The Not-Pop Jukebox

In reposting from five years ago, I keep finding playlists that I created in Grooveshark that have all disappeared into an abyss never to be seen again. They included as many as forty versions of or thematically related songs that I spent hours curating. Ring of Fire was one of the first, and it was blessedly short!

Happily, the song and its covers have not paled over time. My family still sings it at full volume when shuffle blesses us with a version. Here's hoping the rest of my recreations go as smoothly! Here's the original post and the new video playlist with the addition of the actual original from Anita Carter and a couple of other great burning covers (don't miss DragonForce and don't look for Coldplay--this is the Not-Pop Jukebox, you know).

I feel that I should start with a disclaimer that I don’t watch American Idol. I do, however, like many of Johnny Cash’s songs and Ring of Fire in particular. It caught my eye that one of the contestants performed a very unusual version of that song last night and the wildly varying opinions led me to watch the video.

While I wasn’t crazy about the arrangement, the many posts and comments that I read expressing the opinion that Johnny Cash was spinning in his grave made me go looking for even more versions of Ring of Fire. I suspect that The Man in Black would have given the contestant a hearty pat on the back for taking such chances rather than being offended by the unusual interpretation. Of all of the country stars whose songs he could have chosen, I think Cash is the most likely to enjoy such a creative rendition.

Consider these versions of Ring of Fire, most of which were recorded while Mr. Cash was still alive (and, for the better-known acts, almost certainly with his permission). Try Grace Jones’ reggae-tinged version, Ray Charles’ soulful cover, or Blondie’s punk-country take on it. I’ve included Johnny Cash himself at the end (he's at the beginning, now), for a reminder of how it originally sounded. There’s a bit of nasty language in the Social Distortion cover, so if that will upset you then you may want to skip it.

I discovered today the next step in the the evolutionary arc of my favorite music. We've gone from Eilen Jewell's tasty rockabilly to Gin Wigmore's neo-soul update of the sound and now I bring you Ivy Levan. I don't know where this girl is going but, if she continues to knock this swingin' soul sound out of the park I can't wait until she gets there.

I don't know if she's a fan of Janelle Monae but her look has a lot in common with yet another of my favorite songstresses. Her thematic EP does as well, though she's chosen a completely different story. Watch Hot Damn and see if you don't fall in love with that sultry beat and those retro dresses--and Ivy Levan's great voice.

If you want more, I've posted Money on my G+ page. I welcome your thoughts on either site!

No one better embodies the wonderful trend of neo-soul than the so-smooth Ryan Shaw. You would swear, in listening to him, that he stepped straight out of the 50s or 60s but with much better recording capabilities. Perhaps, rather than being reincarnated, he is a soul remastered.

For proof of my assertion, I offer you Do the 45, a cover of the Sharpees original so faithful that I did not at first realize it was one. Lest you fear it's a karaoke tune and not a serious piece of soul, rest assured that I did not select this one lightly. I jammed hard and then listened to the original, the ultimate test. Yes, they were equally dance-worthy, my darlings. Have a listen and find out for yourself. Do let me know if you disagree, or if you've a better example from Mr. Shaw.

At the intersection of neo-soul and plain old rock and roll you'll find The Rumble Strips. As an introduction to the band, My Oh My leaves out most of the former but it offers the latter in spades to make up for it. It's also a great song about unrequited love, complete with wrong numbers and talking sheep. Toss in the driving drums and wild horns and you've got a guaranteed winner. Have a listen and let me know if you don't agree!

The neo-soul Duffy hit Mercy always struck me as a fantastic song that deserved a post here at The NPJ, though it would have to be of the True Confession variety considering its deserved popularity. As so often happens, however, a mashup has arisen that gives me an excuse to praise the song without dedicating a post to it alone.

DJ Y Alias JY took the sultry little songstress and ran her right into Robin Thicke, the masher, to create Blurred Mercy. Hey, hey, hey indeed! Naturally, you can download the Mashup of the Month for free from Official FM but be warned that the background is a screen shot from that full-of-himself Mr. Thicke and features a topless woman.

Have a listen and let me know if you think Mr. Thicke sounds like he’s leering at the comparatively demure Duffy while she begs for Mercy or if it it’s just my imagination. I somehow get the feeling he'd leer at pretty much any woman but I'm still jamming to Blurred Mercy.

I give you darlings a lot of reasons to dance but none as dedicated to getting you out of your seat as Vintage Trouble's Pelvis Pusher. If ever there was a song that I heard and could hardly wait to share, this is it. And if you need proof that Jezzebella was not fluke, this will cement the deal.

I know they've played on TV and toured with The Who, but I still don't think these guys get the sort of attention they deserve. Now hit play, get off your duff, and push your pelvis.

If ever you needed proof that your parents or grandparents had minds and habits just as filthy as your friends, have a listen to Billy Ward's Sixty-Minute Man. He wrote the song with Rose Marks and made it a 1951 hit with The Dominoes. It's considered one of the seminal realy rock and roll songs and was one of the first cross-over hits.

I have to tell you, it this was the sort of thing to which my kids were listening rather than the comparatively tame Elvis Presley I might, indeed, have had a problem with rock and roll coming out of whitebread, post-WWII America. Okay, I lie. I'm willing to bet their parents had seen and heard worse over the course of the 40s, no matter the genre.

Still and all, Mr. Ward had a pretty high estimation of his prowess and openly courted women who were seeing others. It's a pretty in-your-face song that was a hit at a time when it was just barely not scandalous for a woman to wear pants. That's pretty impressive! It's also been covered many, many times and appears to be a favorite with a capella men's groups. Have a listen and let me know what you think. Also, a tip of the top hat to +Dirk Talamasca for introducing me to the song.

I promised you all more Gin Wigmore and today I intend to deliver. Kill of the Night gives you a perfect taste of her: part rockabilly, part Eartha Kitt, part Amy Winehouse, all attitude. In addition, the song gives new meaning to the term "maneater". Have a listen and let me know if you're ready for more!

Sh-Boom is one of those songs that I've known since I was a kid, though I haven't the faintest idea from where. It's long been an earworm and I've spent more than my fair share of time trying to emulate the "yaddadadadadadadada" part at speed. Just so you know, I still can't do it as well as The Crew Cuts.

Imagine my delight at hearing the song when watching Cars with my kids. I was sad it was so short but I've made up for it by making them listening to it fully many times since then. I'd like to think some day they'll have it stuck in their heads and will play it for their little ones, too. Until then, I want to share it with you.

Saturday afternoon is the perfect time for some old-school funk. That Hammond, that bass, that fuzz! But Lefties Soul Connection has fooled you--this album was released by the Dutch band in 2006, those sneaky things. For me, that just makes Sling Shot all the better. There are still people in the world eager and able to play music like this!

In case you missed my last post on them, have a listen to more Lefties Soul Connection and groove in the brand-new, old-school sound. And if you've got a new-fangled funk or soul band to share, I'm ready and waiting!

After all of the offensive references to gold-digging women in music, I thought it fitting that we hear from some money-hungry men looking to be kept. Thus I offer you six versions of First I Look at the Purse.

Now, you won't be surprised by Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials or The Countours. You may, however, find yourself enjoyable taken with Rod Stewart's soulful take or the serious bluesy jam from the J. Geils Band. If you want an angry, growling take on it, try Nashville Pussy.

Have a listen to the whole set and let me know which you like best. I'm leaning toward J. Geils but there's so much jamming going on here that I can't quite decide.

You, my cruel darlings, have been keeping secrets from me. You've let me go all these years without telling me about Sugar Pie DeSanto, you evil things. Now, I might punish you by withholding all of the fantastic music I listened to today but I'm not like that. Instead, I'm going to flaunt Soulful Dress, just like Sugar Pie is in the song.

For those of you who aren't in on the conspiracy, Ms. DeSanto has put out some of the best soul and bluesy funk I've enjoyed. She's been rockin' for sixty years but her biggest hits came in the 1960s. How do I know Etta James and not Sugar Pie DeSanto, you ask? I have no idea, but apparently they had a pair of big hits together. Clearly, I've not been reading the credits and liner notes carefully enough.

Whatever the case, I'm catching up now. I'll definitely be posting more, but if you're in the mood for some have a search. You can find her all over the web, though sparsely (sadly) at Grooveshark. And if you're one of those who's been keeping quiet about DeSanto, 'fess up with your favorite song of her.

Today is the anniversary of Stephen Foster's death, that pioneering gent so far ahead of his time that he tried to make a living as a songwriter and died, penniless and destitute, at the age of 37. Even if you have never heard of the man I guarantee you know at least one or two of his songs. He was that influential, eventually, he just couldn't make any money.

For today, let's have takes by well-known folks on Stephen Foster's well-known songs. I've started with a fantastic version of Old Folks at Home by Ray Charles titled Swanee River Rock. Then Taj Mahal's bluesy, harmonica-filled Oh, Susannah, Sam Cooke's soulful I Dream of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair, and noddle around with Dave Brubeck and his quartet offering their take on Camptown Races. Finally, we come around full-circle to Louis Armstrong back on Old Folks at Homes.

Spare a thought for the music makers among us today and, the next time you download something that's "pay what you like", throw in an extra buck for them. You never know who's going to be the next lynchpin in the musical vocabulary of a country or even the world.

This is one of those playlists that started with two songs I intended to post as a You Pick the Winner pair. Then I wondered how many other, similar songs I could find. Even deleting the worst from the pile I was left with nine songs asking, "Does your mother know?"

I've left my first two candidates at the top of the list: Jim Bianco's If Your Mama Knew and ABBA's Does Your Mother Know? Then move on to The Supremes, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Gary Glitter, Neil Diamond, and Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas. To round it out there are groups called Lordi and Termites. I'm pretty sure there are at least half a dozen genres represented here, if not a separate one for each song.

Whatever your lines of distinction, have a listen and let me know which of the nine "if mama knew" songs you like best. While I love the zydeco song, Your Mama Don't Know I still love Bianco and ABBA so I don't really have a stand-out favorite. I need your votes, my dears!

I thought it terribly sad that the only time I've posted Chuck Brown was the day he died. Today, have a serious, James-Brownian jam about Bustin' Loose to make up for that lack. As I'm sure you've guessed, the horn section really makes this for me, but there's plenty of funk going on in the background.

Bust your thing loose of the chair and shake it for ol' Chuck Brown. Let me know what you thought, would you?

I've been listening to a fair amount of Antibalas lately and, as a Manu Dibango fan already, was excited to see them incorporating makossa into their numbers. It took about thirty seconds of Makossa #3, however, before I realized that it was not the ever-talented Mr. Dibango the needed a head-to-head match-up with the New Yorkers. It was Isaac Hayes and the iconic Theme from Shaft.

Normally I'd include both songs in a playlist below, but for some reason the recording of Makossa #3 on Grooveshark cuts off at 1:23. The video below gives you the full, five-minute treatment. And then I figured you'd need a video for Shaft, too, because, well, it's Shaft. Note that the version in the opening credits for the film are a little different, and a little faster, than this one (which is the one I have), but if you haven't seen the film and don't understand just what a BAMF he is, go see it. Now. I'll wait. Can you dig it?

I almost forgot to invite you to tell me which wah-wah pedal you like best. That is, after all, the entire point of You Pick the Winner. Do share, my dears. Do you have a nostalgic Richard Roundtree connection to Isaac Hayes or does Anibalas take that same funk-filtered sound, wrap it around makossa, and steal your love?

Vintage Trouble has only been around a couple of years but you'd never guess it to listen to them. The clean production and, yes, vintage soul sound hark back to a day when you could count on a band to sound as great live as they do on vinyl (or, y'know, in bytes). From what I see and hear, appearances are not deceiving.

Much as I like their old-school take, most of their songs tend toward the down-tempo end of the spectrum. When I heard Jezzebella, however, I knew I had the perfect offering for you, my darlings. Have a listen and, if you like it half as much as I do, head over to the Vintage Trouble web site for a slew of videos and a lot more info on the band.

Delbert McClinton brought me to It's Love, Baby (24 Hours a Day) but he was hardly the first person to perform the song. For this Thursday evening I've put together seven versions of the song so that you all can remember for a whole week how much I love you!

Note that Jackie DeShannon removed the "to keep my gay" line and made her go-go version "throughout the day", which is far less entertaining. Toni Lynn Washington has some great horns and a hardcore blues beat going, Louis Brooks & the Hi-Toppers give a fantastic Motown vibe, and Rusty Zinn goes old school in more modern times. I don't know who The Monorays are but the quality of the recording makes them sound native to Victrola times.

I included a second version credited to Louis Brooks without his Hi-Toppers because apparently the lead vocals on the original release with them were performed by Earl Gaines, so the second one may not be. Whatever your favorite style, have a jam to It's Love, Baby. You don't have to listen to it 24 hours a day, but don't miss Delbert McClinton's version at the end. It's still my favorite.

Here's another goofy little playlist that combines seven songs on a theme: lost love is coming back. Please note that the list does not include Baby Love despite the title of the post.

What it does have is a song each from Wil Dailey, The Eurythmics, Luther Vandross, Jellyfish, and (as those of you who can count figured out) three others. Not only do you discover that Love Is on the Way three different ways, but you'll find that Baby's Coming Back twice and that Love is Coming Back another two times.

Note that I do not think that Ingrid Lucia sounds like Billie Holiday no matter how many people say she does. I do, however, find her to sound exactly like Katharine Whalen from Squirrel Nut Zippers, which is who I thought I was hearing when I bumped into Love Is Coming Back. Note also that the Eurythmics song is cheating, a little. The actual name of the track is It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back). As alright is not a word (spellchecker be damned) I thought it only fitting to regard the parenthetical name as the real thing. Shut up. It's my blog.

Also, if you're not a fan of oozy-schmoozy Luther Vandross songs it won't hurt my feelings too terribly if you skip his Love Is on the Way (Real Love). It's pretty 80s-sounding, though, and filled with cheese. The Hep Stars are pretty cheesy, too, but much more jangly, and Saigon Kick couldn't be more hair-band-bad if they tried. Enjoy!

When I first picked up Finger Poppin’, I presumed the title referred to snapping one’s fingers.  A quick listen to the song, however, led me to believe that it was a single finger that was popping up, and it wasn’t a thumb.

I nominate Finger Poppin’ as the perfect break-up song for someone getting away from a controlling jerk of whatever gender.  The chorus pretty much says “forget you.  I’m outta here!” but the lyrics go a little deeper.

Given the alleged history between Ike and Tina Turner, I’d like to think she was humming this song when she finally bailed on their relationship.  Maybe Finger Poppin’ inspired her.  If you’re relatively new to old-school soul and you like this one, try Funkier than a Mosquito’s Tweeter.  In that case, it’s funky in a bad way but it’s another good telling off for your arsenal.

I apologize for the static picture video but I couldn't find the song anywhere else to embed. Besides, 45s are so nostalgic. It seemed to go with the song.