Tuesday June 7 marked what would have been the 99th birthday of Dino Paul Crocetti, better known to the world as Dean Martin.
Do I really have to tell you who he was? Martin & Lewis. The Rat Pack. The weekly TV show in the '60s. The comedy roasts he hosted ...
Elvis Presley idolized him and I loved him too. When I was a kid, Dino and his devilish grin made me suspect that my parents' generation might not be as square as they'd have you believe.
Martin died in 1995
In honor of of man from Steubenville, Ohio, let's have some music, Here he is with Frank Sinatra having more fun that you or I had that night.
Here he is crooning and jiving through one of his hits, "Send Me the Pillow That You Dream On." The introduction, with Dino playing up his drunk persona, is nearly as good as the song.
Oh yeah, Dino was a singing cowboy too. Here he is with Ricky Nelson and Walter Brennan in the John Wayne movie Rio Bravo.
And here's a song he recorded with The Easy Riders, a folk group that included longtime Santa Fe resident Terry Gilkyson.
I don't profess to be an expert on pow wow music or actually any form of Native American music. I just know that I like a lot of pow wow songs and several of the groups that perform them.
Pow wow music typical consists of several drummers, often pounding on a single large drum. The drummers usually sing though some groups have singers standing behind the drummers. As a casual listener and a certified pale-face, a good pow wow song can seem almost hypnotic, even meditative.
According to Encyclopaedia Britannica: Pow wow songs often reflect the style of music from the Plains area; the singers accompany themselves on a large bass drum, and the ensemble as a whole is known as a Drum. Each Drum includes three or more singers. Like many other aspects of 21st-century Native American life, pow wows generally promote indigenous culture, spirituality, and social unity.
But, as Eugene Chadbourne writes in the AllMusic Guide, "there are pow wow songs about getting drunk, eating pizza, how pretty a girl looks, and a myriad of other subjects."
Remember, pow wows are not religious ceremonies, they are social events. And despite that old stereotype of the somber, stoic red man, (do people still believe that weird old crap?) some of the songs are downright funny.
The Black Lodge Singers, led by Blackfeet tribe member Kenny Scabby Robe, have been the Rolling Stones of funny pow wow songs since they released their 1996 album Kid's Pow-Wow Songs. In reviewing that record 20 years ago, I described the first time I heard them play this song below
At first, you think you are listening to regular pow wow music the deep, steady beating, the jangle of bells, the unison chanting with occasional individual yelps and cries. But then you start discerning words in English: Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto too! They're all movie stars at Disneyland ...
And the Black Lodge Singers sing another mouse song. One thing for sure, you don't have to be a kid to love these songs. (This one's for you, Melissa!)
Here is a more recent song from a group called Northern Cree from Alberta, Canada. The group founders are from the Saddle Lake Cree Nation but other group includes members from other Treaty 6 area nations. And despite this next song, Northern Cree does have a Facebook page.
Unfortunately many of the following songs are not on YouTube, so I created this Spotify playlist including pow wow songs about the 3 Stooges, Pink Floyd, Oscar the Grouch, re-imagined versions of American classic like "Earth Angel" and "Who Let the Dogs Out" and one bitchen tune about riding in your boogie van.
Sunday, June 5, 2016 KSFR, Santa Fe, N.M. 10 p.m. to midnight Sundays Mountain Time Host: Steve Terrell Webcasting! 101.1 FM
email me during the show! terrell(at)ksfr.org
Here's the playlist
OPENING THEME: Let It Out (Let it All Hang Out) by The Hombres
Bloody Mary by Barrence Whitfield & The Savages
JuJu Hand by Handsome Dick Manitoba
Jack Pepsi by TAD
The Witch by Los Peyotes
Hall of Fame by Andre Williams
Ugly by SA90
High School Girls by The Gears
I'm a Trash Man by Deke Dickerson & The Trashmen
A House is Not a Motel by Marshmallow Overcoat
Shadows of Night by Dead Moon
Frankenstein by Pierced Arrows
Hey Mr. Rain by The Velvet Underground
The Boner by Geil & The Pimps
How to Fake as Lunar Landing by Alien Space Kitchen
Long Distance Call by The Super Super Blues Band
Back it Up by King Mud
Stop Breakin' Down by Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears
Thank You Sir, by Reverend John Wilkins
The Snake by Reverend Tom Frost
Golden Surf II by Pere Ubu
Ironclad by Sleater-Kinney
Burning Song by Jonah Gold & His Silver Apples
Feast of the Mau Mau by Screamin' Jay Hawkins
County Fool by The Showmen
Teddy Bear by Bette Stuy
Our Sacred Hate by He Who Cannot Be Named
Which End is Up by Miriam
Bad as Me by Tom Jones
CLOSING THEME: Over the Rainbow by Jerry Lee Lewis
Friday, June 3, 2016 KSFR, Santa Fe, NM Webcasting! 10 p.m. to midnight Fridays Mountain Time Host: Steve Terrell 101.1 FM
Email me during the show! terrel(at)ksfr.org
Here's my playlist :
OPENING THEME: Buckaroo by Buck Owens
Wanted Man by The Waco Brothers
Baker's Half Dozen by Jim Stringer
Walkin' After Midnight by Cyndi Lauper
Company's Comin' by Porter Wagoner
Right Time by Nikki Lane
Country Girls Ain't Cheap by Trailer Radio
Winning the War on Drugs by Asylum Street Spankers
The Marriage Song by The Stumbleweeds
A Married Man's a Fool by Butterbeans & Susie
Travelin' Shoes by Tom Jones
Devil's in the Bottle by Dallas Wayne
Truck Drivin' Man by The Twang Bangers
Brace for Impact by Sturgil Simpson
I'm the Only Hell My Mama Ever Raised by Johnny Paycheck
Aunt Peg's New Old Man by Robbie Fulks
Mommy for a Day by Rhonda Vincent
I Got Mine by Frank Stokes
Brand New Cadillac by Wayne Hancock
Wreck of the Old 97 by Hank Williams III
Drive Drive Drive by Dale Watson
All the Way Back Home by The Dinosaur Truckers
Run Rosie, Run by Trailer Bride
Better Call Saul by Junior Brown
Mental Cruelty by Buck Owens & Rose Maddox
Open Pit Mine by George Jones
Just Like a Monkey by South Memphis String Band
My 45 by Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs
Beautiful Losers by Beth Lee & The Breakups
Mama was a Trainwreck by Karen Hudson
Secret Love by Loretta Lynn
Naked Light of Day by Butch Hancock
The Angels Rejoiced Last Night by The Louvin Brothers
Yesterday, June 1, marked the 89th anniversary of the death of Lizzie Borden, who died at the age of 66 in her hometown of Fall River, Mass. -- 34 years after a jury acquitted her in the ax murders of her father and stepmother.
I won't go into all the (literally) gory details of the double homicide that took place Thursday, August 4, 1892 at the Borden household. You can get the basic details HERE. I just want to honor Lizzy's musical legacy. It's richer than you might think.
The most familiar Lizzie Borden song is that famous children's rope-skipping song that goes
Lizzie Borden took an axe Gave her mother 40 whacks. When she saw what she had done, She gave her father 41.
What children actually sang this song, Wednesday and Pugsley Addams?
But that's not the only music to come out of the murders.
Premiering in 1948 was a Lizzie ballet, The Fall River Legend by American choreographer Agnes de Mille. The score was composed by Morton Gould. It opened at New York's Metropolitan Opera House. Who knew Lizzie was so graceful? Here's a video clip of a later production.
And speaking of high culture, there also was a Lizzie Borden opera. This was composed by Jack Beeson in 1965 and was performed that by the New York City Opera, conducted by Anton Coppola. This clip features several scenes from the opera.
The 1960s folk group called The Chad Mitchell Trio took the black humor route.
Fast forward to the 80s where an Arizona thrash band called Flotsam and Jetsam embraced the darkness of the Lizzie legend.
And in 2003 The Dresden Dolls used the Borden murders as a launch pad for this depressing ditty. They got the number of whacks wrong, but so did the famous kiddie song. Abby Borden only suffered 19 blows while Andrew Borden got 11.
There are other songs about young women committing unspeakable murders that had to have been influenced by Lizzie Borden. Tom Lehrer's "The Irish Ballad" is one. And so is Nick Cave's "The Curse of Milhaven," whose murderous narrator Loretta might be a younger version of our Lizzie.
It's June, which means summer is virtually here, which means millions of Americans will be on the road again!
A couple of days ago on Facebook my friend Tommy C dropped some obscure lyrics from an under-appreciated Bob Dylan song, something about "brown rice, seaweed and a dirty hot dog." This sounded distantly familiar, but I couldn't remember the title of the song. So with the help of Mr. Google, I learned it was "On the Road Again," which originally appeared on the first Dylan album I ever owned, Bringing it All Back Home.
I got yer dirty hot dog RIGHT HERE:
Very few entertainers have used images of seaweed, dirty hot dogs etc and started off songs with "Well, I wake up in the morning / There's frogs inside my socks ..." But lots of songwriters have used the title "On the Road Again." Though it's not very original, most of the ones I've heard I like.
Below is a collection of those. This would make a fine play list for any road trip in the summer of 2016.
I first heard the folloong song done by The Lovin' Spoonful and later by The Grateful Dead, But The Memphis Jug Band did it first back in the late 1920s.
I wasn't familiar until recently with this electric, Howlin' Wolf influenced blues by Floyd Jones
Likewise, I'm a newcomer to this rocking little tune by Tom Rush, from his 1966 Take a Little Walk With Me.
But I've been a fan of this Canned Heat tune for 45 years or more. They had a hit single with this song, but I'm posting their Woodstock performance of the song.
I bet the best-known "On the Road Again" is Willie Nelson's
And I just discovered a rap tune called "On the Road Again," released in 2005 by Sheek Louch.
May you have a safe but eventful road trip or two this summer.
Greetings, out there in podland, the 96th exciting episode of The Big Enchilada is here, so weep no more. We have wild new sounds from He Who Cannot Be Named, Alien Space Kitchen, Sex Hogs II, San Antonio Kid, a couple of Swedish bands, Rattanson and Fezz, classic punk rock from The Germs, The Eyes and Skull Control, a strange ditty from rockin' Rod McKuen and to celebrate episode 96, some sweet sounds from the 9,696-year-old Perfect Master himself, Question Mark (and the Mysterians).
(Background Music: Straitjacket by Bill Haley & The Comets)
Fezzalized by Fezz
I Want You to Be My Baby by Grace Chang
Kill Your Parents by The Eyes
Hellbound by Sinners
There's a UFO Up There by Travis Wammack
Money Changes Everything by Ought
(Background Music: 96 Tears (en Espanol) by Question Mark & The Mysterians)
Sunday, May, 2016 KSFR, Santa Fe, N.M. 10 p.m. to midnight Sundays Mountain Time Host: Steve Terrell Webcasting! 101.1 FM
email me during the show! terrell(at)ksfr.org
Here's the playlist
OPENING THEME: Let It Out (Let it All Hang Out) by The Hombres
Losing My Mind by Alien Space Kitchen
Kill Your Parents by The Eyes
One More Time by He Who Cannot Be Named
Top Secret by KAOS
Family Fun Night by Figures of Light
Hoochie Coochie Man by New York Dolls
Ruby's Old Time by The Fleshtones
Wandering Black Hole by Rattanson
Prodigal Son by Rev. John Wilkins (Live at Scott's Pottery Gallery, Arroyo Seco, June 8)
MDManne by San Antonio Kid
War Going On by Sulphur City
Speed Freak by Stomachmouths
Hot Stumps by Skull Control
Fezzalized by Fezz
In Hell by The Monsters
I Dig Her Wig by Rod McKuen
Take Me to Our Place by Jonny Manak & The Depressives
Round and Round by The Germs
Pigtails by Sex Hogs II
My Shadow by Jay Reatard
Don't Send Me Flowers I Ain't Dead Yet by Reigning Sound
Boys in the Wood by Black Lips
Rockin' Bones by The Cramps
Shakin' All Over by Flamin' Groovies
96 Tears by Question Mark & The Mysterians
Money Changes Everything by Ought
Lemmy by The Come n' Go
Brother, My Cup is Empty by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
This One's from the Heart by Tom Waits & Crystal Gayle CLOSING THEME: Over the Rainbow by Jerry Lee Lewis
Friday May 27, 2016 KSFR, Santa Fe, NM Webcasting! 10 p.m. to midnight Fridays Mountain Time Host: Steve Terrell 101.1 FM
Email me during the show! terrel(at)ksfr.org
Here's my playlist :
OPENING THEME: Buckaroo by Buck Owens
He Ain't Right by Legendary Shack Shakers
Tryin' to Forget the Blues by Porter Wagoner
A version of this was published in The Santa Fe New Mexican May 27, 2016 Here are a bunch of albums in the garage, punk, crazy rock vein that I’ve been enjoying lately. What?
You’ve never heard of any of these bands? That’s why I included links. Click them. Educate yourselves. Broaden your horizons. Dare to explore ...
* My Degeneration by He Who Cannot Be Named. If Los Straitjackets are the golden, heroic, baby-faced luchadores of rock ’n’ roll, then He Who Cannot Be Named is the villainous, rule-breaking hair-pulling, eye-gouging heel.
After all, he’s a founding member of the Dwarves, veteran spunk-rockers best known for album covers featuring images with naked women crucifying a midget, and for getting kicked off Sub Pop Records at the peak of the great grunge scare for creating a hoax in which they claimed He Who had been killed in a knife fight. You know, my kind of band.
So on He Who’s latest solo record, the veteran guitarist (who never has revealed his real name) sings sweet praises to a blow-up rubber sex partner (“Lovedoll”) and a touching 1950s-edged ode to necrophilia (“One More Time”). Santa Fe’s own Gregg Turner has also explored this theme.
One of my favorites is a song that doesn’t contain any overt perversity. It’s the album opener, a rousing tune in which the singer declares he’s better than you, smarter than you, richer than you. It’s almost certainly a jab at snobs. But it’s more fun if you assume He Who Cannot Be Named really means it and expects you to bow to his superiority.
Like his mothership band, He Who has plenty of good old-fashioned rowdy punk songs, several of which are addictively melodic. But he also branches out musically. “Transfusion” and “Beautiful Disease” feature a banjo, reminding me a little of the late Tommy Ramone’s “bluegrass” band, Uncle Monk. And on “Our Sacred Hate,” there is a screechy fiddle that suggests Celt-punk. Dropkick Murphys or The Tossers would do good versions of this.
* Part I by Sex Hogs II. Just a few years ago there was a bitchen little garage band in Albuquerque The Scrams. I never got to see them live — and in fact, I hadn’t even heard of them until several years ago when I was listening to a podcast by a crony, in which he played a Scrams song, called me out by name, and basically ordered me to love them. That wasn’t hard. They were great.
called
Unfortunately The Scrams are no more. But just a few weeks ago, former Scramster Nate Daly, who contacted me to tell me about his new band Sex Hogs II. (I’m not sure what happened to Sex Hogs I.) These feral Hogs sound a lot like the long-lost Scrams.
It’s raw straightforward garage-rock fun — “Blood in the Dirt,” “Want Some,” and “I Object” being fine high-octane boppers. But these guys are capable of pulling off slower tunes as well, such as “Sacrifice.”
I actually was surprised to learn that Sex Hogs II is a duo. They produce a pretty full sound for just two guys. The members are identified only as “Guitar Hog” and “Drum Hog” (Daly, I presume. He was the drummer for The Scrams.). “Bass Hog” joins them on one tune and, even better, “Sax Hog” plays on two others.
One of those, “Pigtails,” is, for the moment at least, my favorite tune on this record. It sounds like some kind of early ’60s rock ballad — or maybe a powerful Reigning Sound tune. I’m not sure which Hog is singing, but he pours his guts into it. And Sax Hog earns his slop on this one. (I’m a sucker for a sax on punk songs, so let’s have a moment of silence for former Stooge Steve Mackay, who died last October.)
And speaking of Reigning Sound, the only nonoriginal song here is an inspired cover of the Greg Cartwright-penned “Drowning,” which first appeared on RS’s album Too Much Guitar! Like they do on “Pigtails,” the Hogs give this one a lot of heart and soul.
* Apprentice by The Blues Against Youth. This is a one-man band from Italy, that one-man being a Roman guy named Gianni TBAY. (TBAY. Think about it.) He sings and plays guitar (lots of slide!) and drums. His sound is reminiscent of American one-man bands like Scott H. Biram and John Schooley, with both country and blues roots and a D.I.Y. punk-rock sensibility.
This album starts off with a slow and purdy blues instrumental called “Keep It Goin’.” At just over a minute long, however, this really is just an invocation to the blues spirits.
The faster-paced “Medium Size Star Bound” is the real opener. It features some tasty picking and lyrics about career frustration (“Medium size star bound/They can make you drown/Turn you upside down/But they can’t take your heart.” And in the middle, where you might expect a guitar solo, Gianni gives us a whistle solo. No, it’s not played on a whistle instrument — he actually whistles a melody. Truly whistling is a lost art in rock ’n’ roll.
One of my favorites here is “Got Blood in My Rhythm,” a jaunty number that would work for either the Rolling Stones (Exile on Main St.-era) as well as Dinosaur Jr. And did I say something about country roots? There’s a stunning cover here of one of Hank Williams’ saddest songs, “I Heard That Lonesome Whistle Blow.”
The album’s most impressive number is the title song, a seven-minute hard, gritty blues. Coming from out of nowhere, there’s an electric organ solo that’s nothing short of spooky. I’m not sure if this is Gianni or another musician. All I know is that it works.
It's video time"
HeWho goes country
And here's another mellow song
Here is some live Blues Against Youth
And when I searched for "Sex Hogs" on Youtube, I only found animal husbandry videos. But here is one of their songs you can listen to:
Tuesday June 7 marked what would have been the 99th birthday of Dino Paul Crocetti, better known to the world as Dean Martin.
