Music Labyrinth Episode 103
Wild In The Streets / Garland Jeffreys (1972)
Hello Listener, and welcome to episode 103 of The Music Labyrinth. 103 can be expressed in Roman Numerals as CIII or, put a slightly different way: C, I, two Is. Now the concept of “seeing eye to eye” has been a popular one over the journey of modern music, but perhaps the most appropriate reflection on it for our purposes tonight was by US hip-hop act Salt-N-Pepa in their 1997 track, The Clock Is Ticking, which says, “We don't see eye-to-eye, Cuz you keep tellin' lies, You better recognize, the clock is tickin'”. Well it goes without saying that I’ll do my best not to tell you lies in episode 103 of The Music Labyrinth, but I DO recognise that the clock is ticking on this episode in which, once again, I have gone hard on the amount of music we are trying to pack into the available time. So, onwards. We started this episode with the 1972 song Wild In The Streets by Garland Jefferys and, as I alluded to at the end of the previous episode, until last episode I had only known that song by a cover version of it included in the track list of Skyhooks 1978 live recording, Live: Be In It. So, lets follow the obvious signs.
Ego (Is Not A Dirty Word) / Skyhooks (1975)
That was Skyhooks on The Music Labyrinth with Ego (Is Not A Dirty Word). You may have picked up the reference in the lyrics of that song to former US President Richard Nixon. Nixon’s name is not prolific in the lyrics of modern songs but unsurprisingly, when it does appear, it is often in the form of a message of protest. Here is a modest example of my point.
Ohio / Crosby Stills Nash & Young (1970)
From 1970, that was Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young with Ohio. In 2022 the online Magazine Paste produced an article nominating the 50 best protest songs of all time. the song we just heard was number 8 on that list, coming in just above this tune by Public Enemy.
Fight The Power / Public Enemy (1989)
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we last listened to the 1989 tune Fight The Power by Public Enemy. Now we spoke before the break about the regard that song is held in as a protest song. The song is also quite elaborate and complex in that it contains a high number of very short samples, including a sample of the drum break from this next tune which, as it turns out, is regarded as one of the most sampled tracks in music history. This is the James Brown tune, Funky Drummer.
Funky Drummer / James Brown (1969)
That was James Brown with Funky Drummer, recorded in 1969, and the song remains one of the most sampled in music history, particularly for Clyde Stubblefield’s drum break which you heard most prominently at the end of the track. Poor old Clyde never received a songwriting credit for Funky Drummer and has therefore not been considered entitled to royalties for the thousands of samples of his work that have appeared in subsequent recordings. Like this one.
Head Over Feet / Alanis Morissette (1995)
Head Over Feet by Alanis Morrisette was written by Alanis, and Glenn Ballard, and the single was produced by Glenn Ballard, who was a key collaborator on Alanis’s mega-album of 1995, Jagged Little Pill. Glenn Ballard has co-written plenty of songs with other performers. One of them was Lisa Marie Presley, who recorded this tune, co-written by herself, Glenn Ballard and Cliff Magness. This is S.O.B.
S.O.B. / Lisa Marie Presley (2003)
This is The Music Labyrinth and just before those messages we listened to S.O.B by Lisa Marie Presley, from her 2003 album To Whom It May Concern. I mentioned just before we played that song that one of the writers of it was Cliff Magness. Cliff was busy in 2003 because that same year he collaborated with Avril Lavigne on her debut album Let Go, which included this track co-written and produced by Cliff. This is Losing Grip.
Losing Grip / Avril Lavigne (2022)
That was Avril Lavigne on The Music Labyrinth, sounding (IMHO) very much like her fellow Canadian from 3 songs ago, Alanis Morissette, with Losing Grip. Drums on that track were played by American drummer Josh Freese, who has a regular gig at the moment with the Foo Fighters. In 2010 he appeared on Slash’s solo album playing drums on this track by Slash and Fergie. This is Beautiful Dangerous.
Beautiful Dangerous / Slash (feat. Fertile) (2010)
That was Slash and Fergie with Beautiful Dangerous. Prior to her solo career Fergie had of course, been a member of the Black Eyed Peas, who turned out gems like this.
My Humps / Black Eyed Peas (2005)
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we just heard My Humps by the Black Eyed Peas. Odd song that, do you think, the way it sticks an entirely different piece of music on the back end of it? Anyway, its a point of difference. That song, My Hupms, contains a great big sample of this 1989 classic.
Wild Thing / Tone-Loc (1989)
That was Tone-Loc with his 1989 classic-of-the-genre, Wild Thing. That song featured in Episode 2, season 12 of The Simpsons - A Tale Of Two Springfields, which also included this tune.
Behind Blue Eyes / Limp Bizkit (2003)
That was Limp Bizkit with their 2003 cover of The Who’s song Behind Blue Eyes, which appeared as track 8 on The Who’s 1971 album, Who’s Next? Track 9 was this one.
Wont Get Fooled Again / The Who (1971)
This is The Music Labyrinth and not an episode of CSI Miami, despite the fact that we have just listened to Wont Get Fooled Again by The Who. Unsurprisingly, that song appeared on the soundtrack album, CSI Miami: Original TV Soundtrack, on which you can also find Satellites, by the Manchester band, Doves.
Satellites / Doves (2002)
From their 2002 album, The Last Broadcast, that was Doves with Satellites. Released thirteen years earlier, but also called Satellites, was this song by Rickie Lee Jones.
Satellites / Rickie Lee Jones (1989)
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we last heard Rickie Lee Jones from her 1989 album Flying Cowboys, with the song Satellites. Keyboards on that track were played by the prolific American session musician Greg Philinganes who was once the musical director for Michael Jackson, and has worked with Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour and Toto. In 1997 and 1998, when Richie Sambora was putting together his second solo album, Undiscovered Soul, he managed to secure the talents of Greg Philinganes to play keyboards and perform backing vocals on the album. This is the opening track.
Made In America / Richie Sambora (1998)
That was Richie Sambora with Made In America, from his 1998 album Undiscovered Soul. In 2005 Richie Sambora contributed to a tribute album celebrating the contribution to music made by Les Paul: musician, inventor and guitar builder. The tribute album is called Les Paul & Friends and it was recorded when Les Paul was 90 years of age. From that album, this is Les Paul and Richie Sambora.
Let Me Roll It / Les Paul & Richie Sambora (2005)
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we just heard the 90 year old Les Paul with Richie Sambora perform a cover of the Wings song Let Me Roll It. I’m still a bit blown away by the fact that Les Paul was 90 when that album was recorded, so I’m staying with it for one more track. This time Les Paul is teaming up with Peter Frampton to deliver this version of a 1977 hit for The Atlanta Rhythm Section.
So Into You / Les Paul & Peter Fampton (2005)
From 2005, that was 90 year old Les Paul and Peter Frampton, with a cover of So Into you, originally recorded and released by the Atlanta Rhythm Section in 1977. Two years later, the Atlanta Rhythm Section had a massive hit with this tune.
Spooky / Atlanta Rhythm Section (1979)
On The Music Labyrinth lets take a breath to reflect on the history of the last song we heard, Spooky by the Atlanta Rhythm Section. Two of Atlanta Rhythm Section's members, J.R Cobb and Dean Daughtry, as well as their producer Buddy Buie, had been members of the vocal group Classics IV, who had enjoyed a hit with "Spooky" eleven years earlier in 1968. Then, in 1979, as members of the Atlanta Rhythm Section they made a cover of the song which was also a commercial success. Now, that got me thinking about songs that have been hits on multiple occasions, with a common link between the separate artists who recorded them. And I think I have a good example. The song we are about to hear was a hit in 1968 when two of Motown’s biggest acts combined to release it as The Supremes and The Temptations. Then, in 1970, Dianna Ross - who was, of course, a member of The Supremes - released a solo version of the song which was subsequently a number one hit for her. But we’re not listening to either of those versions, because the song was initially a hit in 1967 for Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. And, if you have not guessed by now what that song is, well - guess no more …
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough / Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell (1967)
That was Ain’t No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. Now here is an interesting version of a song you will know, recorded by Aretha Franklin in 2014 and containing what we call in the modern parlance an “interpolation” of the song we just heard.
Rolling In The Deep (The Aretha Version) / Aretha Franklin (2014)
That was Aretha Franklin with what is labelled “The Aretha Version” of Rolling In The Deep, and it comes from Aretha’s 2014 album called Aretha Franklin Sings The Great Diva Classics. And that song, Gentle Listener, has delivered us to the concluding tune of episode 103 of The Music Labyrinth. Thank you very much for your company tonight, and I hope you have enjoyed the music and not found the links between songs too indigestible. Please come back again in two weeks when we will do it all again - BUT with a difference! Yes, I have news about episode 104. It will be entirely programmed by Music Labyrinth Elves who are, right at this second, researching and scheming and toiling away to bring you a cracker next episode. I’m certainly looking forward to what they deliver, and I hope you are too. All that in 2 weeks. Now, to finish this episode, lets use the album Aretha Franklin Sings The Great Diva Classics as a pointer to our last tune. On that album, as you probably have gathered, Aretha covers a whole bunch of modern classics, including this one. Here is Gloria Gaynor with I Will Survive. Thanks for listening.
I Will Survive / Gloria Gaynor (1978)
Wild In The Streets / Garland Jeffreys (1972)
Hello Listener, and welcome to episode 103 of The Music Labyrinth. 103 can be expressed in Roman Numerals as CIII or, put a slightly different way: C, I, two Is. Now the concept of “seeing eye to eye” has been a popular one over the journey of modern music, but perhaps the most appropriate reflection on it for our purposes tonight was by US hip-hop act Salt-N-Pepa in their 1997 track, The Clock Is Ticking, which says, “We don't see eye-to-eye, Cuz you keep tellin' lies, You better recognize, the clock is tickin'”. Well it goes without saying that I’ll do my best not to tell you lies in episode 103 of The Music Labyrinth, but I DO recognise that the clock is ticking on this episode in which, once again, I have gone hard on the amount of music we are trying to pack into the available time. So, onwards. We started this episode with the 1972 song Wild In The Streets by Garland Jefferys and, as I alluded to at the end of the previous episode, until last episode I had only known that song by a cover version of it included in the track list of Skyhooks 1978 live recording, Live: Be In It. So, lets follow the obvious signs.
Ego (Is Not A Dirty Word) / Skyhooks (1975)
That was Skyhooks on The Music Labyrinth with Ego (Is Not A Dirty Word). You may have picked up the reference in the lyrics of that song to former US President Richard Nixon. Nixon’s name is not prolific in the lyrics of modern songs but unsurprisingly, when it does appear, it is often in the form of a message of protest. Here is a modest example of my point.
Ohio / Crosby Stills Nash & Young (1970)
From 1970, that was Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young with Ohio. In 2022 the online Magazine Paste produced an article nominating the 50 best protest songs of all time. the song we just heard was number 8 on that list, coming in just above this tune by Public Enemy.
Fight The Power / Public Enemy (1989)
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we last listened to the 1989 tune Fight The Power by Public Enemy. Now we spoke before the break about the regard that song is held in as a protest song. The song is also quite elaborate and complex in that it contains a high number of very short samples, including a sample of the drum break from this next tune which, as it turns out, is regarded as one of the most sampled tracks in music history. This is the James Brown tune, Funky Drummer.
Funky Drummer / James Brown (1969)
That was James Brown with Funky Drummer, recorded in 1969, and the song remains one of the most sampled in music history, particularly for Clyde Stubblefield’s drum break which you heard most prominently at the end of the track. Poor old Clyde never received a songwriting credit for Funky Drummer and has therefore not been considered entitled to royalties for the thousands of samples of his work that have appeared in subsequent recordings. Like this one.
Head Over Feet / Alanis Morissette (1995)
Head Over Feet by Alanis Morrisette was written by Alanis, and Glenn Ballard, and the single was produced by Glenn Ballard, who was a key collaborator on Alanis’s mega-album of 1995, Jagged Little Pill. Glenn Ballard has co-written plenty of songs with other performers. One of them was Lisa Marie Presley, who recorded this tune, co-written by herself, Glenn Ballard and Cliff Magness. This is S.O.B.
S.O.B. / Lisa Marie Presley (2003)
This is The Music Labyrinth and just before those messages we listened to S.O.B by Lisa Marie Presley, from her 2003 album To Whom It May Concern. I mentioned just before we played that song that one of the writers of it was Cliff Magness. Cliff was busy in 2003 because that same year he collaborated with Avril Lavigne on her debut album Let Go, which included this track co-written and produced by Cliff. This is Losing Grip.
Losing Grip / Avril Lavigne (2022)
That was Avril Lavigne on The Music Labyrinth, sounding (IMHO) very much like her fellow Canadian from 3 songs ago, Alanis Morissette, with Losing Grip. Drums on that track were played by American drummer Josh Freese, who has a regular gig at the moment with the Foo Fighters. In 2010 he appeared on Slash’s solo album playing drums on this track by Slash and Fergie. This is Beautiful Dangerous.
Beautiful Dangerous / Slash (feat. Fertile) (2010)
That was Slash and Fergie with Beautiful Dangerous. Prior to her solo career Fergie had of course, been a member of the Black Eyed Peas, who turned out gems like this.
My Humps / Black Eyed Peas (2005)
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we just heard My Humps by the Black Eyed Peas. Odd song that, do you think, the way it sticks an entirely different piece of music on the back end of it? Anyway, its a point of difference. That song, My Hupms, contains a great big sample of this 1989 classic.
Wild Thing / Tone-Loc (1989)
That was Tone-Loc with his 1989 classic-of-the-genre, Wild Thing. That song featured in Episode 2, season 12 of The Simpsons - A Tale Of Two Springfields, which also included this tune.
Behind Blue Eyes / Limp Bizkit (2003)
That was Limp Bizkit with their 2003 cover of The Who’s song Behind Blue Eyes, which appeared as track 8 on The Who’s 1971 album, Who’s Next? Track 9 was this one.
Wont Get Fooled Again / The Who (1971)
This is The Music Labyrinth and not an episode of CSI Miami, despite the fact that we have just listened to Wont Get Fooled Again by The Who. Unsurprisingly, that song appeared on the soundtrack album, CSI Miami: Original TV Soundtrack, on which you can also find Satellites, by the Manchester band, Doves.
Satellites / Doves (2002)
From their 2002 album, The Last Broadcast, that was Doves with Satellites. Released thirteen years earlier, but also called Satellites, was this song by Rickie Lee Jones.
Satellites / Rickie Lee Jones (1989)
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we last heard Rickie Lee Jones from her 1989 album Flying Cowboys, with the song Satellites. Keyboards on that track were played by the prolific American session musician Greg Philinganes who was once the musical director for Michael Jackson, and has worked with Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour and Toto. In 1997 and 1998, when Richie Sambora was putting together his second solo album, Undiscovered Soul, he managed to secure the talents of Greg Philinganes to play keyboards and perform backing vocals on the album. This is the opening track.
Made In America / Richie Sambora (1998)
That was Richie Sambora with Made In America, from his 1998 album Undiscovered Soul. In 2005 Richie Sambora contributed to a tribute album celebrating the contribution to music made by Les Paul: musician, inventor and guitar builder. The tribute album is called Les Paul & Friends and it was recorded when Les Paul was 90 years of age. From that album, this is Les Paul and Richie Sambora.
Let Me Roll It / Les Paul & Richie Sambora (2005)
Welcome back to The Music Labyrinth where we just heard the 90 year old Les Paul with Richie Sambora perform a cover of the Wings song Let Me Roll It. I’m still a bit blown away by the fact that Les Paul was 90 when that album was recorded, so I’m staying with it for one more track. This time Les Paul is teaming up with Peter Frampton to deliver this version of a 1977 hit for The Atlanta Rhythm Section.
So Into You / Les Paul & Peter Fampton (2005)
From 2005, that was 90 year old Les Paul and Peter Frampton, with a cover of So Into you, originally recorded and released by the Atlanta Rhythm Section in 1977. Two years later, the Atlanta Rhythm Section had a massive hit with this tune.
Spooky / Atlanta Rhythm Section (1979)
On The Music Labyrinth lets take a breath to reflect on the history of the last song we heard, Spooky by the Atlanta Rhythm Section. Two of Atlanta Rhythm Section's members, J.R Cobb and Dean Daughtry, as well as their producer Buddy Buie, had been members of the vocal group Classics IV, who had enjoyed a hit with "Spooky" eleven years earlier in 1968. Then, in 1979, as members of the Atlanta Rhythm Section they made a cover of the song which was also a commercial success. Now, that got me thinking about songs that have been hits on multiple occasions, with a common link between the separate artists who recorded them. And I think I have a good example. The song we are about to hear was a hit in 1968 when two of Motown’s biggest acts combined to release it as The Supremes and The Temptations. Then, in 1970, Dianna Ross - who was, of course, a member of The Supremes - released a solo version of the song which was subsequently a number one hit for her. But we’re not listening to either of those versions, because the song was initially a hit in 1967 for Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. And, if you have not guessed by now what that song is, well - guess no more …
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough / Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell (1967)
That was Ain’t No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. Now here is an interesting version of a song you will know, recorded by Aretha Franklin in 2014 and containing what we call in the modern parlance an “interpolation” of the song we just heard.
Rolling In The Deep (The Aretha Version) / Aretha Franklin (2014)
That was Aretha Franklin with what is labelled “The Aretha Version” of Rolling In The Deep, and it comes from Aretha’s 2014 album called Aretha Franklin Sings The Great Diva Classics. And that song, Gentle Listener, has delivered us to the concluding tune of episode 103 of The Music Labyrinth. Thank you very much for your company tonight, and I hope you have enjoyed the music and not found the links between songs too indigestible. Please come back again in two weeks when we will do it all again - BUT with a difference! Yes, I have news about episode 104. It will be entirely programmed by Music Labyrinth Elves who are, right at this second, researching and scheming and toiling away to bring you a cracker next episode. I’m certainly looking forward to what they deliver, and I hope you are too. All that in 2 weeks. Now, to finish this episode, lets use the album Aretha Franklin Sings The Great Diva Classics as a pointer to our last tune. On that album, as you probably have gathered, Aretha covers a whole bunch of modern classics, including this one. Here is Gloria Gaynor with I Will Survive. Thanks for listening.
I Will Survive / Gloria Gaynor (1978)