Not Sons, Daughters

Three Hundred Thirty-Two

Artist - Joni Mitchell
Album - Don Juan's Reckless Daughter
Released - 1977
Label - Asylum
Genre - Folk/Pop

Tracks:
Side One
Overture - Cotton Avenue
Talk to Me
Jericho
Side Two
Paprika Plans
Side Three
Otis and Marlena
The Tenth World
Dreamland
Side Four
Don Juan's Reckless Daughter
Off Night Backstreet
The Silky Veils of Ardor

Enjoy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMES TAYLOR

Two Hundred Twenty-Six

Artist - James Taylor
Album - Sweet Baby James
Released - 1970
Label - Warner Bros.
Genre - Rock/Folk

Tracks:
Sweet Baby James
Lo and Behold
Sunny Skies
Steamroller
Country Road
Oh Susannah
Fire and Rain
Blossom
Anywhere Like Heaven
Oh Baby, Don't You Loose
Your Lip on Me
Suite for 20G

The second album by singer/songwriter James Taylor, I decided to play this Sweet Baby James on his birthday which was March 12, 2013.

Enjoy!

Takin' It Back....WAY BACK

Three Hundred Twenty

Artist - Joe Tex
Album - Soul Country
Released - 1968
Label - Atlantic
Genre - Folk/Soul/Country

Tracks:
Side One
I'll Never Do You Wrong
Ode to Billie Joe
The Dark End of the Street
Funny How Time Slips Away
Engine Engine Number Nine
Side Two
Skip A Rope
Green Green Grass of Home
Set Me Free
By The Time I Get to Phoenix
Honey

The similarities between R&B and country music are deeper than generally realized by adherents of either field.  Country songs, like R&B songs are about events that touch the minds and hearts of ordinary people.  The main subject matter for both forms of music is love: love that brings joy or love that brings pain, love requited and love unrequited, young love, jealous love, true love.  Country songs may be more descriptive, R&B songs are more emotional.  But both tell it like it is -- without pretense, without adornment.

Perhaps that is why Joe Tex, one of the country's greatest R&B stars, whose recordings have graced the top of the best-selling charts throughout the world, can sing outstanding country hits of the past year and invest them with such warmth and feeling that in spite of their familiarity they sound fresh and new again.  It takes an extraordinary performer like Joe Tex to revitalize Bobbie Gentry's Ode to Billie Joe, Glenn Campbell's By The Time I Get To Phoenix, or Bobby Goldsboro's Honey, let alone such well known country standards as Engine Engine Number None, Funny How Time Slips Away, Green Green Grass of Home and Set Me Free.

It is not surprising that Joe Tex should turn to country material for this new album.  He is closer to the country field tat most soul artists.  One of his earliest idols was Hank Williams.  His record company, Dial Records, is based in Nashville.  He has recorded all of his hits in Nashville, from Hold What You Got to Skinny Legs and All.  And Joe Tex's record produced, Buddy Killen, is one of the owners of a most successful music publishing firm, Tree Music, which handles a large number of top country songwriters.  (The other owner of Tree is Jack Stapp.)

In addition to the well known country songs in this album, there is a new Joe Tex song, I'll Never Do You Wrong.  Joe is a famous for his songs as his hit records; almost all of his hit singles (and he has had 20 in a row) have contained his own material.  I'll Never Do You Wrong adds another hit to his string.  This album adds a new facet to Joe Tex's career; it stakes out and validates his claim to "Soul Country."

Enjoy!

On The Wire

Two Hundred Eighty-Eight

Artist - Leonard Cohen
Album - Songs From A Room
Released - 1969
Label - Columbia
Genre - Folk

Tracks:
Bird On The Wire
Story of Isaac
A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes
The Partisan
Seems So Long Ago, Nancy
The Old Revolution
The Butcher
You Know Who I Am
Lady Midnight
Tonight Will Be Fine

If you don't know much of Leonard Cohen, then it's not too hard to get involved.  Leonard Cohen is one smooth singing guy and his voice is just as calm as can be.  Songs From A Room is Leonard Cohen's second album, which in 1969 it reached #63 on the US Billboard Charts and #2 on the UK Charts.  I am starting to think I need a little bit more Leonard Cohen in my life to calm me down, bring me back to reality.

Enjoy!

Warmth

Two Hundred Fifty-Five

Artist - Sharon Van Etten
Album - Tramp
Released - 2012
Label - Jagjaguwar
Genre - Indie Rock/Folk

Tracks
Side A
Warsaw
Give Out
Serpents
Kevin's
Leonard
In Line
Side B
All I Can
We Are Fine
Magic Chords
Ask
I'm Wrong
Joke or a Lie

Enjoy!

One, Two

Two Hundred Thirty-Two

Artist - Dirty Three
Album - Cinder
Released - 2005
Label - Touch and Go Records
Genre - Instrumental/Folk Rock

Tracks:
This Side
Ever Since
She Passed Through
Amy
Sad Sexy
Cinders
That Side
This Might
Flutter
The Zither Player
It Happened
Other Side
Great Waves (feat. Chan Marshall)
Dream Evie
Feral
Doris
Rain On
Last Side
Ember
Michele
Too Soon, Too Late
Last Dance
In Fall

Dirty Three is a band from Australia who have definitely slipped under my radar.  Thank you to my lovely boyfriend for introducing me to this band and much to my surprise, after listening to this record, I discovered Chan Marshall sang on one of the tracks.  After I heard that, I had to look up who this band was and how I have managed to go so long without acknowledging their existence.  I immediately Google'd the name and when reading about the members in the band, I was instantly surprised.  WARREN ELLIS!!!  Though it's not Warren Ellis the Writer, because after seeing that I went to his Twitter which stated Not Australian Musician.  I instantly laughed at that.  Anyway, this album is Dirty Three's ninth studio album and by doing a little research, it was recorded in 10 days.  

Enjoy!

A Natural Woman

Two Hundred Twenty-Three

Artist - Carole King
Album - Tapestry
Released - 1971
Label - Ode
Genre - Folk/Pop

Tracks:
Side One
I Feel The Earth Move
So Far Away
It's Too Late
Home Again
Beautiful
Way Over Yonder
Side Two
You've Got a Friend
Where You Lead
Will You Love Me Tomorrow?
Smackwater Jck
Tapestry
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

One of the best selling albums of all-time, Carole King's Tapestry is golden.  This album, from start to  finish, is one of the greatest ever.  Most of these songs have been covered by many, Carole King is one of the best selling female solo artists of all time.  It amazes me that this album  has been listed on the Billboard 200 for 300 weeks between 1971 - 2011.  That, right there, is IMPRESSIVE.  Such a soothing and relaxing album, Carole King's voice, the way she sings each song, will put you in a relaxation state.  Definitely one album to have in your collection, hands down!

Enjoy!

Folk

Two Hundred Twenty-One

Artist - Simon & Garfunkel
Album - Bookends
Released - 1968
Label - Columbia
Genre - Folk

Tracks:
Side One
Bookends Theme (Instrumental)
Save The Life Of My Child
America
Overs
Voices of Old People
Old Friends
Bookends Theme
Side Two
Fakin' It
Punky's Dilemma
Mrs. Robinson
A Hazy Shade of Winter

On a day like today, I felt like playing this record.  It brought me into a state of calm and after today, I'm glad I decided to go with this record.  In life, nothing is every easy, but you have to make the most of it, regardless of the circumstances.  As heavy as today was, it came to me that I'm alive, I am free and I  have loved ones around me.  Nothing could be better.  I even have my music, my records and just the comfort of that made this evening a good one.

The fourth album by Simon & Garfunkel and also produced by them, Bookends has two of my favorite Simon and Garfunkel songs ever.  Mrs. Robinson and A Hazy Shade of Winter are my all-time favorite. Also, when listening to this album, it reminds me of when I used to work at the law school some years back and I would get these random voicemails with Simon  Garfunkel songs.  Of course I never discovered who it was, but I just thought that was the oddest thing.  All is well in the land of Rachel today and every day after today!

Enjoy!

Phemonenal

Two Hundred Nineteen

Artist - Johnny Cash
Album - I Walk The Line
Released - 1964
Label - Columbia
Genre - Blues/Folk

Tracks:
I Walk The Line
Bad News
Folsom Prison Blies
Give My Love To Rose
Hey Porter
I Still Miss Someone
Understand Your Man
Wreck of the Old 97
Still In Town
Big River
Goodbye, Little Darlin' Goodbye
Troublesome Waters

A phenomenal probably unique to the Country and Western and fold song fields is the composer who is also the best singer of his own songs.  One of the notably gifted - and most successful - examples in recent years is Johnny Cash, whose hit recordings of original compositions have appeared repeatedly on national best-seller charts.  Endowed with a vibrant, virile baritone voice, he is one of the best songwriting talents since the legendary Hank Williams.

The title of Johnny's new collection, I WALK THE LINE, is also the title of the million-seller that catapulted him into the national spotlight only a few years ago. Appropriately, the song leads off this album which includes six Cash originals and one collaboration.  After he sings Bad News ("I'm bad news, always gettin' into trouble"), the effect of which Johnny heightens by a devilish chuckle, he follows with three other famous Cash originals, the grim Folsom Prison Blues ("I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die"), the poignant Give My Love To Rose ("the words a dyin' fella said") and Hey Porter ("tell me the time, how much longer will it be till we cross the Mason-Dixie line?"), a jubilant going-home song.  I Still Miss Someone is a sentimental song Johnny wrote to brother Roy's words.

I WALK THE LINE offers Johnny Cash, renowned story-teller-in-song, at his creative and performing best.

Enjoy!

Where to Begin

My heart melted in 2002 when I heard his angelic voice, read those wonderful lyrics and set eyes on that beautiful face.  My one hundred sixty-third pick:

Artist - Jeff Buckley
Album - Grace
Released - 1994
Label - Columbia
Genre - Alternative Rock, Folk

Tracks:
Mojo Pin
Grace
Last Goodbye
Lilac Wine
So Real
Hallelujah
Lover, You Should've Come Over
Corpus Christi Carol (For Roy)
Eternal Life
Dream Brother

One of my ALL-TIME favorite records, Jeff Buckley's Grace is the epitome of what I love about music and lyrics, HANDS DOWN.  Another artist gone too soon, this record is the only complete studio album by Jeff Buckley.  Let me start by saying when I first heard this record, I swear I had it on repeat for months.  When I make mix CDs for my car, I always date them and I know between 2002 - 2004, Jeff Buckley's music was definitely on heavy rotation.  For that long until today, I've always been in love with his voice and his music.  Lover, You Should've Come Over, I think is what did me in.  How can a voice so angelic and so peaceful be so mesmerizing?  Not only that, Grace, Last Goodbye and Eternal Life round up more of my favorite songs.  A little quote about Eternal Life that I absolutely love, "This is a song about...this is an angry song. Life's too short and too complicated for people behind desks and people making masks to ruin other people's lives, initiating force against other people's lives, on the basis of their income, their color, their class, their religious  beliefs, their whatever..."  If that isn't the truth for you, than I don't know what to say.  A man who speaks his mind through his heart and his music definitely reflects that.

Enjoy!

Love-sick is me, time will defeat, the feeling of need to be relentless and free!

One Hundred Fifty-Eighth

Artist - Bob Dylan
Album - Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits
Released - 1967
Label - Columbia
Genre - Rock, Folk

Tracks:
Side 1
Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
Blowin' in the Wind
The Times They Are A-Changin
It Ain't Me Babe
Like A Rolling Stone
Side 2
Mr. Tambourine Man
Subterranean Homesick Blues
I Want You
Positively 4th Street
Just Like A Woman

The eight album released, Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits makes for one fantastic record.  It contains the Top 40 singles by Dylan through 1967.  I believe it was just this week where I was listening to a playlist and think about how fantastic it would be to add some Bob Dylan on my blog, but where to start.  When I looked through the records and I found that my roommate had THIS record, I couldn't resist.  With his harmonica playing and semi-high pitched, cracked voice, the songs on this record make me think about being in love, especially when I listen to I Want You.  That being said, the title on this blog relates to how I felt when I heard this record.  Those are my words, from the heart and when that's exactly how I feel when I listen to Bob Dylan.  Like A Rolling Stone is a classic indeed and when I hear it, I always sing-a-long to it.  Positively, a great record!!

Enjoy!