Taking it back to the old skool like an old fool

I'm having a golden oldies moment right now so humor Mama as she goes through it. All of the songs that I'm just living and twirling to tonight I have been doing such to for ages but for some reason I'm really feeling em tonight...has to be the residual humidity from this weekend. Here we go:

1) "Gimme Shelter"-The Rolling Stones
This has been my song for I don't know how long but I really, really didn't get into it until my dear Santa Cruz friend Rannvi (yeah she is 6'1" and Swedish, what you know about that?!) introduced me the vast world of Merry Clayton*, the back-up singer on this track. "Gimme Shelter" is just a great down and dirty rock track but it would not be near as classic as it is if it was not for Ms. Clayton's knee-shaking, testifying backing vocals on this track. Now on CD or cassette is is great, but on vinyl it is BRILLANT. In this format it is crystal clear when my girl scream at the top of her lungs, "rape and murder" and then you hear Mick in the background bark out "Whoo!" (his version of telling honey chile to "work it out"). Rumor has it that she was "sanging" so hard that she miscarried in the studio. Mariah, Whitney, Christina, you have been straight served. Aside from Merry tearing it up it is just an ominous and sexy track that holds the hell up and dammit I'll say it...the best rock song ever.

2) "Once in a Lifetime" (live)-Talking Heads
Okay, this is the track...done, but listen to the live version on the Talking Heads 2-CD set from 77-79 and 80-81 that was just re-released and REALLY appreciate bassist Tina Weymouth. You can skip the part about Tina being a good female bassist and try to put her in some Kim Gordon, Kim Deal catagory...the hell with that. My gurl holds this song down as only a GREAT player could and it grooves harder than the studio version. Ms. Tina was on some Brothers Johnson (specifically Louis Johnson) type shit and she needs to be felt heavily for that. The opening of the song is worth complete adoration and by the time it ends she has broken it down, built it back up and put a damn bow on it. And there is no need to get deep about how fierce and crazy David Byrne sounds on this song. I don't care what kind of world music tip he is on now (mad respect for him championing ethnic artists and trying to bring them to the forefront) the man held it down and did his own thing.

3) Dionne Warwicke-"Don't Make Me Over" & "I Say a Little Prayer"
This woman's voice is like damn velvet. All I have to say is that her and Burt Bacharach had to be doing it in the 60's cause he wrote old girl some jams. These are some "You are my boo and I'm going to write you some hits" songs right here. When you listen to them you are like, "Shit, don't make her over, she is good enough as she is" and hell, "I'm going to say a little prayer for you to find some love darling...cause you singing your heart out about it!" Don't EVER underestimate the Bacharach/Warwicke connection...it is tight.

4) 10cc-"I'm Not in Love"
Let me give you a lyrical sampling:
I'm not in love, so don't forget it/It's just a silly phase I'm going through. /And just because I call you up, don't get me wrong, don't think you got it made./(chorus)/I'd like to see you but then again, that doesn't mean you mean that much to me.

Shit, brother, you could try and sugarcoat it a little for your ladyfriend! Regardless, brutal as the song is I heart it. Damn...

Now it's time for me to get back to my rocker.

*Check out Merry doing back-up on "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Feelin' Alright"...she takes it to church!