Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot

As we reach the end of another year, it's time to remember some of the many talented people who left us over the last twelve months. RIP, all of you.

"Hey Truckers" - Andre Williams

"Canebrake" - Bob Frank

"Missin' My Baby" - Clydie King

"Anita" - Costa Cordalis

"Would You" - Dave Bartholomew

"Miserlou" - Dick Dale

"We Had It All" - Donnie Fritts

"Secret Love" - Doris Day

"Jump Sturdy" - Dr. John

"Precious, Precious" - Jackie Moore

"Serious Thing" - Jah Stitch

"Umbaqanga Music" - Juluka (Johnny Clegg)

"Police Car" - Larry Wallis

"Cora Jones" - Neal Casal

"Kunze Kwadoka" - Oliver Mtukudzi

"So Excited" - Ranking Roger

"Birds'd Crash" - Roky Erikson (with Okkervill River)

"Lights of Cincinatti" - Scott Walker

"Candy Jail" - Silver Jews (David Berman)

"Hundred Pounds Of Lovin'" - Sleepy LaBeef

We also lost Barrie, Larry, Daniel and The Captain along the way.

Rif Riders

I'm back from a Christmas break in northern Morocco. Very nice it was too. I managed to pick up some dodgy bootleg CDs at assorted market stalls in Tangier, Tetouan and Martil. You can look forward to some of the highlights over the next few weeks.

First up we have a couple of tracks from a compilation called 'Rif Hits'. The Rif region stretches across the northern coastal parts of Morocco from Tangier in the west to Berkane in the east, and is framed by the mountain range of the same name.

Judging by the number of times he appears of the compilation, Mo Temsamani seems to be the main man round that way, so he has to feature. And how could we leave DJ Shebsy out?

"Mama Zina" - Mo Temsamani (featuring Laila Chakir)

"Alaoui Dance" - DJ Shebsy

While staying in Tangier I took a pleasant trip on the train down to the delightful little town of Asilah. I thought about honouring the journey in song, but I couldn't find a track called "Regional service to Rabat, change at Kenitra for connections to Fes and Marrakech", so this will have to do.

Back Then Again

As promised a few weeks ago, here is the second part of our top 20 hot and happening tunes from 1989. As a nod to the festive season, it includes a Christmas song and one with Jesus in the title.

"Zigitup" - Ninjaman & Flourgon

"I Got Da Feelin'" - Sweet Tee

"Gallo Del Cielo" - Tom Russell

"Radio Lover" - George Jones

"The Mayor Of Simpleton" - XTC

"You Happy Puppet" - 10,000 Maniacs

"If I Could Open Up My Heart" - Otis Clay

"Play One For Melo" - Mighty Sparrow

"Baldhead Jesus" - Bunny Wailer

"Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)" - The Ramones

We'll finish with the 89th biggest UK hit of 1989. I'm off now until after Xmas. Have a good one, I hope you don't feel like prisoners too when Boxing Day morning comes around.

Crockett In My Pocket

A couple of country tunes for you today courtesy of Howard Crockett, best known - if known at all - for writing "Honky Tonk Man" and other hits for Johnny Horton. He was pretty nifty as a singer as well.

"Wine-O From Chicago" - Howard Crockett

"Soap And Water" - Howard Crockett

Oud Dudes

I'm just back after working in Oman for a couple of weeks. I would definitely recommend you visit if you get the chance, some of the scenery is magnificent.

At one point it looked like I was going to return home empty-handed, musically speaking. As far as I can tell there isn't a single record shop in Muscat, not even a chain store in the malls. But then I got chatting of one of the people I was working with, Khaled, and discovered that he was a master oud player. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that the oud is the traditional lute-type instrument found across Arabia and beyond.

At the end of my stay Khaled very kindly presented me with a double CD of performances by members of the organisation he is actively involved with, the catchily named Oman Oud Hobbyists Association. Here are a couple of tracks. The sleeve notes are in Arabic and very, very small so I have no idea what they are called.

"Track 8, CD 1" - The Oman Oud Hobbyists Association 

"Track 3, CD 2" - The Oman Oud Hobbyists Association 

And here is a song all about romance in Oman, give or take an R.

Political Lies

No further explanation required for our readers in the region currently known as the United Kingdom.

"Political Lies" - Robin Williamson

Thirty Glorious Years

As mentioned in a recent post, I have decided against doing any "best of the year" posts this year. There are two reasons.

The first is that I'm not got to be around much between now and the end of the year. I'm having a week away for Christmas, and tomorrow I'm off to Muscat for a fortnight's work. Please rest assured that I will be scouring the souks for examples of 1980s Omani jazz-funk and post-punk to share with you (probably unsuccessfully).

The other reason is that, based on previous experience, I've probably only heard a fraction of the music released this year that will be in my collection in a few years' time. There are bound to be many top tunes that slipped past me at the time but which I'll catch up with at some point in the future.

The same was true way back in 1989. There are no doubt still some stray songs out there, but here are ten I've rounded up for you. We'll start with a couple of Kings of the New York streets, romp through the rest, and finish off with what may just be the pick of the bunch.

"King Of The New York Streets" - Dion

"Dirty Blvd" - Lou Reed

"Companero" - Mighty Gabby

"Divorce Case" - Peta Teanet

"Madonna Of The Wasps" - Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians

"The Downtown Lights" - The Blue Nile

"Thievin' Legacy" - Mutabaruka

"From Pain To Joy" - Betty Wright

"The Horses" - Rickie Lee Jones

"Entella Hotel" - Peter Case

See you in a couple of weeks, when we may have another ten from 1989 if you behave yourselves in the meantime.