Music From The 1950’s – Doc Pomus

Doc Pomus

I listen to a great deal of music from the 50’s from SInatra and Fitzgerald through Rock & Roll, Blues, Jazz, Country and Folk, I believe the decade is often overlooked as people tend to find that the sound quality of the recordings aren’t up to the standards they are used to, however, to me some of greatest music ever recorded came from this decade therefore here in the first of a series of posts is a great song from 1950 by Doc Pomus called “Send For The Doctor”

Born Jerome Solon Felder in Brooklyn, New York of Jewish heritage,^[4] he became a fan of the blues after hearing Big Joe Turner on record. Pomus had polio as a boy and got around on crutches. Due to post-polio syndrome, exacerbated by an accident, he eventually used a wheelchair. He died in 1991 from lung cancer, at the age of 65.

His brother is New York attorney Raoul Felder.

Using the stage name “Doc Pomus,” he began performing as a teenager, becoming a white blues singer. In the 1950s, Pomus started songwriting in order to make enough money to support his wife. By 1957, Pomus had given up performing in order to devote himself full-time to songwriting. He collaborated with pianist Mort Shuman to write for Hill & Range Music Co./Rumbalero Music at its offices in New York City’s Brill Building. Their songwriting efforts had Pomus write the lyrics and Shuman the melody, although quite often they worked on both. They wrote these hit songs: “A Teenager in Love“; “Save The Last Dance For Me“; “Hushabye“; “This Magic Moment“; “Turn Me Loose“; “Sweets For My Sweet“; “Can’t Get Used to Losing You“; “Little Sister“; “Suspicion“; “Surrender“; “Viva Las Vegas“; and “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame.”

During the late 1950s and early 1960s Pomus also wrote with Phil Spector (“Young Boy Blues”; “Ecstasy”; “Here Comes The Night”; “What Am I To Do?”), Mike Stoller and Jerry Leiber (“Young Blood” and “She’s Not You”) and other Brill Building-era writers. Pomus also wrote “Lonely Avenue“, which became a 1956 hit for Ray Charles.^[5]

In the 1970s and 1980s in his eleventh-floor, two-room apartment, at the Westover Hotel at 253 West 72nd Street, Pomus wrote songs with Dr. John, Ken Hirsch and Willy DeVille for what he said were “…those people stumbling around in the night out there, uncertain or not always so certain of exactly where they fit in and where they were headed.” These later songs (“There Must Be A Better World,” “There Is Always One More Time,” “That World Outside,” “You Just Keep Holding On,” and “Something Beautiful Dying” in particular), which were recorded by Willy DeVille, B. B. King, Irma Thomas, Marianne Faithful, Charlie Rich, Ruth Brown, Dr. John, James Booker, and Johnny Adams, are considered by some, including writer Peter Guralnick, musician, songwriter Dr. John and producer Joel Dorn to be signatures of his best craft.

Together with Shuman and individually, Pomus was a key figure in the development of popular music. They wrote such hits as “Save the Last Dance for Me“, “This Magic Moment“, “Sweets for My Sweet“, “Viva Las Vegas“, “Little Sister”, “Surrender“, “Can’t Get Used to Losing You“, “Suspicion“, “Turn Me Loose” and “A Mess of Blues”.^[6] He was elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 1991 was the first white recipient of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation Pioneer Award.^[7] Ray Charles did the honors via a pre-recorded message. The songs written and co-written by Pomus are referenced as standards of songwriting by token of sheer prolific consistency, and continue to be covered by musicians of every generation.

The song “Doc’s Blues” ^[8] was written as a tribute to Pomus by his close friend, Andrew Vachss. The lyrics originally appeared in Vachss’ 1990 novel Blossom. Doc’s Blues was later recorded by bluesman Son Seals, on Seals’ last album, Lettin’ Go. ^[9] He was personally responsible for Lou Reed’s exposure to the music industry in the early 1960s, and is one of two friends memorialized on Reed’s 1992 album Magic and Loss (the other being Rotten Rita).

In 1995, Rhino Records released a tribute album to Pomus titled Till The Night Is Gone. It offers performances of Pomus songs by Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, Dion, Dr. John, Irma Thomas, Solomon Burke, John Hiatt, Shawn Colvin, Aaron Neville, Lou Reed, The Band, B. B. King, Los Lobos and Rosanne Cash.

New Music – Todd Rundgren

Next up is another new release this time for another friend David “Kit” Carson”, Todd Rundgren has never really been on my playlist, in fact he should have been banned from music after producing “Bat Out Of Hell”, however to be fair he has been fundemental in writing and producng a fair body of work.

His latest album is titled “Arena” and is return to polished “stadium rock” so for all Toddittes here is a track.

Arena

 

“Panic” – Todd Rundgren

New Music – Ray LaMontagne

Whilst being distracted by other issues some forthcoming new releases have passed my by, however, today I have found time for some listening while I work and as such the next couple of posts will be on this theme.

First up is a post for good pal Big Rab who likes Ray LaMontagne, until now the only track I have really liked is a solo acoustic take on “Trouble” his new album “Gossip In The Grain” has a mid October release and if this track is typical of the album it would appear as if Ray has been listening quite a bit to Al Green.

Gossip In The Grain

 

“You Are The Best Thing” – Ray LaMontagne 

Wedding Bells

Gemma the daughter of very good friends of ours gets married today at the Sherbrook Castle Hotel.

We will both be there with the happy faces on for what promises to be a great day.

Last month Gemma asked me to compile a CD of music to be played during the meal, some of the selections were her choice as for the others she had trust in my taste so here we go with firstly one of Gemma’s tracks and a chosen gem from me.

“Chasing Cars”  Snow Patrol

“So Glad You’re Mine”  Elvis Presley

 

You can follow the day “live” in pictures via my on the road blog, use the link below.

http://fuzzyshot.com/helplessdancer

Take Me To The River

TAKE ME TO THE RIVER is a selection of 75 songs that tell the story of the golden era of Southern Soul 1961-77 over 3CDs, with full notes and lavish illustrations in a 72 page full-colour book, in a deluxe slipcase containing a jewel case- sized hard cover book…

* It’s hard to contest any assertion that, while great Soul music was undoubtedly made right across America during the 60s and early 70s, the best of it was probably made in the Southern states – and, specifically, in musically-enlightened cities and towns such as Memphis, Miami and Muscle Shoals. Here are 75 tracks that collectively do everything that is necessary to uphold any such assertion.

* “Take Me To the River” chronicles the story of Southern soul, from its advent in 1961 to its apex in the early 1970s. Its track listing was carefully chosen to reflect and demonstrate every facet of the genre, and – we hope – to appeal to both long time collectors and those who we hope will enjoy it deeply enough to delve further into the genre’s breadth of repertoire.

* The track listing embraces everything from million selling, international hits to 45s that barely sold enough to cover their pressing costs. Quality is the common link for the inclusion of all the tracks – although those who only hanker after rarity will not be disappointed by the number of `first time on CD’ selections that are included.

* With a sumptuous booklet that is overflowing with rare photos, emphemera and label shots, not to mention extensive track by track annotation and accompanying essays, this is almost as handsome a read as it is a listen…

William Bell – “You Don’t Miss Your Water”

Disc: 1
1. YOU DON’T MISS YOUR WATER – WILLIAM BELL
2. GO HOME GIRL – ARTHUR ALEXANDER
3. THESE ARMS OF MINE – OTIS REDDING
4. STEAL AWAY – JIMMY HUGHES
5. MY ADORABLE ONE – JOE SIMON
6. YOU’RE GONNA MAKE ME CRY – O V WRIGHT
7. WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN – PERCY SLEDGE
8. LOSIN’ BOY – EDDY GILES
9. TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS (Take 1) – OTIS REDDING
10. SOMETHING I NEVER HAD – JARVIS JACKSON
11. NINETY-NINE AND A HALF (WON’T DO) – WILSON PICKETT
12. GOT TO MAKE A COMEBACK – EDDIE FLOYD
13. WHEN SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH MY BABY – CHARLIE RICH
14. THE DARK END OF THE STREET – JAMES CARR
15. LET’S DO IT OVER – TOUSSAINT McCALL
16. DO RIGHT WOMAN, DO RIGHT MAN – ARETHA FRANKLIN
17. I CAN’T STAND UP FOR FALLING DOWN – SAM & DAVE
18. YOU AIN’T WOMAN ENOUGH (TO TAKE MY MAN) – JUNE EDWARDS
19. LET’S FACE FACTS – THE MASQUERADERS
20. SHE AIN’T GONNA DO RIGHT – JAMES & BOBBY PURIFY
21. BLESS YOUR LITTLE SWEET SOUL – AL JOHNSON
22. DIRTY MAN – LAURA LEE
23. COVER ME – EDDIE HINTON
24. YOU’RE GONNA MISS ME – REUBEN BELL With The Beltones
25. I’D RATHER GO BLIND – ETTA JAMES
26. WITHOUT LOVE (THERE IS NOTHING) – OSCAR TONEY Jr
Disc: 2
1. YOU LEFT THE WATER RUNNING – MAURICE & MAC
2. I’LL GO CRAZY – DON BRYANT
3. RAINBOW ROAD – BILL BRANDON
4. THE ONE YOU CAN’T HAVE (ALL BY YOURSELF) – SHIRLEY WALTON
5. TELL HIM TONIGHT – WILLIAM BOLLINGER
6. A SMILE CAN’T HIDE (A BROKEN HEART) – OLLIE & THE NIGHTINGALES
7. UPTIGHT GOOD WOMAN – SPENCER WIGGINS
8. I FORGOT TO BE YOUR LOVER – WILLIAM BELL
9. I’LL MAKE IT UP TO YOU – CLAY HAMMOND
10. SLIP AWAY – CLARENCE CARTER
11. THAT’S THE WAY LOVE TURNED OUT FOR ME – JAMES CARR
12. POLLY WALLY – TONY BORDERS
13. ANOTHER MAN’S WOMAN, ANOTHER WOMAN’S MAN – CANDI STATON
14. BUYING A BOOK – JOE TEX
15. TO THE OTHER WOMAN (I’M THE OTHER WOMAN) – DORIS DUKE
16. STEALING IN THE NAME OF THE LORD – PAUL KELLY
17. FAITHFUL AND TRUE – Z Z HILL
18. LOVE’S GONNA TEAR YOUR PLAYHOUSE DOWN (Part 1) – CHUCK BROOKS
19. I WENT OFF AND CRIED – KIP ANDERSON
20. IF I CAN’T RUN TO YOU I’LL CRAWL – BARBARA & THE BROWNS
21. WHAT I DON’T KNOW WON’T HURT ME – PAUL THOMPSON
22. JODY’S GOT YOUR GIRL AND GONE – JOHNNIE TAYLOR
23. WISH I WAS BACK – THOMAS BAILEY
24. I CAN’T GIVE YOU MY HEART – JIMMY BRASWELL
25. LEAD ME ON – GWEN McRAE
Disc: 3
1. MUMBLE IN MY EAR – MARCELL STRONG
2. BREAKING UP SOMEBODY’S HOME – DENISE LaSALLE
3. TIRED OF BEING ALONE – AL GREEN
4. I CAN’T BE SATISFIED – SPENCER WIGGINS
5. GROOVE ME – KING FLOYD
6. SHE’S ALL I GOT – FREDDIE NORTH
7. JODY, COME BACK AND GET YOUR SHOES – BOBBY NEWSOME
8. STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN – MEL & TIM
9. WE ALWAYS COME BACK STRONG – SAM DEES
10. I’VE BEEN LONELY FOR SO LONG – FREDERICK KNIGHT
11. (IF LOVING YOU IS WRONG) I DON’T WANT TO BE RIGHT – LUTHER INGRAM
12. I’M GONNA TEAR YOUR PLAYHOUSE DOWN – ANN PEEBLES
13. I’M THROUGH TRYING TO PROVE MY LOVE TO YOU – BOBBY WOMACK
14. IT HURTS SO GOOD – MILLIE JACKSON
15. YOU’VE GOT MY MIND MESSED UP – QUIET ELEGANCE
16. I GET MY GROOVE FROM YOU – BOBBY PATTERSON
17. TAKE TIME TO KNOW HIM – TOMMIE YOUNG
18. HOW CAN I GET NEXT TO YOU? – GEORGE JACKSON
19. I’LL BE THE OTHER WOMAN – THE SOUL CHILDREN
20. HEARTBREAK WOMAN – CLARENCE CARTER
21. TAKE ONE STEP (I’LL TAKE TWO) – CHET DAVENPORT
22. TAKE ME TO THE RIVER – AL GREEN
23. IF YOU GOT TO LOVE SOMEBODY – TOMMY TATE
24. I’LL PLAY THE BLUES FOR YOU – GEATER DAVIS

New Music – Carol Kidd

Dreamsville - Carol Kidd

 

Showcasing Great American Songbook favourites plus a brace of previously unrecorded originals, “Dreamsville” is Carol Kidd’s first recording in seven years and marks 25 years of recording for Linn Records. From its supremely gentle and immensely touching opening, a slow-motion It Never Entered My Mind, to the plaintive ballad When I Dream by Nashville-based songwriter Sandy Mason, “Dreamsville” is one of the most finely crafted collection of songs you’ll hear this year. “When I Dream” is, of course, something of a signature tune for Kidd, and this new version is the most lyrical and enchanting you could wish for, recordings by Crystal Gayle, Willie Nelson and Nanci Griffith notwithstanding.

Kidd also treats us to a trio of interrogatory classics – How Deep is the Ocean?, How Long Has This Been Going On? and Can’t We Be Friends?. Everything sounds effortless, the singer’s golden timbre and legato phrasing serving interpretations that sweep you up in their tender embrace. With its constant shifts between major and minor, Cole Porter’s It’s Alright With Me provides a sudden adrenaline rush amidst the largely ballad-driven set. Kidd gets to flex her majestic upper register and doesn’t hold back. Penned by the singer and guitarist Nigel Clark – one of an outstanding quartet of supporting musicians – the two originals There Goes My Heart and Do You Believe sit happily alongside the standards.

Ahead of her forthcoming comeback album, legendary Scottish jazz singer Carol Kidd has been interviewed in The Sunday Post.

The revealing feature lifted the lid the career of the “well-loved singer who has sold thousands of albums and appeared on the bill with Frank Sinatra”. It details her “rags to riches” rise from Glasgow’s East End to her high profile in Asia where she is known as “The Diva”. It goes on to mention her high profile appearances with the late Sir Humphrey Lyttelton and Tony Bennett, describing her story as “like the plot of a movie”.

The piece also touches on her family life and she talks candidly about the loss of her partner John Mackay in 2003 and how a move to Majorca has given her inspiration to sing and write songs once again, following an enforced break on health grounds.

“I sit on my terrace and watch the incredible sight of the sun dipping into the sea…then I go in and sit at my laptop and start writing. I’m more comfortable than I’ve ever been.”

Of her singing technique, Carol states that “when I was young my voice was compared to Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. But as I progressed as a singer I found my own voice. Now, hopefully, I sound just like Carol Kidd”.

In summation, the article states “And that’s a sound thousands of her fans still want to hear”.

“Dreamsville” is released on Monday 13 October 2008.

Here are two tracks from the album:-

“When I Dream”

“Dreamsville”

With A Little Help From Our Friends

How many times have you listened to a song and have developed your own version of the lyrics due to not picking up what has actually been written and sung?

The above song is obviously very famous and it’s lyrics were featured on the album sleeve, however if you were to hear the song for the first time via Joe Cocker’s live 1969 Woodstock version you may need the sub-titles as per the video below.

Stay Positive

I posted earlier this year on my other blog (see link) about this Hold Steady song in relation to the start of the new football season almost as a call to arms for other fans of Dumbarton FC.

It is strange how pereceptions change as the title phrase “Stay Positive” has now become the buzz word amongst family and friends.

Mrs D starts radiotherapy next week and without doubt we will stay positive, positivity and hope are all we can cling to at present.

Stay Positive - The Hold Steady

I got a lot of old friends that are getting back in touch
And it’s a pretty good feeling, yeah, it feels pretty good
I get a lot of double takes when I’m coming round the corners
And it’s mostly pretty nice, yeah, it’s mostly pretty all right.
‘Cause most kids give me credit for being down with it
When it was back in the day, back when things were way different
When the Youth of Today and the early 7 Seconds
Taught me some of life’s most valuable lessons.

There’s gonna come a time when the scene will seem less sunny
And they’ll probably get too druggy and the kids will seem too skinny
There’s gonna come a time when she’s gonna have to go
With whoever’s gonna get her the highest.
There’s gonna come a time when the true scene leaders
Forget where they differ and get big picture.
‘Cause the kids at the shows, they’ll have kids of their own
Their sing-along songs will be our scriptures.

We gotta stay positive x4

When the chaperone crowned us the king and the queen
I knew that we’d arrived at a unified scene
And all those little lambs from my dreams,
Well they were there too.
‘Cause it’s one thing to start it with a positive jam
And it’s another thing to see ‘em through.
And we couldn’t even done this if it wasn’t for you.We gotta stay postiive x3

 

For our friends and family.

New Music (Sort Of) – Bob Dylan

Out soon is the latest in the series of Bob Dylan “Bootleg Series” albums, previous volumes have produced real gems like “Blind Willie McTell” and a stripped back “Outlaw Blues” the latest release has already stepped up to the mark with this stripped down version of “Mississippi” which appeared in a much different form on the “Time Out Of Mind” album.

Tell Tale Signs

 

“Mississippi”  

From the same album comes “Dreamin’ Of You”

Shiver Me Timbers

Tom Waits

Tom Waits in one form or another has been high on the playlist and whilst the recent tribute album from Southside Johnny is superb I prefer the often stripped back interpretation of his songs as recorded by Holly Cole in her 1995 album “Temptation”.

Temptation

“Temptation” is a tour de force that succeeds on many levels: the brilliant writing of Tom Waits, the minimal and gorgeous production of Craig Street, and, predominantly, the interpretive genius and innovation of Holly Cole. “Take Me Home,” “Train Song,” and “Frank’s Theme” boast the Cole-comfortable arrangements her longtime fans are familiar with: sparse instrumentation, dark vocal inflections, and more mood than any other jazz singer would ever be able to conjure. But the fleshing out of her sound on “Falling Down,” “Little Boy Blue,” “The Heart of Saturday Night,” and “I Want You,” are something to behold. While her trio setup is her claim to fame (piano, bass, and vocals), hearing her pensive vocals backed by harmonica, horns, guitar, and strings take the already-exciting Holly Cole experience to a whole new level. “Jersey Girl,” with its hand claps and “sha la la” backup vocals, even treads close to the realm of radio-ready pop. “Soldiers Things” could easily turn maudlin in the hands of a less capable vocalist, but Holly knows just how much darkness to inflect so the focus is on her resigned sadness and not any self-pitying melodrama. Her dark, octave-layered vocal on the title track is also dead on; the hypnotic track plays like a soundtrack for any situation in which you find yourself doing something you probably shouldn’t…with a half-smile on your face all the while. Perfectly complimented by Craig Street’s organic production, “Temptation” finds Holly in her darkly seductive, minimalist glory. Challenge yourself to find a more unique vocalist or stronger artistic statement, and you will be kept very busy indeed.”

Review from www.amazon.com

All songs written by Tom Waits.

1. “Take Me Home” – 2:27
2. “Train Song” – 3:26
3. “Jersey Girl” – 3:45
4. “Temptation” – 3:05
5. “Falling Down” – 5:18
6. “Invitation To The Blues” – 4:23
7. “Cinny’s Waltz” – 2:34
8. “Frank’s Theme” – 3:10
9. “Little Boy Blue” – 2:58
10. “I Don’t Wanna Grow Up” – 4:30
11. “Tango Til They’re Sore” – 4:28
12. “(Looking For) The Heart Of Saturday Night” – 3:37
13. “Soldiers Things” – 3:23
14. “I Want You” – 2:56
15. “Good Old World” – 1:35
16. “The Briar And The Rose” – 5:28
17. “Shiver Me Timbers” – 4:32

Retrieved from “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temptation_(Holly_Cole_album)“

Here is “Shiver Me Timbers”

“Shiver Me Timbers”

I’m leavin’ my fam’ly
Leavin’ all my friends
My body’s at home
But my heart’s in the wind
Where the clouds are like headlines
On a new front page sky
My tears are salt water
And the moon’s full and high

And I know Martin Eden’s
Gonna be proud of me
And many before me
Who’ve been called by the sea
To be up in the crow’s nest
Singin’ my say
Shiver me Timbers
‘Cause I’m a-sailin’ away

And the fog’s liftin’
And the sand’s shiftin’
I’m driftin’ on out
Ol’ Captain Ahab
He ain’t got nothin’ on me, now.
So swallow me, don’t follow me
I’m trav’lin’ alone
Blue water’s my daughter
‘n I’m gonna skip like a stone

So please call my missus
Gotta tell her not to cry
‘Cause my goodbye is written
By the moon in the sky
Hey and nobody knows me
I can’t fathom my stayin’
Shiver me timbers
‘Cause I’m a-sailin’ away

And the fog’s liftin’
And the sand’s shiftin’
I’m driftin’ on out
Ol’ Captain Ahab
He ain’t got nothin’ on me
So come and swallow me, follow me
I’m trav’lin’ alone
Blue water’s my daughter
‘n I’m gonna skip like a stone

And I’m leavin’ my family
Leavin’ all my friends
My body’s at home
But my heart’s in the wind
Where the clouds are like headlines
Upon a new front page sky
And shiver me timbers
‘Cause I’m a-sailin’ away

Now for the original:-

The Heart Of Saturday Nights