What's the best song you have heard today?

All the other stuff
2101

Happy Birthday to the American musician (guitar, keyboards, vocals etc.) Al Kooper, who is turning 81 today. This is yet another guy who’s never gotten a big name for himself, but still has been around the block more than once. He first was noticed as a session musician on Bob Dylan’s classic mid-1960’s albums. Then he formed Blood, Sweat and Tears, just to leave after their debut album, to go on to do the Super Session album with Stephen Stills and Michael Bloomfield.

Al Kooper’s career has been busy. In addition to severeal solo albums and band projects, he’s appeared on hundreds of records, either as musician, arranger or producer. We’re talking about records by the Rolling Stones, the Who, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Alice Cooper, Lynyrd Skynyrd, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and…you get the idea. Happy Birthday to Al Kooper :beer:

Al Kooper - I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know

As mentioned, a young Al Kooper was a session musician on a couple of Bob Dylan’s mid-1960’s albums, the first one being Highway 61 Revisited. Dylan was a big thing back then, and Al desperately wanted to play with him. So desperately, that when it was asked if anybody could played organ for Like A Rolling Stone, he said yes, even though he had only played piano up until then. So when you hear the intro to Like A Rolling Stone, among the things you hear is Al Kooper trying to figure out how to play organ. In such a simple manner, an iconic intro to an iconic song can be born :smiley:

Bob Dylan - Like A Rolling Stone

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2102

That reminds me of a song from the film soundtrack of Pat Garrett and Billy the kid. It was Knocking on heavens door. I was pissed that in the same open-air-festival Eric Clapton played it, when Bob Dylan was the last act after him. In the end both played together on stage. I always kept that in mind.

Bob Dylan - Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door (Official Audio)

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2103

Bob Marley - Redemption Song

80 years ago today, Bob Marley was born. Here’s to his memory.

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2104

Still a young boy up north? Didn’t have much to say this time when the program was broadcast in black and white from NRK. I saw it (in color :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:) up there in Holmenkollen. There was a lot of chaos with cancellations and technical errors. Two of the ones I came to see were canceled (Prudence and Titanic). That made me also get a feel for the “Alex Harvey Band” when they lifted the whole atmosphere. The third band Procol Harum had power problems and it ruined it a bit for them. Another fun fact I met my wife to be (two years later) up there that day! :hugs:

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2105

Yep, just a young lad at 14, stuck under the midnight sun. :sun_with_face: :sunglasses:

I figured you were there. Were you at Ragnarock in 73 and 75 too?

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2106

Love this song. Kensington - Uncharted.

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2107
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2108
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2109

Got reminded recently of the Alex Harvey band and a song of them that once could have been under topic “songs with participants” :rofl: :joy:

Alex Harvey Band - The Faith Healer

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2111

Since we have the Superbowl coming. I saw this video from a College Football match when they played Enter Sandman.

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2112

Gene Vincent - Lotta Lovin’ (1957)

90 years ago today the American singer Gene Vincent (1935-1971) was born. Although a litte forgotten today, he was one of the pioneers of the rock ‘n’ roll and rockabilly era of the 1950’s. He charted with several songs in the US, the UK and Canada, the highest being the song in this post, which peaked at number 2 in Canada.

To repeat once again what I’ve said a few times before here, Gene Vincent is one of the guys without whom the vast majority of this topic would not have existed. Here’s to Gene Vincent’s memory :beer:

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2113

Arlo Guthrie - Alice’s Restaurant Massacree

Now if anyone’s in for a long one today, here’s an 18 minutes classic :notes:

The reason for posting this, is that I just found out that Alice died a short while ago. Yes, there is a real Alice behind this song. Alice Brock passed away in November last year at the age of 83. She ran restaurants between 1965 and 1979, but in her heart she was an artist. Alice never really made it there, but at least she is immortalized in a classic song. Which is more than can be said for most of us.

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Here’s a pic of Alice from 2022, together with Arlo Guthrie (right) and Rick Robbins, who was the driver to that Thanksgiving dinner in 1965.

By the way, did anyone see the movie Alice’s Restaurant from 1969? I saw it about 10 years later on a black and white telly.

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2114

10cc - I’m Not In Love

It’s just Kevin Godley and Graham Gouldman, so it’s basically 5cc. Still a lovely rendition of this great song from 1975, recorded just recently.

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2115

Sierra Hull - Black Muddy River

Here’s a great version of the old Grateful Dead classic :notes:

I will walk alone by the black muddy river,
And sing me me a song of my own

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2116

Stop the war, you have so much in common :hugs:

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2117

Manic Street Preachers - If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next

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2118

Happy Birthday to the American singer Lou Ann Barton, who is turning 71 today. She first was noticed in the late 1970’s in the band Triple Threat Revue, which also included a young guitarist named Stevie Ray Vaughn. As the band evolved into Double Trouble, she left to pursue a solo career.

Lou Ann Barton’s first album Old Enough (1982) was co-produced by veteran producer Jerry Wexler and Glenn Frey of the Eagles. It is an excellent album of solid Texan blues-rock, which was well received by the critics. However, the album failed to sell. After one more futile attempt to hit the commercial market, she returned to her blues-rock roots, and has stayed there ever since.

Since the late 1980’s Lou Ann Barton has released a few records, among them two posthumously released albums in collaboration with Stevie Ray Vaughn. She has also on several occasions collaborated with Stevie Ray’s big brother Jimmy Vaughn, who is also an excellent guitarist. And there’s been gigging more or less regularly, mostly on the Texas blues scene, but also in the the rest of the US and Europe.

I’ll post the title track from the Old Enough album here. It’s a very good album, and if you like this song, I recommend you check out the album. So here’s one for a lady who’s paid her dues, Happy Birthday Lou Ann Barton :beer:

Lou Ann Barton - Old Enough

Now this comes with an anecdote, told to me by a late friend of mine in the 1990’s. He knew the promoter of a blues festival. When Lou Ann Barton was appearing there, among the things she had on her rider was one bottle of Jack Daniels. Early on the day of her concert, the promoter wanted to discuss some details in the contract, and was invited to her hotel room. When he entered, he noticed that she had already finished three quartes of the Jack Daniels bottle, and it was only around noon. Naturally he got worried about the gig in the evening.

Luckily the story has a happy ending, the gig in the evening went perfectly fine. And the moral of the story? Lou Ann Barton is a professional :smiley:

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2119

Happy Birthday to “The Soul Queen of New Orleans”! Irma Thomas is turning 84 today! She is a contemporary of Aretha Franklin and Etta James, but never had their commercial success. Still, after an over six decades long career, with several awards to her name, she is a highly respected singer.

Irma Thomas best known song is probably Time Is On My Side, released in 1964 as the B-side of a single. A few months later the young upcoming English band The Rolling Stones recorded the song, and it became their first song to enter the US top 10. However, today it’s not about some young upstarts from the UK, it’s about Irma Thomas. Happy Birthday to her! :beer:

Irma Thomas - Time Is On My Side

In May last year the Stones played in New Orleans, and had Irma Thomas as a guest on Time Is On My Side. It was the first time they performed together. Luckily a good amateur recording of this event exists, and I’d like to share it here.

The Rolling Stones, with Irma Thomas - Time Is On My Side (live 2024)

I just had to do some math here. The combined age of these two singers is 164 years!

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2120

AC⚡️DC - Ride On

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2121

Black Sabbath - N.I.B. (live 1970)

Happy Birthday to Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, who is turning 77 today :beer:

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