Unwrapped

After 2021's inaugural Boxing Day themed selection and 2022's even more tenuous link to gifts, I'm stretching credulity (and your patience) to the limit, with 14 wrap songs. That's wrap, not rap. And no, I've not hit the Harvey's Bristol Cream yet.

 

There are a couple of actual Christmassy songs in this selection, starting with Saint Etienne and a song from their fabulous festive album, A Glimpse Of Stocking. Randy Travis also makes a brief appearance, before Barry Adamson takes him around the back and duffs him up.

 

There's a bit of leftover mash (up) from Mark Vidler aka Go Home Productions - apart from The Police and Elvis Costello, how many other artists can you pick out? There's disco, Northern Soul, calypso (from O.M.D. no less), techno pop (for all you Amelia Fletcher fans out there) and some beautiful noise from The Delgados.

Green Gartside shares the mic with Annie Lennox, Idha (at least I think it's her) does the same with Edward Ball, whilst Gang Of Four clearly aren't sharing with anybody. There's a rare B-side from Sharkboy and to, ahem, wrap things up the single-that-nearly-was from XTC.

 

No refunds!

 

1) Unwrap Me: Saint Etienne (2010)

2) Shrinkwrapped: Gang Of Four (1995)

3) Wrap It Up: Eurythmics ft. Green Gartside (1982)

4) Wrapped Detective: Go Home Productions (2004)

5) Wrap My Arms Around Him: Amelia Fletcher (1991)

6) Wrap Your Arms Around Me: KC & The Sunshine Band (1976)

7) How Do I Wrap My Heart Up For Christmas: Randy Travis (1988)

8) Under Wraps: Barry Adamson (1989)

9) Gold Wrapper: Sharkboy (1993)

10) Wrapped, Tied And Tangled: LaVern Baker (1968)

11) All Wrapped Up: O.M.D. (1984)

12) Wrapped Up In Lonesome Blues: Edward Ball (1996)

13) Under Canvas Under Wraps: The Delgados (1996)

14) Wrapped In Grey: XTC (1992) 

 

Unwrapped (47:25) (KF) (Mega)

 

If you're a glutton for punishment, then click on the links at the top of the post for the previous selections from 2021 and 2022.

Soul Tight, Alright?

Side 2 of a mixtape, recorded sometime in February 2000. Time to get your wig on and get to Wigan Casino for some Northern Soul.

 

Whereas Side 1 was essentially an edited and re-sequenced selection from the 1998 budget price CD Soul Brother, Side 2 does the same with 1999 compilation This Is Northern Soul (volume 1, as it later transpired). Both were among many bought for a snip at Woolworths at the tail end of the 20th Century.

This selection packs 17 of the original 24 tracks onto one side of a C90 and contains classics either covered or sampled by the likes of The Clash, David Holmes/The Free Association, Soft Cell and Fatboy Slim, as well as Northern Soul takes on The Rolling Stones and The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

 

If you want to relive the Woolies bargain bin experience, you can pick up both volumes of This Is Northern Soul for a couple of quid on Discogs.

 

1) The Snake: Al Wilson (1967)

2) Better Use Your Head: Little Anthony & The Imperials (1965)

3) Sliced Tomatoes: Just Brothers (1972)

4) Out On The Floor: Dobie Gray (1966)

5) Time Is Tight: Booker T & The MG's (1969)

6) Blowing My Mind To Pieces: Bob E Relf (1968)

7) 24 Hours A Day: Barbara Pennington (1976)

8) Wrapped, Tied And Tangled: LaVern Baker (1968)

9) What: Judy Street (1965)

10) I've Lost You: Jackie Wilson (1967)

11) Under My Thumb (Cover of The Rolling Stones): Wayne Gibson (1966)

12) Dearly Beloved: Jack Montgomery (1966)

13) Bok To Bach: Father's Angels (1967)

14) Goodbye Nothing To Say: The Javells ft. Nosmo King (1974)

15) Purple Haze (Cover of The Jimi Hendrix Experience): Johnny Jones & The King Casuals (1968)

16) Girl I Need You: The Artistics (1968)

17) Long After Tonight Is All Over: Jimmy Radcliffe (1964)

Side Two (46:10)

Side One here