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Middle Aged Dummies - Artist - Round 3 - #1's have been posted! (2 Viewers)

When a Chicago sap song was played, fans would raise their phones above their heads with the flashlight on acting as a candle or Bic lighter, and they would sway their hands to the music. 😀
Well, that's one of the reasons why they did those kinds of songs in the first place. Another, obviously, was that stuff had a better chance of chart success in the '80s than the kind of material they released in the '70s did.
 
@Uruk-Hai @Pip's Invitation I saw Earth, Wind, & Fire and Chicago last night. They were both great and a lot of fun. On a couple Chicago songs the horns overpowered the vocals, but it wasn't like that on the other songs. I know the Chicago sap songs are not popular amongst the Dummies, but they were popular with some of the people that were at the show. When a Chicago sap song was played, fans would raise their phones above their heads with the flashlight on acting as a candle or Bic lighter, and they would sway their hands to the music. 😀 The venue was packed, and it's easy to see why these two bands do shows together. EWF went first, and then Chicago, and then both bands played together for the final 6 songs (3 by EWF and 3 by Chicago). The last two songs were "Got To Get You Into My Life" and "25 or 6 to 4." 🎺🎷🎺🎷
Those bands dovetail nicely with each other. Hell, they did in their primes. They do a lot of similar things.
The promoters should have gone with the “Earth, Windy City & Fire Tour.”
 
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:oldunsure: I only have 65 songs on my next artist’s playlist. Might need to double up. 🤔

FWIW, I see the Doors only have 725 songs on Pandora.
 
:oldunsure: I only have 65 songs on my next artist’s playlist. Might need to double up. 🤔

FWIW, I see the Doors only have 725 songs on Pandora.
I'm doing something odd like the Mastodon playlist, so I have an "official" top 10 which is at 22 songs now. And I have a playlist of the other 21 I am trying to cut from 48. This was after already hard cuts.

There might actually be a cover in here for you weirdos. ;)
 
14's PLAYLIST

#14 -
Blue October-OZ-Clumsy Card House
FannyPip's InvitationBadge
The Tea PartyScoresmanRelease
SweetJohn Maddens ****ing LunchboxSolid Gold Brass
Oingo BoingoKarmaPoliceHelp Me
Belle and Sebastiankupcho1Sleep the Clock Around
Mitski Ilov80sMy Love is All Mine
The Slambovian Circus of DreamsYambagWhen Christmas Comes (The Pirate Song)
The Moody BluesCharlie SteinerI'm Just a Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band)
Stone Temple PilotsYo MamaHello It’s Late
Brian SetzerMrs. RannousUptown #7
Curtis MayfieldDon QuixoteKeep on Pushing, by The Impressions
Bryan Ferry/Roxy MusicBinkytheDoormatSame Old Scene
Strand of OaksEephusSomewhere in Chicago (Acoustic version)
Dave MatthewsTau837Recently
Mazzy Starlandrys hatFive String Serenade

Kenny ChesneyMACCome Over
The Beach Boyszamboni"'Til I Die"
Susanna HoffsZegras11Hero Takes A Fall
Judas Priest Raging Weasel Dissident Aggressor
The CureJuxtatarot The Lovecats
Iron and WineTuffnuttHalf Moon
Jerry Jeff WalkersimeyThat Old Beat-Up Guitar
https://open.spotify.com/track/0X3UvveyUcVeB45XugjWmj?si=07576accca08475f
The DoorsjwbWaiting for the Sun
ChvrchesJML’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Secret IdentityRecover
Earth, Wind, & FireUruk-HaiKeep Your Head To The Sky
DestroyerThe Dreaded MarcoThe Sublimation Hour
Andrew BirdMister CIAThe Night Before Your Birthday
Steve AlbiniOliver HumanzeeBig Black - L. Dopa
Ronnie James DioMt. ManSacred Heart
April WineFalguyTonite Is a Wonderful Time to Fall in Love
 
14's PLAYLIST

The Slambovian Circus of DreamsYambagWhen Christmas Comes (The Pirate Song)
NOT ON SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

If you ever wondered what a Pirate Christmas song sounds like, look no further. Tink is always encouraging audience involvement at shows, whether it be singing along or handing out candy canes at the Christmas shows so everyone can wave a hook hand in the air along to When Christmas Comes. This performance also features a typical Joziah vibe as he can’t find the lyrics to the song.

A bit more about Tink: Multi-instrumentalist Tink Lloyd (accordion, cello, flute, theremin) comes from a long line of feisty Irish musicians which brings a spark to the band’s music as well as performance. She considers herself a musical ‘stylist’, dressing the songs as needed, with an ever growing pile of instruments on her side of the stage. When I bought the accordion I said, “damnit, I'm going to play this thing!” And everybody laughed at me, but then that accordion opened all the doors. That's how we kind of got into the folk circuit. Tink has worked with Joziah since meeting in the 1980’s and the two are married with 5 children.
 
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Blue October-OZ-Clumsy Card House
From 2003’s history for sale (I could have just posted the entire album).

There are different interpretations about this song. I like to think it’s about an early romance when they went too far at first, she’s unsure but he is falling in love with her. The line “It was a clumsy card house rape” can lead to other interpretations.

In the DVD, Argue with a Tree, the "Sidewalk Chalk" section, Justin explains some of the songs. This is one of them... about how you can build a relationship and build and build this beautiful house of cards, and it can crumble and fall...like a card house ...then when he says "the rain always brings our heros" he was referring to when he and his brother would play in the rain, sliding down the sidewalk on old cardboard boxes... he hopes he can one day see his children do that. He says it's a hopeful song.

Here I am standing up
To say I want to fall in love with you...
Forever...
Here I am standing up
To say i want to fall in love...

All our kids will play.
A Sunless day.
The rain will come.
The rain always brings our heros
All our kids will play.
A Sunless day.
The rain will come.
The rain always brings our heros

Believe in Heros....

By the way
By your side I'll stay
If that's okay
Then by you side I'll stay forever
I am standing up
To say I want to fall in love with you...
Forever...
 
#1'4 - "Keep Your Head To The Sky"

The (almost) title song to their first great LP, and the one that set the stage for pretty much everything that came after.

It's a PBS. It's also arranged like a romantic ballad similar to many of their contemporaries, but - per usual - it's more spiritual than sexual. This is a vocal masterpiece by Bailey and the background singers, but there are also some interesting instrumental things going on.

Up next, one of their biggest hits and maybe the one that this demographic knows best. There are only two songs left that I would consider obscure for casual listeners; the rest are heavyweights and should be known to anyone who loves popular music.
 

Sweet​

#14 - Solid Gold Brass​


Producer - Chinn/Chapman
Writer - Sweet
Chart Positions - Album Track
Album - Desolation Boulevard (US AND UK version)
Year - 1974
Lead Vocal - Andy Scott/Steve Priest/Brian Connolly
Steve Priest Vocal - Co Lead
Notes - As Brian Connolly was in the early stages of recovery from his throat injury, the vocals on this track were handed to the 3 non drummers where their strengths lay. Andy on the high notes, Brian on the gritty bits and Steve on the attitude bits. This is one of only 3 tracks to make both versions of the Desolation Boulevard album. It is also one of the tracks that sounds better live and beefed up, rather than the tinny pop production from Chinn/Chapman.

Next Up - Starting to get close to the big hits
 

Chvrches​

#14 - Recover​


Producer - Chvrches
Writer - Chvrches
Album - The Bones of What You Believe
Year - 2013
Notes - This was the second single from the debut album, but the three best tracks are still to come. First single “The Mother We Share” and third single “Gun” we saw awhile ago. Recover was the first single to see chart attention, as the Mother We Share didnt hit until re-release

Heres some waffle from soundillustrated.wordpress.com

“The titular single from this EP, “Recover,” is an intriguing romp through 80’s styled synths and layered, skipping beats, all showered in a flurry of ethereal vocals. There’s just something incredibly infectious about this song, a contagious sound found equally in the verses, hooks, and chorus. It’s partly due to the syncopated beats and staggered percussive additions, but the true force behind this whirlwind of a dynamistic retro-pop song is the vocal prowess of lead singer Lauren Mayberry. The lyrics, detailing that final moment of realization during the collapse of a relationship, could be misconstrued as somewhat pedestrian, but, due to the incredible songsmanship of the soon-to-be-hugely-popular Mayberry, they instead come off as fresh and emotionally vulnerable. “Say we can change our old ways, and you take what you need, and you know you don’t need me.”

Next Up - Back to the second album Every Eye Open. Three of the next four tracks come from that album indicating it as an album of high quality. We will see four tracks including the next one from there. We will also see three more from each of Love is Dead and The Bones of What You Believe. Two stand along songs and one from Screen Violence.
 
14.
Half Moon- Iron and Wine
from Kiss Each Other Clean (2011)

I can't see nothing in this half moon
Lay me down if I should lose you


One of my favorites from Kiss Each other Clean album. I must admit I like the acoustic version of this tune much better( not a huge fan of "doo ***" backup vocals) Still, the atmosphere is there. "Half Moon" has that quietly wailing guitar and muted falsetto cadence that made Iron and Wine such a striking addition to the music scene in his first album. This track has that same bare, stripped−down feeling.
 
Curtis MayfieldDon QuixoteKeep on Pushing, by The Impressions
I mentioned that now in the top half, more of Curtis Mayfield’s message songs would start popping up. This is now the third one in a row. This one is noteworthy as the first message song that Curtis Mayfield wrote. He wrote this one in 1964, at a time of high conflict within the Civil Rights movement, with the intention of motivating people. Below is from Todd Mayfield’s Traveling Soul:

Across the South, movement activists continued to die grisly deaths. Closer to Curtis’s home, comedian and activist **** Gregory led protest marches through Mayor Daley’s segregated neighborhood in Chicago. Martin Luther King Jr. was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize—he’d already been Time magazine’s Man of the Year for 1963—and Congress seemed tantalizingly close to passing the Civil Rights Act. Meanwhile, great antagonism electrified the gap between militants like Malcolm X and moderates like King. My father revered King and believed Negroes couldn’t let these divisions stop their momentum. With all that in mind, he started scribbling lyrics and fitting them to a melody.

He finished the song in a hotel room on tour. Around two in the morning, Fred [Cash] heard a gentle knock on his door. He cracked it open and squinted into the hallway light. He could just make out my father standing there in his pajamas. “Hey man, come and listen to this and see what you think of it,” my father said. “I wrote something that maybe can help motivate the people.”

Cradling his guitar at the edge of his bed, he played “Keep On Pushing” for the first time. When he finished, Fred stood dumbstruck. “Where did you come up with all these words?” he finally asked. My father replied, “I’m living.” …

“Keep On Pushing” explodes from the speaker with a crash cymbal, while Dad’s guitar flutters around the beat like a hummingbird. He sings the whole song in falsetto and hits an extra gear in the chorus, pushing himself near the limit of his range. Up there, he unleashes a gorgeous warble from a place few men can reach. During the verses, Johnny [Pate]’s hypnotic horn line echoes the vocal melody, flirting with the waltz rhythm, and providing a contrapuntal call-and-response as my father, Fred, and Sam sing:

Look a yonder, what’s that I see?
A great big stone wall stands there ahead of me
But I’ve got my pride, and I move the wall aside
And keep on pushing. Hallelujah! Keep on pushing.


The song was a call to arms, a salve to the fractures within the movement, and a message of hope. “Move up a little higher, some way, somehow,” my father urged. He never wanted to be a preacher, but he’d just written his first sermon. Like the best sermons—King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, for example, which still rung in Dad’s head—it had a strong hook and made the impossible seem within reach.

Unlike a religious preacher, though, Dad paired his sermons with melody and rhythm. DJs put them in heavy rotation on radio stations across the country. In such a way, he could preach to people who never set foot in a church, and do it without them knowing it. “Painless preaching,” he’d later call it. The single came out in July and rose to the top slot of the R&B chart—my father’s third number one.

Curtis the messenger had arrived.

On Johnny Pate and his horns, I was looking him up; he’s still around and celebrated his 100th birthday last December.

Next up, I take a break from the message songs and get back to a love song.
 
14. I'm Just a Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band) (Seventh Sojourn, 1972)

By the time their next album, Seventh Sojourn, was recorded, the Moodies had spent every waking moment constantly in each other's presence for nearly seven years, and along with the strain of having become a business conglomerate as well as a band due to their financial success, recording the album was an unhappy experience for all involved. Mike Pinder described it as being prisoners of their own success. John Lodge put their collective feelings at the time this way in an interview years later: "Unwittingly, we'd called time on ourselves via the title Seventh Sojourn. According to the bible, 'thou shalt rest' on the seventh day. The word "sojourn" means to call a halt. We needed to escape from our cocoon and get out and meet ordinary people once more to return our lives to something more recognizable as normality."

Given the overall mood of the band at the time, I don't think there was anything unwitting about it.

Lodge told this story about coming to write this song: "I remember coming home from a tour of the US and when I got to my house, I saw all these people camping out in the front yard. I asked what they were doing, and they said, 'We've been told you're going to fly the spaceship that's going to save us all.' I actually don't like flying! I respected that young people at that time were looking for answers but like I said in the song, 'If you want the wind of change to blow about you/And you're the only other person to know, don't tell me/I'm just a singer in a rock and roll band.'"

Released as a single, it reached #36 in the UK but #12 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

In an interview following the release of this album, drummer Graeme Edge told Rolling Stone: "We've got two Christians, one Mystic, one Pedantic and one Mess, and we all get on a treat." While that was true, after nearly seven years of non-stop recording and touring, the band decided to go on hiatus, from 1974-1977, with most of them pursuing solo projects, though Hayward and Lodge recorded an album together. They re-formed and released the album Octave in 1978. The recording of the album was marked with tension and adversity. They used Mike Pinder's home in California to accomodate his wishes to be close to his young family, which proved disastrous in two ways; first, they became stranded at his home due to mudslides caused by heavy rains, and second, Pinder finally told the rest of the band that he was retiring to be with his family full time. This album also marked the end of their collaboration with producer Tony Clarke, who had helped them re-make their image and put them on the music map.

Final notes on Mike Pinder: Moving forward on the countdown, Pinder's absence is going to be strongly felt, as even though a new keyboardist was added, what Mike brought was never replaced. Justin Hayward once desribed Pinder's contributions this way: "His contribution was also in the rhythm of the band, because if you listen to the early records, the main rhythm is held by a tambourine, which was always being played by Mike. Mike would never play piano or anything on the first track. We'd do drums, bass, guitar, and Mike on tambourine. And it was Mike who we would follow - all of us, even Graeme on drums, would follow Mike, and so his was always the tempo. You listen to the early records, you see how far up front the tambourine is, like in "The Story In Your Eyes". You listen, it's carried by a tambourine, it's so simple."

Also, through unlocking the full capabilities of his synthesizer of choice, he gave form to their unique sound while not hogging the spotlight at the same time; in fact, only one song in their entire catalog with him, Beyond, had the Mellotron front and center. In a way, this embodied what made the Moodies' songs of his era successful, as like the rest of the band, he saw his role as a part that needed all the other parts working in unison and harmony to make the best music.

Mike stayed in California and stayed busy not only recording and releasing his own solo work of music as well as spoken-word albums, reading children's stories from different cultures accompanied with said cultures' music, he also worked for a time as a consultant to Atari, though it's unclear if he composed any of the music from their early games.

He rejoined the band in 2018 for their induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, though he was the only one who did not give a speech. Fans mistook this for some sort of protest, but he clarified online that because the ceremony was in its 5th hour by the time they took the stage it was getting boring and that the speeches were anticlimactic and closed his comments with "As I have said for the last 30 years, the fans are my hall of fame."

If anyone remembers, Mike passed away this past April, which led me to choosing the Moodies for this countdown.

With that, the second chapter of the band's story comes to a close and from these ashes, the Moodies will build a brand-new day.
 
14. I'm Just a Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band) (Seventh Sojourn, 1972)

I'm enjoying the Moodies' big 70s radio hits. The productions are huge kind of like a stereo update of Spector's wall of sound augmented by synths. The moment the Mellotron (I think) fanfare blasts in from both speakers during the intro of "Question" is still breathtaking a half century later.

I'm looking forward to this one too once I finish the 15s.
 
14. I'm Just a Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band) (Seventh Sojourn, 1972)

I'm enjoying the Moodies' big 70s radio hits. The productions are huge kind of like a stereo update of Spector's wall of sound augmented by synths. The moment the Mellotron (I think) fanfare blasts in from both speakers during the intro of "Question" is still breathtaking a half century later.

I'm looking forward to this one too once I finish the 15s.
Ironically, Question was recorded when they were trying to minimize the studio production side in order to translate their songs to live performance, though there probably some overdubbing of their voices, maybe even there was a tape of their voices on the Mellotron to give it a fuller sound.

Oh, and teaser alert: for the next few songs, the band share a producer with another artist from our countdown.
 
Strand of Oaks #14 - "Somewhere in Chicago - Acoustic" (2022)

Tim hasn't released his outtakes since Harder Love which either suggests a more disciplined approach or a trove of unreleased Strand demos waiting to be uncovered. He did however release an album of acoustic versions of nine of the eleven tracks from his seventh album In Heaven.

If you've been reading my posts, In Heaven is an album about loss and finding hope in times of grief. This isn't another song about Stan the cat but rather a tribute to another of Tim's many musical idols John Prine. Instead of trying to measure up to Prine's genius as a wordsmith, Tim went in another direction with a contemplative number with a call and response chorus that imagines Prine walking in Chicago in his mailman uniform alternating with "the master calls back everyone" repeating like a mantra of death and resurrection. The original album version has a synthesizer sheen to it but I prefer the simpler acoustic version and I suspect John would too.

He performed this last month at a hometown show in Indianapolis with his mom on background vocals.

 
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Belle and Sebastiankupcho1Sleep the Clock Around
Another one from The Boy With The Arab Strap, Sleep the Clock Around builds slowly and might just be the only song in Round 3 that uses bagpipes (I think). From Pitchfork:
As a live act, they were still trying just to put one foot in front the other, but the band’s arrangements also began to demonstrate true ensemble playing, taking on more lived-in qualities and highlighted by the addition of Chris Geddes’ Fender Rhodes and his love of Northern soul. Bagpipes close the exquisite “Sleep the Clock Around

From the man himself (Murdoch):
Stuart says “that song was about walking over the brow of a hill, away from the two people I loved most, when I had betrayed them somewhat: after they cast me out of their confidence and out of the cafe. So it’s a song that cries out for recovery. If you take it to be about ‘maturing and eventually becoming happy’ then I’m happy about that”

I like that: maturation and eventual happiness. But not without some suffering first. I think the lyrics bear that out.

Take a walk in the park, take a valium pill
Read the letter you got from the memory girl
But it takes more than this to make sense of the day
Yeah, it takes more than milk to get rid of the taste
And you trusted to this, and you trusted to that
And when you saw it all come, it was waving the flag
Of the United States of Calamity, hey!
After all that you've done, boy, I know you're going to pay
 

Sweet​

#14 - Solid Gold Brass​


Producer - Chinn/Chapman
Writer - Sweet
Chart Positions - Album Track
Album - Desolation Boulevard (US AND UK version)
Year - 1974
Lead Vocal - Andy Scott/Steve Priest/Brian Connolly
Steve Priest Vocal - Co Lead
Notes - As Brian Connolly was in the early stages of recovery from his throat injury, the vocals on this track were handed to the 3 non drummers where their strengths lay. Andy on the high notes, Brian on the gritty bits and Steve on the attitude bits. This is one of only 3 tracks to make both versions of the Desolation Boulevard album. It is also one of the tracks that sounds better live and beefed up, rather than the tinny pop production from Chinn/Chapman.

Next Up - Starting to get close to the big hits

Best guitar solo I've heard today (end of 15s & start of 14s)
 
15 rambles

- The very first notes of "Same Old Scene" by Roxy Music reminds me of Heart of Glass. The rest of the song sounds nothing like it. I like the song.
- I like "Somewhere In Chicago" a lot by Strand of Oaks. I like "Forever Chords" from the last list, too.
- "The Sublimation Hour" by Destroyer is good. I think it has a glam vibe.
- "Hello It's Late" by STP is good. Dig those vocals.
- I like this guest appearance by Dion on "Uptown Number 7."
- "L Dopa" by Big Black reminds me of a scene in a movie where people are breaking store windows and looting.
- I like Mitski's voice on "My Love Mine All Mine."
- I like the music in Fanny's "The First Time."
- "Funny Little 🐸" by B&S is hoppin'.
- I boogied to "Boogie Wonderland" last night.
- "The Story in Your Eyes" by the Moodies is a ride.
- "Help Me" is another workout song by OB. 🤸‍♀️
- "The Lovecats" is fun. Cool bassline in it.
- "Ghost On The Highway" is a song for a foggy night. 🌫️
- I like the female backup singers in "Stay (Wasting Time)" by DMB.
 
:hey: Sorry both OH and I have been MIA. I’m on my way home having completed six cross-country flights in six days. Movers come tomorrow, and I have to finish that up whenever I get home. Thursday/Friday are cleaning, getting house ready for market, and selling my car. Saturday I’m off to Chicago with the last cat plus Wrighteous Ray and her husband.

So anyway, I’ve been busy. OH, on the other hand, is not here because he’s a jerkface. Also his computer died.
 
Dave MatthewsTau837Recently

"Recently" is a song originally released as part of the DMB 1994 debut EP, "Recently." It is perhaps the quintessential live DMB song, featuring all forms of intros, outros, interpolations, segueing, abridging, and extended jamming. They have played it live in concert 630 times, and there are 52 live releases.

The lyrics touch on themes of individuality, freedom, and the complexity of social interactions. While the song has an overall light-hearted feel, it also hints at deeper issues like conformity and societal expectations. Lines like "Some people do, some people don't, some people won't, some people won't" reflect the diversity of human behavior and the idea that everyone has their own path in life.

While not often directly stated, "Recently" has been interpreted by fans and analysts as containing subtle social commentary. Dave has hinted at the idea that the song reflects on societal expectations and the pressure to conform, though he tends to let the song speak for itself rather than offering a detailed explanation.

The song is characterized by its energetic rhythm, driven by acoustic guitar and the band's signature use of saxophone and violin. The melody is catchy and upbeat, making it a favorite for live performances. The song often features extended jams during concerts, showcasing the band's improvisational skills.

"Recently" stands out as a song that captures the essence of DMB's early work, combining thought-provoking lyrics with an infectious melody and the band's distinctive musical style. Its popularity has endured over the years, making it a beloved track for fans who appreciate both the music and the deeper themes embedded in the lyrics.
 
The Beach Boyszamboni"'Til I Die"
This is probably one of the BB's darkest tunes, and captures the time with the Surf's Up album in 1971 when Brian's emotional state really started to get bad. It surely didn't affect Brian's output though, and this is one of the few BB tunes in which he wrote the music and lyrics entirely by himself. The lyrics show his own hopeless feelings, but underneath it is a hauntingly gorgeous composition and melody with the Boys' trademark top-notch harmonies:

I'm a cork on the ocean
Floating over the raging sea
How deep is the ocean?
How deep is the ocean?
I lost my way
Hey, hey, hey
I'm a rock in a landslide
Rolling over the mountainside
How deep is the valley?
How deep is the valley?
It kills my soul
Hey, hey, hey
I'm a leaf on a windy day
Pretty soon I'll be blown away
How long will the wind blow?
How long will the wind blow?
(Until I die)
Until I die
These things I'll be until I die (x10)


An extended version was re-engineered in 1998 to accompany the documentary "Endless Harmony: The Beach Boys Story", which brings out the haunting nature even more:


ETA: I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that Daryl Dragon, the captain of Captain & Tennille, played bass and vibraphone on the original. In fact, Dragon often played keyboards for the BB from the late '60s-early '70s. Mike Love gave him the nickname "Captain Keyboard" and that's where his persona originated.
 
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#1'4 - "Keep Your Head To The Sky"

The (almost) title song to their first great LP, and the one that set the stage for pretty much everything that came after.

It's a PBS. It's also arranged like a romantic ballad similar to many of their contemporaries, but - per usual - it's more spiritual than sexual. This is a vocal masterpiece by Bailey and the background singers, but there are also some interesting instrumental things going on.

Up next, one of their biggest hits and maybe the one that this demographic knows best. There are only two songs left that I would consider obscure for casual listeners; the rest are heavyweights and should be known to anyone who loves popular music.
This is the PBS that might be my #1 EWF. It's incredibly intricate and emotional. I've adored it ever since I first heard it (at a friend's house when I was in my 30s).
 
14. Badge
Album: Fanny (1970)
Writers: Eric Clapton and George Harrison
Lead vocals: Jean Millington and June Millington

And here we have the first of six covers that make up my Fanny top 14. Fanny was really good at covers, and their very best ones helped show the feats the group was capable of.

The cover of Cream's Badge would probably have been the first Fanny cover people heard back in the day. It appeared on the debut album and, despite not being released as a single, got airplay on some FM stations, enabling the band to gain some visibility at the beginning of its recording career.

Badge is a song that doesn't need much of an introduction since it's a staple of "classic rock radio". After Cream disbanded, the plan was to release a final album with one new song from each member. Eric Clapton didn't have anything written, so he enlisted George Harrison to help him come up with one. The title comes from Clapton misreading Harrison's writing of "bridge" on their notes. (The legend that the song is named after its chord progression is false.) The song, more straightforward, lyrical rock than what Cream usually gave, became one of their signature songs posthumously.

As with many of Fanny's covers, their version keeps the basics of the original but adds touches that make it distinctly their own. A guitar intro, borrowed from the bridge, sets it apart from the original where the vocals start immediately. A new element is added with the "Waaaaah!" vocals at the end of the verses. June Millington doesn't try to imitate Clapton with her guitar solo, but comes up with something equally expressive. And in this version, "our kid" who "is married to Mabel" is a "she," perhaps a sly nod to the LGBTQ+ status of some of the band members.

Fanny's version is sung by the Millington sisters in unison, though on some live versions, Jean takes part of the final verse alone. Based on the scant evidence we have, it seems to have appeared in their live sets pretty regularly, at least until June Millington left the band in late 1973.

Live version from Philadelphia in 1973 (appears on box set): https://open.spotify.com/track/0RLDc6KnPvdXo0nH18OcgA?si=dc96a16fefc2433b
Live on French TV in 1972: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUWKEGrqrG4

Original, in case you have been living under a rock and aren't familiar with it: https://open.spotify.com/track/08xsXR637CEqbxJmpFcuSA?si=3e66ea32621b4041

At #13, another Stones-y rocker from Nickey Barclay. MAC-32, take notice, this is your "type."
 
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#1'4 - "Keep Your Head To The Sky"

The (almost) title song to their first great LP, and the one that set the stage for pretty much everything that came after.

It's a PBS. It's also arranged like a romantic ballad similar to many of their contemporaries, but - per usual - it's more spiritual than sexual. This is a vocal masterpiece by Bailey and the background singers, but there are also some interesting instrumental things going on.

Up next, one of their biggest hits and maybe the one that this demographic knows best. There are only two songs left that I would consider obscure for casual listeners; the rest are heavyweights and should be known to anyone who loves popular music.
This is the PBS that might be my #1 EWF. It's incredibly intricate and emotional. I've adored it ever since I first heard it (at a friend's house when I was in my 30s).
Whew! :lol:

This album is when the machine kicked into high gear - it's basically their version of Stevie's Music Of My Mind - though it didn't have any massive pop radio hits (just like Stevie's LP didn't).

Other than my #10, which I have there for sentimental reasons, anything from #15 on could have been my #1 on the right day.
 
#1'4 - "Keep Your Head To The Sky"

The (almost) title song to their first great LP, and the one that set the stage for pretty much everything that came after.

It's a PBS. It's also arranged like a romantic ballad similar to many of their contemporaries, but - per usual - it's more spiritual than sexual. This is a vocal masterpiece by Bailey and the background singers, but there are also some interesting instrumental things going on.

Up next, one of their biggest hits and maybe the one that this demographic knows best. There are only two songs left that I would consider obscure for casual listeners; the rest are heavyweights and should be known to anyone who loves popular music.
This is the PBS that might be my #1 EWF. It's incredibly intricate and emotional. I've adored it ever since I first heard it (at a friend's house when I was in my 30s).
Whew! :lol:

This album is when the machine kicked into high gear - it's basically their version of Stevie's Music Of My Mind - though it didn't have any massive pop radio hits (just like Stevie's LP didn't).

Other than my #10, which I have there for sentimental reasons, anything from #15 on could have been my #1 on the right day.
Head to the Sky may be my second-favorite EWF album after I Am, because it is indeed a huge leap from their previous work but more raw and outside-the-box than their subsequent albums.

In Steely Dan terms, if I Am is their Aja, Head to the Sky is their Countdown to Ecstasy.
 
I must be feeling somber today cause this medal stand's gone acoustic.

The 14's

Medal Stand
Gold Beach Boys- Til I Die, never heard this before. Wow!
Silver Strand of Oaks- Somewhere in Chicago, and the cold spell has been broken!
Bronze Mazzy Star- Five String Serenade, in a word...zen.
Honorable Mention- Belle & Sebastian and Iron & Wine were tough squeezes and The Cure got a 2nd heart!

Medal Count
Tea Party - 2 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze
The Slambovian Circus of Dreams - 2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze
Blue October - 2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze
STP - 2 gold, 3 bronze
The Doors - 2 gold, 1 silver
The Beach Boys - 2 gold, 1 silver
Fanny - 2 gold, 1 bronze
DMB- 2 silver, 2 bronze
Mazzy Star - 1 gold, 1 bronze
Susanna Hoffs - 1 gold, 1 bronze
Oingo Boingo - 1 silver, 1 bronze
Ronnie Dio - 1 silver
Iron & Wine- 1 silver
Belle & Sebastian - 1 silver
Strand of Oaks - 1 silver
Judas Priest - 1 silver
Roxy Music - 1 silver
Mitski - 1 silver
Steve Albini - 1 silver
Stray Cats - 1 bronze
Sweet - 1 bronze
EWF- 1 bronze
 
Not going to get to the 16's today. Maybe tomorrow...

The 17's

Medal Stand
Gold The Doors- LA Woman, driving music doesn't get much better this...cept for one other cut in their catalog
Silver STP- Tumble In The Rough, gold and silver this round were chosen before we even started!
Bronze April Wine- Wanna Rock, cherry popped! Went back and listened to it 3 times
Honorable Mention- the 3 up for a bronze were all medal-less to this point, so while it sucks to leave Jerry Jeff Walker and Andrew Bird out again there time will come!

Medal Count
The Doors - 3 gold, 1 silver
STP - 2 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze
Tea Party - 2 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze
The Slambovian Circus of Dreams - 2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze
Blue October - 2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze
The Beach Boys - 2 gold, 1 silver
Fanny - 2 gold, 1 bronze
DMB- 2 silver, 2 bronze
Mazzy Star - 1 gold, 1 bronze
Susanna Hoffs - 1 gold, 1 bronze
Oingo Boingo - 1 silver, 1 bronze
Ronnie Dio - 1 silver
Iron & Wine- 1 silver
Belle & Sebastian - 1 silver
Strand of Oaks - 1 silver
Judas Priest - 1 silver
Roxy Music - 1 silver
Mitski - 1 silver
Steve Albini - 1 silver
April Wine - 1 bronze
Stray Cats - 1 bronze
Sweet - 1 bronze
EWF- 1 bronze
 
Not going to get to the 16's today. Maybe tomorrow...

The 17's

Medal Stand
Gold The Doors- LA Woman, driving music doesn't get much better this...cept for one other cut in their catalog
Silver STP- Tumble In The Rough, gold and silver this round were chosen before we even started!
Bronze April Wine- Wanna Rock, cherry popped! Went back and listened to it 3 times
Honorable Mention- the 3 up for a bronze were all medal-less to this point, so while it sucks to leave Jerry Jeff Walker and Andrew Bird out again there time will come!

Medal Count
The Doors - 3 gold, 1 silver
STP - 2 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze
Tea Party - 2 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze
The Slambovian Circus of Dreams - 2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze
Blue October - 2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze
The Beach Boys - 2 gold, 1 silver
Fanny - 2 gold, 1 bronze
DMB- 2 silver, 2 bronze
Mazzy Star - 1 gold, 1 bronze
Susanna Hoffs - 1 gold, 1 bronze
Oingo Boingo - 1 silver, 1 bronze
Ronnie Dio - 1 silver
Iron & Wine- 1 silver
Belle & Sebastian - 1 silver
Strand of Oaks - 1 silver
Judas Priest - 1 silver
Roxy Music - 1 silver
Mitski - 1 silver
Steve Albini - 1 silver
April Wine - 1 bronze
Stray Cats - 1 bronze
Sweet - 1 bronze
EWF- 1 bronze

hoping for a strong showing here from Roxy Music as we enter some of their classics.
 
Not going to get to the 16's today. Maybe tomorrow...

The 17's

Medal Stand
Gold The Doors- LA Woman, driving music doesn't get much better this...cept for one other cut in their catalog
Silver STP- Tumble In The Rough, gold and silver this round were chosen before we even started!
Bronze April Wine- Wanna Rock, cherry popped! Went back and listened to it 3 times
Honorable Mention- the 3 up for a bronze were all medal-less to this point, so while it sucks to leave Jerry Jeff Walker and Andrew Bird out again there time will come!

Medal Count
The Doors - 3 gold, 1 silver
STP - 2 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze
Tea Party - 2 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze
The Slambovian Circus of Dreams - 2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze
Blue October - 2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze
The Beach Boys - 2 gold, 1 silver
Fanny - 2 gold, 1 bronze
DMB- 2 silver, 2 bronze
Mazzy Star - 1 gold, 1 bronze
Susanna Hoffs - 1 gold, 1 bronze
Oingo Boingo - 1 silver, 1 bronze
Ronnie Dio - 1 silver
Iron & Wine- 1 silver
Belle & Sebastian - 1 silver
Strand of Oaks - 1 silver
Judas Priest - 1 silver
Roxy Music - 1 silver
Mitski - 1 silver
Steve Albini - 1 silver
April Wine - 1 bronze
Stray Cats - 1 bronze
Sweet - 1 bronze
EWF- 1 bronze

hoping for a strong showing here from Roxy Music as we enter some of their classics.
Curious if I recognize their sound because I sure don't know the group! 3 hearts so far and counting though.
 
Bronze April Wine- Wanna Rock, cherry popped! Went back and listened to it 3 times
The Nature of the Beast album is their most popular and probably their best, so you might like the entire thing.
Personally I prefer Harder.... Faster as I love every song, but I know many (most, perhaps?) would say it's The Nature of the Beast. I think pretty much everyone would agree these are the best two.
 
Dissident Aggressor won the 2010 Grammy for Best Metal performance,33 years after it was first released. It was a single from their live album A Touch of Evil and their only Grammy won in 5 nominations.
According to Wiki, this is the first song to feature Halfords groundbreaking vocal style. The album Sin After Sin introduced the combination of the double bass drum and rapid 16th note bass rhythms combined with rapid 16th note guitar rhythms that came to define the genre. I have no idea what any of that means but it seems important 😆.
Slayer and Halestorm have recorded pretty good covers of this song.
 
Dissident Aggressor won the 2010 Grammy for Best Metal performance,33 years after it was first released. It was a single from their live album A Touch of Evil and their only Grammy won in 5 nominations.
According to Wiki, this is the first song to feature Halfords groundbreaking vocal style. The album Sin After Sin introduced the combination of the double bass drum and rapid 16th note bass rhythms combined with rapid 16th note guitar rhythms that came to define the genre. I have no idea what any of that means but it seems important 😆.
Slayer and Halestorm have recorded pretty good covers of this song.
A cover I enjoy!!

ETA: Double bass drum = 2 bass drums. You are welcome. :p
 

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