The Dixie Chicks - Travelin' Soldier (Live Version)

In the fall of 1990 Bruce Robison was working as a fry cook at an Austin diner and writing his first songs. That August, Iraq had invaded Kuwait, and the United States was preparing for a massive counterinvasion. Robison learned that one of his buddies at the diner, another fry cook, was being called up to active duty…and Robison found himself contemplating the unthinkable: dying young in war. Then he started writing about something even more unbearable: dying young while being in love. The first thing to come to him was a melody—the soaring opening of the chorus—and Robison shoehorned in some words: “I-I-I-I cried, never gonna hold the hand of another guy.” Details quickly followed: a lonely boy leaving for war after high school (Robison changed the setting to Vietnam), a shy girl (“a piccolo player in the marching band”) falling for him, the love between them growing even as they are thousands of miles apart. For the final verse, as the girl cries alone because her soldier has died, Robison recalled a familiar spot, the space beneath the stadium bleachers at Bandera High, where he had gone to school. In 2003, with the United States again on the verge of war with Iraq, the Dixie Chicks took the song to number one on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles and Tracks chart.  From: https://genius.com/The-chicks-travelin-soldier-lyrics 

Idiot Flesh - Chicken Little

Spawning from the Oakland, California group Acid Rain, who released a demo album "We Were All Very Worried" in 1987, the members renamed the group Idiot Flesh prior to the release of their first album "Tales of Instant Knowledge and Sure Death" in 1990. The group is characterized by its use of non-traditional instrumentation, such as screwdrivers, bicycle horns, and other odd or seemingly random objects to create their music. Their live shows featured everything from marching band acts to puppet shows. The group disbanded in 1998 before completing their fifth album and the various members went off into splinter groups. The most well-known of these groups is Sleepytime Gorilla Museum. Fans of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum will probably find much to enjoy with this group as both groups have a somewhat similar approach and musical style.  From: https://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=2860 

Orgone - Overtime

For over a decade, Orgone has been steaming up stages all over the country and drenching the biggest music festivals in sweat. Now, the band is back in its home-grown studio KillionSound crafting and recording its seventh full-length album featuring their new powerhouse singer Adryon de Le’n. Orgone’s sound is a cold-blooded blend of deep soul, rare funk, and afro-disco with a raw rock star edge that is uniquely LA. Shifting effortlessly from slyly slinky to seismically cinematic, the music remains tough and uncluttered. For their heart-pounding live performances and classic, gritty recordings, Orgone has been called by Dusty Groove America, “One of the heaviest acts we’ve heard in years.”
Orgone is a synergy of eight musicians, at the core of which are keyboardist Dan Hastie and guitarist Sergio Rios who have been chiseling their distinctively timeless sound since their teens. “The present state of this band reflects the honesty and authenticity that we’ve always strived for in our music,” says Rios, “We’ve really hit a sweet spot in our dynamic.” Each band member shines in his own right, but together their chemistry results in a sweeping sound more tenacious than the sum of its considerable parts. Members of Orgone have collaborated/ performed with the Roots, Al Green, Gil Scott-Heron, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Breakestra, Thievery Corporation, and the Monophonics. Known for being air-tight in the studio, Orgone has been the backing band on numerous major label releases, most notably, Alicia Keys’ “As I Am” album and Cee Lo Green’s multiple Grammy Award-winning track “Fool for You.”
Bringing fresh blood to the band is Adryon de Le’n, a lightning rod whose bold, graceful vocals elevate the music to intoxicating new levels. This joining of forces was at once kismet and inevitable, according to de LeÑn: “Professionally, musically, spiritually, all paths led me to Orgone.” In 2014, Orgone continues to be a strong touring presence while tantalizing crowds with tastes of new material from their upcoming album, slated for release in the Fall of this year. Now and always, Orgone delivers dirty, organic soul with heart; music that grabs you by the collar, pulls you to your feet, and shoves you onto the dance floor.  From: https://gatheringofthevibes.com/artist/orgone/

Fotheringay - The Way I Feel

Today’s song is The Way I Feel by Fotheringay. The band was singer Sandy Denny’s first project on leaving Fairport Convention. Working with seasoned British folk musicians and her Australian husband, Trevor Lucas, she formed a powerful folk-rock band that might have been a solid heir to Fairport. Sadly, the band lasted only one album before disintegrating. Most of the members would work together again in versions of Fairport before Denny’s death, but the promise of Fotheringay (named for a song she wrote for Fairport) was unfulfilled.
The one eponymous album is an impressive mix of originals, traditional songs, and covers. This song is a brilliant interpretation of a Gordon Lightfoot composition. Lightfoot had recorded the song a few years earlier, but was still best known as a writer. His performing career would take off internationally at about the same time that this album was released. Using a mother bird, chick, and the oak tree where their nest rests as a metaphor, Lightfoot creates an inspired take on the “if you love something, set it free” tradition. His version (and a number of other covers, including one by John Bottomley) is stellar, but Denny and Lucas make the song truly their own. Wish Gordon Lightfoot a happy 73rd birthday today and enjoy this perfect interpretation of one of his finest compositions.  From: https://rbhsjukebox.wordpress.com/2011/11/17/song-of-the-day-november-17-the-way-i-feel-by-fotheringay/

Lone Justice - Belfry

Damn, that Maria McKee can really sing. If anyone can find a better way to express the sheer power, passion and presence of McKee’s vocal virtuosity, have at it. It was said co-Producer Little Steven (E Street Band) remarked that McKees vocal performance on “Inspiration” was the most powerful and passionate vocal he had heard since Bruce Springsteen’s “Adam Raised a Cain.” Mighty high praise indeed. And well deserved. More commercially appealing than the debut, Shelter infused a little more country rock and significantly less cow punk. It is better produced (in some spots a bit over-produced) and the songwriting is more accessible with superior ballads and a more consistent sound. It should have been the record to make Lone Justice rock stars. Rather, it became their swan song. ‘I Found Love’ and ‘Shelter’ were both that single that just never broke through. But the real strength on this album is on the deeper cuts and ballads. Beacon, Belfry and Dreams Come True all rock with great guitar work and McKee’s emotive presence. And as mentioned earlier, Inspiration is just an emotional vocal tour de force with a once in a lifetime performance. The two side-ending ballads should also be noted. Wheels is a beautiful country song that should be covered by a more modern country female vocalist. The album closer, Dixie Storms, is just haunting and would point to the direction McKee would follow in her solo career.  From: https://real80sccm.com/2021/02/25/lone-justice-shelter-1986/ 

Crosby & Nash - Live at the BBC 1970

The early 1970s BBC series In Concert featured some of the greatest performers of the folk rock / singer-songwriter era, including Joni Mitchell, Carole King, James Taylor, Cat Stevens and Neil Young in front of intimate crowds at the old BBC Television Centre in London. In the case of each of the artists featured, the BBC sets are probably the very best records we have of these performers in their youthful prime. This is almost certainly the case with this gorgeous Crosby & Nash performance. It’s a stunner.
After the success of their monstrously popular Déjà Vu album, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young,”the American Beatles” as they were often called (never mind that one was a Brit and another Canadian) broke up in the summer of 1970, with all four members of CSNY recording solo albums. Crosby’s If I Could Only Remember My Name and Nash’s Songs for Beginners appeared the following year. In the fall of 1970, the two toured as an acoustic duo previewing tunes from their upcoming albums and singing fan favorites.
The BBC set begins with Nash at the piano, pouring out his pain over the break-up of his relationship with Joni Mitchell in “Simple Man,” one of the loveliest, saddest songs in his canon. As you’d expect of a performance of this vintage–before cocaine wrecked their voices, I mean–the harmonies are glorious. There is pure eargasmic pleasure to be had here, I promise you. The inclusion of one of my favorites “Song With No Words (Tree With No Leaves)” from Crosby’s If I Could Only Remember My Name (truly one of the greatest, most under-rated albums of the era, now seen as a touchstone of the “freak folk” movement) was the cherry on top for me.  From: https://dangerousminds.net/comments/stunning_david_crosby_graham_nash_bbc_in_concert_performance_1970/

LaBelle - Lady Marmalade - The Midnight Special 1974

Hello, Patti. Should I call you Ms. Patti, or just Patti?

Patti is fine, but a lot of people call me Ms. Patti.

As a mark of respect?

Yes, to show respect. I love it when they call me that, but they also call me Mom, Auntie, Mother … a lot of fans think of me as their mother, which I see as a big compliment.

But don’t a lot of them also thrust their phones at you so you can talk to their friends?

It’s hard to talk on people’s cellphones – I don’t care for other people’s germs. I still haven’t got a cellphone. I’m talking to you on my landline – it’s as old as me. I’m old-school, I don’t need that. I haven’t got a computer, either. I like a lot of privacy. When I’m at home, I want to be at home alone.

Where are you now?

At home in Philadelphia. I still live here. I have a house in Los Angeles that I stay in when I’m there, and a home in the Bahamas, but I live in Philly, 20 minutes from my childhood home. I went back six months ago with Mick Rock and we chit-chatted about the old neighbourhood. It was weird being back there, sitting in front of my house. I don’t know who lives there now. I thought about knocking on the door, but I didn’t.

What can you see from where you’re sitting?

A suitcase is the first thing I can see – a Louis Vuitton big bag. There’s nothing in it, and it’s beautiful. I take two onstage with me to prop my shoes on. I love my pumps [high heels]. Five-inch, six-inch, there was a time I did seven-inch, but that was back in the day.

How did it feel when Labelle became the first black vocal group to be on the cover of Rolling Stone?

We were groundbreaking, and it was an honour. It was showing other black women that they could do it. But we weren’t trying to break a record, we were just being Labelle. I don’t think at the time we thought it was special – we thought we were worthy of the cover, and it was something we should have had and we deserved it. But only when you look back do you realise how groundbreaking it was. Young black female groups gave us props – Destiny’s Child did, TLC complimented us; they said Labelle was one of the reasons they formed their groups.

Did you save your Lady Marmalade costumes?

I have them in a case in the basement. They’re beautiful.  And the shoes!

Didn’t you get hot wearing them onstage?

Not at all hot. I never perspired in them. They weren’t heavy.

Is it true that when you recorded Lady Marmalade you didn’t know what it was about?

We really didn’t know at first. We thought it was a woman just walking down the street – it didn’t register that it might be about something else. We were very innocent, and I had no clue. I was very naive. Then we had some controversy about a nun being upset about the song, and we found out. I felt stupid … no, not stupid but naive. I didn’t know we were singing about a lady of the evening. Young girls today are so well versed because of the internet, so they’d never not realise, but it was different then. Thank God we did the song, anyway!

Yes, you’ll get royalties for the rest of your life.

You can call them royalties – I call them baby dollars. It’s depressing.

Do you still enjoy singing it?

Yes, I do. I have one of best bands in the world, and the way they play it, I get chills. I sing it differently every time – I can still get down at the age of 70.

A couple of years ago, you got emotional during an interview with Oprah and said: “I’ve been shut down, run down, talked about – but that never stopped me from being the true me.” What was that about?

It’s true – nothing anyone tries to do to me can bring me down. It never works. I’m so strong now, and nothing can run me down. I’m truly blessed.

When you announced your upcoming UK shows, you were worried that nobody over here wanted to see you. Why was that?

Oh, I know they want to see me, but I just haven’t been there in a long time – it’s 10 years. I’m loved more over there [in the UK] than I am here.

Barack Obama seems to love you, though. Was he self-conscious at being so close to you when you sang at the White House?

Not at all. I don’t think so. I think he was very happy to be in the room with all the talented women there. And he was sitting next to a very powerful woman.

From: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/nov/12/patti-labelle-lady-marmalade-woman-walking-down-street