She's a vampire in the night (Hello Sailor) #125

Hello Sailor Blue Lady/ Lucy's Leaving Home (Key, K 83, 1977)

I've always thought that Hello Sailor was a perfect name for this decadent bunch of wannabes from Auckland. 

Wannabes is a bit tough. They were good (sometimes great) in Nu Zild but nowheresville in America and Aussie.

Taking a dose of the Stones and a pinch of Velvet Underground as their two cornerstones, Graham Brazier and the boys, instead, became an omnipresent part of Auckland's rock scene in the late seventies.

Blue Lady was easily their biggest hit during that time. Written and sung by GB (my students tell this also stands for 'good bitch' which I'm sure Graham would embrace).

It's one of those songs that immediately takes me back to 1977 - first year at varsity - going to the Windsor Castle with Greg Knowles and his brother and having a ball.

Hidden gem: The B side, also written by GB, is rare - it didn't appear on the parent album (called Hello Sailor). It's got a great Stones vibe (Stones of Black and Blue era), some tasty harmonica from Brazier, driving Ricky Ball drums and a fab bassline from Lisle Kinney. A winner!

I brought you satin and herbs from the places I been (Heart) #124

Heart Even It Up/ Pilot (Epic, ES 435, 1980)

There's something about girls who are inspired by Led Zeppelin. They have attitude. Take Heart - they've been there.

I remain a fan of rock bands with female rawk musicians with attitude like The Runaways, Fanny, Jefferson Airplane's Grace Slick, Patti Smith and, yes, Heart.

Heart were big in the eighties and this song was a top 40 hit for them. It's certainly not their best song or even my favourite Heart song (Barracuda has that killer riff) but it's a great slice of American rock from sisters Anne and Nancy Wilson.

The guitars (by Nancy) are what win me over here - a great guitar riff is a great guitar riff whether it's played by Frank Zappa, Ali Farka Toure, Keef Richards, Jimmy Page, or Nancy Wilson.

Hidden gem: the softer, more melodic side of the sisters is on display on the B side. A lovely B side actually!

It's a rainbow full of sound (The Grateful Dead) #122-123

The Grateful Dead The Music Never Stopped/ Help On The Way (United Artists, K6169, 1975)

The Grateful Dead Johnny B. Goode/ Elvin Bishop Group So Fine (Warner Bros. Records, B 7627, 1972)

The Grateful Dead and singles don't really go together and, lo and behold - here are two of the beasts in my collection.

The strangest one is definitely their version of Johnny B Goode. A more unlikely rock and roll band you'd be hard pressed to find. If I think about great versions of this I can never go past Jimi Hendrix and his incendiary blast on Hendrix In The West. But The Dead? Why O why Garcia?

The Music Never Stopped is different - a brilliant mid period Dead song  from one of my favourite albums. But a single?

Hidden gem: Elvin Bishop doesn't have much in common with the Dead musically so, aside from cynical record company marketing, I have no idea why they'd be paired up on this single. It's an okay song but it's hard to recall it 5 minutes after you've heard it.
 

Last night in Little Rock put me in a haze (Grand Funk Railroad) #121

Grand Funk Railroad We're An American Band/ Creepin (Capitol, F 3660, 1973)

Grand Funk Railroad are one of my eldest son's favourite bands. I'm surmising but I think it's the unpretentious earthy dumbness he appreciates.

Somehow this bluesy Cream style trio of boys from Flint Michigan were huge in the late sixties, early seventies.

By the time We're An American Band went to the top of the charts the band had added a fourth member and became more pop rock oriented. Having Todd Rundgren producing didn't hurt as this and the next single both went to number 1.

Hidden gem: Creepin is a longish track from the album (elsewhere The Railroad, also on the parent album, was used). It's quite tasteful - a mid tempo bluesy song with some nice organ - the antithesis of the A side's bluster.

I'm driving in my car, I turn on the radio I'm pulling you close, you just say no (Bruce Springsteen) #120

Robert Gordon Fire/ Sea Cruise (Private Stock, PVT 54, 1978)

Springsteen wrote Fire with Elvis Presley in mind (apparently he sent The King a demo at about the time he died) and didn't include the song (for obvious stylistic reasons) on his Darkness On The Edge Of Town album.

Instead he gave it to Robert Gordon who knew a smouldering hit when he heard it (the most commercially successful version belongs to The Pointer Sisters which is also from 1978).

Of all the versions (including The Boss') I prefer Gordon's. The rockabilly pout is perfect for the song - you can easily imagine what Elvis would have done with it. 

Chris Isaak has made a career with this sort of thing but R.G. is the realer deal for me, although I own way more Isaak albums than I do R.G.'s. Mainly because his influences are more solidly gritty early rock'n'roll icons like Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochrane as well as Elvis.

Springsteen, btw, appears on this version - playing keyboards of all things.

Hidden gem: Sea Cruise is a great rock'n'roll song written by pianist Huey "Piano" Smith. The first version of the song was released in 1959 but it's been covered by a huge number of people that range from Status Quo to The Beach Boys. Of course it's great material for bands like Sha Na Na and Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen.

This version is a great driving rockabilly version with legendary guitarist Link Wray again along for the ride.

I'm feelin' blue, wish I knew how you do it to me but I haven't a clue (Gerry and The Pacemakers) #119

Gerry And The Pacemakers How Do You Do It?/ Away From You (Columbia, DNZ 10292, 1963)

The song that George Martin famously told the Beatles was a guaranteed #1 but they turned him down - they didn't think it fitted them (a glance at all those rhymes in the title helps explain why). Instead Martin produced this version by Gerry and his band and, yep, it went to number 1!

Amazing that this song, their first single, sets out the stall so completely for Gerry Marsden and crew. The cheeky chappy bouncy persona is set from the off with both the distinctive Gerry lilt and the Pacemaker beat firmly in place.

Gerry and co were rivals of the Beatles in the very early days but couldn't hack the pace as Lennon/McCartney continued to innovate and while Gerry subsequently had further hits he couldn't replicate the creative trails that the fabs blazed. Sadly the band was as sexy as a bag of salt and vinegar crisps and there was always the distinctly unhip band name to contend with as well.

Hidden gem: The B side is also a snappy little pop song, a little rhythmic gem like Besame Mucho - written by Gerry and bass player Les Chadwick. Unfortunately those rhymes again cause some queasy moments - you/blue/knew, side/cried - eek!

And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light that shines on me (The Beatles) #118

Aretha Franklin Let It Be/ Don't Play That Song (Atlantic, AK 3851, 1970)

Aretha's version was actually released before the Beatles one (in January 1970) but as great as Aretha is, her version is inevitably eclipsed by the fabs.

On paper she should do the business right? Her gospel voice perfectly which suits the content, her fantastic vocal style, Tom Dowd, Arif Mardin and Jerry Wexler are all on board.

The fabs on the other hand were in comparative disarray. The 1969 Get Back sessions are of legend: Macca telling George what to play, Yoko on board, George Martin not, John distracted, Ringo bored shitless.

And yet, and yet - on the album version in particular, The Beatles kick ass!!

Hidden gem: Aretha performs with the Dixie Flyers for the B side. For me it's the better side with a sympathetic backing, some nice gospel piano and Aretha in fine voice. It's a good song and a lovely B side.