First came down to Wichita Town
Pocket full of Mexican smoke
I sold it to a man I did not know
I was hungry and I was broke
1. Very pleased to meet your acquaintance once more. How goes it and how do you do? Good? That's good. So then... formalities over, lets crack off the seals on a few drinks and break into the weekend. Got a few blinders lined up for tonight's month end bonanza from the Horse & Feather musical library. I thought we'd keep to a loose 'n' easy freewheeling sound this evening... almost a jam session stylee. We 're gonna have a good night I just know it. Now as always with these sessions, I throw some lyrics from the title of the session at the top of the page. Rarely do I include the full song itself but tonight is different. This song from Manfred Mann's Earth Band is a terrific introduction to tonight's proceedings. Super Bluesy Swamp music magnificence. Lets go people!
1. Manfred Mann's Earth Band
Captain Bobby Stout
2. Keeping on the same road but with a more polished edge, we'll play this by Michigan youngster Charlie Burg next. This song is called "Lancaster Nights" but don't get confused. It has nothing to do with the time I went up to Lancaster in the North of England on a works jolly and fell asleep on a pub toilet. At least I'm pretty sure it isn't??? Charlie if you are reading this, perhaps you wouldn't mind confirming the facts of the matter. I lost my watch that night too. If you could shed any light on that as well it would be freakin' fantastic. On a more positive note, this is one of the coolest songs you'll hear all year.
2. Charlie Burg
Lancaster Nights
3. "My whole life looked like a picture of a sunny day." Now I ain't the cleverest bloke on the block but I'm not sure Sleater-Kinney are being entirely sincere but that was a lyric and a hook which has stuck with me over the course of the last few years and we'll put this in as a third track because I was lucky enough to catch this on the radio a few days ago and it just sounded great to me. This comes off their album called The Woods which was released back in 2005. Wow. Time goes so fast...
3. Sleater-Kinney
Modern.Girl
4. If there were hints of sardony in the last song you needn't worry about that for this next one. I find this really uplifting. Starts with a decent groove but then adds a double groove and as if that's not good enough, some time after the fourth minute it becomes a triple groove fest. A good man is Josh Rouse. An old friend of mine put me onto him years and years ago. This is off the album "1972" which is well worth checking out if you have the time.
4. Josh Rouse
Love Vibration
5. I've kept things as upbeat as I can but The Barfly Sessions would not be Barfly Sessions without a dark twist her and there. This track from Connor Desai carries real weight. Originally a Grateful Dead song (perhaps you recognise it?) but this version is full of menace and it becomes a brooding story alright. See what you think of this.
5. Connor Desai
Friend Of The Devil
6. Well I did say at the start of tonight's proceedings we'd keep things free and funky. Who better to bring in than Talking Heads to use as a demonstration of what I mean. They just HAVE it don't they? "We're gonna move (right now)/Turn like a wheel inside a wheel." Love David Byrne's lyrics. There are countless live versions of Talking Heads songs that make me slightly envious I'll not witness them in their prime like some lucky buggers did. Track six tonight is "Slippery People" and God knows I've worked with some of those. Hahaha. LOLS. Lots of LOLS.
6. Talking Heads
Slippery People
7. Our final song tonight is another of those songs that you feel gloriously lucky to have stumbled across. This track introduced me to the album "New Sounds" by the singer/songwriter Bob Desper. This album came out in the seventies and only limited copies were made at the time (and I know they go for big bucks now) but just like a slow and gentle wave moving along, it's picked up fans over the years for it's honest lyrics and pure sounds. The acoustic Martin guitar he uses matches his rich voice perfectly and the way in which it's recorded makes it feel like he's 3 feet away from you. At the age of 10 he was blinded when he hit his head on a pole and damaged his optic nerve but it didn't stop him making music and we are the grateful receivers of this. Mind how you go folks. As they might say in the deep south, you never know how the pickle is gonna squirt. 3 more lockdown sessions to go and then we're going to cool it for a while. After all, one full year ain't a bad effort is it and it"ll time quite nicely as shops, bars and restaurants will be opening up again soon and we'll be able to try and find what normal is (or indeed was.) Goodnight Sleepyheads. x
7. Bob Desper
It's Too Late
