Music Break

Once again it's about time I posted a five-song set.  I've run across most of these rather recently, in part thanks to a BlogTalkRadio host who calls himself "Reactionariez", or "RZ" for short.  Although he specializes in conservative politics, he also likes to spin the tunes.  Although I've known about The Guess Who for a long time, it was RZ who introduced me to Rain Dance, written by singer/keyboardist Burton Cummings and guitarist Kurt Winter, and released in 1971.  At this time, the band also included guitarist Greg Leskiw, bassist Jim Kale and drummer Garry Peterson.

In 1988, singer Jon Anderson left Yes and joined other former Yes members Steve Howe (guitar), Rick Wakeman (keyboards) and Bill Bruford (drums) to form a band which they named after themselves, often using the acronym ABWH.  Order Of The Universe is from their sole album, which was eponymous, and includes four sections.  All four men would soon afterwards rejoin Yes for the Union album, but for the most part, did not play on the same songs as Trevor Rabin (guitar), Tony Kaye (keyboards), Chris Squire (bass) and Alan White (drums).  All eight, however, played together on the subsequent tour.  The video shows outer space-related scenes, but the song's lyrics, other than the title, don't say anything about astronomy or cosmology.

Another song for which RZ gets the hat tip is Warren Zevon's version of A Certain Girl, written by Allen Toussaint.  First recorded by Ernie K-Doe and later covered by the Yardbirds, it was included on Zevon's 1980 album Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School, where it was credited to Toussaint under the pseudonym "Naomi Neville", which in reality was the name of his mother.

Anyone familiar with my music posts knows that I'm a fan of the early Fleetwood Mac (or as I sometimes call it, pre-Stevie Fleetwood Mac).  Sandy Mary, written and sung by the band's founder, guitarist Peter Green, does not appear on their studio albums, but was recorded live in a BBC studio.  Danny Kirwan joins Green on guitar, and may have contributed the "wah-wah" sounds, while slide guitarist Jeremy Spencer plays piano.  The title might refer to Green's then-girlfriend Sandra Ellsdon, who played the recorder on their song Oh Well.

To finish, here's something from another legendary guitarist, Jimi Hendrix.  The third and final album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Electric Ladyland, finishes with Voodoo Child (Slight Return).  The song was developed from the similarly titled Voodoo Chile, which appears on the same album and was recorded with guest musicians Jack Casady on bass and Steve Winwood on organ.  This song, however, was recorded by the regular lineup of Hendrix on guitar and vocals, Noel Redding on bass, and Mitch Mitchell on drums.

As Porky Pig would say, that's all, folks.  Sooner or later, I'll find some songs for next time.