* Alton Ellis - ska & rocksteady *

"How can a man be tougher than the world?" - It's the big question of today's first song.
That deep voice lurking in the background is Lloyd Charmers. More about him in a few weeks, promise!

Alton Ellis is the high lead that sings ‘Cry Tough’ over a rocksteady-beat, accompanied by vocal trio The Flames and the Treasure Isle studio band of the time, Tommy McCook & the Supersonics.

Two years before, in 1965, Alton Ellis, one of the great voices of Jamaica, recorded the irresistible ‘Mouth A Massy’ in the studio of Vincent “Randy” Chin. He's backed by Randy’s All Stars (legendary ska-band The Skatalites in disguise).

* Life on Mars? *

"I need a Mars Bar, hey raid the Spar
To help me through the day
I need a Mars Bar, I've had ten so far
It helps me, makes me work, rest and play.

There’s glucose for energy,
caramel for strength,
the chocolate’s only there,
to keep it the right length”!

The Undertones-'Mars Bars' (1979 B-side) - with great home made video

“To (Patrick Moore and) David Bowie,
and all the other stars,
there’s evidence here to show you,
that there is life on Mars.”

David Bowie-'Life On Mars' (1971) - with vintage Bowie-clip

The next year Bowie would release the album 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars'. Was he that Mars-obsessed? Actually, 'Life on Mars' wasn't about the red planet at all:
Bowie pictures a young girl going to the cinema, seeing her own boring life repeated on the screen.
The only reference to Mars pops up in the chorus:

"Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Oh man! look at those cavemen go
It's the freakiest show
Take a look at the lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man! Wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show 
Is there life on Mars?"

For 'Life On Mars' Bowie borrowed a little from 'My Way', "the notorious standard written for Sid Vicious by Paul Anka" (great quote from a 1981 Bowie-book by Roy Carr and Charles Shaar Murray). As a matter of fact, when Paul Anka wrote this song in 1968 for Frank Sinatra (Wiki-story here), he was borrowing in turn from the French song 'Comme d'habitude' by Claude Francois (1967). Bowie knew this, he had been working on an English adaptation (as 'Even a Fool Learns to Love') of the French original in 1968 also. Sinatra made 'My Way' a million seller in 1969. Two years later, Bowie would include 'Life On Mars' on his album Hunky Dory. On the LP-cover he modestly stated the song was "inspired by Frankie". And in case you wondered who's playing the piano: Rick Wakeman. Yes!

PS: In depth analysis of (London-born!) Bowie's 'Life On Mars' on AmericanSongwriter.com

* Gospel: the Spirit of Memphis *

"With their classic '49-52 King recordings the Spirit of Memphis reached the peak of gospel perfection, creating a body of work unparalleled for its absolute vocal mastery and profound emotional impact. It's impossible not to reach for superlatives when talking about these performances, all the more astonishing  for being - with a couple of regrettable exceptions - entirely unaccompanied.
This is music that is the absolute antithesis of easy listening: its depth, intensity and seriousness are such that - as titles like 'Blessed Are The Dead' suggest - it defies casual enjoyment. You may not find yourself listening to the Sprit of Memphis very often, but to hear them is one of the greatest experiences music can offer." - Neil Foxlee

The quote is from the recommended book The Best Music You've Never Heard (2008 Rough Guide). I couldn't put it any better. Now you want to hear what all the fuss is about, right? It made me curious too. So as the book suggested I bought the 2cd Happy in the Service of the Lord (2005 Acrobat Music) with the King-output of the Spirit of Memphis Quartet - that at times consisted of five to eight members!

December 1949 there were six. One bass, two tenors and three baritones. This line-up offered no less than three outstanding lead singers: the thundering baritone Silas Steele (born in 1911), the clear pure tenor Willmer "Little Ax" Broadnax (1916) and in-between the sweet, soulful Jethro Bledsoe (1917). The latter was a tenor according to Mr. Foxlee, but the cd-booklet lists him with the baritones on all recordings. On December 12 the Spirit of Memphis recorded at least six songs, released by King as three 78s. The first one, King 4340, was an absolute killer. On 'The Day is Passed and Gone', you can hear Silas Steele testifying, in allegedly the first gospel waxing to include a sermon, counterpointed by "Jet" Bledsoe. Flipside 'Blessed Are The Dead' is a great example how beautiful all voices blended.

The same day the same six cut 'If Jesus Had To Pray', with Little Ax shining. What a pity the song is not on YouTube yet, your Secret Museum will try to include it some other time.

Another highlight is 'The Atomic Telephone', from a recording session in August 1951, again built around a sermon by Steele with Bledsoe taking the lead. Lyrics influenced by the post-war Atomic Era:

"Lord have give us a great new power
for to use for the good of all mankind.
Some people gonna use it to destroy everything,
but God didn't mean it like that.
He wants it used for the good of all mankind!

Oh I have talked to Jesus
on the atomic telephone
(Well then) no man know the power
only God alone
(Oh well then) it can cure the sick
or destroy the people
with one sweep of power
known by God alone."

Their last recording for King on the 2cd is 'Lord Jesus', from a live concert in Memphis, October 1952. The song was written by Sister Wynona Carr, who recorded the song originally in 1949 for Specialty. Hear the "Quartet", again with six singers, performing a live sermon at the 7,000 seat Mason's Temple, with Bledsoe leading. On the King-release, 'Lord Jesus' was divided in Part 1 and Part 2.

Weird epilogue: various sources state that when Wilmer Broadnax died in '92, stabbed by his girlfriend Lavina Richardson, autopsy revealed that Wilmer was a woman, who had lived her life as a man.
If so, how did she make it as a much admired tenor lead in the world of all-male black gospel-groups?!
Full story here: http://ubleproject.tumblr.com/post/29515613795/a-tenor-passes-wilmer-broadnax
Confusingly the cd-booklet says Little Ax(e) "was in fact a man living as a woman".

* Al Green is Love ?! *

The previous post ("Cowboys", 15/1) reminded me of my first USA-trip, in september 1993. Part of the plan was Memphis. As most tourists do, I went to Beale Street and Graceland ofcourse. I also had to see the Sun Studios on 706 Union Avenue, where I met a guy working in the gift shop, who introduced himself as Jim Cole. The same year Memphis-band The Oblivians released a song called 'Jim Cole' on the back of their first 45. When asked where to go for cool live-music, that guy mentioned Barristers, a bar downtown. If I remember correctly their customers during daytime were lawyers and businessmen, but at night they welcomed bands. So that's how I got to see The Grifters, also from Memphis, who had a record out on a local label, Shangri La. The label was connected to a record store of the same name, so again one stop led to another. Around that time Oblivian Eric Friedl must have been working at the Shangri La-store, but I can't recall meeting him. But I do remember the friendly and helpful staff, who encouraged me to attend the Sunday service at the Full Gospel Tabernacle on 787 Hale Road, which is in the Whitehaven neighborhood near Graceland. Why go there? Because of Reverend Al Green!

Yes, Al Green, one of the greatest soul singers, at the peak of his fame in the early 1970s, was and is a pastor at his own Pentecostal Baptist Church since 1976. A quick summary of his career before that, of the man born in Arkansas in 1946 as Albert Greene: do check out 'Back Up Train', still released as Al Greene (1967 Hot Line, with The Soul Mates), then fast forward to his peak-years with Hi Records in Memphis, under guidance of producer Willie Mitchell. His biggest hit was 'Let's Stay Together' (1971; #1 in the USA-top40), delicate soul at its best. A little too sophisticated for some ears, I know, but classy without a doubt. He certainly knew how to interpret a song. Listen to 'I Can't Get Next To You', originally a Motown-song written by Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield for The Temptations (1969), then hear the Al Green-cover (1970). He sang 'How Can You Mend A Broken Heart', making people forget it was written by Barry and Robin Gibb. He did Kris Kristofferson's 'For The Good Times' (1972). And my personal favorite: 'Take Me To The River' (1974), dedicated to his cousin Junior Parker and covered by the Talking Heads (1978) on their second album More Songs about Buildings and Food.

Unfortunately, tragedy struck for Al Green in October 1974. His former girlfriend Mary Woodson White broke into his home and poured boiling grits on the bathing singer, causing severe burns on his body. After that she killed herself with his .38 handgun. A dramatic incident that may well have made him buy the church, become a pastor and sing more religious music and less secular soul/R&B.

Before going to the Full Gospel Tabernacle I had read somewhere that Al Green didn't preach every Sunday, but you could tell he was in if his big car was parked out front. Pity I forgot what type of car. Anyway, that day Al Green was on duty! And the service was a very memorable Memphis-experience, for various reasons. Some middle-aged ladies made us tourists feel welcome ("So good to have you!"), then we watched kids of the predominantly black community say their sunday-school lessons. Next, an electric band started playing some groovy riffs and a youth choir entered from a door beside the altar, singing and swinging, in single file, like geese. During the service the music and dancing went wilder, and eventually quite a few members of the congregation seemed possessed; People were running around like mad, up and down the aisle, others were speaking in tongues. Scenes I had read about in 'Hellfire', the book by Nick Tosches about Jerry Lee Lewis who frequented a Pentecostal church too. Yet, seeing it in real life, in 1993, wow! On top of that, there was the Reverend, also totally unlike what we knew from churches at home. Performance-of-the-year, definitely. Except that he blew it halfway.

Do you know that James Brown stage-routine, where the singer pretends to be exhausted at the end of the show, so helpers have to lend a helping hand to guide him off-stage? He manages to escape from their grip and gets back to the mic, as if his batteries are re-charged by a higher power, to complete his mission to serve the audience. Reverend Al Green copied that routine for his Sunday service that day (and maybe every week)! After his preaching, pretty long and intense, helpers showed up with a cape or dressing gown, then carried him away. But just before he left he managed to liberate himself, shook off the robe and made his comeback. Hallelujah! Maybe I would have enjoyed it a little more if Al Green hadn't wasted his energy earlier with a long rant against homosexuals, which made me feel very sorry for all those born that way, who were so unfortunate to grow up in this intolerant community. Being there with my missus, the special one nowadays known as Mrs. Blockhead and mother of my two kids, we had no reason to take it personal. Yet we were horrified by his unforgiving hatred and intolerance. Ever since, when I come across the title of his LP 'Al Green is Love' I say to myself: Hell no, he's NOT!

* Cowboys - secretly fond of each other *

Special request from comrade Vlad: Willie Nelson's gay cowboy song (with great videos to boot)!

In December 2005, the movie Brokeback Mountain initially got a limited release in just 5 US-theaters. Its story of a romantic relationship between two cowboys seemed a little risky at first. It was a success nevertheless, and next February the film ran in over 2000 North-American cinemas. That same month country-veteran Willie Nelson, who had contributed one song to the Brokeback Mountain-soundtrack ('He Was a Friend of Mine'), decided the time was right to release 'Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly..'.
Press-quote from Nelson back then: "The song's been in the closet for 20 years (…) to come out."

There’s many a strange impulse out on the plains of West Texas;
There’s many a young boy who feels things he don’t comprehend.
Well small town don't like it when somebody falls between sexes,
No, small town don't like it when a cowboy has feelings for men.

Well I believe in my soul that inside every man there’s a feminine,
And inside every lady there’s a deep manly voice loud and clear.
Well, a cowboy may brag about things that he does with his women,
But the ones who brag loudest are the ones that are most likely queer.

Cowboys are frequently secretly fond of each other —
What did you think those saddles and boots was about?
There’s many a cowboy who don’t understand the way that he feels towards his
brother,
Inside every cowboy there's a lady who'd love to slip out.

Willie claims in the 1980's someone gave him a tape with the song, that he played on the bus for years. If so, he didn't learn it from Pansy Division, a San Francisco-band usually referred to as "queercore", that had included their version of 'Cowboys are...' on the split-7" 'Stop Homophobia' in 1994. 

Now hear the original, recorded in 1982 for the LP 'Life Is A Killer' (Giorno Poetry Systems GPS 027), containing poetry and songs by various artists. One of them was Ned Sublette, who had been playing in Glenn Branca's loud guitar-orchestra the previous year (go check 'The Ascension', stunning album). In 2007 the same Ned Sublette would show his love for Latin music with the book 'Cuba and Its Music',  but he had been always been into country music too, mixing both on his CD 'Cowboy Rumba' (1999). That country-influence was already there when he started songwriting, with 'Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly' among the first results. Funny note: Ned's said he wrote it with Willie Nelson's voice in mind. 

Ten men for each woman was the rule way back when on the prairie,
And somehow those cowboys must have kept themselves warm late at night.
Cowboys are famous for getting riled up about fairies,
But I’ll tell you the reason a big strong man gets so uptight:

Cowboys are frequently secretly fond of each other —
That’s why they wear leather, and Levi's and belts buckled tight.
There’s many a cowboy who don’t understand the way that he feels towards his
brother;
There’s many a cowboy who’s more like a lady at night.

Well there's always somebody who says what the others just whisper,
And mostly that someone's the first one to get shot down dead:
When you talk to a cowboy don't treat him like he was a sister
Don't mess with the lady that's sleepin' in each cowboy's head.

Cowboys are frequently secretly fond of each other —
Even though they take speed and drive pickups and shoot their big guns;
There’s many a cowboy who don’t understand the way that he feels towards his
brother;
There's many a cowboy who keeps quiet about things he's done.

So, as interesting as the Sublette-original already may have been, arguably 'Cowboys' finally got home with Willie. His mainstream-country treatment made it a classic, and a better joke too. Ned Sublette wrote it as an urban cowboy, while living next to a gay bar called Boots and Saddles in Manhattan NYC. Pansy Division recorded it for a good cause, but were preaching to the already converted. As expected, Willie Nelson's 'Cowboys' caused more controversy with his fans. Though he released it as an iTunes-download only and chose not to play it live, I'd like to think of his version as a brave plea for tolerance.

But two years later he tried to please the narrow-minded as well by recording 'Ain't Goin' Down On Brokeback Mountain'.* It was a cover too, originally done by The Saddle Sores featuring Wynn Varble, who co-wrote the song. Especially the repeated chorus-line "That Shit Ain't Right" appealed to a lot of homophobic assholes and dickheads, as made clear by the YouTube-comments. Proving homophobia is a widespread disease, not only in Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe and Putin's Russia, but also in supposedly free and civilized countries. And that's called sad.

* PS: When 'Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly' made its first appearance on a Willie Nelson-album ('Lost Highway', 2009), the next song was 'Ain't Goin' Down On Brokeback Mountain'. Makes sense?

* Sax Kari *

Can all of this be the work of ONE man, you might ask? Yesss! Speaking of Sax Kari, again.
Man-behind-the-scenes in New Orleans. First example in yesterday's post, Out in the Dark pt2.
Our one-man-SMoRaS-management unearthed four more gems for you. For free!

First up is the man himself. Isaac Sexton Kari Toombs had a few aliases. Sometimes he used the pseudonym "Dirty Red" Morgan. Texas Red may as well be one of his many stage names. He is also known as "Candy Yams", it seems. This desperate Rock 'n Roll-tune 'Chocolate Fizz' appeared in '57 under the moniker known best, Sax Kari.

On the flip side of Chocolate Fizz was a novelty-song called 'Goldie The Green Eyed Octopus'. 
Must admit I had never heard it before, so it's today's bonus-song for you and me.

Next is Polka Dot Slim, alter ego of Vince Monroe (1919-1982), singer and harmonica player. The song might sound familiar to some, The Detroit Cobras covered it as 'Down In Louisiana'. 'A Thing You Gotta Face', the original title, was written by Sax Kari and came out in 1964 on the Instant-label.

Last an early (1963) N.O.-souldancer, 'The Twitch' by Danny White on the obscure Frisco-label (surprisingly based in New Orleans). Written and produced by, you guessed it, Sax Kari.

* Charles Brown <-> Charles 'Soul' Brown *

OUT IN THE DARK - part 1

Today's first half is 'Black Night', nowadays probably slightly better known in the Arthur Alexander-version (1964). But originally a big R&B-hit for Charles Brown in 1951, recorded for Aladdin Records.

OUT IN THE DARK - part 2

Second, nowhere near a hit, but just as great, as far as I’m concerned: Charles “Soul” Brown (not the same man as the one above) with ‘Standing On The Outside’. Released in 1964 on a label named NOLA, short for New Orleans, LA (=Louisiana).
Written & produced by Sax Kari (more about him in our next post) and arranged by Nola-labelboss Wardell Quezergue, aka the Creole Beethoven. No, he wasn’t deaf like Ludwig Von, his nickname reflects his big reputation among local musicians as bandleader and arranger.
Where to find it: 2CD Wardell Quezergue - Sixty Smokin' Soul Senders ('02 Tuff City). Out-of-print, but once in a while on eBay.

* Elvis 80 *

Some say Elvis died in '77. Not sure. But we do know for a fact that he was born on January 8, 1935 - 80 years ago today.

                                      L-R: EP, Bill, Scotty & Sam at Sun, 1954

Elvis Presley’s first Sun-single, recorded by Sam Phillips on July 5-6, 1954 in Memphis, Tennessee.
Elvis (vocal/acoustic guitar), Scotty Moore (electric guitar) & Bill Black (acoustic bass).

That’s All Right/Blue Moon Of Kentucky

Originals:
Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys-'Blue Moon of Kentucky' (Sep 16, 1946, Chicago)

Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup-'That’s All Right' (June 9, 1946 Chicago)

                                                                 El Vez-Esta Bien Mamacita (1991) that's all right-cover


                                                                 Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper-Elvis is everywhere (1987)

* The Monks *

In a nutshell: Five G.I.'s, US-army soldiers stationed in Germany, started a band. As The 5 Torquays they recorded a single in 1964. After that they became the Monks and started doing shows with matching black monk habits, rope ties and tonsures (pic above: organ player Larry Clark is last to get his head shaved). Stupid concept? Maybe. More important: They made a raw proto-punk album for Polydor in 1966, Black Monk Time, which is still as stunning as it was back then. To the band's disappointment, the record went nowhere back home in the US.
Lyrics as in 'Monk Time' (the opening track) surely didn't help:

You know we don't like the army.
What army?
Who cares what army?
Why do you kill all those kids over there in Vietnam?
Mad Viet Cong.
My brother died in Vietnam!

Here's a great video that sums up the Monks-story quite well.

Further reading: Thomas Edward Shaw (aka Monk Eddie, their bass-player) and his wife Anita Klemke wrote a book about the band's German years, also called Black Monk Time.

* Lesson 1-6, from DD+S to CC+S : mixmasters *

                                                      'Lesson 6' - learn about turntablism !

Turntablemaster Cut Chemist (born Lucas MacFadden, 1972) was part of L.A.-hip hop-crew Jurassic 5 and it was on their Jurassic 5-EP (1997) that 'Lesson 6' showed up first. Slightly different was the remake that he recorded with Shortkut (of Invisibl Skratch Piklz) for his first album (hear/see above).

Why '6'? It all started with Double Dee and Steinski (Doug DiFranco and Steven Stein) who came up with 'Lesson 1: The Payoff Mix' (1983), 'Lesson 2: The James Brown Mix' (1984) and 'Lesson 3 - the History of Hip-Hop Mix' (1985). Full story here; Lessons 1-2-3-6 and more on Ultimate Lessons-comp.

* I Wish I Was A Car *

'I Wish I Was A Car' - Mary Healy in duet with her husband Peter Lind Hayes (1955)


"If this lady was a car, she’d run you down." - FIAT ad from the late 1970s for "the beautiful 127 Palio"

* Jilted John *

Jilted means John was dumped by his girlfriend. Yeah, Julie. For Gordon. That's called BAD. 
The good part was this revenge-record got to No.4 in the UK-charts in the summer of 1978. 
All together now: "Gordon is a Mo-ho-ron!" - here we go, 2-3-4: 'Jilted John'

PS1: the original (by 19-year-old actor Graham Fellows) inspired Scissors Bentley to do a cool lip-sync, some 30 years later.

secret bonus: S.B.'s version of 'Hallelujah', an unexpected catch while actually looking for Jilted John.

* Prince Buster, King of Ska *

                                                                            * PRINCE BUSTER , KING OF SKA *

Ofcourse you all know ‘One Step Beyond’ by Madness, and ‘Gangsters’ by The Specials. But how many of you are familiar with the biggest influence on that 1979 UK ska-revival? Prince Buster, born Cecil Bustamente Campbell, made the original version of ‘One Step Beyond’ and a song called ‘Madness’. He also wrote ‘Too Hot’, covered by The Specials, and ‘Al Capone’, the song that inspired ‘Gangsters’. Go check on YouTube. 

Today, the Secret Museum-staff would like to share our two fave Buster-songs: 
‘Hard Man Fe Dead’ and ‘Seven Wonders Of The World’. Enjoy!

* Snails - great pop supplement ! *

The band Snails is/was a Bristol-based duo, consisting of Dan Weltman (aka Hollowbody) and Mog Fry. Released just one single, in 2011 on the modest Great Pop Supplement-label, in a really limited edition of 300 copies. Too bad they called it a day after that. Here's a link to a free download (!) of the beautiful A-side 'She'd Like An Hour'. The flipside 'Daylight Ends' is great too.

http://snails.bandcamp.com/track/shed-like-an-hour

more at http://snails.bandcamp.com/album/our-first-7

* Anybody Out There? The Dwarves! *

                                                    * Anybody Out There? The Dwarves! *

"Maybe the greatest song about existentialism ever written", as one hilarious YouTube-comment mocks. Still, can't blame you if you haven't heard about The Dwarves. They never were that big. Their main claim to fame was a hoax. As a publicity-stunt of sorts, they spread the word that their guitarist, named He Who Cannot Be Named, had been stabbed to death. Not! Their recordcompany Sub Pop was not amused and sacked them. Here's the single of their last album for the label, from 1993. 
Killer tune. Play Loud!