Jean Jacques Rousseau wrote, ‘Man Is Born Free, But Is Everywhere In Chains’ – Whilst Macey Gray sang, ‘I May Seem Free, But I’m Just A Prisoner’ – & Jessy J says, ‘The Sale Comes First, Then The Truth’ – So, What’s the Common Theme here – Freedom, but Freedom from what? Tyranny, Love, Control – Freedom, Real or Illusory – We are All free, or We are All in Chains – Too Afraid to Live & Too Afraid to Die – Bob Dylan wrote, ‘We’ve All Got To Serve Somebody’ & we have several great versions of that song in the Mix – Including Cuts from both Marianne Faithful & Willie Nelson – But Enough of Me already, You didn’t Come Round today to Listen to Me in between cups of Tea – Let’s put Ourselves in the Willing Hands of the Wee Shuffle Monkey & Keep The Faith!
And Oh Boy, Oh Boy we are quickly rewarded – What a Belter to Get Us going today – Quite, Quite Marvellous as We Sail in with The Fantastic Four &, “Ain’t I Been Good To You” – A Sweet, Sweet Taste of West Coast Soul; A bit of a Gear Change Now – But it’s a Corker & He’s A Bit of a Soul Boy Too! – Yes Paul Weller & it’s the Jam with, A Town Called Malice” – Such Tight Propulsive Drumming from him on The Drums (I never can remember his name?) & Bruce Foxton on Bass who works in synch to drive the track forward; Next is Dewi Cheetum & Howie with, ‘Impossible Decision” off Curtis Mayfield’s Curtom Label; & What a Fantastic cover follows by Change working their Booty on The Four Season’s, “Oh What A Night”!
Next A fabulous Four-2-The-Floor from Cameo &, “It’s Serious” – These Guys are good & it may be from 1977, but this is Saturday Night Funk – Go Listen!; Brilliant GEAR CHANGE from the little shuffley thing now with Tony Christie &, “Words (Are Impossible)” – Which I think was Originally an Italian Song?; And Another GEAR CHANGE but we make no apologies as we love this Guy’s voice – It’s Cherry Ghost &, “People Help The People” – Too Much Radcliffe & Maloney for me once upon a Time, perhaps? OooH me Dear – it’s the Average White Band to follow and that Classic circa 1978?? Track, “Let’s Go Round Again” – Actually, I think that may well Creep into the 1980’s?
Now, I do like my Latino and Un Francais HIP HOP & this next Track from Cartel De Santa is right in the pocket – “Vato Sencillo” – Go Check It Out – Boombastic!! Maya Azucena follows with, “Near” – Another one to track down & hear soon!! A fundamental Pillar, Nay Cornerstone of Motown Creeps up with an outstanding Classic now & Not Only could this person write Classic Songs, He Could Sing them as well – It’s Lamont Dozier with, “Thank you For The Dream”; & Candi Statton follows with a Great 12″ Mix of, “Count On Me”; One of the many versions in the Mix of this next Great Song follows, “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight“ sung on this occasion by Ace Spectrum – &, of course, this Great, Great Song was written by James Taylor!! Well, Well, Well – it’s Gram Parsons, with the excellent, “Brass Buttons” – & if you’ve ever wondered where the Eagles got their Mojo from for ‘Lying Eyes’ & ‘Best of My Love’ – Listen & Wonder No further!
Classic Jazz Funk now from the Blackbyrds who were, of course, Donald Byrd’s backing Group & here they are doing it after dark & in the park, “Rock Creek Park” – Which I think Features in several Clint Eastwood Movies (Dirty Harry/Coogan’s Bluff et al)!!
And now we have the fabulous Long John Baldry – All 6′ 10″ of him – Or did I just make that up? Anyway this Classic was a No. 1 in 1967 – “Let The Heartaches Begin” – I Dare You Not To Sing Along!! And of course Long John also famously gave a young and raw Rod (The Mod) Stewart one of his Early Breaks; Gear Change but it’s Storming – Down To The Bone &, “Uptown Hustle” – I am Dancing….; & Finally Today we end with some Great Soul & Phil Flowers giving us, “If It Feels Good Do It” – Bloody Right Too, We Ain’t in Chains – Look at those moves!! PS Saw ‘The Hunger Games Today’ – Good Movie – Go See! And Keep The Faith Coz I Am Definitely Going To Keep It On Shuffle!! 🙂
keepitonshuffle 