The Shuffle Monkey’s Choosing, So Let’s Dance & Say Hello Bluey!

Yes – The Shuffle Monkey is Back and back doing what he does best, Oh Yes – & rather like good old Adonais of whom Percy Bysshe Shelly wrote on hearing of the death of John Keats in 1821 – “Peace, peace! he is not dead, he doth not sleep – He hath awakened from the dream of life” – That’s the good Shuffle meister for you!

So, as it’s been a while what’s this Blog about? Quite simply, it’s about Keeping The Faith for All Good Music and Letting The Shuffle do it’s thing!
The Shuffle Monkey & I now have over 12,600+ tracks loaded onto the iPlayer & available to us wherever & whenever (internet connection willing) via iCloud – Do we feel liberated? Do we feel powerful? No, but we sure do feel funky!!

And the numbers of tracks grows every day! Each carefully chosen from our funky and soulful past & they all mean something to the monkey & I.

Plus 12,600 adds up to over 35 Days of pure continuous listening pleasure if you were to do it in a Oner! But that’s not the name of the game Here – Every time we KeepItOnShuffle it’s a capture of the Dozen or so Tracks which Msr Le Shuffle randomly picks out of His little Bag & it sure is an eclectic Mix – Anything can and does pop-up & it’s Personal, Quirky, Inspiring…?

Certainly judging by many of the comments received over the past wee while from right across the World too, all of you seem to have found this an interesting Trip and the whole idea rather Inspiring!! That’s great and Thank You. We’ll certainly keep doing it now & for a little while longer to boot!

So, let’s press Shuffle and see whether today’s journey will strike a chord! Of course, as I’ve said before, the journey’s not just about the music, but the order in which the tracks play and we don’t edit or play around with that, just record in real time: &, just like Proust’s “Madelienes”, it’s the memories and the remembrances they invoke and indeed, what they inspire! The very essence of the Human Condition.

As an adjunct then to whatever else you may do, I hope this will continue to inspire you to go and search out and listen to today’s tracks when the Monkey & I list them in the order they play as part of this Blog. Do so in the same order because that is where the real surprise and the real delight will be – right there in that change between one type of music, mood & tempo and another. Go with the flow and let that track that comes right out of left field catch you and put you right back in a moment when… !

And I also hope you continue to enjoy some of the stories and memories they invoke for me as well!!

Happy travelling on your “Whatever’s In My Head” journey & remember, Keep The Faith & We’ll Keep It On Shuffle!

And Yes Today we take the Train – Well it sometimes beats the Bus? – as Gladys Knight kicks us off again Today with the Classic, “Midnight Train To Georgia” – Such Soul, Such Passion, A Story – The Whole World in the Lyrics of a Simple Love Song!; And this is quickly followed by a veritable Steam Train of a GEAR CHANGE with Iggy Pop & The Stooges and they Pound us into submission – Willing Submission – with, “Search & Destroy” – Essential!

An interesting Bowie link – & Look out for a great recent Publication of some brilliant Photographs of Sir Bowie from the 70’s – Anyway, this connects Lou Reed to Mott The Hoople who play for us, “Sweet Jane” – & didn’t Bowie produce Albums for each of these artists as well as playing Sax & doing Backing Vocals etc on at least 2-of-the-3 – if not all 3? i.e. Lou, Iggy & Mott.

And this is followed as only the Shuffle Monkey knows how with Stephen (Tin Tin) Duffy &, “Kiss Me” – He was out of Duran Duran by then; & Msr Le Shuffle switches to Spain – & that is why we love him – Coz here is Malu with, “Caminante Nocturno” – & yes me and the Monkey have seen Malu in a packed Placa Mayor in Madrid – Oh Yeah. & light up the Marlborough!

Ooh – Some other sort of stuff now – with first, The Force &, “Rock Your Baby (12″ Version)” – Completely utterly right there circa 1977-8 DISCO – This is Chris Hills et al – Lacy Lady, The Copford Windmill, Tracy’s...; & this is followed by an ultra Jazz Funk Groove with Eddie Henderson &, “Prance On” – The Disco Monkey is spoiling us!!
GEAR CHANGE again though next as Hotlegs pulsate into view with an early – 1971? track – “Neanderthal Man” – Now Hotlegs were basically Godley & Creme who went on to form the nucleus of 10CC (It might have been the other two though… ? Stewart & ?) – Anyway, I know, If I was referring to notes and did my research it would be interesting – But where’s the fun in that!! 10CC took their name of course from – Yes, You Know – The average amount of Ejaculated Seamen – Now I don’t know about you, but Glass in Hand, who goes about measuring that?? And I’ve seen ‘There’s Something About Mary’ & Well, there’s more then 10 ml in Cameron Diaz’s Hair, Buddy!

Some Great Soul/Disco next though with Shirley Jones sounding very much like the Jones Girls obviously, on “Finally”; & this is followed by another Amazing GEAR CHANGE from the Shuffle Monkey with Bad Company &, “Rock Steady”!

Back to Jazz Funk with Patrice Rushen &, “Message In The Music”; And we stay in this Great Groove with Incognito – Hi Bluey!! & something Pretty recent from them – The Brilliant, “Everything We Are”; Which in turn is followed by a true Masterpiece in Modern Soul with Eddie Billups singing, “Shake That Dream” – I think we’ll tweet that later through @desfume; Which in turn is followed by Prince &, “Cream” – Now, Why Oh Why Wee Monkey here is my Question – “Why Couldn’t that have followed Hotlegs?”

And Finally today, some Classic Smooth Soul from Sylvia with, “Sweet Talk” – Who is not only remembered as well for “Pillow Talk” – but also founded and run the SugarHill Record Label – Rappers Delight et al!! And this is followed on the slide down to Grace by Terri Gonzales &, “Treat Yourself To My Love” – & then Norman Connors plays us out with the Classic, “East 6th Street” – Which also features Aquarian Dream – So Keep The Faith, Coz – I Got A Thing For You And I Can”t Let Go, &, What I’d Do For Love (Bobby Caldwell)… Meanwhile, We’ll Keep It On Shuffle, here at Shuffly Towers 🙂

keepitonshuffle@whateversinmyhead.com – Blog 132 Or Ces Bottes Son Faites Pour Marcher!

Un Francias et Les Plus Grandes Chansons avec Jean Ferrat et, “Le Montagne” – Oh My Msr Le Shuffle; & this is Followed by Gregg Perry with, “A Taste Of Love” from His Classic Album, ‘Smokin’; & then we return to Une Francais with, “Danez-Vous” from Pink Martini!

Next up are The Crykle with, “Red Rubber Ball (Album Version)”, you’ll be pleased to know; & then our man on the Coast Boz Scaggs &, “We Were Always Sweethearts” & this sorta reminds me of a) The Greyhound Public House in Ipswich & b) Van Morrison; & then some Storming Nu Gospel Funk from Josh Milan with, “Wake Up”; Which leads into a body swerve as Prefab Sprout give us, “Cars & Girls”!

The Fantastics welcome us into the next segment courtesy of Msr Le Shuffle with, “Cecil’s Slide”; & then a great track from The Mayberry Movement, “Two Wrongs Don’t Make A Right”; which in turn is followed by James Taylor with, “You’ve Got A Friend”; &then R Dean Taylor with, “Indiana Wants Me”!

And then we Tailspin into some Glorious High-end Northern Soul with Gabrilla Cilmi singing, “On A Magic Carpet Ride” – Which of course featured on the Soundtrack of the Movie ‘Soulboy’ – & originally it was sung by Kiki Dee back in the mid-60’s; & this is then followed by the stupendous The Spinners with, “Since I’ve Been Gone”; & then we have some, “Valentine’s Love” sung by Jean Carne & Michael Henderson & recorded for Norman Connors; & Finally today some melting Hot Chocolate with the Shuffle Monkey’s theme song, “You Sexy Thing” – Oh Yeah! Keep The Faith & We’ll keep It On Shuffle! 🙂

 

 

 

keepitonshuffle@whateversinmyhead.com – Blog 109 Or Albert Camus Rocks!

‘Even in the midst of Winter, I find within myself an Invincible Summer’ – The Monkey & Me think Msr Camus was right on the money  with This – Wear It on Your Sleeves (& don’t wipe your nose) whilst Keeping The Faith & Be Awesome! And the first two tracks today send us into a Spiritual Orbit with firstly the very apt, “This Is Your Life” by Norman Connors, with Phylis Hyman doing the vocal Honours; & secondly we have The Rhythm Makers with, “Soul On Your Side” – Which has certainly been Sampled a Few times!! A Great Start 🙂

And we now move to another Goody & one of our Favourite Songs here at Monkey Towers – “Since I Fell For You” – this Version from The Mighty Mix is by Glen Campbell – Rock on Rhinestone Cowboy & nicely played the wee shuffley thing! Meli’sa Morgan follows from her Album, ‘Do Me Baby’ – Quite, But Try to be Subtle My Dear – & this Track is called, “Getting To Know You Better”!

DISCO rears its Head next as we Gallup over to Nick Straker who’s having, “A Walk In The Park” – We think He’s German, Which might explain it – But take your Umbrella we say with that Bloody Gulf Stream!! & Leroy Hutson follows with a Natural High Two-Step entitled, “Nice & Easy” – Nice, Nice, Nice; & this is followed by little ole’ Cee Lo Green with, “Georgia”!

La Grande Dame, Dalida now – Une Francais L’Epic – & this Track has been remixed by Ceronne no less and is called, Laissez-Moi Danser” – Ceronne started as a Drummer the Shuffle Monkey’s just told Me! Some Great Mexican Hip Hop follows & its’ Blistering – Great Stuff to Run Too, as Cartel De Santa lay it down with, “Vato Sencillo”; & coming swiftly behind the Shuffle Meister throws in a GEAR CHANGE with Steely Dan &, “Rickki Don’t Loose That Number” – Now WE ask you, is that not Monkey Magic – Cartel De Santa followed by Steely Dan – What a Double Bill and you couldn’t make it Up – But it works, Coz for the Monkey & Me it’s in such Juxtapositions that the ‘Invincible Summer’ can be Found – It’s Life Affirming!!

OK already, what Next – Some 1980’s Soul with a bit of a Beat – Lillo Thomas with, “Let Me Be Yours” – Banging! And this is followed by a Tom Moulton remix no less of Nat Turner’s, “Ruby Lee” – Some Quality Philly Soul rubbing shoulders in the Mix – a Great Philly Re-Grooved Treat!! And talking about Tracks that have been sampled – This next Cute Cut certainly has – Locksmith &, “Far Beyond” – Four-To-The-Floor & Get Down with Monkey Madness – we’re just Kicking it up to the Break and hitting those Cow Bells – Go Listen & You’ll Hear What We Mean – Righteous & Its Funky!!

What could Follow that You Ask – Msr Le Shuffle what Oh what are you Smoking – Its Dr Hook (Probably with His Medicine Show) & most definitely with the delectable moochy smoochy waltz-time of, “If Not You”; Can the Shuffle Monkey Top that for sheer Elan – Most Certainly, Yes – For Tom Middleton comes to Monkey Towers with both his Decks and Mixes up Usha Uthup who is singing, “Chhupke Kaun Aya” – Or to put it another way, as you’ll know – “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough” Indian Stylee – Michael’s never sounded Better – Let’s All give a Little Whoop Out! And Finally today we close down and catch our Breath with Mel Torme playing it cool and singing, “Lulu’s Back In Town” – Which is Good News for the Monkey & Me – So Keep The Faith, Be Awesome and Keep It On Shuffle – You Know It Makes Sense, Even if it is Madness 🙂

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 88 or Der Tud’ Macht Mich Nicht Beban. Nur Meine Mutter Damert Mich; Sie Stirbt Vor Gram Ganz Sicherlich!

This, as you well know my little Chums is the Libretto from Mr Mozart’s, ‘The Magic Flute’ – Or ‘Die Zaiberflute’ – fpr the Afficionad’s amongst you – & here at Monkey Shuffle Towers the Eclectic Mix at the disposal of the Wee Shuffley Thing is cut from a broad cloth – We’ve even got the Simon Park Orchestra’s, ‘Eye Level’ hovering in there somewhere amongst the current 11,304 tracks now available to Us – So, Party On, The Party’s just begin & we’re having, “Big Fun” – The Original 12″ Mix from Inner City blows us into the Midden Mast; & this is followed by Msr Le Shuffle with the Modern Soul of Virgil Henry & we’re Flying High with, “You Ain’t Saying Nothing New” – Great Stuff & Quality Through & Through!

Oh No, Oh Yes – It’s the Brotherhood of Man now with the Poptastic, “Oh Boy (The Mood I’m In)” – It’s Pure Cheese, But Lovely Cheese and it should be Bottled and Sold as part of ‘The Elixir of Life’ Package, Mon Passpetout! And this seques into a very Gritty, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” – delivered by Glady’s Knight & her Three Pips – Or was it Four? Who knows because the Mighty Earth Wind & Fire are now inviting us to Dance, Dance – “Boogie Wonderland” – & this is the Instrumental version so you can hear exactly what EWF intended, Oh Monkey Mania! All Joyous & Righteous & Levitating Magic!

Check this out next – it’s Loose Ends with, “Hanging On A String” – A good 1980’s Soul Band & Homegrown too – One of the Chaps used to have an interest in (I believe) ‘The Limelight’ club in London – Which I did rather like & I’m sure the Monkey would have as well, if I’d have known him then! And following on from this is the Groovy Dean & Britta with a Groovy, “I’ll Keep It With Mine (Scott Hardkiss Remix)” – & they are sounding not unlike St Etienne on this!

Next up we Body Swerve into Jackie & The Cedrics giving us a fabby, “Cedric’s Theme” – from a very groovy groove-on Album called, ‘Japanese Group Sound’ – Well worth checking out! And here to follow are the Beautiful South with another of their Gems – “Prettiest Eyes” – Take A Good Look At These Crow feet (Children), Sitting On The Prettiest Eyes… Ahh!

We move into a Righteous Jazz Groove now with Sonny Stitt &, “Slick Eddie”; And the Armand Van Helden remix of Tori Amos’s, “Professional Widow” – Storms in Behind; which is followed in turn by the Great Candi Staton singing, “Just A Prisoner (Of Your Good Loving)” – Lucky Old Her; Whilst one-time stable-mate Bobby Sheen provides us with something rather good from the Modern End of Northern Soul in the shape of a track called, “Come On & Love Me”! Bumpity Bump!!

And finally we firstly jump right up to date with Gabrella Climi &, “Hearts Don’t Lie” – Which Throbs, Nay pulsates, Nay Throbs buckets! And then fall back into the Soul Vibe with Norman Connors &, “Didn’t I Blow Your Mind This Time”, which is followed by a Storming Finale & another Personal Favourite (for all the wrong reasons) from Jocelyn Brown giving us all 8 mins plus of the marvellous, “Somebody Else’s Guy” – So, Keep The Faith & We’ll Keep It On Shuffle, Eh Monkey! 🙂