Crazy 'bout Willie: Happy 75th Willie Nelson

Outlaw. Gunslinger. Songwriter. Interpreter. Virtuoso. Trailblazer. Golfer. Jogger. Hemp Enthusiast. Romantic. Picnic Thrower. Road Warrior. Highwayman. Tax Cheat. National Treasure. Willie Nelson, who turns 75 today, is all of these things and many more.

For all Willie’s successes, for all his genius as a singer and generosity as a live performer and guitarist, he is probably best known for writing the 1961 Patsy Cline classic “Crazy.”
Despite its Nashville pedigree, “Crazy” is as much a standard as anything written by Irving Berlin, Cole Porter or any of the more urbane pop sophisticates. With its beautiful melody, jazzy chords and well-chosen words, there's plenty of room for a singer to get cozy and make it his or her own. Lyrically, it brings to mind the definition of insanity: doing the same thing again and again, but expecting a different result.
Crazy
For thinking that my love could hold you
I’m crazy for tryin’
Crazy for cryin’
And I’m crazy
For lovin’ you

Willie wrote the song in early 1961 when he was a struggling songwriter in Music City USA. According to Wikipedia, Willie “originally wrote the song for country singer Billy Walker, but Walker turned it down and Cline picked it as a follow up to her previous big hit "I Fall to Pieces." The song was released in late 1961 and immediately became another huge hit for Cline, eventually becoming one of her signature tunes, and its success helped launch Nelson as a performer as well as a songwriter.” To this day, “Crazy” is the most played song on jukeboxes in the US.

To bring this pivotal moment to life, Rock Turtleneck has restaged and filmed the Cline “Crazy” recording session, starring Jessica Lange as Patsy Cline:



Herewith, Willie’s original demo of “Crazy” from the essential 2003 compilation Crazy: The Demo Sessions, followed by Patsy Cline’s version, followed by a Willie Version from his 1998 VH1 Storytellers show with Johnny Cash, wherein he plays some masterful guitar and reveals the original working title of the song. And in further display of the song’s elasticity, a version from a 70th birthday tribute featuring Willie and cooler-than-thou married couple Diana Krall and Elvis Costello.
Happy 75th Willie!

mp3: Willie Nelson, "Crazy" (demo, 1961) Crazy: The Demo Sessions
mp3: Patsy Cline, "Crazy" Patsy Cline's 12 Greatest Hits
mp3: Willie Nelson & Johnny Cash, "Crazy" VH1 Storytellers

YouTube: Diana Krall, Elvis Costello & Willie Nelson, “Crazy”

iPope

Pope Benedict XVI had a wall-to-wall schedule of public appearances last weekend while in New York City.

Yet in what he called “a small miracle,” he graciously found time to stop by the Rock Turtleneck offices and discuss what was in heavy rotation on his Papal Red iPod Nano. (Click any song title to download.)

The Pontif enjoys the portability of the Nano when he’s on the road. “May God have mercy on anyone who cannot make do with 2,000 songs,” he pontificated.

Prince, “Pope” The Hits
“This song from his 1992 Hits collection is in strict conflict with the Church’s position on pre-marital sexuality and using the lord’s name in vain. But you know what? I dig the groove. Even John the Baptist liked to shake his moneymaker.”

George Harrison, “V2 (Vatican Blues)” Brainwashed
“Rock Turtleneck is big fan of the Quiet Beatle, and so is yours truly. This is a charming look at lapsed Catholicism from Harrison’s final solo album Brainwashed. That it was largely ignored is a sin.”

Simon & Garfunkel, “Benedictus” Live from New York City 1967
“Hearing such heavenly sounds coming from two homely schlubs from Queens is enough to make anyone believe in God.”

Beach Boys, “God Only Knows” Pet Sounds
"Sir Paul McCartney has called this his all-time favorite song, and you know what, it just might be mine too. Speaking of Macca, I used to think divorce was a cardinal sin. Then I met Heather Mills.”

U2, “God Part II” Rattle and Hum
“Don’t believe in forced entry, don’t believe in rape/But every time she passes by, wild thoughts escape.” Fellow divine being Bono nicely summarizes the inherent contradictions between religious piety and earthly desires in this unauthorized sequel to the John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band classic. Great drums by Larry Mullen Jr., arguably the best Catholic drummer on earth.

Wilco, “Jesus, Etc.” Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (this version live in Troutdale, 2007)
One of the most closely held secrets of the Vatican was that “Jesus, Etc.” was the original working title of the Bible. That Tweedy was able to ascertain this indicates he must be touched by the hand of God. I know his fanbase seems to think so.”

Bob Dylan, “Dear Landlord” John Wesley Harding
The landlord here is not Mr. Furley from Three’s Company, so memorably played by Don Knotts, but the Almighty. This is one of Dylan’s greatest hymns filled with good advice:
Each of us has his own special gift
And you know this was meant to be true
And If you don’t underestimate me
I won’t underestimate you.
Amen, Zimmy.

The Rolling Stones, “Heaven” Tattoo You
“This is one of my favorite deep cuts from the Stones, now that "Loving Cup" has been hijacked by Jack White in the new Scorcese film. Will the Stones make it to Heaven? All I can say is, don’t call us, Keith, we’ll call you.”

He Went Crazy: R.I.P. Paul Davis

R.I.P. Paul Davis, writer and singer of the 1977 soft rock classic “I Go Crazy,” who passed away Tuesday of a heart attack.

Many a one-night love affair began and ended with “I Go Crazy” on the hi-fi, a bottle of Martini & Rossi Asti Spumanti on ice and a few ice-breaking lines of blow… wait, that’s only how I imagine this song was listened to by millions of white folks in the 1970s.

“I Go Crazy” was one of the biggest, mellowest hits of the Carter era, peaking at No. 7 on the Billboard chart and staying in the Hot 100 for a record-at-the-time 40 weeks.

I was surprised and saddened to hear of Mr. Davis’s death, and equally surprised to learn that he was white. Even though “I Go Crazy” was a yacht rock touchstone, I had always assumed Davis was of African-American descent, closer in appearance to Cleavon Little than Duane Allman. (This was easy to do in the era before the web and MTV.)

White or black, yacht rock or country rock, Paul Davis is already missed. Herewith, a TV performance introduced by “Garden Party” heartthrob Rick Nelson.

YouTube: Paul Davis, "I Go Crazy"

Happy Earth Day

*In recognition of Earth Day 2008, no brainpower was used in the creation of this blog post.*

Joni Mitchell, "Big Yellow Taxi" (live, 1970)


Talking Heads, "(Nothing But)Flowers" Naked


Carole King, "I Feel the Earth Move" (live)


Marvin Gaye, "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" set to famous "Keep America Clean" Indian — excuse me, I mean Native American — video


R.E.M., "Fall on Me" Lifes Rich Pageant


"There's nothing left for us to say really, but to sing you one last goodnightly song." - Sir Michael Jagger

The Rolling Stones, "Salt of the Earth" The Rolling Stones Rock & Roll Circus, November 1968

Here’s One for You, 19 for Me: The Beatles' "Taxman" on Tax Day

"In this world, nothing is certain but death, taxes, and playing the Beatles’ “Taxman” on April 15th." -Ben Franklin

George Harrison, supposedly the most lucre-minded of the Fab Four, wrote “Taxman” in 1966, in response to the truly unbelievable 95% tax rate the wealthy faced in Britain. Hence the unforgettable first stanza:

Let me tell you how it will be
Here’s one for you, nineteen for me
Cause I’m the taxman

Harrison and the Fabs’ famous sense of humour was at its most acerbic as they portrayed the taxman as a Dickensian money-grubber. All attempts at resistance are futile:

If you drive a car, I’ll tax the street
If you try to sit, I’ll tax your seat
If you get too cold, I’ll tax the heat
If you take a walk, I’ll tax your feet

The song was equally shocking musically, with an off-kilter rhythm anchored by Harrison’s chunky, exotic version of an E7 chord, leaving Paul McCartney plenty of room to fill the void with his nimble bass playing. Liverpudlian funk, one might call it.

Macca also plays the brilliant, Indian-flavored guitar break. Interesting to note that Macca’s playing on his third-best instrument (fourth if you count singing) is more fiery and memorable than what alleged guitar god Eric Clapton can muster in this 1991 performance with Harrison in Japan:

YouTube: George Harrison & Eric Clapton, “Taxman” live in Japan, 1991



“Taxman” was a milestone composition for the Quiet Beatle, the first song of his to kick off an album (Revolver) and his first song that could be argued was the best song on the album. Quite an achievement on an LP that also includes “Eleanor Rigby” “She Said She Said” “For No One” and “Tomorrow Never Knows.”

The “Taxman” sonic template found new life in the angular new wave of early Talking Heads, Gang of Four, XTC and above all in The Jam’s brilliant homage (not to be confused with a rip-off) “Start!” from their fine album Sound Affects.

Let me tell you how it will be: here’s an alternate version of "Taxman" from Anthology 2 with an alternate “anybody got a bit o’ money” backing vocal, plus the Jam’s “Start!” See you at the post office.

mp3: The Beatles, “Taxman” (alternate version), Anthology 2
mp3: The Jam, “Start!,” Sound Affects

YouTube: The Jam, “Start!” 1980
(note Weller’s Harrisonesque haircut, shades and Gibson SG)

One More Cup O' Bobby: Bob Dylan's Starbucks CD

Bob Dylan: Artist’s Choice - The Music That Matters to Him
(Hear Music/Starbucks Entertainment)

“Billie Mae fell in love with Joe the Barista
In another life he was a Sandinista
Five bucks for a grande Joe was how he fleeced ya
But at ten-twenty-nine she was back in line
Beggin’ him to fill her cuuuup”
— from “The Ballad of Billie Mae Starbuck (Cup o’Joe)” early, rare, nonexistent outtake from the 1973 Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid sessions

Pulitzer Prize winner Bob Dylan’s relationship with java stretches back 50 years, to his early days on the Dinkytown, Minnesota coffeehouse circuit. His bottomless refills have included pass-the-hat gigs in the coffee shops of Greenwich Village, his exotic, oft-covered Desire track “One More Cup of Coffee (Valley Below)" and his 2006 “Coffee” episode of Theme Time Radio Hour. Now comes Bob Dylan: Artist’s Choice - Music That Matters To Him, a CD produced by Starbucks's Hear Music label for exclusive sale at their quaint, sparse mom-and-pop coffee shoppes.

The Artist's Choice series follows a simple concept: A well-known musician invites you to spend an hour with their record collection. Previous “hosts” include the Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash, Yo Yo Ma, Emmylou Harris and Elvis Costello.

If you have heard Theme Time on XM (you can find episodes for download here) you know that Dylan's record collection includes pretty much everything. Artist's Choice follows suit, touching upon jump blues, delta blues, bluegrass, reggae, Ethiopian pop, gypsy jazz, torch ballads, world music, rockabilly, Tejano, girl group and big-band.

Dylan's choices, like Dylan himself, seem to come from some alternate, superior universe. Some tracks are so good, you wonder how you've lived so long without them. What kind of earthly purgatory do we live in, for example, where one is forced to hear Starship’s godawful “We Built This City” 847 times without hearing Red Prysock’s joyous "Hand Clappin’" even once?

Dylan offers his commentary on each song as well. The first song, a ferocious blues from the early 60s called “Do Unto Others” by Pee Wee Crayton, begins with the same ferocious lick as the Beatles “Revolution.” As Dylan says in the liner notes: “I bet that John Lennon heard this record at a party once and probably didn’t even know who did it, but that guitar just stuck in his head.”

“Do Unto Others” is just the first of 16 gems you’ll find on Bob Dylan: Artist’s Choice. Pick one up the next time you're headin' to the valley below.

Herewith, some real eye-openers: two choice cuts from Artist's Choice, terrific versions of “One More Cup of Coffee” by Bob and the White Stripes, plus a ska-tastic early Bob Marley Track that may have served as inspiration.

Red Prysock: "Hand Clappin’" Bob Dylan: Artist's Choice
Pee Wee Crayton: “Do Unto Others” Bob Dylan: Artist's Choice

Bob Dylan: “One More Cup of Coffee (Valley Below)" Live 1975: The Rolling Thunder Revue
The White Stripes: “One More Cup of Coffee.” The White Stripes
Bob Marley: “One More Cup of Coffee,” Songs of Freedom

Homeward Bound

After ten and a half months, my family and I are moving back into my house tomorrow. Rock Turtleneck's devoted readers know that it was partially destroyed in a freakish windstorm on May 16,2007. Since then, we have lived in a nice rental home in town and felt trauma give way to collosal pain in the ass to to opporutnity in disguise.

After some anguish, some prayers, a little unemployment that wound up being for the better and a miraculous resurrection, we find ourself with a beatuiful, largely new house, risen like a phoenix from the ashes of near tragedy. Shell shock hath given way to gratitude.

To commemorate the homecoming in proper RT fashion, I can think of nothing better than this priceless performance by Paul Simon and George Harrison from the early days of Saturday Night Live. The two masters perform "Here Comes the Sun" and "Homeward Bound." And Harrison sports one of his most criminally underrated hairstyles. Sometimes the obvious choices in life are the best.

YouTube: Paul Simon & George Harrison: "Here Comes the Sun"/"Homeward Bound," Saturday Night Live, circa 1975