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That Friday Feeling

Bryan Burnett | 20:36 UK time, Thursday, 23 February 2012

houston_crop.jpg

Thanks to everyone for listening and contributing to tonight's show, and thanks for having me! It was a pleasure as always to step into Bryan's shoes and do it all again. Highlights for me were The Clash, Haysi Fantayzee and Madness, as we asked for songs with film stars and actors in the lyrics. It was a fun show, all in all!

Seeing as it's the last Friday in February, it's time for the 'Get It On' monthly review. Along with gongs being handed out on both sides of the Atlantic, the music business was dominated by one story - the sad death of Whitney Houston. So on Friday night; along with celebrating her contribution to music, we're going to celebrate all of those who have left behind a musical soundtrack. From Elvis Presley to Amy Winehouse, Jimi Hendrix to Buddy Holly, Michael Hutchence to Kurt Cobain there are loads of great artists who sadly passed away in their prime. Suggest your favourite songs and Bryan will spin them for you.

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    FRIDAY


    Let's hear it for ABDELBASET al-MEGRAHI!


    I Ain't Dead Yet
    -


    >8-D

  • Comment number 2.

    FRIDAY

    Ìý

    - Sensational Alex Harvey Band


    :o)

  • Comment number 3.

    Staring At The Rude Boys ~ T. Ruts (Malcolm Owen)

  • Comment number 4.

    Gone is Warren ZEVON. He died in 2008. This incredible lyricist, singer and musician should NEVER be forgotten.
    'MacGillyCuddy's reeks'
    'Lord Byron's luggage'
    'Empty handed heart'
    Franck and Jesse James'
    'Excitable boy'
    'johnny strikes up the band'
    'Rub me raw'
    'Play it all night long'.... and so many other songs....

  • Comment number 5.

    FRIDAY


    Oft requested, etc.

    - Clifford T. Ward


    :o)

  • Comment number 6.

    trying again for one of Scotland's most respected musicians

    Strolling Down the Highway - Bert Jansch

    and what about the man from whom he got

    Anji - Davey Graham

    and yet another plea for another great guitarist

    Leave the Light On - Jeff Healey

  • Comment number 7.

    Over the hill - John Martyn

  • Comment number 8.

    Tammi Terrell ~ I Can't Believe You Love Me or with Marvin Gaye ~ Your Precious Love

  • Comment number 9.

    How to write a song - Harry Nilsson, from his 'Sandman' album, which, come to think of it, I haven't heard in over 30 years. I feel a purchase coming on...

    DC

  • Comment number 10.

    Taxi / Harry Chapin
    A Letter to Myself / Chi Lites (Eugene Record)
    Operator / Jim Croce
    Too weak to fight / clarence Carter

    More to follow no doubt

  • Comment number 11.

    Whitney Houston and the harmful effects of the 'Gravitas' hype.

    Almost everyone says that Whitney Houston changed the way female pop vocals were translated,stylistically.As a side issue, I don't think this especially fair to Donna Summer, in particular, but neither were highly rergarded in the black music scene because they were not of, or reflective of, black music - Whitney, the 'pop' princess and Donna, who sang about sex, produced by a man in Munich, of all places, with an industrial 'Karftwerk on speed' sensibility. It was not until Donna moved to LA and made 'State Of Independence' that she was recognised as having 'gravitas' by her peers.

    Personally, I think Donna Summer has as many, but different, qualities as Whitney.

    Anyone who listens to the long note on 'Dim All The Lights' would be bound to agree, I think.

    The thing which was to give Whitney 'gravitas' in the black music scene was her relationship with 'bad boy' Bobby Brown who was very dismissive of her 'pop' sensibilities and therefore became immediately attractive, complete with all the self destructive possibilities that a 'bad boy' from the black music scene could share with her.When Whitney was at the peak of her 'pop princess' role it was Madonna who was seen as the 'bad' girl but in an astonishing role reversal, Madonna went on to write childrens books and Whitney went on to hard drugs which may have given her the much wanted 'gravitas' in the black music scene but ruined the very thing which made her more than a beautiful looking girl: her voice.

    It is the greatest irony that from this increasingly damaged voice comes her greatest recording (imho) and the only one I can claim to have in my music collection - and it is a belter of a track, but without a belter of a voice.

    My Love Is Your Love - Whitney Houston is a rather softly sung, whispered almost - in places,brillaintly produced, laconiclly R&B, multi - layered, multi tracked vocal - there are few big or long notes, no romantic sensibility. This may be a stylistic change or it may be to assist in disguising the truth that her voice is 'different', not as powerful as it once was.Listen carefully, echos abound, choruses sung independently and simultaneously, prominent constant backing vocal running similtaneously with Whitney, 'deliberately' mumbled phrases, notes shortened and crossed over by other voices - there's a lot going on around a still a beautiful voice, but it's different. Whereas the pop princess had one vocal track, there are maybe five - diffcult to do live.

    The effect, however is to produce a record of rare maturity and timelessness in comparison with some of her early work and in which you get a sense that this different voice is less about vocal gymnastics and sentimental romance than it is about reflecting a life lived, a conversation with a higher power - it has 'gravitas', it is a 'black' music record, it speaks of serious things in a way the pop princess never did.

    And it comes from a time when to be taken seriously as an artist you had to have 'gravitas' - a back story of bad behaviour and self indulgent, self destructive awfulness encouraged by the very people who are supposed to be responsible for your career development - and which in almost all cases results in the destruction of the artist. This can guarantee a special immortality as martyr to troubled talent or sainthood, like John Lennon - the one 'first' McCartney can never equal, the playing field that can never be levelled.

    But, the record business and the world have changed - the hedonism of the past cannot be afforded, to make money you have to perform and you have to be at the top of your game, always.There's just no time for sex and drugs: we're in the strictly rock n roll business - this is a career, developing your talent.

    The people we admire now are unglamerous ordinary folk who make it, like Susan Boyle.

    Wasteful and destructive behaviour is no longer sexy:these days, we just want to hear you sing at your best.Recent performances showed that Whitney could no longer do this and in this sense, Whitney's passing, accidental and tragic, is also symbolic of a baton changing.

    I find hard to imagine Adele and her contemporaries going the same way.

    regardez youse

    henri

  • Comment number 12.

    Rainy Night in Georgia / Brook Benton


    Cry to me /

    These Arms of mine /

    Georgia on my mind /

    The whole town's laughing at me /

  • Comment number 13.

    #11 I happen to agree that Donna Summer had much more to her voice than Whitney and made far better records. The only Whitney song I really like is Hold Me probably cos it has one of the best black voices of all time singing it with her , Teddy Pendergrass.

    Here's another great voice
    Taxi /

  • Comment number 14.

    Ìý

    Ìý
    Ìý Ìý Ìý Is it Lent already?

    - The Allman Brothers Band - for Duane Allman

    Ìý

    Ìý
    Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý {:-{)}

  • Comment number 15.

    'In circles' by Benjamin ORR [CARS]

  • Comment number 16.

    Howie Epstein:

    Makin' Some Noise - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

  • Comment number 17.

    Billy PRESTON 'Nothing from Nothing

  • Comment number 18.

    ... or Kevin COYNE 's 'I'll go too' _featuring on 'Millionaires and Teddy Bears'

  • Comment number 19.

    #11 Non-white youths

  • Comment number 20.

    Well thats Carnival over fur anither year....

    #7 DC, as much as I am a fan, I wouldnt say John Martyn passed away in his prime.
    Neither did Elvis come to that.
    Any others need reviewing? I mean the theme is the theme. Perhaps we need a definition of prime.

  • Comment number 21.

    Adam I think the definition of Prime depends on how old you are! Cut down in their prime as far as I am concerned:

    Buddy Holly - Brown Eyed Handsome man
    Joe Strummer - Coma Girl
    Tim Buckley - Dolphins
    Jeff Buckley - Lover You Should Have Come Over
    Marc Bolan - The Wizard
    Mick Ronson - Only After Dark

  • Comment number 22.

    Johnny, Dee Dee and Joey Ramone:

    'Danny Says' - The Ramones...a nice wee love song, seldom played.

  • Comment number 23.

    .... Or 'People People' by Tommy BOLIN

  • Comment number 24.

    #20
    I suppose the theme would be clearer if it was about dying young. Whitney died young (by modern standards of western mortality) but certainly not in her prime.

    John Lennon died young but arguably was at the beginning of the 2nd coming of John Lennon so, died in his prime.Of course, the advantage of dying young ( excepting that you are dead, of course) is that you are frozen in time and never go on to spoil your rock and roll credentials by writing a frog chorus or an oratorio and suchlike.

    From the 2nd coming of John Lennon - Watching The Wheels

    regardez youse

    henri

  • Comment number 25.

    #24 That is a great song. Just brilliant.

  • Comment number 26.

    FRIDAY



    Three of the people in photie were killed in a plane crash on the 24th. of October, 1977

    Four of the people in the photie have since gone to Heaven.

    Three of the people in the photie are still with us.


    I Know a Little - Lynyrd Skynyrd


    Taken in their prime...

  • Comment number 27.

    Stevie Ray Vaughan had cleaned up his near fatal drug and alcohol addiction and was producing some of his best material to date.
    He had often said he wanted to make an album with his brother Jimmy and, with the help of his good friend Nile Rodgers, they had completed the recording of same in the summer of 1990, sadly he would not live to see it's release.

    In August of the same year SRV had just finished a show with Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Buddy Guy and Jimmie Vaughan, they finished with everyone on stage jamming to 'Sweet Ö÷²¥´óÐã Chicago'
    After the show SRV boarded a helicopter with three members of Eric Clapton's entourage and the pilot, the helicopter crashed just after take-off with no survivors.

    The Family Style Album was released a month later......

    Can I request.

    The Vaughan Brothers - Tick Tock

    Al.

  • Comment number 28.

    an awfy busy day................

    for the record, i don't rate adele.

    the voice has to have ownership of the words,there has to be some chemistry that transmits to the listener, like this.......

    'sunday morning coming down..........johnny cash

    cheers frae the dale

  • Comment number 29.

    #20 ah... the Bobby fae Brazil returns. Have a good holiday?

    It could be argued that John Martyn is a prime example of someone not in his prime, and also that Elvis died because of an overdose of prime beef with side fries.

    Both therefore qualify

  • Comment number 30.

    Alfrae......

    Henri...the second coming of John Lennon?
    As I recall the double fantasy album was hovering around the lower reaches of the chart on it's release. Just like startin over had made it into the top twenty and dropped out. A few bullets later and next week they were both Number one. Followed by Woman, Imagine and a no.2 with Happy Xmas. Watching the wheels wasn't as successful probably as everyone had the album by now.

    Had this tragic event not happened where do you think we would have been with the second coming? Genuine question.

  • Comment number 31.

    ODE TO JOHN LAW by STONE THE CROWS - Les Harvey

  • Comment number 32.

    The day the mmuisc died:

    The Big Bopper - Chantilly Lace

    Richie Valens - La Bamba

  • Comment number 33.

    Otis Redding - 'Hard To Handle'

    Ian Dury (and drummer Charlie Charles of The Blockheads) - 'What A Waste'

    Ray Charles - 'You Don't Know Me'

    Elvis Presley - 'Clean Up Your Own Back yard' (great song...give it a shot)

    Eddie Cochran - 'Sittin' On The Balcony'

    Sylvester - 'You make me feel mighty real'

    Desmond Dekker - 'Sing A Little Song' (I've had a ughy day...this'd cheer me up)

    Sammy Davis Jr - 'Love Me Or Leave Me'

    Mick Ronson - 'Billy Porter'

    Phil Lynott - 'Old Town'

  • Comment number 34.

    James Honeyman-Scott

    The Pretenders - Day After Day

  • Comment number 35.

    Sugar Minott - 'Good Thing Going'

  • Comment number 36.

    #28

    dale_kelvin,

    Thank you! Someone gave me 21 as a gift and I just don't like it!

    You would never catch me trying to impose my tastes upon other people...

  • Comment number 37.

    Kiss and say goodbye - Kate (& Anna) McGarrigle

    Now that would be a graaayyyttt way to end the show

    DC

  • Comment number 38.

    Pete de Freitas

    Echo & The Bunnymen - A Promise

  • Comment number 39.

    Isaac Hayes - wrote 'Hold On, I'm Comin'' and 'When Something Is Wrong With My Baby' - sung by Sam & Dave (Dave's deid too)

  • Comment number 40.

    #30 Thanks Paolo

    The boy has taken footage from an SRV show he did in 1989 in Austin and spliced it with the 1996 Tribute Show.
    Enjoyed watching the result though...

    Here's a wee snip of SRV from the Austin footage that might raise a smile.

    Al.

  • Comment number 41.

    Eddie Kendricks - 'Get Ready' - The Temptations

    Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin (as Ruffin & Kendrick) - 'I Couldn't Believe It' (that Dave's deid too)

  • Comment number 42.

    Quite a sad theme tonight

    Itchycoo Park / Small Faces (Steve Marriott)

    How Come / Ronnie Lane

    Woman / Free (Paul Kossoff)

    I Won't Last a Day Without You / The Carpenters

    Al.

  • Comment number 43.

    Oops! Missed the bit about being 'in their' prime'. Thought you lot were just having one of your debates. Suppose that'll cut some from my list...or will it...oh I can't be bothered...is it not going-home time yet? Roll on the weekendzzzzzzzzzzz

  • Comment number 44.

    #12 & #33

    Ray Charles was 74 when he went!!!!

  • Comment number 45.

    #44 Och I know...but I was out from lunchtime till late-o'clock yesterday and had too many long vodkaszzzzzzzzzzzz

  • Comment number 46.

    #10

    Reports of Clarence Carter's untimely death have been greatly exaggerated, unless the curse of Megrahi has kicked in on the quiet.

    #30 Agreed Double fantasy is duff, except Watching the Wheels. Most people had forgotten about John until he died - his post 'Imagine' work was not highly regarded, though I like Mind Games. McCartney won it hands down. I think the writing process, though is the come back album is like starting over, it is the subsequent ones that pull the quality of the writing and the work up once you're back 'into' it. So when I say 2nd coming I'm being slightly sarcastic because he's been made out to be a saint, greatest person who ever lived etc. but also because of A Walk On Thin Ice which was due out but for his untimely death is a fabulous record that gave a clue to where he was headed, but Bryan won't play that. Maybe he will?

    #41 Big 2nd for anything by Eddie Kendricks - how about Keep On Truckin, the greatest LA Motown record ever made.

    regardez youse

    henri

  • Comment number 47.

    Oh how many times asked for, this gorgeous song. You can keep your Duffys and Adeles,

    Sandy Denny - I'm a Dreamer

  • Comment number 48.

    #46...how about the ones I suggested instead! lol

  • Comment number 49.

    James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon

    Pretenders - Space Invadert

  • Comment number 50.

    Behind Blue Eyes - The Who, featuring the lates Keith Moon & John Entwhistle

    DC

  • Comment number 51.

    #48 - You're quite right... sometimes my natural exuberance spills out all over the place... let's go with your suggestions:-))

  • Comment number 52.

    Google reveals there is a singer songwriter called Craig Whyte.....but he's currently alive and well.

  • Comment number 53.

    Ian Curtis

    Joy Division - Atmosphere

    John McGeoch

    Siouxsie & The Banshees - Spellbound

  • Comment number 54.

    Pete Ham & Tom Evans

    Badfinger - No Matter What

  • Comment number 55.

    #44

    Exactly!

  • Comment number 56.

    Although he died (January 1, 1953) aged 29, Hank Williams, did live to see himself become a major country music star when 33 of his songs hit the charts while he was still alive. However, it seemed like no one at the time would realise the impact his songwriting would have on American music in the years to follow.

    At The First Fall Of Snow ~ Hank Williams

  • Comment number 57.

    Maybe we should have gone with Henri's theme of who al-Meghrai has outlived. So that would be all artists born on April 1st 1952 or later but who have since died.

    Still not a very Friday night sort of theme though, is it?

  • Comment number 58.

    Well, I was only going to with those outlived by Megrahi from his release date of August 2009 - the people we wouldn't have expected him to outlive... it's not as narrow as you think.

    I can feel in my bones we're going to be late for this concert. I hate that.

    regardez youse

    henri

  • Comment number 59.

    #10 #46
    Why did I think Clarence Carter was dead?

    To prove I don't google?



    I would have had my mortgage on that. Just as well I dont gamble.


    And Adam, Ray Charles might have been 74 but he was just getting warmed up.....

  • Comment number 60.

    Something by Robert Palmer or Gerry Rafferty

  • Comment number 61.

    ZEVON sometimes gets some airplay, ok. But Tommy BOLIN, Billy PRESTON and Kevin COYNE are gone AND forgotten.

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