LET'S GO LET GO!! (1963 & 1980)

 

In 1963, The Routers had a pretty big with "Let's Go," and it reached #19 on The Billboard Charts. I just found out something interesting that I don't think I ever knew before, and that's the real name of the song is "Let's Go (Pony)."

Another thing I just found out is that Scott Engel aka Scott Walker was the original bassist in the band. 

The driving force behind The Routers was Michael Z. Gordon who also went on to form The Marketts, and a a lot of the instrumentation was done by studio musicians like Tommy Tedesco and Earl Palmer.

THE ROUTERS - "Let's Go (Pony)"

 

 

The English language can be very fascinating at times, like how just adding an apostrophe and an s to a word can totally change it's meaning.

In 1980, Dirty Looks, one of the lesser known Stiff Records bands came out with a song that to me sounds kind of like an amped up version of "My Sharona," but what do I know?

So get ready, get set and  let's go let go! 

DIRTY LOOKS - "Let Go"

HEART FULL OF SOUL - "1965 & 1987"

 

Hi, folks. Rich here to mention a cover song I didn't see coming at the time.

The Yardbirds' recording career wasn't terribly prolific, but virtually everything they recorded with Jeff Beck playing lead guitar was a masterpiece. And, normally, it would be hard for me to classify any cover version of a Beck-era Yardbirds' single as better than the original.

THE YARDBIRDS - "Heart Full OF Soul"

However . . . 

 

 

In 1987 Chris Isaak slowed down the tempo of "Heart Full of Soul," and with Chris's sultry baritone accompanied by the moody surf-oriented guitar of James Calvin Wilsey, their version of The Yardbirds' classic sounds like a perfect soundtrack for a modern neo-noir film. 

Don't you think so, too?

CHRIS ISAAK - "Heart Full Of Soul"

THE SIR DOUGLAS BAND - "Texas Tornado" (1973)

 

There's not hardly anything ever done by Doug Sahm that I don't like. The guy was just pure genius, and this 1973 LP titled "Texas Tornado that was released under the name of The Sir Douglas Band is no exception. Today is Cinco de Mayo, and I can't think of a better song to celebrate the holiday than this one! 

                                      Ay, Ay, Ay!!!                                       

THE SIR DOUGLAS BAND - "Chicano"

HERMETO PASCOAL - "Slaves Mass" (1977)

 

I had a good weekend, so let's wrap it up with some more Brazilian music, and this time it's by one of the masters, Hermeto Pascoal.

Hermeto mainly plays the keyboards, but is also proficient on Flute, Acoustic Guitar, Soprano Saxophone, Recorder, and Clavinet, and he's joined on this 1977 LP by Airto, and Flora Purim, with Ron Carter, and/or Alphonso Johnson on Bass, David Amaro playing guitars, Chester Thompson on the Drums, and Raul De Souza on Trombone. In other words, it's an all-star ensemble, and it's pretty obvious when you listen to it!

HERMETO PASCOAL - "That Waltz (Aquela Valsa)"

 

 

BO DIDDLEY - "The 20th Anniversary Of Rock'N'Roll" (1976)

 

"The 20th Anniversary of Rock'N'Roll" by Bo Diddley in 1976 has some good music on it, but there's one song I really like not only for it's spirit, but also for the way it just chugs along!

Enjoy!!

BO DIDDLEY - "Kill My Body"

THE SEEDS - "No Escape" (1966)

 

"Pushin' Too Hard" by The Seeds in 1966 is still a song that a lot of people know. It did get to number 36 on The Billboard Charts of 1967, so how come none of the other music on this LP or their later albums ever got much or any airplay?

Here's a song with the same pounding sound as "Pushin' Too Hard," and yet there's no escaping the fact that it's done and gone.............until now! 

THE SEEDS - "No Escape"

NILS LOFGREN - "Keith Don't Go (Ode To The Glimmer Twin)" (1975)

 

 I've always liked one particular song off of Nils Lofgren's self-titled album from 1975 because I don't really know of any other songs to compare it to. It's just an interesting song with an interesting message from Nils to Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones urging him not to die from his life of excess. I read that Nils said they he and Keith have met a number of times but have never discussed this song, and in fact, he's not even sure if he has even ever heard it.

A talented guy, Nils is playing everything except the drums, bass, and backing vocals.

NILS LOFGREN - "Keith Don't Go (Ode To The Glimmer Twin)"