Bo's New Haircut / Rather Not Stay by The Cords

Back in January I interviewed The Cords, a young band of two sisters from Inverkip. They'd been on my radar for a while, thanks to my own sister Carla who met them at Rig Arts Centre in Greenock where she helps out with a community class. Carla sent me recordings that she had captured on her phone and raved about their creative nature and pure raw pop guitar sound. Pretty much everyone who meets and sees The Cords live goes on to rave about them. 

Eva and Grace Tedeschi are young teenagers who, if they had a Delorean, access to a flux capacitor, plutonium or the ability to harness a bolt of lightning, would set their time circuit settings to circa 1985 so they could try and get a song on NME's C86 compilation. 

The Cords have racked up some impressive support slots (including The Vaselines and The Umbrellas) and won the heart of Lauren who runs the label Heavenly Creatures (check the Adventure Club album they have just released) and most (probably all) of Monorail where they regularly hang out and buy records.

And now, if you haven't seen them live yet, you can hear why.

Bo's New Haircut / Rather Not Stay is the debut single by The Cords, released on limited edition tape. 

Bo's New Haircut has an instantly pure and catchy vocal melody over fast paced guitar (with limited or no effects) and beats. Told from the perspective of their dog Bo, this is over in a beautiful 100 seconds and a flash of sunshine. Three verses. Fast paced fun indie guitar pop. Pure. No pretence. No bullshit. Just naturally cool without trying. 

I think it might be cool if I looked like you

Give me a new haircut and I will be happy

Grace (drums) and Eva (guitar an vocals) - The Cords

Rather Not Stay sounds absolutely ripe for a good old indie disco (National Pop League) at the Woodside Social Club! After a slow burning 20 second intro, the fuse is well and truly lit and the song explodes delightfully into life. Eva's vocals sound pretty angelic and her lyrics are full of teenage innocence and honesty. The chorus will win your heart.

I don't want to go away

But I'd rather not stay

Produced by Simon Liddell and Jonny Scott and mastered by Nova Sound, The Cords have captured a beautiful moment in time for their debut single. I can't wait to hear what they capture next.

The Monorail edition SOLD OUT IN 15-MINUTES!

A Heavenly Creatures version is out this evening complete with handwritten lyrics and lollipops! 

Keep an eye on The Cords Instagram where they may be announcing a show real soon. 

For What It's Worth

 

Cover version of the month #97

The Staple Singers, Lou Rawls, Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 and Voices of East Harlem cover Buffalo Springfield

For What It's Worth by Buffalo Springfield must be one of the coolest songs of all time. Four verses, a super catchy chorus, guitars that vary in sound - from harmonics to a piercing solo and all in just over two and a half minutes. 

Written by Stephen Stills and inspired by the Sunset Strip curfew riots in Los Angeles where Buffalo Springfield were the house band at the Whisky a Go Go, For What It's Worth was recorded on December 5th 1966.

Stills has said that the title came from a conversation with his record company, when he simply stated; "I have this song, for what it's worth."

Within days, For What It's Worth (Stop, Hey What's That Sound) was being played on the radio. The song hit the mark and eventually peaked at number 7 in the charts.

This is a perfect song. The short intro of Neil Young's guitar harmonics and a funky rhythm of bass and beats, that would later be sampled by Public Enemy, is utterly mesmerising. Stills makes a statement from the off, speaking from the front line of the riots and protests.

There's something happening here

What it is ain't exactly clear

There's a man with a gun over there

Telling me I got to beware

 Stills hits the chorus/hook at bang on 30-seconds, the groove changes ever so slightly, then falls back. Oh what a chorus. Something you can sing-a-long with on first listen.

I think it's time we stop

Children, what's that sound

Everybody look what's going down

Stills continues with the second verse which contains the brilliant line nobody's right if everybody's wrong. There is just a little time after the second chorus for Neil Young to add some shimmering guitar riffs, the groove is just glorious, allowing loads of space.

When the Springfield hit the fourth verse, Stills is totally in the zone, Young's guitar changes perfectly when his friend sings the opening line.

Paranoia strikes deep

Into your life it will creep

It starts when you're always afraid

Step out of line, the men come and take you away

There is a run of 4 choruses, all of the band harmonizing, to close the song. Perfection.

As you would expect for a song as cool and perfect as For What It's Worth, there has been dozens of cover versions over the years. From Cher (1968) to Stevie Nicks (2022). Nicks version is lovely, her voice is amazing, raspy and soulful.

Here are 4 belters;

The Staple Singers (1967)

I have this version on a gospel soul compilation record. The family voices harmonise effortlessly, the music is stripped back, handclaps are introduced and notably, the distinctive guitar riff is removed.  

Recorded and released in 1967, The Staple Singers stamp their own sound on this wonderful song. I like to imagine that everyone in Buffalo Springfield would have been pretty chuffed to hear this.

Staple Singers version

Lou Rawls (1968)

The following year, Lou Rawls released his soul jazz version. Horns are introduced and the outro is extended slightly with a dreamy/psychedelic vibe. I wonder if there is an extended version out there as it feels like it fades just a little too soon.

Lou Rawls version

Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 (1970)

Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 released their version in 1970. They have more than a few cool cover versions in their discography. It's well worth digging into their back catalogue.

This is a super slow and soulful groove, the vocals have a beautiful edge to them, like Lani Hall really does want everyone to stop, listen to the sound and look what's going down.

Sergio Mendes version

Voices of East Harlem (1970)

My own personal favourite is this gem from Voices of East Harlem. Perhaps influenced by The Staple Singers version, they just ramp it up a bit, injecting extra urgency, extra voices, beats and Hammond. 

Up to 20 voices coming together for the chorus is a joyous and powerful sound, the groove is funky, soulful and loose and the lead vocal is impeccable. Glorious.

Voices of East Harlem version

Buffalo Springfield's timeless original and all 4 cover versions highlighted above are added to my Everything Flows Cool Cover Versions playlist on Spotify which also features all of the songs (originals and covers) below. Search for the title or CLICK HERE

Previous covers of the month blogs

1. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' 

2. Going Back To My Roots

3. Nirvana play The Vaselines

4. Slip Inside This House

5. Top 10 covers by Teenage Fanclub

6. Only Love Can Break Your Heart

7. Time For Livin' 

8. Sound and Vision 

9. All Along The Watchtower

10. I Am The Walrus 

11. Guiding Star

12. You’ll Never Walk Alone

13. Hurt

14. This Guy's In Love With You

15. I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine

16. California Soul

18. Wonder wall 

19. Dancing In The Dark

20. Always On My Mind

21. Ceremony

22. Heroes

23. Different Drum

24. Wild Horses

25. Respect

26. Mr Tambourine Man

27. I Heard It Through The Grapevine

28. Superstar

29. Twist and Shout

30. Purple Rain

31. Baker Street

32. Not Fade Away

33. Stop Your Sobbing

34. I Don't Want To Grow Up

35. Serious Drugs

36. Dancing With Myself

37. How Does It Feel To Feel?

38. Love Buzz

39. ABBA-esque
40. Jumpin' Jack Flash

41. Discoland

42. Varshons 2 by The Lemonheads

43. The Langley Schools Music Project
44. Witchi Tai To
45. Our Lips Are Sealed
46. Sunshine Of Your Love
47. Here Comes The Sun
48. I Think We're Alone Now
49. Don't Let Me Down 
50. It's Oh So Quiet
51. Alcoholiday 
52. Summer Holiday
53. Who Do You Think You Are?
54. Head On
55. Nothing Compares 2 U

56. Hey Jude

57. Seven Days Too Long

58. L.O.V.E Love

59. Into Your Arms

60. Heart Of Glass

61. Take Me To The River

62. We Can Work It Out 

63. Talking In My Sleep

64. Lola

65. Lost In Music

66. My Little Red Book

67. Isn't It A Pity

68. Walk On By

69. Walk Away Renee

70. Tainted Love

71. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

72. Listen The Snow Is Falling

73. Mrs Robinson

74. He's Gonna Step On You Again

75. In My Life

76. Caravan Of Love

77. The Only Way Is Up

78. Dancin' Round & Round

79. With A Little Help From My Friends

80. Killing Me Softly

81. Ain't No Mountain High Enough

82. Drop

83. Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay

84. Sympathy For The Devil

85. I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor

86. Love Will Tear Us Apart

87. Indian Rope Man + bonus Strawberry Fields Forever + This Wheels On Fire

88. Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You

89. Love The One You're With

90. Cum On Feel The Noize

91. Addicted To Love

92. Valerie

93. Ride On Time

94. Let's Dance

95. It Must Be Love

96. I Fought The Law

Video

Live at Monterey Pop Festival 

Live on TV - For What It's Worth and Mr. Soul medley

Red Lady

Trust me #71
Red Lady by Phil Cordell

I'm not sure how I first stumbled across Red Lady by Phil Cordell. It may well have been via a compilation album, or through hearing it being played by various DJ's over the years. Recently, Whyte Horses covered it on their Hard Times album from 2019.

Red Lady was originally released back in 1969 as the b-side to Pumping the Water. Cordell played and sang everything. Soon, the b-side became the song that the single was known for. 

And if you listen you'll soon realise why.

Right from the off, there is a glorious acidic lead guitar riff over a kaleidoscope of lush rhythms. The 37- second intro is utterly spellbinding, the flourish into the first verse is utterly sublime. Cordell's voice is distinctly English, but not overly (i.e. cockney) so. 

I see the red wind blowing

Filling my eyes with hair

It's crazy but I'm knowing

That you don't really care

I can't think what's making this feeling be

Surely the tea that's inside of me

And now you've started singing

Red lady, you're just fine

How can this song be only 2.5 minutes long? I marvel at that every time I listen. 

There isn't really a chorus, each of the three verses ends with the same two closing lines. Somehow there is time for a 32-second instrumental to close. The arrangement and production is off the scale, the guitar sound is incredible, the beats are cool.

To date, I haven't really dug into Cordell's limited back catalogue. I'll need to change that!

Red Lady is added to my Trust Me playlist; search for Everything Flows - Trust Me on Spotify or CLICK HERE 

Check below for all previous blogs in my Trust Me series.

Red Lady by Phil Cordell

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton

1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells

2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond

3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell

4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot

5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon

6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras

7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans

8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland

9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave

10. Sometimes by James

11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time

12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre

13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields

14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals

15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser

16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes

17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth

18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter

19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground

20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub

21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub

22. Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From by Teenage Fanclub

23. Belfast by Orbital

24. Clouds by The Jayhawks

25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral

26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair

27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke

28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones

29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze

29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells

30. I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor

31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton

32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich

33. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem

34. Mondo 77 by Looper

35. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton

36. Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats

37. How High by The Charlatans

38. I Can't Let Go by Evie Sands

39. Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.

40. Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective

41. There She Goes by The Las

42. We're Going To Be Friends by White Stripes

43. Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo

44. Sister Rena by Lomond Campbell

45. Revolution by The Beatles

46. Lazarus by The Boo Radleys

47. Wrote For Luck by Happy Mondays

48. American Trilogy by The Delgados

49. Loser by Beck 

50. Silent Sigh by Badly Drawn Boy

51. Comedy by Shack

52. Take The Skinheads Bowling by Camper Van Beethoven

53. Freakscene by Dinosaur Jr

54. Thank You For Being You by The Pastels

55. I Think I'm In Love by Spiritualized

56. Chestnut Mare by The Byrds

57. Cannonball by The Breeders

58. Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan

59. You Make Me Weak At The Knees by Electrelane

60. Lucky by Radiohead

61. Strange Currencies by R.E.M.

61. I Am The Cosmos by Chris Bell

62. Like A Ship (Without A Sail) by Pastor TL Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir

63. Nothing But A Heartache by The Flirtations

64. Made of Stone by The Stone Roses

65. Tonight In Belfast by Orbital, David Holmes, DJ Helen and Mike Garry

66. Anything by Adrianne Lenker

67. I Hold Something In My Hand by Bill Ryder-Jones

68. I Meant Every Word by Burnett Sisters

69. Dream Baby Dream by Suicide

70. Stove by The Lemonheads

Stove

Trust me #70
Stove by The Lemonheads

Released in 1990, Lovey by The Lemonheads offers a rewarding glimpse into the world of Evan Dando before his life changed with the release of It's A Shame About Ray in 1992.

After Lovey, Dando travelled to Australia to hang out and write the songs that would form breakthrough album It's A Shame About Ray and follow up Come On Feel The Lemonheads.

Lovey is a bit of a mixed bag, but it contains two absolute gems in the shape of Ride With Me and Stove. Evan's talent for storytelling, vivid and emotive descriptive lyrics, unique guitar skills and flowing melodies really shine through. I was going to write about both songs, but decided to go with Stove. 

Stove is sensational songwriting, with Dando telling of his heartbreak and guilt at replacing his old stove. Starting at a furious pace with crashing drums and driving guitar, Dando just about keeps up. 

There is no time to waste, you immediately get the true feeling of Dando needing to talk to someone; he sings of the gas man coming to take out his old beloved stove and replace her, the every day conversation about the guys past and his pride of his son being at University and this 'of the moment' update sits alongside Evan's pangs of regret at throwing out his stove.

The gas man came, took out our electric stove

I helped him carry her

He told me he had been a prize fighter once

Shuffled her through and out the door

We walked back in, talked 'bout his boy at UVM

And we began, to out the new stove in

But I miss my stove, she's all alone

Call it love, she's been replaced

I miss my stove, she's all alone.

She's right out front and looks a mess

Unwanted guest, we lied to her

I miss my stove

Feels sad I guess

There is a melodic guitar break allowing things to slow right down, as if Dando is sadly reflecting, he then launches back into full on confessional therapy mode, guitars back on full blast.

I know I shouldn't think about it anymore

'What's the point?' you say

But I'm reminded each time I walk out my door

My stove is gone to stay

There is then a burst of the first verse and chorus before an instrumental, that becomes increasingly fast paced, sees out the final 58-seconds of the song.

Evan continues to play Stove live to this day. Acoustic, it is a lullaby to an stove, with a full band, The Lemonheads romp through it at pace. Either way, the longing and love for the stove remains all too clear.

A live acoustic version was released as one of the b-sides to the It's A Shame About Ray single. There is extra tenderness and reflection when Dando strips the song right back to the bones. 

Stove is added to my Trust Me playlist; search for Everything Flows - Trust Me on Spotify or CLICK HERE 

Check below for all previous blogs in my Trust Me series.

Stove - Album version 

Stove - acoustic 1993 (live)

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton

1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells

2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond

3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell

4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot

5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon

6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras

7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans

8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland

9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave

10. Sometimes by James

11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time

12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre

13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields

14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals

15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser

16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes

17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth

18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter

19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground

20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub

21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub

22. Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From by Teenage Fanclub

23. Belfast by Orbital

24. Clouds by The Jayhawks

25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral

26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair

27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke

28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones

29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze

29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells

30. I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor

31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton

32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich

33. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem

34. Mondo 77 by Looper

35. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton

36. Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats

37. How High by The Charlatans

38. I Can't Let Go by Evie Sands

39. Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.

40. Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective

41. There She Goes by The Las

42. We're Going To Be Friends by White Stripes

43. Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo

44. Sister Rena by Lomond Campbell

45. Revolution by The Beatles

46. Lazarus by The Boo Radleys

47. Wrote For Luck by Happy Mondays

48. American Trilogy by The Delgados

49. Loser by Beck 

50. Silent Sigh by Badly Drawn Boy

51. Comedy by Shack

52. Take The Skinheads Bowling by Camper Van Beethoven

53. Freakscene by Dinosaur Jr

54. Thank You For Being You by The Pastels

55. I Think I'm In Love by Spiritualized

56. Chestnut Mare by The Byrds

57. Cannonball by The Breeders

58. Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan

59. You Make Me Weak At The Knees by Electrelane

60. Lucky by Radiohead

61. Strange Currencies by R.E.M.

61. I Am The Cosmos by Chris Bell

62. Like A Ship (Without A Sail) by Pastor TL Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir

63. Nothing But A Heartache by The Flirtations

64. Made of Stone by The Stone Roses

65. Tonight In Belfast by Orbital, David Holmes, DJ Helen and Mike Garry

66. Anything by Adrianne Lenker

67. I Hold Something In My Hand by Bill Ryder-Jones

68. I Meant Every Word by Burnett Sisters

69. Dream Baby Dream by Suicide