Music Labyrinth Episode 030
Halfway There / Sheryl Crow
Hello, and welcome one and all to episode 30 of The Music Labyrinth. There were 30 Goldberg Variations by Johan Sebastian Bach so, by application of my particular brand of what should not be called logic, next week this show overtakes that great composer in the pantheon of music. VERY impressive! Don’t forget that you can find The Music Labyrinth on Twitter by searching for @MusicLabyrinth. So please find and follow us, and contribute your thoughts about the program whenever the whim takes you. We started this episode, as always, where we finished the last, with Halfway There by Sheryl Crow. That song comes from Sheryl Crow’s 2017 album Be Myself, and it features some lovely bluesy guitar work by Gary Clarke Jr. I’ve unashamedly herded us into a place where we get to play some Gary Clarke Jr because - well, just because. Here he is from his 2015 album The Story of Sonny Boy Slim, with The Healing.
The Healing / Gary Clarke Jr
That was Gary Clarke Jr with The Healing. I mentioned at the top of the show that Clarke and Sheryl Crow worked together on her 2017 album Be Myself. That was not the first time they had joined forces. In 2010 Crow included a bonus track on her album 100 Miles From Memphis, and that bonus track also featured Gary Clarke Jr. The track appeared as a tribute to the recently deceased Michael Jackson, and was a cover of this hit from 1969.
I Want You Back / The Jackson 5
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where the last track we enjoyed together was I Want You Back by The Jackson 5. For the trivia buffs listening (and isn’t that everyone?) the 5 in The Jackson 5 were Michael, Tito, Jackie, Jermaine and Marlon, until 1976 when Jermaine was subbed out and Randy subbed in. Now, hold my hand and stay with me, we are about to take a leap of faith. The Jacksons began their career playing the Chitlin’ Circuit, a collection of performance venues accessible to African American artists when not all venues were so open. One of the other acts who were regulars on the Chitlin’ Circuit were The Miracles, featuring Smokey Robinson. Now, quickly back to The Jackson 5, who’s second number one hit single was the song ABC. Let’s draw a thread through all of that which delivers us unquestioningly, I’m sure you will agree, to the song When Smokey Sings by the band ABC. And here it is.
When Smokey Sings / ABC
From 1987 that was ABC with When Smokey Sings. In 2015 and interesting compilation album was released called 80s Re-covered, featuring 80s artists covering songs from a later period. ABC appeared on that album, contributing a cover of this song. Here is Radiohead with High and Dry.
High and Dry / Radiohead
In the book and subsequent film Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, a fictional band called The Weird Sisters make an appearance. In the film, the band members are played by real-life musicians including Johnny Greenwood and Phil Selway from Radiohead, and Steve Mackey and Jarvis Cocker from Pulp. So, lets be guided by The Weird Sisters, and listen to Disco 2000 by Pulp.
Disco 2000 / Pulp
We’ve been responsible and not run off and hidden while you were off for a few moments listening to messages, and we are still here in the The Music Labyrinth. However, Disco 2000 by Pulp is now behind us and we look to move onwards. Disco 2000 is clearly a song about the composer’s unrequited love for his friend Deborah. Unrequited love is a popular theme in music and literature, and give us a broad range of opportunities for progress. More importantly, it gives me a perfect excuse to play an old favourite. Here is a song about the unrequited love of a fine girl for a sailor.
Brandy / Looking Glass
From 1972, that was Brandy by Looking Glass. That song featured in the year 2000 film version of Charlie’s Angels, starring Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu. Also from that soundtrack:
True / Spandau Ballet
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we have emerged from a pool of 80s synth pop so smooth that it is envied by silkworms. The last track we listened to was Spandau Ballet with their 1983 hit, True. Spandau Ballet featured the brothers Martin and Gary Kemp, and it occurred to me as I looked back through the tracks we have played in this episode that brotherhood has emerged as an unintended theme, with Spandau Ballet, Radiohead and The Jackson 5 all featuring brothers in their lineups. So, lets not let a chance go by. The American rock band Collective Soul featured the brothers Ed and Dean Roland, and in 1993 they had massive international success with this song.
Shine / Collective Soul
From their 1993 debut album, Hints and Allegations And Things Left Unsaid, that was Collective Soul with their hit Shine. 22 years after that hit, another terrific song with the same title found its way onto my radar. From his Grammy Award nominated album Coming Home, this is Leon Bridges’ song Shine.
Shine / Leon Bridges
Well, I’ve glanced into the rear view mirror of The Music Labyrinth and, whilst I do not see Johan Sebastian Bach back there yet, I am confident that we are approaching the end of episode 30. As always, thanks for being with us. Don’t forget to jump onto Twitter and find and follow @MusicLabyrinth. Let’s end this episode with a toe-tapper. In 2016 Leon Bridges teamed up with the American singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer Nick Waterhouse and contributed to a track on Waterhouse’s album, Never Twice. This is Katchi, featuring Leon Bridges.
Katchi / Nick Waterhouse (feat. Leon Bridges)