Music Labyrinth Episode 019
Sir Duke / Stevie Wonder
Hello Listener, and welcome to Episode 19 of The Music Labyrinth. This is the place where we wallow in popular music like aesthetes in The Louvre. We’re not particularly interested in finding the exit - just the next item to be savoured. If you happen to find yourselves with us for the first time, please hang around and see if you can get comfortable. Whilst we have no idea where the journey will take us from here, we do keep some complete records of where we have been, and if you are interested in that, hop over to www.nonshedders.net and click the link to The Music Labyrinth. There you will find the details of how we got here, and playlists for the songs from each episode. We commenced this week with Stevie Wonder’s wonderful celebration of the music of Duke Ellington, from the 1976 album, Songs In The Key Of Life. In 2012, British musician, singer and songwriter, Joe Jackson, made his own contribution to celebrating the music of Duke Ellington, when he arranged all tracks and produced his 17th studio album, The Duke. From that album, this is Sharon Jones and Ahmir Thompson with I Ain’t Got Nothing But The Blues.
I Ain’t Got Nothin’ But The Blues / Joe Jackson, feat. Sharon Jones and Ahmir Thompson
Just before those messages here on The Music Labyrinth we listened to a Joe Jackson track with a distinct absence of identifiable Joe Jackson-ness about it. The track was a delightful one, from the Jackson album released as a tribute to the late Duke Ellington. However, lets not move on without the full Jackson experience. Here is the powerfully lovely plea that is A Slow Song.
A Slow Song / Joe Jackson
A Slow Song is the closing track on the 1982 album Night and Day, and - as the lyric would suggest - it is often the last song played at any Joe Jackson concert. The lovely, patient bass part on the studio track was played by long-time Jackson collaborator, Graeme Maby. Maby has worked with many other acts. Here he is, again, from 1989, playing bass, with the American singer, songwriter and guitarist, Marshall Crenshaw. This is Valerie.
Valerie / Marshall Crenshaw
That track by Marshall Crenshaw, Valerie, was written by Richard Thomson for his 1986 album, Across A Crowded Room. I’m pleased we have found our way to Richard Thompson. Five years after Valerie, Thompson recorded a track that Time Magazine described as a glorious example of what one guy can accomplish with just a guitar, a voice, an imagination and a set of astonishingly nimble fingers. Here, for your listening pleasure on The Music Labyrinth, is 1952 Vincent Black Lightning.
1952 Vincent Black Lightning / Richard Thompson
You are listening to The Music Labyrinth and, just before those messages, we enjoyed hearing the story of James and Red Molly from Richard Thompson, in the form of his 1991 song, 1952 Vincent Black Lightning. (Just by the by, I am not a great lover of machines, but while researching this show I happened upon a photograph of the motorcycle in question - and it is a thing of particular beauty.) Richard Thompson, of course, was a founding member of the legendary British folk group, Fairport Convention, and not long after the formation of that band in 1968, Sandy Denny joined as the principle vocalist. Sandy Denny also has the rare distinction of being one of the very few guest artists to contribute to the recording of a Led Zeppelin track, and the only ever guest vocalist to do so. Here she is, sharing vocals with Robert Plant on The Battle of Evermore.
The Battle Of Evermore / Led Zeppelin
From the mighty 1971 album which we all now know as Led Zeppelin IV, that is The Battle of Evermore, featuring the vocals of Sandy Denny. I mentioned earlier that very few guest artists have appeared on Led Zeppelin recordings, and it happens that another of those very few also contributed to Led Zeppelin IV. At the end of the second track on the album, Rock & Roll, a piano can clearly be heard contributing to the mix. That piano was played by Ian Stewart, the Scottish keyboardist who is credited as being a founding member of the Rolling Stones. Stewart made a career as the road manager for the Stones, but he also continued to play keyboards professionally. In 1982 he teamed up with George Thorogood & The Destroyers, and can be heard playing piano on this track.
No Particular Place To Go / George Thorogood & The Destroyers
This is The Music Labyrinth where, just before those messages, we heard George Thorogood & The Destroyers with No Particular Place To Go. That song was written and first recorded by Chuck Berry in 1964. Now, I say with some nonchalance that it was written by Chuck Berry, however several people have pointed out over the years that the song is really just the music and melody from one of his earlier hits, School Days, which had been released 7 years earlier - and that No Particular Place To Go just incorporated new lyrics into the same tune. Another song to suffer similar criticism, was the track Always, recorded by U2 as part of the project which became the album All That You Can’t Leave Behind. In fact U2 guitarist, The Edge, has publicly confirmed that Always morphed into one of the band’s biggest hits, Beautiful Day. Anyway, you make up your own mind. Also, keep an ear out for the reference to wearing a safety belt, which was a key part of the narrative of No Particular Place To Go. This is U2 with Always.
Always / U2
Now, being the attentive Listener that you are, you will recall that the last time we encountered U2 on The Music Labyrinth, I made reference to their occasional producer, the Canadian Daniel Lanois, and how I was sure we would get back to him in a future episode... Well, here we are, in the future. The track we just heard, Always, was produced by Lanois, together with Steve Lillywhite and Brian Eno in 1999. Twelve years earlier, Lanois had collaborated with his countryman, Robbie Robertson, who was compiling his first ever solo album. From that album, and co- produced by Daniel Lanois, here is the enchantingly enigmatic Somewhere Down The Crazy River.
Somewhere Down The Crazy River / Robbie Robertson
From his eponymous 1987 album, that was Robbie Robertson with Somewhere Down The Crazy River. Throughout the 1980s, the record labels CBS and WEA released a serious of “Hits” albums where they would take singles by various artists and package them into - well, a “various artists” album. The track we just heard appeared on The Hits Album 9 in 1988. It was in some auspicious company on that release - lined up alongside songs like Suddenly by Angry Anderson and Orinoco Flow by Enya. However, nestled in near the end of that compilation was a gentle, wistful, plaintive, beautiful tune. It’s a lovely way to end this episode of The Music Labyrinth. As always, thanks for listening. Here are The Proclaimers with Sunshine On Leith.
Sunshine on Leith / The Proclaimers
Hello Listener, and welcome to Episode 19 of The Music Labyrinth. This is the place where we wallow in popular music like aesthetes in The Louvre. We’re not particularly interested in finding the exit - just the next item to be savoured. If you happen to find yourselves with us for the first time, please hang around and see if you can get comfortable. Whilst we have no idea where the journey will take us from here, we do keep some complete records of where we have been, and if you are interested in that, hop over to www.nonshedders.net and click the link to The Music Labyrinth. There you will find the details of how we got here, and playlists for the songs from each episode. We commenced this week with Stevie Wonder’s wonderful celebration of the music of Duke Ellington, from the 1976 album, Songs In The Key Of Life. In 2012, British musician, singer and songwriter, Joe Jackson, made his own contribution to celebrating the music of Duke Ellington, when he arranged all tracks and produced his 17th studio album, The Duke. From that album, this is Sharon Jones and Ahmir Thompson with I Ain’t Got Nothing But The Blues.
I Ain’t Got Nothin’ But The Blues / Joe Jackson, feat. Sharon Jones and Ahmir Thompson
Just before those messages here on The Music Labyrinth we listened to a Joe Jackson track with a distinct absence of identifiable Joe Jackson-ness about it. The track was a delightful one, from the Jackson album released as a tribute to the late Duke Ellington. However, lets not move on without the full Jackson experience. Here is the powerfully lovely plea that is A Slow Song.
A Slow Song / Joe Jackson
A Slow Song is the closing track on the 1982 album Night and Day, and - as the lyric would suggest - it is often the last song played at any Joe Jackson concert. The lovely, patient bass part on the studio track was played by long-time Jackson collaborator, Graeme Maby. Maby has worked with many other acts. Here he is, again, from 1989, playing bass, with the American singer, songwriter and guitarist, Marshall Crenshaw. This is Valerie.
Valerie / Marshall Crenshaw
That track by Marshall Crenshaw, Valerie, was written by Richard Thomson for his 1986 album, Across A Crowded Room. I’m pleased we have found our way to Richard Thompson. Five years after Valerie, Thompson recorded a track that Time Magazine described as a glorious example of what one guy can accomplish with just a guitar, a voice, an imagination and a set of astonishingly nimble fingers. Here, for your listening pleasure on The Music Labyrinth, is 1952 Vincent Black Lightning.
1952 Vincent Black Lightning / Richard Thompson
You are listening to The Music Labyrinth and, just before those messages, we enjoyed hearing the story of James and Red Molly from Richard Thompson, in the form of his 1991 song, 1952 Vincent Black Lightning. (Just by the by, I am not a great lover of machines, but while researching this show I happened upon a photograph of the motorcycle in question - and it is a thing of particular beauty.) Richard Thompson, of course, was a founding member of the legendary British folk group, Fairport Convention, and not long after the formation of that band in 1968, Sandy Denny joined as the principle vocalist. Sandy Denny also has the rare distinction of being one of the very few guest artists to contribute to the recording of a Led Zeppelin track, and the only ever guest vocalist to do so. Here she is, sharing vocals with Robert Plant on The Battle of Evermore.
The Battle Of Evermore / Led Zeppelin
From the mighty 1971 album which we all now know as Led Zeppelin IV, that is The Battle of Evermore, featuring the vocals of Sandy Denny. I mentioned earlier that very few guest artists have appeared on Led Zeppelin recordings, and it happens that another of those very few also contributed to Led Zeppelin IV. At the end of the second track on the album, Rock & Roll, a piano can clearly be heard contributing to the mix. That piano was played by Ian Stewart, the Scottish keyboardist who is credited as being a founding member of the Rolling Stones. Stewart made a career as the road manager for the Stones, but he also continued to play keyboards professionally. In 1982 he teamed up with George Thorogood & The Destroyers, and can be heard playing piano on this track.
No Particular Place To Go / George Thorogood & The Destroyers
This is The Music Labyrinth where, just before those messages, we heard George Thorogood & The Destroyers with No Particular Place To Go. That song was written and first recorded by Chuck Berry in 1964. Now, I say with some nonchalance that it was written by Chuck Berry, however several people have pointed out over the years that the song is really just the music and melody from one of his earlier hits, School Days, which had been released 7 years earlier - and that No Particular Place To Go just incorporated new lyrics into the same tune. Another song to suffer similar criticism, was the track Always, recorded by U2 as part of the project which became the album All That You Can’t Leave Behind. In fact U2 guitarist, The Edge, has publicly confirmed that Always morphed into one of the band’s biggest hits, Beautiful Day. Anyway, you make up your own mind. Also, keep an ear out for the reference to wearing a safety belt, which was a key part of the narrative of No Particular Place To Go. This is U2 with Always.
Always / U2
Now, being the attentive Listener that you are, you will recall that the last time we encountered U2 on The Music Labyrinth, I made reference to their occasional producer, the Canadian Daniel Lanois, and how I was sure we would get back to him in a future episode... Well, here we are, in the future. The track we just heard, Always, was produced by Lanois, together with Steve Lillywhite and Brian Eno in 1999. Twelve years earlier, Lanois had collaborated with his countryman, Robbie Robertson, who was compiling his first ever solo album. From that album, and co- produced by Daniel Lanois, here is the enchantingly enigmatic Somewhere Down The Crazy River.
Somewhere Down The Crazy River / Robbie Robertson
From his eponymous 1987 album, that was Robbie Robertson with Somewhere Down The Crazy River. Throughout the 1980s, the record labels CBS and WEA released a serious of “Hits” albums where they would take singles by various artists and package them into - well, a “various artists” album. The track we just heard appeared on The Hits Album 9 in 1988. It was in some auspicious company on that release - lined up alongside songs like Suddenly by Angry Anderson and Orinoco Flow by Enya. However, nestled in near the end of that compilation was a gentle, wistful, plaintive, beautiful tune. It’s a lovely way to end this episode of The Music Labyrinth. As always, thanks for listening. Here are The Proclaimers with Sunshine On Leith.
Sunshine on Leith / The Proclaimers