Song of the Week #356

Spotify playlist for this week: https://play.spotify.com/user/1233409237/playlist/2KbhOJKLtk15uWsg6ziVRS

It's cold, it's raining and that's no fun. Snow is forecast next week. I can't wait to get out on my bike in that. Oh, hooray.

Listen To The Pouring Rain - Jose Feliciano - https://youtu.be/afCB3wlgtWA

I remember being taught that song when I was in the very early throes of learning to play the guitar. It was the first song I knew with anything but the standard three chords. The second, and much harder, tune with a million chords was this one...

Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly - https://youtu.be/O1eOsMc2Fgg

Only the teacher was good enough to play Proud Mary!

Having pay TV means that there are more channels to choose from with nothing on. Other than for football it's pretty much a complete waste of money. Fortunately DJ Bogus and I watch a lot of football! Once in a while the music channels have something worth watching but not often. I did catch some old Black Sorrows tunes recently which reminded me what a great band they are. Bluesy, funky, Aussie...

The Black Sorrows - Never Let Me Go - https://youtu.be/j_ejDoJ5Kns

The Black Sorrows - Money Talking - https://youtu.be/iTDs01QWZ54

The first Black Sorrows track is one I used to play live back in the Mr Walker days of the early 90's. Money Talking is a lot more recent and I really love that razor sharp guitar in the introduction. 

Sammy Hagar (Montrose, Van Halen, Chickenfoot) has a new band and a new album out. The Circle includes Hagar, Michael Anthony (Van Halen, Chickenfoot), Jason Bonham (Black Country Communion, Led Zeppelin, Foreigner) and Vic Johnson. The album is a double live outing and features tracks from all of Hagar's career and a couple of tasty cover versions. I've said my piece about David Lee Roth's voice...Sammy's is still going strong. I know that DJ NotSoFatRollins has the album and gives it the thumbs up.

The Circle - When It's Love (live) - https://youtu.be/FOHLG2P-7_M

Only one week until the official release of the new Jason Isbell album folks. As is the trend in these high-tech days, it's available (free and legal) to listen to online. Go hear and see what you think: http://www.npr.org/series/98679384/first-listen I've only had a couple of spins but it's sounding rather good.

I haven't played any Johnny Cash for at least a couple of weeks so I think I'll rectify that situation now. Here's a track I heard this morning whilst coming to work in the cage...it's a cover, sure, but Johnny makes it his own. Better than the original I think.

Johnny Cash - Highway Patrolman - https://youtu.be/1biKak4BI9E

In a couple of hours DJ Z-boots will be home from her adventure in Vanuatu. I imagine she'll be reaching for some thermal clothing fairly quickly! Only 10 days until she's off again. I hope the UK and Europe are well prepared. Her families in Vanuatu already miss her if the phone calls and text messages are anything to go by. Our work assisting Level and Atavtabanga Schools continues. Sign up to follow Project Pentecost on Facebook for all the details. Sports clothing has arrived in Vila en route to Level, money has been sent to Atavtabanga to help install electric light into all classrooms and we are working on stationery packs too.

Brada Cloud - Vanuatu Smile - https://youtu.be/j2lnFnDObYg

Once in a while I hear a song that makes me tap my toes and nod foolishly. This is one of those songs and I don't think I've heard it for years.

Slade - Run Runaway - https://youtu.be/ikMiQZF-mAY

I've taken a bit of a jump and applied to do some study at university. Online stuff because really I can't be bothered or find the time to sit through lectures from academics who generally have no idea how to teach. I'm hopefully studying TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages). It's a bit different but you can probably work out my motivation. I've almost finished my course about the music and art of the American South and I'll keep up with my Bislama as well. It's good to be busy.

The Godfathers- Birth, School, Work, Death - https://youtu.be/QO5dcW0P75M

I wasn't going to comment about the flag controversy in America but I can't help it...it's gone too far when The Dukes of Hazzard is taken off the air because the car has a Confederate Flag on it. Good grief. Let's ban all WWII movies that might show a Swastika. It's sad that the Confederate Flag has been hijacked by racists but it has and that's a fact. Instead of maybe going off like a bunch of loons people could actually think sensibly about the issues. But then again probably not.

Waylon Jennings - Dukes of Hazzard theme - https://youtu.be/hBlNNlSgxxE

Watch this space...Stryper have a new album coming soon. Previews are appearing here and there but only little bits. It's almost time to ROCK!

Hello Tingha!

Rob

"I'm still mad as hell and I don't have time to go round and round and round", Dixie Chicks, Not Ready To Make Nice, 2006.