Slow Dance

My favorite slow dance. First danced to this song as a teenager going to the local dances at the schools and Wagner's Ballroom. This was my first dance with Becky at our wedding and also the parents of the bride dance at our daughter's wedding.

Here's a quick list of some other of my favorite slow songs of that time:

• The Dells - Oh What A Night
• The Platters - Only You
• The Heartbeats - A Thousand Miles Away
• Little Anthony & The Imperials - Tears On My Pillows
• The Marvelettes - Forever
• Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - Ooo Baby Baby
• Martha & The Vandallas - Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things)
• The Chantels - Look In My Eyes
• The Moonglows - Sincerely
• The Five Satins - In The Still Of The Night
• Lee Andrews & The Hearts - Long Lonely Nights
• The Pentagons - To Be Loved
• The Duprees - You Belong To Me
• The Shirelles - Dedicated To The One I Love
• The Jive Five - My True Story
• The Dreamlovers - You Gave Me Somebody To Love
• Aaron Neville - Tell It Like It Is
• Sam & Dave - When Something Is Wrong With My Baby
• The Delfonics - La La Means I Love You
• The Intruders - Slow Drag
• Percy Sledge - It Tears Me Up
• The Dells - Stay In My Corner

Night Train - Jazz Time

The eighth mix in my Jazz Time series of classic jazz from my collection.

1. Jimmy Smith & Wes Montgomery - Night Train (Jimmy & Wes: The Dynmic Duo, 1966)
2. Ray Bryant - The Madison Time (The Madison Time, 1960)
3. Bobby Hutcherson - 8/4 Beat (Stick-Up, 1966)
4. Richard "Groove" Holmes - Misty (Misty, 1966)
5. Roy Ayers - Sound And Sense (West Coast Vibe, 1963)
6. Miles Davis - Oleo (Bag's Groove, 1954)
7. Hank Crawford - Mr. Blues (Mr. Blues, 1967)
8. Oscar Peterson Trio - Something's Coming (West Side Story, 1962)
9. Dizzy Gillespie - Leap Frog (Bird & Diz, 1952)
10. John Coltrane - Bahia (Bahia, 1965)
11. Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Sweet 'n' Sour (Caravan, 1962)
12. Horace Silver - Cool Eyes (Six Pieces Of Silver, 1956)
13. Dexter Gordon - Hanky Panky (Clubhouse, 1965)
14. Duke Pearson - Chili Peppers (The Right Touch, 1968)

Glass of Beer - Uinta Anniversary Barley Wine Ale

Time for something real after a week of alternative facts. Anniversary Barley Wine Ale from Uinta Brewing Co. Salt Lake City Utah and brewed with wind and solar power.  A very serious barleywine ale.

Stepping Stones - Jazz Time

Jazz Night continues with some funky jazz. Mostly from the 70's.

1. Johnny Harris - Stepping Stones (Stepping Stones, 1970)
2. The Crusaders - Put It Where You Want It (The Crusaders 1, 1970)
3. Ramsey Lewis - Sun Goddess (Sun Goddess, 1974)
4. Ahmad Jamal - Superstition (Ahmad Jamal '73, 1973)
5. Brother Jack McDuff - The Shadow Of Your Smile (Tobacco Road, 1967)
6. Johnny Hammond - Star Borne (Gambler's Life, 1974)
7. Herbie Hancock - Hang Up Your Hang Ups (Man-Child, 1975)
8. Donald Byrd - Street Lady (Street Lady, 1973)
9. Mongo Santamaria - Watermelon Man (Watermelon Man, 1963)
10. Idris Muhammed - Crab Apple (Turn This Mutha Out, 1977)
11. Lonnie Liston Smith - Afrodesia (Afrodesia, 1975)
12. Don Wilkerson - Dem Tambourines (Preach Brother, 1962)

This Can't Be Today - Songs 1984

Songs 1984
Rock, jangle pop and new wave from albums in my collection released in 1984. Another mix in my Songs 1984 series.

1. The Rain Parade - This Can't Be Today (Emergency Third Rail Power Trip)
2. Julian Cope - Sunspots (Fried)
3. Gun Club - Eternally Is Here (The Las Vegas Story)
4. Hoodoo Gurus - I Want You Back (Stoneage Romeos)
5. Lyres - Don't Give It Up (On Fyre)
6. Los Lobos - Don't Worry Baby (How Will The Wolf Survive?)
7. David Bowie - Blue Jean (Tonight)
8. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - Cherry Bomb (Glorious Results Of A Misspent Youth)
9. Guadalcanal Diary - Watusi Rodeo (Walking In The Shadow Of The Big Man)
10. Red Hot Chili Peppers - True Men Don't Kill Coyotes (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
11. Box Of Frogs - Two Steps Ahead (Box Of Frogs)
12. Pretenders - My City Was Gone (Learning To Crawl)
13. The Psychedelic Furs - Heaven (Mirror Moves)
14. R.E.M, - (Don't Go Back To) Rockville (Reckoning)
15. The Long Ryders - Ivory Tower (Native Sons)
16. Let's Active - Waters Part (Cypress)
17. Husker Du - Pink Turns To Blue (Zen Arcade)
18. The dB's - Amplifier (Like This)
19. The Cult - Spiritwalker (Dreamtime)
20. Echo & The Bunnymen - Silver (Tidal Wave) (Ocean Rain)

Vinyl Spins - No NY

Vinyl Spins - No New York
Had this record on the turntable today. First time in decades and I got to admit that this one was never in high rotation back in the day or since. It was a compilation album released in 1978 that I picked up a little later while perusing the local record store and hanging out with the clerks talking about music. I gave it a try because it was produced by Brian Eno and had the bands Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, The Contortions, DNA and Mars which were getting some press in the NY underground music scene. One of the odd things about the record was the lyric sheet was intentionally printed on the inside of the sleeve on the original release which made it inaccessible. I tried reading it again today.  This record did introduce me to some musicians I collected over the years... Lydia Lunch,  Arto Lindsay and that sax manic James Chance.

My Melancholy Baby - Jazz Time

The seventh mix of my new Jazz Time series. More classic jazz.

1. Dizzy Gillespie - My Melancholy Baby (Bird & Diz, 1952)
2. Billie Holiday - Lady Sings The Blues (Lady Sings The Blues, 1956)
3. Coleman Hawkins - I'm In The Mood For Love (Body and Soul, 1996)
4. Bud Powell - April In Paris (Best of Bud Powell on Verve, 1994)
5. John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman - My One And Only Love (John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman, 1963)
6. Miles Davis - Flamenco Sketches (Kind of Blue, 1959)
7. Stan Getz & Chet Baker - I'll Remember April (Stan Meets Chet, 1958)
8. Bill Evans - 'Round Midnight (You're Gonna Hear From Me, 1988)
9. Dexter Gordon - I'm A Fool To Want You (Clubhouse, 1965)
10. Art Tatum - Tea For Two (Best of Art Tatum, 2005)
11. Lennie Tristano - These Foolish Things (Lennie Tristano, 1956)
12. Oscar Peterson - Love Is Here To Stay (Oscar Peterson Plays the George Gershwin Songbook, 1959)

Here I Am Again - Songs 1974

Classic rock and soul music from albums in my collection released in 1974. Love songs.








Percy Sledge in the pic.

1. Candi Staton - Here I Am Again (Candi)
2. Percy Sledge - I'll Be Your Everything (I'll Be Your Everything)
3. Minnie Riperton - Lovin' You (Perfect Angel)
4. Chicago - (I've Been) Searchin' So Long (Chicago VII)
5. Gordon Lightfood - Sundown (Sundown)
6. Gram Parsons - Love Hurts (Grievous Angel)
7. Bill Withers - Heartbreak Road (+'Justments)
8. Stevie Wonder - Too Shy To Say (Fulfillingness' First Finale)
9. Aretha Franklin - I'm In Love (Let Me In Your Life)
10. Al Green - Sha-La-La (Make Me Happy) (Explores Your Mind)
11. Bee Gees - Mr. Natural (Mr. Natural)
12. Elton John - Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me (Caribou)
13. Joe Cocker - You Are So Beautiful (I Can Stand A Little Rain)
14. Bryan Ferry - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (Another Time Another Place)
15. Ohio Players - I Want To Be Free (Fire)
16. Linda Ronstadt - The Dark End Of The Street (Heart Like A Wheel)
17. Jackson Browne - Late For The Sky (Late For The Sky)
18. George Harrison - So Sad (Dark Horse)

The Glamorous Life - Songs 1984

The third mix of my Songs 1984 series.

1. Sheila E. - The Glamorous Life (The Glamorous Life)
2. Prince - Erotic City (The Hits/B-Sides)
3. The Time - Jungle Love (Ice Cream Castle)
4. Chaka Khan - I Feel For You (I Feel For You)
5. Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax (Welcome To The Pleasuredome)
6. Fad Gadget - Collapsing New People (Gag)
7. Tones On Tail - Go (Everything!)
8. The Stranglers - Skin Deep (Aural Sculpture)
9. Depeche Mode - Master And Servant (Some Great Reward)
10. Ultravox - Dancing With Tears In My Eyes (Lament)
11. Martha & The Muffins - Black Stations/White Stations (Mystery Walk)
12. Wang Chung - Dance Hall Days (Points On The Curve)
13. The Psychedelic Furs - Heartbeat (Mirror Moves)
14. Bananarama - Cruel Summer (Bananarama)
15. Bronski Beat - Smalltown (The Age Of Consent)
16. INXS - I Send A Message (The Swing)

This Could Be The Day - Songs 1984

Another set of music from my collection released in 1984.

1. Robyn Hitchcock - This Could Be The Day (I Often Dream Of Trains)
2. The Psychedelic Furs - The Ghost In You (Mirror Moves)
3. U2 - Bad (The Unforgettable Fire)
4. Thomas Dolby - I Scare Myself (The Flat Earth)
5. Echo & The Bunnymen - The Killing Moon (Ocean Rain)
6. Cocteau Twins - Lorelei (Treasure)
7. The Cure - The Caterpillar (The Top)
8. David Bowie - Loving The Alien (Tonight)
9. Julian Cope - The Greatest And Perfection Of Love (World Shut Your Mouth)
10. The Smiths - What Difference Does It Make? (The Smiths)
11. R.E.M. - Pretty Persuasion (Reckoning)
12. Let's Active - Blue Line (Cypress)
13. Pretenders - Back On The Chain Gang (Learning To Crawl)
14. The Bangles - Going Down To Liverpool (All Over The Place)
15. XTC - You're The Wish You Are I Had (The Big Express)
16. Dead Can Dance - A Passage In Time (Dead Can Dance)

Moments In Love - Songs 1984

The first mix of my Songs 1984 series. Mostly new wave, synth-pop and jangle pop.







All albums released in 1984.

1. Art Of Noise - Moments In Love (Who's Afraid Of The Art Of Noise?)
2. The Thompson Twins - Hold Me Now (Into The Gap)
3. Wham! - Everything She Wants (Make It Big)
4. Hall & Oates - Out Of Touch (Big Bam Boom)
5. Prince - I Would Die 4 You (Purple Rain)
6. The Style Council - You're The Best Thing (Cafe Bleu)
7. Elvis Costello - I Wanna Be Loved (Goodbye Cruel World)
8. Howard Jones - What Is Love? (Human's Lib)
9. The Cars - Drive (Heartbeat City)
10. Pretenders - Show Me (Learning To Crawl)
11. Lloyd Cole & The Commotions - Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken? (Rattlesnakes)
12. R.E.M. - So. Central Rain (Reckoning)
13. The dB's - A Spy In The House Of Love (Like This)
14. Berlin - No More Words  (Love Life)
15. Sade - Hang On To Your Love (Diamond Life)
16. Alison Moyet - Love Resurrection (Alf)

Vinyl Spins - The Blues

I hadn't played this record in a long time. Like many people I first started listening to the blues being played by a white guy. In this case a really white guy. I bought this album in 1969 along with some Canned Heat records. Now I'd already listened to a lot of British musicians who had been playing the music of Black American bluesmen but it would be a few more years before I really started exploring the music of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, B.B, King, Little Walter, etc, etc. which I picked up from some black shipmates. In the meantime Johnny Winter was giving me a dose of the blues.

Have A Good Time - Songs 1975

Soul, funk and disco from albums in my collection released in 1975. The 7th mix of my Songs 1975 series.

1. Parliament - P. Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up) (Mothership Connection)
2. James Brown - Hot (I Need To Be Loved, Loved, Loved) (Sex Machine Today)
3. Rufus - Have A Good Time (Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan)
4. KC & The Sunshine Band - Boogie Shoes  (KC & The Sunshine Band)
5. Van McCoy - The Hustle (Disco Baby)
6. ABBA - S.O.S. (ABBA)
7. The Pointer Sisters - How Long (Betcha' Got A Woman On The Side) (Steppin')
8. Herbie Hancock - Hang Up Your Hang Ups (Man-Child)
9. Labelle - Messin' With My Mind (Phoenix)
10. 5000 Volts - I'm On Fire (I'm On Fire)
11. The O'Jays - Give The People What They Want (Survival)
12. The Spinners - Games People Play (Pick Of The Litter)
13. Barry White - What Am I Gonna Do With You (Just Another Way To Say I Love You)
14. Tower Of Power - You're So Wonderful, So Marvelous (Urban Renewal)
15. Al Green - Love Ritual (Al Green Is Love)
16. The Meters - Fire On The Bayou (Fire On The Bayou)

Warm Beer and Cold Women - Songs 1975

Some songs about love and life from albums in my collection released in 1975. The 6th mix from my Songs 1975 series.

1. Tom Waits - Warm Beer and Cold Women (Nighthawks At The Diner)
2. Steely Dan - Chain Lightning (Katy Lied)
3. Joni Mitchell - In France They Kiss On Main Street (The Hissing Of Summer Lawns)
4. Fleetwood Mac - Over My Head (Fleetwood Mac)
5. Janis Ian - At Seventeen (Between The Lines)
6. Joan Baez - Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer (Diamonds & Rust)
7. Linda Ronstadt - Tracks Of My Tears (Prisoner In Disguise)
8. Rod Stewart - This Old Heart Of Mine (Atlantic Crossing)
9. 10cc - I'm Not In Love (The Original Soundtrack)
10. David Bowie - Somebody Up There Loves Me (Young Americans)
11. Peter Frampton - Show Me The Way (Frampton)
12. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Don't Cry No Tears (Zuma)
13. Bob Dylan - If You See Her, Say Hello (Blood On The Tracks)
14. Emmylou Harris - Till I Gain Control Again (Elite Hotel)
15. Glen Campbell - Rhinestone Cowboy (Rhinestone Cowboy)
16. The Outlaws - There Goes Another Love Song (The Outlaws)

Tonight's The Night - Songs 1975

A quieter set of music from albums in my collection released in 1975. This is the 5th mix of my Songs 1975 series.

1. Neil Young - Tonight's The Night (Tonight's The Night)
2. Richard & Linda Thompson - Dimming Of The Day (Hokey Pokey)
3. Emmylou Harris - Here, There and Everywhere (Elite Hotel)
4. David Bowie - Across The Universe (Young Americans)
5. Bob Dylan - Shelter From The Storm (Blood On The Tracks)
6. The Band - Acadian Driftwood (Northern Lights, Southern Cross)
7. Bruce Springsteen - Jungleland (Born To Run)
8. Eagles - Lyin' Eyes (One Of These Nights)
9. John Martyn - Sunday's Child (Sunday's Child)
10. Brian Eno - I'll Come Running (Another Green World)
11. Pink Floyd - Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Part One) (Wish You Were Here)
12. Bad Company - Shooting Star (Straight Shooter)

Because The Night - Songs 1978

Songs 1978
Classic rock and country from 1978.

1. Patti Smith - Because The Night (Easter)
2. Bruce Springsteen - Something In The Night (Darkness On The Edge Of Town)
3. Tom Waits - Christmas Cards From A Hooker In Minnepolis (Blue Valentine)
4. Neil Young - Peace Of Mind (Comes A Time)
5. Emmylou Harris - Easy From Now On (Quarter Moon In A Ten Cent Town)
6. Joe Ely - Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown (Honky Tonk Masquerade)
7. The Rolling Stones - Far Away Eyes (Some Girls)
8. Bob Dylan - Senor (Tales Of Yankee Power) (Street Legal)
9. Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street (City To City)
10. Dire Straits - Sultans Of Swing (Dire Straits)
11. Bob Marley & The Wailers - Satisfy My Soul (Kaya)
12. Van Morrison - Kingdom Hall (Wavelength)
13. The Doobie Brothers - Minute By Minute (Minute By Minute)
14. Warren Zevon - Excitable Boy (Excitabble Boy)
15. Robert Gordon & Link Wray - Fire (Fresh Fish Special)
16. Cheap Trick - Surrender (Heaven Tonight)

Hero of the Empire

Hero of the Empire: The Boer War, a Daring Escape and the Making of Winston Churchill by Candice Millard, 2016.

Read in January 2017

A fascinating biography of the early years of Winston Churchill and his attempt to do something spectacular that would bring attention to himself in his quest to get to Parliament and higher public service. 

The covers his time in Africa as a journalist and an Army officer during the Boer War. The book was a good history of the time and this particular man. I did enjoy this book.

I would like to read a biography of his entire life.

So It Goes - Songs 1978

The second mix of my Songs 1978 series. More new wave and punk from albums in my collection released that year.  A few other gems too.

1. Talking Heads - Take Me To The River (More Songs About Buildings and Food)
2. Television - Glory (Adventure)
3. Ultravox - Quiet Men (Systems Of Romance)
4. Generation X - Ready, Steady, Go (Generation X)
5. The Clash - English Civil War (Give 'Em Enough Rope)
6. Dave Edmunds - Trouble Boys (Tracks On Wax 4)
7. Elvis Costello - The Beat (This Year's Girl)
8. The Jam - Down In The Tube Station At Midnight (All Mod Cons)
9. The Only Ones - City Of Fun (The Only Ones)
10. The Saints - This Perfect Day (Eternally Yours)
11. Devo - Gut Feeling/Slap Your Mammy (Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo)
12. The Cars - Just What I Needed (The Cars)
13. Buzzcocks - Just Lust (Love Bites)
14. The Police - So Lonely (Outlandos D'Amour)
15. Bruce Springsteen - Candy's Room (Darkness At The Edge Of Town)
16. Moon Martin - Bad Case Of Lovin' You (Shots From A Cold Nightmare)
17. Mink DeVille - Soul Twist (Return To Magenta)
18. The Flamin' Groovies - All I Wanted (The Flamin' Groovies Now)
19. Blondie - Hanging On The Telephone (Parallel Lines)
20. Nick Lowe - So It Goes (Jesus Of Cool)

Vinyl Spins - The Fugs

Gave this a spin today. I got this record when I was 15 and thought it was going to be a big hit... you know Kill For Peace, Group Grope and all that stuff. No hits. Satirical scatological anti-war poets gone amok. I wasn't always just paying attention to top 40 radio as a young teenager.

This was their second album. I first really started hearing a lot about these guys in 1968. I went to our neighborhood record store/head shop looking for their new album titled It Crawled Into My Hand, Honest but the clerk handed me this instead and said it was a better record. He turned out to be right and The Fugs is considered a classic of underground rock. Kill For Peace indeed. Still no hits.

I did get to see them perform in 1968 at The Trauma in downtown Philly along with The Mandrake Memorial.

One Way Or Another - Songs 1978

The first mix of my Songs 1978 series. Early new wave and punk.

1. Blondie - One Way Or Another (Parallel Lines)
2. The Only Ones - Another Girl, Another Planet (The Only Ones)
3. Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love (Love Bites)
4. Devo - Uncontrollable Urge (Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo)
5. The Cars - You're All I've Got Tonight (The Cars)
6. Squeeze - Take Me, I'm Yours (UK Squeeze)
7. Nick Lowe - I Love The Sound Of Breaking Glass (Jesus Of Cool)
8. Wreckless Eric - Whole Wide World (Wreckless Eric)
9. Talking Heads - I'm Not In Love (More Songs About Buildings and Food)
10. Elvis Costello - Lip Service (This Year's Model)
11. The Police - Can't Stand Losing You (Outlandos D'Amour)
12. Fabulous Poodles - Mirror Star (Mirror Stars)
13. The Jam - David Watts (All Mod Cons)
14. 999 - Homicide  (Separates)
15. Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated (Road To Ruin)
16. The Rolling Stones - Shattered (Some Girls)
17. Magazine - The Light Pours Out Of Me (Real Life)
18. XTC - This Is Pop (White Music)
19. Kraftwerk - The Model (The Man Machine)
20. Wire - I Am The Fly (Chairs Missing)
21. The Motors - Airport (Approved By The Motors)
22. Japan - Don't Rain On My Parade (Adolescent Sex)

Somethin' Else - Jazz Time

The fifth mix of my Jazz Time series. More classic jazz recordings from my collection.

1. Miles Davis & Cannonball Adderley - Somethin' Else (Somthin' Else, 1958)
2. Sonny Clark - Cool Struttin' (Cool Struttin', 1958)
3. Oscar Peterson - Bag's Groove (Night Train, 1962)
4. Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Sortie (Indestructible, 1964)
5. Thelonious Monk - Epistrophy (Epistrophy, 1957)
6. Eric Dolphy - The Meetin' (The Essential Eric Dolphy, 1961)
7. Horace Silver - Creepin' In (Horace Silver & The Jazz Messengers, 1956)
8. Dexter Gordon - Don't Explain (A Swingin' Affair, 1964)
9. John Coltrane - Naima (Afro Blue Impressions, 1977)
10. Sonny Stitt - I Can't Give You Anything But Love (Sonny Stitt Sits In With The Oscar Peterson Trio, 1959)