1. Smalltown Boy- The Bronski Beat
2. The Ballad of Spider John- Jimmy Buffett
3. Voodoo Child- The Jimi Hendrix Experience
4. Doggone- Marvin Gaye
5. Kansas City- Wilbur Harrison
6. Baby, I'm Yours- Barbara Lewis
7. Frankenstein- They Might Be Giants
8. Black-Eyed Farmer- Frankie Miller
9. The Moon is Shining- Indigenous
10. Heart of the City- Nick Lowe
Notes:
Yes, it's that "Frankenstein"-- the old Edgar Winter Group song. It was live, from a concert TMBG did in Central Park. It's probably one of my five top favorite covers.
I have no idea how the Frankie Miller song got on there. He's an old singer who's best known by my generation for being the guy who sang the theme song for Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles."
9 comments:
I saw TMBG perform Frankenstein live at the Cleveland Agora. It rocked! It was a great concert. I lost my boot, then found it, then met the John's and they signed my tee shirt. Lovely.
Now THAT is one eclectic list. Nice to see Nick Lowe on there. I haven't listened to him in ages, and used to really like him.
You cannot beat a list that includes Marvin Gaye.
Damn those students anyway, though.
wow, i only know the bronski beat song - although i recognize many of the other artists.
Bronski Beat - that was a big hit stateside, eh? I remember Jommy Somerville was something of a bogey man for us pre teens - if any lad did something non macho - they'd be called a Somerville. But ironically - Somerville was a tough bloke. Guess he had to be...
TMBG does great covers. I've seen them live at least 8 times and they do different ones all the time.
I too have had a chance to meet the Johns, they came into the Starbucks where I used to work and were totally cool and hung out with us.
Flannery-
Way cool! The Johns seem like they're nice guys.
TMBG used to play all the time at Gaspar's (now Schuba's), a small venue here in Chicago. Wish I'd seen them then.
Bubs-
Yeah, my tastes are pretty eclectic, that's for sure.
My favorite of his songs is "I Knew the Bride When She Used to Rock and Roll." Back when it was a hit, they played it when I attended the wedding of an old girlfriend who I'd stayed friends with (and still am). It was pretty amusing.
Barb-
Marvin Gaye is the greatest. There must be two-dozen of his songs I just love. I'm going to blog eventually about something really weird that happened the moment I found out Marvin Gaye had died.
Barista-
If you get only one, get the Barbara Lewis song-- torchy R and B girl from right here in Chicago. "Hello Stranger" is another great one of hers.
Danny-
He certainly had to be tough. I liked his Communards stuff, as well-- it got me to actually warm up to some disco after years of heard core disco hating. I love their version of the old Thelma Houston song "Don't Leave Me This Way."
Lu-
Very cool that you got to meet them! I need to add them to my "must see" list.
Interesting eclectic mix. I'd forgotten about the Bronski Beat - great song and video for that one. And who can beat "Voodoo Chile" in its original Hendrix forms?
Oh yeah, Nick Lowe. He was a fine popster, too.
You just reminded me of the Bronski spinoff band, the Communards.
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