Music Labyrinth Episode 018
Prelude / Foals
Hello Listener, and welcome to episode 18 of The Music Labyrinth. If you are a returning listener, thanks so much for sticking around. If you are a first-time listener, I hope you enjoy wandering with us from track to track, guided only by a convention that each song we listen to should have some link with the previous. In further information for first-time listeners, should you so desire, you can catch up on the path we have followed thus far by visiting www.nonshedders.net and clicking the link to The Music Labyrinth. There you will find episode notes and playlists for each of the previous episodes. We commenced this episode at the place where we concluded the last, and we commenced most aptly with Prelude by Foals, which is the opening track from their 2013 album Holy Fire. Additional musicians on the album included the London Contemporary Orchestra, an ensemble of young musicians who have been around since 2008 (thats the orchestra, not the musicians). Radiohead’s Johnny Greenwood has had an involvement with the orchestra since its inception, so it is unsurprising that their work has found its way onto Radiohead recordings. In 2016 the orchestra contributed to the Radiohead album A Moon-Shaped Pool, and on the track we are about to hear, the orchestra attack their stringed instruments not with the traditional bows but with guitar plectrums. This is Burn The Witch.
Burn The Witch / Radiohead
Radiohead commenced recording the sessions for A Moon-Shaped Pool in 2014, however progress on that album was halted by the band’s commitment to the recording of a track to be considered as the theme song for the upcoming Bond film, Spectre. Ultimately, the Radiohead track Spectre was rejected by the film’s producers for being too dark! Who’d have thought …! Another quite well known tune from one of history’s great albums started life as an intended Bond movie tune. In 1965 Brian Wilson was messing about with an instrumental tune with the working title Run James Run. That tune, reworked, found its way onto that album s the title track. Here is the Beach Boys with Pet Sounds.
Pet Sounds / Beach Boys
You are back with The Music Labyrinth where we just listened to the title track from the massively influential Beach Boys album Pet Sounds. Significant musical contributions to Pet Sounds were made by a collective of Los Angeles session musicians who became known as The Wrecking Crew. The Wrecking Crew have legendary status in the music industry and contributed to thousands of recordings in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1971, a young singer who had enjoyed some success in the mid 60s was struggling to maintain an audience - until she walked into Larabee Sound Studios with The Wrecking Crew, and walked out again with this mega-hit.
Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves / Cher
That was, of course, Cher, with Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves. Cher was famously married to Sony Bono, and the two performed together for many years as Sonny & Cher. Sonny Bono eventually became a successful producer, actor and US politician - in addition to co-writing a couple of hit songs. One of Sonny Bono’s songs, co-written with Jack Nitzche, has been recorded many time by several artists. Here is one of the more interesting versions. This is the Ramones, with Needles and Pins.
Needles & Pins / Ramones
If ever there was a measure of influence on music history per record sold, the Ramones would lead it by a street, I reckon. For a band of relatively moderate (in the vast arms of the recorded music industry) commercial success, their legacy is enormous. That particular track, Needles and Pins, comes from 1978 and was co-produced by Ed Stasium. Now, Valued Listener, let me tell you something about The Music Labyrinth. Just quietly, between us, nobody gets as much enjoyment from this show as I do, and here is a classic example as to why. In doing my research and seeking a link away from the Ramones, I have re-discovered an old favourite song which had completely removed itself from my consciousness, and I am delighted to play it for ME now - and you are quite welcome to listen along! Twelve years after his work with the Ramones, Ed Stasium was engaged to produce the second album for the New York group, Living Colour. From that album, Time’s Up, revel with me now in the magnificence that is Love Rears Its Ugly Head.
Love Rears It’s Ugly Head / Living Colour
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we all (or maybe just me) got all misty-eyed at rediscovering Living Colour’s Love Rears It’s Ugly Head. One of the key members of Living Colour was the British born guitarist Vernon Reid. After the demise of Living Colour, Reid embarked upon a solo career which saw him team up with John Fogerty for a concert at the Lincoln Memorial on New Years Eve 1999 where they jointly performed this Creedence Clearwater Revival classic.
Fortunate Son / Creedence Clearwater Revival
From 1969, that was Creedence Clearwater Revival with Fortunate Son. That song featured in the soundtrack of the 1989 film Born On The 4th Of July, as did this one.
A Hard Rain’s a Gonna Fall / Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians
If ever you doubted, Valued Listener, that Bob Dylan deserved his Nobel Prize for Literature, all you need to do is re-examine the lyrics of that song, bang your gavel, and move to the next item on the agenda. That particular version of A Hard Rain’s a Gonna Fall was performed by Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians. Edie Brickell is married to Paul Simon, which gives us a thousand different directions to head off in. For once, I have selected an obvious one, for no other reason than my deep love of the simile in the opening line. Here is Graceland.
Graceland / Paul Simon
Welcome back aboard The Music Labyrinth where we last listened to Paul Simon telling us why he had reason to believe he would be received in Graceland. Someone else who had a similar belief was Mark Cohn, and he, too, put the experience into song. This is Walking In Memphis.
Walking In Memphis / Mark Cohn
From 1991, that was Mark Cohn and the wonderful Walking in Memphis. Cohn has spoken about the inspiration for that song, which he says is 100% auto-biographical. In addition to the visit to Graceland, he speaks about being given advice to go to the Hollywood Cafe to see Murial Davis Wilkins play the piano where he was invited onto stage to do a little number. He was also given advice to go to the Full Gospel Tabernacle Church to hear a sermon preached by the singer of this next song.
Lets Stay Together / Al Green
That was Al Green, later the Reverend Al Green, during the early part of his career when he was a mere singer/songwriter, with Lets Stay Together. In 2010 that song was selected by the Library of Congress for inclusion in the National Recording Registry, which selects and lists recordings which are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. Five years earlier, the National Recording Registry inducted the 1976 Stevie Wonder album, Songs In The Key Of Life. Lets end this episode of The Music Labyrinth with a classic from that album. As always, thank you very much for your company. Here is Sir Duke.
Sir Duke / Stevie Wonder
Hello Listener, and welcome to episode 18 of The Music Labyrinth. If you are a returning listener, thanks so much for sticking around. If you are a first-time listener, I hope you enjoy wandering with us from track to track, guided only by a convention that each song we listen to should have some link with the previous. In further information for first-time listeners, should you so desire, you can catch up on the path we have followed thus far by visiting www.nonshedders.net and clicking the link to The Music Labyrinth. There you will find episode notes and playlists for each of the previous episodes. We commenced this episode at the place where we concluded the last, and we commenced most aptly with Prelude by Foals, which is the opening track from their 2013 album Holy Fire. Additional musicians on the album included the London Contemporary Orchestra, an ensemble of young musicians who have been around since 2008 (thats the orchestra, not the musicians). Radiohead’s Johnny Greenwood has had an involvement with the orchestra since its inception, so it is unsurprising that their work has found its way onto Radiohead recordings. In 2016 the orchestra contributed to the Radiohead album A Moon-Shaped Pool, and on the track we are about to hear, the orchestra attack their stringed instruments not with the traditional bows but with guitar plectrums. This is Burn The Witch.
Burn The Witch / Radiohead
Radiohead commenced recording the sessions for A Moon-Shaped Pool in 2014, however progress on that album was halted by the band’s commitment to the recording of a track to be considered as the theme song for the upcoming Bond film, Spectre. Ultimately, the Radiohead track Spectre was rejected by the film’s producers for being too dark! Who’d have thought …! Another quite well known tune from one of history’s great albums started life as an intended Bond movie tune. In 1965 Brian Wilson was messing about with an instrumental tune with the working title Run James Run. That tune, reworked, found its way onto that album s the title track. Here is the Beach Boys with Pet Sounds.
Pet Sounds / Beach Boys
You are back with The Music Labyrinth where we just listened to the title track from the massively influential Beach Boys album Pet Sounds. Significant musical contributions to Pet Sounds were made by a collective of Los Angeles session musicians who became known as The Wrecking Crew. The Wrecking Crew have legendary status in the music industry and contributed to thousands of recordings in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1971, a young singer who had enjoyed some success in the mid 60s was struggling to maintain an audience - until she walked into Larabee Sound Studios with The Wrecking Crew, and walked out again with this mega-hit.
Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves / Cher
That was, of course, Cher, with Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves. Cher was famously married to Sony Bono, and the two performed together for many years as Sonny & Cher. Sonny Bono eventually became a successful producer, actor and US politician - in addition to co-writing a couple of hit songs. One of Sonny Bono’s songs, co-written with Jack Nitzche, has been recorded many time by several artists. Here is one of the more interesting versions. This is the Ramones, with Needles and Pins.
Needles & Pins / Ramones
If ever there was a measure of influence on music history per record sold, the Ramones would lead it by a street, I reckon. For a band of relatively moderate (in the vast arms of the recorded music industry) commercial success, their legacy is enormous. That particular track, Needles and Pins, comes from 1978 and was co-produced by Ed Stasium. Now, Valued Listener, let me tell you something about The Music Labyrinth. Just quietly, between us, nobody gets as much enjoyment from this show as I do, and here is a classic example as to why. In doing my research and seeking a link away from the Ramones, I have re-discovered an old favourite song which had completely removed itself from my consciousness, and I am delighted to play it for ME now - and you are quite welcome to listen along! Twelve years after his work with the Ramones, Ed Stasium was engaged to produce the second album for the New York group, Living Colour. From that album, Time’s Up, revel with me now in the magnificence that is Love Rears Its Ugly Head.
Love Rears It’s Ugly Head / Living Colour
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we all (or maybe just me) got all misty-eyed at rediscovering Living Colour’s Love Rears It’s Ugly Head. One of the key members of Living Colour was the British born guitarist Vernon Reid. After the demise of Living Colour, Reid embarked upon a solo career which saw him team up with John Fogerty for a concert at the Lincoln Memorial on New Years Eve 1999 where they jointly performed this Creedence Clearwater Revival classic.
Fortunate Son / Creedence Clearwater Revival
From 1969, that was Creedence Clearwater Revival with Fortunate Son. That song featured in the soundtrack of the 1989 film Born On The 4th Of July, as did this one.
A Hard Rain’s a Gonna Fall / Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians
If ever you doubted, Valued Listener, that Bob Dylan deserved his Nobel Prize for Literature, all you need to do is re-examine the lyrics of that song, bang your gavel, and move to the next item on the agenda. That particular version of A Hard Rain’s a Gonna Fall was performed by Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians. Edie Brickell is married to Paul Simon, which gives us a thousand different directions to head off in. For once, I have selected an obvious one, for no other reason than my deep love of the simile in the opening line. Here is Graceland.
Graceland / Paul Simon
Welcome back aboard The Music Labyrinth where we last listened to Paul Simon telling us why he had reason to believe he would be received in Graceland. Someone else who had a similar belief was Mark Cohn, and he, too, put the experience into song. This is Walking In Memphis.
Walking In Memphis / Mark Cohn
From 1991, that was Mark Cohn and the wonderful Walking in Memphis. Cohn has spoken about the inspiration for that song, which he says is 100% auto-biographical. In addition to the visit to Graceland, he speaks about being given advice to go to the Hollywood Cafe to see Murial Davis Wilkins play the piano where he was invited onto stage to do a little number. He was also given advice to go to the Full Gospel Tabernacle Church to hear a sermon preached by the singer of this next song.
Lets Stay Together / Al Green
That was Al Green, later the Reverend Al Green, during the early part of his career when he was a mere singer/songwriter, with Lets Stay Together. In 2010 that song was selected by the Library of Congress for inclusion in the National Recording Registry, which selects and lists recordings which are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. Five years earlier, the National Recording Registry inducted the 1976 Stevie Wonder album, Songs In The Key Of Life. Lets end this episode of The Music Labyrinth with a classic from that album. As always, thank you very much for your company. Here is Sir Duke.
Sir Duke / Stevie Wonder