Rewind: This Day in 1986: Pretty In Pink Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Released

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Pretty In Pink Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Various Artists
A&M Records
Released February 28th 1986


 

Side 1

A1 –Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - If You Leave 4:24
A2 –Suzanne Vega - Left Of Center 3:32
A3 –Jesse Johnson - Get To Know Ya 3:33
A4 –INXS - Do Wot You Do 3:17
A5 –The Psychedelic Furs - Pretty In Pink 4:40

Side 2

B1 –New Order - Shellshock 6:04
B2 –Belouis Some - Round, Round 4:06
B3 –Danny Hutton Hitters - Wouldn't It Be Good 3:43
B4 –Echo and The Bunnymen - Bring On The Dancing Horses 3:58
B5 –The Smiths - Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want 1:50

(2012 Record Store Day Release on Pink Vinyl)

From what I can recall I don't think I have ever done a series of posts focusing on Soundtracks so if this is a first then I picked a good one to possibly start with.

Released on this day in 1986.
Enjoy

Tidy Tunes 2019 #28/28 The Best of Everything (Alternate Version) - Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers

The Best of Everything (Alternate Version / Extra Verse) - Tom Petty and The Heatbreakers
Taken from the album
'The Best of Everything - The Definitive Career Spanning Hits Collection 1976-2016'

Released 1st March 2019

Another previously Unreleased Track on the Compilation:
For Real  - Tom Petty and The Heatbreakers

Track listing for the album
Unless mentioned otherwise all tracks are by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
Disc 1
1. "Free Fallin’" - Tom Petty
2. "Mary Jane’s Last Dance"
3. "You Wreck Me" - Tom Petty
4. "I Won’t Back Down" - Tom Petty
5. "Saving Grace" - Tom Petty
6. "You Don’t Know How It Feels" - Tom Petty
7. "Don’t Do Me Like That"
8. "Listen to Her Heart"
9. "Breakdown"
10. "Walls (Circus)"
11. "The Waiting"
12. "Don’t Come Around Here No More"
13. "Southern Accents"
14. "Angel Dream (No. 2)"
15. "Dreamville"
16. "I Should Have Known It"
17. "Refugee"
18. "American Girl"
19. "The Best of Everything" (Alt. Version Previously Unreleased)

Disc 2
1. "Wildflowers" - Tom Petty
2. "Learning to Fly"
3. "Here Comes My Girl"
4. "The Last DJ"
5. "I Need to Know"
6. "Scare Easy" - Mudcrutch
7. "You Got Lucky"
8. "Runnin’ Down a Dream" - Tom Petty
9. "American Dream Plan B"
10. "Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around" (feat. Stevie Nicks)
11. "Trailer" - Mudcrutch
12. "Into the Great Wide Open"
13. "Room at the Top"
14. "Square One" - Tom Petty
15. "Jammin’ Me"
16. "Even the Losers"
17. "Hungry No More" - Mudcrutch
18. "I Forgive It All" - Mudcrutch
19. "For Real" Previously Unreleased)

This was originally scheduled for release last year and was announced at pretty much the same time as the release of what turned out to be my album of the year, An American Treasure Boxset. I'm guessing they did not want to dent sales on either product and delayed the release of the this collection until now.

This one is released tomorrow so I thought I would slip a little something into the Tidy Tunes series seeing as it is the last day. 

The Best of Everything (Alternate Version) was recorded during the making of the 'Southern Accents' album and it contains an extra verse in it that has not appeared on record before (but you just know the bootleggers have had it for years!).

Now while I recognise that this "Definitive Career Spanning Hits Collection" might be appealing as an introduction to the catalogue of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, his Solo releases and Mudcrutch, I am also a little skeptical of labels just cashing in on his name and legacy by presenting an album that only features two songs out of 38 that have been unreleased before. 

All of these tracks have been available elsewhere and many on previous Greatest Hits, Best Ofs, and Anthologies.

Tidy Tunes 2019 #27/28 She's The One / I Wanna Be Sedated - Ramones

She's The One / I Wanna Be Sedated
- Ramones
from the album
'Road To Ruin'
Originally released 22nd September 1978
40th Anniversary Edition released 21st September 2018

US Chart #103

UK Chart #32

She's The One


I Wanna Be Sedated

Listen Here:

As we draw close to the end of the month and the end of Tidy Tunes (maybe we will do it again later in the year) I thought today I'd go with an A-Side and a B-Side from one of my favourite bands, the Ramones.

'She's the One' was the third and final single released from the 'Road To Ruin' album in 1978.  'Don't Come Close' only reached #39 in the UK Charts whilst the second single, a cover version of 'Needles and Pins' failed to chart as did the 'She's The One'.

'Road To Ruin' was the first album to feature Marky Ramone (Marc Bell) on the drums (he began recording the album only three weeks after joining) as Tommy stepped back into a more studio role. It was deemed as an attempt by the band to get more airplay and more sales by adopting a more gentler sound (though when you listen to the album maybe only a couple of tracks fit that description, especially the first two singles!). Obviously this step didn't work out so well as the album was a flop in the their homeland. In the UK the album fared better than 'Rocket To Russia' (which had only reached #60!).

Charles Shaar Murray once said that "every Ramones song should be a hit single" and sometimes looking back you wonder why on earth they didn't have more chart success because there are absolutely loads of singles that sound like they should have been massive hits.

Regardless of the lack of Chart placing this single is an absolute gem and that's why they are a Tidy Tune for today.

Tidy Tune 2019 #26/28 I Can't Resist - The Reaction (Mark Hollis R.I.P.)

I Can't Resist/I'm A Case - The Reaction 

Island Records 

Produced by Ed Hollis 

Released 1978

Listen To Both A and B-Sides Here:

Living In Another World (12" Extended Mix) - Talk Talk
EMI
Released March 1986
UK Chart #48

 Mark Hollis
4th January 1955 - 25th February 2019
Rest In Peace

Most people's introduction to Mark Hollis would have been via his band Talk Talk during the the 1980s but for some of us it came a few years earlier when his band The Reaction first appeared on vinyl performing 'Talk Talk Talk Talk'  on the Beggars Banquet compilation 'Streets' in 1977 along with a bunch of other punk/new wave rogues like The Art Attacks, The Drones, Slaughter and the Dogs, John Cooper Clarke, The Members, The Doll and The Lurkers.

His older brother, Ed Hollis was already involved in music particularly working alongside Eddie and the Hot Rods. The Reaction were very 60's influenced and it's no wonder a few Mods who sprung up in the Mod Revival frequently name their one and only single (which Ed produced)  'I Can't Resist' as a worthy catch.

After releasing the single the band went their separate ways and via his brother Ed, Mark met Simon Brenner, Lee Harris and Paul Webb, with whom he would form Talk Talk in 1981.

I must admit that I was not a huge Talk Talk fan (though I'm sure today you will find many articles or people on Social Media touting them as if they were the best thing since sliced bread, but in these matters it's always best to be honest. It was probably because they got lumped in with the New Romantics that I didn't take to them) but there were quite a few singles I enjoyed and listening back to them since I heard the news last night of his death I was amazed at how a few of them still hold some clout today ('It's My Life', 'Life's What You Make It' for example).

Our condolences to his family at this sad time.

Tidy Tunes 2019 #25/28 My Only True Friend - Gregg Allman

My Only True Friend - Gregg Allman
From the album
Southern Blood
Rounder Records
Produced by Don Was
Released 8th September 2017

US Chart #11

UK Chart #79


"My Only True Friend"
Written by Gregg Allman and Scott Sharrard
You and I both know this river will surely flow to an end
Keep me in your heart keep your soul on the mend

I hope you're haunted by the music of my soul
When I'm gone
Please don't fly away and find you a new love
I can't face living this life alone
I can't bear to think this might be the end
But you and I both know the road is my only true friend

Another night alone but I see you in my dreams sometimes
No matter where I go lord knows
You were always on my mind

I hope you're haunted by the music of my soul
When I'm gone
Please don't fly away and find you a new love
I just can't face living this life alone
I can't bear to think this might be the end
But you and I both know the road is my only true friend

Still on and on I run it feels like home is just around the bend
I got so much left to give
But I'm running out of time, my friend

I hope you're haunted by the music of my soul
When I'm gone
Please don't fly away and find you a new love
I just can't face living this life alone
I can't bear to think this might be the end
But you and I both know the road is my only true friend
You and I both know the road is my only true friend  

Listen To The Album Here:
 

The Southern Blood album was the eighth and final album by singer/songwriter Gregg Allman. It was released three months after his passing (27th May 2017). The album had been recorded over a period of nine days at the FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

I chose 'My Only True Friend' for today's Tidy Tune as I was listening to the album last night and it struck me again what an amazing song it is and one filled with such emotion as co-writer Scott Sharrard had specifically written the lyric to be like the voice of long departed brother Duane Allman speaking to Gregg! 

The whole album is pretty precious I think. 'My Only True Friend' and 'Love is Like Kerosene' are the only original songs on the album. Allman had intended there to be more but due to ill-health and the fact that not long after recording these set of songs he passed away that plan was somewhat scuppered. But the covers all meant something to Allman.

There's more on the album on a previous Blogpost I did back in December 2017 when I was running down my favourite albums of the year, this one fell into the #11 spot (I realise on the link that there are maybe some out of date things and a dead link or so, I will try and get around to fixing them at some point).

 "I hope you're haunted by the music of my soul
When I'm gone"

New Music 2019: Psychedelic Country Soul - The Long Ryders (February)

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Psychedelic Country Soul - The Long Ryders
Omnivore Recordings (USA)/Cherry Red Records (UK)
Produced by Ed Stasium
Released 15th February 2019

First studio album of new material from The Long Ryders in three decades!!

The "fathers" of the Alt-Country scene have returned in great fashion with a magnificent 12 song collection. Eleven are written by band members and one is a an excellent tribute to Tom Petty in 'Walls' (that features Debbi and Vicki Peterson from the Bangles).

This one is already in the pile for contender for The S4L Album of the Year 2019.

Tidy Tunes 2019 #24/28 It's So Tough - John Mayall feat. Steven Van Zandt

It's So Tough - John Mayall feat. Steve Van Zandt
from the album
'Nobody Told Me'
Forty Below Records
Released 22nd February 2019


 

Listen to the Album Here.

John Mayall OBE is one of the Premier British Bluesmen (although he's actually lived in the States since the end of the Sixties). He's been up and at 'em since 1956 and at aged 85 and counting he's just released another fantastic album called 'Nobody Told Me'. He's gathered around himself for this album some notable exponents of the Electric Guitar and peforms seven covers and three songs of his own.

Age has not slowed him down at all as he is due to kick off a  tour in Europe in two days time starting in Finland right through to April when he finishes up in the Netherlands. Inbetween there are dates in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Austria, Italy and back to Germany again. No doubt after a much needed rest there will also be dates in the USA.

Tidy Tunes 2019 #23/28 No Soul/No Control - Suzi Quatro

No Soul/No Control - Suzi Quatro
Taken from the album
'No Control'
Steamhammer
Released 29th March 2019

'No Control' is Suzi's first album of new songs since In The Spotlight back in 2011.

It may have been a long long time since Suzi Quatro had even a minor Chart hit (that would have been 'Heart of Stone' in 1982!) but that hasn't dented her ambition to continue playing live and releasing new music since then (she said back in 1983 she did not care about being in the charts, but was more interested releasing what she wanted to). 

At age 68 (she'll be 69 in June this year) she continues to be that almost eternal Rock Chick (she might cuff me around the ear for that! 😁) having been active musically since 1964!

Listen To:

Legend - Suzi Quatro

 Listen to:

Quatro, Scott & Powell Here.

Tidy Tunes 2019 #22/28 Wasn't Born To Follow - The Monkees

Wasn't Born To Follow - The Monkees
Peter Tork on Vocals
From the album:

Rhino Records
Released 27th May 2016

US Chart #14

UK Chart #29

Written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin
Originally produced by The Monkees
Originally started during the sessions for 'The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees' but previously unfinished or unreleased.
Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, March 9, 1968, and Lucy's Meat Market, Los Angeles, February 2016

Yesterday the news came through of the death of Peter Tork (77years old) of The Monkees, so it seemed fitting that today's Tidy Tune should be something from that band with Peter's vocal ringing out.

Tork may have played a bit of a dimwit on The Monkees TV show but he was actually a very intelligent fellow, a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.

Peter Tork

Live at Wolfgang's Vault

22nd April 2011

Reissue of the 1976 Greatest Hits album originally released on Arista Records (which was has also been reissued in 1980, 1982, and 1986). 

Strangely enough, the track listing for this album is exactly the same as Re-Focus - The Monkees that was released by Bell Records in 1972 and Bell Records eventually became a part of the Arista Records stable in 1974.

Rhino Records

Released 8th January 2019

Tidy Tunes 2019 #21/28 None 'Ya - Hayes Carll

None 'Ya - Hayes Carll
from the album
What It Is
Produced by Brad Jones and Allison Moorer
Dualtone
Released 15th February 2019

 

Texas born Country/Folk singer Hayes Carll returned last week with the release of his sixth studio album, 'What It Is'. The album is produced by Brad Jones and Allison Moorer (who also co-wrote six of the twelve songs and is currently engaged to Carll).

The song 'Jesus and Elvis' was written by Carll and Moorer and was recorded by Kenny Chesney in 2016 for his 'Cosmic Hallelujah' album.

In the past Hayes has been nominated in 2016 for the Best Country Song Grammy for his song 'Chances Are' that was recorded by Lee Ann Womack. He won an armful of awards at The Austin Music Awards 2016-2017 including Musician of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Best Male Vocals, and Best Folk Performer. and at the Americana Music Awards in 2010 he won Emerging Artist of the Year.

I saw him in Glasgow supporting Buddy Miller, and can hardly believe that was fourteen years ago! He was pretty good even then promoting what was only his second album 'Little Rock'.

Listen To The Album Here.
 

 Bonus Tracks/Show

Jesus and Elvis
from the album
What It Is

Hayes Carll set
30A Songwriters Festival
January 2019

Tidy Tunes 2019 #20/28 Because The Night/Shine Silently (Live) - Nils Lofgren

Because The Night/Shine Silently (Live) - Nils Lofgren
The Barbican Hall, London 28/05/18

I was listening to a new album called 'Live in America' by Nils Lofgren yesterday and was struck afresh by what a tremendous artist he is in his own right and an excellent songwriter and guitarist to boot. 

So I thought I would follow on from Springsteen yesterday with a couple tunes by the man himself today (by the way check out his Tribute to Clarence Clemons called 'Miss You C')

The videos above and below are taken from shows in 2018 by Lofgren and firstly up is a cover of Springsteen's Because The Night followed by probably my favourite Nils song Shine Silently (which featured on the 1979 album Nils).

As a bonus there's also a solo version of the 1977 title track from the album I Came To Dance.

I Came To Dance (live) - Nils Lofgren
City Winery New York
30/09/18

Tidy Tunes 2019 #19/28 Brilliant Disguise - Bruce Springsteen

Today's choice needs not many words except to say it's Springsteen performing one of his classic songs from the Tunnel of Love album for VH1 Storytellers that came out in 2005. You can pretty much find the whole show on YouTube now as it has been loaded up to Springsteen's YouTube Page.

Brilliant Disguise (Live VH1 Storytellers) - Bruce Springsteen

Tidy Tunes 2019 #18/28 Sermon - Mercury Rev feat. Margo Price

Sermon - Mercury Rev feat. Margo Price
from the album 

'Bobbie Gentry's The Delta Sweete Revisited'
Bella Union/Partisan Records
Released 8th February 2019



Listen To The Album Click Here.

Bobbie Gentry’s The Delta Sweete Revisited 

Tracklist:
01. Okolona River Bottom Band (feat. Norah Jones)
02. Big Boss Man (feat. Hope Sandoval)
03. Reunion (feat. Rachel Goswell)
04. Parchman Farm (feat. Carice van Houten)
05. Mornin’ Glory (feat. Laetitia Sadier)
06. Sermon (feat. Margo Price)
07. Tobacco Road (feat. Susanne Sundfør)
08. Penduli Pendulum (feat. Vashti Bunyan w/ Kaela Sinclair)
09. Jessye’ Lisabeth (feat. Phoebe Bridgers)
10. Refractions (feat. Marissa Nadler)
11. Courtyard (feat. Beth Orton)
12. Ode To Billie Joe (feat. Lucinda Williams)
 

Louisianna Man is the only track from the Bobbie Gentry album that Mercury Rev did not include on the album, in it's place they included the Ode To Billie Joe. I'm not sure the reason behind that decision.

There are some more links below to check out to enjoy even more music.

The Delta Sweete - Bobby Gentry
Capitol Records
Produced by Kelly Gordon
Released 5th February 1968
US Chart #132

A1 Okolona River Bottom Band 2:57
A2 Big Boss Man 2:56
A3 Reunion 2:35
A4 Parchman Farm 3:00
A5 Mornin' Glory 2:57
A6 Sermon 2:41
B1 Tobacco Road 2:50
B2 Penduli Pendulum 2:55
B3 Jessye' Lisabeth 3:00
B4 Refractions 2:20
B5 Louisiana Man 2:35
B6 Courtyard 2:58

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In a press release, Margo Price said of Bobby Gentry's craft and career:

"Bobbie Gentry is one of the greatest writers and performers of our time. She was the definition of country funk and southern soul. Her songs were well crafted, literary masterpieces. Bobbie produced so much of her own work that she didn’t get credit for. Her influence on my music has been massive and her influence on the music world in general is earth shattering. Bobbie is iconic, original, eloquent and timeless. She is an elusive wonder in a world of plain spoken, worn out cliques. She has remained a strong voice and an eternal spirit of the delta, wrapped in mystery, yet forever here."

Remaking a classic album is something that doesn't always appeal to me but down through the years there has been a couple that grabbed my attention: Billy Joe Armstrong and Norah Jones covering The Everly Brothers 1958 album 'Songs Our Daddy Taught Us' back in 2014 with the title 'Foreverly', was pretty interesting. Camper Van Beethoven's take on Fleetwood Mac's 'Tusk' was another I found quite delightful. Also the Various Artist take on Bruce Springsteen's 'Born in the U.S.A.' entitled 'Dead Man's Town: A Tribute To Born in the U.S.A.' was pretty cool as well. I'm sure there must be some others out there worth listening to.

Anyway, Indie Rock band Mercury Rev have returned with their first album since 'The Light In You' (2015) and it's a remake (bar the one track that I mentioned above) of Bobbie Gentry's 1968 album The Delta Sweete. Each track features a different female vocalist  and I have to say I was more than impressed with it. Hope you enjoy listening to it today and hopefully you'll take some time to listen to the original as well which is also posted above.

Tidy Tunes 2019 #17/28 Tomorrow's Just Another Day - Madness

Tomorrow's Just Another Day - Madness
Stiff Records
Released February 1983
UK Chart #8

Tomorrow's Just Another Day - Madness with Elvis Costello on Vocals

B-Side of the 12" Single

'Tomorrow's Just Another Day' was the second single to be released from what many say is the band's best album, 'The Rise and Fall', that was issued in October 1982. It was written by Cathal Smyth (Chas Smash) and was actually the only single of theirs to be released as a Double A-Side, the Chris Foreman song 'Madness (Is All in the Mind)' was the flip side.

Madness always had that uncanny ability to take a bit of a dark subject lyrically and add a little sweetness to it musically to kind of soften the blow of what was being sung and sometimes it's actually a good thing that a song can make you sit and think about your own circumstances.

I'm not totally certain what the situation Cathal was writing about but John Reed in the excellent book 'House of Fun - The Story of Madness' (Omnibus Press) speaks of it as a "contemplative ode of personal regret" (p216), and in the same book the only light Smyth shines upon it was to say, "It represented how I felt, some friendships I was in...How your actions were misinterpreted" (also p216).

It almost comes across as if he is trying to make an effort at fixing a relationship but seems to be getting nowhere ("Trying hard, I thought I'd done my best/All my life, I can't get no rest") and whoever it is that he's talking about seems to have given up on him ("Some who've closed the door before/Say I can't carry on no more").

All of this struggle can often bring confusion and depression and you can well understand the response:

"Listened long, tried to take it in
All these facts leave me in the swim
It's down and down there is no up

 I think that I've run out of luck".

and:

 "I need a moment to reflect

 On the friendships I have wrecked".

"I hear them say
And it gets better every day
I hear them say
Tomorrow's just another day".

But the issue is that it doesn't get "better every day" because clearly he is trying to mend fences ("don't I always try?") and yet the very people who seem to have written him off are the ones not making an effort to allow those fences to be mended.

I know for myself that (especially when I was heavy drinker) I alienated friends and wrecked a few friendships along the way. A few of those relationships were restored but others did not survive.

I don't know if I'm reading too much into the song with that but I'll put it out there for your consideration.

Tidy Tunes 2019 #16/28 When Will I Begin - Tedeschi Trucks Band

When Will I Begin - Tedeschi Trucks Band
From the album
'Signs'
Fantasy Records
Released 15th February 2019

Florida based Tedeschi Trucks Band are a husband and wife led band (Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi) who have played together for a number of years and have released material under their own names.

Their latest album, 'Signs' came out just yesterday and this track chosen today is one that immediately jumped out to me as we a wee gem. They are more often known for their Blues rock style so this particular song is a little bit of a departure. Whatever the case, I really like it, hope you do.

Tidy Tunes 2019 #15/28 Waterfront - Simple Minds

Waterfront - Simple Minds
Virgin
Produced by Steve Lillywhite
Released November 1983
UK Chart #13


 

Waterfront (Live)
The SSE Hydro Glasgow
27th November 2013

Sparkle In The Rain - Simple Minds
Virgin
Produced by Steve Lillywhite
Released 6th February 1984
UK Chart #1
Remained on the Chart for 57 Weeks!

Listen To The Album Here.

Simple Minds? I know some people who are diehard fans and others who like them up to a certain period (normally the New Gold Dream era) and some who just seem to have a real aversion to them altogether. You hear the usual quips of "weren't they just trying to rip off U2!" (funny one that because a lot of people said them same thing about The Alarm!) or "oh, they're Scottish!" (like it's some kind of disease and surely no one from North of the Border can actually create good music!).

I had first stumbled on them in 1979 with the release of their debut single, Life In A Day. A friend of my Dad worked at a Record Plant that pressed for the label Arista Records (and Zoom at that time had recently entered into partnership with them) and he used to bring a box of records at the end of the week (probably gained by questionable means!) and allow me and some others to take what we wanted and one week there was a 7" single in a Black Picture sleeve with red writing declaring:

LIFE IN A DAY 

SIMPLE MINDS

I took it not really knowing anything about who they were apart from they were probably Scottish as most of the other bands on Zoom hailed from North of the Border and I absolutely loved it (I did discover not long afterwards that a couple of members had been in Johnny and the Self Abusers who had released one single for Chiswick Records in November 1977 - Saints and Sinners).

Now, while I really liked the Debut album 'Life In A Day' I wasn't totally captivated by everything that followed. I enjoyed the singles, but the albums didn't grab me by the short and curlies! It probably wasn't until New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) that I really begun to enjoy their albums.

Now, if Jim Kerr happens to read this (and he does tend to read most of the posts on the Simple Minds Facebook page on which I am looking to post this), I hope he is not overly disappointed in me for what I've just said. The strange thing is, years on from the release of Real To Real Cacophony through to Sister Feelings Call I now find myself actually appreciating those albums much more than I did back then. With age comes wisdom! 😉

I am all distracted. Let's get back on Topic. Waterfront. It was the single that paved the way for their first #1 album in Sparkle In The Rain. I won't go into details about the album as I know you all have a life to get on with and my ramblings are just going to delay you getting anything done! The album just recently passed it's 35th Anniversary (so it's a good excuse to dig it out again and play it!).

Where was I? Oh yes, Waterfront! I really love this single but I do have to say to really enjoy its sheer brilliance it is way better to experience it played live in concert. That throbbing bassline is often extended when played live and then the song just explodes into life as the keyboards, guitar and drums kick in...in a word it's...Mesmerising! 

The other thing about it is that it doesn't matter what body of water I am ever close to, the Thames in London, The Clyde in Glasgow or even down on the Ayrshire Coast, that bassline has a habit of resurfacing in my mind and reminding me afresh of what a cracking single this was and still is.

Tidy Tune 2019 #14/28 Gave You Everything - The Interrupters

Gave You Everything - The Interrupters
from the album
Fight the Good Fight

Video released 13th February 2019

Check out the previous post S4L did on the Fight the Good Fight Album.

Newly released video from one of the most exciting bands I've heard for a few years. Totally loved the Fight the Good Fight album from last year.

Tidy Tunes 2019 #13/28 California Dreamin' - The Mamas and The Papas

California Dreamin' - The Mamas and The Papas
RCA Victor (UK) Dunhill (US)

Released 8th December 1965
US Chart #4*
UK Chart #23

*Didn't make the charts until January and spent 17 weeks on the charts in the US.

California Dreamin' was the second single release by The Mamas and Papas. Their first, 'Go Where You Wanna Go' flopped and was discontinued pretty sharply. The B-side, 'Somebody Groovy', was also the flipside to the second single.

The song was first recorded by Barry McGuire for his 'This Precious Time' album in 1965. His version has The Mamas and The Papas on backing vocals. Funnily enough when The Mamas and The Papas came to record it they used the same backing track that McGuire's version had but they wiped his vocal from the track (though if you listen very carefully at the start of the song you can faintly hear McGuire's voice on the opening vocal of "All the leaves").

The single had a new lease of life in the UK in 1997 when it was used in a commercial and peaked at #9 on the charts.

This month sees the 53rd anniversary of the release of their debut album, 'If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears', and I've added a link below so you can have a listen.

I included a picture of the original cover of the album because it's actually funny to think that this was actually deemed indecent because of the presence of the toilet! So the cover was changed and there's about four other different covers altogether, one of which shows the same picture but cropped so much that you would never know they were actually in  a bathroom at all! 

Now, although I would have been only two years old (a few months from my third birthday) when the debut album was released and I can't say that I have memories from that age hearing it, the songs that are on the album are totally familiar to me because they were ones that I heard as I got older and could actually process what I was hearing better.

When you look at and listen to this debut album now it almost has the feel of a Best of Compilation because pretty much every song on it is considered to be a Classic Song by The Mamas and The Papas. The album also contains their one and only US #1 single 'Monday, Monday'.

If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears - The Mamas and The Papas

Dunhill

Produced by Lou Adler

Released February 1966

US Chart #1

UK Chart #3

Listen to the album here.

The Mamas and The Papas
Live at Monterey Pop Festival 1967

Set:
 Straight Shooter / Somebody Groovy / I Call Your Name / Monday Monday / San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair / Dancing In The Streets