Spotlight on an old folk ditty today, lovingly reinterpreted by Anaïs Mitchell & co. Green Rocky Road is an outtake from Bonny Light Horseman's selftitled debut, which still gets plenty of airplay at FTSOTS headquarters. Got it yet?
Bonny Light Horseman - Green Rocky Road
Just a quickie on a Monday with the totally whacky Marsha Gee. Quack quack...
Marsha Gee - The Peanut Duck
It's 1973, and Wallace Daniel Pennington from Vernon, Alabama, better known as Dan Penn, soulifies a John Fogerty classic. Nice try for sure, but hey, if you're nobody's fool you could have realised that the Creedence version just can't be beat.
Dan Penn - Lodi
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Lodi
Presenting six inspired covers to celebrate the bard's birthday. Eighty as we speak! Many happy returns, Bob.
Barbara Keith - All Along The Watchtower
Will Beeley - You Ain't Goin' Nowhere
Roger Tillison - Down In The Flood
Yo La Tengo - I Threw It All Away
Scott Hirsch - Ain't No More Cane
Nathan Salsburg & Joan Shelley - Dark Eyes
Dave's Picks #38? Sure-fire winner of course. The Dead could hardly do no wrong back in '73, and this inspired and fine-sounding registration of a gig in Uniondale, New York shows why. Hey now, just check that divine take on their delicious mini Western Jack Straw below to hear what I mean.
Grateful Dead - Jack Straw (live Uniondale '73)
The twelfth volume in the triptastic Brown Acid series has finally appeared, so lock up your womanfolk - always wanted to say that - and dig this new batch of overblown, ultra-obscure rockers from the early seventies if you dare.
Shane - Woman (Don't You Go)
Just drums and shimmering guitars, courtesy of Eric Hardiman (Burnt Hills) and Michael Kiefer (Twin Lakes). Together, they go exploring in a psychedelic postpunk stylee. If you've recently grooved to the Gunn-Truscinski Duo, to name but one example, First Encounters is probably right up your alley.
Spiral Wave Nomads - Radiant Drifter
This recent all-acoustic collection of live Townes tracks is worth it for a gorgeous rendition of his immortal Waitin' Round To Die alone. He can't remember for the life of him where the posse drags him back to though and flufs the Muskogee line, which is actually kinda funny. Here goes.
Townes Van Zandt - Waitin' Round To Die (live)
Is there a sadder song in his oeuvre? Since you ask, oh yes there is... And it's quite possibly the saddest song ever in my book, full stop. The story of Caroline, daughter of a miner. "Seemed to me that sunshine walked beside her..." Take it away, maestro.
Townes Van Zandt - Tecumseh Valley (live)
Hurrah, for I'm finally getting my first anti-Covid jab later today. Looks like them scientists can help you after all...
Yabby You - Plague On The Land
King Tubby - Dub Plague
Tommy McCook - Plague Of Horn
As a Feelies aficionado, this Scottish/Spanish collaboration between Andrew Taylor and Gonzalo Marco immediately caught my eye. And although that Feelies-influence is actually not all that obvious, you'd be daft not to give Songs From Another Life a listen if sparkling jangly powerpop à la early dB's is your thing.
The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness - I Don't Mind
