NELLIE LUTCHER - "Hurry On Down" (1947)

 

Today I'm going to hop into The Wayback Machine and go back to the year 1947, and the number two hit on The R&B Charts by phenomenal singer and pianist Nellie Lutcher.

The album cover seen here is actually from 1950 when Capital Records released a compilation of Nellie's tunes.

 

When I was a little kid, my parents had a fairly large stack of 78 RPM records that I used to listen to all the time. It was all great stuff with releases by people like Spike Jones And His City Slickers, Tex Williams, Geechie Smith, Danny Kaye, Freddie Slack and others, and of course Nellie Lutcher!

I've probably listened to this song 100's of times, and if you've never heard it before, then you're in for a treat. It's a lot of fun, fairly risque for it's time, and Nellie's vocal style is incomparable. 

Born in 1912, this grand lady lived on to the age of 94. 

NELLIE LUTCHER - "Hurry On Down" 

THE HELLECASTERS - "The Return Of The Hellecasters" (1993)

 

"The Return Of The Hellecasters" was an LP that came out in 1993. Part Surf, part Country, part Allman Brothers and more, it really defies description, but there's really only one thing you need to know, and that is these boys know how to play guitars, and the rest of the band ain't too bad neither!

I was going to present to you their killer version of the classic "Peter Gunn," but decided on this song instead, because it's just too cool! 

THE HELLECASTERS - "Rockin' The Dog" 

KARTHAGO - "Nos Vamos" (1972)

 

Here's a very short but cool instrumental that sounds like it came off of some lost Santana album, but the reality of the situation is that it's by a German band named Karthago from their 1972 self-titled LP.

KARTHAGO - "Nos Vamos"

ODD TIME SIGNATURES: Part Four (The Beatles)

 

You think you know the so-called "simplicity" of Beatles songs? Think again. John Lennon was famous for strumming his guitar with no particular rhythm in mind except to accompany the verbal flights of fancy he was singing. It often resulted in songs with interesting detours in time-signatures that made it hard for the rest of the band to learn to play Lennon's compositions. Paul McCartney has commented that when the band learned a Lennon song, it would sometimes require  their producer George Martin to conduct the band as they played (like an orchestra conductor), alerting them whenever the song was about to change time signatures, requiring them to count carefully as they played. 

 

Three Lennon-written songs particularly stand out for their odd forays into strange times:

 

After the introduction of "Good Morning, Good Morning," which has the standard 4 beats per measure, when the verse starts, then it's a whole different thing:

The first three measures of the verses have 5 beats, which is followed by one measure of 3 beats, then a measure with 4 beats, followed by a measure of 5 beats, and a measure with 4 beats, before ending with two measure of 3 beats. Crazy, man.

THE BEATLES - "Good Morning, Good Morning" 

 

 

And then you have "All You Need Is Love," which keeps alternating time signatures: The first two times the words "Love, love, love" are sung in the chorus, the first two "love, loves" are sung in one measure with 4 beats, but the third "love" is sung in one measure with 3 beats, and the third line ("love, love, love") has the "normal" four beats.  Weird, huh? And the verses do the same thing.

THE BEATLES - "All You Need Is Love" 

 

Compared to the previous two songs, "Happiness is a Warm Gun" has three distinct sections, each one having its own time signature: Section One ("She's not a girl who misses much . . . ") is mostly in "regular" 4/4 time except for the last three measures of the section in which the first measure has only 2 beats, the second 3 beats, and the third 4 beats before it segues into the guitar solo, which has three beats per measure. Section Two ("Mother Superior jump the gun. . .") is characterized by its "Waltz Time;" that is, 3 beats in each measure. The Third and final section ("Happiness is a warm gun . . .") is the most straight-forward section, as it follows the standard 4-beat doo-wop format of early rock 'n' roll.

THE BEATLES - "Happiness Is A Warm Gun" 

FREEDOM'S CHILDREN - "Astra" (1970)

 

Freedom's Children were an interesting but loud band from South Africa," and their album titled "Astra" came out in 1970.

If this music sounds raw, it's because this entire album was recorded starting on a Friday night, and ended on Monday morning.

The band broke up in 1971.

Here's a cover of a classic song everybody knows, but not like this.

FREEDOM'S CHILDREN - "Satisfaction" 

SCRUFFY THE CAT - "Moons Of Jupiter" (1988)

 

This 1988 LP by the band Scruffy The Cat titled "Moons Of Jupiter" was produced by Jim Dickinson, and that's really all you need to know because anything Jim laid his hands on was good as far as I can tell, so sit back, relax and enjoy a really nice song from a really good band!

SCRUFFY THE CAT - "Just Like Cathy's Clown" 

JAYNE MANSFIELD - "Suey" (1966)

 

Now here's one of the most convoluted stories I've ever heard. I'll try and explain it the best that I can.

First off, this song was recorded in 1966, but wasn't released until 2018. Jimi and Jayne were never in the studio together as this was just some Curtis Knight and the Squires toss off that was recorded when Jimi was very young. 

Jimi had signed a three year contract that haunted him all the way to his death with a guy named Ed Chalpin. 

Jimi had broken the contract by recording for other labels after he became successful, so all the royalties went to Ed Chalpin for the "Band Of Gypsys" LP to make up for it, even though Chalpin never did anything to further Jimi's career.

That's why "Band Of Gypsys" was born. Jimi got Buddy Miles and his old Army pal Billy Cox together for a live concert, and it was much easier than trying to record another whole studio album! 

 

 

"Suey" is just one more attempt by Chalpin to cash in on Jimi's name. 

Add blonde bombshell Jayne Mansfield to the mix, and how could you go wrong?

This song was written by Chalpin along with a DJ named Jacko (Jocko) Henderson who is sometimes referred to as the original rapper for his vocal style.

 

 JAYNE MANSFIELD - "Suey" 

 

 

Jayne deserved a lot better than this! She wasn't just a ditzy blonde. In reality, she was actually an accomplished pianist and violinist as seen in this amazing performance on The Ed Sullivan TV show. 

It's like The Firesgin Theatre used to say. "Everything you know is wrong!  

BIG STAR - "#1 Record" (1972)

 

What can I possibly say about Alex Chilton and Big Star? I don't know but I'll tell you this, Alex liked to make loose and sloppy music, it was just fun for him I guess, but here's a song that proves how talented he and the band Big Star really were.

From their first album in 1972 titled "#1 Record,"

here's a gorgeous little tune!

BIG STAR - "Thirteen" 

FULL BLOWN CHERRY - "The Rockabilly Tribute To The Ramones" (2005)

 

Full Blown Cherry should have been stars just for doing something like this, but that's not the way it works in the music business. Nobody wants to hear anything new even if it's 20 years old. A lot of people are clamoring for something new to hear, but instead, the radio stations just play the same old shit.

It's really a shame, and in the meantime, really creative people just get thrown to the dogs. and I'd say 

Full Blown Cherry is a good example.

But, that buck stops right here! 

FULL BLOWN CHERRY - "Judy Is A Punk" 

 

Just in case you missed it the first time, here's the original version.

THE RAMONES - "Judy Is A Punk"

BLACK DIAMOND HEAVIES - "Every Damn Time" (2007)

 

Here's another candidate for the best two man group ever, the Black Diamond Heavies.

This record titled "Every Damn Time" came out in 2007 and it just simply kicks ass!

With James Leg on Vocals, Hammond Organ, and Piano, and Van Campbell on Vocals and Drums, these two don't need anybody else, their sound is already full to the max!

Just try and sit still! 

BLACK DIAMOND HEAVIES - "Fever In My Blood" 

ODD TIME SIGNATURES: Part Three (XTC)

 

Rich here continuing my spotlight on artists who decided to play mind games with rock's typical 4-beats-per-measure protocol. 

With their angular, jerky, everything-but-the-kitchen sink complexity, XTC was no stranger to creating songs that demanded intellectual engagement. And yet they always had a pop-friendly approach, filling their songs with hooks that grab your ear and won't let go.

 

I have loved this song ever since its release in 1982 because its jangly guitar riffs were just so damn catchy. But trying to figure out the time-signatures in this song seems an exercise in futility. It's nearly impossible to find a groove in the verses of the song. And the lead guitar riffs that intersperse themselves between each line of singing seem to vacillate between one line played in 3-time and the next in 5-time. But, hell, if you can figure it out, I'll give you a gold medal.

XTC - "English Roundabout" 

THE DAVE MEYER'S EFFECT - "Greatest Racing Themes" (1968)

 

Sometimes songs are so cool, they don't require any further explanation, so from the 1968 LP by The Dave Meyers Effect titled "Greatest Racing Themes, I give you............

THE DAVE MEYERS EFFECT - Silent Screamer"

DIE KLEENEX - "Die Kleenex Spielen" (1979)

 

The Swiss all-girl band Die Kleenex made this cassette in 1979. 

If you happen to have a couple of copies laying around your house, cash them in immediately, they're worth hundreds and hundreds of dollars.

And here's the reason why......breaking guy's hearts everywhere......

They're hypnotic!

DIE KLEENEX - "Nice"

 

In 1979 the threat of legal action by Kimberly-Clark who owned the Kleenex trademark, prompted Kleenex to change their name to Liliput, and shortly after that lead singer Regula Sing was replaced by Chrigle Freund.
They also added a saxophone player and ended up sounding like this!

LILIPUT - "Die Matrosen"

THE DREADNOUGHTS - "Polka's Not Dead" (2010)

 

I could go on forever about all the different genres and manifestations of polkas, but I won't, and what I will do instead, is tell you two things about polkas.

Number one:

"In heaven there is no beer, that's why we drink it here, cause when we're gone from here,

our friends will be drinking all the beer!"

And Number two, 

No matter what the doomsayers preach,

"Polka's Not Dead!"

THE DREADNOUGHTS - "Polkas Never Die"

NORTEÑA & CONJUNTO MUSIC

 

Even though the polka originated in the Czech Republic, I'd be willing to bet that most people think the first polkas came from Germany, and over the years, some countries like Mexico think of it as their own in such styles as música norteña or conjunto.

Since Mexico shares a border with a little state called Texas, there is even further crossovers in music by people like Doug Sahm and The Texas Tornadoes where the fabuloso Flaco Jiménez had the accordian duties.

Sadly, Flaco just passed away a few weeks ago at the age of 86. 

Another purveyor of the Tex Mex sound is a band called Brave Combo, and if you throw in the kitchen sink like a Jimi Hendrix cover, then you get music like this. 

BRAVE COMBO - "Purple Haze" 

POLKACIDE - "Helena" (1986)

 

I saw Polkacide at the Club Lingerie in a "Battle Of The Polka Bands" with Brave Combo, and Rotondi years ago in Hollywood. It was a night to remember.

Weird Al even showed up and played with Polkacide for a couple of numbers. 

 

At the time I was not familiar with Polkacide at all, but yep, this is pretty much what they looked like, an odd amalgam to be sure, and they were awesome!

They are no longer together but their spirit will remain forever!

Here's the opening cut from their self-titled 1986 release.

It's perfectly coordinated chaos! Hold on to your britches!

POLKACIDE - "Helena"

POLKA POWER!! (1844 - 2025)

 

From looking at this album cover, you'd probably never think that the polka goes back all the way to 1844 Bohemia, but that's where the roots lie, and if you really think about, it might be the most popular dance music that was ever created.

Polka music has evolved and been passed around from one culture to another for a long, long time, and why do you suppose that is? I think because it's infectious happy music that makes you want to move, especially if you've been drinking.

 

Weird Al Yankovic is probably the most popular current polka artist, and that's mostly because of the comedy covers he loves to entertain us with..

 

 

But back in the 50's and 60's, Frankie Yankovic was dubbed 'The Polka King,' and he was the first winner of the 'Polka' category of The Grammy's in 1986. In 2008, the powers that be decided that polkas were no longer relevant and dropped the category from The Grammy's.

Weird thing is Al and Frankie are not even related. 

 

 

I've always liked polkas so I think I'll dedicate my next few posts to show how divergent polka culture really is, and to start off with, here's a band that injects their own Cajun influence into the polka.

A polka is basically a waltz speeded up, and Zydeco music is an offshoot of polka. Add some punk to the mix and you've got a band called The Zydepunks from New Orleans who came out with this album called "Finisterre" back in 2008.

Just try and sit still!!

THE ZYDEPUNKS - "One More Chance"

ODD TIME SIGNATURES: Part Two (Peter Gabriel)

 

Rich here with Part Two about music that messed around with your musical instincts by adding or subtracting beats to the typical 4 beats per measure found in the vast majority of rock songs.

 

Unlike Van Morrison, who was an R&B traditionalist (see Part 1 of this series), Peter Gabriel was already well acquainted with complex time signatures when he left the prog band Genesis in the mid-'70s. And, interestingly, one of his first solo records to become fairly well known was a hummable pop song that featured a kick drum keeping the band on time by hitting every beat of the song -- nothing fancy, just boom, boom, boom, boom . . . one kick on every beat.

 

But if you tried to learn the song and tried to play it on your acoustic guitar, you ran into problems almost immediately. Once the kick drum hit its first beat following a short guitar lead-in, the melody didn't immediately turn around after four beats, like with most pop/rock songs. There were still three more beats to be had, which meant the song had 7 beats per measure, which is a type of jazz time signature(!), and what seemed like a simple pop song with a pretty melody instead became far more progressive than it appeared. The only break in the pattern is on the last line before each of the instrumental breaks, which plays one measure in 4 before returning to its 7-time. Crazy, huh?

PETER GABRIEL - "Solsbury Hill"

THE RAINCOATS - "Adventures Close To Home" (1979)

 

The third part of this trilogy is the band called The Raincoats that was formed when Paloma Romero aka Palmolive, the drummer for The Slits, left the band in 1979. She would then turn around and quit The Raincoats after playing on this one LP, and was replaced by Ingrid Weiss.

THE RAINCOATS - "Adventures Close To Home" 

THE MO-DETTES - "The Story So Far" (1980)

 

The Mo-Dettes were an all girl punk band formed in London in 1979, by Ramona Carlier, Kate Korus, June Miles-Kingston, and Jane Crockford. They came out with this album called "The Story So Far" in 1980 after Kate left The Slits.

 

The Mo-Dettes had their own personal sound, and they rocked!

 The story didn't continue very long and they disbanded in 1982. 

THE MO-DETTES - "White Mouse Disco"

THE SLITS - "Cut" (1979)

 

Long considered to be the first all-female punk band, The Slits released this LP called "Cut" in the year 1979. The founding members were Ariane Forster, Kate Korus, Paloma Romero, and Suzi Webb aka 'Gutsy.

 

There were many personnel changes over the years and founding member Kate Korus was kicked out of the band before this record was recorded. She then went on to form another great all girl band, 

The Mo-Dettes.

THE SLITS - "So Tough"

RHINOCEROS - "Apricot Brandy" (1968)

 

Rhinoceros was a band that was not formed, but created in 1967 by the big shots at Elektra Records. They were kind of a super group with members brought on board via auditions. 

It didn't really pan out that well for the band or the label, and their commercial success was very limited.

The pinnacle of their success came in 1968 when this song made it to #46 on The Billboard Charts.

Clocking in at one minute and fifty-seven seconds, the song was just about as long as their success story.

RHINOCEROS - "Apricot Brandy"

THE NEATBEATS - "Awesome Beat Cellar" (2024)

 

The Neatbeats are from Osaka, Japan, and have been rocking together since 1997.

The song I wanted you to hear came off of this 2001 record titled "There Now! Plus..." and was a cover of an Ian And The Zodiacs 1964 single called "Livin Lovin' Wreck," but I couldn't find it on Youtube anywhere. 

So here's a tune from their 2024 release that's almost as good and basically in the same style except this one isn't in English.
These guys are legit! 
THE NEATBEATS - "Tandem Beat" 

THE TELEPATHIC BUTTERFLIES - "Introducing" (2002)

 

Twenty-three years later, and it's still "Introducing The Telepathic Butterflies." 

 WTF?!

 Can anybody tell me why these guys aren't superstars? 

Two years ago they cane out with an album called "Plan B," and I'm thinking that didn't go so well either.

Is this the story of a great band that didn't make it just because they had a goofy name?

I have no other explanation, and after you hear this song, I think you will agree. 

Pop/Psychedelic at it's best! 

Turn it up!! 

THE TELEPATHIC BUTTERFLIES - "Big Bang" 

ODD TIME SIGNATURES: Part One (Van Morrison)

 

Rich here to discuss how some songs deviate from typical rock protocol by having an odd number of beats. 

The vast majority of rock-oriented music has four beats in every measure with an emphasis on the 2nd and 4th beats (which are called the "back beat"). This makes it easy to dance to rock music. But, occasionally, an artist may throw in an extra beat or two, which can make you feel off-kilter, especially if you're trying to find the song's groove, or want to dance to it.

 

Van Morrison has always been a traditionalist at heart, and his dedication to the bedrock of four-beat R&B grooves unquestioned. However, on his 1978 album "Wavelength," Van included an ode to sexual desire that you may have heard in the movie soundtrack to "An Officer and a Gentleman." The introduction to "I'm Hungry For Your Love" started out in perfect 4/4 time, but once Van started singing the verse, it was difficult to determine where the beats were located. As near as I can tell, there are actually 6 beats in each of the measures of the verses, but it's hard to pinpoint where to start counting! And further complicating things, I'm not sure how many beats are in each measure of the Bridges. 

 

Pity the drummer who had to accompany this song!

VAN MORRISON - "I'm Hungry For Your Love"

CLEAR LIGHT - "Black Roses" (1967)

 

Clear Light, formerly known as The Brain Train, came out with this self-titled album in 1967. The band had a lot of talent but just couldn't get it going like Elektra label mates The Doors, and Love for various reasons. They tried something different, and that was the band had two drummers, one of whom was Dallas Taylor who went on to be the drummer for Crosby Stills and Nash.

Lead singer Cliff DeYoung went on to be a successful actor and was in films like "Shock Treatment," and "The Hunger." 

Guitarist Danny Kortchmar played with James Taylor for many years among others.

Bassist Doug Lubahn played on three of The Doors' albums. 

I always liked this song, and it is probably the best song on the record. It was released as a single, but never generated much interest or enthusiasm.

CLEAR LIGHT - "Black Roses" 

SQUEEZE - "Cool For Cats" (1979)

 

"Cool For Cats" is considered to be the first UK rock and roll TV series. It aired from 1956 to 1959.

 The show was only fifteen minutes long and you can watch a couple of the episodes right

HERE! 

The show was hosted by Kent Walton and they played records while The Dougie Squires Dancers danced around.

These two shows featured music by Mike Preston, The Hi-Lo's, The Kirby Stone Four, Bud and his Buddies, Paul Anka, and Connie Francis, who just recently passed away at the age of 87. In my humble opinion, most of it cannot be considered rock and roll.

 

In 1979 the band Squeeze released an album called "Cool For Cats," and the title song went to number two in the UK. It was lost on American audiences, and had no success at all in the U.S.

According to the main vocalist in the band, Glenn Tilbrook, "Cool for Cats" was written about the social scene the band experienced in their youth, and the title was based on the aforementioned TV show "Cool For Cats."

The title song was one of the rare instances that the other vocalist in the band, Chris Difford, sang lead.

 

 SQUEEZE - "Cool For Cats" 

THE SAINTS - "I'm Stranded" (1976)

 

Punk music!

Sometimes it's great, and just like many other genres of music, sometimes it sucks!

The Saints are from Australia, and they don't suck! 

The single came out in 1976 and was included in their 1977 album "I'm Stranded," here's a song I have liked for a long time.

THE SAINTS - "I'm Stranded" 

MARK NAUSEEF & MIROSLAV TADIĆ - "The Snake Music" (1994)

 

"The Snake Music" by Mark Nauseef & Miroslav Tadić was released on a German label in 1994, so it's not likely that you have heard this song.....

 

.....unless you have a copy of the 1996 CD titled "The Jack Bruce Collector's Edition."

The song is on this disc because famed bass player Jack Bruce played bass and sang on this particular tune with Mark Nauseef playing drums & Miroslav Tadić on guitar.

It takes a lot of balls to do a Hendrix cover and make it your own, but somehow Mark, Miroslav and Jack managed to pull it off.

MARK NAUSEEF & MIROSLAV TADIĆ - "The Wind Cries Mary" 

THE BUZZARDS - "Jellied Eels To Record Deals" (1979)

 

In 1979, UK band The Buzzards, formerly known at the Leyton Buzzards, came out with this album called "Jellied Eels To Record Deals."

There's some pretty funny stuff on this LP including an odd cover of "Can't Get Used To Losing You," but the song that always gets me is this one!

THE BUZZARDS - "I Don't Want To Go To Art School" 

THINKING FELLERS UNION LOCAL 282 - "Mother Of All Saints" (1992)

 

Thinking Fellers Union Local 282.

 Now here's a band that has some real talent, but do they want you to know that? 

 Hell No! 

That would be too easy!

THINKING FELLERS UNION LOCAL 282 - "Catcher"