Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. CDLXXXIX: David Lindley: Mercury Blues

The "late" show....

Very early in my career with Camelot Music, I discovered that one of the great things about running a music store is that you have access to album after album after album, and as long as it was new(ish), bosses didn't much care what you opened to play in your store.  Read a good review in Rolling Stone?  Let's hear it!  See an interesting album cover?  Let's hear it!  Curious about an artist or album with good word of mouth?  Let's hear it!  From Lou Reed's The Blue Mask to the Jam's Sound Affects, from Hoodoo Gurus' Mars Needs Guitars! to the BoDeans' Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams (among many others), the number of albums I had a chance to hear and eventually love was multiplied countless times by the access I had.  Much like this week's artist, who was one of the very first to have an album I'd never have heard if I'd chosen to be a shoe salesman instead.  And the best part?  Didn't cost me a dime....

David Lindley was born in San Marino, California in 1944, and began playing the violin at age three.  By his early teens he had learned the ukulele, and by his late teens the banjo.  In 1966 he co-founded the band Kaleidoscope, which released four albums until 1970.  After the band's demise, Lindley went on to become one of the great session musicians (mostly as a guitarist), as well as touring band musician, of all-time.  He was a master of virtually any instrument that had strings and was a collector of all stringed instruments as well.  Lindley was in Jackson Browne's band for many years, and also played with Rod Stewart, Linda Ronstadt, Bruce Springsteen, Ry Cooder,Warren Zevon, and a holy host of others.  Lindley also performed solo, releasing seventeen albums and one soundtrack over the course of his career.  Sadly, Lindley passed away in 2023 from the effects of Long COVID.

Fun Fact:  I didn't know this until he died (and how I didn't know considering how many times I listened to the album over the course of my life will forever be a mystery), but the stunning falsetto in Jackson Browne's version of the classic "Stay," which closes his brilliant album Running on Empty, was performed by none other than David Lindley.

"Mercury Blues" appeared on Lindley's debut solo album, the intriguingly named El Rayo-X (also the name of his backing band) in 1981.  The single did not reach the pop chart, but the album peaked at #83 on the Billboard 200.

"Mercury Blues" was originally written and released in 1948, and since that time has been covered by numerous artists (as well as showing up in a Ford commercial or two).  Lindley really juices his version, both vocally and instrumentally, with the fervor that captures the spirit of a bitchin' car.  His vocals are distinctive, and the two guitar solos are technically and musically beyond most mere mortals.  Really love the power of the drums, too, which roar like a souped up engine.  I can only imagine how divine it would be to listen to this week's tune as I was cruising up and down the road....

Lyric Sheet:  "If I had money, I tell you what I'd do/I'd go downtown and buy a Mercury or two/I'm crazy 'bout a Mercury..."

Enjoy:

Republicans = Nazis

Peace,

emaycee

Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. CCCXXXIX--Ry Cooder: I Think It's Going to Work Out Fine

For fuck's sake, who'd have ever guessed--a Friday Night Jukebox post that actually appears on a fucking Friday night!

 I don't feature instrumentals on Friday Night Jukebox too often, but this week's tune is one of the best rock and roll has ever had to offer, and sadly, it isn't nearly as well known as it should be (though the Ike and Tina Turner song it covers is considerably more well known...if you're of a certain age).  It's also proof that at one time Rolling Stone magazine had some sway over my musical tastes--the album the song came from I bought solely based on their review proclaiming it one of the best albums of..gulp...1979....

In an historic first for FNJ, this week's featured artist is the only one (and it isn't likely to be repeated) whose first name is Ryland.  Ry Cooder was born in Los Angeles in 1947, began playing music professionally in his teens, and released his last album just three short years ago in 2018.  Along the way he became known as one of the greatest guitar players of all-time (#8 on Rolling Stone's top 100 in 2003; #32 on Gibson--of guitar making fame--list of 2010).  Cooder has become a composer of soundtracks extraordinaire, with over 17 for his career.  He has 59 listings on LPs as a guest musician, as well as 19 collaborative efforts (including Buena Vista Social Club which brought Cuban music back into the spotlight, won a Grammy, as well as leading to an Academy Award nominated documentary).  For his solo career, Cooder has released seventeen solo studio albums, and seven singles.  He's also won six Grammy Awards.  And to put a cherry on the top of his illustrious body of work, Cooder is an unabashed Democrat who has supported numerous liberal causes, including civil rights, immigration, and income inequality to name but a few.

Fun Fact:  As noted above, this week's song is a cover of an Ike and Tina Turner song from 1961 which was entitled "It's Gonna Work Out Fine."  It reached #4 (with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for a Grammy Award.  I'd never heard it before doing my half-assed research this week, but would highly recommend it (it can be found here)--it's considerably (and I do mean considerably) more sultry that Cooder's more laid back instrumental, but well worth the listen.

"I Think It's Going to Work Out Fine" was released in 1979 on Cooder's stellar (and wonderfully entitled) LP, Bop Till You Drop.  The song was not released as a single, and the album reached a tragically low chart position of #62.

Imagine a movie where a protagonist goes through a long and protracted struggle to reach an end result, and at the end, while the end result may not have been exactly what our hero was hoping for, it worked out well enough.  The song that could be playing while he's walking into the setting sun would be "I Think It's Going to Work Out Fine."  Every time I hear it, oddly enough, the song sounds to me as if yes, indeed, everything is going to work out fine.  While Cooder plays the bulk of the guitar parts (and plays them exquisitely), he and David Lindley play off one another throughout and if you're a guitar aficionado like me it's pure six string heaven.  I can guarantee you that if when I was ten I'd chosen guitar lessons instead of Little League (still one of the worst decisions of my life), this is a song I'd either be playing or still trying to learn, even now, forty-two years later.  If joy was a song instead of a word, this is what it would sound like.

Lyric Sheet:  Obviously an instrumental, but lyrics inserted for anyone interested in Ike and Tina's version...

Enjoy:

You Have a Choice:  Pass a Voting Rights Bill, or Welcome Fascism to America

Peace,

emaycee