Tumbling Dice, Linda Ronstadt, Simple Dreams — I have a friend who was a big Ronstadt fan, who played for this for me at top volume when it first came, daring me to dislike it. I don't know. I never actually took to her, but this one recently popped up at random and I have to admit it's a goody. I've added the whole album for future consideration. Meanwhile, I will admit to liking her work with Parton and Harris, but I'm a sucker for harmony. Still, there's something about her voice that bugs me. I especially don't like her Nelson Riddle stuff. I just don't believe her when she sings those songs.
Like to Get to Know You, Spanky & Our Gang, Greatest Hits — Well, this is pure bubblegum, but I have a nostalgic liking for it. Spanky was, apparently, not the real Spanky's daughter. McFarland vs. McFarlane. Anyhow, once again, harmony. Nothing wrong with that. I didn't actually listen to the whole Greatest Hits album. I guess I should, if I want to be a 60s completist.
Route 66, Glenn Frey, After Hours — Can anyone ruin this song? It probably doesn't belong in the playlist as it's constructed, but it's a nice break from, I don't know, three Blue Cheer songs in a row (and no, there's no Blue Cheer in the list, after "Summertime Blues" somehow snuck in but then got caught and summarily expelled). Again, this just came up at random. Go fig.
New Orleans, Gary U.S. Bonds, Birth of a Legend — Another random popup. Thank God for random popups.
Half a dozen or so Crowbar and King Biscuit Boy songs from various albums — I just went on a jag with these guys. So sue me. They were never popular in the States, as far as I can remember, and I just happened to acquire an album at a secondhand record shop (that I happened to manage, giving me droit de seigneur over the used bin). Anyhow, if you can drive your car to their music and not get pulled over for speeding, you have one level head, my friend.
It Ain't the Meat It's the Motion, Maria Muldaur, Waitress in a Donut Shop — I've been late putting Muldaur songs on the list, but I'm a big fan. She is one of the great music archivists, and seems to always have been. She knows her roots, in other words. The role call of contributors to this album is pretty remarkable. Even Linda Ronstadt (see above) showed up. And Dr. John, among many many others, but there was a period (the last 50 years) where old Mac R seemed to show up on every album released in the US. This was a good thing.
Battle is Over But the War Goes On, Levon Helm, The Midnight Ramble Music Sessions Vol 2 — If I have to explain why Levon gets onto the playlist, you need to ask yourself if there isn't some Barry Manilow playlist you could be listening to.
(The New Way of) Grievin' and Smokin', The Gourds, Ghosts of Hallelujah — I went back to the beginning with these guys. This is their second album. When I'm creating the lists of things to audit for the playlist, it's sort of by name association. So after a Levon album, of course one would think of the Gourds. No, they're not The Band, but they're pretty good. This is mostly a country album, not that there's anything wrong with that.
Nothing from the "Stay Awake" album of odd Disney interpretations (e.g., Sun Ra does "Pink Elephants on Parade"), mostly because they're all medleys. Nothing from Collective Soul (eponymous) because they're pretty boring; "Heaven Let Your Light Shine Down" is more than enough, I guess.
Finally, I've been listening to The Beatles, AKA the White Album, remixed, with scads of extras. The music sounds great, and the extras (many of which are new to me) are very entertaining. I probably won't replace any White Album songs already on the playlist, but when I'm in a mood for this album in the future, this is the version I'll be listening to, either the original or the alternate comprising the extra cuts.
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