Year: 2017
Original Format: MP3
Connoisseurs of my oeuvre, if there were any, might notice that parts of this are lifted from a mix CD I made about 20 years ago. What can I say, I’m a sucker for certain songs and segues over and over again. That’s my thing.
Playlist after the jump.
Playlist:
Between High Spots Words: Hunter S. Thompson; Voice: Willis from Wyoming
A clip from my radio show at UC Santa Cruz circa 1987. Hunter sadly is no longer with us, but Willis is alive and well and now living in Montana.
Come in Out of the Rain Parliament
Why this song didn’t become a monster hit that you hear on the radio all the time mystifies me. But while the George Clinton P-Funk axis produced oodles of great music, marketing and promotion were never strengths.
What’s Your Thing The Staple Singers
This song does not generally appear on “Best of the Staple Singers” compilations, which means either that they had an insane number of great songs or that people have questionable taste. Probably both.
Speaking About Love and Happiness Rev. Albert Cobbs
I purchased Rev. Cobbs’ LP in a thrift shop some years back, and never once have I regretted the purchase. He is among the great pulpit shouters of all time, and he has good taste in music, too.
Love and Happiness Al Green
“‘Love and Happiness’ was like mixing explosive chemicals — everything had to be added at just the right time and at just the right dose.” –Al Green
The Upsetters Jungle Lion
Not so much a cover as a piece of “Love and Happiness” DNA thrown into a Petri dish and left to evolve into something else.
Pass the Word (Love’s the Word) – Part 1 The Mad Lads
I would pay a lot of money to be transported back in time to the room where this was recorded.
The Word The Beatles
“We smoked a bit of pot, then we wrote out a multicoloured lyric sheet, the first time we’d ever done that. We normally didn’t smoke when we were working. It got in the way of songwriting because it would just cloud your mind up – ‘Oh, shit, what are we doing?’ It’s better to be straight. But we did this multicolour thing.” –Paul McCartney
Pass the Word (Love’s the Word) – Part 2 The Mad Lads
We Love You The Rolling Stones
This was as full-on peace-and-love as the Stones ever got, and they still don’t sound like they 100% mean it.
Love, Peace & Happiness The Chambers Brothers
A great chance for the DJ to take a smoke break. One can easily picture Dr. Johnny Fever — many years pre-WKRP, back when he was still known as “Johnny Sunshine” — putting this on and stepping outside for a doob.
I Like the Trouble Mystery Professor
Many years ago I recorded this snippet, from PBS I think, to videocassette and then audio cassette. The original source is long forgotten — some documentary about the Declaration of Independence, I think.
Happiness Tones on Tail
Happiness Built to Spill
“‘Happiness’ is the subject of debate on usage and meaning, and on possible differences in understanding by culture.” –Wikipedia
Hope You’re Happy Blakroc feat. Billy Danze, Q-Tip, and Nicole Wray
Blackroc was the Black Keys’ hip-hop project, and for my money the best thing they’ve ever done.
I’m So Happy Now The Young Rascals
(What’s So Funny About) Peace, Love & Understanding? Brinsley Schwarz
Elvis Costello made this song famous, but this was the original, written and sung by Nick Lowe. It was, somehow, both behind and ahead of its time… and so timeless.