Charlie Louvin 1927-2001

Charlie Louvin laid his last cash on the barrel head

Jailhouse rock

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We're doing a stretch at Her Majesty's pleasure this week, with 50 minutes of songs from behind bars. There's is a rich seem of prison ballads running through the history of popular music, but we've managed to avoid all that and play some corny old tosh. We start the programme with Brit Pop classic Caught by the Fuzz by Supergrass (weren't they charming?). Oh, and here is Jailbreak for the umpteenth time. With good behaviour, this stretch will be over before you know it.

Intro: Won't Get Fooled Again, The Who, Who's Next, 1971, Polydor

1. Caught By The Fuzz, Supergrass, I Should Coco, 1994, Parlophone
2. I Fought The Law, Bobby Fuller Four, 7", 1965, Mustang
3. The Tijuana Jail, The Kingston Trio, At Large, 1959, Capitol
4. Sonny's Lettah, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Forces Of Victory, 1985, Island
5. Rotting On Remand, Billy Bragg, Workers' Playtime, 1988, Go! Disc
6. Put Away, The Fall, Peel Sessions, 1978, Strange Fruit
7. Prison On Route 41, Calexico/Iron and Wine, In The Reins, 2005, Overcoat
8. Holloway Jail, The Kinks, Muswell Hillbillies, 1971, Pye
9. The Prisoner's Song, Kentucky Colonels, Appalachian Swing!, 1964, World Pacific
10. Behind That Locked Door, Gerorge Harrison, All Things Must Pass, 1970, Apple
11. Jailbreak, Thin Lizzy, Jailbreak, 1976, Vertigo
12. Care Of Cell 44, The Zombies, Odessy and Oracle, 1968, Decca
13. Riot In Cell Block No. 9, Wee Willie Harris, 7", 1958, Decca
14. 54-46 Was My Number, The Maytals, Monkey Man, 1970, Beverley's/Trojan
15. Police On My Back, The Equals, Equals Explosion, 1967, President
16. Pendulum, Broadcast, Ha Ha Sound, 2003, Warp

Twitching the Iron Curtain

Ukraine's Chervona Ruta: the original Soviet soul sensation

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This week, we take a peak behind the Iron Curtain and stare into the soul of the Soviet. I searched long and hard to bring you 13 tunes from the other side of the wall, as well as a couple of numbers inspired by Mother Russia. It all started with a mysterious film clip from a Ukrainian movie (see the blog post from 05/12/10), featuring the hippest kishka in the land. Thank your lucky stars I didn't pick the Sisters of Mercy or Opus.

1. Soviet Capsule, John Barry, You Only Live Twice (OST), 1967, United Artists
2. Sputnik Thema, Die Sputniks, 7", 1964, Amiga (DDR)
3. Pussta Beat, Theo Schumann Combo, Theo Schumann Combo, 1969, Amiga (DDR)
4. Koncert a Marson, Hungarian Ensemble, Planetary Pebbles Vol 3: Surfbeat Behind The Iron Curtain Part 2, 1997, AIP (Hungary)
5. African Guitar, Thunderbirds, Planetary Pebbles Vol 1: Surfbeat Behind The Iron Curtain, 1997, AIP (DDR)
6. Pe Linga Ploppi Fara Sot, Sincron, Ducea Rufele La Rîu 7", 1967, Electrecord (Romania)
7. Spellbinder, Gábor Szabó, Spellbinder, 1966, Impulse! (Hungary/USA)
8. Theme from Rosemary's Baby', Krzysztof Sadowski, Krzysztof Sadowski and His Hammond Organ, 1970, Polskie Nagrania Muza (Poland)
9. Astrobolid, Jerzy Milian, Orkiestra Rozrywkowa PR/TV W Katowicach, 1978, Pronit. Also to be found on Holding Hands Vol. 2: Rare Jazz/Fusion Gems From Polish Vaults (Poland)
10. Alfa Centaura, Grupa Organowa Krzystofa Sadowskiego, Na Kosmodromie, 1972, Pronit (Poland)
11. Robuzeni, Jazz Celula, Oheň Až Požár, 1976, Panton (Czechoslovakia)
12. Quartett, Hubert Katzenbeier Quintet, Between or beyond the Iron Curtain, 1973, Amiga (DDR)
13. Funky dla Franki , Laboratorium, Modern Pentathlon, 1976, Polskie Nagrania Muza (Poland)
14. Marichka, Chervona Ruta, Chervona Ruta (OST), 1975, (Ukraine)
15. Moscow, Orange Juice, The Glasgow School, 2005, Domino (UK)

Trish Keenan 1968-2011

 Cheerio my friend.

A right royal palaver

A pearly royal family: Still less common than Kate Middleton

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This week, well after the fact, we celebrate the betrothal of the toothsome son of the princess of hearts to a middle-Englander called Kate. I wouldn't mind so much if we didn't have to pay for the wedding. Hold, I live in exile so I don't have to pay for it. My blessings be upon them.

1. Baby You're My Hearts Desire, Billy Joe Royal, 7", 1966, Columbia
2. Cast Off Crown, Deerhoof, Friend Opportunity, 2007, Kill Rock Stars
3. The Court Of The Crimson King, King Crimson, In The Court Of The Crimson King, 1969, Island
4. Crawlin' King Snake, John Lee Hooker, I'm John Lee Hooker, 1959, Vee-Jay
5. Diana (single), Comus, E.P., 1971, Dawn
6. Fairy Tale Princess, Steve and Stevie , Steve & Stevie , 1968, Toast
7. House of the King, Focus, In and Out of Focus, 1970, Polydor
8. King for a Day, XTC, Oranges and Lemons, 1989, Virgin
9. King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown, Augustus Pablo, King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown, 1975, Clocktower
10. Kings and Queens, Soft Machine, Fourth, 1971, CBS
11. Prince Charming, Adam & the Ants, 7", 1981, Polydor
12. Prince Of Darkness, Miles Davis, Sorcerer, 1967, Columbia
13. The Queen Is Dead, The Smiths, The Queen Is Dead, 1986, Rough Trade
14. Royal Oakie, Louie and The Lovers, Rise, 1970,
15. Witch Queen of New Orleans, Edwyn Collins, A Casual Introduction: 1981-2001, 2002, Setanta

Goodbye 2010, hello 2011

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We say goodbye 2010 and hello 2011 with this new year's programme. Where did that year go? Much has happened during the past 12 months, from the Mavi Marmara and the World Cup, to the deaths of some greats of the music business, such as Bobby Charles, Malcolm McLaren and Don van Vliet, among many others. In the final section of the show, we also celebrate Mrs Johns' birthday by playing a small selection of songs just for her.

1. Reelin In The Years, Steely Dan, Can't Buy A Thrill, 1973, ABC
2. New Day Rising, Husker Du, New Day Rising, 1985, SST
3. All the Years Round (Single Version), Amon Düül II, Carnival in Babylon, 1972, United Artists
4. Year of the Monkey, Fred Frith, Gravity, 1980, Ralph
5. The Bright New Year, Bert Jansch, Birthday Blues, 1969, Transatlantic
6. A year in the life, Groundhogs, Split, 1971, Liberty
7. Pump It Up, Elvis Costello, This Year's Model, 1978, Radar
8. Turn Back The Hands Of Time, Tyrone Davis, 7", 1970, Dakar
9. Coldest Night Of The Year, Vashti Bunyan, Some Things Just Stick In Your Mind, 2007, Decca
10. Grow Too Old, Bobby Charles, Bobby Charles , 1972, Bearsville
11. Time Has Told Me, Nick Drake, Five Leaves Left, 1969, Island
12. Happy Birthday, The Birthday Party, Hee Haw, 1988, 4AD
13. Love is A Beautiful Thing, The Young Rascals, Collections, 1966, Atlantic
14. Be Not So Fearful, Bill Fay, Time of the Last Persecution, 1971, Deram
15. Eternal Light, Teenage Fanclub, A Catholic Education, 1990, Paperhouse

The Christmas programme

The finest Christmas single ever recorded.

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Christmas comes but once a year, which is no bad thing since there is hardly a slew of great festive songs. I have trawled the vaults and extracted these for you yuletide enjoyment. Another chance to hear the Kinks' Father Christmas, for sure, but also a couple of Old Time greats Breaking up Christmas by the Camp Creek Boys and Christmas Time Will Soon be Over by Fiddlin' John Carson.

1. Christmas, Krzysztof Komeda, Rosemary's Baby, 1968, Paramount
2. Merry Christmas Baby, Chuck Berry, St. Louis to Liverpool, 1964, Chess
3. Breaking up Christmas, Camp Creek Boys, Old Time String Band, 1967,
4. Go Power At Christmas Time, James Brown, James Brown's Funky Christmas, 1995,
5. Father Christmas Is Dressed In Green, Wild Billy Childish and the Musicians of the British Empire, Christmas 1979, 2007, Damaged Goods
6. Jingle Bells, Tenchi Muyo, Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Oh-Ki No Christmas OST, 1993, AIC/Pioneer
7. Mistress for Christmas, AC/DC, The Razor's Edge, 1990, Atco
8. Santa Claus Is Ska-Ing To Town, The Granville Williams Orchestra, 7", GWO
9. Christmas Time Will Soon Be Over, Fiddlin' John Carson & His Virginia Reelers, Fiddlin' John Carson 5 (1927-1929), 1998, Document
10. O Tannenbaum, Vince Guaraldi, A Charlie Brown Christmas, 1965, Fantasy
11. Little St. Nick, The Beach Boys, The Beach Boys' Christmas Album , 1964, Capitol
12. Christmas Bop, Marc Bolan and T. Rex, Messing with the Mystic (Unissued Songs 1972-1977), 1975, Fly
13. Ding Dong Bell, The Ethiopians, 7", 1968, Crab
14. Father Christmas, The Kinks, 7", 1977, Arista
15. Hard Candy Christmas, Kenny Rogers/Dolly Parton, Once Upon a Christmas, 1984, RCA/BMG
16. Christmas Eve Is Coming, Anna, Norman Blake, Meeting On Southern Soil, 2002, Red House
17. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, The Ronettes, A Christmas Gift For You From Philles Records, 1963, Philles