Shivaree - "Goodnight Moon"

Something's under the bed Now it's out in the hedge There's a big black crow sitting on my window ledge And I hear something scratching through the wall

Quick Hit

“Goodnight Moon” by Shivaree (1999)

The band name, ‘Shivaree’ came for the French term ‘shiveree’ which is a raucous newlywed tradition most commonly occurring along the Mississippi river. The neighbours wait for the dark of night when the couple is hopefully asleep and then armed with pots and pans and noisemakers, make a ruckus that could raise the dead. When the couple gets up they invade their home, make coffee and expect the couple to feed them, sometimes leaving a bit of a mess just for fun.

The Marvelettes - Please Mr. Postman (1961)

The Chiffons - One fine day

crystals da doo ron ron

Please Mister Postman, look and see (Oh yeah) If there's a letter in your bag for me

Triple Hit: The Early Girls

“Please Mr. Postman” by  The Marvellettes (1961)

“One Fine Day” by The Chiffons (1963)

“Da Doo Ron Ron” by The Crystals (1963)

Sometimes you like a song and you don’t know why, or you don’t remember. There is a melody, and a feeling that you are reaching back to find. It feels good to search for that feeling. You don’t remember where you heard it first but your mind has made a fantastic connection somewhere.

I have covered ‘girl groups’ before but today I give you a sampling of some of my favourite songs. They are all songs that are allowed to sound dated. They have earned that right because they stood the test of time and still work.

Quiz: Winter is a good time for music

Figure out the song and artist in today's winter montage:

In the wintertime when all the leaves are brown and the wind blows. It's been a long time that I'm waiting. Been a long time that I'm blown been a long time that I've wandered.

All the leaves are brown and the sky is grey. I’ve been for a walk on a winter’s day.Hang on to your hopes, my friend. That's an easy thing to say, but if your hopes should pass away simply pretend that you can build them again.

I never know what time of year it is living on top of the fire but the robin outside has to hunt and hide in the cold frosty shire. Spread your tiny wings and fly away and take the snow back with you where it came from on that day.

The evening had turned to rain. Watch the water roll down the drain as we followed him down to the station and though he never would wave goodbye you could see it written in his eyes as the train rolled out of sight, bye-bye.

It's coming on Christmas; they're cutting down trees. They're putting up reindeer and singing songs of joy and peace. I wish I had a river I could skate away on. Was it love or fear of the cold that led us through the night? For every kiss your beauty trumped my doubt. 

Keep warm and let me know if you can sort this one out! What is the song? Who is the artist?

Davo-rama

The Runaways - Cherry Bomb

Hello Daddy, hello Mom I'm your ch ch ch ch ch cherry bomb Hello world I'm your wild girl I'm your ch ch ch ch ch cherry bomb

70’s Pick of the Week

“Cherry Bomb” by the Runaways (1977)

Long, long before the Donnas, and the so-called Riot Grrl movement of the ‘90’s came the trailblazing, unwittingly feminist band, the Runaways.

When teenagers Sandy West and Joan Jett met, they wanted to form a rock band - not a very popular idea at a very male-dominated time in rock history. The great thing about them is that they wrote, played their own instruments and performed world-wide. The problem was that their audience, also teenagers, could not get into the bars they played in. While they were a great success in Europe and especially Japan, they never really gained anything more than a cult following in North America.

The legendary, bizarre producer Kim Fowley had given drummer Sandy West, Joan Jett’s phone number and told them to get together to see if they could do anything. The group originally started as trio with Micki Steele (later of the Bangles), who toured clubs in Los Angeles.  Steele eventually got fired and was replaced.  Soon after, Lita Ford (lead guitar) and Jackie Fox (bass) were hired to round out the group.

Tuesday Afternoon .........I'm just beginning to see

ELO - Discovery

Moody Blues - Days of Future Past

Alan Parsons - Live

Quicksilver - Happy Trails

The Police - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic

Do I have to tell the story of a thousand rainy days since we first met. It's a big enough umbrella but it's always me that ends up getting wet.

Songs Everybody Should Know

“Every Little Thing She Does is Magic”, by the Police (1981)

The first time I heard the Police was at the student union offices at university. One of the guys had a turntable set up in his office in Mac Hall. He said “You have to hear this amazing new album by the Police”. I said “By what? Who? The Police, what the hell are you talking about”. “The ‘Police’ man this kind of reggae sounding punkish band”.

It seems like punk, with its irreverence and value in substance over form, eventually left one looking for musicianship again – I mean really, most of the punk band couldn’t play and many prided themselves on this. It had its place and time but there was a void in the fabric of pop music tearing wide open.