D-Sides, Orphans, and Oddities
Episodes
Saturday Nov 13, 2021
Some Great Songs From Past D-Sides Episodes!
Saturday Nov 13, 2021
Saturday Nov 13, 2021
Stevie Wonder - Light My Fire (1970) Listen to that bass player.
Syreeta Wright - Spinnin' and Spinnin' (1974) No one was EVER as hot as Stevie in the '70s, and the album this came from proves that even occupied with his own music, he can lovingly produce one of the best female-sung records of the '70s. I love this factoid from Wikipedia:
Three artists who performed on this album (Stevie Wonder, Deniece Williams, Michael Sembello) would all have Billboard number one songs ("I Just Called to Say I Love You", "Let's Hear It for the Boy", and "Maniac", respectively) within a year of each other, a decade after this album's release. Another artist on this album, Ollie Brown of Ollie & Jerry, would have a Billboard top ten single, "Breakin'... There's No Stopping Us", in the same one-year period.
The song "Come And Get This Stuff" was originally intended for Rufus, but lead singer Chaka Khan refused to do the song. Instead, Stevie wrote "Tell Me Something Good" for them which appeared on their album Rags to Rufus.
There's no word to describe how good he was in this five-year period.
This song made it to #49 in the UK, and never a peep in the US, which is a shame.
Gentle Giant - Weekend Cowboy (1970) I love their sound on these early demos. Less prog than they would become, a sort of The Band meets Harry Chapin. Through the filter of England, of course.
Godley and Creme - Random Brainwaves/I Pity Inanimate Objects (1979) When Gary Storm played this on Buffalo's WIZR 107.7, I had never heard anything like it. I still love what they did with the backing vocals.
Jimmy "Bo" Horne - Dance Across The Floor (1978)
Lawrence Hilton Jacobs - Larry's Theme (1978) He was Freddie "Boom Boom" Washington on Welcome Back, Kotter and Michael Jackson's father Joe on The Jacksons: An American Dream ("Get the switch!") but I actually find his albums in the late '70s very listenable, especially this. So much shit came out from TV stars around that era. Scott Baio was the worst.
Les Humphries Singers - Mexico (1972) Included here because doing this show helped me discover them. My one-man raison d'être is to make you a believer! It's not that good. Just a strange pre-sampling curio.
Nino Tempo and April Stevens - Love Story (1972) From Buffalo, NY! Their biggest hit was "Deep Purple" from 1963. They were siblings. God, she was beautiful. Her first record came out in 1950 (!) but her biggest solo hit was "Teach Me, Tiger" from 1960. She reprised this in 1965, but this was virtually the same recording, with dialog implying that she had kidnapped one of The Beatles in order to seduce him. Just wow. I love it.
Men At Work - Down Under (original, non-hit version) (1980)
A brief retelling of The Greg Ham Story. Don't Do Drugs.
Mudcrutch - Don't Do Me Like That (original, non-hit version) (1974) The almost note-for-note prototype for the Tom Petty hit a few years later.
The Osmonds - War in Heaven (1973)
Sammy Davis Jr. - John Shaft (1972) Ok, ok. Shaft. Ok! Shut up and let me finish my dinner.
Sha Na Na PSA (1972)
Pink Floyd - Scream Thy Last Scream (1967) I was surprised to learn that Nick Mason sang this.
Bee Gees - Lovers (1976) This is a very strange and wonderful album track from a band on its....third ascension?
Sensational Alex Harvey Band - The Dolphins (1979) I love this song as much as any I have ever played on D-Sides. I never would have heard it if not for this show.
The Langley Schools Music Project - The Long and Winding Road (1977) You should read about this. I think I read about this in RE/Search magazine.
The Residents - Give it To Someone Else (1980) Every song on The Commercial Album is about 60 seconds long. There are 20 per side.
Wild Cherry - Baby Don't You Know (1977) A wonderful, horrible attempt to recapture the lightning of the last single, "Play That Funky Music". THIS is how you follow up a fluke hit:
One more timeWell we play that funky musicAnd we were looking so good yeahElectrified funky feelingWas coming down like I thought it wouldSo we went out on the road yeahTry to get ourselves aheadAnd on the way I was surprised to discoverThat all those funky peopleHad been misled, they were shouting outBlack? NO! White? Right!, Oh what a sight!I really didn't know the suckers was whiteBaby don't you know, Baby don't you knowBaby don't you know, Baby don't you knowThat the honkey's got soulBaby don't you know, Baby don't you knowBaby don't you know, Baby don't you knowThat the honkey's got soul
Roger Nichols and Small Circle of Friends - Don't Go Breaking My Heart (1968) So beautiful, especially the "Middle 8". Just amazing harmonies.
The Free Design - Day Breaks (2001) This will be my funeral song. I don't WANT a funeral. Just a little party for people to remember funny stories about me. In life, very few people are still in touch with me in an earnest sense. People have come and gone and sometimes I look around and wonder if someone should have bought me a ball gag long ago. Still, even after all the mistakes I have made in my life and my dealings with people I have lost, I know deep down that some people will be genuinely touched by the fact that we met and decided to be in each other's lives for as long as we had. If you listen to this song and put yourself in that place, celebrate the people who DID choose to be with you, no matter WHAT you said. Everyone is broken. Everyone. You're not alone.
Co-written by my friend Bruce Dedrick.
The Free Design - Friendly Man (1971)
Adriano Celentano - Prisencolinensinainciusol (1972) This song is being used for a commercial in the US. I like to think it's because of me.
The Beatles - Revolution (Take...Your Knickers Off!) (1968)
Monday Feb 22, 2021
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
Monday Feb 22, 2021
Monday Feb 22, 2021
Dee Dee Warwick - You’re No Good (1963)
The original version that, to my ears, cuts the Ronstadt version in half. Clint Ballard also wrote "The Game of Love" for Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders. Look at that slugabed 2nd to the right. That's Eric Stewart of 10cc. Comb your hair, hippie.
Doc Severinsen - Barbarella (1968) The theme to the soft-core romp featuring Jane Fonda. Check out the party scene for a frugging Spiro Agnew. Doc Severinsen was the comic foil and bandleader for Johnny Carson. With the funny suit jackets, etc.
Doris (with Plums) - You Made a Fool of Me (1968) While this single is not from this album, it IS a bonus track if you can find this. I love her stuff. In fact, I confess to you right now that my song, "Epiphany", steals the first three chords of the verse. Those nutty Swedes. First, we steal ABBA. Then we steal this.
Gary Crosby - I'm Gonna Call My Baby (1967) Son of the guy that sang "Hey Jude".
James Iron Head Baker & Group - Black Betty (1933) A rendition of the slave song. Later, a hit for Ram Jam, who's singer was previously in The Lemon Pipers, who had a hit with "Green Tambourine."
Johnny Buckett and his Cumberland River Boys - Hippie in a Blunder (1967-8) The anti-hippie sentiment of the late '60s was silly, tone-deaf (Bob Seger and Jan and Dean recorded anti-peacenik songs), and ultimately unnecessary since the peace movement itself would be bought, sold, repackaged, and neutered entirely just a couple of years later.
Roxy Music - Manifesto (1979) I can't listen to Brian Ferry's vibrato for a very long time, but this song seems to be a good fit. Like a salesman.
Redbone - Fais Do (1972) My confession. She will never see this post, but I used to dream about singing "Julie, Do Ya Love Me" to Julie Pawlowski (of Emporium Avenue) all the time. I still would. My god, I owned this on 8-track, a 2 tape set. I don't remember the TV commercial but there had to be one. "Magic Carpet Ride", "Fais Do", "Family Affair", so many songs. One after the other. Do you ever hear a song and snap into a place and time that hasn't entered your mind in decades? I got on the bus a few stops before her and would always sit in the middle of the two-space seat so that no one would take her spot. I think it worked once.
Gladys Knight and the Pips - Come Together (1975)
The Harvey Averne Dozen - The Word (1967) This is one of my favorite Beatle covers. Simple and funky.
Sonny and Cher - It’s Gonna Rain (1965) No one talks about this b-side, the best thing I think Sonny or Cher ever did. His voice actually compliments the lyrics. There's a version where two different (and I mean different) lead vocal takes are played simultaneously. I don't think Sonny was that subversive, to be honest. Intentionally.
Steve Clayton - (Girls Are Imitating) Twiggy (1967) Discogs: Vocalist and songwriter with a long and varied career. Released numerous singles in the late 1950s and early 1960s in various musical styles but never achieved a hit.
I like Steve Clayton a real lot. This is very similar music to "Music To Watch Girls By" which was a hit at the time. He is like Mel Tormé true, but I can hear another music industry schlepper, Tony Bruno.
If you are a vinyl junkie-type person and you marinate in the smoky studios of the '70s in your mind occasionally, do me a favor: Find a copy of his 1978 album Steve Not David. Does he mean David Clayton Thomas? I mean, by that time, no one cared about either one.
The Beach Boys - Belles of Paris (1978) Horribly uncomfortable Mike Love emoting of some pretty awful lyrics, even by his standards.
Bobby Byrd - I Know You Got Soul (1971)
Bobby Lee Trammell - New Dance in France (1964) ANOTHER music orphan. He tried to be Jerry Lee Lewis, and he came THAT close, but the fates dictated otherwise. God, this episode of my show is sadder than usual. Listen for the fake audience and the attempt to glom onto Beatlemania. Unlike Tony Bruno and Steve Clayton, Trammell DOES have a Wikipedia page.
Boffalongo - Dancing In The Moonlight (1970) The original version. The version that hit big was actually the third version.
Adam West - Miranda (1966)
The Free Design - Friends (Thank You All) (1971)
Alex Harvey was the original punk. His singing career began in fucking 1958. It would be 17 YEARS before he sniffed the Top 40 in the UK, and people in the USA have never heard of him mostly. But those of us who have heard of SAHB are a universally smitten lot. This was a fantastic group that never took itself too seriously. This is a common thread in great bands. They recorded until 1978, but unlike other groups of the time, their last album, Rock Drill, was just as good as the ones they recorded at their peak of popularity. I present my favorite SAHB tracks. But I like many more.
Sensational Alex Harvey Band - Hot City Symphony (1974)
Sensational Alex Harvey Band - Give My Compliments To The Chef (1975)
Sensational Alex Harvey Band - Shake That Thing (1975)
Sensational Alex Harvey Band - The Dolphins (1979)
Johnny Mathis - Love Is All (Theme from “Midnight Cowboy”) (1970)
Lorne Greene - Bonanza! (1964)
Andy Williams - Music To Watch Girls By (1967)
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Rodd Keith - Let's Go Savage You And I (?) A song-poem.
Leonard Nimoy - I Walk The Line (1970)
Starland Vocal Band - Liberated Woman (1977) I mentioned this song on the Setlusting Bruce podcast. I called this my favorite (or was it least favorite) SVB song, because of my love for the chauvinistic sentiment masked as chivalry.
Nino Tempo and April Stevens - Love Story (1972) #5 in the Netherlands! From Buffalo, NY!!!
Eric Burdon & The Animals - Mama Told Me Not To Come (1967)
Neil Sedaka - Dimbo Man (1972)