Throwback Tracks -- November 16, 2017
David R. Smith
Guys, I'm trying to be proactive here. I'm going to be in tech for 2 weeks as of November 12, so I'm legitimately trying to get ahead on my Throwback Tracks, as I know sometime in my past, I neglected to do so, which met with much displeasure from our loyal followers. So, mark it down. I've started this week's Throwback Tracks on November 03. That's right; 13 days before it's supposed to come out!
The Guys From do not hold the rights to any of these songs, it is more our hope to expose our readers to new (*cough*) and different retro music, or re-expose them to things they may have forgotten about.
At the top of each section, will be the song name, followed by the artists' name linked to their website (if possible...which is totally hit and miss with oldies), so you can fall down the rabbit hole, finding and supporting what you dig.
Alone - Downface
I had never heard this song until today. Somebody on (one of) the Pearl Jam Facebook pages I frequent said it was an Alice in Chains/Pearl Jam hybrid. And he's not necessarily wrong. It definitely has a feeling of both of them in this song. But apparently it's by some band named Downface.
There's very little about them on the Internet, which is weird, because the internet has everything. So there's not much I can tell you about the band. What I can tell you is this song has a great sound to it, is haunting and I've 100% listened to it several times today.
It's Too Late - Carole King
At one point, I do believe this was one of the highest selling albums of all-time. It could still very well be. What I do know, is that it went diamond, which is apparently 10 million copies sold. (Fun fact, as of April of last year, according to Mental Floss, the Eagles' Greatest Hits was number one. No surprise, really; it's phenomenal.)
This was an album I didn't get into until much later in my adolescence. Much of the music I loved growing up came out of influence from my parents. While they owned this CD, it wasn't until I was a bit older that they bought it, so I wasn't familiar with it as a kid. But once I heard it, I was hooked. She has such a lovely, calming voice. And her songwriting skills are remarkable.
This song is rife with heartbreak. It's so hard to listen to, but at the same time, you want to hear more. That's the sign of a great song; one that makes your heart ache but you just can't stop listening because it's just too well arranged, and everything complements everything else. And man, her voice. Her voice is just like an angel singing.
Just - Radiohead
One of the reasons I selected this song this week, is because of the video. It's one of my favourite videos ever. Because it's so interesting, and fits the song so well. I so badly want to know what happened to this guy and why he decided to just fall to the pavement. And then at the end of the video, why did he infect everybody else?? It's so curiously awesome.
Full disclosure, I really didn't care for Radiohead when they first hit the scene. I couldn't get into their music when I was younger. There was the odd song of theirs that was okay, but for the most part, I wasn't a fan. I thought Thom Yorke was a bit of an odd fella, (which isn't necessarily an inaccurate assessment) but that shouldn't have condemned him for his band.
I was in University when I finally went got into Radiohead. I was production managing a festival that used a bunch of Radiohead songs from In Rainbows. At first I was really not looking forward to it because of my feelings on Radiohead. But after sitting through several rehearsals, etc. the album really started to grow on me. And now, I would say, they're absolutely on my bucket list of artists to see live. I have much more appreciation for the tremendous musicianship of the band, and while Thom Yorke is still definitely a nutter, I think he would be SO fun to watch onstage. If only they would ever come to Alberta...
Summer Wine - Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood
This song definitely has a country-western feel to it. It almost seems like a song that would have been used in the opening credits for an old spaghetti western (or a Tarantino movie.)
Nancy Sinatra has an incredible voice. She's seductive just in the way she sings. But then you counter that with Lee Hazlewood's charming, calming voice, and it makes a near perfect duet. I don't know a lot (or any?) or Lee Hazlewood's solo material but every time I hear this song, I keep thinking that I should go source more of his stuff out. Just to see what it's all about.
See? Even I learn things about artists when I do these lists!!
Cover of the Rolling Stone - Dr Hook
Aww man. This song is so good. It's one of those ones that, really, is a garbage song. It doesn't feature singers that have the greatest voices, the instruments are weird and there's not a lot of flair to them. And yet. Somehow. Everybody knows and loves this song. BECAUSE IT'S AWESOME!!!
I can't help but bob my head along as they sing. Because it's just so fun. And their plight was not in vain. In 1973, a year after the song came out:
Good for them.
That's it, that's all. Another week has come and gone, and there's more songs for you to enjoy, share with the world, and get stuck in your head.
And if you need more music, here are all the playlists from months past.
October 2017 TBT Playlist (and the October 2017 Spotify), September 2017 TBT Playlist (and the September 2017 Spotify), August 2017 TBT Playlist (and the August Spotify list), July 2017 TBT Playlist (and the July Spotify List), June 2017 TBT Playlist (and the June Spotify List), May 2017 TBT Playlist, April 2017 TBT Playlist, March 2017 TBT Playlist , February 2017 TBT Playlist
2016
Throwback Playlist for Dec 16/Jan 17, October 2016 Throwback Playlist, September 2016 Throwback Playlist, August 2016 Throwback Playlist, July 2016 Throwback Playlist, June 2016 Throwback Playlist, May 2016 Throwback Playlist, April 2016 Throwback Playlist
-D (@davidronn)