Welcome! My Favorite Recovered Songs by Wilson Pickett, Timmy Thomas, The Time, SF59 and Don Covay!
Here are five songs I thought were worth sharing this week:
1) Why Can't We Live Together - Timmy Thomas
I bought two crates full of 45s from a friend of mine last weekend at the record show. I paid $20 and figured, if anything, the two crates were worth the money. Who knows, maybe I would find a great 45 or two in the process of sorting them all. I did find a few keepers and one that specifically surprised me was a 45 with a beautiful green label for Glades Records by Timmy Thomas, and with songs entitled Why Can’t We Live Together and Funky Me, I knew I had to listen. Turns out this album was the first release recorded with a drum machine only. Timmy handles keys and vocals and the machine keeps the time. It's a fun lo-fi listen of soulful jams full of social messages especially the song, Take Care of Home.
2) Get It Up - The Time
After the record show last weekend, I stopped at Goodwill on the way home and found more records, including a 45 by a band called The Time. I was in a hurry so I didn't spend much time researching and just bought it for 50 cents. While researching The Time, I realized this was actually a Prince project. Released in 1981, Prince convinced his label, Warner, to allow him to produce music for other bands. They agreed so he formed The Time and subsequently wrote and performed most of the music himself for the project using the alias, Jamie Starr. Rumor has it he even made the lead singer, Morris Day, perform the songs exactly as he would. This project also features Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam, who would later earn their own fame producing artists themselves, most famously Janet Jackson. I've been in a Prince rabbit hole lately so this was a fun listen to compliment the trip with.
3) Mercy Mercy - Don Covay
Lenny Kaye played Don Covay's Mercy Mercy on Sirius XM's Underground Radio last week and I pulled my phone out to take a photo of the radio display to make sure I didn't forget the artist and song title. Two things: 1) the guitar lick you hear is by an unknown guitar player named Jimi Hendrix. This song was released in 1964 and Jimi's first LP wouldn't be released for another three years. 2) I can't help but hear Mick Jagger singing instead of Don Covay, making me wonder if Mr. Jagger found any influence in this track for his later performances. Something to think about. I do not own any Covay LPs or 45s but they are definitely on my want list now.
4) I'm Not Tired - Wilson Pickett
Most love songs are about the excitement that comes from the first moment of falling in love with someone. Unfortunately, those songs are often followed by songs of heartache when things don't go right. What about a song for those of us in long term relationships? A song for the two people who have been together for a long period of time and are still in love? Wilson Pickett and Steve Cropper wrote I'm Not Tired, the b-side to the massive hit, In The Midnight Hour. The chorus states, "I've been lovin' you baby, for a long, long, long time, and I'm not tired, honey, you know I'm not tired." Perfect. If I had to pick a wedding song for a parent or grandparent dance, this would be it.
5) Dual Overhead Cam - Starflyer 59
Thanks to a new vinyl reissue of Starflyer 59's Gold album, I've been reliving these songs that I fell in love with in high school. In 1995, my musical tastes were transitioning from grunge to punk and hardcore, with very little variety sprinkled in. SF59 were the band that helped me break out of those genres and align my brain to songs that weren't frenetic in pace and featured loud/soft dynamics. I'm always excited when albums originally released only on CD are given a vinyl reissue. This copy is a dual 45 RPM LP available in two colors, black and gold. I took a risk and picked up the gold colored vinyl and it sounds great.
Those are my songs for this week. I hope you enjoy. If you'd like more information about these songs and more, visit my website: aaronhartley.me.
Also, check out the Aaron Calling podcast where I call one of my best friends, Aaron Ford, to talk about music, records and more. Listen on Apple or Spotify!
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"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything." - Plato