Tom Jones- Help Yourself

We are winding this blog down with less frills than usual. Kind of funny how much steam I lost this month and that I picked the right time to end this. Well, let’s get it done with this 1968 from London/ Parot and Tom Jones. I paid $5 for this.

Yep, that is how no-frills we are going. Here is ” I Promise” . Overall, good record.

I Promise

The Rolling Stones- 12 x 5

I truly thought my birthday would be on a Saturday this year so you can imagine how disappointed I was to find out last week ( it is Feb 28 at time of writing) that it was on Sunday, Had to back track all those Saturday night plans. Regardless, let us celebrate whatever now with this early record from the Stones ( their 2nd US effort) , which came out in 1964 ( before “Satisfaction” broke”. I paid $8 for this from London Records.

Really heavy on R & B and does not sound like the Stones we know today. For a sample, here is their take on “Under The Boardwalk”.

Under the Boardwalk

Aine NicGabhann- Irish Portrait

Happy St Paddy’s Day. I had to save the most Irish thing I had for today and I bought this recently for $6 for the occasion. From Cara Records in 1971, we have singer/ Harpist Aine Nic Gabgann, who I am willing to bet is Irish,

Really nice little album, both in terms of vocals and Harp. Not sure why I chose to capitalize Harp twice but no time to turn back now. Here is “Little Johnny Flynn” which is a female version of “Bridgette Flynn”, which is one of my favorites. Also, here is “The March of the Men of Harlech” and “The Wind That Shakes The Barley”.

Little Johnny FLynn
The March of Men
The Wind That Shakes The Barley

OST- Finian’s Rainbow

Again, we are very loosely using this to celebrate St Patrick’s Day. Give me a break. I tried to find some Irish records but was stuck using this, which I paid $1. The 1968 film, directed by Francis Ford Coppola at the beginning of his career and staring Fred Astaire at the end of his largely flopped. However, it did star blog favorite, Petula Clark.

So many Clark albums on here, I did not think we would see her again before the end, but luckily enough, we have this. Here she is with the great standard that came from the original musical, “Old Devil Moon”.

Old Devil Moon

John McCutcheon- The Wind That Shakes The Barley- Hammer Dulcimer Music

So here is a record that is Irish-ish. From 1977 and June Appal Recordings, we have this from John McCutcheon. I paid $1. It is autographed on the back. Not sure if I knew this when I bought it.

The Hammer Dulcimer is an interesting instrument which deserves some mention but unfortunately not here.

Good Record. here is “St Anne’s Reel” along with one of my fav classical pieces, “Jesu, The Joy of Man’s Desire”.

St Anne’s Reel

Jesu

John McCormack- Recital #3

Given the upcoming St Paddy’s Day holiday, we are spending this week focusing on Irish music. At this point in the blog’s life, I was really struggling to find Irish records so we are goign to take some liberties but there is nothing more Irish than this , which I paid $4.

Not sure what year. Scala Records maybe? Is it that obvious I want to be done? Well, is record is half classical/ opera and half Irish tunes. From the opera half, we are goign with a segment from Rigoletto, ” Questa o Quella”. From the Irish side, here is “My Dark Rosaleen’. One of my biggest pet peeves of this blog has always been italics. Not sure why as they are actually quite easy.

Rigoletto
My Dark Rosaleen

The Doors- Other Voices

Between wanting to finish this blog, borrowing WI-FI ( Thank You Maple Leaf) and the fact that this is Saturday, we are goign to fly thru this with even faster speed than normal. Elektra Records. 1971. Ever wonder what the Doors would sound like without Jim Morrison? I did. That is why I paid $1 for this.

This actually is not bad but it still missing that one piece of the puzzle, which is probably unfair to the rest. The band was actually waiting for Morrison to return from Paris to finish the album. Robbie Krieger and Ray Manzarek took over vocal duties on this. Here is “Ships W/ Sails” which was the second single.

Ship With Sails

Judy Collins- Judith

I feel somewhat like Columbus discovering already land when I state that I discovered Judy Collins doing this blog. None the less, I am leaving this blog richer now that I know here music. From 1975 and Elektra Records, we have this, which I paid $1 for, probably for the tracklist.

I imagine this had to be a pretty big album for Collins, mainly because of the inclusion of “Send In The Clowns”. A quick check of Wikipedia confirms this. It went Gold in 1975 and would be certified Platinum in 1996. It was her biggest selling record at time of release.

Very good album, but if you read yesterday’s post, you had to know I would be going with “City of New Orleans” which somewhat reflects where I am at these days.

City Of New Orleans