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Today’s pick is one of the greatest Bowie songs EVER. Of course, it’s ‘Golden Years’!

This performance is taken from a programme called Soul Train back in 1975. At the time, Bowie was one of the first white performers to appear on the show. Allegedly he got completely bladdered before performing. You’re free to make up your own mind, but check out this interview clip from just before the performance too…forget the serious moonlight, that’s some serious swaying right there! Between that and his gaunt figure he’s certainly looking quite alien—‘Golden Years’ also came about at the peak of Bowie’s cocaine addiction.

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All that aside, it’s a fantastic song. Apparently he offered it to Elvis to record, but it was declined. I’m sure his version wouldn’t have had half the quirk of Bowie’s though.

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One way in which popular culture’s scarred this track for me though, is that I can’t hear it without thinking of this WTF?! scene from one of my favourite, entirely mindless, films, A Knight’s Tale…

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As much as I don’t mind thinking of Heath Ledger, I’d rather it wasn’t within the context of this ridiculousness.

At least it’s not as entirely pointless and unnecessary as Marilyn Manson’s cover version.

*shudder*

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KS

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‘Tiny Dancer’ was written in 1971 by Elton John, with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. Apparently “the song was written by Taupin to capture the spirit of California in 1970 encapsulated by the many beautiful women he met” (wiki), who presumably, were all under 5 feet tall and pretty good at dancing.

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I reckon Ben Folds actually does an excellent version, considering it’s just his voice and a piano it sounds incredibly full. Also, you’ve gotta love those glasses and the open-mouthed Elton impression.

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Also, this song always just makes me think of this scene from Almost Famous

…and now I’m all goosebumpy.

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KS

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Muddy Waters left Chess Records in 1975 and this version of ‘I Want To Be Loved’ is taken from his first album to be released by Blue Sky, Hard Again. Along with ‘Mannish Boy’ and ‘I Can’t Be Satisfied’, ‘I Want To Be Loved’ is a re-working of a previous recording done while signed to Chess and it stands in pretty sharp contrast to the original—It feels harder and more boisterous and sounds like the musicians are having a bloody fantastic time playing it. For comparison, here’s the original:

Which do you prefer?

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Johnny Winter’s production worked so well that he recorded another 2 albums with Waters. These were to be the most successful records of Waters’ career.

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KS

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It can be hard to find happy songs that aren’t trite or just about partyvibezzz (snore). ‘Never Let You Down’ is a lovely little song—it’s guitar pop, and it’s just, well, nice.

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Produced by Adam Schlesinger from Fountains of Wayne, the album ‘Never Let You Down’ is taken from, Underneath, is good clean, pop fun. 

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I tried to find a nice live video of the band playing the song, but it looks like they’re in an empty room, which is a bit too sad for such a cheerful song. So click if you like, otherwise enjoy the above.

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KS

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(You’ll want to skip to about the 3 minute mark in the video for the start of the song)

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What could be better than ‘Rock n’ Roll’ by Led Zeppelin? Perhaps ‘Rock n’ Roll’ + Led Zeppelin (well, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones anyway) + the Foo Fighters. And, Dave Grohl’s on the drums and lets Taylor Hawkins take the vocal. It’s a little bit amazing.

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But here’s an added bonus…the Led Zep guys stayed on stage to play ‘Ramble On’ as well. It’s also a little bit amazing. Here, a gift:

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Aren’t we good to you.

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KS

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If you know this song, you’ve probably heard the LaVern Baker version of it…which is also very good…

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Both Bessie and LaVern belong to a grouping of female singers that go “HRRRAARRURRHH” in a fairly powerful way when they sing. It’s great!

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Bessie Smith was an interesting character. One site describes her as: “a rough, crude, violent woman”. Another as:

“a big woman, who was known for her temper, her hard drinking, her sexual appetite—which included relationships with lovers of both sexes—and her willingness to fight for what she wanted, sometimes to the point of using physical force. But when she sang, Bessie Smith mesmerized her audience.”

- Pop Matters

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‘On Revival Day’ was written by Andy Razaf and originally recorded by Luis Russell and His Orchestra. Bessie Smith’s version was recorded for Columbia Records in 1930. She tragically died 7 years later in pretty gruesome car accident. Still, she’s a bit of a legend, and one of the key ladies in the history of blues music. Bessie started singing in a travelling show as a dancer and singer back in 1912 and made her first recording for Columbia in 1923 and a further 159 over her career. Nicknamed The Empress Of Blues, she was one of the most popular female musicians of the 1920s and 30s.

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KS

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We’re going to agree to ignore that the video above is made up of unrelated clips of Kick Ass. We’re also going to agree to ignore the fact that it sounds like there’s a fairly evil storm brewing over London, because this song is an unashamedly summery slice of pop-rock from way back (how scary is that?) in 1999.

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There’s nothing hugely special about this track, I just like it. It wasn’t a single, I didn’t hear it on the radio, I don’t think any of my friends were into the band either. I don’t know much about the band and I actually don’t know a huge amount of the rest of the tracks from the album ‘All of You’ is taken from. In fact, I’m not even sure how I came across the track in the first place—I can only assume it has something to with being a teenager with an insatiable thirst for new music and Audio Galaxy. Oh lordy, horrible memories of bleeping, slow, dial-up connections are coming flooding back… let’s not go there.

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Anyway, listen, enjoy, and if you’re in London, hiding from the rain, imagine for a second that you’re not.

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KS