Various Artists – Gotta Get Up! The Songs of Harry Nilsson Vol. 3

After compiling Volume 2 earlier, this month, I found that I had enough songs to complete another set. Like Volume 2, this kicks off with a cover of “Gotta Get Up’. After that, there is a mix of songs Nilsson wrote but didn’t always record a version of himself. These include songs from before he signed his contract with RCA such as ‘A Travellin’ Man’ and ‘Paradise’ as wells many recorded afterwards. There is the other side of the single that Kenny Everett released (with the first being included on Vol.2) as well as more performances by The Turtles and Jimmy Cross. George Tipton, Nilsson’s arranger on his early records makes another appearance but there is also room for a novelty recording such as the version of ‘Without Her’ by Telly Savalas. The disc finishes with a special bonus in that it contains the song ‘Little More Rain’ from the ‘New Nilsson Songs’ demo album. As of now, no one has been able to find out who the singer is.

Once again, unlike Ace Record, I do not have access to the original tapes so some of these have been taken from vinyl transfers, so please excuse the pops etc. The sleeve is similar in style to the Ace Records volume. The differences being that I could not match the original font and there are no dates under the title. I decided that that was unnecessary as this was meant to highlight Nilsson songs throughout the years. Its not really the covers you are here for though, but the music. Well, that is top notch. Enjoy!

  1. Gotta Get Up – Marty Finkel
  2. Everybody Philly – The Citations
  3. Maybe – Labi Siffre
  4. 1941 – Joel Grey
  5. It’s Been So Long – Kenny Everett
  6. Me & My Arrow – Davy Jones
  7. Wailing Of The Willow – Liza Minnelli
  8. Remember (Christmas) – Johnny Mathis
  9. Countin’ – Mike Clifford
  10. Don’t Leave Me – Robert John
  11. I Guess The Lord Must be In New York City – The New Yorkers
  12. Chicken Track – Jimmie Cross
  13. The Story Of Rock ’n’ Roll – The Turtles
  14. The Puppy Song – David Cassidy
  15. Open Your Window – George Tipton
  16. One – Chris Clark
  17. All My Life – The Walkmen (feat. Allesanora Mario)
  18. Easy For Me – Ringo Starr
  19. Without Her – Telly Savalas
  20. Together – Clodagh Rodgers
  21. Paradise – Jean King
  22. A Travellin’ Man – The New Christine Minstrels
  23. Little Cowboy – The Buffoons
  24. Little More Rain – Unknown

Various Artists – Gotta Get Up! The Songs of Harry Nilsson Vol. 2

Back in 2017, Ace Records released a wonderful collection dedicated to Harry Nilsson, the songwriter, not the performer. The collection was a curious mix of the well known (The Monkees), the family member (his daughter Annie Nilsson) and the down right obscure (Jimmie Cross). The album sleeve said that all of the songs came from 1965-1972, and then opened with a song recorded in 2013. Oh well. That is a bit of nit picking on my part, but Ace Records did a really good job with this compilation as it made some of the pre fame singles that I had only ever heard on scratchy vinyl transfer, available in crystal clear sound for what could have been the first time.

As Nilsson has had his songs covered by a myriad of artists that were not covered by this compilation, I thought I would see if there was enough material to make a volume 2. What I found is there was indeed enough for not only a second volume, but a third as well. I decided to try and follow the template of the original compilation as close as I can, starting the disc with a cover of the song ‘Gotta Get Up’. This is not one of Nilsson’s most covered songs but luckily there were two additional covers I could use. Both discs contain 24 songs and once again, they feature a mix of well known artists as well as the obscure. These include Hugo Montenegros’s rather bizarre cover of ‘Me & My Arrow’; a song from The Walkman, who decided to cover the entire ‘Pussy Cats’ album and are a couple of novelty covers from The Muppets and British DJ Kenny Everett (who on this occasion, plays it quite straight).

Unlike Ace Record, I do not have access to the original tapes so some of these have been taken from vinyl transfers, so please excuse the pops etc. The sleeve is similar in style to the Ace Records volume. The differences being that I could not match the original font and there are no dates under the title. I decided that that was unnecessary as this was meant to highlight Nilsson songs throughout the years. Its not really the covers you are here for though, but the music. Well, that is top notch. Enjoy!

  1. Gotta Get Up – Davy Jones & Mickey Dolenz
  2. Rainmaker – Bobbie Gentry
  3. All For The Beatles (Stand Up & Holler) – The Originals
  4. The Battle Of The Bands – The Turtles
  5. Daddy’s Song – The Casuals
  6. Baby, It’s Over – Debbie Burton
  7. Wailing Of The Willow – Astrid Gilberto
  8. Me & My Arrow – Hugo Montenegro
  9. Super-Dupa Man – Jimmie Cross
  10. Nobody Cares About The Railroads Anymore – George Tipton
  11. Sister Sue – The Soul Men
  12. So Proud Of You – Vivian Roberts
  13. I’d Do It All Again – Dore Alpert
  14. Readin’ Ridin’ & Racin’ – The Super Stocks
  15. Open Your Window – Ella Fitzgerald
  16. Don’t Leave Me – Griffin
  17. One – Three Dog Night
  18. Coconut – The Muppets
  19. Without Her – Kenny Everett
  20. Maybe – Barbra Streisand
  21. Chicago – The Citations
  22. Headlines – The Sunday Funnies
  23. Paradise – The Ronettes
  24. I Guess The Lord Must Be In New York City – Sagittarius

Various Artists – Under The Influence Vol. 2

Here on the second volume of my Under The Influence Series, the theme is 60’s soul with a smattering of songs that would later become known as Northern Soul. 

Disc 1

  1. Seven Days Too Long – Chuck Wood
  2. Sliced Tomatoes – Just Brothers
  3. Tainted Love – Gloria Jones
  4. Losing Boy – Eddie Giles
  5. Wade In The Water – Ramsey Lewis Trio
  6. Bring Your Love Back – Linda Lyndell
  7. Sister Lee – Sam Ward
  8. (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher – Jackie Wilson
  9. Do You Love Me – The Contours
  10. Money (That’s What I Want) – Barrett Strong
  11. You Keep Me Hanging On – The Supremes
  12. The Girl Across The Street – Moses Smith
  13. Nothing Can Help You Now – Lenny Curtis
  14. I’ll Do Anything (He Wants Me To) – Doris Troy
  15. Jimmy Mack – Martha & The Vandellas
  16. This Old Heart of Mine – The Isley Brothers
  17. Try It Baby – Marvin Gaye
  18. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love – Soloman Burke
  19. Helpless – Kim Weston
  20. Uptight (Everything’s Alright) – Stevie Wonder
  21. Leaving Here – Eddie Holland
  22. Cool Jerk – The Capitols
  23. Lonely, Lonely Girl Am I – The Velvelettes
  24. Going To A Go-Go – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
  25. How Sweet IS It To Be Loved by You – Jr. Walker & The All Stars
  26. Put Yourself In My Place – The Elgins
  27. Every Little Bit Hurts – Brenda Holloway
  28. Time Is On My Side – Irma Thomas

Disc 2

  1. Moonlight, Music & You – Laura Greene
  2. Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) – Frank Wilson
  3. Soul Time – Shirley Ellis
  4. The Snake – Al Wilson
  5. Bari Track – Doni Burdick
  6. Out On The Floor – Dobie Gray
  7. You Don’t Love Me – Epitome Of Sound
  8. Just A Little Misunderstanding – The Contours
  9. A Lot Of Love – Homer Banks
  10. Long After Tonight Is All Over – Jimmy Radcliffe
  11. Time Will Pass You By – Tobi Legend
  12. Lonely For You Baby –Sam Dees
  13. Come On Train – Don Thomas
  14. Girls Are Out To Get You – The Fascinations
  15. You Shook Me Up – Roy Hamilton
  16. Get Ready – The Miracles
  17. Landslide – Tony Clarke
  18. Hit & Run – Rose Batiste
  19. Breakin’ Down The Walls Of Heartache – The Bandwagon
  20. Looking For You – Garnet Mimms
  21. Here I Go Again – Archie Bell & The Drells
  22. 1-2-3 – Len Barry
  23. He Was Really Saying Something – The Velvelettes
  24. Come See About Me – The Supremes
  25. There’s Nothing Else To Say – The Incredibles
  26. Get Out Of Life Woman – Lee Dorsey
  27. Whatcha Gonna Do About It – Doris Troy
  28. Cry Baby – Garnet Mimms & The Encharters
  29. Big Bird – Eddie Floyd
  30. Everything’s Gonna Be Alright – P.P. Arnold

A playlist for this complication could not be produced due to one or more songs not being available on Spotify. 

Deutschland 86 – Original Soundtrack

I thought that as Deutschland 89, last series of this rather fine German TV programme was finally airing in the UK from 5th March 2021, I would revisit the second series to produce a soundtrack for it. Unlike the soundtracks to Deutschland 83, there will only be one and it will be a mix of both German and English speaking artists. I also felt that this album, if it had been released in 1986, would have come out once agin on the K-Tel label, so their logo is included in the top left of the sleeve.

With the previous compilation for Deutschland 83, I felt that the record label would have wanted to have squeezed on as many songs as they could so went for the shorter version where available. That includes the single versions for the Level 42 and Evelyn Thomas songs. That was also the reason for concluding the 1985 version of Howard Jones’ ‘No-One Is To Blame’, regardless if this was the version used in the show or not. Record companies have not always been the best at releasing the correct versions of songs in tie in compilations. As the song ‘Major Tom (Coming Home)’ by Peter Schilling was once again used as the theme tune in the UK, it would also be the opening song to this collection. However, I selected another Schilling track which is included on the flip side of the LP. 

Other than Peter Schilling, the two other German speaking artists are a pre ‘Rock Me Amadeus’ Falco and Klaus Nomi. The Falco song, ‘Der Kommissar’ is seen as an influential German language rap song which was later a bigger hit for the British band, After The Fire. Klaus Nomi on the other hand was a one off. With a counter tenor vocal range which meant he had the vocal range equivalent to a female contralto of mezzo-soprano, this is the one obscure artist per compilation. Nomi is known for appearing on Saturday Night Live with David Bowie in 1979 as well as being one of the first people connected to the arts to die from AIDS. I cannot give his back story justice here, but if you are interested to find out more, the internet is your friend. The man was a true one off and his back catalogue is also well worth checking out. 

Being as this is 1986 and all that, I felt that the record label would be interested in appealing to the CD buyer. This was the year of ‘Brothers In Arms’, the first CD album to not only sell a million copies but to outsell its vinyl equivalent. One way of appealing to the CD buyer was to offer them something not available on another format. With ‘Brothers In Arms’ there wasn’t any bonus tracks on the CD version of the album, but the songs were longer. They had to be edited to fit onto a single LP. Queen on the 1986 CD edition of ‘A Kind Of Magic’ put three exclusive mixes of songs at the end of the disc. With this soundtrack album, I have added two additional songs in the shape of ‘Such A Shame’ by Talk Talk, and ‘I Want You’ by Elvis Costello & The Attractions. These songs are both quite long and would have been a doubt for the LP, unless edited. Enjoy.   

Side A

  1. Major Tom (Coming Home) – Peter Schilling
  2. Rock of Ages – Def Leppard
  3. Close To Me – The Cure
  4. Der Kommissar – Falco
  5. No-On Is To Blame (1985 Version) – Howard Jones
  6. High Energy (Single Version) – Evelyn Thomas

Side B

  1. Road To Nowhere – Talking Head
  2. Hot Water (Single Version) – Level 42
  3. Homeless – Paul Simon
  4. Terra Titanic (Lost At Sea) – Peter Schilling
  5. Cold Song – Klaus Nomi
  6. Tonight She Comes – The Cars

CD Bonus Tracks

  1. Such A Shame – Talk Talk
  2. I Want You – Elvis Costello & The Attractions. 

Covert art from https://tomsdesigns.co.uk/deutchsland-86