Just Before it Goes Downhill: MixTape Tuesday Hits the 90s

The 90's, Part 1. The decade when music officially started going down the shitter. Radio was the first. Slowly but surely any radio station that had programmers who thought outside the box, was either devoured by corporate chains and told what to play, or succumbed to low listenership, as pop and techno along with some grunge took over. Please hold your emails, I fully admit I do not worship at the altar of Curt Colbain. I'll grant he was good, but was his best behind him when he killed himself? We will never know. For my money, I'll take Michael Stipe anyday.

This was the decade that gave us such truly memorable crap such as the Macarena, MMMBop, U Can't Touch This and Whomp. I rest my case.

Anyway, I hadn't started getting heartburn from listening to the music just yet, that really began as the decade ended, but it was a decade where you had to really look for good music instead of just being able to hear it every time you turned on the radio.

So for Jen's Twisted MixTape Tuesday, Part 1 of the 90's, I've come up with what were some of the best of what was out there.

"I like a good beer buzz, early in the morning." How can you not love a song with a lyric like that? Sheryl Crow broke out with a song which could basically be a Mission Statement for a lot of us.

"All I Wanna Do"

R.E.M. were brilliant. End of story. Take your pick of seven or eight possible choices, but I'll go with what I think is the strongest.

"Losing My Religion"

At the age of forty, one of my favorite female singers showed all the boys how it's done, when in 1990, she won three Grammy awards for what would be considered her comeback album.  In 1989, Bonnie Raitt released Nick of Time... which was and is still totally kick-ass. Hard to choose which song to go with, so let's just go with something called...

"Love Letter"

Time to have a little fun. If you're looking for an earworm along with some real fine harmonica playing, and who doesn't want that... I give you John Popper and Blues Traveler with...

"Runaround"

Over the years Carlos Santana has had many vocalists. In 1999, Rob Thomas from Matchbox 20 was the front man on a song he co-wrote. It was a huge hit, winning three Grammy Awards and was Billboard's #1 song for twelve weeks. Deservedly so, it's a great collaboration.

"Smooth"

Though he died in 1990, one year later his album The Sky is Crying was released. On it was one hell of a version of a Jimi Hendrix song, which if you've read this blog long enough, you know I believe it's hard to find a bad version of it. Stevie Ray's is superb.

"Little Wing"

So I'm only one over the official list of five. Thanks Jen, you run one loud and rowdy joint... I feel so at home.

Beat This Beginning: Crossfire

Last weekend as I started out on the road trip, I had the shuffle going in the car. As the opening notes of today's taste hit my ears, it was like I was hearing it for the first time. Now I have listened to this song hundreds of times, but that morning it sounded fresh and well... perfect.

So it hit me, if I've had this feeling on this song, there must be hundreds of songs where you know them note for note, but may still have missed something really juicy about them. And that's how we got here today.

Today we introduce a new feature which we will jump into from time to time, where we will highlight a song with a great opening riff. The song is "Crossfire" by Stevie Ray Vaughn.

Now if you've read this blog with any regularity you know SRV just makes me smile. He had it all, and we will never know his true greatness, but what he left behind is a legacy of which any musician would be proud.  As one of my top three guitarists, it's funny that the opening of "Crossfire" is not centered on his guitar work. Sure he comes in with some great punctuation, but an opening drum beat, a little bass and some hot keys all set the tone before Stevie drops in.

Of course the rest of the song ain't half bad, and Stevie kicks it up pretty good, but have a listen to how it starts.

Good stuff.
Leave a comment if you have any other great beginnings we should take a listen to.

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Brainstorming or Brain Dead: Either Way Some Good Music

Just a quick post. Even though I wasn't planning on writing a music blog this morning, sometimes they just write themselves.

Here's how it started. Watched a clip on youtube the other day, a trailer for the upcoming Beth Hart/Joe Bonamassa release. Let me tell you, that album is gonna blow it out of the park. Anyway it was a little tease of Beth doing Tina Turner's "Nutbush." Unbelievable. Watch it here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ynHVLoA2h00

Anyway, that song has been in my brain ever since, so I decided to tweet and post on FB the original by Tina and another version of her doing it 30+ years later. That's when the conversation began. One of my online friends Lance, creator of the 100 Word Song Challenge that I do quite often, replied that the weather where he lives in Atlanta was nasty and the song he was hearing in his head was "Flood" by Jars of Clay. And so it went.

So, here is the conversation... in song. Putting in all the videos, take a look.


"Ever wake up with a song bouncing around your brain. Yeah that."

"And half lifetime later, she still rocked it."

Lance answered with... it won't stop raining here so I woke up with this: 

Jars of Clay "Flood"

I replied "bummer,bout the rain.not the music. hopefully you won't be...lost in the flood."

Lance came back with "well, at least I don't live in Texas, although hanging w an alive Stevie Ray would've been worth the rain"

And it ended with me saying "well hell yeah. but you know he couldn't stand the weather...   damn I miss that man."

A fun conversation and some great music for a Sunday morning.
Hope it keeps bouncing around in your head.



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Stevie Ray on a Friday...Hell Yeah

Well the day is starting off with great promise.

First of all, it's Friday. Second, I got a nice nod from some friends in high places...or maybe low places...whatever. It's put me in a good mood. And we all know, while the attitude doesn't change much, the world is a much calmer place when Kat is in a good mood.

Feeling the need for some blues AND some rock.  One choice for that...Stevie Ray Vaughn.

Stevie Ray is perhaps the one artist whose passing I lament the most. After giving up the demons, his work was better than ever. Before getting sober, there were times when he was too drunk to sing, so he would sit down at the edge of the stage and...just play. And no one complained. The man was phenomenal. It hurts the heart to think of what might have been.

Texas born and bred, I'm not giving you the details of his life. It's all there, look it up. I just want to pick out some music.

For a fine Friday...or any other day/night/afternoon, I give you Stevie Ray Vaughn.

Start with some blues...

"Texas Flood" 
"The Sky is Crying"
"Sweet Home Chicago"..with a few friends: Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Jimmie Vaughn and Robert Cray

Kicking it up a bit...

"Love Struck Baby"
"Couldn't Stand the Weather"
"If the House is a Rockin'" ...this one's for Jim ..nice nod today for you too.

and will she include "Little Wing"  yet AGAIN?  Indeed I will.

Rock it...

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Paying Taxes Today

Thought maybe we should do a nice cover song today.  Since we are definitely into tax season, what better song to cover than "Taxman."

Written by George Harrison and first appearing on the 'Revolver' album, for my money you can't find a better cover version than the one done by Stevie Ray Vaughn. Going from one guitar great to another, George's legacy is definitely not lost on Stevie Ray.

For comparison today, we will go with both studio versions.

The Beatles "Taxman"
Stevie Ray Vaughn "Taxman"

Tasty indeed, have a bite before the taxman takes it all.

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