Music Labyrinth Episode 061
Baker Street / Shawn Colvin (feat. David Crosby)
Hello Listener, and welcome to episode 61 of The Music Labyrinth. Now, of course, the fact that this is episode 61 of the program will, without question, have you already thinking about the classic Bob Dylan album Highway 61 Revisited. Right? Me too. I’m not going to steer us in that direction right now though, but I will remind you about the separate playlist I put together of quality cover versions of all the songs on that album, in album order. As a treat to you, Valued Listener, on this episode’s web page at www.themusiclabyrinth.com, I will re-post the links to the Spotify and Apple Music playlist called Highway 61 Revisited Revisited. 61, as it turns out, is also a centred square number; a centred hexagonal number; and a centred decagonal number. So, if you too want to be at the very centre of things, you could do worse than episode 61 of The Music Labyrinth. In the hope that there is the occasional new listener with us tonight (and hello to you and thanks for coming along) I should remind you of how this is proposed to work. I play a song, then I pluck a fact from the secret pocket in my sleeve, and attempt to convince you that the fact links us to the next song we play. FOR EXAMPLE: we commenced this episode with the song which ended our last episode, and that was Shawn Colvin and David Crosby’s cover of the Gerry Rafferty song, Baker Street. The version we just heard comes from Shawn Colvin’s 2015 album Uncovered, which contains covers of a whole bunch of well known tunes. One of the other originals covered on that album by Shawn Colvin was this one.
Gimme Little Sign / Brenton Wood
Form his 1967 album of the same name, that was Brenton Wood with Gimme Little Sign which, for me, is one of those songs that just does not seem to age. In support of that thesis, the song was a hit in 1994 when covered by the American singer-songwriter and producer, Danielle Brisebois. In addition to having several hits as a solo artist, Danielle Brisebois was a long time member of the New Radicals, and so you will not be at all surprised to hear this.
You Get What You Give / New Radicals
Welcome back to the Music Labyrinth where we last listened to You Get What You Give, by the New Radicals. Fans of animated surfing movies (and who isn’t?!) will not be at all surprised to learn that You Get What You Give featured in the soundtrack of the 2007 movie Surf’s Up. And so to did this song by Lauryn Hill.
Lose Myself / Lauryn Hill
From the soundtrack of the 2007 movie, Surf’s Up, that was Lauryn Hill on The Music Labyrinth with Lose Myself. Also in 2007, Joss Stone’s third album was released, unusually titled Introducing Joss Stone. It included this duet with Lauryn Hill. This is Music.
Music / Joss Stone & Lauryn Hill
From her 2007 album Introducing Joss Stone, that was Joss Stone in a duet with Lauryn Hill called Music. Four years later, Joss Stone joined forces with A.R. Rahman, Damien Marley, Dave Stewart and Mick Jagger to form the one-off supergroup SuperHeavy. The musical style of SuperHeavy was largely influenced by A.R. Rahman, who is an Indian film composer, record producer, singer, and songwriter who is SO prolific in his output as to be unbelievable! Even if he was 150 years old and did not sleep, I still cant see how he has produced the body of work he is accredited with. Anyway, this is a bit of fun. Enjoy Superheavy.
Superheavy / SuperHeavy
Here we are in The Music Labyrinth were we last listened to the supergroup SuperHeavy, featuring Mick Jagger, Joss Stone, Damien Marley, A.R. Rahman and Dave Stewart. That last bloke you will recognise as being the other half of the Eurythmics with Annie Lennox. However, Dave Stewart has had success in his own right. I suspect The Listener will know this instrumental track from 1989. This is Lily Was Here.
Lily Was Here / David A Stewart and Candy Dulfer.
Featuring the guitar of Dave Stewart and the saxophone of Candy Dulfer, that was the title track from the soundtrack of the 1989 movie Lily Was Here. Dave Stewart was still releasing solo albums in 2013. From his album Lucky Numbers, this is Drugs Taught Me A Lesson.
Drugs Taught Me A Lesson / Dave Stewart
That was Dave Steward with Drugs Taught Me A Lesson. The female voice you heard singing on that track was Vanessa Amorosi. And so …
Absolutely Everybody / Vanessa Amorosi
This is The Music Labyrinth where we welcome Absolutely Everybody to listen along - especially to the Vanessa Amorosi song of the same name. That hit, from 1999 was co-written by Mark Holden, who some listeners might recall as the sickly sweet pop crooner in the white dinner suit handing out carnations on 1970s episodes of Countdown, or perhaps as one of the judges on Australian Idol or The X Factor. He has had a long involvement in pop music production and songwriting. In 1995 he teamed up with Dave Mason (more on him shortly) and, together with John Cesario, they wrote this song, Blow By Blow, which appeared on the Fleetwood Mac album Time.
Blow By Blow / Fleetwood Mac
From the 1995 Fleetwood Mac album Time, that was Blow By Blow. I feel like I’m cheating a little bit here, because that album comes from a period when Fleetwood Mac featured neither Stevie Nicks nor Lindsay Buckingham. The band lineup for Time included Mick Fleetwood, John McVie and Christine McVie, together with Billy Burnette, Bekka Bramlett (the daughter of Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett), and the former Traffic guitarist Dave Mason. Dave Mason wrote this next song which was recorded by Traffic, but the version everyone remembers is this one from 1969.
Feelin’ Alright / Joe Cocker
From his 1969 debut album With A Little Help From My Friends, that was Joe Cocker with Feelin’ Alright. One of Joe’s friends who helped with that particular song was the female backing vocalist who, later in that same year, provided the key element that makes this next track a short-priced favourite for the greatest version of the greatest song of all time. That backing vocalist was Merry Clayton, and we all know where this is leading …
Gimme Shelter / The Rolling Stones
Things have gotten a bit confusing here in The Music Labyrinth, where we have achieved a summit (can labyrinths have summits?). When one has climbed to the top of the mountain, where does one turn. Just in case I need to spell it out, the top of our labyrinthine mountain was the extraordinary, timeless, smile inducing, bluesy stonsiness that is Gimme Shelter. How can a song be that good!? I was reading about the defining contribution that Merry Clayton made to that recording. She was summonsed at the last minute on the whim of the Rolling Stones’ producer Jimmy Miller who thought the song needed a female vocal. Merry Clayton was pregnant at the time she delivered that extraordinary performance, and she miscarried in the following days. Who knows whether the two things are related, but listening to her vocals on that track leaves you in no doubt she was putting her all into her work. Right! Where to turn next? I can tell you that the quite excellent Daniel Craig film Layer Cake featured Gimme Shelter, and the soundtrack of the film also includes this next track. This is The Cult with She Sells Sanctuary.
She Sells Sanctuary / The Cult
From their 1985 album Love, that was The Cult with She Sells Sanctuary, which is something of a cult hit (pun intended). There are many formal ways in which significant contributions to the music industry are recognised, and also plenty of informal ones. The Vitamin String Quartet is an American project run by the CMH Label Group, and independent company based in Los Angeles. The company blurb says that they apply rock and roll attitude to classical technique. Whatever the case, if your song is covered by the Vitamin String Quartet, its a pretty good sign of widespread acceptance. The VSQ cover of She Sells Sanctuary appears on the album VSQ: Alternative Hits of the 80s & 90s. So too, believe it or not, does their cover of this hit from 1990.
Epic / Faith No More
From their 1989 album The Real Thing, that was Faith No More with Epic. A very clever chap called Neil Cicierega produced a YouTube mash up of Epic with this next track. Hard to imagine, I know, but there you go. This is War with Low Rider.
Low Rider / War
This is The Music Labyrinth where we last grooved along with the 1975 hit for War, Low Rider. I found this next fact a bit hard to swallow when it was first brought to my attention, but I have been back and listened closely, and I am now a believer. The percussion from Low Rider is sampled and uses as a basis for this smash hit of 2000.
Original Prankster / The Offspring
From their millennium album Conspiracy of One, that was The Offspring with Original Prankster. In 2019 things turned a little sour in the Offspring camp when long time bassist for the band, Greg Kriesel, filed a lawsuit against two of his band mates alleging that the band intended to exclude him from band related activities and seize the business, business opportunities and assets. The list of band members who have sued other members of their band is not exclusive to The Offspring. In 2012 three members of the extraordinarily successful band Live commenced legal proceedings against their former lead singer Ed Kowalczyk for misuse of the band’s name whilst promoting his own performances. So, from happier days in the history of Live, here is a favourite of mine. This is The Dolphin’s Cry.
The Dolphin’s Cry (New Edit) / Live
Originally from their 1999 album The Distance To Here, that was Live with The Dolphin’s Cry. That album, and the song, were produced by Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads fame. Jerry too had success in his own right, including this hit from 1988.
Rev It Up / Jerry Harrison
We’re still here in The Music Labyrinth where we last listened to Rev It Up by Jerry Harrison, from his 1988 album Casual Gods. Guitars on Casual Gods were played by long time Jerry Harrison and Talking Heads collaborator, Alex Weir. Also in 1988, Alex Weir contributed to the debut album of American singer/songwriter Toni Childs, which included this hit.
Don’t Walk Away / Toni Childs
From her 1988 debut album Union, that was Toni Childs with Don’t Walk Away. The lyrics of that song can be a little hard to discern, but I can assure you there is a reference to “ripping on the root of love”. The roots of love also get a mention in this smash hit from 1970.
ABC / Jackson 5
From 1970, that was, of course, the Jackson 5 with ABC. Now, we’ve been near this place before in The Music Labyrinth, and one of the obvious pathways out is just too good not to take advantage of a second time. So, being the faithful listener that you are, you will recall that ABC is also the name of a band. For your listening enjoyment, here,from 1982, is Poison Arrow.
Poison Arrow / ABC
For the final time in Episode 61 of The Music Labyrinth, let me welcome you back after that short break, and remind you that we went into the break after listening to Poison Arrow by ABC. There is a lot to like about Poison Arrow, including the lovely orchestration and keyboards by Anne Dudley. Two years later, Anne Dudley was engaged by Lloyd Cole to work with him and The Commotions on the album Rattlesnakes. And you will hear Anne Dudley’s lovely strings in the title track.
Rattlesnakes / Lloyd Cole & the Commotions
From 1984, that was Lloyd Cole & The Commotions with Rattlesnakes. In 2001, Tori Amos covered that song on her album Strange Little Girls, which was a concept album on which Tori Amos deliberately set about re-interpreting from a female perspective, songs written by men. By way of example, here is her cover of the 1970 Velvet Underground song New Age.
New Age / Tori Amos
On The Music Labyrinth we just heard Tori Amos and her cover of the Velvet Underground song New Age, which came from Tori Amos’ 2001 album of covers of songs written by men. And with that, we’ve arrived at our final track for episode 61 of the program. Thanks very much for your company during this episode and please come back in two weeks when we will again set off valiantly through The Music Labyrinth. To bridge us over to next week, I’ve chosen the original of another song covered by Tori Amos on Strange Little Girls. Here is Depeche Mode with Enjoy The Silence. Thanks again.
Enjoy the Silence / Depeche Mode
Hello Listener, and welcome to episode 61 of The Music Labyrinth. Now, of course, the fact that this is episode 61 of the program will, without question, have you already thinking about the classic Bob Dylan album Highway 61 Revisited. Right? Me too. I’m not going to steer us in that direction right now though, but I will remind you about the separate playlist I put together of quality cover versions of all the songs on that album, in album order. As a treat to you, Valued Listener, on this episode’s web page at www.themusiclabyrinth.com, I will re-post the links to the Spotify and Apple Music playlist called Highway 61 Revisited Revisited. 61, as it turns out, is also a centred square number; a centred hexagonal number; and a centred decagonal number. So, if you too want to be at the very centre of things, you could do worse than episode 61 of The Music Labyrinth. In the hope that there is the occasional new listener with us tonight (and hello to you and thanks for coming along) I should remind you of how this is proposed to work. I play a song, then I pluck a fact from the secret pocket in my sleeve, and attempt to convince you that the fact links us to the next song we play. FOR EXAMPLE: we commenced this episode with the song which ended our last episode, and that was Shawn Colvin and David Crosby’s cover of the Gerry Rafferty song, Baker Street. The version we just heard comes from Shawn Colvin’s 2015 album Uncovered, which contains covers of a whole bunch of well known tunes. One of the other originals covered on that album by Shawn Colvin was this one.
Gimme Little Sign / Brenton Wood
Form his 1967 album of the same name, that was Brenton Wood with Gimme Little Sign which, for me, is one of those songs that just does not seem to age. In support of that thesis, the song was a hit in 1994 when covered by the American singer-songwriter and producer, Danielle Brisebois. In addition to having several hits as a solo artist, Danielle Brisebois was a long time member of the New Radicals, and so you will not be at all surprised to hear this.
You Get What You Give / New Radicals
Welcome back to the Music Labyrinth where we last listened to You Get What You Give, by the New Radicals. Fans of animated surfing movies (and who isn’t?!) will not be at all surprised to learn that You Get What You Give featured in the soundtrack of the 2007 movie Surf’s Up. And so to did this song by Lauryn Hill.
Lose Myself / Lauryn Hill
From the soundtrack of the 2007 movie, Surf’s Up, that was Lauryn Hill on The Music Labyrinth with Lose Myself. Also in 2007, Joss Stone’s third album was released, unusually titled Introducing Joss Stone. It included this duet with Lauryn Hill. This is Music.
Music / Joss Stone & Lauryn Hill
From her 2007 album Introducing Joss Stone, that was Joss Stone in a duet with Lauryn Hill called Music. Four years later, Joss Stone joined forces with A.R. Rahman, Damien Marley, Dave Stewart and Mick Jagger to form the one-off supergroup SuperHeavy. The musical style of SuperHeavy was largely influenced by A.R. Rahman, who is an Indian film composer, record producer, singer, and songwriter who is SO prolific in his output as to be unbelievable! Even if he was 150 years old and did not sleep, I still cant see how he has produced the body of work he is accredited with. Anyway, this is a bit of fun. Enjoy Superheavy.
Superheavy / SuperHeavy
Here we are in The Music Labyrinth were we last listened to the supergroup SuperHeavy, featuring Mick Jagger, Joss Stone, Damien Marley, A.R. Rahman and Dave Stewart. That last bloke you will recognise as being the other half of the Eurythmics with Annie Lennox. However, Dave Stewart has had success in his own right. I suspect The Listener will know this instrumental track from 1989. This is Lily Was Here.
Lily Was Here / David A Stewart and Candy Dulfer.
Featuring the guitar of Dave Stewart and the saxophone of Candy Dulfer, that was the title track from the soundtrack of the 1989 movie Lily Was Here. Dave Stewart was still releasing solo albums in 2013. From his album Lucky Numbers, this is Drugs Taught Me A Lesson.
Drugs Taught Me A Lesson / Dave Stewart
That was Dave Steward with Drugs Taught Me A Lesson. The female voice you heard singing on that track was Vanessa Amorosi. And so …
Absolutely Everybody / Vanessa Amorosi
This is The Music Labyrinth where we welcome Absolutely Everybody to listen along - especially to the Vanessa Amorosi song of the same name. That hit, from 1999 was co-written by Mark Holden, who some listeners might recall as the sickly sweet pop crooner in the white dinner suit handing out carnations on 1970s episodes of Countdown, or perhaps as one of the judges on Australian Idol or The X Factor. He has had a long involvement in pop music production and songwriting. In 1995 he teamed up with Dave Mason (more on him shortly) and, together with John Cesario, they wrote this song, Blow By Blow, which appeared on the Fleetwood Mac album Time.
Blow By Blow / Fleetwood Mac
From the 1995 Fleetwood Mac album Time, that was Blow By Blow. I feel like I’m cheating a little bit here, because that album comes from a period when Fleetwood Mac featured neither Stevie Nicks nor Lindsay Buckingham. The band lineup for Time included Mick Fleetwood, John McVie and Christine McVie, together with Billy Burnette, Bekka Bramlett (the daughter of Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett), and the former Traffic guitarist Dave Mason. Dave Mason wrote this next song which was recorded by Traffic, but the version everyone remembers is this one from 1969.
Feelin’ Alright / Joe Cocker
From his 1969 debut album With A Little Help From My Friends, that was Joe Cocker with Feelin’ Alright. One of Joe’s friends who helped with that particular song was the female backing vocalist who, later in that same year, provided the key element that makes this next track a short-priced favourite for the greatest version of the greatest song of all time. That backing vocalist was Merry Clayton, and we all know where this is leading …
Gimme Shelter / The Rolling Stones
Things have gotten a bit confusing here in The Music Labyrinth, where we have achieved a summit (can labyrinths have summits?). When one has climbed to the top of the mountain, where does one turn. Just in case I need to spell it out, the top of our labyrinthine mountain was the extraordinary, timeless, smile inducing, bluesy stonsiness that is Gimme Shelter. How can a song be that good!? I was reading about the defining contribution that Merry Clayton made to that recording. She was summonsed at the last minute on the whim of the Rolling Stones’ producer Jimmy Miller who thought the song needed a female vocal. Merry Clayton was pregnant at the time she delivered that extraordinary performance, and she miscarried in the following days. Who knows whether the two things are related, but listening to her vocals on that track leaves you in no doubt she was putting her all into her work. Right! Where to turn next? I can tell you that the quite excellent Daniel Craig film Layer Cake featured Gimme Shelter, and the soundtrack of the film also includes this next track. This is The Cult with She Sells Sanctuary.
She Sells Sanctuary / The Cult
From their 1985 album Love, that was The Cult with She Sells Sanctuary, which is something of a cult hit (pun intended). There are many formal ways in which significant contributions to the music industry are recognised, and also plenty of informal ones. The Vitamin String Quartet is an American project run by the CMH Label Group, and independent company based in Los Angeles. The company blurb says that they apply rock and roll attitude to classical technique. Whatever the case, if your song is covered by the Vitamin String Quartet, its a pretty good sign of widespread acceptance. The VSQ cover of She Sells Sanctuary appears on the album VSQ: Alternative Hits of the 80s & 90s. So too, believe it or not, does their cover of this hit from 1990.
Epic / Faith No More
From their 1989 album The Real Thing, that was Faith No More with Epic. A very clever chap called Neil Cicierega produced a YouTube mash up of Epic with this next track. Hard to imagine, I know, but there you go. This is War with Low Rider.
Low Rider / War
This is The Music Labyrinth where we last grooved along with the 1975 hit for War, Low Rider. I found this next fact a bit hard to swallow when it was first brought to my attention, but I have been back and listened closely, and I am now a believer. The percussion from Low Rider is sampled and uses as a basis for this smash hit of 2000.
Original Prankster / The Offspring
From their millennium album Conspiracy of One, that was The Offspring with Original Prankster. In 2019 things turned a little sour in the Offspring camp when long time bassist for the band, Greg Kriesel, filed a lawsuit against two of his band mates alleging that the band intended to exclude him from band related activities and seize the business, business opportunities and assets. The list of band members who have sued other members of their band is not exclusive to The Offspring. In 2012 three members of the extraordinarily successful band Live commenced legal proceedings against their former lead singer Ed Kowalczyk for misuse of the band’s name whilst promoting his own performances. So, from happier days in the history of Live, here is a favourite of mine. This is The Dolphin’s Cry.
The Dolphin’s Cry (New Edit) / Live
Originally from their 1999 album The Distance To Here, that was Live with The Dolphin’s Cry. That album, and the song, were produced by Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads fame. Jerry too had success in his own right, including this hit from 1988.
Rev It Up / Jerry Harrison
We’re still here in The Music Labyrinth where we last listened to Rev It Up by Jerry Harrison, from his 1988 album Casual Gods. Guitars on Casual Gods were played by long time Jerry Harrison and Talking Heads collaborator, Alex Weir. Also in 1988, Alex Weir contributed to the debut album of American singer/songwriter Toni Childs, which included this hit.
Don’t Walk Away / Toni Childs
From her 1988 debut album Union, that was Toni Childs with Don’t Walk Away. The lyrics of that song can be a little hard to discern, but I can assure you there is a reference to “ripping on the root of love”. The roots of love also get a mention in this smash hit from 1970.
ABC / Jackson 5
From 1970, that was, of course, the Jackson 5 with ABC. Now, we’ve been near this place before in The Music Labyrinth, and one of the obvious pathways out is just too good not to take advantage of a second time. So, being the faithful listener that you are, you will recall that ABC is also the name of a band. For your listening enjoyment, here,from 1982, is Poison Arrow.
Poison Arrow / ABC
For the final time in Episode 61 of The Music Labyrinth, let me welcome you back after that short break, and remind you that we went into the break after listening to Poison Arrow by ABC. There is a lot to like about Poison Arrow, including the lovely orchestration and keyboards by Anne Dudley. Two years later, Anne Dudley was engaged by Lloyd Cole to work with him and The Commotions on the album Rattlesnakes. And you will hear Anne Dudley’s lovely strings in the title track.
Rattlesnakes / Lloyd Cole & the Commotions
From 1984, that was Lloyd Cole & The Commotions with Rattlesnakes. In 2001, Tori Amos covered that song on her album Strange Little Girls, which was a concept album on which Tori Amos deliberately set about re-interpreting from a female perspective, songs written by men. By way of example, here is her cover of the 1970 Velvet Underground song New Age.
New Age / Tori Amos
On The Music Labyrinth we just heard Tori Amos and her cover of the Velvet Underground song New Age, which came from Tori Amos’ 2001 album of covers of songs written by men. And with that, we’ve arrived at our final track for episode 61 of the program. Thanks very much for your company during this episode and please come back in two weeks when we will again set off valiantly through The Music Labyrinth. To bridge us over to next week, I’ve chosen the original of another song covered by Tori Amos on Strange Little Girls. Here is Depeche Mode with Enjoy The Silence. Thanks again.
Enjoy the Silence / Depeche Mode