These ladies were supreme amongst the girl groups of the 60s! In fact, they rivaled the Beatles in popularity. Listen to Diana Ross's silky vocals and you'll know why. This isn't one of their signature songs ("Stop in the Name of Love", "Someday We'll Be Together") but it did hit #1 in 1967.
22. How Can I Be Sure (Dusty Springfield) - Dubbed The White Queen of Soul, Dusty had a career that spanned more than three decades. Fans included everyone from Aretha Franklin to the Pet Shop Boys. This was recorded around the same time as her fabulous "Son of a Preacher Man" single.
23. Give Him a Great Big Kiss (the Shangri-Las) - Upbeat song about lovin' a bad boy, from the "Leader of the Pack" ladies.
24. The Hideaway (the Young Generation) - Love the song, but not sure how I feel about the lyrics. On the one hand, it's sweet that a childhood promise was taken so seriously. On the other hand, get over it!
25. I Adore Him (the Angels) - Another song about lovin' Mr. Wrong! Can't find fault with the vocals, though.
26. Chapel of Love (the Dixie Cups) - The Ronettes had done this originally with little success, but the Dixie Cups recorded it and had the biggest hit of their career! The song would also be covered by the Beach Boys and Bette Midler.
27. You Don't Own Me (Lesley Gore) - The Divine Miss G recorded this iconic song back in 1963. The song was so popular she sang and released versions in Italian, German and French! Both the song & Lesley have become legendary, for good reason.
28. One Fine Day (the Chiffons) - Closing the playlist with a personal fave of all time. The optimism and joy in Carole King's anthem are positively infectious. The song would go on to chart in the Top 10 in 1963 and made Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the '500 Greatest Songs of All Time'. Couldn't agree more!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
Brant's August 2011 Playlist
1. Here Comes the Sun /Live from the 1971 Concert for Bangladesh/ (George Harrison) - 40 years after the legendary Concert for Bangladesh, the Soundtrack is now available for download and all sales benefit the George Harrison Fund for UNICEF. A timeless song that still makes me happy.
2. Somehow (Joss Stone) - Upbeat latest from bluesy UK singer
3. Annie You Save Me (Graffiti6) - Hot on the heels of Fitz & the Tantrums, these guys also are reviving that early 1970s AM rock sound. Groovilicious!
4. I Wanna Go Kill Everybody /Basic Physics Mashup/(Britney Spears vs. Skrillex) - America's Pop Princess gets the electric chair. Sort of. This mash-up pairs Brit Brit's vocals with dark electro funk. Probably the closest we'll get to having Crazy Britney for a while. Free download at PumptheBeat.com
5. Love in a Vacuum /1983 demo/ ('Til Tuesday) - My infatuation with Aimee Mann continues. I was reading the iTunes review for Til Tuesday's 1985 "Voices Carry" cd and the author kept talking about how great the demo for "Love in a Vacuum" was (better than the fully produced version that appears on the album). It took me a while to track it down, but I have to say I agree with him. Free download at http://www.studiowner.com/
6. Season of the Witch (Karen Elson) - Jack White's wife covers Donovan for the "True Blood" soundtrack. Great version, but of course I still prefer Courtney Love's. :^)
7. Amy (Mashup-Germany) - We lost Ms. Winehouse last month. I was surprised how touching this mashup was. Free on PumptheBeat.com. RIP Amy.
8. Substitute (Gloria Gaynor) - This was originally recorded by the Righteous Brothers, and Gloria decided to put her own spin on it. The song was soon eclipsed by the B-side single, however - "I Will Survive". Gotta say I like 'em both!
9. Belong (The Pains of Being Pure at Heart) - Perky alt-rock song from another awkwardly named alt-rock band.
10. Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win (Beastie Boys featuring Santigold) - If you had told me back in college that the Beastie Boys would still be around in 2011, I wouldn't have believed you. But here they are with this reggae-tinged single!
11. Dating a Porn Star (the Weepies) - Jill had this band on one of her playlists, and while browsing their catalogue I stumbled across this track. Never would have guessed it would be a tender ballad.
12. Do Nothing 'Til You Hear from Me (Boz Scaggs) - Another act I'm surprised is still recording. This is from a Billie Holliday tribute cd that came out this summer.
13. Wait & See /Richard X remix/ (Holy Ghost!) - This bouncy remix is great for some end of summer poolside chillaxin'.
14. Crystal Clear (the Darling Buds) - Hate to admit I missed this band first time around. Luckily I had Jill to call them to my attention. Better late than never!
15. Get Away (Yuck) - These guys did a Daytrotter session back in April. This wasn't one of the free tunes, but I liked them enough to check out their other music. Something about this reminds me of Smashing Pumpkins. Good stuff.
16. Speck (Deep Dark Robot) - Former 4 Non-Blonde member and hit producer (Pink, Gwen Stefani) Linda Perry returns to the studio with her new band. Great tune, but I still wish she'd gone for the "Big" ending (think: Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" or Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here").
17. School (Aer) - These guys make me smile. The song is about what makes them smile (hint: it's not school).
18. It's My Party (Quincy Jones featuring Amy Winehouse) - I had to have one more Winehouse song! QJ was putting together an album that showcased his work throughout a decades-long career. Who else but Amy to interpret his greatest Lesley Gore hit? Quincy Jones + Lesley Gore + Amy Winehouse = win win win
19. Sidewalk Talk (Jellybean featuring Madonna) - This month's official throwback. Back in the early 1980's, Jellybean and his girlfriend Madonna were the toast of NYC. He was a DJ and had worked on remixing Madonna's first album, which had made her a star. To return the favor, she contributed this song to his 1984 album "Wotupski !?!" Pretty sure the album is out of print, but this single still turns up occasionally. An under-appreciated Madonna track, IMHO.
2. Somehow (Joss Stone) - Upbeat latest from bluesy UK singer
3. Annie You Save Me (Graffiti6) - Hot on the heels of Fitz & the Tantrums, these guys also are reviving that early 1970s AM rock sound. Groovilicious!
4. I Wanna Go Kill Everybody /Basic Physics Mashup/(Britney Spears vs. Skrillex) - America's Pop Princess gets the electric chair. Sort of. This mash-up pairs Brit Brit's vocals with dark electro funk. Probably the closest we'll get to having Crazy Britney for a while. Free download at PumptheBeat.com
5. Love in a Vacuum /1983 demo/ ('Til Tuesday) - My infatuation with Aimee Mann continues. I was reading the iTunes review for Til Tuesday's 1985 "Voices Carry" cd and the author kept talking about how great the demo for "Love in a Vacuum" was (better than the fully produced version that appears on the album). It took me a while to track it down, but I have to say I agree with him. Free download at http://www.studiowner.com/
6. Season of the Witch (Karen Elson) - Jack White's wife covers Donovan for the "True Blood" soundtrack. Great version, but of course I still prefer Courtney Love's. :^)
7. Amy (Mashup-Germany) - We lost Ms. Winehouse last month. I was surprised how touching this mashup was. Free on PumptheBeat.com. RIP Amy.
8. Substitute (Gloria Gaynor) - This was originally recorded by the Righteous Brothers, and Gloria decided to put her own spin on it. The song was soon eclipsed by the B-side single, however - "I Will Survive". Gotta say I like 'em both!
9. Belong (The Pains of Being Pure at Heart) - Perky alt-rock song from another awkwardly named alt-rock band.
10. Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win (Beastie Boys featuring Santigold) - If you had told me back in college that the Beastie Boys would still be around in 2011, I wouldn't have believed you. But here they are with this reggae-tinged single!
11. Dating a Porn Star (the Weepies) - Jill had this band on one of her playlists, and while browsing their catalogue I stumbled across this track. Never would have guessed it would be a tender ballad.
12. Do Nothing 'Til You Hear from Me (Boz Scaggs) - Another act I'm surprised is still recording. This is from a Billie Holliday tribute cd that came out this summer.
13. Wait & See /Richard X remix/ (Holy Ghost!) - This bouncy remix is great for some end of summer poolside chillaxin'.
14. Crystal Clear (the Darling Buds) - Hate to admit I missed this band first time around. Luckily I had Jill to call them to my attention. Better late than never!
15. Get Away (Yuck) - These guys did a Daytrotter session back in April. This wasn't one of the free tunes, but I liked them enough to check out their other music. Something about this reminds me of Smashing Pumpkins. Good stuff.
16. Speck (Deep Dark Robot) - Former 4 Non-Blonde member and hit producer (Pink, Gwen Stefani) Linda Perry returns to the studio with her new band. Great tune, but I still wish she'd gone for the "Big" ending (think: Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" or Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here").
17. School (Aer) - These guys make me smile. The song is about what makes them smile (hint: it's not school).
18. It's My Party (Quincy Jones featuring Amy Winehouse) - I had to have one more Winehouse song! QJ was putting together an album that showcased his work throughout a decades-long career. Who else but Amy to interpret his greatest Lesley Gore hit? Quincy Jones + Lesley Gore + Amy Winehouse = win win win
19. Sidewalk Talk (Jellybean featuring Madonna) - This month's official throwback. Back in the early 1980's, Jellybean and his girlfriend Madonna were the toast of NYC. He was a DJ and had worked on remixing Madonna's first album, which had made her a star. To return the favor, she contributed this song to his 1984 album "Wotupski !?!" Pretty sure the album is out of print, but this single still turns up occasionally. An under-appreciated Madonna track, IMHO.
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