I'm not feeling very well today. Last night was ruined by Everton's last gasp equalizer at Anfield. I could really see it coming though, as we're not as good as we should be defending set pieces, and I thought Skrtel looked a bit off the pace. Bit of a mistake drafting him into my Fantasy League team. Plus I've caught my wife's cold, who caught it from our youngest Caitlin. So I'm feeling a little sorry for myself.
Normally I hate 'uplifting' music. I can't say that I hate much music. There are a few performers who are beyond the pale but I can see some value in most music. Most ostensibly uplifting tunes tend to be insufferable because it's all so obvious - the melody, chord changes, lyrics, all trying to make you feel one thing. And nobody sensible wants to be told what to feel. So here are some tracks that raise my spirits.
The first one is taken from the excellent Country Got Soul (Casual) compilation from 2003 excellently compiled by Jeb Loy Nichols. It's a great selection of early 70s Southern Soul and swamp R&B (one of my favourite genres obviously)
Razzy 'I Hate Hate'
Next track is taken from a much reviled and ridiculed record, Kevin Rowland (Dexys Midnight Runners' singer) 'My Beauty'. I LOVE this album. It's an album of covers, tracks that had helped our Kevin emotionally when he was in a trough of despond post-Dexys. The songs on this album are certainly not what you'd expect to find in the collection of the archetypal Dexys fan perhaps. It includes a version of Whitney Houston's 'The Greatest Love Of All', and I know it's still not OK to express admiration for Whitney in polite company. I think she's done a few great tracks, though 'Greatest Love...' is definitely not one of them. However, Kevin's version wins me over #1 because he's so sincere, and #2 he doesn't bellow like Whit.
Perhaps the reason 'My Beauty' was most ridiculed however, was the album art. Children look away now!
And y'know it is pretty horrible - certainly as an image, but also as a photo - I think the photographer may have realised this was too much for eyes to bear, as it's slightly out of focus. Couldn't bear the terrifying reality of a former pop star in a pearl necklace flashing his black velvet (I'm guessing here - it's more sensual maybe?) thong.
Back in 1999, Creation Records were in their post-Oasis pomp signing anything that a cocaine raddled Alan McGee had a good feeling about. I happened to go to a Creation launch party / showcase at the Scala in London - can't remember what act it was for, but Kevin turned up in his 'sexy' get up. It made for quite a sight. I thought that not only was he deranged but also very brave (I don't suppose he came on the Tube though). This was proven when he took the stage at Reading Festival in a fetching negligee, surrounded by a bevy of semi naked (as I remember) dancing girls who draped themselves over him & the stage, and of course got bottled off.
Actually I'm now reminded that I had a promo VHS copy of the Concrete & Clay video, which also had a similarly high quotient of lingerie-clad dancing girls. My brother & his then 3 year old daughter came to visit that summer and I remember her intense liking for this video. She would ask for it to be played again and again. Perhaps it was not particularly politic to show her it in the first place but I'm not aware of any long lasting effects of this. And it is a great track.
Anyway the track I'm posting didn't actually make it on to the album. It's a cover of Bruce Springsteen's 'Thunder Road'. Pretty much nothing could beat the original of Thunder Road for making me feel better, but this is, I think, a strong version. Bruce apparently would not clear Kevin's version because he deigned to change the lyrics. The changes do change the meaning of the song but I think Kevin was just trying to personalise his version. I'm actually looking at the promo I have of this album and Thunder Rd isn't on it, so it must just have been on the initial copies. Is it sad to have 2 different promos and one proper copy of this album? Don't answer that.
Kevin Rowland 'Thunder Road'
Not much to say about these other 3 tracks, as they're all pretty well known artists. Just that they're all fantastic
Firstly
Jackie Wilson's sublime '(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher'
Todd Rundgren 'Just One Victory'
and finally Toots & the Maytals 'Sweet & Dandy'
I hope these brighten your day
PS if any technically minded folk can tell me how I can embed my links ie so they don't show as a Sharebee URL, but for example the track title, I'd be really grateful. I'm sure it's very simple but I can't work it out
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As the second half of the game started, I thought: "Hell, this looks like it's going to be settled by a 87th minute goal by fucking' Steven Gerrard." So I wasn't too happy when Stevie G (a great name for jail) pre-empted that by 20 minutes. I was delighted with the 87th minute (or whatever it was) goal though.
ReplyDeleteThe music: I love Dexys, but I could never listen to anything from that album. Yes, because of the cover. And I'm a pretty open sort of fellow. If Kev at least looked attractive...