2009 Favorites

This last post of the year contains videos of my five favorite songs from 2009. Not all of the videos have the best sound so I am also including a link to the lyrics for each song.

"Funny the Way It Is" written by Carter Beauford, Stefan Lessard, Dave Matthews, Leroi Moore, Boyd Tinsley and Tim Reynolds.

The song is from the Dave Matthews Band album Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King.

I posted an another version of this song previously in my Animation post.




"Nemesis" written by David Gray, Robbie Malone and Neill MacColl.

This is from David Gray's album Draw the Line. I had trouble getting a video of this with good audio quality. Here is an extended version of the song that ends with what I think are a couple lines from the Kate Bush song "Running Up That Hill".




"Chalk" by written by Julie Miller.

This song is from Buddy & Julie Miller's album Written In Chalk. On the album Buddy performs the song with Patty Griffin, but there is no good video of them performing it together, so here is a version with just Buddy performing.



"Remember Well" written by Luke Bulla.

This song is on the album WPA put out by the group Works Progress Administration. The band is fronted by Glen Phillips from Toad the Wet Sprocket, Sean and Sara Watkins from Nickel Creek, and Luke Bulla, who wrote this song and also sings lead on it.



"Sulphur to Sugarcane" written by Elvis Costello and T Bone Burnett.

None of the songs so far have been particularly upbeat, and the last song was about Alzheimer's. So I at least want to end with some levity. This song is off Elvis Costello's album "Secret, Profane & Sugarcane".

Winterbloom

I posted a video from the group Winterbloom last week. You can listen to their concert on Mountain Stage Here.

Wanda Jackson

Before the year ends I want to do a post to recognize that in 2009 Wanda Jackson—the "Sweet Lady with the Nasty Voice"—was finally inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. There has been a campaign over the last couple years, led by Elvis Costello, to see that she made it in, and it has finally happened.

The first female rockabilly star, here is my favorite Wanda Jackson song, "Hard Headed Woman".



Another early recording of "Sparklin' Brown Eyes".



A performance from 2008 of "Whole Lot a Shakin' Goin' On" and "Let's Have a Party".



For good measure, here is a short documentary where she describes her first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry.

Christmas 2009 - Pt 3

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

For Christmas I am posting instrumental music. Strictly speaking these are not all Christmas songs, but I think they all have the right spirit.

Off Yo-Yo Ma's holiday album from last year "Songs of Joy & Peace", here he performs "My Favorite Things" with Chris Botti.



From Chris Botti in Boston, here Botti and Lucia Micarelli perform "Emmanuel".



For a Christmas finale, here is a video with beautiful pictures and beautiful music, George Winston's "Carol of the Bells".

Christmas 2009 - Pt 2

Eartha Kitt died on Christmas Day 2008. Fortunately, we still have this classic Christmas song, "Santa Baby".



A video that goes back a few years. From 1960, Patsy Cline and Ferlin Husky singing "Let It Snow".



One of my favorite Christmas traditions is Darlene Love's appearance on the David Letterman Show every year to perform "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)". She first recorded this song over 45 years ago for the album "A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector". It is still a treat to hear her sing it every year. This years performance is scheduled for broadcast tonight. The video here is from last year.

Christmas 2009 - Pt 1

I going to post Christmas music this week. Starting with Amos Lee's version of John Prine's song "Christmas in Prison".



Willie Nelson performing his song "Pretty Paper".



I found this video on the No Depression Blog. This is Winterbloom performing "Thanks for the Roses (Merry Christmas)".

Kenny Rogers & Brain Recovery

I wonder if this makes Kenny Rogers eligible for sainthood.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Pt. 3

My motto is you can never have to many Sister Rosetta Tharpe videos. I have done one post with her videos, and another post of covers of songs she sang. Someone has recently posted two very good Sister Rosetta videos from a 1964 French TV show.

Here is "Up Above My Head".



Here she performs "Two Little Fishes & Five Loaves of Bread". This song is followed by a performance by Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee of "I'm a Stranger Here, Just Blowed in Your Town". They appeared with Woodie Guthrie in a previous post.

The Madison Glorious Sounds Band of the United House of Prayer

I ran across The Madison Glorious Sounds Band of the United House of Prayer last week performing at the DC Holiday Market outside the Portrait Gallery.

Someone has posted video of their performance there two years ago. They are definitely worth a listen.

The Pappy Johns Band

I am going to feature one more Canadian band before I move on to something else. I saw The Pappy Johns Band a couple years ago at the opening celebration for the Nation Museum of the American Indian. They are one of my favorite blues bands.

Here is a video of "Them Changes" from the Ottawa Bluesfest earlier this year.



A couple videos from in November have been posted. Here are two of them. "Can't Wait to Get Back Home". This song is off their latest album Havin' a Good Time.



Here is their version of the song "My Babe". This song was written by Willie Dixon based on the gospel song "This Train (Is Bound For Glory)", which was a hit for Sister Rosetta Tharpe about 70 years ago.

Corb Lund

Next Canadian artist to be featured is Corb Lund. I saw him perform a couple years ago at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. NPR did a segment on him last month called Boot-Kickin' Canadian Cowboy, and that is a good way to sum him up.

Here are a couple videos of him and his band the Hurtin' Albertans, starting with a good drinkin' song, "Time to Switch to Whiskey".



"Hard On Equipment (Tool For The Job)"



"Horse Soldier, Horse Soldier"

The Duhks

The second Canadian group this week is The Duhks. Based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, but they have done a good bit of touring in the United States. I saw them a couple years ago. I have previously posted one of their videos in the Galveston post.

The first video of "Who'll Take My Place" is with their original lead singer, Jesse Havey.



Jesse Havey has been replaced by Sarah Dugas as lead singer, and she appears in the next two videos, including "Death Came Knockin'".




This is the title track from there latest album, "Fast Paced World".

Great Big Sea

This week I am going to do posts on some of my favorite Canadian bands. First up is Great Big Sea. They perform traditional songs, as well as songs they have written. I did see them live a couple years ago at Artsape, and you'll probably never see a concert that is more fun. Here are a few of their best videos.

"Old Brown's Daughter"



"Excursion Around the Bay"



"The Old Black Rum"



"A Boat Like Gideon Brown"— I am not sure if Gideon Brown is related to Old Man Brown in the first video above or not.

Darrell Scott Covers

Today to I am going to post covers of the first three songs in my last post on Darrell Scott.

Here is the Patty Loveless version of "You'll Never Leave Harlan A Live". I saw Patty perform this a couple years ago when she was part of the Down from the Mountain tour. It was definitely one of the high points of the show.



Travis Tritt performing "Great Day to be Alive".



Dixie Chicks performing "Long Time Gone".

Darrell Scott

Today's post is on one of my favorite song writers, Darrell Scott. Several of his songs have been hits for other people. I am going to post his version of some of his songs.

First, "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive".



"Great Day To Be Alive"



"Long Time Gone"



This song, "Out Among the Stars", is from his latest album Modern Hymns. As far as I know no one has covered this yet.