Best Ever Albums

Re: High In Spirits - The Tapes of Things long gone

Liedzeit — Mon, 3 Jun 2019 10:20:15 GMT

Author: Liedzeit

Posted: 06/03/2019 14:20

Night And Day by Joe Jackson

Agfa Purple-4

[unknown]
--
Joe Jackson – Steppin Out 1982
Monty Python – Always Look At The Bright Side Of Life 1979
[unknown] – Bolero
Frank Sinatra – My Way 1968
Tremelos – Silence Is Golden 1967
Wedding Present – Katrusya (John Peel Session) 1989
Assailous Snail[?] – Pony
Fun-Da-Mental – Seize The Time 1994

This one is probably the last one in this diary. (Unless I find some other one somewhere). And it does not really count because obviously at least some songs were taped in the 90s. But it is a colored cassette. I do have quite some black/grey cassettes that I taped in the 90 or 00s. These were almost exclusively recorded from John Peel shows and maybe I do another diary with them.

So. A nice unknown is followed by some radio feature on ancient saints by Conrad Zander. Joe Jackson is one of the few artists who made acceptable records in the 80s. And Steppin Out is one of those. Always Look At The Bright Side Of Life is of course in a league of its own. As is My way. And Bolero. Silence is Golden was during the 70s probably one of the most played songs on the radio. Nice song but not as great as people once thought.
Katrusya by the Wedding Present I had completely forgotten. Quite good. One problem with John Peel was that I had trouble understanding him. The name of the artist sounds like Assailous Snail. Does anyone have a clue?
Seize The Time is the kind of song that I just hated at the time. No idea why I left it. Now, it does not sound all that bad to me.

Best song: My Way

Link

Re: High In Spirits - The Tapes of Things long gone

Liedzeit — Fri, 26 Apr 2019 06:43:31 GMT

Author: Liedzeit

Posted: 04/26/2019 10:43

Switch by Golden Earring

Broken 1976

Electric Light Orchestra – Roll Over Beethoven 1973
Fleedwoods – Mr. Blue 1959
Bryan Hyland – Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini 1960
Eddie Cochran – Teenage Heaven 1959
Frankie Vallie – Falling Angel 1976
Vera Lynn – We’ll Meet Again 1939
Maureen McGovern – The Morning After 1973

Hot Chocolate – Man To Man 1976
Beach Boys – Country Air 1967
Elton John – Your Song 1971
[unknown]
Golden Earring – Kill Me (Ce Soir) 1975
Paul McCartney And Wings – Live and Let Die 1973
John Denver – Calypso 1975

This is another cassette that needed heavy surgery and quite some amputations. What remains is not high sound quality. But the songs are pretty good. Maybe with the exception of the first one. I was never really fond of this although mixing Beethoven and Berry seemed a bright idea at the time. Problem is that both originals are rather cliché and this seems to emphasize exactly what was bad (or overexposed) in B&B. Mr. Blue is one of my all-time favorites. "Our guardian star lost all his glow the day that I lost you." Not that I ever understood what was going on. "I'm Mr. Blue when you say you love me". But it is so wonderful to sing along to. And one of the songs I sing to myself when I am all alone out in the woods. Call me Mr. Blue. (Would have been a perfect nickname for this site.) Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini is another beautiful novelty song. (And I thought Connie Francis did a German version, but I cannot find it.) Not much from Teenage Heaven, I could just barely recognize the song. With Falling Angel, the cassette gets better again. Did I mention that I love Frankie Vallie’s voice? I am sure I did. I am quite sure they played Vera Lynn on the radio because Maureen McGovern reminded the DJ of her. Another song that deserves to be sung whenever opportunity arises. And McGovern nearly as good.

How many pop songs are there that tell us about lost love? But talking to the guy who took away your love - man to man, like Hot Chocolate do, is quite unique. It is so embarrassing to plead to him. For the children’s sake. But what courage or desperation it takes. Does anyone know of a song like this? Nice Beach Boys and classic Elton John next and some unknown before we come to the hightlite of this selection. While I do not think that I have ever been to any party where Radar Love was not played, I have not heard this song in the last 25 years, I think. And what a pity it is that it is not more popular. And the funny thing is, I understood the lyrics now for the first time. I always thought they sang about the fascination (French pronunciation) of being a Rock 'n' Roll star. Brilliant. Live and Let Die I had somewhere else and so the final song belongs to John Denver, singing about Calypso in his unique way that lets you believe for some minutes that life is great.

Best song: Mr. Blue

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Re: High In Spirits - The Tapes of Things long gone

Liedzeit — Sat, 20 Apr 2019 06:10:34 GMT

Author: Liedzeit

Posted: 04/20/2019 10:10

1967-1970 by The Beatles

Beatles – Here Comes The Sun
Beatles – Come Together
Beatles - Something
Beatles – Octopus’s Garden
Beatles – Let It Be
Beatles - Across The Universe
Beatles - The Long And Winding Road
Beatles - Back In The USSR
Beatles – While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Beatles - Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-D
Beatles - Get Back
Ottawan – Hands Up 1981
Beatles – The Ballad Of John And Yoko

John Lennon – Imagine
John Lennon – It’s So Hard
Yoko Ono – Beautiful Boys 1980
John Lennon – Woman
Kim Wilde – Kids In America
Kim Wilde – Tuning In Tuning On
Stars on 45 – Stars on 45 1981
Adam And The Ants – Stand And Deliver
Adam And The Ants – Beat My Guest
[unknown instrumental] – Hands up
Kim Wilde – Chequered Love
Kim Wilde – Shane

Starting with a disclaimer. This is certainly not one of my cassettes. Probably drifted from my brother to me. It was broken and I repaired it. So probably after nearly 40 years, it was played again. And if for no other reason than it makes my usual choices look more interesting I present it here.
There is not much to complain about the first side. You can’t do wrong with the Beatles, can you? Actually, you can by including the horrible Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da. (But that might be an idiosyncrasy of me.) How did Ottawan make the list? Hearing this, always makes me smile. It is a horrible piece of music. But in the mid-80s I would sometimes go to a flea market where they had a kids’ disco and I would see the 5 to 7-year-olds dance enthusiastically to Hands up. And I guess there should be music appealing to the very young.
The murder of John Lennon was one of the great tragedies for me personally. I loved the man. But listening to Woman, the one consolation we have, is that we very probably would not have gotten anything worth listening to, had he lived. The Yoko Ono song is at least different. Adam and the Ants and Kim Wilde? The horror of the 80s.
I have some sympathy for Stars on 45 though. At least they openly admitted that they had no musical idea at all.

Re: High In Spirits - The Tapes of Things long gone

dihansse — Sat, 13 Apr 2019 05:36:23 GMT

Author: dihansse

Posted: 04/13/2019 09:36

Liedzeit wrote:

This leaves just the charming New York Telephone Conversation and some Stranglers. The best of those is Toiler on the Sea. Or is it In the Shadows? But they were already on the decline in my opinion. There are few bands that made more than two great records. The Stranglers were not one of them.

I am all in favor of dogmatic assertions. I do it all the time. And I am certainly not going to argue. Just humbly saying: you are wrong here.
Oh sorry I think I'm quoting someone here 😈
I love the early Stranglers and I do agree that the albums that came just after were a bit worse.
But some of their more recent albums are again very good, especially this one:

Norfolk Coast by The Stranglers

Re: High In Spirits - The Tapes of Things long gone

Liedzeit — Sat, 13 Apr 2019 05:02:10 GMT

Author: Liedzeit

Posted: 04/13/2019 09:02

Black And White by The Stranglers

Cheap-4 1978

Televison – See No Evil 1977
Televison – Venus de Milo1977
Televison – Friction 1977
Televison – Marquee Moon 1977
Televison – Elevation 1977
Stranglers – Outside Tokyo 1978
Lou Reed – New York Telephone Conversation 1972

Television – Guiding Light 1977
Television – Prove It 1977
Television – Torn Curtain 1977
Stranglers – Tank 1978
Stranglers – Toiler On The Sea 1978
Stranglers – In The Shadows 1978

I know, I have another cassette with lots of Television. So here are the same plus some missing from Marquee Moon, Guiding Light, Prove it, See no Evil, all of them excellent. This leaves just the charming New York Telephone Conversation and some Stranglers. The best of those is Toiler on the Sea. Or is it In the Shadows? But they were already on the decline in my opinion. There are few bands that made more than two great records. The Stranglers were not one of them.

Link

Re: High In Spirits - The Tapes of Things long gone

Liedzeit — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 06:37:14 GMT

Author: Liedzeit

Posted: 03/29/2019 10:37

Out Of The Blue by Electric Light Orchestra

Agfa Purple-8 1980

Ringo Starr – Goodnight Vienna 1974
Supertramp – Logical Song 1979
Electric Light Orchestra – Wild West Hero 1978
Styx – Boat On The River 1979
Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody 1975
Richard Harris – Mac Arthur’s Park 1968
Cliff Richard – Miss You Nights 1975

Queen – Good old Fashioned Lover Boy 1977
Deep Purple – Black Night 1970
Abba – Knowing Me, Knowing You
Queen – Somebody To Love
Abba – Take A Chance On Me 1978
Electric Light Orchestra – All Over The World 1980
Hello – New York Groove 1976
Boston – More Than A Feeling 1976
La Düsseldorf – Rheinita 1978

One of the good things to say about Vienna is that Ringo made a song about her. By 1979 it was not cool anymore to listen to Supertramp. (The Americans had started to like them, always a bad sign.) But still, how can one not love the Logical Song? Something similar can be said about the Electric Light Orchestra, Wild West Heroes was great, but somehow one could feel ELO was slowly stepping down from their peak. I said it before, I have few regrets regarding the songs on these cassettes. I guess including Styx is one of them. It just sounds false. In Bohemian Rhapsody, of course, there is nothing false. One of the greatest songs of all time. Another very long song, Mac Arthur’s Park. If you have seen the Queen film you know that this was mentioned as precedence. It was possible to have long songs played on the radio. I love the Donna Summer version, but Harris is better still. Miss you nights was a kind of alternative to the Rolling Stones’ Miss you. Not as strong, a bit corny in fact, but still quite good.

We have two more by Queen, okay but not more. And I taped two songs by Abba? Very strange! And All Over The World by ELO? They nearly have reached the bottom with this one. Not quite as bad as Confusion, but very bad. Luckily there are two wonderful songs on this side, Black Night, one of Deep Purple’s best and the incredible Rheinita, by the underrated La Düsseldorf. In 1977 I was supposed to be too old to like teeny bands like Hello. But I did. Every time I am in New York you can be sure I will be singing "I am back... back in the New York Groove". More than a Feeling is a perfect Rock song. Maybe a bit too perfect. Nearly destroyed by too much airplay. But it survived.

Best song: Bohemian Rhapsody

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Re: High In Spirits - The Tapes of Things long gone

Liedzeit — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 09:23:46 GMT

Author: Liedzeit

Posted: 03/17/2019 13:23

Azzurro (Una Carezza In Un Pugno) by Adriano Celentano

Agfa Purple-7

[Unknown]
Everly Brothers – Till I Kissed You 1959
Guy Mitchell – Singing The Blues 1964
Adriano Celentano – Azzurro 1968
Phil Ochs – Draft Dodger Rag 1965
Phil Ochs – That’s What I Want To Hear 1965
Peter Dawson – I’ll Walk Beside You 1940
Peter Dawson – When The Sergeant Major’s On Parade 1932/1939
Preston Epps – Bongo Rock 1959
Burl Ives – Delia 1961
Ringo Starr – A Dose Of Rock 'N' Roll 1976

Bobby Darin – Multiplication 1961
Bobby Fuller Four – Love’s Made A Fool Of You 1966
Tommy Roe – Dizzy 1969
Gilbert O’Sullivan – Alone Again, Naturally 1971
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel – Love's a Prima Donna 1976
Showaddywaddy – Under The Moon Of Love 1976
Beatles – Ain’t She Sweet 1964
Sparks – Big Boy 1976
Zombies - Time Of The Season 1968
Sweet – Lost Angels 1977

A pity that I was unable to identify the first song. Something with clowns. Sounds a bit like Klatuu. The next song is unmistakenly by the great Everly Brothers. How could I exist --- until I kissed ya? And nearly as good Singing the Blues. Adriano Celentano is an Italian. But that is no excuse, that he is all but ignored at BEA. Azzuro is his best song. I grew up with the song and to me it means Italy. At the time I never had been to Italy. A beautiful country. But If I had to choose between the country and the song I would go for the song. Next two great ones by Phil Ochs. I had more or less forgotten him. And his songs are maybe more dated than the ones by Dylan. But I guess I like him more. I’ll walk beside you is a song that is excellent because it is very simple. And even I can sing it. I am very happy to finally know who the singer is. Dawson is followed by another instrumental. Bongo Rock. How can this not be great? Delia, also wonderful. Ringo is probably the weakest song on this side but I do love him.
For a long time, I thought Love’s Made A Fool Of You was by Buddy Holly. It is just as good as anything Buddy made. Gilbert O’Sullivan used to be big. I am one of the surviving fans. You have to learn to like his voice, though. The same, I guess, is true for Steve Harley. One of his weaker songs here, still amazing. Listening to Ain’t She Sweet I ask myself if I can recognize any spark of genius in the song. The answer is no. The Sparks were in a temporary decline with Big Boy but they would come back big. The Zombies, I am happy to see are popular enough. No need to praise them. Finally Sweet. I am not ashamed to like them but this one is embarrassingly bad.

Best song: Time Of The Season

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Re: High In Spirits - The Tapes of Things long gone

Liedzeit — Sat, 9 Mar 2019 09:46:30 GMT

Author: Liedzeit

Posted: 03/09/2019 14:46

Live Im Audimax by Otto Waalkes

Karstadt-2

Otto Waalkes – Der Tarzanruf
Otto Waalkes – Der Würger von Wolfenbüttel
Otto Waalkes – Wandering Star
Otto Waalkes – Father Bull
Otto Waalkes – Grabsteininschrift
Otto Waalkes – Die Gabel des Teufel
Otto Waalkes – Das Gewitter
Otto Waalkes – Tommy
Otto Waalkes – Er war einsam, aber schneller
Otto Waalkes – Gebet
Otto Waalkes – Manna Manna
Otto Waalkes – Chiquita Banana
Otto Waalkes – Es wird Nacht, Senorita
Otto Waalkes – Otto-Versand
Otto Waalkes – Tip Toe Through The Tulips
Otto Waalkes – Die Vogelpastete
Otto Waalkes – Kaninchen-Spruch
Otto Waalkes – L'Important C'Est La Rose
Otto Waalkes – König Erl
Otto Waalkes – Die Klapperschlange
Otto Waalkes – The Viper
Otto Waalkes – Dreckschwein
Otto Waalkes – Deflora
Otto Waalkes – Those Were The Days

Otto Waalkes – Der Papst
Otto Waalkes – Der Wellensittich
Otto Waalkes – Der Waschmittelvertreter
Otto Waalkes – Mein Liebchen hat ein etwas
Otto Waalkes – Die Popgruppe
Otto Waalkes – Everybody Got It But Me
Otto Waalkes – Zwei Hunde
Otto Waalkes – Hot Love
Otto Waalkes – Ich hatte nicht zu essen
Otto Waalkes – Die Aussenputzbefestiger
Otto Waalkes – Strassenseite
Otto Waalkes – Die Hamburger Hausfrau
Otto Waalkes – Soldaten
Otto Waalkes – Die Hitparade
Otto Waalkes – Der Amokläufer
Otto Waalkes – Die Pille
Otto Waalkes – Ein Freund
Otto Waalkes – Der Notzuchtverbrecher von Bad Segeberg
Otto Waalkes – Der Lange
Otto Waalkes – Mein Freund Meier, mein Freund Lehmann
Otto Waalkes – Im Zugabteil
Otto Waalkes – Die Atombombe
Otto Waalkes – Wild Zink
Otto Waalkes – Das Badeverbot
Otto Waalkes – Es brennt
Otto Waalkes – Rotkäppchen und der Wolf
Otto Waalkes – Nitroglyzerin
Otto Waalkes – Die Stimme seines Herrn

It is very hard to exaggerate the importance and brilliance of Otto Waalkes (generally known as just Otto). He is what is today called a Comedian. Although at the time there was no name for it in German. If you are not German it is maybe not very easy to understand what is so great about him. In 1973 when he first appeared he was from another star. His kind of humor was totally different. And it would be quite stupid to try to explain. You have to take my word for it.
He was also a great singer, by the way. He is still a big star. But it was the 70s that he changed the world. He also made a couple of popular films. And when I say popular I mean he made the most popular German film called Otto - der Film. (Some people would disagree.)
Anyway, I still think he is very funny. Here I have (more or less) the complete first two albums released in 1973 and 1974 respectively.

Link

Re: High In Spirits - The Tapes of Things long gone

Liedzeit — Sun, 3 Mar 2019 14:01:10 GMT

Author: Liedzeit

Posted: 03/03/2019 19:01

Friends by The Beach Boys

Cheap-3

Guy Mitchell – Singing The Blues 1956
Elvis Presley – Wear My Ring Around Your Neck 1958
Paul Anka – Lonely Boy 1959
Sensations – Let Me In 1962
Beach Boys – Surfin USA 1963
Drifters – Under The Boardwalk 1962
The Mamas and the Papas – Monday Monday 1966
Monkees – I’m A Believer 1967
Deep Purple – Hush 1968
Showaddywaddy – Three Steps To Heaven 1975
Benny Goodman – Stompin’ At The Savoy 1950

Beach Boys – God Only Knows 1966
Beach Boys – Friends 1968
Beach Boys – The T M Song 1976
Beach Boys – Do It Again 1969
Beach Boys – Never Learn Not To Love 1968
Beach Boys – Cabinesscence 1969
Beach Boys – I Can Hear Music 1969
Beach Boys – Break Away 1969
Beach Boys – Add Some Music To Your Day 1970
Beach Boys – Cool, Cool Water 1970
John Denver – Love Is Everywhere 1975
Ralph Kirkpatrick – [Bach] Two Part Inventions, No. 8 1960

Everything's wrong, and nothin' ain't right. Without you. We start with nice 50s lyrics. Guy Mitchell is singing the Blues. At this time nearly every successful American song would get a German version. In most cases very bad ones. Ring around my neck is maybe the only one where I prefer the German: Ich brauch keinen Ring, um dir treu zu sein. By Peter Kraus. I love Paul Anka. Especially this song. But the weirdest thing happened. I know I went to one of his concerts and I can’t remember anything about it. Same happened with John Denver who is one of my absolute favorite singers. Just zero.
Like the Beatles, the Beach Boys had their early "simple" hit songs and then beautiful more sophisticated music. Surfin USA is fun. But the music on the second side of this cassette is what made them one of the greatest bands ever. To me, this is more than a collection of songs. Actually, until I made the list here I could not have identified most of the songs. I would say that God Only Knows is my favorite Beach Boys song. But everyone here manages to make the other sound even better. I do own a couple of Beach Boys LPs including Pet Sounds, but I rarely listen to them. This here to me is ultimate Beach Boys.

What else do we have? Classics by the Drifters and the Mamas and the Papas and the Monkees. (RIP Peter Tork). Hush a bit different. And I think I talked about Three steps before. That leaves two rather unusual pieces. By Benny Goodman and Bach. And like I did before I ask myself why is it that I did not go into this kind of music? Because I really like them both a lot.

Best song: God only knows

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Re: High In Spirits - The Tapes of Things long gone

Liedzeit — Fri, 22 Feb 2019 05:14:24 GMT

Author: Liedzeit

Posted: 02/22/2019 10:14

Radschläge by Schobert & Black

Philips Blue 1976

Status Quo – Rain
[unnown]
[unnown] – I Wish I Was A Mole In The Ground
[unnown]
Pete Seeger – Wimoweh
Pete Seeger – Deep blue Sea 1961(?)
Pete Seeger – If I Had A Hammer
Pete Seeger – Brandy Leave Me Alone
Pete Seeger – unknown
Boby Dylan & Pete Seeger – Playboys and Playgirls 1963
Tom Paxton – The Willing Conscript 1965
Tom Paxton – Ramblin’ Boy 1964
[unknown]
Billie Joe Spears – What I’ve Got In Mind 1976
Schobert & Black – Der Gastarbeiter 1976

Steeley Span – Hard Times Of Old England 1975
Elton John – Daniel 1973
Eric Burdon & The Animals – Ring Of Fire 1968
George Harrison – What Is Life? 1970
Gary Glitter – Rock and Roll Part 2 1972
Gilbert O'Sullivan – Get Down 1973
Carole King – It Might As Well Rain Until September 1962
Manuel & The Music Of The Mountains – Rodrigo's Guitar Concerto De Aranjuez 1976
Slade – Lets Call It Quits 1976
John Miles – Music 1976
Harpo – Movie Star 1975
Mud – The Cat Crept In 1974

The first one is easy. A classic by Status Quo. And probably my favorite Rain-song. It is even better than Carole King’s. Which says a lot. Then a couple of Folk songs that I could not identify. Pete Seeger comes next, from some concert. At one time he stops playing ("The banjo just isn’t the right instrument") and starts hammering.
Playboys and Playgirls is a true gem. I cannot hear much of Pete. But somehow I like it better than most Dylan songs. The Willing Conscript is a very important song for me because I tried very hard to understand the lyrics and I remember the moment (well, it feels like I can remember) when the meaning of the word "draftie" became clear. (How could we even live in the pre-internet days?) A prime example of irony. Somehow though, it is Ramblin Boy that I keep humming since I listened to this cassette again. Billie Joe Spears? I would have thought, I could not have taped something by her. But here it is. And it is quite a nice country song. "Ludwig Auflauf war Dreher by Engel & Co." One of the last truly great songs Schobert & Black made.

Why do I not have more records by Steeleye Span (I Think I have only 3 or 4) when I liked their music so much? Just before he became the biggest star in the world Elton John sings about Daniel. Funny how the thought that there could be homosexual connotations in this song never even occurred to me. Did I say that I liked One piece at a time best of all Cash songs? Well, there is Ring Of Fire. But the Animals knew what they were doing when they did their version.
How could George Harrison put so many great songs into one Album? Rock and Roll Part 1 is excellent. But as everyone knows part 2 is even better. It has aged a bit. And it is not easy to listen to it for reasons that have nothing to do with its intrinsic value. I liked Gilbert O'Sullivan a lot and I am toying with the idea of going to one of his concerts next month. Let's see. Manuel & The Music Of The Mountains had a monster hit with Rodrigo's Guitar Concerto. It is quite horrible actually. But I can see what appealed to people (and me) at the time. 1n 1976 Slade were all but dead. It is ironic that they made a mini-comeback with a song called "Lets Call It Quits". And they would still come back a couple of times till finally accepting that they descended into an Oldies Band. Music is a bit like the Rodrigo’s Concerto. I had my reservations even at the time. Very kitschy. But somehow I still liked it.

Best song: What Is Life?

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Re: High In Spirits - The Tapes of Things long gone

Liedzeit — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 08:40:56 GMT

Author: Liedzeit

Posted: 02/15/2019 13:40

I Ain't Marching Anymore by Phil Ochs

Cheap-1 - 1977

[unknown] The Bold Grenadier / To Hear the Nightingale Sing
[unknown] (Folk) – Duke Street Jail [?]
[unknown] (Folk)
Strawberry Hill Boys – Higher Germanie
Strawberry Hill Boys – The Grey Hawk
Ralph McTell – Streets of London 1974
[unknown]
[unknown] – Captain Mallard Horn Pipe [?]
Phil Ochs – I Ain’t Marching Anymore 1965
Atties [?] – unknown
Atties [?] – unknown
Atties [?] – Yellow Gals [?]

[unknown] - Cigarettes And Whisky
[unknown] Instrumental
[unknown] Instrumental
[unknown] Instrumental
[unknown] Instrumental
The Albion Country Band – Morris Medley 1976
Jesse Winchester – Mississipi Is On My Mind 1977
[unknown] Instrumental
[unknown] Instrumental (Valerina)
John Denver – This Old Guitar 1974
Johnny Cash – One Piece At A Time 1976
Luke Kelly – The Thirty Foot Trailer 1976

Shazam and Siri are not of much help here. I get no results or very silly ones. (Like Ferry Corsten & Paul Oakenfold – A Slice Of Heaven for the one after Cigarettes and Whiskey). Okay, on the first side there are live recordings from the London Folk cellar. Not sure, if Streets of London is from the session. It is a live recording but does not really fit the other ones. And Phil Ochs does definitely not belong to the London Folk scene. I love all the songs and somehow it is quite nice that most of the songs remain unknown. One of the instrumentals is a piece that I call Valerina because that is what the Jew’s harp (I never knew that that is what you call a Maultrommel) seem to sing. The best-known songs are John Denver’s and the one by Johnny Cash. I do think it is wrong to steal. Even if it is only one piece at a time. But this is probably my favorite Johnny Cash song. (And my wife hates it.)

Best song: I Ain’t Marching Anymore

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Re: High In Spirits - The Tapes of Things long gone

Liedzeit — Sun, 3 Feb 2019 07:32:46 GMT

Author: Liedzeit

Posted: 02/03/2019 12:32

The Whole Wide World by Wreckless Eric

BASF Grey 1977

Stan Freiberg – Heartbreak Hotel 1956
Mark & Clark Band – Worn Down Piano 1977
The Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band – The Floral Dance 1977
Everly Brothers – Silent Treatment 1977
Pink Floyd – Astronomy Domine 1967
Rod Stewart – I Was Only Joking 1977
Otis Redding – (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay 1967
David Bowie – Sons Of The Silent Age 1977

Horselips – Shamrock Shore 1972
Elvis Costello – Watching The Detectives 1977
Wreckless Eric – Whole Wide World 1977
Joan Baez – Kumbaja 1962
Ella Mae Morse – The Blacksmith Blues 1952
Elvis Presley – His Latest Flame (Marie’s The Name) 1961
Paul McCartney and Wings – Jet 1974

This is a cannibalized cassette. Took one on my father’s cassettes (with some Heino on it but otherwise really bad) and put in what remained of one of my old cassettes. Have not heard this one for probably at least 30 years.
Ever felt like doing a parody of Heartbreak Hotel? The result would probably something like Stan Freiberg’s version. Very nice, but a bit too obvious maybe. The Worn Down Piano I had here before. You can see, I really must have liked the song. When this tune started, my heart stopped beating for a moment, because I thought I might have resurrected one of the most beloved songs of all time. But sadly, no. You see, there was a song sung by the DJs of BFBS (among them Richard Nankivell) to this tune under the Name Beergut 100. The lyrics were "Crystal Gayle and the Sound of Queen Billy Paul and the music machine, Debbie Boone and Village People". (Why is it impossible to find this? Isn’t there a law that says that you have to find everything on the Internet that you remember from your youth?) It was only the original. Great one. Silent Treatment was released in 77 but instantly recognizable as a song from the 50s. A beautiful typical Everly Brothers song. Not much to say about Pink Floyd and Otis. It is impossible not to love these songs. I do wonder, why it is that I had such a soft spot for Rod Stewart. Bowie, of course, is a hero. This song, though, not one of his better ones.
Next, we have a bit of Irish Music again. The best thing Elvis Costello ever did was Watching the Detectives. To me, it was the sound of a new era. With Elvis Presley, things are less clear, but I could argue, that Flame is his best song. The singing in Whole Wide World is a bit annoying, but what a record. There’s only one girl in the world for me and she probably lives in Tahiti. The soundtrack for a lonely young man in the mid-seventies. If you dislike Joan Baez it is probably because of this song. I will not make excuses. The Blacksmith Blues is the hidden gem in this collection. There was music before Rock 'n' Roll. And finally Paul. With the only bits of lyrics that made sense right at the beginning: I can almost remember their funny faces.

Best Song: Astronomy Domine (or is it Dock?)

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Re: High In Spirits - The Tapes of Things long gone

Liedzeit — Sat, 26 Jan 2019 06:56:58 GMT

Author: Liedzeit

Posted: 01/26/2019 11:56

Marquee Moon by Television

Agfa Blue-3 1978

Television – Venus de Milo 1977
Television – Elevation 1977
Television – Guiding Light 1977
Television – Friction 1977
Television – Marquee Moon 1977

John Fahey – Sail Away Ladies 1966
Siren – Some Dark Day 1971
[unknown]
Steeleye Span – The Mooncoin Jig 1974
Barry Manilow – Copacabana (At The Copa) 1978
Fleetwood Mac – When You Say 1969
Velvet Underground – Some Kinda Love 1969
Poet And The Roots – Five Nights Of Bleeding 1978

"Good Evening. Television one of New York’s Premier Bands has broken up." With this Alan Bangs began one of his Night Flights. And for some reason, I chose to record not only the music but also his reflections on the band. For Alan Bangs, the best of all DJs, (as I am sure I mentioned before) it seemed a very personal matter. Well, for one thing, to say that he looked very much like Tom Verlaine would be an understatement. Anyway, the way he talked you would think, the greatest imaginable tragedy had occurred. I learned a lot of very useful things, e.g. that Tom had been working at The Strand, just like Patti Smith. And the music? Sometimes I sort of forget that there was more to Marquee Moon than Marquee Moon. Excellent stuff.
John Fahey was one of the heroes of Bangs. And, of course, I totally agree. Siren was the Band that first introduced Kevin Coyne to the World. And they were on Dandelion Records, John Peel’s label. "They say that women are made of bliss all lips and eyes to flash all ears of gold and perfect beauty showing. It's all trash." --- "And some dark day they're going to find they're lying".
Another beautiful song by Steeleye Span is followed by the odd man out: Barry Manilow. I can’t help it, I still find this great. If there is one reason for me wanting to visit Brasil, it is this song. (I assume this was not on the Bang’s program.) Not a bad year 1969 with Fleetwood Mac and Velvet Underground to prove it. Finally a reggae gem by the poet, i.e. Linton Kwesi Johnson.

Best song: Marquee Moon

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Re: High In Spirits - The Tapes of Things long gone

dihansse — Sat, 19 Jan 2019 15:42:34 GMT

Author: dihansse

Posted: 01/19/2019 20:42

Als de Dag Van Toen (the Dutch translation of Wie Vor Jahr Und Tag) was a big hit in Belgium and Holland and since I liked the song I should maybe check out a few other songs that you mention here.

Germany wasn't the only country where Sailor were big: also here we were singing along Girls Girls Girls and Glass of Champaign.
And I was in love with Sugar Baby Love and wasn't too keen on the Sparks so I'm glad the Rubettes won 😉
Most of the other stuff you mention brings up good memories with this Belgian guy who used to watch Dutch pop shows.

Re: High In Spirits - The Tapes of Things long gone

Liedzeit — Sat, 19 Jan 2019 06:53:59 GMT

Author: Liedzeit

Posted: 01/19/2019 11:53

Mein Achtel Lorbeerblatt by Reinhard Mey

Mey 1974

Reinhard Mey – Zwei Hühner auf dem Weg nach Vorgestern
Reinhard Mey – Ich bin aus jenem Holz geschnitzt
Reinhard Mey – Wie vor Jahr und Tag
Reinhard Mey – Bevor ich mit den Wölfen heule
Reinhard Mey – Was kann schöner sein auf Erden als Politiker zu werden
Reinhard Mey – Mein Achtel Lorbeerblatt
Reinhard Mey – Die Zeit des Gauklers ist vorbei
Reinhard Mey – Aus meinem Tagebuch

Reinhard Mey – Komm, Gieß’ mein Glas noch einmal ein
Reinhard Mey – Susann
Reinhard Mey – Musikanten sind in der Stadt
Reinhard Mey – Über den Wolken
Reinhard Mey – Heute noch
Reinhard Mey – Der alte Bär ist tot und sein Käfig leer
Reinhard Mey – Mädchen in den Schänken
Billy Joel – Piano Man

Listening to this again very nearly makes me cry. It is so utterly wonderful. A live recording taped from WDR II.
It is in my opinion the best Reinhard Mey ever made. I do own his live recordings and they are not bad, but do not touch this one. Of course, I know the main reason is that I was 14 when I listened to this hundreds and hundred of times...
For those who do not know Mey, he is what was at the time known as a Liedermacher. One should think that would be a singer-songwriter. But it something different. Something less and something much more.
Now, the Germans would know what I mean, and to the others I cannot explain it. So I will not say much about this. Except that all his best songs are here. Culminating in Über den Wolken. And the sad thing is from then on he would never come close to the quality reached here. It is just the man and his guitar. And everything in addition, certainly in his case, is bad.

Best song: Komm, gieß mein Glas noch einmal ein

I cannot find old enough youtube videos. So you have to take my word for it that he was great in 1974.

Re: High In Spirits - The Tapes of Things long gone

Liedzeit — Sat, 12 Jan 2019 08:20:56 GMT

Author: Liedzeit

Posted: 01/12/2019 13:20

The Rising Of The Moon: Irish Songs Of Rebellion by The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem

Agfa Red-9 1976

Die Metropol Vocalisten – Das Fräulein Gerda 1938
[Hans Rehmstedt mit seinem Orchester – In Lamberts Nachtlokal 1938]
Lecuona Cuban Boys – Rumba Tambah 1935
Willy Berking und sein Spitzenorchester – Die Männer sind schon der Liebe wert 1940
Rudi Schuricke – Lass die Frau die dich liebt niemals weinen 1938
Marilyn Monroe – River Of No Return 1954
Leo Sayer – The Show Must Go On 1973
[unknown] – The New Beginning
Don McLean – Vincent 1971

Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show – Cover Of The Rolling Stone 1973
Bobby Vee – Take Good Care Of My Baby 1962
Sailor – Glass Of Champagne 1976
David Essex – If I Could 1975
Sailor – Girls, Girls, Girls 1976
Beatles – Let It Be 1970
Duane Eddy – Mark of Zorro 1975
Billy Joel – Piano Man 1973
The Clancey Brothers & Tommy Makem – The Men From The West
The Clancey Brothers & Tommy Makem – Nell Flaherty’s Drake

Here I have a couple of very old German Swing songs. (And one Latin.) I wonder why you never hear these on the Radio anymore. Why is it that people were crazy about Swing and 80 years later it sounds to most people boring. At least I assume that that is the case. Strange, because all of them included here are very good and really funny. Die Männer sind schon der Liebe wert, wer nicht so denkt, denkt bestimmt verkehrt. Tongue in cheek, of course. Lamberts Nachtlokal is the German version of Lambeth‘s walk, and I do not think that the song on the cassette is really Hans Rehmstedt. But if not, it is very close. Anyway, these are the only Swing songs in my collection, so I am just as ignorant as the rest of the world. Marilyn Monroe is more or less ignored as a singer. She appears in only 3 charts on BEA, (two by me). Another mystery to me. I think she was great. You cannot get much better performances than her singing River of no Return. And it is one of the songs I do sing very happily. No return, no return, no return...
Leo, I think, I have praised enough. And probably Don McLean as well. I read recently that he still makes $300,000 every year with American Pie. Not bad, and he did have this other song that is (very nearly) as good. And totally different.

The Cover of the Rolling Stone I liked very much at the time although I had no idea what they were singing about. Except that Elvis was a hero and Paul McCartney drives a Rolles Royce car. There is a funny German version of the song by Mike Krüger who wants to appear on the Cover of a Rolling Stones album. There was no magazine at the time in Germany. Next, we have another Lost Love song. "And if you should discover that you don't really love her
just send my baby back home to me". Glass of Champagne and Girls were the great hits of Sailor. I think they were much more popular in Germany than anywhere else (a good indicator, the length of the Wikipedia entry), and in this case, I am inclined to think that it is not because Germans, in general, have poorer musical taste. Just like Leo Sayer, David Essex used to be very popular. Now, he is loved only by old guys like myself. Whereas the Beatles... Let it be. I never really liked the song. Mark of Zorro is from 1975! Like John Peel used to ask: Why are there no more twangy guitars? Sing us a song he sings and it sounds like singasasong. And he is still considered great by many. And that leaves the wonderful Tommy Makem. Two very excellent songs. And like with the Swing stuff I wonder why I did not become really addicted to Irish Folk music. Instead, I am a boring 70ies mainstream man.

Best song: River Of No Return

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Re: High In Spirits - The Tapes of Things long gone

Liedzeit — Thu, 3 Jan 2019 08:36:36 GMT

Author: Liedzeit

Posted: 01/03/2019 13:36

Elvis Is Back! by Elvis Presley

Star-2 1975

Andy Kim – Fire, Baby I Want Fire 1974
Ringo Starr – Only You 1974
Queen – Killer Queen 1974
Eddie Holman – Hey There Lonely Girl 1969
Pilot – Magic 1974
[unknown] – Humpty Dumpty
Slade – Far Far Away 1974
Sparks – Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth 1974
Barry Blue – Hot Shot 1974

Rubettes – Juke Box Jive 1975
Glitter Band – Let’s Get Together Again 1975
Elvis Presley – Promised Land 1975
Hello – Games Up 1975
Elvis Presley – Such A Night 1969
Elton John – Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds 1975
Yes – Roundabout 1971
Melanie – Ruby Tuesday 1970

Andy Kim co-wrote Sugar, Sugar. But I never held this against him. To me, he is one of the giants of Rock. Probably best known for Rock Me Gently, but it is this song I like best. "What we're doing just can't be wrong." People say Ringo had his limitations as a singer. I do not deny it. But it is impossible to do a better version of Only you. I can never make up my mind which one I prefer, Bohemian or Killer Queen. Today I feel like announcing that Killer is the best Queen ever did. And the lyrics to me are even less comprehensible. For some reason, I thought that Lonely Girl was by the Stylistics. No, and I should have known. I do like "meaningless songs in very high voices". When Magic came out I was sure to be witnessing the birth of the next supergroup. Pilot were quite big. But they should have been at the top. Next is a brilliant parody of rock songs. Glitter, Brian Ferry, Cockney Rebel, Cliff Richard. I wish I could track down this piece of music.
Now, that Christmas time is over, Merry Xmas moves into second place and Far Far Away takes the lead position again as best Slade song. And one of the 10 best songs ever. There might be better lyrics but if so, they are unknown to me.
The Sparks are my all-time favorite band. By far. I might have mentioned it. And this is such a beautiful track. Again high voice. And the lyrics at least give the illusion of being very meaningful. Next to Space Oddity and before 20000 Light years the best SF song. Barry Blue is probably not known to many people these days. He made a career out of imitating Gary Glitter and this does not get you a place in rock history. But this one, the least successful of his singles is by far his best and worth listening to. If you like crazy 70ies glam.

Juke Box Jive was the monster hit of 1975. And in fact responsible for the sad fact, that the Sparks never made it to the #1 spot in the Top 20. This is something I cannot forgive them. But it is such a nice song. High voices? Sure. And I always liked the name of the singer: Paul Da Vinci. (Reminds me of a singer I once met who chose Sam Camus as a stage name. Does anyone know what became of him?) The Glitter Band had a couple of hits on their own. Okay, this one is maybe a little bit too much of a little-kids-sing-along song, but I like it. Just like Elvis who takes us to the promised land. A good song, but not as good as Such a night. Hello were another teeny band. I assume I would not like it if they released the song today. But as it is, I love it.
I said it before, Elton John could not do wrong in 1975. (And now he is one of the most pathetic cases of genius gone embarrassingly bad.) I prefer this version to the original. I know, everything released in 74/75 automatically gets an extra bonus in my head. Wonderful stuff. They did make good records even before 74. Yes and Melanie (with another better-than-the-original-song) here to prove it. I did not know, I ever listened to Yes at the time. Apparently, I did.

Best song: Far Far Away

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Re: High In Spirits - The Tapes of Things long gone

Liedzeit — Fri, 28 Dec 2018 07:55:10 GMT

Author: Liedzeit

Posted: 12/28/2018 12:55

All Things Must Pass by George Harrison

Agfa Red-8 1975

John Lennon – Bring On The Lucie (Freda Peeple) 1973
Beatles – Magical Mystery Tour 1967
Beatles – While My Guitar Gently Weeps 1968
Beatles – Back In The USSR 1968
Beatles – Lady Madonna 1968
Wings – Live And Let Die 1973
Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney – Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey 1973
Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney – Monkberry Moon Delight 1971
Beatles – Blackbird 1968
Showwaddywaddy – Three Steps To Heaven 1975

Beatles – Help 1965
John Lennon – Working Class Hero 1970
Beatles – A Day In The Life 1967
John Lennon – Mother 1970
John Lennon – God 1970
John Lennon – Imagine 1971
John Lennon – Remember 1970
George Harrison – All Things Must Pass 1970
Beatles – Yesterday 1965
George Harrison – My Sweet Lord 1970
George Harrison – Isn’t It A Pity 1970
Beatles – Love Me Do 1963
Ringo Starr – Blindman 1972
Ringo Starr – I Am The Greatest 1973

This is obviously a special cassette. It is a radio feature on the Beatles in four parts. Probably about 20 minutes for every Beatle. It was part of the WDR-2 Samstags-Radiothek. (Or Friday?) I crammed it all on one cassette. Something is missing, unfortunately. How I would love to hear the complete show in good quality again. But the gist is there. A lot of music but interesting facts about the Fab Four. The Beatles were spoken by German actors, of course. John by Christan Brückner. "Nehmt uns Rom nicht weg, unser tragbares Rom, wo wir alle unsere Häuser haben können, unsere Parties Drinks und Drogen." We hear George practicing the guitar. Ringo as the star of a Quiz show. "Am linken Finger der linken Hand... " Paul complaning that everythings depends on him, threatening to abondon the Beatles. "Ich hab diesen Scheißladen satt. Voll von gichtigen Arschlöschern, die von Mukik einen Scheiß verstehen, und von unserer Musik nocht nicht mal Scheiß." And we get the Beatle in "New York - Beatles - City" The famous interview. In German. "Wird Ringo heiraten, hat Paul sich verlobt, denkt John an Scheidung, mag George überhaupt Mädchen, direkt unmittelbar und live?"
Really sensational. All-guy-complains-alert: Not only do they not music like this, they also do not do radio features like this.
There is not much to say about the music. Everything excellent of course. I especially like Monkberry Moon Delight.

Do not ask me how Showaddywaddy came to be included here. But I love the song and am tempted to declare it best song. I remember hearing it for a complete afternoon, reading Flash Gordon Comics. But, still...

Best song: Working Class Hero

Re: High In Spirits - The Tapes of Things long gone

Liedzeit — Sat, 22 Dec 2018 07:35:47 GMT

Author: Liedzeit

Posted: 12/22/2018 12:35

Year Of The Cat by Al Stewart

Agfa Red-7 1977

Al Stewart – On The Border 1976
Al Stewart – One Stage Before 1976
Electric Light Orchestra – Old English Town 1973
Electric Light Orchestra – Showdown 1973
Herman’s Hermits – Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat 1965
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich – Save Me 1966
Genesis – Match of the day 1977
Foreigner – Cold As Ice 1977
Jimmi Hendrix Experience – Wild Thing [Monteray] 1967

Donovan – Jeniffer Juniper 1968
Jan and Dean – Two Girls For Every Boy 1964
Johnny & The Hurricanes – Beatnik Fly 1959
Roy Orbison – Running Scared 1962
Rolling Stones – Heart Of Stone 1964
Eddie & The Hot Rods – Horseplay 1976
Johnny Moped – Hard Lovin Man 1977
Bill Oddie – Harry Krishna 1970
The Red Clay Ramblers – Blue Jay/The Girl I Left Behind 1976
Pilot – Get Up And Go 1977
Nite City – Bitter Sky Blue 1977
Everly Brothers – That’s Old Fashioned 1961

This cassette is especially dear to my heart. In 1977 Pop music seemed to be at a dead end, but punk had come to rescue. Or so it seemed. Match of the Day and Cold as Ice were perfect pop songs. Even after listening for hundreds of times I do not get tired of them. But at the same time, you can see that they were a bit too perfect. Songs that sound like an AI had created them to please the crowd. They have an unreal feeling. The same is true for Bitter Sky Blue. A beautiful song by the group that Ray Manzarek had formed after the Doors. Why was Cold as Ice a monster hit and nobody has ever heard of Bitter Sky Blue? Well, probably not nobody. But I had to ask Shazam. Get up and go has a bubblegum innocence that I find very pleasing. But I would understand if people find all these songs annoying. It is hard to believe that Horseplay and Hard Lovin Man were made roughly at the same time. Horseplay is great, Hard Lovin Man is a different category altogether. To me the epitome of punk music. This has everything that made punk such a relief. Including the annoying bit. Only it was meant to be annoying if you see what I mean. Everyone who thinks that the Ramones made punk should listen to this one!
What else do we have? The decadent, or melancholic, in any case, wonderful Al Stewart. Electric Light Orchestra before they softened down. Jimmi with his own version of punk. The magnificent Running Scared. Jean and Dean who were at times the better Beach Boys as with this one. Donovan singing about Jennifer Juniper. I remember a quiz show on the radio with the question: Who was the other Jennifer that a song was written about with the full name as a title? Beatnik Fly is the only rather weak song in this collection. Still quite good. This leaves a bit of folk music by the Red Clay Ramblers and another incredible novelty song. Harry Krishna. The title alone is great. And coming just after Johnny Moped the effect is amazing. Released on Dandelion Records. And there is John Peel on it!

Best song: Hard Lovin Man

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Re: High In Spirits - The Tapes of Things long gone

Liedzeit — Wed, 19 Dec 2018 03:20:47 GMT

Author: Liedzeit

Posted: 12/19/2018 08:20

Agfa Purple-4 1981

Bruce Springsteen – Wreck 1980
Cego Aderaldo – Naná Vasconcelos – 1980
Horslips – The Shamrock Shore 1972
[unknown]
Japan – Ghosts 1981

This one is out of competition. I only include it because I spent more than an hour repairing it. Turns out, it was probably taped by my brother. Although this is also unlikely. Very strange. More than half of the cassette is empty. And then someone is reading a science fiction piece. Maybe even I am. And very badly.

As for the songs. In 1980 I still listened to Bruce Springsteen. But this one, I am sure, I have never heard before.
Cego Aderaldo? It is not bad, but nothing I would listen to without being forced to it. Horselips. That is something I might have taped. And surely the excellent Ghosts. And there is even a bit of Tommy Vance. So it comes out of the Top 20, a show my brother would not listen to. I think.

A mystery.