Every blogger’s a narcissist, to a certain extent. For what is narcissism if not the belief that other people will be so fascinated by your bloviations that they’ll seek them out, repeatedly? And what’s more narcissistic than writing about your interesting taste in music? Because I can, I’m bringing back the random-10 feature, in which I put the laptop on “shuffle” and write about the next 10 tunes to pop up.
“For the Love of Money”/O’Jays. This is probably the deepest groove Gamble and Huff ever plowed, and it’s probably also their busiest production, with reverb and phase-shifting all over the place. And every damn bit of it works.
“Wait for Me”/Susan Tedeschi. The title track from her 2002 album, the long-awaited followup to the star-making Just Won’t Burn. The more I listen to Susan, the more I think it’s probably too easy to call her a blues singer, because her music is inspired just as much by classic R&B and gospel. She’s climbed my list of favorite singers faster than anybody in the last year or two.
“Sister Hot Pants”/Freddie Robinson. One of many records inspired by Jean Knight’s “Mr. Big Stuff” and posted by our friend The Stepfather of Soul a while back. If I’ve got the right Robinson, he backed bluesman Little Walter in his youth and made a bunch of records under his own name and with others at Stax in the 60s and 70s.
“Save Me”/Aimee Mann. The 1999 movie Magnolia blew my mind for many reasons, Aimee Mann’s songs chief among them. (See it; then buy the soundtrack.) This version comes from the DVD Live at St. Ann’s Warehouse.
“Memories of You”/Jimmy Smith. From the album Standards, a Smith album unlike most of his others. This is not the Smith known for funky Hammond B3 grooves with searing leads and booming bass lines. It’s the late-night Smith, old-school organ, almost churchy at times, along with gorgeous lead guitar by Kenny Burrell. Seriously romantic music.
“Sailing”/Rod Stewart. This was a Number-One single in the UK in 1975, but not nearly so big over here. From the album Atlantic Crossing, which featured a fast side and a slow side—and a not-heard-often-enough-anymore cover of “This Old Heart of Mine,” which Rod would rerecord with Ronald Isley on the Storyteller anthology.
“Pink Bedroom”/Rosanne Cash. This comes from Rhythm and Romance, an album whose cover photo screams “1985.” (But who among us hasn’t got some embarrassing photos in their past?) The disc inside contains several Rosanne essentials, including “Never Be You” (written but never recorded by Tom Petty), “I Don’t Know Why You Don’t Want Me,” and “Hold On.”
“House of Cards”/Mary Chapin Carpenter. From Stones in the Road, an endlessly enjoyable album. Not a bad place to start your MCC collection, if you’re so inclined.
“I Love Music”/O’Jays. More Philly. Can’t be bad. On your radio 31 years ago this week.
“Oh God I Wish I Was Home Tonight”/Rod Stewart. The only track you need from Foolish Behaviour, an otherwise fairly dreadful album. That didn’t stop it from being a fairly substantial hit. “Passion” was the big single; “She Won’t Dance With Me” was the third video ever played on MTV.
Want to hear these songs? (Well, all except Freddie Robinson, at least.) They’re up at Finetune.com. Click here and choose “Random Universe: Rhythm and Romance.”
Filed under: Random Universe
