@alansarchives.bsky.social
AAA creator and musical anorak, a 32 part e-book series. Also author of 'Kindred Spirits' scifi series and a Dr Who blog. #spoonie since 2008,#leftie since birth https://linktr.ee/alansarchives?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=69321740-a1b0-4520-927
youtu.be/kYKU68NfRBE?... 'First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' Johnny Cash (2004) I'd loved Ewan MacColl's songs for decades already but this is surely the definitive version, recorded when Cash and wife June Carter were both dying. A version so real it positively hurts. From; 'American IV' 1385/?
Kinks fan that I am I'd have waited forever, but boy was my mum annoyed with him that day! 😄
That's funny - but probably wasn't to you sitting in the audience at the time, my friend! I've never had a gig cancelled but Ray Davies did turn up 2-3 hours late. He said he 'slept in', then just to rub it in he left the stage for half an hour to change his outfit. Then did it again!
youtu.be/tNaG6lCe5Rs?... 'First Things First' Crosby, Stills, Nash and Ringo! (1975) One of many top songs about picking yourself back up from one of my favourite Stills albums. Stills was living in a house he'd bought from Ringo and invited him along to the session. From: 'Stills' 1384/?
Holy crap
youtu.be/oFk6I_ownDI?... 'Fire's Alive' Terry Reid (1967) Super early Terry, B-side of 2nd single 'Better By Far' but the B-side is, well, better by far. You don't get many psychedelic lust songs, but this one is a colourful joy. 1383/?
youtu.be/ZGPeO9jZYvM?... 'Fire On The Mountain' Grateful Dead (1979) Running in the human race all day means a lot of us get lost sometimes. Robert Hunter's lyrics urge the narrator on while Jerry Garcia's music slams the brakes on in one of their best collaborations. From: 'Shakedown Street' 1382/?
youtu.be/bECg9mzcQwY?... 'Fire In My Heart' Super Furry Animals (1999) The sweetest and most straightforward song in the SFA songbook sounds like a standard that's been around a lot longer. You can really hear the Beach Boys influence in the backing vocals. From: 'Guerrilla' 1381/?
youtu.be/d4srkxbTyUc?... 'Fire Down Below' Graham Nash (2016) CSN is often compared to a boat with 3 captains steering at once. This time though its the end and Nash is escaping on a lifeboat on this great turbulent rocker. From: 'This Path Tonight' 1380/?
youtu.be/V_M6lccMzek?... 'Fingerprint File' Rolling Stones (1974) Listeners had to wait until this fiery finale to get a decent track on one of the Stones' weakest LP. Mick plays an alcoholic fugitive on the run from the FBI while Keef plays a sinister riff. From: 'It's Only Rock 'n' Roll 1379/?
youtu.be/uf7ddVO2q84?... 'Fingal's Cave' Pink Floyd (1970) One of many atmospheric songs recorded for the 'Zabriskie Point' film but abandoned, because the director couldn't decide what he wanted. Named after the Isle of Staffa, where Fingal the Giant from yesterday lives. 1378/?
youtu.be/1TeWJDPzmAI?... 'Fingal The Giant' Jack The Lad (1974) In which Si Cowe relates an ancient Scottish tale of a giant's family waking up from their slumber and scaring all the titchy humans. Not a giant hit as it turned out, but sweet all the same/ From: 'The Old Straight Track' 1377/?
youtu.be/RtEvJq7nQ6I?... My Own Way' Charlotte Church (2005) More tales of mistakes and lessons learned from the impressively deep pop debut by the 'Voice Of An Angel'. A 19 year old that's been through a lot - usually it takes 40 years and rehab to sound like this! From: 'Tissues and Issues' 1376/?
youtu.be/Dj4gqJzlIvc?... 'Find Your Way Back' Jefferson Starship (1981) I was always surprised this song by guitarist Craig Chaquico wasn't a bigger hit. It has everything: catchy riffs, a killer middle 8, deeper meaning behind the commercial sound and lots of 'grunt'. From: 'Modern Times' 1375/?
youtu.be/GMfvYxK9Zoo?... 'Find The Cost Of Freedom' CSNY (1970) Stephen Stills was hurt when this piece got rejected from the 'easy Rider' scene where the Crosbyish hippie is blown off his bike, but it made the perfect B-side for the single 'Ohio'.In 13 years we got full song 'Daylight Again' 1374/?
youtu.be/c_I7x82npPk?...
'Find A Way' Wings (1977) I can't believe we still haven't had a 'McCartney Archives' edition of 'London Town'. Not only is it their best LP but there's a plethora of great outtakes, not least this fine unreleased Denny Laine song,with lots of Jimmy McCulloch guitar 1373/?
youtu.be/tumCnfCoNcw?... 'Find A Dream' CSN (1994) A late period Nash classic about the joy and privilege of living, even when life is hard, for 'time is a gift not a loan'. Those famous three-part harmonies are never better than here, with Stills particularly shining. From: 'After The Storm' 1372/?
Books to Look Forward To:
youtu.be/tDnJR8aakLs?... 'Finally Over' Pete Townshend (1971) The intended and deeply moving finale for 'Lifehouse' in which Bobby finally makes the 'connection' he craves, in death, as his soul stretches into the infinite. Sadly abandoned when 'Who's Next' got turned into a 'normal' LP. 1371/?
youtu.be/AMuTy6waFX8?... 'Fill no 2' Pete Townshend (1972) There was a time when 'Quadrophenia' was even more ambitious than the double record it became. This is one of many pretty riffs that got abandoned. Only 90 seconds long but its hauntingly beautiful and shows off Pete's piano skills. 1370/?
youtu.be/P6NY78V915c?... 'Fill My Eyes' Cat Stevens (1970) One of the first songs from Cat's 'TB' era, sick in a hospital ward, spiritually lost and wondering where his showbiz friends are. The next few albums will explore the vision in this song. From: 'Mona Bone Jakon' 1369/?
That would make sense wouldn't it? I notice all the covers are either same year or later so they didn't hold on to it sell very long before doing it themselves!
Wow you're right. I knew about 3 of these but not the rest, thankyou. I wonder why so many bands picked up on it? Fond of it as I am there's a good 75-100 clarke-hicks-nash sonfs that are better still.
youtu.be/QUtm3KO8ogg?... 'Figure Of 8' Paul McCartney (1989) A silly love song in which romance is a long and winding road. The vocal was meant to be just a guide vocal while Chris Whitten laid down a drum track, but Macca liked it so much he kept it. From: 'Flowers In The Dirt' 1368/?
youtu.be/r-AvwhdYdNs?... 'Fifi The Flea' Hollies (1966) Graham Nash's 1st 'solo song'. Clowns turn up on a lot of Hollie tracks and so do songs about cheating. Is this Graham's guilty conscience? Sweet song though. The Everly Bros covered this one too. From: 'Would You Believe?' 1367/?
youtu.be/cX0mt2vV-lI?... 'Fieldworker' Crosby-Nash (1975) The quintessential CSNY song - even with only 2 of them on it! - giving a voice to those without one. An angry song about the exploitation of immigrations working menial jobs with gutsy Danny Kortchmar guitar. From: 'Wind On The Water' 1366/?
His country-blues style suited them well and he wrote some of their best songs of 1969, including this canine calamity number, devised to show off his pal Gene Parsons' funky drumming. From: 'The Ballad Of Easy Rider' 1365/?
youtu.be/Tzt_f5GI4oE?... 'Fido' Byrds (1969) I so feel for John York, the Byrds' shortlived bassist. He was sacked for professionalism (not a typo!) and wanting to rehearse while the others wanted to stay in bed!
