keepitonshuffle@whateversinmyhead.com – Blog 135 Or Andy Williams RIP!

Sadly Andy Williams passed away yesterday at the age of 84 – Fashion Soundtrack, also followers of this Blog, posted a very good Tribute a wee while ago and the Shuffle Monkey & I would also like to pay our respects! A legendary talent, with a marvelous voice and a fair few Hits, along the way &, of course, we have many of his best songs at the wee shuffley thing’s Paws in the Good Old Mix!

Our first Track today though s from Amy Winehouse & its’, “You Know I’m No Good” – Now we agree that her passing was tragic – both in it’s manner and given her young age and all that she could have gone onto to achieve – but both the Shuffle Meister & I do rather feel that she was a Tad over-hyped! And we’ll never know what might have been – So, based on her output how does she rate against so many of the great female singers that the Shuffle Monkey has to hand – Of course, it’s subjective, a matter of taste, but does she go Toe-To-Toe with the much less lauded, yet brilliantly talented and versatile singers like Jean Carne, Phylis Hyman, Karen Pree, Dionne Warwick, Dusty Springfield, Patti Labelle, Melba Moore, Millie Jackson, Ann Pebbles, Ann Sexton, Kiki Dee (The Fontana Years), Carol Woods, Jackie Woods, Betty Swayne, Betty Everet, Donna McGee, Aretha & that’s just scratching the surface… Some will say we are not comparing Apples with Apples, others might say that Mark Ronson & Amy Winehouse only had one song in them which they more or less did 7 or 8 times on the ‘Back To Black’ Album & it was a winning formula, shifted a lot of product, no denying – But here at Monkey Towers though we bet that she could have gone on to Surprise us and we really hope that if things had of been different that would have very much been very much what would have happend!

Anyway, next up is a visit from Robbie Dupree with, “Steal Away” – & not sounding unlike Malcolm Macdonald; & then we Blitz into some Swing from Bobby Darin with a scorching, “Long Ago & Far Away” – Oh Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!And then we are into some Soul Seduction from Mary Wells (Another great singer) with, “You Beat Me To The Punch”; Followed by Jack Jones with the Classic, “Who Can I Turn To” – So, as usual we are all over the Shop!!

Gil Scott-Heron next with the lovely & enigmatic, “A Very Precious Time” – from the Album, ‘Winter In America’; & then we have Merle Haggard no less swaggering in All Red Neck on us with, “Okie From Muskogee”; Followed once again by Mr Sammy Davis Jr with, “This Is My Life (Album Version)” – & it has to be said, whilst absolutely a Power House of a Song, it’s as Camp as, well a Coffee substitute!

“Wild Man On The Loose (Album Version)” swings for us next with Mose Alison tinkling the ivories; & then a righteous slab of Jazz Funk from Norman Conners & Aquarian Dream with, “East 6th Street”; & behind that lurks Todd Rundgren with, “We Gotta Get You A Woman”; Followed by Monk Higgins with the Blue Note Trip of, “Gotta Be Funky” – A Lotta Lotta Gotta in that there Mix, Msr Le Shuffle!

And Finally Today – Big Disco Alert, as Mascara – Chris Hills Super Soul/Disco Group – Fly in to the Hangar from Germany where they were originally recorded with, “I Feel So At Home Here (Featuring Ula Heldwig)” – & Another Awesome Female Vocalist!! And that track, is of course, from the Fantastic Album – ‘See You In LA’, which of course has Luther Vandross guesting on lead Vocals – So, Keep The Faith, &, Keep It On Shuffle, Just like the Shuffle Monkey & Me 🙂

keepitonshuffle@whateversinmyhead.com – Blog 113 Or To Hellispont & Back & The Monkey & Me Were The Only Ones Not Reading 50 Shades Of Anything!!

In fact, The Monkey & me – Although both A Man & A Primate of The World – Had to cover our Ears & our Mouths – In 2-out-of-3 of our Wise Monkey Poses – When anyone talked about those Books – But we now know that the clear Moral of Book One is, “If You Happen To Find Yourself In A Bedroom Painted Red – Get Out Fast” – The Moral of Book Two is even more clearly, “Do Not Sleep With Anyone More Mixed Up Than You Are” – Wise Counsel & the Best Advice We ever got from Both our Mothers – &, The Moral of Book Three… Well, Is there One? We’d be very pleased to Hear your views on that!

Anyway, we’re back with Tales to Tell and Music to Share – & A Big Shout out to All the Wonderful People we met and New Friends we made on our Travels!

So Picture this – The Shuffle Monkey & me – Hero & Leander – & I’m the Swan Here, are up Tres early every Morning to run around this Greek Island’s Headland – About a 10Km circuit & at 7AM it’s just cool enough before the Temperature begins to nudge 40c – or more precisely, firmly embraces, puts on Nipple Clamps and wrestles to the Ground – & you don’t want that going on when you’re running with a Monkey on your Back!

Each Morning the end of our Run before we re-joined the Hotel’s Private Beach and climbed up through the Pine Trees to the Swimming Pool to take our first dip of the Day, brought us to a long and narrow white stone bridge connecting one part of the Island to the other and overlooking a little White Washed Monastery bobbing in the azure Ionian Sea – It’s Here that Msr Le Shuffle & I would sit and enjoy the Tranquility for a few minutes & for Our Return Blog we’re going to share with you the actual Tracks that played on Shuffle each Morning as we arrived at the Bridge and indulged in some light Swedish Exercizes!

On Day One, as “Dawn came early with Rosy Fingers”, (from Homer’s ‘Ilyiad’ the Monkey tells me) we were met by Petula Clarke & a bang-on-the-money Helping of, “Downtown” – Written of course by Tony Hatch – Who also set the Bar for being a Moody Talent Show Judge – The sort You Love to Hate – Way back in the 1970’s, &, he was also married to Jackie Trent who was a great Singer in her own right! We then had the next Day, one of Jamaica’s great Reggae Stars Barry Biggs to greet us with, “Sideshow” – Which always reminds me of Piccadilly Circus in London for some reason and the St James’s Tavern; & on Day Three the Shuffle Meister arranged for the Majestic Disco Classic, “Native New Yorker” by Oydessy to play for us & it was, of course, the full 12″ version! We couldn’t resist a Little Dance!!

Things got very tasty on the Fourth Morning with Laura Nyro &, “Flim Flam Man” & we were singing along at the Top of our Voices; This was followed on Day Five by Hall & Oates &, “Las Vegas Turnaround” from their Mighty Album ‘Abandoned Luncheonette’- Highly Recommended; & it was a very Fitting slab of Caledonian Soul from Van Morrison on the Sixth Morning with, “St Dominics Preview” Awesome!

And what did we Read while we were away? Well – Jo Nesbo’s “Headhunters”, which is now a Film and should be out on DVD soon; We also read Gil Scott Heron’s “The Last Holiday” – We have Plenty of the Great Man’s Music in the Mix as you know, as well as our own stories to tell about various times we almost met Him – But since our return the Monkey & Me have been reacquainting ourselves with “Winter In America’ & ‘Pieces Of A Man’ – Awesome! And we also read Michael Frayn’s “Skios” – Which was sort of Apt, Location wise, but reminded us not a little of the sort of stuff Tom Sharpe used to Write!

So, Day Seven and the Sun’s still shining and as we Hit the Bridge the Shuffle Monkey pulled out all the Stops with another Laura Nyro song, “Stoney End” – Marvellous; Whilst the Might Detroit Spinners paid us a visit at the bridge on Day Eight with, “You Make me So Very Happy”; & on Day Nine Steely Dan regaled us at our place of Contemplation with the fantastic, “Brooklyn’s Made A Charmer Out Of Me”!!

Days Ten, Eleven & Twelve presented a Theme – A sort of ‘Book Of Days’ as we first had The Carpenters with, “Rainy Days & Mondays”; Followed by Marti Webb &, “Tell Me On A Sunday”; & then on Day 12 the Rolling Stones with, “Ruby Tuesday” – The Shuffle Monkey was clearly having Fun and the Weather continued to be Glorious!!

And Finally and sadly we moved towards the end of our Stay and our Final runs in Greece leading To The Bridge across the Ionian Sea – & on Day Thirteen we had a timely visit from the Kinks with, “Waterloo Sunset” – Although it was the time of Day for Sunrise, rather than Sunset; & Day Fourteen we were met by Serge Gainsburgh singing, “Je Suis Venu Te Dire Que Je M’en Vais” – & That’s a Wrap & a Fond Adieu to a Wonderful break & some Wonderful people we met along the Way – Keep The Faith, Be Awesome and meanwhile the Monkey & Me will Keep It On Shuffle – Promise 🙂

keepitonshuffle@whateversinmyhead – Blog 94 or Be Awesome – You, Me, He(r) – Coz You’ve Got/We’ve Got Soul!

Soul, Righteous Soul – Northern Soul, Philadelphia Soul, Nu Soul – Soul, Soul, Soul – & Pharoah Sanders who is opening up for us Today – has got Plenty of Soul, which is probably why the Mighty Soulful Shuffle Monkey chose this Slice of Soultastic Groove-ness – A ripping Version of Marvin Gaye’s, “Gotta To Give It Up”; Followed by another Jazz-Funk-Soul Great – Norman Connors with, “Black Cow”; & then the Mighty Gil Scott Heron & the Mighty Mighty, “Liberation Song” – We’re Definitely Cooking!!

GEAR CHANGE next & into The Jam, sort of – No, it’s Marmalade with, “Rainbow” – A great early 1070’s Poptastic Song with Crispin St Peters on lead vocals… ? Or have I just made that up? And then we slide into a Fabby slice of Northern Soul from Barbara Jean English singing, “I’m Living A Lie”!

The Rolling Stones are never far away when the Shuffle Monkey’s in Town & Today here they are with, “Ruby Tuesday”; followed by Genesis &, “Throwing It All Away” – A Good Tune & you can hear what influenced David Gray’s ‘Babalyon’! And then we are back into some Soul Ecstasy from Breakwater &, the Classic, “Say You Love Me Girl”!

Leroy Hutson next from his Album, ‘Closer To The Source’ & this track is, “In The Mood” – Fire in The Hold & Groove In The Heart – It’s Soul!! And Sandra St Little follow from the Album ‘ Josh Milan Present’s’ with a very tight New Groove called, “I Am Better”!

Pure Disco Funk next with Benny Golson &, “I’m Always Dancing To The Music” – & Yes we are Here at Shuffle Towers; which is followed by a Truly inspired choice from the wee shuffley thingy with Pete Shelly &, “Gee Baby” – We Don’t Care, We Just Love It, incurable Romantics that we are!  And then we Glide back into the Warm Embrace of some Hot-To-Trot Northern Soul & George Carrow sings for us, “Angel Baby”!

Bill Withers next with, “Lovely Day”; & this is followed by Led Zepplin & a mellow, “Tangerine”; & the we then Glide out with Two Slabs of Great Soul – Firstly a Northern Soul Dancer from Richard Temple, “That Beatin Rhythm” – & finally, the Detroit Spinners with, “Wake Up Susan” – So, Be Awesome, Keep The Faith & We’ll Keep It On Shuffle – Till Next Time 🙂

 

keepitonshuffle@whateversinmyhead.com – Blog 80 or God Bless Englebert, We Still Love You At Monkey Towers!

Ou’ Canard – But Pride in Defeat – & First Off Today we have Gregory Porter &, “Be Good (Lion’s Song)” – Absolutely fantastic & we dedicate that to Mr (Sir) Humperdink; & this is Gamely Followed by, “Hot Thang” from The Cash – Deep Disco Boogies at it’s Best & Yes – We also Dedicate this to Englebert; & Next up is an actual former Euro Vision winner, “What’s Another Year” by Johnny Logan – A great song on it’s own Merits, &, OK – You Bet – We also dedicate this to his Dink-Ness!!

Some Classic Lover’s Rock now with Susan Cadoggan &, “If”; Followed by the Late & Great Gil Scott Heron with, “My Cloud” – which was a track from his last Album, ‘We’re New Here’ – Which clearly the Monkey & I are not, as we now Publish our 80th Blog!

Next is Rodney Franklin with the Theme from, “Hill Street Blues” – This is a Great Soft Jazz Take on the original Mike Post version & puts me right back to circa 1982 – With Furillo, The Detective Dude with the Marvin Gaye beard, & the rather lovely Prosecutor, played by Victoria Hammil?, who was also shacked-up on the quiet with Lt Furillo!! And then there was St Elsewhere, which brought Denzil Washington into the limelight! And Rodney is followed by a great Live version of, “Witchcraft” by the very Talented Scottish pairing ofBrian Kellock & Lianne Caroll!!

Gladys Knight & The Pips now Spin-in with the Glorious, “Take Me In Your Arms & Love Me”; Which is in turn followed by the very Luscious & very Beautiful, “Mystic Stranger” – Sung by the Excellent Jean Carne – Pure Premium Soul Heaven!!

GEAR CHANGE next as we slide into the Strawbs harmonising on, “Lay Me Down” from the ‘Bursting At The Seams’ Album; & A marvelous follow through if I may say Msr Le Monkey with Crazy Horse singing, “Downtown” – Not the Petula Clarke version though!; And Finally Today another amazing GEAR CHANGE into Bionic Boogie &, “I Feel Like Dancing” – & Yes I do, Cha Cha Cha… Keep The Faith & We’ll Keep It On Shuffle 🙂