Everything Flows: Renfrew Ferry

Saturday, 4 March 2017

Never Ending Mixtape Part 6

The Never Ending Mixtape began in October 2016 when I finally discovered Spotify after years of saying I would never use it. Watch The Sunrise by Big Star kicked things off, joined by the Velvets, Spiritualized, Tricky, Massive Attack, Belly, Mazzy Star, The Orb, The Smiths.....all kinds of things.

Each month I make some additions to the Never Ending Mixtape and the blog allows me to either reminisce about old favourites, seeing acts live or where and when I bought/heard the song, or to talk about recent discoveries.

You can check the Never Ending Mixtape below and then read on to find out the latest additions.

Aphex Twin begins the latest additions to the Never Ending Mixtape with the stunning Aisatsana. It is a truly mesmerising piece of music. Donovan, Air and John Lennon lead a relatively mellow way before O-O-H Child by The Five Stairsteps lifts things up and then it doesn't stop with outstanding tunes from The Flirtations, The Jackson Sisters, Marlena Shaw, Bobby Womack and Curtis Mayfield.

Aisatsana - Aphex Twin
Isn't this just beautiful?

Colours - Donovan
One of the first songs I learned to play on acoustic guitar. Easy and lovely.

Playground Love - Air (with Gordon Tracks)
Hadn't heard this in years, from the Virgin Suicides soundtrack - blissful.

Oh Yoko - John Lennon
Lennon wrote so many love songs about Yoko but is any as melodic as this one?

O-O-H Child - The Five Stairsteps
Pete Paphides tweeted that he was thinking this might be the greatest single of all time.... it's pretty god damn good

Nothing But A Heartache - The Flirtations
But I'll take Pete's suggestion and raise him this outrageous romp. Listen to those vocals go for it The power and passion in this song is sensational. I got a lot of those heartaches, I got a lot of those teardrops....

I Believe In Miracles - The Jackson Sisters
Another outrageously good track - this is uplifting and ecstatic - I believe in miracles, I believe in you

California Soul - Marlena Shaw
An all-time fave of mine, had the pleasure of seeing Marlena live a couple of times, the first time was way back when The Renfrew Ferry was on the other side of the river and practically sinking. The ovation after this song must have gone on for 10-minutes! That good.

Across 100th Street - Bobby Womack
What a voice, what a tune, what a story......

Move On Up - Curtis Mayfield
It doesn't get any better than this. Sublime. Bite the lip and take the trip

Sunday, 11 September 2016

California Soul

Cover version of the month #16

California Soul by Marlena Shaw

I have to say that I always enjoy sitting down to write my monthly Cover Version of the Month blog. As well as sitting down to listen to music with my headphones on, I tend to discover loads of facts about, and additional versions of, the song that I choose.

This month is no different. California Soul is a song I have been in love with for decades. I have been fortunate enough to witness Marlena Shaw perform the song on two occasions, both at the Renfrew Ferry in Glasgow.

The first time was so long ago that the Ferry was on the other side (South) of the river. It had fallen into disrepair and was sloped to one side....probably slowly sinking! I have witnessed many incredible responses to songs at shows in Glasgow, but the rapturous reception to California Soul on that evening remains the best. It must have been a 10-minute ovation, the crowd just kept cheering.

So I always knew about Marlena's version. And I also knew about Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's version; one of many stunning duets that the pair sang together until Tammi's death from a brain tumour - the single was released shortly after her sad passing.

I thought that was the original as the song was written by Ashford and Simpson, the talented songwriting duo behind several Marvin and Tammi gems like Ain't No Mountain High Enough, You're All I Need To Get By and Good Lovin' Ain't Easy To Come By.

In actual fact the song was originally released as a b-side!!!! Yes a b-side! By a Motown group called The Messengers; a b-side to a song called Window Shopping in 1967. I thought I had better check this song out if it relegated California Soul to the b-side! It's OK in a harmless early Beach Boys kind of way, but no California Soul!

The original is really the template used by The 5th Dimension who issued it has a single in 1968, then Marvin and Tammi in 1969 and by Marlena Shaw late that year on her Spice Of Life album. They just ramp it up a bit, the original is just a little too slow and lacks the urgency that the others bring to it.

The 5th Dimension bring in a Mama's and Papa's and Sly and the Family Stone kind of feel to it, I think it's only when Marvin and Tammi come in that the true potential is realised.

With Marvin and Tammi uplifting strings and a classic Motown beat kick in from the off, Marvin and Tammi's voices deliciously combine and entwine and then they each take their turn to take the song on. Interestingly their version was also a b-side; to The Onion Song.

As much as I love the Marvin and Tammi version (and virtually everything they recorded together) it is in the hands of Marlena Shaw that the song finds its definitive owner. The urgency is ramped up with the strings and the groove, Marlena's voice is effortless - soaring, injecting a bit of urgency when required. Listen in at 1 minute 16 when the strings take off for a ride and Marlena says in the background 'ooh it feels good'.

At other times she laughs into the mic, clearly enjoying the song, the feel and the soul. The closing 30-seconds are sensational as strings, brash, groove, beats and Marlena all come together to take the song to a glorious conclusion.

So this months cover version of the month is California Soul - it's a beauty and I have learned something about it. Hope you have too!