Posted On: Thursday - January 2nd 2020 9:36PM MST
In Topics: Music
Just thinking about yesterday's music posted here, two types of music that you just don't get enough of are that Ragtime and the Rockabilly. The one thing they seem to have in common is speed. I don't think you'll hear a lot of slow ragtime or rockabilly ballads, will you? I'll have to feature more of both, anytime I feel the need for speed.
As for tonight, I want to show the rockabilly music as just speeded-up blues music, but after spending 20 minutes on this, I have been let down, if not by youtube this time, the artists themselves. I'd wanted to embed a great rockabilly version of The Mercury Blues to compare to Steve Miller's (the artist, not the one patriot in the White House) version. Steve Miller didn't write the song either, as it was written by one K. C. Douglas and one Robert Geddins and recorded way back in 1948 as the Mercury Boogie.
The band that did my favorite version (the fast and rockin' one) of Mercury Blues was called The Killer Whales, a 3-man band from 1980s Charleston, S. Carolina. Peak Stupidity has featured their great song Marlene already, 2 1/2 years back. OK, I cannot find their version, so to compare to the slow bluesy Steve Miller version, I did find a guy named David Lindley who does a great rockabilly version (I think?), but his high voice is nothing like that of Killer Whale David Bethany's was:
Not bad. Now, listen to this slooowww blues version from the Steve Miller Band's Fly Like an Eagle album from 1976. When I heard the Killer Whales do this a decade later, I had no idea it was the same song as the old album cut of Steve Miller. This is pretty good, but when you feel the need for speed, well, this sort of thing won't cut it.
Comments:
Moderator
Monday - January 6th 2020 12:29PM MST
PS: Off the grid sounds nice, Ganderson. Thanks for the info. on David Lindley, I'd just heard of him when trying to get that rockabilly version of the Mercury Blues.
Ganderson
Monday - January 6th 2020 10:10AM MST
PS Sorry Achmed, I’ve been off the grid for a few days- David Lindley is wonderful- he played a lot with Jackson Browne, who I mostly don’t love, and Warren. The two albums I have are the one pictured above, and another, Very Greasy, with a good version of Werewolves of London, and , my favorite DL song, Never Knew Her. https://youtu.be/riWJozjQroM
He and Warren did a nice version of Casey Jones on the Dead Tribute album Deadicated.
He and Warren did a nice version of Casey Jones on the Dead Tribute album Deadicated.
MBlanc46
Saturday - January 4th 2020 3:50PM MST
PS Yeah, Mod, the original was doubtless a 78, but if I have the number it’s on a vinyl album or a CD. I have a few 78s picked up in resale shoos and a few 45s, but almost everything is 33 LP or CD.
MBlanc46
Saturday - January 4th 2020 2:54PM MST
PS Yeah, Mod, the original was doubtless a 78, but if I have the number it’s on a vinyl album or a CD. I have a few 78s picked up in resale shoos and a few 45s, but almost everything is 33 LP or CD.
Moderator
Friday - January 3rd 2020 7:29PM MST
PS: I'd heard that "Hot Rod Lincoln" before, Dtbb. Thanks.
That record ought to be made of bakelite plastic, Mr. Blanc, or maybe something preceding that. Vinyl came in later on.
That record ought to be made of bakelite plastic, Mr. Blanc, or maybe something preceding that. Vinyl came in later on.
MBlanc46
Friday - January 3rd 2020 8:44AM MST
PS KC Douglas (born Clanton), Mississippi-born, East Bay—based R&B performer, who recorded for Bob Geddins, Texas-born, Oakland-based R&B record producer. It’s possible that I’ve got a copy of “Mercury Boogie” somewhere in my record collection (though I’m pretty thin on West Coast material). When the dust settles, I’ll have a look.
Dtbb
Thursday - January 2nd 2020 10:25PM MST
PS:I see your Mercury and raise you a Lincoln.
https://youtu.be/868DSi85odQ
https://youtu.be/868DSi85odQ