Charity Chic featured the debut album from Little Feat over at his place a few days ago and chose his two favourite tracks... which led both Lynchie and myself to ask: "What about Willin'!?"
Willin' is my favourite Little Feat song and it's the song I discovered them through. It's also the first Little Feat song ever written, and allegedly the track that got Lowell George fired from The Mothers of Invention, either because a) Frank Zappa thought it was such a good song that Lowell was wasted in his band and should form his own (Zappa did help Little Feat get a recording contract); or b) because of the drugs references which Zappa didn't approve of (really!?). There's another story about how George was fired from The Mothers for playing a 15 minute guitar solo with his amp off... you can take your pick, really.
In Charity Chic's defence though, the version of Willin' on the eponymous debut album isn't my favourite - I far prefer the re-recorded version which appeared on their second album, Sailin' Shoes. That's also the version on which George plays guitar himself, since on the original recording he'd hurt his hand playing with a model airplane (ROCK 'N' ROLL!!!) so Ry Cooder filled in.
Anyway, I'm bending the rules shoehorning either version of the track into my Talky Songs feature since only the first verse is really spoken... but I had to feature it somehow, and as Charity Chic points out, a bit of Little Feat is perfect for this rare UK summer...
I've been on strike today for the first time in my life. I managed 41 years without ever going on strike; I've been a full time teacher just over a month and already I'm unionised and refusing to cross the picket line. Billy Bragg would be proud.... which probably gives away this week's Number One.
Special mention to the Flying Pickets... obviously.
Perhaps not about that kind of union, but what it lacks in relevance it makes up for in passion. And any song that mixes Bruce Springsteen with Billy Bragg gets my vote every time...
No, I never wanted to change the world, but I'm looking for a new New Jersey
Because tramps like us, baby, we were born to die
Growing up in Wales, the Manics were hit hard by the miners' strike. Their biggest hit was inspired by it... and they're still angry (referencing the Battle of Orgreave) on their excellent new album, Rewind The Film.
Even the union can't help the inhabitants of Allentown. For anyone who dismisses Billy as a balladeer, here he's as angry at his country as Springsteen on Born In The USA. Great song.
Coming from South Yorkshire, Jarvis will have seen the worst effects of the miner's strike firsthand too. Working in Barnsley, I'm reminded of it regularly. Those scars are still raw.
Well by 1985, I was as cold a cold could be
But no-one was underground to dig me out and set me free
'87 socialism gave way to socialising So put your hands up in the air once more The north is rising
1. Billy Bragg - There Is Power In A Union
Sharing its title with a song written in 1913 by Joe Hill (presumably not Stephen King's son... unless time travel or supernatural naughtiness are involved), Billy's version sounded defiant against Thatcherism in the 80s... but is it a forlorn hope today?
Now I long for the morning that they realise Brutality and unjust laws cannot defeat us But who'll defend the workers who cannot organise When the bosses send their lackies out to cheat us?
Those were my striking anthems. Which one would cross your picket line?
Well, they had me worried for a few minutes there. Still sanity appears to have preveiled in the USA and so, to celebrate Obama's rightful return to the White House... and a world without the horror of President Mitt... here's eight songs about American presidents... and two about former top members of White House staff.
When the president talks to God
Does he fake that drawl or merely nod?
Agree which convicts should be killed?
Where prisons should be built and filled?
Which voter fraud must be concealed
When the president talks to God?
