Music Labyrinth Episode 055
Tears Of A Clown / Smokey Robinson and Sheryl Crow
Hello Listener, and welcome to episode 55 of The Music Labyrinth. 55 is a Fibonacci number, meaning that it is the sum of the two preceding Fibonacci numbers: 34 and 21. Now I’ve checked, and I can advise that episode 21 of The Music Labyrinth contained the song Sun City, and episode 34 contained the song The Whole Of The Moon. I mean, what could better symbolise the Greater Unifying Nature of this episode than the sum of the moon and sun?! As evidence of even further awesomeness, today is the personal anniversary of my dear friend, Jane. Happiest of birthdays to you, Morgs. While you are all busy congratulating Morgs, let me welcome any new listeners to The Music Labyrinth by advising them that once this introduction is done, I will be presenting for your consideration some link between our opening song tonight (Tears Of A Clown by Smokey Robinson and Sheryl Crow) and the song we have lined up next. And then we will proceed on through the labyrinth on the basis of similarly rock solid links between songs. Tears Of A Clown was one of the biggest selling hits for Smokey Robinson and The Miracles. It achieved number 1 ranking in the UK and US markets, and was ultimately inducted in to the Grammy Awards Hall Of Fame. This next song, also recorded by The Miracles (including Smokey Robinson, but in the days when he did not necessarily get his own billing) achieved very similar success to Tears Of A Clown. But lets listen to a subsequent cover version, which you probably remember only too well, despite how rigorously you deny it!
Shop Around / The Captain & Tennille
That was The Captain & Tennille with their hit cover of The Miracles’ Shop Around. Something you might have known is that The Captain, Daryl Dragon, worked as a keyboardist, touring and recording, with The Beach Boys between 1967 and 1972. He plays harpsichord, tubular bells and chimes on this track from the 1970 album, Sunflower. This is This Whole World.
This Whole World / The Beach Boys
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we last heard The Beach Boys, from their highly regarded 1970 album Sunflower, with This Whole World. In addition to most of the usual lineup of The Beach Boys, some external musicians contributed to that track. One was the guitarist David Cohen, who had been a regular member of Country Joe & The Fish from 1965 to 1969. Cohen was also something of a multi-instrumentalist, because on this next track, in addition to vocals, he plays the calliope (which you will recognise as soon as you hear it - it can be best described as a steam organ). Now, before you take me to task about my pronunciation of that particular piece of musical equipment, let me reveal that it has long been a controversial subject. Wikipedia, by way of example, provides this rhyme on the matter: Proud folk stare after me / Call me Calliope / Tooting joy, tooting hope / I am the calliope. Anyway, no matter how you say it, you will recognise the sound of it. This song starts with what became known as The Fish Cheer, and then the novelty instrument.
I Feel Like I’m Fixin’ To Die / Country Joe & The Fish
From 1965 that was Country Joe & The Fish with I Feel Like I’m Fixing To Die. Now, it will come as no surprise to anyone listening that the link to the next song will be a glib reference to another track featuring the calliope. However, just before giving way to glibness, I feel like I would not be doing justice to that track without reflecting on the brashness of the satire. That’s undistllled, in-your-face, withering, contempt reflected in that song. I cannot think of a modern equivalent. I think, no matter what your political persuasion might be, you have to acknowledge the art in that composition. Anyway, back on board the glib train. You probably wouldn’t expect to hear the calliope in a track by Kiss. But if you listen carefully, I promise you its here.
Flaming Youth / Kiss
That was Kiss from their 1976 Destroyer album with Flaming Youth. Now, being a Kiss song, of course it contains a guitar solo - this is hardly surprising. However, this one is different in that it was not played by Ace Frehley. Kiss recruited Bob Ezrin to produce Destroyer and Ezrin was of the opinion that the band were musically immature. He is said to have halted the sessions at one point and made the band sit down to lessons on music theory. He also is said to have worn a whistle which he would regularly blow when he wanted to be heard, and shout instructions like: Campers, we’re going to work! Ezrin also recruited other musicians to tighten up the quality of the recordings. As a result, the guitar solo on the song we just heard was actually played by session musician Dick Wagner, who is the co-writer, with Alice Cooper, of this song.
Only Women Bleed / Alice Cooper
This is The Music Labyrinth, and the song we last listened to was 1975’s Only Women Bleed, from Alice Cooper’s Welcome To My Nightmare album of that year. And it is a song - written by two blokes - about the power imbalance suffered by women in relationships. I remember 1975, and I can’t remember that subject being one regularly discussed by men. The point I am trying to make (in a rather ham-fisted way) is that it was a song well ahead of its time in drawing attention to that particular social issue. And it called to my mind another song about similar issues, but this one from a female perspective, and written twelve years later.
Luka / Suzanne Vega
From her 1987 album Solitude Standing, that was Suzanne Vega with Luka. Another Suzanne Vega song from the same album, Tom’s Diner, was originally released as an acapella version, but later reworked by the duo DNA into this version.
Tom’s Diner / DNA (feat. Suzanne Vega)
That was the Suzanne Vega song, Tom’s Diner, getting a work over by DNA, a British electronic duo consisting of Nick Batt and Neil Slateford. Nick Batt later worked with the British electronic group Goldfrapp for their 2004 album Black Cherry, and on this single from that album.
Strict Machine / Goldfrapp
Thank Goodness you are back. I was beginning to worry. We’re here in the part of The Music Labyrinth where you find the Goldfrapp, which is an electronic duo consisting of Allison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory, and we just heard Strict Machine. When the Millennium Dome - which we now call O2 Arena - was opened in London in 2000, both those musicians contributed to the multimedia show presented as part of the opening package. All the music for that production was written by a firm favourite here at The Music Labyrinth, and the horns on this particular track from that show were arranged by Will Gregory. This is, as you would expect, Peter Gabriel with Father, Son.
Father, Son / Peter Gabriel
From Ovo, the multimedia event written for the opening of the Millennium Dome in London, that was Peter Gabriel with the gorgeous Father, Son. I’ve scanned the Ovo production credits and have discovered that another contributor to the Ovo show was Neneh Cherry which, after playing the Father, Son song, gives me a perfect opportunity to redress the gender balance. This is Woman.
Woman / Neneh Cherry
Here we are in the part of The Music Labyrinth reserved for cherries. We just heard Neneh Cherry with Woman. Neneh Cherry took her surname from her step-father, Don Cherry, who married her mother, Monika, when Neneh was very young. Don and Monika then produced more children, including Eagle-Eye Cherry, whom you are likely to be familiar with because of this song.
Save Tonight / Eagle-Eye Cherry
From his 1997 album Desireless, that was Eagle-Eye Cherry with Save Tonight. And now, having heard sister and brother, lets hear them together.
Long Way Around / Eagle-Eye Cherry (feat. Neneh Cherry)
From Eagle-Eye Cherry’s 2000 album Living In The Present Future, that was Long Way Around, featuring the vocals of his sister Neneh Cherry. Long Way Around is also the title of this next tune, from the American blues guitarist Chris Whitley.
Long Way Around / Chris Whitley
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth were we just listened to Long Way Around by Chris Whitley, from his breakthrough 1991 album Living With The Law. Chris Whitley died too young - he was 45 years of age - in 2005 after contracting lung cancer. His last studio album was recorded in collaboration with Australian blues guitarist Jeff Lang. That album, Dislocation Blues, was released in 2006, after Whitley’s death. From it, this is their cover of Bob Dylan’s When I Paint My Masterpiece.
When I Paint My Masterpiece / Chris Whitley & Jeff Lang
That was Chris Whitley and Jeff Lang with When I Paint My Masterpiece. Now, I realise this is a personal observation, but that song is one which I know better via the various cover versions of it, than I do for Dylan’s own version. The clubhouse leader of that event (an unlikely to be bested, in my humble opinion) is the version recorded by The Band for their 1971 album Cahoots - featuring the vocals of Levon Helm and some wonderful accordion and mandolin. I did, however, find one more recent, notable cover of the song. It is on an album, mainly of cover versions, recorded in 2020 by Steve Harley of Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel fame, called Uncovered. And I direct your attention to that album because it also contains this next track, which you might recognise.
Emma / Steve Harley
This is The Music Labyrinth and if you are still struggling to place the last song we played, it is Steve Harley’s cover of the Hot Chocolate hit from 1974, Emma. Emma went to number 3 in the UK charts for Hot Chocolate, which was a slight improvement on this next song which was also a hit from the year earlier, which went to number 7 in the UK charts. This next song is Hot Chocolate’s Brother Louie. And then, because the link from Brother Louie to the song which follows it is so obvious, we will do something unusual here on The Music labyrinth, and roll straight into that track. But first, here is Brother Louie.
Brother Louie / Hot Chocolate
Karma / 1200 Techniques
Well, there’s a thing! We just had a double-play on The Music Labyrinth! We heard Hot Chocolate from 1973 with Brother Louie, which rolled straight into Karma by the Australian hip hop act 1200 Techniques, which - I’m sure you could not have missed - is based around a big old sample of Brother Louie. Karma comes from 1200 Techniques’ 2002 album Choose One. And now, in the interests of balance and containment, having introduced a big dose of karma into The Music Labyrinth, we ought to take care to regulate it. And for that, you know what we need, don’t you?
Karma Police / Radiohead
Welcome back to the last bracket of songs in this episode of The Music Labyrinth. That break was well placed, because I have noticed my own tendency to go a bit Bruce MacAvaney when I play a favourite, and Karma Police by Radiohead is certainly one of those. So, I will resist my inherent urges to say something like Gee, thats a good song isn’t it, and we will simply note that Radiohead’s extraordinary album OK Computer was largely recorded at the St Catherine’s Court manor house in Bath, which is a grade 1 listed special interest property, once occupied by the monks of Bath Abbey. Also, in 1994, it was briefly occupied by The Cure, who recorded their album Wild Mood Swings there. Wild Mood Swings, in keeping with its name, contains this three and a half minutes of pure, undistilled joy.
Mint Car / The Cure
From 1994, that was The Cure with Mint Car. The Cure engaged the services of drummer Mark Price to play on that track. Earlier, Mark Price had been a member of the band of English singer/songwriter Nik Kershaw. You will remember Kershaw for this hit.
Wouldn’t It Be Good / Nik Kershaw
That was Nik Kershaw from 1984 with Wouldn’t It Be Good. Perhaps the highlight of Nik Kershaw’s music career was that he was included in the artists that played at the Wembley Stadium Live Aid Concert on 13 July 1985, where he performed the song we just heard. Now, just before we get to the last song of this episode of The Music Labyrinth, I have news! The Music Labyrinth Elves are back! Episode 56 of the program will be presented by me in a fortnight, but the content again will be entirely Elf-powered. May God bless her and all those who sail in her. In fact, just in the last 24 hours I have been made privy to the Elves’ work in this regard, and they have excelled themselves. Episode 56 looks like being a heap of fun, and you will really want to hang around for the finish! So please join us in a fortnight for that, and thanks very much for your company tonight. We just listened to Wouldn’t It Be Good by Nik Kershaw. That song came from the 1984 album Human Racing, and drums on the track were played by Martin Ditcham, an English drummer, percussionist, and songwriter. Two years later Ditcham played drums on the 3rd album by the English band Talk Talk, and on this track, whose title is something of a motto that we can all live by, at least for a fortnight! This is Life’s What You Make It.
Life’s What You Make It / Talk Talk
Hello Listener, and welcome to episode 55 of The Music Labyrinth. 55 is a Fibonacci number, meaning that it is the sum of the two preceding Fibonacci numbers: 34 and 21. Now I’ve checked, and I can advise that episode 21 of The Music Labyrinth contained the song Sun City, and episode 34 contained the song The Whole Of The Moon. I mean, what could better symbolise the Greater Unifying Nature of this episode than the sum of the moon and sun?! As evidence of even further awesomeness, today is the personal anniversary of my dear friend, Jane. Happiest of birthdays to you, Morgs. While you are all busy congratulating Morgs, let me welcome any new listeners to The Music Labyrinth by advising them that once this introduction is done, I will be presenting for your consideration some link between our opening song tonight (Tears Of A Clown by Smokey Robinson and Sheryl Crow) and the song we have lined up next. And then we will proceed on through the labyrinth on the basis of similarly rock solid links between songs. Tears Of A Clown was one of the biggest selling hits for Smokey Robinson and The Miracles. It achieved number 1 ranking in the UK and US markets, and was ultimately inducted in to the Grammy Awards Hall Of Fame. This next song, also recorded by The Miracles (including Smokey Robinson, but in the days when he did not necessarily get his own billing) achieved very similar success to Tears Of A Clown. But lets listen to a subsequent cover version, which you probably remember only too well, despite how rigorously you deny it!
Shop Around / The Captain & Tennille
That was The Captain & Tennille with their hit cover of The Miracles’ Shop Around. Something you might have known is that The Captain, Daryl Dragon, worked as a keyboardist, touring and recording, with The Beach Boys between 1967 and 1972. He plays harpsichord, tubular bells and chimes on this track from the 1970 album, Sunflower. This is This Whole World.
This Whole World / The Beach Boys
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we last heard The Beach Boys, from their highly regarded 1970 album Sunflower, with This Whole World. In addition to most of the usual lineup of The Beach Boys, some external musicians contributed to that track. One was the guitarist David Cohen, who had been a regular member of Country Joe & The Fish from 1965 to 1969. Cohen was also something of a multi-instrumentalist, because on this next track, in addition to vocals, he plays the calliope (which you will recognise as soon as you hear it - it can be best described as a steam organ). Now, before you take me to task about my pronunciation of that particular piece of musical equipment, let me reveal that it has long been a controversial subject. Wikipedia, by way of example, provides this rhyme on the matter: Proud folk stare after me / Call me Calliope / Tooting joy, tooting hope / I am the calliope. Anyway, no matter how you say it, you will recognise the sound of it. This song starts with what became known as The Fish Cheer, and then the novelty instrument.
I Feel Like I’m Fixin’ To Die / Country Joe & The Fish
From 1965 that was Country Joe & The Fish with I Feel Like I’m Fixing To Die. Now, it will come as no surprise to anyone listening that the link to the next song will be a glib reference to another track featuring the calliope. However, just before giving way to glibness, I feel like I would not be doing justice to that track without reflecting on the brashness of the satire. That’s undistllled, in-your-face, withering, contempt reflected in that song. I cannot think of a modern equivalent. I think, no matter what your political persuasion might be, you have to acknowledge the art in that composition. Anyway, back on board the glib train. You probably wouldn’t expect to hear the calliope in a track by Kiss. But if you listen carefully, I promise you its here.
Flaming Youth / Kiss
That was Kiss from their 1976 Destroyer album with Flaming Youth. Now, being a Kiss song, of course it contains a guitar solo - this is hardly surprising. However, this one is different in that it was not played by Ace Frehley. Kiss recruited Bob Ezrin to produce Destroyer and Ezrin was of the opinion that the band were musically immature. He is said to have halted the sessions at one point and made the band sit down to lessons on music theory. He also is said to have worn a whistle which he would regularly blow when he wanted to be heard, and shout instructions like: Campers, we’re going to work! Ezrin also recruited other musicians to tighten up the quality of the recordings. As a result, the guitar solo on the song we just heard was actually played by session musician Dick Wagner, who is the co-writer, with Alice Cooper, of this song.
Only Women Bleed / Alice Cooper
This is The Music Labyrinth, and the song we last listened to was 1975’s Only Women Bleed, from Alice Cooper’s Welcome To My Nightmare album of that year. And it is a song - written by two blokes - about the power imbalance suffered by women in relationships. I remember 1975, and I can’t remember that subject being one regularly discussed by men. The point I am trying to make (in a rather ham-fisted way) is that it was a song well ahead of its time in drawing attention to that particular social issue. And it called to my mind another song about similar issues, but this one from a female perspective, and written twelve years later.
Luka / Suzanne Vega
From her 1987 album Solitude Standing, that was Suzanne Vega with Luka. Another Suzanne Vega song from the same album, Tom’s Diner, was originally released as an acapella version, but later reworked by the duo DNA into this version.
Tom’s Diner / DNA (feat. Suzanne Vega)
That was the Suzanne Vega song, Tom’s Diner, getting a work over by DNA, a British electronic duo consisting of Nick Batt and Neil Slateford. Nick Batt later worked with the British electronic group Goldfrapp for their 2004 album Black Cherry, and on this single from that album.
Strict Machine / Goldfrapp
Thank Goodness you are back. I was beginning to worry. We’re here in the part of The Music Labyrinth where you find the Goldfrapp, which is an electronic duo consisting of Allison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory, and we just heard Strict Machine. When the Millennium Dome - which we now call O2 Arena - was opened in London in 2000, both those musicians contributed to the multimedia show presented as part of the opening package. All the music for that production was written by a firm favourite here at The Music Labyrinth, and the horns on this particular track from that show were arranged by Will Gregory. This is, as you would expect, Peter Gabriel with Father, Son.
Father, Son / Peter Gabriel
From Ovo, the multimedia event written for the opening of the Millennium Dome in London, that was Peter Gabriel with the gorgeous Father, Son. I’ve scanned the Ovo production credits and have discovered that another contributor to the Ovo show was Neneh Cherry which, after playing the Father, Son song, gives me a perfect opportunity to redress the gender balance. This is Woman.
Woman / Neneh Cherry
Here we are in the part of The Music Labyrinth reserved for cherries. We just heard Neneh Cherry with Woman. Neneh Cherry took her surname from her step-father, Don Cherry, who married her mother, Monika, when Neneh was very young. Don and Monika then produced more children, including Eagle-Eye Cherry, whom you are likely to be familiar with because of this song.
Save Tonight / Eagle-Eye Cherry
From his 1997 album Desireless, that was Eagle-Eye Cherry with Save Tonight. And now, having heard sister and brother, lets hear them together.
Long Way Around / Eagle-Eye Cherry (feat. Neneh Cherry)
From Eagle-Eye Cherry’s 2000 album Living In The Present Future, that was Long Way Around, featuring the vocals of his sister Neneh Cherry. Long Way Around is also the title of this next tune, from the American blues guitarist Chris Whitley.
Long Way Around / Chris Whitley
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth were we just listened to Long Way Around by Chris Whitley, from his breakthrough 1991 album Living With The Law. Chris Whitley died too young - he was 45 years of age - in 2005 after contracting lung cancer. His last studio album was recorded in collaboration with Australian blues guitarist Jeff Lang. That album, Dislocation Blues, was released in 2006, after Whitley’s death. From it, this is their cover of Bob Dylan’s When I Paint My Masterpiece.
When I Paint My Masterpiece / Chris Whitley & Jeff Lang
That was Chris Whitley and Jeff Lang with When I Paint My Masterpiece. Now, I realise this is a personal observation, but that song is one which I know better via the various cover versions of it, than I do for Dylan’s own version. The clubhouse leader of that event (an unlikely to be bested, in my humble opinion) is the version recorded by The Band for their 1971 album Cahoots - featuring the vocals of Levon Helm and some wonderful accordion and mandolin. I did, however, find one more recent, notable cover of the song. It is on an album, mainly of cover versions, recorded in 2020 by Steve Harley of Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel fame, called Uncovered. And I direct your attention to that album because it also contains this next track, which you might recognise.
Emma / Steve Harley
This is The Music Labyrinth and if you are still struggling to place the last song we played, it is Steve Harley’s cover of the Hot Chocolate hit from 1974, Emma. Emma went to number 3 in the UK charts for Hot Chocolate, which was a slight improvement on this next song which was also a hit from the year earlier, which went to number 7 in the UK charts. This next song is Hot Chocolate’s Brother Louie. And then, because the link from Brother Louie to the song which follows it is so obvious, we will do something unusual here on The Music labyrinth, and roll straight into that track. But first, here is Brother Louie.
Brother Louie / Hot Chocolate
Karma / 1200 Techniques
Well, there’s a thing! We just had a double-play on The Music Labyrinth! We heard Hot Chocolate from 1973 with Brother Louie, which rolled straight into Karma by the Australian hip hop act 1200 Techniques, which - I’m sure you could not have missed - is based around a big old sample of Brother Louie. Karma comes from 1200 Techniques’ 2002 album Choose One. And now, in the interests of balance and containment, having introduced a big dose of karma into The Music Labyrinth, we ought to take care to regulate it. And for that, you know what we need, don’t you?
Karma Police / Radiohead
Welcome back to the last bracket of songs in this episode of The Music Labyrinth. That break was well placed, because I have noticed my own tendency to go a bit Bruce MacAvaney when I play a favourite, and Karma Police by Radiohead is certainly one of those. So, I will resist my inherent urges to say something like Gee, thats a good song isn’t it, and we will simply note that Radiohead’s extraordinary album OK Computer was largely recorded at the St Catherine’s Court manor house in Bath, which is a grade 1 listed special interest property, once occupied by the monks of Bath Abbey. Also, in 1994, it was briefly occupied by The Cure, who recorded their album Wild Mood Swings there. Wild Mood Swings, in keeping with its name, contains this three and a half minutes of pure, undistilled joy.
Mint Car / The Cure
From 1994, that was The Cure with Mint Car. The Cure engaged the services of drummer Mark Price to play on that track. Earlier, Mark Price had been a member of the band of English singer/songwriter Nik Kershaw. You will remember Kershaw for this hit.
Wouldn’t It Be Good / Nik Kershaw
That was Nik Kershaw from 1984 with Wouldn’t It Be Good. Perhaps the highlight of Nik Kershaw’s music career was that he was included in the artists that played at the Wembley Stadium Live Aid Concert on 13 July 1985, where he performed the song we just heard. Now, just before we get to the last song of this episode of The Music Labyrinth, I have news! The Music Labyrinth Elves are back! Episode 56 of the program will be presented by me in a fortnight, but the content again will be entirely Elf-powered. May God bless her and all those who sail in her. In fact, just in the last 24 hours I have been made privy to the Elves’ work in this regard, and they have excelled themselves. Episode 56 looks like being a heap of fun, and you will really want to hang around for the finish! So please join us in a fortnight for that, and thanks very much for your company tonight. We just listened to Wouldn’t It Be Good by Nik Kershaw. That song came from the 1984 album Human Racing, and drums on the track were played by Martin Ditcham, an English drummer, percussionist, and songwriter. Two years later Ditcham played drums on the 3rd album by the English band Talk Talk, and on this track, whose title is something of a motto that we can all live by, at least for a fortnight! This is Life’s What You Make It.
Life’s What You Make It / Talk Talk