I was going to post “Love, Love, Love” this morning, which is also amazing, but then I kept listening to Extension of a Man, and I got to this song, which I had forgotten about, and it blew me away. It’s not going to be everyone’s favorite Donny Hathaway song, and the key changes are disorienting, but it’s hitting the spot for me this morning. This YouTube clip doesn’t do it justice…I feel like the dude kind of slowed it down. Whatever. I need you to hear this song.
Jackie Wilson – “Danny Boy”
I’m pretty sure I posted this last year in anticipation of our St. Patrick’s Day show, but it deserves another post. Hey, kids…you know how you used the word, “Epic” to describe the line at the dorm room showers this morning? Well, this is what it actually means.
See you tonight at Honey – 205 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, from 9pm until whenever you wanna go home (though we’ll be playing until 10pm).
Filed under Putting the Caruso in Robinson Caruso
Mavis Staples – “You Are Not Alone”
Here’s a live acoustic recording of the title track of Mavis Staples’s 2010 album You Are Not Alone. It’s a beautiful song, written for her by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco.
Filed under Pops Tweedy
Blue Notes/David Brent – “If You Don’t Know Me By Now”
Here’s one of the most beautiful songs ever (with a nipple-exposing jumpsuit and impressive hand-choreography):
And here’s one of the funniest things ever (courtesy of Juxtaposition Records):
Filed under Expert wine selection
Sam Cooke/Soul Stirrers – “Jesus Gave Me Water”
This is Sam Cooke’s first ever recording, and it’s transcendent. It’s so rare for an artist to emerge this fully-formed. How can he be so emotional, but so technically precise? He hits all the marks, then occasionally he’ll let loose something really giant. This kid must have been singing from the moment he was born.
Filed under Water Water Water Water
Demo: “The Record That I Bought Today”
So, here’s a new Robinson Caruso song. I wrote and recorded it today, because apparently I have something against time off. It’s incredibly rough – the vocals were tough to record, because I go from singing very quietly to pretty loud, and I couldn’t be bothered to do it properly…after all, it’s a demo. Still, as a reward for actually visiting our website, here it is, hours after delivery, a brand new baby song.
It’s called, “The Record That I Bought Today.”
Filed under Distorted vocals and accented upbeats
Van Morrison – Saint Dominic’s Preview
Personally, I think of Van Morrison as a soul singer. That’s how he thinks of himself as well (he’ll tell you the same if you make the mistake of requesting “Brown-Eyed Girl” at a concert). Even if you disagree, you’ll have to accept that his is “soulful” music. I love this song, and it’s from his string of nearly perfect albums in the late 1960s and early 1970s (Astral Weeks, Moondance, His Band and the Street Choir, Tupelo Honey, Sain Dominic’s Preview, then later, Veedon Fleece).
I’m posting this particular piece of Celtic soul because The Robinson Caruso Organization is playing our annual St. Patrick’s Day show at Honey, and we’d love to see you there. It’ll be a blast, and you needn’t wear anything green if it isn’t your color. Here are the details.
Filed under Oh...we're going to the chorus now?
