THE EQUALS - "Baby Come Back" (1968)

 

From 1968, here's a song that is just simply infectious. If you can listen to this without tapping your foot, then you probably need to make a doctor's appointment.

Written by Eddy Grant, this song did have some success having reached the top 10 in Belgium and the Netherlands, and got to number 32 on the U.S. Billboard Charts in 1968.

So just in case you never heard it before, or just need to hear it again, here's

The Equals - "Baby Come Back"

VIVA L'AMERICAN DEATH RAY MUSIC - "Smash Radio Hits" (2002)

 

Well, technically, this album is from the 21st century since it came out in 2002, but it was still freakin' twenty-three years ago. Besides, who cares?

American Death Ray, as they were sometimes called, hailed from Memphis, Tennessee, and if you don't keep up, this song will beat you into the ground. I think the correct description would be something like 'insanely intense.' 

Take a deep breath and hold on to your seat!

VIVA L'AMERICAN DEATH RAY MUSIC - "Miss America (What Goes On)"

C.B.I. - "Big Tears" (1987)

 

I was going to give you something from one of my very favorite bands of the 70's, Doll By Doll, but while I was trying to figure out which one of their amazing songs to showcase, I ran across this song I'd never heard before from 1987 by a band called C.B.I. (Concrete, Bulletproof, Invisible) called "Big Tears."

 

C.B.I. was basically Doll By Doll along with Glen Matlock, the original bassist in The Sex Pistols, with one of my favorite vocalists Jackie Leven on vocals, Joe Shaw on guitars, and musical elements from what sounds like about fifteen different songs. I'm pretty sure this should have been a big hit!

C.B. I. - "Big Tears"

RANDY BACHMAN - "Axe" (1970)

 

Most people know of Randy Bachman as being in the hard driving, hard rocking Canadian band known as Bachman-Turner Overdrive, or BTO, and their big hits like "Taking Care Of Business," and "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet," so when I bought this album years ago, it really surprised me that it was full of jazzy instrumentals like this simple Wes Montgomery/George Benson/Santana sounding song!

From an album simply titled "Axe" in 1970

RANDY BACHMAN - "Tally's Tune."

THE WIND - "Guest Of The Staphs" (1984)

 

The Wind album titled "Guest Of The Staphs" is one of the best records of the 1980's in my humble opinion. It's only got six songs on it, but they are all good ones, and here's one of my favorites.

THE WIND - "If  I Go One Way"

MICHAEL HENDERSON - "Solid" (1976)

 

Here's the title song from too cool bassist Michael Henderson's LP from 1976 titled "Solid."

I still have this record because I never get tired of hearing this endless groove. 

It's redundant to overstate the obvious, but this tune is just solid!

MICHAEL HENDERSON - "Solid"

SIMON T. STOKES - The Metamorphosis Of "Big City Blues" (1966-1970)

 

Now here's some good music to start this new year, and just like what lies ahead, it's a

 "Ball Of Confusion."

 I bought this album back in 1970, and I never really knew anybody who knew about it except myself until today. It was called "Simon Stokes and The Nighthawks, and here's a manic example of Simon's style.

SIMON STOKES AND THE NIGHTHAWKS - "Big City Blues"

 

Interesting enough, here's what I learned today. This was not the first time Simon Stokes recorded this song.

In 1966, Simon released a single version of this same song in a more of a folk/rock style without The Nighthawks.

SIMON T. STOKES - "Big City Blues"

 

And if that ain't enough, the same year he released this completely different version on Hanna Barbera Records, yeah, the same company that brought you Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, and The Flintstones.

SIMON T. STOKES - "Big City Blues"

 

Believe it or not, there's still more! In 1967, Simon came out with yet another version, and as the times were a changing, this one's psychedelic!

SIMON T. STOKES - "Big City Blues"

  Don't try and tell me the world isn't crazy!