Croup Fairy Thursday

Well, the Croup Fairy is paying a surprise visit here at the homestead. While I'm entertaining and keeping things steamy, here's a sickbed sort of song for you.

My initial plan was to wheeze-hack-cough with the Debris Slide, when I realized that Westing (By Musket and Sextant) isn't Rhapvailable. That's another one for the list there, Rhapsodists.

Morning Dew - Grateful Dead (Europe '72)

Mineralish Fresh Catch Playlist

A mid-week fresh catch playlist chock full of chocks.

Mineralish Fresh Catch Playlist

Daniel Saw The Stone - Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet
Human Fly - The Cramps
When the Circus Comes - Los Lobos
Kohoutek - REM

Reflecting In The Rain

It's under two months now until Howard Stern will disappear from the regular airwaves. I've probably listened to the show three or four times since wandering into Rhapsody earlier this year, but had it as a valued companion for a few years as a commuter. Nothing spruced up a frigid, dark morning on the highway like Hollyweird Squares or a visit from George Takei.

I've got no profound utterances on the occasion; just feeling a little reflective and pondering how good the show will actually be on heh-eh-eh.

Here's one song that I'll never be able to hear without thinking about Howard for the rest of my mortal life. Truth be told, I think hearing Howard in the back of my mind every time this song plays enhances the experience considerably.

You'll Never Walk Alone - Billy Eckstine

Be Careful What You Wish For Monday

I've got a list of songs missing from Rhapsody that I search for periodically. Well, lo and behold the Rhapsody gods granted me a wish last week. Or did they? That's right: Fred Schneider's first solo album was added to Rhapsody last week. Monster still has a goofy, ribald allure, and Summer In Hell is fun, but the rest of the record isn't all that vital.

Not that I'm not grateful, oh Rhapsody wizards...

Monster - Fred Schneider

Out To Lunch Friday

And a fine Friday it is. Here's a freaky little celebration of a playlist to get things underway.

I started trying to rssmbl the Fletch soundtrack yesterday, but rapidly hit a brick wall. It looks like my life's work will have to go on hold until such time as Rhapsody initiates a bilateral commission on Harold Faltermeyer. For now, we'll have to settle for the theme song (a song by The Fixx from the soundtrack is also Rhapvailable, but it didn't grip me in an out to lunch way).

Friday Out To Lunch Playlist

Small Axe - The Wailers (Upsetters)
Baked Bean - Haircut 100
Bit By Bit (Theme From "Fletch") - Stephanie Mills
Spanish Ladies - Paul Clayton
Shark Attack - John Williams
Hawaii Five-O - Arthur Lyman

Like A Circle In A Spiral Thursday

Here's a wild gem on the Rhapsody Just Added list this week: The Windmills of Your Mind from the Oscar Peterson Trio. It's a regular six-foot wall of water headed straight for downtown. The track is from the 1970 record Walking The Line, featuring George Mraz on bass and Ray Price on drums. Oscar Peterson plays the piano like a marksman with a machine gun. He launches a hail of scattershot runs, but every single note hits home.

Other Oscar Peterson sessions from this period added this week are Motions and Emotions, Hello Herbie, Great Connection, and Tristeza on Piano.

For dessert, a track from Oscar Peterson's vocal album "With Respect To Nat."

Like A Circle In A Spiral Thursday

Windmills Of Your Mind
What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry?

Wimpy Wednesday Fresh Catch

Greetings to anyone who checks in here on any kind of a regular basis. Due to migrating nap times, the Monday and Wednesday Ribaldry & Schmaltz post will be up at irregular times for the foreseeable future. Here's a diminutive one-two punch for today:

Wimpy Wednesday Fresh Catch

Don't Bogart That Joint - Little Feat
Dreadlocks In The White House - Junior Reid

Another Dream Soundtrack

Here's another one you just couldn't make up: in one of my dreams last night I was at a World Series game. The stadium the game was happening in had an extensive honeycomb of bars and restaurants behind the stands.

I walked from our seats into this area, and there in the middle of a bunch of tables where people are eating baseball food and drinking large beers is Paul Heaton wearing a green cardigan and singing "Old Red Eyes Is Back." I found this somewhat anomalous and remarkable and wandered off to find my friends.

Before I could find them I again saw Mister Heaton in another lounge zone, this time singing "The Light Is Always Green." I headed off again to find someone to witness this oddness. This time, I enter a new bar and there he is again, now just standing talking to some people at a table. So, as I walk by I call out "Sheep! Play Sheep!" Mister Heaton turned around, and at first I thought he looked a little angry. But then he smiled, walked over, and offered to buy me a pint.

I have no idea who won that baseball game.

Well, The Light Is Always Green and Sheep are non-Rhapvailable tracks from the Housemartins, so this dream soundtrack will have to settle for the one Beautiful South song.

Old Red Eyes Is Back - The Beautiful South

Fresh Catch Playlist, Fuzzy Monday Edition

Here's a rambunctious, fuzzy ocelot of a fresh catch playlist to jump start the new week. Mostly covers, particularly a competent Nashville Pussy version of a Circle Jerks gem. I could go for the enirety of VI right about now.

Fuzzy Monday Fresh Catch

Turn Up The Night - Black Sabbath
Beat Me Senseless - Nashville Pussy
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida - Slayer
God Of Thunder - Buzz Osbourne

Out To Lunch Friday

A fresh catch playlist for an auspicious Friday. I'm not sure what's on for lunch yet, but those sandwiches Jimmy and Wes are eating look pretty good.

Out To Lunch Friday

Don't Get 2 Close (2 My Fantasy) - Ween
Albuquerque - Neil Young
De Chirico Street - Robyn Hitchcock
Underage Bichon - Triumph
Night Train - Jimmy Smith/Wes Montgomery

Thursday Madly

For a number of years my go-to song for extended meditative moments has been "He Loved Him Madly" from the Miles Davis album Get Up With It. It packs alot of exploration into an incredibly languid, open thirty two minutes.

Earlier this week I listened to Bill Laswell's distilled version of the song on Panthalassa for the first time. For this 1998 album Laswell was given access to the original multi-track recordings of Miles Davis' electric sessions from 1969-1974, to rearrange and remix as he saw fit. From the stunning results, I think we can safely say Laswell loved Davis madly as Miles loved Duke Ellignton when the original was performed.

He Loved Him Madly - Miles Davis/Bill Laswell

Dinah Washington Wednesday

I was wandering the hills and dales of Rhapsody yesterday when I fell under the spell of Dinah Washington, where I happily spent the rest of the afternoon. No vocal acrobatics, no jazzy silliness, just a voice of clarity and force and telepathic sexuality.

Dinah Washington Wednesday

If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight
Love For Sale
Darn That Dream
Come Rain Or Come Shine
But Not For Me
Crazy He Calls Me
Our Love Is Here To Stay

Don't Call It A Comeback Tuesday

I had the Rhapsody DT's for a few days there, but got back in action yesterday (sans library and saved playlists). Here's a wee paean to mark the return.

Tuesday Comeback Playlist

Let Me Try Again - Connie Francis
Jus' Can't Stop Me - J Geils Band
Mute Witness - Morrissey
Back From The Dead - Bobby Byrd
Set Me Straight - Melvins

Shalom Ya Later

Update: After an hour on the phone with various helpful individuals around the planet, I have been informed that my Library file is too big. Rhapsody, I'll bet you say that to all the boys.

My situation has been escalated to a super-secret level three para-verbal support cabal who allegedly will exorcise the offending file in the next two to forty eight hours, allowing me to get back to my hardcore ribaldry and scmhmaltz dissemination.

Holding Pattern, Day Two

Interestingly, I remain tuneless after performing every arcane ritual I could unearth from the Rhapsody support boards and solicit from support staff. I may have to just lay the account in a canoe, set it on fire, and push it out to sea (but then of course the Dead Man soundtrack would get added the next day).

Pray for Mojo.

Technical Difficulties

Greetings all.

This morning Rhapsody is perpetually spinning at the "Synchronizing ... updating your library" phase of signing in. Today's playlist is on hold until I get past it. In lieu of the list, feel free to listen to the new My Morning Jacket album, which you're probably doing already.

Cheers.

Fresh Catch Playlist, Fall Migration Edition

A small flock of motley tunes working their way south, a signature on the fog for the change of season.

Fall Migration Fresh Catch Playlist

Little Green Apples - O.C. Smith
Adolph Hitler - The Doors
Andy Warhol - Treepeople
Me And My Arrow - Harry Nilsson
A Real Nice Clambake - Carousel Cast

Gong Songs Playlist

As I learned well from my telephone sounds playlist, the more ears the better. It took me almost six months to assemble four tracks that start with phone noises, and a few hours for others to suggest sixteen more. So here's another playlist appeal for donations. I've collected two songs that feature a good gong noise, but know there's gotta be many more shining examples out there. Suggestions to round out the list would be most welcome.

Gong Songs Playlist

Open Sesame - Kool & The Gang
Hotter Than Hell - KISS