Richie Havens plays "Freedom" at Woodstock, August, 1969

I just finished reading Back To The Garden, a great history of the 1969 Woodstock Festival.  So, of course, I had to watch the movie.  There are a lot of standout and falldown performances from the festival.  His is just amazing.  He was pressed into service because he was there.  He had been scheduled to go on much later, but people couldn't get to the festival (including the performers).  So people like Havens, John Sebastian, Country Joe, and others were pressed into performing. 

Richie was the first performer, and ended up having to play several hours, instead of the expected 45 minutes,as tghey anxiously awaited the arrival of the other scheduled performers.  He played this song, Freedom, completely off the cuff.  It was all improv (because he'd run out of songs).  He folded in the old blues tune Motherless Child, and knocked it out of the park.  It made it into the movie, and gave Richie a life of gigs into the far future (up to Right Now!).


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Dr. Wu by Steely Dan (from Katy Lied), with lyrics

Katy tried
I was halfway crucified
I was on the other side
Of no tomorrow
You walked in
And my life began again
Just when I'd spent the last piaster
I could borrow
All night long
We would sing that stupid song
And every word we sang
I knew was true

Are you with me Doctor Wu
Are you really just a shadow
Of the man that I once knew
Are you crazy are you high
Or just an ordinary guy
Have you done all you can do
Are you with me Doctor

Don't seem right
I've been strung out here all night
I've been waiting for the taste
You said you'd bring to me
Biscayne Bay
Where the Cuban gentlemen sleep all day
I went searching for the song
You used to sing to me
Katy lies
You could see it in her eyes
But imagine my surprise
When I saw you

Are you with me Doctor Wu
Are you really just a shadow
Of the man that I once knew
She is lovely yes she's sly
And you're an ordinary guy
Has she finally got to you
Can you hear me Doctor
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Young Fresh Fellows Live in Europe: If you believe in Cleveland

The YFF toured Europe in late fall performing tunes from their excellent new album (we were at the release party at The Tractor). One of the strongest new tunes is "If you believe in Cleveland..."


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The Beatles' You Never Give Me Your Money: music and lyrics

You Never Give Me Your Money is one of my all-time top-ten Beatle songs, for sure. Abbey Road may also be my favorite album, but I am not sure I'd go that far--the competition is fierce and spirited. You Never Give Me Your Money starts off the second side of the LP, with its chain of interlocked tunes spanning the entire side.




You never give me your money
- Lennon/McCartney ('though it was actually) written by Macca

You never give me your money
You only give me your funny paper
and in the middle of negotiations
you break down

I never give you my number
I only give you my situation
and in the middle of investigation
I break down

Out of college, money spent
See no future, pay no rent
All the money's gone, nowhere to go
Any jobber got the sack
Monday morning, turning back
Yellow lorry slow, nowhere to go
But oh, that magic feeling, nowhere to go
Oh, that magic feeling
Nowhere to go
Nowhere to go

One sweet dream
Pick up the bags and get in the limousine
Soon we'll be away from here
Step on the gas and wipe that tear away
One sweet dream came true... today
Came true... today
Came true... today...yes it did
One two three four five six seven,
All good children go to Heaven
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Patti Smith music video 2006: Because The Night

Patti performs an awesome acoustic version of the tune she wrote with The Boss. This had to end he biggest, or maybe only, "hit."



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Grin/Nils Lofgren Sad Letter slideo

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The Kinks: Waterloo Sunset -- an old school music video, by one of the great British Invasion bands

A gem of a tune from this tragically underappreciated band (I only got to see them once, at the concert hall in Asbury Park, New Jersey in the summer of 1977). I kind of fell out with The Kinks after Schoolboys in Disgrace (a great album to part ways on), but they have to definitely be somewhere in the top-twenty of my all time rockpile.



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Joe Jackson's Steppin' Out video

Guilty pleasure, number 785--Joe Jackson's Steppin' Out.


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The 20 best rock songs of all time?

The 20 best rock songs of all time?? Not so much. Here is a YouTuber's take on the 20 best of all time. He got a few right. But he also has three or four AC/DC tunes on this list. Stay tuned for my list this week. . .



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You can't dismiss Billy Joel (although I realize it is tempting) because he wrote and performed the magnificent "The Longest Time"

If you read All This Is That much, you probably know that while I love rock, jazz, bluegrass, blues, country, and classical music, what I love most is music that rocks, has hooks, harmony, melody, and preferably, great lyrics. I've never been much of a Billy Joel fan, but since the first day I heard "The Longest Time," it's been one of my favorites. Even decades ago, when it was released, it sounded like an incredible nod and homage to do-wop and harmony.



The Longest Time
by Billy Joel

Woa, oh, oh, oh
For the longest time
Woa, oh, oh
For the longest

If you said goodbye to me tonight
There would still be music left to write
What else could I do
I'm so inspired by you
That hasn't happened for the longest time

Once I thought my innocence was gone
Now I know that happiness goes on
That's where you found me
When you put your arms around me
I haven't been there for the longest time

Woa, oh, oh, oh
For the longest time
Woa, oh, oh
For the longest

I'm that voice you're hearing in the hall
And the greatest miracle of all
Is how I need you
And how you needed me too
That hasn't happened for the longest time

Maybe this won't last very long
But you feel so right
And I could be wrong
Maybe I've been hoping too hard
But I've gone this far
And it's more than I hoped for

Who knows how much further we'll go on
Maybe I'll be sorry when you're gone
I'll take my chances
I forgot how nice romance is
I haven't been there for the longest time

I had second thoughts at the start
I said to myself
Hold on to your heart
Now I know the woman that you are
You're wonderful so far
And it's more than I hoped for

I don't care what consequence it brings
I have been a fool for lesser things
I want you so bad
I think you ought to know that
I intend to hold you for the longest time

Woa, oh, oh, oh
For the longest time
Woa, oh,oh
For the longest time
Woa, oh, oh
For the longest time
Woa, oh, oh,
For the longest time
(Fade Out)
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Frank Zappa's "Takle Your Clothes Off When You Dance" with lyrics

Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance
by Frank Zappa

There will come a time when everybody
Who is lonely will be free...
To sing & dance & love

There will come a time when every evil
That we know will be an evil...
That we can rise above

Who cares if hair is long or short
Or sprayed or partly grayed...
We know that hair ain't where it's at

(there will come a time when you won't
Even be ashamed if you are fat!)

Wah wah-wah wah

There will come a time when everybody
Who is lonely will be free...
To sing & dance & love (dance and love)

There will come a time when every evil
That we know will be an evil...
That we can rise above (rise above)

Who cares if you're so poor you can't afford
To buy a pair of mod a go-go stretch-elastic pants...
There will come a time when you can even
Take your clothes off when you dance
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The Kinks' Schoolboys In Disgrace

I am a long-time Kinks fan. This is one of their "concept" albums--the best in my booklet. I was fortunate enough to see them (Asbury Park, NJ, 1977) on tour a year after this album came out. They performed some choice nuggets from the record.

If you want to know more about the Kinks, I'd suggest acquiring Celluloid Heroes (a double album, half live and half studio), Muswell Hillbillies, or Kinks Kronikles. Here are some slideos from Schoolboys. . . No More Looking Back is a wonderful song, with absolutely amazing guitar work from Dave Davies, and great writing and vocals from brother Ray.










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The worst album covers ever -- the motherlode

I have seen maybe 10% of these over the years in various worst of, or weird compilations. But this is the motherlode of awful album covers. The same site also has book and comic covers, and various other cover collections (the coolest maybe being the gallery of Abbey Road clone covers). http://www.coverbrowser.com/covers/worst-album-covers

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Music Slideo: The Beatles' I'll Be Back (with lyrics)

This is one of my favorite Beatles songs. I as reminded of that last night when Three Girls And Their Buddy covered it at their show in Seattle.

This is an outtake from the Beatles Anthology--one of 16 takes.




I'll Be Back
By John Lennon and Paul McCartney

You know, if you break my heart I'll go
But I'll be back again
'cause I told you once before goodbye
But I came back again

I love you so, oh
I'm the one who wants you
Yes I'm the one who wants you
oh, ho, oh, ho, oh

You could find better things to do
Than to break my heart again
This time I will try to show that I'm
Not trying to pretend

I thought that you would realize
That if I run away from you
that you would want me to
But I got a big surprise
Oh, ho, oh, ho, oh

I want to go, oh
But I hate to leave you
You know I hate to leave
Oh, ho, Oh, ho

You, if you break my heart I'll go
But I'll be back again
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Phil Spector: Life without wigs

This is probably the last we'll hear of Phil Spector--the legend behind "the wall of sound." There is no question he made major contributions to pop music--and even changed the way it was made. I never really forgave him for what he did to The Beatles "Let It Be" album, which McCartney later re-released (as "Let it be...naked"), stripped of its strings and choral work . He made a mess of The Ramones' "End of the Century." On the other hand, he did produce the excellent megahits "All Things Must Pass" by George Harrison, as well as his No. 1 triple album "Concert for Bangladesh." And John Lennon's hit album"Imagine" (clearly Harrison were fans of his work, while Macca was not). And then there is all his great mid-sixties music, from the Righteous Brothers "Unchained Melody" to "Be My Baby" to Ike and Tina Turner's great but monumental flop "River deep and mountain high."

Spector stated on more than one occasion his philosophy of making albums. All you had to do was come up with "two hits and ten pieces of s**t".


In these photos, you see some of the hair styles fabled Phil Spector wore during his protracted murder trial in Los Angeles (which, with massive breaks, ran from May 2005 to May 29, 2009. Spector was sentenced two weeks ago to 19 years to life in prison for the murder of the actress Lana Clarkson, who was shot through the mouth in the producer's home, in 2003.



This mug shot of Phil Spector released Wednesday by the California prison system unveils Phil with his wigs confiscated. The mug shot, of a bald-headed Spector with long stringy hair on the sides, was taken on June 5 as part of the prison intake system.
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Jerry Garcia/The Grateful Dead play Peggy O ( Fennario)

This is a touchingly fragile 1994 video clip of a long time staple. Jerry tune . .as it turned out, Jerry would barely live another year. Here he is, halting in his vocals, and tentative on the guitar--which actually turns out to be a rambling, and elusive, but great, solo. Maybe this video means more to people who watched the entire arc of his career, but I think it stands on its own, fandom and cultural baggage aside, as a great American musician playing a roots folk song...


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Music video: George Harrison performs "Got My Mind Set On You"

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Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention play one of their greatest songs live with an all star Mothers lineup: Inca Roads (with lyrics)

I don;t know when this was made, or the full band lineup (the YouTube notes are mum on any details). But I do know this is a great rendition of one of Zappa/The Mothers greatest song, including midway through, some off the hook old school animation work. This band was one of Zappa's best, including the stellar Ruth Underwood on vibes, Napolean Murphy Brock, Chester Fowler, and George Duke on vocals, piano arp synth, Wurlitzer 145, and a Hohner clavinet. And all the other people in this classic lineup.... the last words of the song are "On Ruth/On Ruth/That's truth."




Inca Roads
By Frank Zappa

Did a vehicle
Come from somewhere out there
Just to land in the Andes?
Was it round
And did it have
A motor
Or was it
Something
Different

Did a vehicle
Did a vehicle
Did a vehicle
Fly along the mountains
And find a place to park itself
Park it
Se-e-e-elf
(PARK IT . . . PARK IT)

Or did someone
Build a place
To leave a space
For such a thing to land

Did a vehicle
Come from somewhere out there
Did a vehicle come
From somewhere out there
Did the Indians, first on the bill
Carve up the hill

Did a booger-bear
Come from somewhere out there
Just to land in the Andes?
Was she round
And did she have a motor
Or was she something different

Guacamole Queen
Guacamole Queen
Guacamole Queen

At the Armadillo in Austin Texas, her aura,
Or did someone build a place
Or leave a space for Chester's Thing to land
(Chester's Thing . . . on Ruth)
Did a booger-bear
Come from somewhere out there
Did a booger-bear
Come from somewhere out there
Did the Indians, first on the bill
Carve up her hill
On Ruth
On Ruth
That's Ruth
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Soul Sacrifice by Santana at Woodstock

According to a video interview I saw with Carlos Santana (in an exhibit at the Music Experience Museum in Seattle), Carlos was on acid during his performance at Woodstock. He'd apparently mis-timed the LSD and ended up baked on stage. He said he felt snakes growing out of the guitar. But somehow he pulls it off--and makes some awesomely classic guitar faces while he's doing it.

Note that Michael Shrieve, the drummer, was only 19 years old at Woodstock...



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Happy Mother's Day - John Lennon sings "Mother" live at MSG (with lyrics)

Mother by John Lennon

Mother, you had me but I never had you,
I wanted you but you didn't want me,
So I got to tell you,
Goodbye, goodbye.
Farther, you left me but I never left you,
I needed you but you didn't need me,
So I got to tell you,
Goodbye, goodbye.
Children, don't do what I have done,
I couldn't walk and I tried to run,
So I got to tell you,
Goodbye, goodbye.
Mama don't go,
Daddy come home.
Mama don't go,
Daddy come home.
Mama don't go,
Daddy come home.
Mama don't go,
Daddy come home.
Mama don't go,
Daddy come home.
Mama don't go,
Daddy come home.
Mama don't go,
Daddy come home...
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