Single Song Sunday

I am being harassed by a Portuguese goat and its owner. 

The goat has been bleating about wanting a new edition of Single Song Sunday, while its owner has been badgering me to feature a song that conveys the sentiment - and I quote - "F*** off back to the Dominican Republic disgraced former PM Johnson". This is my attempt to satisfy both requests.

I used to think that Teresa Brewer's 1952 version of "Gonna Get Along Without You Now" was the original but in researching today's feature I discovered that is not the case. It was first recorded a year earlier by little remembered country singer Roy Hogsed. 

Roy's original had different lyrics to those we know and love. It was not a hit, so he recruited songwriter Milton Kellem to help make them more palatable for Middle America. It was that version that Teresa took into the charts.

The most successful version of the song in the US was by Pinky & Perky Patience & Prudence in 1956. In the UK, by contrast, it was Viola Wills' disco version in 1979. Sandwiched between them on our playlist today is the mighty Skeeter Davis. Dig that funky organ.

We round things off with The Lemonheads, a Spanish language version by Gervasio from Uruguay, and of course the Mandatory Reggae Version. Chevelle and Papa San get equal billing on that but Chevelle does about 80% of the work. Papa San is clearly the Johnson of the partnership.

"Gonna Get Along Without You Now" - Roy Hogsed 

"Gonna Get Along Without You Now" - Teresa Brewer

"Gonna Get Along Without You Now" - Patience & Prudence 

"Gonna Get Along Without You Now" - Skeeter Davis

"Gonna Get Along Without You Now" - Viola Wills 

"Gonna Get Along Without You Now" - The Lemonheads

"Sera Damasiado Tarde" - Gervasio

"Gonna Get Along Without You Now" - Chevelle & Papa San 

The Killer Is Gone

Very sorry to hear the sad news that the great Jerry Lee Lewis has left us at the tender age of 87. RIP Killer.

"Hang Up My Rock And Roll Shoes" - Jerry Lee Lewis

"Breathless" - Jerry Lee Lewis

If you only watch one video this weekend, watch the first one. 

Skallywags

Some of our regular readers may recall that we went on a musical tour of Europe in 2020 to mark the UK's impending departure from the EU.

One of the bands featured on the Polish leg of the tour was Skaldowie, with a track from their 1970 album "Od Wschodu Do Zachodu Słońca". This was their fourth album and according to a review I read the first to show progressive tendencies. Don't get over-excited, prog fans. There are a few but it is mostly good old-fashioned psychedelic pop.

Anyway, I was listening to the album for the first time since then earlier in the week and it is really rather good. So I decided to share a couple more tracks with you lucky people.

"Nadejdziesz Od Strony Mórz" - Skaldowie

"Cisza Krzyczy" - Skaldowie

"Od Wschodu Do Zachodu Słońca" translates as "From Sunrise To Sunset". And when Skaldowie finish for the day, that's when the Commodores clock in.

Ebo Meets Grebo

Like the heading says.

We start with the Ebo - specifically, veteran Ghanaian funkateer Ebo Taylor who is still going strong at 86. Both tracks come from his 2014 album "Abenkwan Puchaa", recorded when he was a mere 78.

"Abenkwan Puchaa" - Ebo Taylor & Bonze Konkoma

"Papa Kwame" - Ebo Taylor & Bonze Konkoma

Now here's the grebo.

The Sounds Of Sherwood

Another new album to tell you about today.

I know there are a fair few Adrian Sherwood fans among our regular readers so they may already be familiar with "Adrian Sherwood Presents Dub No Frontiers", on which he teams up with female vocalists from various parts of Africa, Asia and Europe. It has been a long time in the making - I have found references online to its impending release dating back as far as 2011.

If you haven't heard it already head over to Mr Sherwood's Bandcamp page. My favourite tracks include those by Saba Tewelde, from Eritrea but now resident in Germany, and Maria Wenda from West Papua. But they are all good.

Today's selections come from an On-U compilation of an earlier vintage - 25 years ago to be precise. "15 Years In An Open Boat" came out in 1997 and as the name suggests features tracks going way back to 1982. I have handpicked a pair of Little gems for you.

"I Think Of You" - Little Annie

"New Song" - Little Roy

Here is the video for the first single off the new album.

Wounded Women

I was listening to the title track of Sandra Wright's "Wounded Woman" album when the news broke yesterday lunchtime that Liz Truss was resigning as Prime Minister. 

I think it was a coincidence, but just in case I had somehow acquired predictive powers I turned the album off before it reached "I Come Running Back" so that her equally execrable predecessor wouldn't hear it.

If you feel the need for some Seventies soul to help soothe the stresses of the poo parade that passes for Westminster politics at the moment, then I would heartily recommend "Wounded Woman". The whole album is a joy from start to finish. 

"Wounded Woman" - Sandra Wright

"I Come Running Back" - Sandra Wright

Do The Fussell

Last Friday evening I went to our local church, not for the reasons you are meant to go but to see the mighty Jake Xerxes Fussell in concert. Here he is with the band.

I have been a fan of Jake's ever since I first saw him in 2017 when he was touring his second album "What In The Natural World". There was a much bigger crowd this time round, which was good to see. Not a pew was left unfilled.

Among the many pew-fillers were a surprisingly large number of idiots whooping between tunes. I have no idea why. I love him dearly, but Jake isn't a man you whoop for. Even his best mates wouldn't describe him as a showman - not that it matters in the slightest when he starts picking and singing. It was a very good gig.

Jake's fourth album "Good And Green Again" came out earlier this year. You can find it over at his Bandcamp page, along with his entire back catalogue. 

To whet your appetite here is a track apiece from the first three albums - the selt-titled debut from 2015, "What In The Natural World" and then 2019's "Out Of Sight" (which is possibly the pick of the bunch but it is a close run thing). Each tune generated multiple whoops when he played them on Friday.

"Push Boat" - Jake Xerxes Fussell

"Have You Ever Seen Peaches Growing On A Sweet Potato Vine?" - Jake Xerxes Fussell

"The River St Johns" - Jake Xerxes Fussell

We'll pause briefly now so gentlemen of a certain age can wipe the mist from their eyes off their glasses in order to see the video clearly. 

Ready? All together now, Do The Fussell!