Jack Rabbit Slim

"Long Time Dead"

Big Bird

Eddie Floyd's Stax classic "Big Bird" from '68 is a overlooked gem within Eddie's and even Stax's extensive collection. Floyd wrote this song in a London airport while waiting to return to the States for Otis Redding's funeral in late '67. The driving beat and passion within "Big Bird" has been covered and sampled a number of times, and not to say I'm a huge fan of covers, I just can't get enough of that driving beat originally played by Booker T. Jones. So over the years I've dug up a collection of the artists who did the song justice, but first here's the original if you've never heard it:

Here's a great cover by Rosetta Hightower, the powerful ex-lead singer of one of Philly's finest girl groups The Orlons from the early 60s. She recorded this after moving to England, it has more of a rock, somewhat Temptations psychedelic sound to it. Check it...

Next is a funky sloppy instrumental cover by The Presidents titled "Which Way" from the early 70s. Good shit here, these D.C. furls do it right but not too tight...

Last but not least is Tav Falco's Panther Burns with "Gentleman in Black" off their album Disappearing Angels from '96. Of course this in one of their later albums, they use the "Big Bird" riff for this dark, slow rockabilly track. Tav Falco is responsible for helping artists such as Charlie Feathers, Jesse Mae Hemphill and R.L. Burnside into the spotlight. Check them out if you haven't already...

Songs The Cramps Taught Us Vol. 3

Nat Couty - Woodpecker Rock
Macy Skipper - Bop Pills
The Blues Rockers - Calling All Cows
Mac Rebennack - Storm Warning
Larry Phillipson - Bitter Feelings
Terry Dunavan - Earthquake Boogie
The Sonics - He's Waiting
The Fanatics - I Will Not Be Lonely
The Instrumentals - Chop Suey Rock
Dell Raney - Can Your Hossie Do The Dog
The Shades - Strollin' After Dark
Jackie Lee Cochran - Georgia Lee Brown
Lonnie Allen - You'll Never Change Me
Jerry Warren - Rompin'
Kai-Ray - I Want Some Of That
Junior Thompson - How Come You Do Me?
The Rhythm Rockers - Madness
Warren Smith - Uranium Rock
Kit & The Outlaws - Don't Tread On Me
The Flower Children - Miniskirt Blues
The Standells - Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White
Dave Day - Blue Moon Baby
Shorty Long - Devil With The Blue Dress On
Ronnie Dawson - Rockin' Bones
Mel Robbins - Save It
Jimmy Lloyd - I Got A Rocket In My Pocket
Charlie Feathers - One Hand Loose
The Fendermen - Mule Skinner Blues
Paul Revere & The Raiders - Hungry
The Embers - I Walked All Night
The Bostweeds - Faster Pussycat Kill Kill

Vol. 3

Songs The Cramps Taught Us Vol. 2

1.Hasil Adkins- She Said
2.Buddy Love- Heartbreak Hotel
3.Dean Carter- Jailhouse Rock
4.Fender Four- Margaya
5.Johnny Burnett- Tear It Up
6.Lightnin Slim- It's Mighty Crazy
7.Glen Glenn- Everybody's Movin
8.Carl Perkins- Her Love Rubbed Off
9.Slim Harpo- Strange Love
10.Charlie Feathers- It's Just That Song
11.Green Fuzz- Green Fuzz
12.Bill Allen- Please Give Me Something
13.Captain Beefheart- Hard Working Man
14.J.J.Jackson & Jackaels- Oo-Ma-Liddi
15.3 Aces & A Joker- Booze Party
16.Spark Plugs- Chicken
17.Jimmy Stewart- Rock On The Moon
18.Sonny Burgess- Red Headed Woman
19.Kip Tyler & Flips- Jungle Hop
20.Don & Galaxies- Sundown
21.Roy Orbison- Domino
22.Readymen- Shortnin Bread
23.Novas- The Crusher
24.Tune Rockers- Green Mosquito
25.Jesters- Peter Gunn
26.Count Five- Psychotic Reaction
27.Flames- The Bird
28.Red Crayola- Hurricane Fighter Plane
29.Kasenatz Katz Circus- Quick Joey Small
30.Rick Nelson- Lonesome Town
31.Huntsmen- Fever
32.Jim Lowe- Green Door

Vol. 2

Songs The Cramps Taught Us Volume 1

Still in the Halloween mood? Good, after I posted the Frantics yesterday I thought to myself, what's a Halloween post without The Cramps? So I give you Volume 1 of 3 of one of the best compilation series ever made, Songs The Cramps Taught Us. This collection contains classics such as The Sonics "Strychnine" and The Groupies "Primitive" but also has some great cuts you may of never heard such as the original "Goo Goo Muck" by Ronnie Cook & The Gaylads and the soul burner "Whiplash" by the Shells. These are just a couple examples from this 31 track collection, Elvis' "Do The Clam" is another highlight. Also can't forget about one of The Cramps biggest influences Charlie Feathers shows up on here twice with "Can't Hardly Stand It" and "Sunglasses After Dark." These comps were put together by Poison Ivy of The Cramps, apparently he has quite the record collection. I have all three volumes so if you like let me know, enjoy...
Bacon Fat

Kip Tyler

Switching it up with some classic rock n' roll, here's Kip Tyler's "She's My Witch" from '58. This steamin' hot slab of rockabilly contains some of my favorite sax and rock n' roll screams of all time. Don't be a square, check it out.

Charlie Feathers

I have been experiencing some technical difficulties with my piece of shit computer, resulting in a missed post yesterday. Hopefully I can make it up to you by switching it up a little bit with some classic rockabilly by none other than Charlie Feathers. I have always had a deep appreciation for Feathers, his unique style of dark twangy hick-up induced rockabilly has not received the credit it deserves- he was relatively unknown before his track "That Certain Female" appeared in Kill Bill Vol. 1 back in 2001. Feathers started at the infamous Sun Records as a session musician until releasing the single "Defrost Your Heart" in 1956. He then signed with King records where he did probably his best work, going on to record music until 1993. I've included a couple of my favorite tracks from Charlie, including "I Can't Hardly Stand It" which you may recognize- the Cramps covered it on their album Bad Music For Bad People way back in '84.