But that is for later. First we must deal with the business of the day.
I don't think it will be seen as courting controversy to say I'm not a big fan of those archive boxed sets that ask you to stump up lots of money for multiple (and usually not as good) versions of songs that you already have, even when they are from artists I like.
Take for example Volumes 3 and 4 of Joni Mitchell's Archives series that between them cover the period 1972 to 1980. Volume 3 came out last year, Volume 4 last month. The combined price is £125 for eleven discs. For that you get six different live versions of "Big Yellow Taxi" which is probably at least five more than anyone needs.
That is not to say there isn't some good stuff tucked away in there. I really enjoyed the early demos of songs that ended up on "Hissing Of Summer Lawns" and "Hejira", my favourite Joni albums along with "Blue". I would happily buy a double album with just them on (which is sort of what I ended up doing by downloading the individual tracks).
Here are a couple of those demos, one each from Volumes 3 and 4 and one each from the two aforementioned albums, with the title track of "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter" added on - it seems that it was originally envisaged as a medley with "Coyote".
"Don't Interrupt The Sorrow (demo)" - Joni Mitchell
"Coyote/ Don Juan's Reckless Daughter (demo)" - Joni Mitchell
And now what you've all been waiting for...
... with an extra special treat just for George. After a less than stellar solo career as Andy Andres, which included a German language version of the Paul Evans smash, young Andreas Lebbing became the lead singer of top pop act Wind under his real name.
The Wind of change paid off for him. In 1987 they took "Lass die sonne in dein herz" to second place in Eurovision behind Johnny Logan. Feast your eyes on the lady with the keytar and the enormous shoulder pads of the man playing the steel drums. And, yes, that is indeed one half of the future Milli Vanilli showing he could mime guitar playing as well as he could mime singing.
Wind had previously finished second in 1985, and remain the only act to finish second twice, but that was before Andreas joined them.
I dread to think how dire the remaining eurovision songs of 1987 were if The Wind was 2nd, it's not a very good pop song.
ReplyDeleteUngrateful so-and-so. Do you have any idea how many dreadful videos I had to wade through just to satisfy your demand for more German Eurovision entries while still sticking with the theme of the post?
DeleteAre you trying convince us that you did not enjoy watching them?
DeleteAs you have mentioned German Eurovision then I'm contractually obliged to post this Ralph Siegel penned entry from 1979: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejQ0N2SMZNA (N.B. Nothing to do with Joni)
DeleteI love Joni Mitchell.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet, I spent far more time listening to the two videos at the bottom of the page than I did her demos.
And that Paul Evans original is a classic. I won't have a word said against it.
Even better, I just discovered that there are a number of different bands called Wind. You can guess the rest...
I fear for what follows but have only myself to blame.
DeleteI am also a fan of 'Hello This Is Joannie' in a non-ironic way. It is a fine example of the 1970s craze for songs involving phone calls, answering machines or two-way radios. And it is positively uplifting and not at all creepy compared to Driver 67 and this:
https://youtu.be/yEF0aODebA8?si=cHZu2sCTzCxdZgow
Yeah, I've seen that before and I still have nightmares. I hope Operation Yewtree are aware.
DeleteI'm also in the " 'Hello This Is Joanie' but not in an ironic way" fanclub. Believe it not (you won't believe it but it IS true) that was the 45" single I took to play when I was road testing a rather expensive up market Rega record deck. Reader I bought it!
ReplyDeleteNo surprise there, you are renowned for being a man of distinction and taste.
DeleteTalking about 70's songs with phone calls here's Sunny with Doctor's Orders on TOTP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAVaKyW8o_s
ReplyDelete