Single Song Sunday 26 April

Our extremely irregular series returns for the first time this year. Unlike your Rols and Charity Chics I am constitutionally incapable of keeping several series running in parallel. With Ernie's El Dorado - returning next post - and now Pun Fun on the go Single Song Sunday has rather fallen by the wayside.

But we are belatedly back with a song that became an instant standard when the first version to be released came out in late 1967. Second Hand Songs lists over 40 cover versions during 1968 and 1969 alone and there are now nearly 2000 known recordings. We're talking about Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now".

Joni wrote "Both Sides Now" in 1966 but was not the first person to record the song. That was Judy Collins, who included it on her 1967 "Wildflowers". It was released as a single the following year and was a top ten hit in the US and Canada. 

It was the Judy Collins version that prompted the early rush of cover versions. Joni herself did not get around to releasing it until her second album "Clouds" in mid 1969 by which time the bandwagon was well and truly rolling. I'm sure you are all familiar with that version so instead you're getting a 1972 live recording that can be found on "Joni Mitchell Archives Vol. 3".

Many of the cover versions are dreadful - take a bow Carly Rae Jepsen, Mel C, John Barrowman, Paul Young and Clannad (together), Leonard Nimoy and an endless stream of TV talent show wannabes - and many others are nice enough but are straight takes that don't add anything to the song. But there are some decent and/or interesting versions hidden in the haystack.

This post was prompted by hearing a very early unreleased demo by Fairport Convention on an album of Joni covers that comes with the current edition of Mojo, so they make the cut. After them we have: their fellow 1960s folk moderniser Davy Graham, Dion in his "Abraham, Martin & John" period...  

(deep breath)

...The Tokens in 1971 keen to remind listeners of their big hit of 1961, some smooth South African jazz, a rather good French version, a grungy pop take from the 1990s and finally an MRV from the early 1970s.

"Both Sides Now" - Judy Collins

"Both Sides Now (Live 1972)" - Joni Mitchell

"Both Sides Now" - Fairport Convention

"Both Sides Now" - Davy Graham

"From Both Sides Now" - Dion

"Both Sides Now" - The Tokens

"Both Sides Now" - Hugh Masekela

"Je N'ai Rien Appris" - Marie Laforêt

"Both Sides Now" - Parasites

"From Both Sides" - Pat Kelly

As for the videos I particularly enjoy the one by Dexys as it was shot in my manor and all the locations are very familiar to me. I lived a few hundred yards from Blackman's shoes on Cheshire St for about 15 years and I know at least one reader will recognise the interior of Pellicci's cafe and the ever cheerful Nev behind the counter. 

Rush Hour

According to my spreadsheet Tom Rush has never featured here in all the long years we've been going, which is a good enough reason to have him now (that and the fact that I really like his voice which has a touch of the Gordon Lightfoots about it). Tom is 85 now and I'm pleased to say is still going strong. His first record was released in 1962 and his most recent in 2024. 

Way back in the late 1960s Tom developed a reputation for helping to raise the profile of emerging singer-songwriters by covering their songs on his albums. The prime example is his "The Circle Game" album from 1968 which included songs by Joni Mitchell (including the title track), James Taylor and Jackson Browne (see below) before any of them had released an album themselves.

Tom only wrote two songs on that album himself but one of them is not just the best song on the record but one of the best songs ever. You will probably know it from the Walker Brothers version, or maybe Midge Ure.

"Shadow Dream Song" - Tom Rush

"No Regrets" - Tom Rush

Gigs-A-Go-Go

Last week was a busy week for gigs - three in five days.

It started on the Sunday with a visit to Theatreship, an excellent little bar and venue on a converted small cargo ship in Canary Wharf. I first went there last year to see Angeline Morrison and was very taken with the place. 

The line-up on Sunday was Beth Jones (below), Binti Red and Albertine. They were all perfectly pleasant but I don't think any of them will live long in the memory.

The same can't be said for the artist we went to see on Wednesday, the mighty Ms Suzi Quatro at the London Palladium. 

As a close personal friend of Suzi I had been expecting an invitation to the VIP area but it must have got lost in the post so we were way up in the Grand Circle. Or at least I was for the first set. In contrast to the comfy former cinema seats at the Theatreship there is no legroom at all for anyone above about 5 foot 8, and by the interval I was in physical pain. So for the second set I stood at the back of the Royal Circle, one level down, where I could leap around to my heart's (and legs') content. 

As for the show itself, Suzi was magnificent. Two sets of over an hour each, her voice was sounding as good as ever at 75 and she had loads of chunky basslines and a fine band behind her. We got treated to all the hits and more including an unexpected (and unexpectedly good) cover of Neil's "Rockin' In The Free World". All in all a great night.

After a brief trip home to change my socks it was off to the Shacklewell Arms in Dalston - a venue that gets mentioned here on as regular basis -to see Umut Adan & Zebânis on Thursday night.

Umut is a Turkish singer-songwriter who was heavily influenced by the psychedelic Anatolian rock scene of the 1960s and 1970s (the likes of Erkin Koray and Cem Karaca). Now based in Italy he teamed up with the Turin trio Zebânis to record the "Başka Bahar" album which came out in March. Overall I enjoyed the gig but it was a bit of an odd one. 

The first half of the set was fairly straightforward heads down Anatolian boogie. Umut then left the stage for a bit while the Italian lads indulged in overlong glitchy noise experiments I could have managed without.

When he returned Umut told us that "danceable dissent" was his thing and then proceeded to play a series of numbers that were pretty much impossible to dance to, starting with one that sounded like a highlife guitarist attempting to escape from a cement mixer.

That was followed by one that had five distinct parts. According to the note I scribbled on the bus home they were: "Back Of My Hand" by The Jags; Husker Du play "La Bamba"; Steve Hillage on mogadon; feedback; and a lively Turkish jig. Even the woman next to me who until then had been frugging like a frantic ostrich struggled with that lot.

On Friday I went for a lie down.

For the music we have what appears to be Beth Jones' only recording to date, on a compilation from the Slow Dance label that just came out in March, another unexpected cover from Suzi and two tracks from Umut - one from the new album and one from "Bahar" from 2019.

"Clara" - Beth Jones

"Warm Leatherette" - Suzi Quatro

"Kaptan" - Umut Adan & Zebânis

"Dünyalardan Şen Bahar" - Umut Adan

Pun Fun 5: The Results

Ladies and gentlemen, we have another winner! Topping the 'Down On The Farm' chart is...

The Swede with "Manure In Love With A Beautiful Woman".

It was a very close run thing with just a couple of points between the top three. Here is the Top 5 in full:

1.      Manure in Love With a Beautiful Woman - Dr Hook (The Swede)

2.      Grow Your Own Whey - Fleetwood Mac (Dave)

3.      There's A Goat In My House - R Dean Taylor (George)

4.      You Can't Slurry Love - The Supremes (Steve)

5.      Love Is A Cattlefield - (Cow) Pat Benatar (Rol)

Many congratulations to The Swede, whose punning power has clearly been improved by the apparent recent removal of his beard. Well done also to Dave (a.k.a. Chuck) and Steve who make their first appearances in the Top 5. And to Rol, Parsley and Anita of course.

You may have noticed that three of the top five puns contain references to excrement. After the prodigious penis voting in Pun Fun 4 I'm starting to worry about what sort of crowd I attract here.

As for my own entry, I still maintain that "like a battery hen I'll be gone when the morning comes" is a great line when sung out loud. Sadly very few of you agreed with me. With hindsight maybe I should have gone for my second choice, "Cropduster" by Sweet. Or something with poo in it.

Thanks to all of you who submitted a pun and/or voted, your enthusiasm is much appreciated. We will be back with Pun Fun 6 at some point in the second half of May. Until then, we will hand over to Dr. Hook to see us out.

Kickass Kikagaku

Swiss Adam and I are currently engaged in a sort of  'duelling banjos' exercise but substituting Japanese psych bands for banjos, the main purpose of which seems to be to help George refine his list of favourite Japanese bands.

Last time out Adam went big on every respect, treating us all to a 15 minute slab of the mighty Bo Ningen. At the time it felt like a knockout blow but I managed to stagger to my feet on a count of eight. Having taken some time to unscramble my brain I am fit to fight my corner.

After some thought I narrowed my options down to two bands, both of which have been featured here before (although not recently) and both beginning with K. The other one might appear next if we continue with this thing, but for now I've gone for Kikagaku Moyo.

Originally from Tokyo but latterly based in Amsterdam, Kikagaku Moyo released five albums and assorted odds and sods over the course of a decade before going their separate ways in 2022. Three of the members - Go Kurosawa, Tomo Katsurada and Popal Daoud Akira - have since gone on to release solo albums.

Today's selections come from "Masana Temples" (2018) and their self-titled album from 2017. In an attempt to compete with Adam on both quantity and quality I have added an 18-minute long collaboration with Ryley Walker from 2021. All these and much more can be found on their Bandcamp page. 

The blurb for their final album "Kumoyo Island" says that "while their decade-long career can be summarized as a series of kaleidoscopic explorations through lands and dimensions far and near, there’s a strong intention in each of their works to take the listener to a particular place, however real or abstract they may be". Have a listen, let me know where you end up. 

"Majupose" - Kikagaku Moyo

"Zo No Senaka" - Kikagaku Moyo

"Shrinks The Day" - Ryley Walker & Kikagaku Moyo

25 Years Late

Stephen Malkmus released his self-titled debut solo album a quarter of a century ago. I finally got around to listening to it on Sunday. 

I should have done so sooner, it's very good. 

"Phantasies" - Stephen Malkmus

"Trojan Curfew" - Stephen Malkmus

Pun Fun 5: The Contenders

Voting is now open for Pun Fun 5. 

You were challenged to insert a pun related to farming into a popular song title. You have clearly been toiling in fertile soil as you've produced a fine harvest between you.

Thanks to everyone who submitted an entry and particularly welcome to Chris who is making his punning debut and joins us just in time to help with the bale-hauling.

Voting is open to all readers not just those who entered. Let me know your top five in order of preference. I'll award 7 points for every first choice, 5 for second and then 3, 2 and 1 for the rest.

You can either submit your votes in the comments section below or by email to leggies27@hotmail.co.uk if you would rather preserve the sanctity of the secret ballot. 

The deadline is next Sunday (19 April). We will announce the results a week today. 

Here are the contenders, listed alphabetically by artist.

1.    While My Deutz-Fahr Gently Reaps - The Beatles

2.    As Long As We Got Each Udder - BJ Thomas and Jennifer Warnes

3.    Barn In The USA – Bruce Springsteen

4.    Sow it Hoes - "Chick" Lowe

5.    Love Is A Cattlefield - (Cow) Pat Benatar

6.    Wheat Wheat Wheat - The Damned

7.    Cracked Tractor - David Bowie

8.    Manure in Love With a Beautiful Woman - Dr Hook

9.    Drake, Cattle & Foal - (Duck) Bill Haley & His Comets

10.  Swede Dreams Are Made Of This - Eurhythmics

11.  Grow Your Own Whey - Fleetwood Mac

12.  With Weed On Our Side - Half Man Half Biscuit

13.  Battery Hen - Meat Loaf

14.  There's A Goat In My House - R Dean Taylor

15.  Top Of The Crops - The Rezillos

16.  You Can't Slurry Love - The Supremes

17.  You And Your Harvester – This Mortal Coil

18.  Anyway Any Plough Anywhere - The Who

A number of you have said nice things about this series but I can't take the credit. You are the ones who come up with the puns, I just put them all together. Now...