That's So RAVE ON

I grew up on 50's and 60's rock and roll (that and 80's country!)  My true musical passion (jazz standards) I later discovered on my own.  

My mom did instill in me a love for the music of guys like Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Buddy Holly.  Saturday nights before we watched Hee-Haw as a family, the oldies station could be heard though out the house.  As we got cleaned up for church the next morning (or I did last minute bible verse memorization for Sunday School) we would hear the vibrant melodies of HEARTBREAK HOTEL or PEGGY SUE.  

 I ran across a great Buddy Holly cover a couple of weeks ago.  It's from alternative/folk artist M. Ward.  Fresh off his duo album SHE & HIM with Zooey Deschanel, he has released HOLD TIME.  Zooey appears on a couple of tracks including this lovely version of Holly's RAVE ON!

*by the way... don't judge the HEE-HAW thing.  We lived out in the country and didn't get NBC until High School.  So while I had to wait for Saturday Night Live, I experienced many lovely years of Grandpa Jones and Minnie Pearl.  

Friday the 13th...V Day approaches!

Some people freak out a little on Friday the 13th... and some people freak out a little on Valentine's Day. Having one lead into the other makes an interesting start to the weekend.. 

AND I have come up with the perfect song to commemorate today... 

...I PUT A SPELL ON YOU.

Here is the original artist "Screamin" Jay Hawkins with a "Friday the 13th" Version!

The wikipedia article on this song states...

Hawkins had originally intended to record "I Put a Spell on You" as a refined love song, a blues ballad. He reported, however, that the producer "brought in ribs and chicken and got everybody drunk, and we came out with this weird version. I don't even remember making the record.

Now for the non-spooky versions...

I wouldn't say this is the most romantic song ever... let's call it, the "Get-Your-Act-Together-Or-We're-Through" Valentine's Day Song.

First of all, here's a link to the great Nina Simone version.

I love the music of She & Him (She... the amazing Zooey Deschanel, Him... M. Ward).  Zooey is best known for her quirky independent film work (and a lovely duet with Will Ferrell in ELF.) Last year she collaborated with M. Ward on a wonderful album entitled SHE & HIM Volume One.  Their version of I PUT A SPELL ON YOU can be found on a new Starbucks cover compilation called SWEETHEART.

 

Here's another soulful take by vocalist Mica Paris, guitarist David Gilmour, and bandleader Jools Holland.

Of course I would be remiss if I didn't give a shout out to the Sanderson Sisters camping it up.

I know this is a long post, but I have one final Friday the 13th song... 

...here is a link to an AWESOME cover of Mel Torme' having a swingin' good time with the Stevie Wonder classic SUPERSTITION.