A Long Soulful Sunday

Ooops, sorry, more like a late soulful Sunday...

I hope this makes up for the later than usual post.

Happy Sunday, everyone!

 

1) Let 'Em In (DJ Reverend P Edit By Patrice Larrar) (Cover of Wings): Billy Paul (2016)

2) When Love Begins Friendship Ends: Bobby Womack (1978)

3) Bridge Over Troubled Water (Live @ Fillmore West Concert Hall, San Francisco) (Cover of Simon & Garfunkel): Aretha Franklin (1971)

4) Living For The City: Stevie Wonder (1973)

5) Let The Drums Speak (mass Thomas Edit): Bah Samba (2023)

6) Funkier Than A Mosquito's Tweeter (Album Version): Nina Simone (1974)

7) It Won't Be Long (Late Show, Live @ Fillmore East, New York): Sly & The Family Stone (1968) 

8) Make Me Say It Again Girl (Part 1 & 2): The Isley Brothers (1975)

9) Keep On Keeping On (Album Version): Curtis Mayfield (1971)

1971: Aretha Live At Fillmore West: 3

1971: Roots: 9

1973:Innervisions: 4

1974: It Is Finished: 6

1975: The Heat Is On: 8

1978: Pieces: 2

2004: Thee Encyclopedia Of Ecstacy: 7

2016: The Legacy Of Soul: 1

2023: Let The Drums Speak EP: 5

A Long Soulful Sunday (1:00:47) (KF) (Mega)

Let Me Tell Ya What I've Got That Nobody's Gonna Take Away

The first time I've seen this live performance of Ain't Got No - I Got Life by Nina Simone, somewhere in London in 1968. In the four minutes of playing it, I was one of 132 viewers and 66,874,610 (and counting) since it was posted on YouTube in 2010. No surprise, I ended up watching it three times in a row.

 

It's markedly different from either the single or album versions that I'm more familiar with, starting off with gentle, downtempo piano and low key backing from the band, subtly and gradually building up, coming in strong with the latter 'I Got Life' section and ending in such uplifting, rousing fashion that you just want to play it again.

 

Originally two songs, written by James Rado, Gerome Ragni and Galt MacDermot for the musical Hair, Nina reworked and repurposed it as a single song in two parts, almost a call and response. 'Ain't Got No' is the naysayers or inner voice of doubt, telling you in great detail that you've got nothing. 'I Got Life' is the counterpoint, the empowered two-fingered response, that sense of self and life within that can get you through. Nina completely owns the song in every single performance, not just this one.

 

No wonder the studio audience appear to be so enraptured by the performance. Just imagine being there, seeing Nina and the band work their magic on the song. The guy sitting directly behind Nina clapping along is so absorbed (and/or stoned) that he appears to have lost all sense of rhythm...or is simply making his own.

 

It's been a difficult week for many reasons but sometimes a song or a performance can randomly resurface and make a difference. Today it was this song and this performance. 

 

Nina Simone would have celebrated her 90th birthday on 21st February. Instead, 21st April will mark 20 years since her passing. Nina Simone should never be forgotten.

 

 

Ain't got no home, ain't got no shoes
Ain't got no money, ain't got no class
Ain't got no friends, ain't got no schooling
Ain't got no wear, ain't got no job
Ain't got no money, no place to stay

 

Ain't got no father, ain't got no mother
Ain't got no children, ain't got no sisters above
Ain't got no earth, ain't got no faith
Ain't got no touch, ain't got no god
Ain't got no love

 

Ain't got no wine, no cigarettes
Ain't got no clothes, no country
No class, no schooling
No friends, no nothing
Ain't got no god
Ain't got one more

 

Ain't got no earth, no ?
No food, no home
I said I ain't got no clothes
No job, no nothing
Ain't got long to live
And I ain't got no love

 

But what have I got?
Let me tell ya what I've got
That nobody's gonna take away

 

I got my hair on my head
I got my brains, I got my ears
I got my eyes, I got my nose
I got my mouth, I got my smile

 

I got my tongue, I got my chin
I got my neck, I got my boobies
I got my heart, I got my soul
I got my back, I got my sex

 

I got my arms, I got my hands
I got my fingers, got my legs
I got my feet, I got my toes
I got my liver, got my blood

 

Got life, I got my life

Waiting, Hoping And Longing

Where has the week gone?! It seems like the weekend was only a day or so ago and yet here we are, about to enter another. Is it a summer thing? As a kid, the summer felt properly long; these days, May to September seems to pass by in a blur with little to show for it. Well, apart from this blog, which at least is some evidence that I haven't slept through the last week (except for Tuesday, that is).

In an attempt to break the cycle of inertia let's, as Dame Shirley Bassey once urged, get this party started. Although I think P!NK may have got it started first. 

Today's selection doesn't feature P!NK (Darn the upper case and inverted i... or is it an exclamation mark? But I digress). Stick around though and Dame Shirley does show up for the finale.

The general theme of this mixtape is iconic female singers from the 1940s to the 1970s given the 21st century (mostly) remix treatment. Upbeat, downtempo, scratches, itches, phat beats, flat beats, nothing detracts from the huge voices on show here.

 

1) "Murder" He Says (Remix By James Hardway aka David Harrow): Dinah Shore (2004)

2) Walk On By (Mojo Filter Fly-By Re-Love) (Remix By Ben Zaven Crane): Dionne Warwick (2012)

3) Where Is Love? (Remix By James Hardway aka David Harrow): Lena Horne (2004)

4) Rock Steady (Sure Is Pure Remix By Danny Spencer & Kelvin Andrews): Aretha Franklin (1994)

5) A-Tisket A-Tasket (Remix By James Hardway aka David Harrow): Ella Fitzgerald (2004)

6) O-o-h Child (Nickodemus Remix By Nick DeSimone): Nina Simone (2007)

7) I Cover The Waterfront (Remix By James Hardway aka David Harrow): Billie Holiday (2004)

8) Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby? (Rae & Christian Remix By Mark Rae & Steve Christian): Dinah Washington (2002)

9) Goldfinger (Propellerheads Mix By Alex Gifford & Will White): Shirley Bassey (2000)

10) [applause]* 

* completely out of step with the rest of the selection, the crowd noise has been lifted from a 2014 performance of Sister Ray by John Cale & The Drone Orchestra.

1994: Rock Steady EP: 4

2000: The Remix Album...Diamonds Are Forever: 9

2002: Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby? EP: 8

2004: Ladies Of Jazz Remixed: 1, 3, 5, 7

2007: Remixed & Reimagined: 6

2012: AOR Disco Vintage Edits Vol. 2: 2

Waiting, Hoping And Longing (45:58)

Bad Santa IV (2021)

Back due to...well, absolutely no demand whatsover, it's Bad Santa, another selection of Christmas songs. Includes a few all-time personal favourites from Half Man Half Biscuit, Ramones and Belle & Sebastian playing James Brown, plus some obscurities and cover of classic Christmas songs. Pye Corner Audio, who I have listened to lots this year (thanks to Adam @ Bagging Area), bring things up to date with their 2020 festive offering. Ho! Ho! Ho!

1) A Daddy's Christmas: Albert Brooks ft. Little Kristi (1974)
2) Thank God It's Not Christmas: Sparks (1974)
3) Everything's Gonna Be Cool This Christmas (Single Version): Eels (1998)
4) The Little Drummer Boy (Album Version) (Cover of Katherine K. Davis, Henry Onorati & Harry Simeone): The Dandy Warhols (1997)
5) All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit: Half Man Half Biscuit (1986)
6) Rock 'n' Roll Santa: Yo La Tengo (2002)
7) Zombie Christmas: Emmy The Great & Tim Wheeler (2011)
8) Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto (Live on the John Peel Show, BBC Radio 1, 18 December 2002) (Cover of James Brown): Belle & Sebastian (2002)
9) Christmas In Waikiki: Morgan (2000)
10) Mele Kalikimaka (Christmas In Hawaii) (Cover of Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters): KT Tunstall (2007)
11) Christmas Time Is Here (From 'A Charlie Brown Christmas') (Cover of Vince Guaraldi): Khruangbin (2018)
12) Close Your Mouth (It's Christmas): The Free Design (1968)
13) Chilly Winds (Fink Remix By Fin Greenall): Nina Simone (2008)
14) Christmas Dub (Reprise): Wareika (2013)
15) Omnichord Omnishambles (At Xmas): Pye Corner Audio (2020)
16) Santa's False Teeth: Saint Etienne (2011)
17) Tawel Nos / Silent Night (John Peel Session, 2001) (Cover of traditional song): Melys (2001)
18) Johnny Shrapnel Buys Christmas: Arab Strap (2000)
19) Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight) (Album Version): Ramones (1989) 

20) Xmas Bubblegum Machine: Sultans Of Ping (1993)

 

Bad Santa IV (56:59) (KF) (Mega)

 

Click on the links for the previous Bad Santa selections from 2016, 2017 & 2020

I Dream In Colours And My Dreams Are Only Shades Of You

A soulful selection today, including some popular classics by Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder and Jamo Thomas, with some songs that have only really come into my orbit in the last decade by Soul-Walkers, Patti LaBelle and The Brothers Of Soul. The latter appeared on Mayer Hawthorne's Soul With A Hole Vol. 1 mixtape, which I posted in September. Two sharp sides guaranteed to add a shuffle to your early morning, sleepy-eyed stumble and a smile to your post-work slumber.

Side One

1) Funkier Than A Mosquito's Tweeter (Album Version): Nina Simone (1974)

2) Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing: Stevie Wonder (1973)

3) Need A Replacement: The Winstons (1968)

4) I Spy (For The FBI): Jamo Thomas & His Party Brothers Orchestra (1966)

5) Dreamer's Hall Of Fame: Jeb Stuart (1969)

Side Two

1) I'm Tired Of What People Say Or Do: Soul-Walkers (1970)

2) I Don't Go Shopping: Patti LaBelle (1980)

3) Can't See Myself Doing You Wrong: Milt Matthews Inc. (1971)

4) A Lifetime: The Brothers Of Soul (1970)

5) Rolling Down A Mountainside: The Main Ingredient (1975)

Side One (18:12)

Side Two (19:01)

Too Punk To Funk

2007 mix, which I think I may have put together for a friend's birthday. Definitely a snapshot of a moment in time, when it was all about indie disco and big beats. The cover is a remixed image taken from the We Never Know CD single by Nicolette. A long time since I've heard some of these songs and many of the acts are now consigned to history, but I'd forgotten how good some of these remixes are.

 

1) Girl And The Sea (Cut Copy Remix): The Presets ft. Kendal Cuneo (2005) 

2) Gravity's Rainbow (Van She Remix): Klaxons (2005)

3) X-Ray (South Central X-Ray Vision 'For Those With Eyes To See' Remix): The Maccabees (2007)

4) Please (Remember 1992? Remix): Paul Hartnoll ft. Robert Smith & Lianne Hall (2007)

5) Jique (MSTRKRFT Remix): Brazilian Girls (2006)

6) Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before (A Chicken Lips Malfunction): Mark Ronson ft. Daniel Merriweather (2007)

7) Save Me (Coldcut Remix): Nina Simone (2007) 

8) Backfire At The Disco (KGB Remix): The Wombats (2007)

9) Office Boy (CSS Remix): Bonde Do Role (2007)

10) Sexy Results (MSTRKRFT Edition): Death From Above 1979 (2005)

11) Me And My Man (Whitey vs. Chromeo 'Fly Whitey' Mix): Chromeo (2004)

12) Standing In The Way Of Control (Soulwax Nite Version) (Khayem's Cheeky Re-Edit): Gossip (2006)

13) Broken Drum (Remixed By Boards Of Canada): Beck (2005)

14) You'll Never Change (Album Version): GusGus (2007)

15) Woozy With Cider (Jon Hopkins Remix): James Yorkston (2007)

 

Too Punk To Funk (1:17:42)