Music Labyrinth Episode 049
Great Gig In The Sky / Pink Floyd
Hello Listener, welcome to episode 49 of The Music Labyrinth; the last Monday night episode of the program! After next week, the program will be shifting to a two hour show on Thursday evenings, once per fortnight. So, on Thursday next week (Thursday 17 June) at 7pm we will have the live broadcast in celebration of episode 50 of the program, and that will mark the beginning of our regular fortnightly programs. All that detail I just gave you is spelled out at www.themusiclabyrinth.com where you can find all the details of the program. Right, lets get our focus back on to episode 49. We commenced this episode with Pink Floyd’s magnificent Great Gig In The Sky, featuring the amazing vocals of Clare Torry. That track, of course, comes from their 1973 album Dark Side Of The Moon. If you listen closely to this next song, you will hear Clare Torry reprising that vocal performance, 11 years after Great Gig In The Sky. This is The War Song, by Culture Club.
The War Song / Culture Club
From their 1984 album Waking Up With The House On Fire, that was Culture Club with The War Song. Culture Club’s full-time lineup for that album was Boy George, Jon Moss, Roy Hay and Mickey Craig. However, keyboards and background vocals were contributed by Phil Pickett, who was a regular contributor to the band, and the co-writer of Karma Chameleon. Prior to his work with Culture Club, Phil Pickett had been a member of the group Sailor, who had a hit in 1975 with this song.
A Glass of Champagne / Sailor
Here on The Music Labyrinth we just listened to Sailor from 1975 with A Glass Of Champagne: the second greatest musical celebration of that fine French beverage. Of course, for the greatest such celebration, look no further than this.
Champagne Supernova / Oasis
From their staggeringly successful 1995 album, What’s The Story Morning Glory, that was Oasis with Champagne Supernova. In addition to the members of Oasis, there is a guest artist on guitars and vocals on the track we just heard: Paul Weller from The Jam and The Style Council. Four years later, Noel Gallagher from Oasis returned the favour when he joined Paul Weller in the studio during the recording of Weller’s solo album, Stanley Road. Gallagher contributed acoustic guitar to this track from that album.
I Walk On Gilded Splinters / Paul Weller
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we joined Paul Weller with his quite splendid cover of the Dr John track, I Walk On Gilded Splinters. We’ve encountered Dr John before in The Music Labyrinth, and his influence on modern music is indeed extensive. So, at this point, we could have turned pretty much anywhere, but my ear was caught by a really interesting album which I will tell you more about in a moment, but I reckon this quirky, esoteric contribution by Dr John needs to be heard. This is In Lure Of The Tropics.
In Lure Of The Tropics / Dr John
Isn’t that magnificent!? That was Dr John with In Lure Of The Tropics, and it comes from a 2013 compilation album called Son Of Rogues Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs and Chanteys. The double album has some magnificently odd contributions from a variety of musicians and actors, and we should hear another. This is Petra Haden, featuring Lenny Pickett, with Sunshine Life For Me.
Sunshine Life For Me / Petra Haden (feat. Lenny Pickett)
Sunshine Life For Me was written by George Harrison for Ringo Starr, and it originally appeared on Ringo’s third solo album - called Ringo. A couple of years earlier, Ringo Starr was tinkering with the unfinished version of this next track, when he received some guidance and assistance with it from George Harrison, although Harrison was never given a songwriting credit for it. Anyway, I’m convinced I can detect George Harrison’s fingerprints on Ringo Starr’s It Dont Come Easy.
It Dont Come Easy / Ringo Starr
For the last foreseeable time on a Monday evening, let me welcome you back to The Music Labyrinth where we last listened to It Don’t Come Easy by Ringo Starr. Backing vocals on that track were sung by Pete Ham and Tom Evans from the band Badfinger. This next track was a massive hit for Badfinger in 1971 and again, George Harrison’s fingerprints are evident. He produced, and played several of the slide guitar parts on this track.
Day After Day / Badfinger
From their 1971 album Straight Up, that was Badfinger with Day After Day. In addition to George Harrison’s input , piano on that track was played by Leon Russell, who was riding a wave of success on the back of the release of one of his own songs earlier that year. Leon Russell is one of the great contributors to modern music, but I find his vocals on that hit single a little grating. So, I cast around and - in addition to a hit version by The Carpenters - I found a quite lovely version of it by The Temptations. I’m sure you will know this song.
A Song For You / The Temptations
From their 1975 album of the same name, that was The Temptations with A Song For You. Membership of The Temptations was something of a fluid arrangement, but it was essentially the same lineup we just heard who, three years earlier, produced one of the great cover versions of modern music. We’ll end tonight’s program with that song by The Temptations. Thanks very much for your company on this Monday night, and for each time you’ve stuck with us on any of the previous 48 Monday nights. We will be back in ten days time, on a Thursday evening at 7pm for a two hour live broadcast of Episode 50 of The Music Labyrinth. Please join us then, and please contribute to that celebration by getting in touch while we are on air. Contact options can be found at www.themusiclabyrinth.com. Now, back to our last track. In 1971 Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong wrote a song which was recorded and released by The Undisputed Truth. That version achieved some success. But it was not until The Temptations covered the song for their 1972 album All Directions, that the true greatness of the song was released. This is Papa Was A Rolling Stone.
Papa Was A Rolling Stone / The Temptations