Tag Archives: E Street Band

Bruce Springsteen

Unreleased – Bruce Springsteen – Protection

2 Comments

Bruce Springsteen 1981

The Unreleased series

This is a new series (hopefully). We we seek out and present unreleased songs by various artists. Check out the About Us page and you’ll get a picture of what artists we are concentrating this series on. This does not mean that we will only do songs by these artists/groups, but our focus will be on that list.

We will start with a Born in the U.S.A. outtake by Bruce Springsteen. We are eagerly waiting for Tracks part 2, The Boss have a lot of great songs that are still unreleased.

I stand alone at my window
I see you waiting in the shadows down below
I feel your fingers on my face
I know I want to stay, but I want to run away

Our first unreleased track is Protection, here in a studio version by Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street band:

It was recorded in Jan-Feb 1982 at the Hit Factory in New York. “Protection” is written by Bruce Springsteen for Donna Summer. It was originally featured on the 1982 Donna Summer album which was produced by Quincy Jones.

Record executive David Geffen, a friend Jon Landau, asked Landau if his client could write something for Donna Summer who had joined his label Geffen Records. The idea was that Springsteen and Summer record the song as a duet, so Springsteen wrote Cover Me!

She could really sing and I disliked the veiled racism of the anti-disco movement
– Bruce  Springsteen (Songs)

However when Landau heard the result, Cover Me, he persuaded Springsteen to keep that song for himself. Bruce then wrote Protection.
Continue reading Unreleased – Bruce Springsteen – Protection →

Memphis, Music Calendar, Soul

Today: Al Green is 67

al green

I’m thankful for every moment.
~Al Green

The music is the message, the message is the music. So that’s my little ministry that the Big Man upstairs gave to me – a little ministry called love and happiness.
~Al Green

If Al decides to turn into Otis Redding after all, we may look back at this repackaging of his earliest recordings as the beginning of a great stylist. If he decides to turn into Diana Ross, as seems at least possible, we will forget it quickly enough.
~Robert Christgau (in 1972 – review of “Al Green” album)

Let’s Stay Together (Live 1972):

President Obama:

 Wikipedia:

Birth name Albert Greene
Also known as The Reverend Al Green
Born April 13, 1946 (age 67)
Origin Forrest City, Arkansas, U.S.
Genres R&B, gospel, soul, smooth soul
Occupations Reverend, vocalist, producer,songwriter
Instruments Vocals, guitar
Years active 1967–present
Labels Hi, Myrrh, The Right Stuff
Associated acts The Creations, Willie Mitchell
Website Official website

Albert Greene (born April 13, 1946), better known as Al Green or Reverend Al Green, is an American singer, better known for scoring a series of soul hit singles in the early 1970s, including “Tired of Being Alone”, “I’m Still In Love With You”, “Love and Happiness” and his signature song, “Let’s Stay Together”. Inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, Green was referred to on the museum’s site as being “one of the most gifted purveyors of soul music”. Green was included in the Rolling Stone list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, ranking at No. 66.

al green 2

Love and Happiness (live – HQ):

Al Green was the first great soul singer of the ’70s and arguably the last great Southern soul singer. With his seductive singles for Hi Records in the early ’70s, Green bridged the gap between deep soul and smooth Philadelphia soul. He incorporated elements of gospel, interjecting his performances with wild moans and wails, but his records were stylish, boasting immaculate productions that rolled along with a tight beat, sexy backing vocals, and lush strings.
~Stephen Thomas Erlewine (allmusic.com)

al green 3

Awards:

  • Inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995
  • In 2004, Green was inducted into the Gospel Music Association‘s Gospel Music Hall of Fame
  • In the same year he was inducted into The Songwriters Hall of Fame
  • In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him No. 65 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time
  • He was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2009 BET Awards on June 24, 2009 

On August 26, 2004, Green was honored as a BMI Icon at the annual BMI Urban Awards. He joined an impressive list of previous Icon honorees including R&B legends James Brown, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Bo Diddley

Al Green Live in Chicago 78 (58min):

 Playlist of the day:

Other April 13:

Continue reading Today: Al Green is 67 →

folk, Music Calendar

Today: Robert Earl Keen is 57

…Here’s Bob Dylan and he is the greatest and when we’re all dead and gone and they’re looking back at us 400 years from now, they can look at Bob and say he was the Shakespeare of songwriters, and I would agree.
~Robert Earl Keen (to American Songwriter – Sept. 2011)

Among the large contingent of talented songwriters who emerged in Texas in the 1980s and ’90s, Robert Earl Keen struck an unusual balance between sensitive story-portraits (“Corpus Christi Bay”) and raucous barroom fun (“That Buckin’ Song”)
~James Manheim (allmusic.com)

Amarillo Highway live at the Ryman:

From Wikipedia:

Born January 11, 1956 (age 57)
Origin Houston, Texas, United States
Genres Country, Texas country, outlaw country, country rock, alternative country, folk, Americana
Occupations Singer, Songwriter
Instruments Acoustic Guitar
Years active 1984–present
Labels Arista Records
Sugar Hill Records
KOCH Records
Lost Highway
Rosetta Records,Inc.
Website RobertEarlKeen.com

Robert Earl Keen, Junior (born January 11, 1956) is an American country and folk guitarist and singer-songwriter from the southern state of Texas. He is popular with fans of various musical genres including traditional country, alternative country, folk, Americana, and college radio. Keen currently resides in Kerrville, Texas, and maintains a ranch in Medina, Texas.

REK

Gringo Honeymoon:

Album of the day:

Best (2006):

REK best

More January 11:

Continue reading Today: Robert Earl Keen is 57 →

Bruce Springsteen, Great albums

Bruce Springsteen: Born To Run

1 Comment

OLD post … You’re being redirected to a newer version……

Don’t run back inside
Darling you know just what I’m here for
So you’re scared and you’re thinking
That maybe we ain’t that young anymore
Show a little faith there’s magic in the night
You ain’t a beauty but hey you’re alright
Oh and that’s alright with me

Happy Birthday to my fav Springsteen album!

From Wikipedia:

Released August 25, 1975 – (37 years old:)
Recorded Record Plant, New York
914 Sound Studios, Blauvelt, New York
January 1974 – July 1975
Genre Rock
Length 39:26
Label Columbia
Producer Bruce Springsteen, Mike Appel, Jon Landau

Born to Run is the third album by the American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen. It was released on August 25, 1975 through Columbia Records. It captured the heaviness of Springsteen’s earlier releases while displaying a more diverse range of influences.

Born to Run was a critical and commercial success and became Springsteen’s breakthrough album. It peaked at number three on the Billboard 200, eventually selling six million copies in the US by the year 2000. Two singles were released from the album: “Born to Run” and “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out“; the first helped Springsteen to reach mainstream popularity. The tracks “Thunder Road” and “Jungleland” became staples of album-oriented rock radio and Springsteen concert high points.

On November 14, 2005, a “30th Anniversary” remaster of the album was released as a box set including two DVDs: a production diary film and a concert movie.

Continue reading Bruce Springsteen: Born To Run →

Music Calendar, The Kinks

Today: Ray Davis is 68

From Wikipedia:

Raymond Douglas “Ray” Davies, CBE born 21 June 1944) is an English rock musician. He is best known as lead singer and songwriter for The Kinks, which he led with his younger brother, Dave. He has also acted, directed and produced shows for theatre and television.

Awards

  • On 17 March 2004, Davies received the CBE from Queen Elizabeth II for “Services to Music.”
  • On 22 June 2004, Davies won the Mojo Songwriter Award, which recognises “an artist whose career has been defined by his ability to pen classic material on a consistent basis.”
  • Davies was also a judge for the third annual Independent Music Awards. His contributions helped assist upcoming independent artists’ careers.
  • Davies and the Kinks were the third British band (along with The Who) to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, at which Davies was called “almost indisputably rock’s most literate, witty and insightful songwriter.” They were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005.
  • On 3 October 2006, Davies was awarded the BMI Icon Award for his “enduring influence on generations of music makers” at the 2006 annual BMI London Awards.
  • On 15 February 2009, The Mobius Best Off-West End Production in the UK for the musical Come Dancing.
  • On 7 September 2010, Davies was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award at the GQ Men of the Year Awards.
  • On 26 October 2010, Davies was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at his AVO Session concert in Basel; the concert was televised internationally.

My fav Kinks song – Waterloo Sunset (live):

and another great live version:

Album of the day:

Other June-21:

Continue reading Today: Ray Davis is 68 →