Some people like the chocolate, some people like the tea: "Mi Cahfi" by The Jamaican Folk Singers · Jul 21, 06:25 AM by Don
I’ve posted “Mi Cahfi” by the Jamaican Folk Singers twice before, but it’s so good, I have to do it again. Plus, I’m dedicating it to all you caffeine junkies on this Monday morning.
Almost two years ago, I bought a USB turntable and started digitizing music that I have on vinyl. The first song I converted was “Mi Cahfi,” from the third volume of the Jamaican Folk Singers series.
My wife had bought the album years ago while thrift shopping. For one stretch of Sunday mornings, “Mi Cahfi” was the first song we would play to wake up our tiny apartment. As an enthusiastic coffee drinker, my wife appreciated the song. As a music lover, I enjoyed the light acoustic instrumentation and the warm soprano of Yvonne Foster and the harmonies of the female chorus. For over six years, we believed the album to be on loan to a friend until just today I noticed that I had had it all along, a needle in our haystack of 1500+ vinyl records.
mp3: The Jamaican Folk Singers – Mi Cahfi :: from The Jamaican Folk Singers, Vol. 3 (1971?)
In case anyone’s an audiophile, here’s a higher quality .wav file of the song:
wav: The Jamaican Folk Singers – Mi Cahfi :: from The Jamaican Folk Singers, Vol. 3 (1971?)
In August 2006 (when I still thought the album was lost), DJ Earball and the readers of his site, SoundRoots, tried to help me locate the song, to no avail. Part of the problem was that I was not spelling the title correctly. Armed with the correct spelling, I found a few references to the song and its singers on the internet. Read a partial transcription of the liner notes for volumes 2 and 3 of the Jamaican Folk Singers series here.
From the liner notes:
The Government of Jamaica spearheaded a project to collect and research Jamaican Folk Music. Olive Lewin was appointed to do this work. It did not take long for her to realize the richness, variety and significance of Jamaica’s musical heritage, and how little of it most of us knew. Olive Lewin decided to organize a group with whom she could share her discoveries, enthusiasm and her experience. The performing group included teachers, social workers, students, casual labourers, a soldier, an accountant, businessmen, bank officials, civil servants, housewives, a lawyer, insurance salesmen, film editor, a policeman, secretaries, and a photographer. They all share a deep love for Jamaica, her people and her music.
Here is the bit from the notes about “Mi Cahfi”:
A great favorite in Jamaica especially when sung, as on this disc by Yvonne Foster and the female chorus. This song has been widely used in Jamaica for generations and contains touches that make it uniquely Jamaican, for example, ackee and saltfish.
See cover art for all three volumes of the series here.
Read what the Jamaican Folk Singers are up to as of September 2006 here.
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Songs in the MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 format are offered for a limited time only. Songs that are no longer downloadable can be streamed at the Timedoor page at Hype Machine. Dead mp3 links take you to the top of page one. Support your favorite artists by buying their music at your local independent record store (mine is Atomic Records) or eMusic. And read about ‘em at TrouserPress.com.
Thunder drowns out what the lightning sees: "Raspberry Beret" by Hindu Love Gods · Jul 20, 06:11 AM by Don
Make your own Prince/Hindu Love Gods mash-up video! It’s so easy when the Prince video has no music, only visuals. The following is printed below the video on its original YouTube page:
This video contains an audio track that has not been authorized by all copyright holders. The audio has been disabled.
But wait! Because I’ve embedded the video in this post, the sound is restored. I guess this means I’ll have to scrap that first paragraph up there, but I’m too lazy, so it shall remain unchanged until the internet dies of starvation.
Hindu Love Gods, as you may remember, was R.E.M. minus Michael Stipe plus Warren Zevon. The band released one self-titled album of covers in 1990.
mp3: Hindu Love Gods – Raspberry Beret :: from Hindu Love Gods (1990)
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Songs in the MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 format are offered for a limited time only. Songs that are no longer downloadable can be streamed at the Timedoor page at Hype Machine. Dead mp3 links take you to the top of page one. Support your favorite artists by buying their music at your local independent record store (mine is Atomic Records) or eMusic. And read about ‘em at TrouserPress.com.
A rain of falling cinders: "Cattle & Cane" by The Go-Betweens · Jul 19, 06:59 AM by Don
The Go-Betweens’ “Surfing Magazines” single features five songs: the title track, which originates from The Friends of Rachel Worth; “German Farmhouse,” another song from Friends; and three live acoustic songs.
One is “Cattle & Cane,” a Grant McLennan song originally found on Before Hollywood.
Here’s an excerpt from an article written soon after McLennan’s 2006 death about the song:
One admirer, Tim Freedman of the Whitlams, said that “Grant spun a deep and delicate sense of longing in his songs”, but it took some time after those first shows before McLennan began writing songs, and longer still before he felt confident about them. Feeling lost and homesick in London in 1982 triggered a breakthrough song, Cattle and Cane, with its descriptions of “a schoolboy coming home/ through fields of cane/ to a house of tin and timber/ and in the sky/ a rain of falling cinders”.
As Forster recalled last year, the first time McLennan played him the song he was stunned, thinking “he’s done it, dug up the past”.
Amanda Brown, who joined the band playing violin and clarinet in the mid ’80s, and who later was McLennan’s partner for several years, said in a written statement yesterday that: “Grant’s songs captured an Australia that was influenced by his love for contemporary American writers like Cormac McCarthy, Richard Ford and Raymond Carver and songwriters such as Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith. These writers inform his images of Australia, which range from the landscapes tinged with nostalgia and loss, suburban life, epic narratives and, of course, exquisite love songs.”
mp3: The Go-Betweens – Cattle & Cane :: from the “Surfing Magazines” CD single (2001)
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Songs in the MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 format are offered for a limited time only. Songs that are no longer downloadable can be streamed at the Timedoor page at Hype Machine. Dead mp3 links take you to the top of page one. Support your favorite artists by buying their music at your local independent record store (mine is Atomic Records) or eMusic. And read about ‘em at TrouserPress.com.
They once chopped my heart the way you chop a tree: "Clouds" by The Go-Betweens · Jul 18, 06:48 AM by Don
The Go-Betweens’ “Surfing Magazines” single features five songs: the title track, which originates from The Friends of Rachel Worth; “German Farmhouse,” another song from Friends; and three live acoustic songs.
One is “Clouds,” a song originally found on 16 Lovers Lane, the last album before an extended hiatus. This acoustic version is superior to is predecessor. I think the stronger melodies missing from the original needed that decade or so to find their way to the surface of the song.
Here’s an excerpt from Dave Nichols’ Go-Betweens biography about the making of 16 Lovers Lane:
The finished 16 Lovers Lane is the slick pop record the Go-Betweens had always promised to make, and to [producer Mark] Wallis’s credit he did not feel it necessary to enforce the sterile enivronment adhered to by Craig Leon. For the vocal track of “Clouds,” [Robert] Forster and [Amanda] Brown sat in a circle of candles and roses, wrapped in blankets.
mp3: The Go-Betweens – Clouds :: from the “Surfing Magazines” CD single (2001)
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Songs in the MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 format are offered for a limited time only. Songs that are no longer downloadable can be streamed at the Timedoor page at Hype Machine. Dead mp3 links take you to the top of page one. Support your favorite artists by buying their music at your local independent record store (mine is Atomic Records) or eMusic. And read about ‘em at TrouserPress.com.
Tell the funeral man, I don't want powder on my face: "Haven't I Been a Fool" by The Go-Betweens · Jul 17, 06:35 AM by Don
The Go-Betweens’ “Surfing Magazines” single features five songs: the title track, which originates from The Friends of Rachel Worth; “German Farmhouse,” another song from Friends; and three live acoustic songs.
One is a “cover” of the Grant McLennan solo song, “Haven’t I Been a Fool.” The original is on Watershed.
Here’s an excerpt from Dave Nichols’ Go-Betweens biography about Watershed:
Between 1989 and 1991 McLennan had decided that he should make a determined attempt at the charts — a wish that appeared, incidentally, to necessitate wearing a baseball cap to project a more youthful image (and conceal a receding hairline). ... The album’s producer was Dave Dobbyn… Using Dobbyn as producer was an industry-friendly decision, and it produced worthy results: the album has a light, airy pop feel throughout. ... Watershed was not a huge success…”
mp3: The Go-Betweens – Haven’t I Been a Fool :: from the “Surfing Magazines” CD single (2001)
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Songs in the MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 format are offered for a limited time only. Songs that are no longer downloadable can be streamed at the Timedoor page at Hype Machine. Dead mp3 links take you to the top of page one. Support your favorite artists by buying their music at your local independent record store (mine is Atomic Records) or eMusic. And read about ‘em at TrouserPress.com.
Make it all come true: "Wassailing in the Night" by Ian McCulloch · Jul 16, 06:15 AM by Don
I’ve been listening to a lot of Echo & The Bunnymen lately. I recently bought the 2003 reissues of Crocodiles and Heaven Up Here. Those dominated the car stereo for two weeks. Two days ago, I received in the mail a “like new” used copy of Echo singer Ian McCulloch’s solo single, “Candleland.” In a 1990 interview with Dave Kendall on MTV’s 120 Minutes show, McCulloch had this to say about the purpose of songwriting:
“There’s a lot of things that go into the writing of a song, and if people want to draw more than you’ve actually put in from a song, that’s fine. But basically your writing to have a nice tune, to not sound stupid, and hopefully give a little bit of who you are to somebody else.”
Here is “Wassailing in the Night,” the last of five songs found on the single.
mp3: Ian McCulloch – Wassailing in the Night :: from the “Candleland (The Second Coming)” compact disc maxi-single (1990)
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Songs in the MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 format are offered for a limited time only. Songs that are no longer downloadable can be streamed at the Timedoor page at Hype Machine. Dead mp3 links take you to the top of page one. Support your favorite artists by buying their music at your local independent record store (mine is Atomic Records) or eMusic. And read about ‘em at TrouserPress.com.
Every moment frozen: "The World is Flat" by Ian McCulloch · Jul 15, 06:13 AM by Don
I’ve been listening to a lot of Echo & The Bunnymen lately. I recently bought the 2003 reissues of Crocodiles and Heaven Up Here. Those dominated the car stereo for two weeks. Two days ago, I received in the mail a “like new” used copy of Echo singer Ian McCulloch’s solo single, “Candleland.” In a 1990 interview with Dave Kendall on MTV’s 120 Minutes show, McCulloch had this to say about the purpose of songwriting:
“There’s a lot of things that go into the writing of a song, and if people want to draw more than you’ve actually put in from a song, that’s fine. But basically your writing to have a nice tune, to not sound stupid, and hopefully give a little bit of who you are to somebody else.”
Here is “The World is Flat,” the fourth of five songs found on the single.
mp3: Ian McCulloch – The World is Flat :: from the “Candleland (The Second Coming)” compact disc maxi-single (1990)
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Songs in the MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 format are offered for a limited time only. Songs that are no longer downloadable can be streamed at the Timedoor page at Hype Machine. Dead mp3 links take you to the top of page one. Support your favorite artists by buying their music at your local independent record store (mine is Atomic Records) or eMusic. And read about ‘em at TrouserPress.com.
Sky always blue: "Big Days" by Ian McCulloch · Jul 14, 06:08 AM by Don
I’ve been listening to a lot of Echo & The Bunnymen lately. I recently bought the 2003 reissues of Crocodiles and Heaven Up Here. Those dominated the car stereo for two weeks. Two days ago, I received in the mail a “like new” used copy of Echo singer Ian McCulloch’s solo single, “Candleland.” In a 1990 interview with Dave Kendall on MTV’s 120 Minutes show, McCulloch had this to say about the purpose of songwriting:
“There’s a lot of things that go into the writing of a song, and if people want to draw more than you’ve actually put in from a song, that’s fine. But basically your writing to have a nice tune, to not sound stupid, and hopefully give a little bit of who you are to somebody else.”
Here is “Big Days,” the third of five songs found on the single.
mp3: Ian McCulloch – Big Days :: from the “Candleland (The Second Coming)” compact disc maxi-single (1990)
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Songs in the MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 format are offered for a limited time only. Songs that are no longer downloadable can be streamed at the Timedoor page at Hype Machine. Dead mp3 links take you to the top of page one. Support your favorite artists by buying their music at your local independent record store (mine is Atomic Records) or eMusic. And read about ‘em at TrouserPress.com.
Take some salt and sugar and rub it in your eyes: "Candleland (The Second Coming)" by Ian McCulloch · Jul 13, 03:05 PM by Don
I’ve been listening to a lot of Echo & The Bunnymen lately. I recently bought the 2003 reissues of Crocodiles and Heaven Up Here. Those dominated the car stereo for two weeks. Two days ago, I received in the mail a “like new” used copy of Echo singer Ian McCulloch’s solo single, “Candleland.” The chorus hook is subtle, but insidious. After one listen, my wife and I found ourselves singing and/or humming the hook for the rest of the day. In a 1990 interview with Dave Kendall on MTV’s 120 Minutes show, McCulloch had this to say about the purpose of songwriting:
“There’s a lot of things that go into the writing of a song, and if people want to draw more than you’ve actually put in from a song, that’s fine. But basically your writing to have a nice tune, to not sound stupid, and hopefully give a little bit of who you are to somebody else.”
mp3: Ian McCulloch – Candleland (The Second Coming) (Featuring Elizabeth Fraser of Cocteau Twins) (Extended Version) :: from the “Candleland (The Second Coming)” compact disc maxi-single (1990)
Lyrics:
Get your handful of remembrance
For you to sprinkle through your life
In between the penance
That you carry by your side
With the make-believe and miracles
That only come alive
In Candleland, Candleland
Wear your guilt like skin
And keep your sins disguised
Take some salt and sugar
And rub it in your eyes
You’ll know that somethings left you
Just as you arrive
In Candleland, Candleland
I walked back inside me
I’d gone back for my youth
As I came down the fire escape
It must have stayed up on the roof
They say you just know
And that knowing is the proof
Of Candleland, Candleland
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Songs in the MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 format are offered for a limited time only. Songs that are no longer downloadable can be streamed at the Timedoor page at Hype Machine. Dead mp3 links take you to the top of page one. Support your favorite artists by buying their music at your local independent record store (mine is Atomic Records) or eMusic. And read about ‘em at TrouserPress.com.
Yacht Rock rocks yachts at the Harbor Theater in Muskegon, Michigan · Jul 11, 06:51 AM by Don
Last Saturday, I posted about heading to Muskegon, Michigan, for that day’s Yacht Rock screening. Now I have a report.
My wife and I drove from Milwaukee to Muskegon to see Yacht Rock makes its theatrical debut at the Harbor Theater. (No, we did not take the ferry, which was crazily expensive.) It was the final date on a Yacht Rock tour of sorts. The Yacht Rock videos had been screened on May 31, in Brooklyn at Union Hall, at Bryant Lake Bowl in Minneapolis on June 7, and at Small’s in Hamtramck, MI, on July 2. Yacht Rock creator JD Ryznar is from Muskegon and he must have thought it would be fun to screen the show for his hometown. It was also a fundraiser for the newly re-opened Harbor Theater, which has programmed a nice variety of eclectic movies since opening in March. The theater is run by a friendly young couple, Jen Hahn Nielsen and Brendan Pelto, who genuinely love movies and their hometown. The screening was preceded by Ryznar’s annual Cinco de Moustache Party, in which Ryznar and his friends party whilst showing off their freshly-grown moustaches.
As my wife and I walked into the theater, we noticed Ryznar, his new moustache, and a friend selling Yacht Rock and Cinco de Moustache shirts; all proceeds went to the theater. I chatted up Ryznar for a few minutes. I told him my wife and I had driven from Milwaukee and he exclaimed, “We heard about you guys!” I had called the theater a week earlier to get info about the event. I told him I was excited to see Yacht Rock in a movie theater and I was surprised to hear him respond, “So am I! I’ve never seen it in a movie theater either. I’ve usually shown it in bars.” I asked if he has ever met any actual Yacht Rockers or knows if they have seen or commented on the show. He said Hall and Oates had a good sense of humor about it and that the actors who played them got to meet the duo after a concert.
Ryznar offered a brief introduction after being greeted by a decent-sized crowd. Judging by the nature of the reception, it seemed to be mostly friends and family. Yacht Rock was proceeded by Nick Nummerdor’s endearingly unpolished short documentary, My Moustache. In the short, Nummerdor interviews non-moustachioed passersby and cooke duster enthusiasts about the pros and cons of the embattled facial hair choice. Check out his site (which does not feature the doc I saw):
http://www.nicknummerdor.com/home/Welcome.html
Next was Yacht Rock! It was great to see the episodes on a big screen without interruptions. I won’t take time here to detail the obvious virtues of Ryznar’s cleverly-constructed back stories for your “smueth” favorites; the show’s already received plenty of ink. But I will implore Ryznar and his fellow sailors to make at least one more episode that tells the story behind “Danger Zone.” Kenny Loggins’ threat at the end of episode 11 is just a little too tantalizing. The night was capped by the severely anticlimactic Caddyshack, which features “I’m Alright” by Loggins on the soundtrack. What a dud: slow, clunky, and, worst of all, not funny. I must not have been the only one to feel this way, as I didn’t hear the crowd laugh much. 27 years between screenings was not long enough for this moviegoer. But, no worries. The high point, of course, was seeing Yacht Rock!
Learn about the Harbor Theater:
http://www.theharbortheater.com/
http://muskegonpundit.blogspot.com/2008/04/harbor-theater-thoughts.html
http://muskegonpundit.blogspot.com/2008/04/harbor-theater-comments.html
mp3: Kenny Loggins & Steve Perry – Don’t Fight It :: from the Kenny Loggins album, High Adventure (1983)
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Songs in the MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 format are offered for a limited time only. Songs that are no longer downloadable can be streamed at the Timedoor page at Hype Machine. Dead mp3 links take you to the top of page one. Support your favorite artists by buying their music at your local independent record store (mine is Atomic Records) or eMusic. And read about ‘em at TrouserPress.com.