January 19, 2016

Groovy Tuesday: Village People’s “Go West”

It’s Tuesday, and that means it’s time for The Analog Kid Blog to go back in time and feature some of the funkin’ grooviest R&B/soul songs of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. Sometimes I’ll feature songs from individual artists or from a specific year, and other times you’ll get an entire full-length classic LP ripped directly from the Analog Kid’s vast vinyl vault. Warning: by R&B/soul, I also mean disco. I might go all Lipps Inc. on your ass at any given moment, so just be ready!

 

VP

First of all, The Analog Kid would like to issue a formal apology in regards to last week’s Groovy Tuesday post. While I do consider the Stray Cats themselves to be quite groovy, they don’t really qualify as R&B, soul or disco. The truth is simply this: I forgot that it was Tuesday. Sadly, this embarrassing gaffe often happens to individuals who lack real jobs. I hope that all of you Groovy Tuesday aficionados will accept my humble and sincere apology (and, of course, I also hope that you dug the Stray Cats post anyways!).

In order to help make up for last week’s minor faux pas, I am pleased to present an ultimate Groovy Tuesday artifact for your enjoyment: a brand-new 320 kbps vinyl rip of Village People’s classic 1979 album Go West. You want proof that this vinyl rip is pristine? I had to open the sealed shrinkwrap in order to get to the disco booty inside. I also found a glorious Village People poster along with an order form for Village People merchandise! Check it out!

Front:

Village People Front

Back:

Village People Back

$3 for a pair of Village People wristbands? $6 for a Village People belt buckle? SOLD!

Go West peaked at #8 on the Billboard Album chart in 1979, and it also spawned the massive hit “In The Navy” (a #3 single). The title track was also a minor success (#45), but it reached a much larger audience in 1993 when the Pet Shop Boys took a cover of “Go West” to #1 in the U.K.

The Analog Kid hopes that you enjoy this disco classic, and I also hope that it helps to put your mind at ease– I promise never to screw up Groovy Tuesday again!

 

Go West 2

Village People: Go West

Casablanca Records, 1979

320 kbps vinyl rip courtesy of The Analog Kid

 

1. “In The Navy” (Jacques Morali/Henri Belolo/Victor Willis)

In The Navy

2. “Go West” (Jacques Morali/Henri Belolo/Victor Willis)

Go West

3. “Citizens Of The World” (Jacques Morali/Henri Belolo/Victor Willis)

Citizens Of The World

4. “I Wanna Shake Your Hand” (Jacques Morali/Henri Belolo/Victor Willis)

I Wanna Shake Your Hand

5. “Get Away Holiday” (Jacques Morali/Henri Belolo/Victor Willis)

Get Away Holiday

6. “Manhattan Woman” (Jacques Morali/Henri Belolo/Victor Willis)

Manhattan Woman

___________________________________________________

Bonus Tracks!

The first rule of The Analog Kid blog is that if you write about a song on the Analog Kid blog, you share the song on the Analog Kid blog.

 

Village People_ Singles & B-Sides 2

Village People: “In The Navy” [7″ Version] (Jacques Morali/Henri Belolo/Victor Willis)

From the U.S. 7″ single In The Navy

Casablanca Records, 1979

In The Navy [7″ Version]

 

Village People_ Singles & B-Sides 3

Village People: “In The Navy” [12″ Version] (Jacques Morali/Henri Belolo/Victor Willis)

From the Dutch 12″ single In The Navy

Philips Records, 1979

In The Navy [12″ Version]

 

Village People_ Singles & B-Sides

Village People: “Go West” [7″ Version] (Jacques Morali/Henri Belolo/Victor Willis)

From the U.S. 7″ single Go West

Casablanca Records, 1979

Go West [7″ Version]

 

Village People_ Singles & B-Sides 4

Village People: “Go West” [Special Disco Version] (Jacques Morali/Henri Belolo/Victor Willis)

From the German 12″ single Go West

Casablanca Records, 1979

Go West [Special Disco Version]

 

Very

Pet Shop Boys: “Go West” (Jacques Morali/Henri Belolo/Victor Willis)

From the album Very

Parlophone Records, 1993

Go West

 

Posted by on January 19, 2016 in Disco, Pop, Soul/R&B and tagged , , , , , .

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January 15, 2016

Billboard Top 5: November 20, 1971

Four days after Casey Kasem presented this Top 5 on his weekly American Top 40 show, D.B. Cooper jumped out of a hijacked plane with $200,000 cash. He was never heard from again– something I really wish I could say about David Gates and Bread…

 

Billboard Top 5: November 20, 1971

#5:

(For God's Sake) Give More Power To The People

The Chi-Lites: “Have You Seen Her” (Barbara Acklin/Eugene Record)

From the album (For God’s Sake) Give More Power To The People

Brunswick Records, 1971

Have You Seen Her

“Have You Seen Her” was the first top ten pop hit for The Chi-Lites, eventually peaking at #3 in December of 1971. The band’s next single, “Oh Girl,” gave The Chi-Lites their only #1 record.

Some of the 7″ versions of “Have You Seen Her” cut off the spoken beginning– in my eyes, that’s like cutting off the coda of “Layla.” Sacrilege!

 

#4:

Baby I'm-A Want You

Bread: “Baby I’m-A Want You” (David Gates)

From the album Baby I’m-A Want You

Elektra Records, 1971

Baby I’m-A Want You

Despite my D.B. Cooper diss above, I really do like Bread. Mostly. Can you believe that they had SIX Top 10 singles? And that’s not even counting David Gates’ 1977 solo smash “Goodbye Girl.” Whatever happened to Quinn Cummings, anyways? She was amazing in that movie! My wife had never seen “The Goodbye Girl,” so I recorded it last month when I saw that it was airing on TCM. She loved it (as I know she would), and she loved it even more when Tina Fey appeared on-screen afterwards to explain to Robert Osborne why “The Goodbye Girl” was one of her favorite films. I really wish Tina Fey was on Twitter, as I have no doubt that she and my wife would become best friends forever. And then I would also get to meet Tina Fey!

 

#3:

Imagine

John Lennon: “Imagine” (John Lennon)

From the album Imagine

Apple Records, 1971

Imagine

It’s hard to believe in retrospect, but this #3 slot represented the peak chart position for the John Lennon classic “Imagine.” Sadly, the Analog Kid must accept at least a small part of the blame for this grave injustice. I was only four at the time, and the song was perhaps a little too deep for me. That’s a polite way of saying that while “Imagine” barely made a blip on my four-year-old radar, I definitely knew each and every word to the #2 song that week…

 

#2:

Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves

Cher: “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves” (Bob Stone)

From the album Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves

Kapp Records, 1971

Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves

OF COURSE I loved “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves” when I was four. Hell, I love it now and I’m not ashamed to admit it. “Gypsys” was actually on its way down the charts at this point– it had been #1 for two consecutive weeks earlier in November.

After suffering through a brief downswing in popularity, 1971 turned out to be a really great year for Cher. Her variety show with her husband Sonny had premiered in August as a summer replacement series on CBS, but big ratings ensured that it would become a part of CBS’ regular programming in December of 1971. The show never finished out of the Top 20 during its entire four-year run.

 

#1:

Shaft

Isaac Hayes: “Theme From Shaft” (Isaac Hayes)

From the album Shaft

Stax Records, 1971

Theme From Shaft

You’re damn right.

________________________________________________________

Bonus Tracks!

The first rule of The Analog Kid blog is that if you write about a song on the Analog Kid blog, you share the song on the Analog Kid blog.

 

A Lonely Man

The Chi-Lites: “Oh Girl” (Eugene Record)

From the album A Lonely Man

Brunswick Records, 1972

Oh Girl

 

Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs

Derek & The Dominos: “Layla” (Eric Clapton/Jim Gordon)

From the album Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs

Polydor Records, 1970

Layla

 

Goodbye Girl

David Gates: “Goodbye Girl” (David Gates)

From the album Goodbye Girl

Elektra Records, 1977

Goodbye Girl

 

Look At Us

Sonny & Cher: “I Got You Babe” (Sonny Bono)

From the album Look At Us

Atco Records, 1965

I Got You Babe

 

Isaac Hayes_ Singles & B-Sides

Isaac Hayes: “Theme From Shaft” [7″ Version] (Isaac Hayes)

Stax Records, 1971

Theme From Shaft [7″ Version]

Posted by on January 15, 2016 in Pop, Rock, Soul/R&B, Soundtrack and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , .

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January 14, 2016

45 RPM: R.E.M.’s “Get Up” [U.S. 7″]

Here’s your ticket to some of the best (or, perhaps, most infamous) 7″ singles ever released! No adapter is required, although in my opinion the device pictured below is right up there with the Slinky as one of the best inventions of the 20th century.

45_adapter

Paul Natkin

If a truly great b-side should properly compliment the track on the a-side, then R.E.M. really nailed it when they released “Get Up” as a single in 1989. “Get Up” is a crazy and chaotic slice of glam rock, and it needed something similar on the back of the 45. All aboard for “Funtime!”

The original version of “Funtime” was first released on Iggy Pop’s 1977 album The Idiot. David Bowie co-wrote the track with Pop, and Bowie also produced the session (in addition to playing most of the instruments). The result was a punk classic that has been covered by multiple artists (The Cars and Peter Murphy, to name a couple), but the ragged live-in-the-studio version from R.E.M. is probably my favorite.

“Get Up” didn’t even make it into the Billboard Hot 100 in 1989, but I can assure you that I wore out my copy of that 45 (especially the flip side). It took me a few years to find a CD copy of “Funtime,” and I used that pristine source to create the release I have shared below.

Like many of you, I have been struggling all week long as I try to process the sad news about David Bowie’s passing. I could attempt to write something beautiful and poetic about Bowie here, but I think that territory has been properly covered by many of the artists that he inspired. Instead, let’s just crank up “Funtime,” OK?  Baby baby, we want in! We want some, we want some!

 

Get Up [U.S. 7_]

R.E.M.: Get Up [U.S. 7″]

Warner Bros. Records, 1989

 

A-side: “Get Up” (Berry/Buck/Mills/Stipe)

Get Up

B-side: “Funtime” (David Bowie/Iggy Pop)

Funtime

_____________________________________________________________

Bonus Tracks!

The first rule of The Analog Kid blog is that if you write about a song on the Analog Kid blog, you share the song on the Analog Kid blog.

 

Iggy Pop_ Singles & B-Sides

Iggy Pop: “Funtime” (David Bowie/Iggy Pop)

From the album The Idiot

RCA Records, 1977

Funtime

 

Love Hysteria

Peter Murphy: “Funtime” (David Bowie/Iggy Pop)

From the album Love Hysteria

RCA/Beggar’s Banquet Records, 1988

Funtime

 

Just What I Needed_ The Cars Anthology [Disc 2]

The Cars: “Funtime” [Demo] (David Bowie/Iggy Pop)

From the album Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology

Rhino Records, 1995

Funtime [Demo]

Posted by on January 14, 2016 in Alternative, Punk, Rock and tagged , , , , , , , , .

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January 13, 2016

Lost In The Flood: Hard-To-Find ’70s Albums (Alan O’Day’s “Appetizers”)

The Analog Kid blog has been featuring out-of-print ’80s albums on “The Lost Boys” series for quite a while, and now it’s time for the ’70s to join the party! “Lost In The Flood: Hard-To-Find ’70s Albums” will give you the chance to listen to some great music from the ’70s that can no longer be easily acquired on-line or at your local record store (especially since many of you probably no longer even HAVE a local record store!).

 

O'Day

Alan O’Day’s “Undercover Angel” often makes appearances on biggest one-hit wonder lists, and deservedly so– the song was O’Day’s only Top 40 hit as a solo artist, and the record made it all the way to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. In fact, “Undercover Angel” was the #1 song in the country on July 13, 1977– the very day that the little Analog Kid turned ten.

I can still remember where and when I bought the “Undercover Angel” single. My grandmother lived in the San Fernando Valley, and there was a little record shop on Riverside Drive located a few blocks from her house. I walked down to that store with my friend Albert and bought the 45, and we played it all afternoon on Grandma’s old console unit. I also remember going outside and playing nerf football that Saturday afternoon– Albert held the ball while I worked on my field goal kicking, using the power lines into Grandma’s house as a makeshift goal post. I’m 99% sure that I was wearing a Star Wars t-shirt that day, but that was likely true on almost any day during the latter half of 1977.

Whoa. Albert Azmon.  I haven’t thought about Albert in 35 years. It really is amazing how music has framed so many memories in my life…

Alan O’Day may have been a one-hit wonder as a solo artist, but he did write a number of hits for other performers. 1974 was a particularly good year for O’Day the songwriter: he penned The Righteous Brothers’ “Rock And Roll Heaven,” Cher’s “Train Of Thought,” and Helen Reddy’s #1 smash “Angie Baby.” You remember– that’s the one that starts with these lines:

 

You live your life in the songs you hear

On the rock and roll radio

 

Whoa, indeed. That O’Day guy gets me. I mean, he really gets me!

I had never heard the full-length version of “Undercover Angel” until a few months ago– that’s when I finally found a quality used copy of Alan O’Day’s Appetizers LP. The album also included O’Day’s own version of “Angie Baby,” along with several other slightly naughty tunes. Wait– you mean that catchy little ditty entitled “Undercover Angel” is about a little boy wankin’ it? Yep, it sure is.

See? I told you that Alan O’Day understood the little Analog Kid!

 

Appetizers 1

Alan O’Day: Appetizers

Pacific Records, 1977

Vinyl rip courtesy of The Analog Kid

 

1. “Soldier Of Fortune” (Alan O’Day)

Soldier Of Fortune

2. “Satisfied” (Alan O’Day)

Satisfied

3. “Started Out Dancing, Ended Up Making Love” (Alan O’Day)

Started Out Dancing, Ended Up Making Love

4. “Gifts” (Alan O’Day)

Gifts

5. “Slot Machine” (Alan O’Day)

Slot Machine

6. “Undercover Angel” (Alan O’Day)

Undercover Angel

7. “Do Me Wrong, But Do Me” (Alan O’Day)

Do Me Wrong, But Do Me

8. “Catch My Breath” (Alan O’Day)

Catch My Breath

9. “Angie Baby” (Alan O’Day)

Angie Baby

10. “Caress Me Pretty Music” (Alan O’Day)

Caress Me Pretty Music

_______________________________________________________

Bonus Tracks!

The first rule of The Analog Kid blog is that if you write about a song on the Analog Kid blog, you share the song on the Analog Kid blog.

 

Alan O'Day_ Singles & B-Sides

Alan O’Day: “Undercover Angel” [7″ Version] (Alan O’Day)

Pacific Records, 1977

Undercover Angel [7″ Version]

 

Free And Easy 1

Helen Reddy: “Angie Baby” (Alan O’Day)

From the album Free And Easy

Capitol Records, 1974

Angie Baby

 

Give It To The People

The Righteous Brothers: “Rock And Roll Heaven” (Alan O’Day/John Stevenson)

From the album Give It To The People

Capitol Records, 1974

Rock And Roll Heaven

 

Dark Lady

Cher: “Train Of Thought” (Alan O’Day)

From the album Dark Lady

MCA Records, 1974

Train Of Thought

Posted by on January 13, 2016 in One-Hit Wonders, Pop, Rock and tagged , , , , , , , , , .

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January 12, 2016

The Lost Boys: Hard-To-Find ’80s Albums (“Rant N’ Rave With The Stray Cats”)

“The Lost Boys: Hard-To-Find ’80s Albums” gives you exactly what the title implies: a rare or out-of-print album from the ’80s in its entirety. Some will be from CD, but most will have been lovingly transferred from pristine vinyl culled directly from the Analog Kid’s vast collection. Whatever album I choose, it will be one that you can’t easily find a physical copy for sale on Amazon or in your local record store (if you even have one anymore). Death…by stereo!

 

Cats

Rant N’ Rave With The Stray Cats has always been my favorite Stray Cats album. Rant N’ Rave was the band’s second U.S. release (the third internationally), and the LP somehow managed to be both nastier (“How Long You Wanna Live, Anyway?”) and yet more sophisticated (the gorgeous “I Won’t Stand In Your Way”) than its predecessors. The album may not have been as successful as Built For Speed in America, but it’s still the Stray Cats album that I go back to the most often.

I bought my CD copy of Rant N’ Rave during the summer of 1989, and I had to search pretty hard to find it. That U.S. pressing is now long out of print, although you can still shell out some big bucks for an import copy if you want. One word of warning, though: according to many reviewers on Amazon, the import version actually beeps the word “ass” during the album-opening “Rebels Rule.” What, is this still 1989 and we’re watching Ghostbusters on TBS?

No Dick

“Yes, it’s true…this man has no dick spine.”

Well, I can promise you that there is no unnecessary censorship in the copy of Rant N’ Rave that I have shared below–it’s a beautiful 320 kbps rip from that original U.S. CD pressing. I’ve also included all of the Stray Cats’ b-sides from the era in the bonus tracks section. You know what? I got a strange, sneaking suspicion that this post will prove to be one of my most popular entries on The Analog Kid Blog…

 

Rant N' Rave With The Stray Cats 1

Stray Cats: Rant N’ Rave With The Stray Cats

EMI America Records, 1983

320 kbps CD rip courtesy of The Analog Kid

 

1. “Rebels Rule” (Brian Setzer)

Rebels Rule

2. “Too Hip, Gotta Go” (Brian Setzer)

Too Hip, Gotta Go

3. “Look At That Cadillac” (Brian Setzer)

Look At That Cadillac

4. “Something’s Wrong With My Radio” (Brian Setzer/Slim Jim Phantom/Lee Rocker)

Something’s Wrong With My Radio

5. “18 Miles To Memphis” (Brian Setzer)

18 Miles To Memphis

6. “(She’s) Sexy + 17” (Brian Setzer)

(She’s) Sexy + 17

7. “Dig Dirty Doggie” (Brian Setzer)

Dig Dirty Doggy

8. “I Won’t Stand In Your Way” (Brian Setzer)

I Won’t Stand In Your Way

9. “Hot Rod Gang” (Brian Setzer)

Hotrod Gang

10. “How Long You Wanna Live, Anyway?” (Brian Setzer/Slim Jim Phantom/Lee Rocker)

How Long You Wanna Live, Anyway?

______________________________________________

Bonus Tracks!

The first rule of The Analog Kid blog is that if you write about a song on the Analog Kid blog, you share the song on the Analog Kid blog.

 

Built For Speed

Stray Cats: “Built For Speed” (Brian Sezter)

From the U.S. LP Built For Speed

EMI America Records, 1982

Built for Speed

 

Stray Cats_ Singles & B-Sides

Stray Cats: “(She’s) Sexy + 17″ [7” Version] (Brian Setzer)

EMI America Records, 1983

(She’s) Sexy + 17 [7″ Version]

 

(She's) Sexy + 17 [U.K. 12_]

Stray Cats: “Lookin’ Better Every Beer” (Brian Setzer)

Lookin’ Better Every Beer

Stray Cats: “Cruisin'” (Gene Vincent/Bill Davis)

Cruisin’

Stray Cats: “Lucky Charm (Ooh Wee Suzy)” (Brian Setzer)

Lucky Charm (Ooh Wee Suzy)

All 3 tracks taken from the U.K. 12″ (She’s) Sexy + 17

Arista Records, 1983

 

Rebels Rule [German 7_] [320 kbps]

Stray Cats: “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” (John Fogerty)

From the German 7″ Rebels Rule

Arista Records, 1983

Vinyl rip courtesy of The Analog Kid

Lookin’ Out My Back Door

 

Posted by on January 12, 2016 in Alternative, New Wave, Rock and tagged , , , , , , , .

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