Twenty-five tunes you've never heard because you were not listening.: #16 The Dream Syndicate -- Tell Me When It's Over

I really could have picked any song by The Dream Syndicate, ever heard of them? If you have, I know who you are. "Tell Me When It's Over" has a great "hook" and lyrics that I find poetic. I almost chose the song "When You Smile," or "Halloween." Just listen to this recording, Live at Raji's, it's one of Dream Syndicate's best. 

Dream Syndicate is the band that introduced me to Jam Bands. This is making an assumption that all Jam Bands are influenced by Neil Young, and I believe they all are. They (Dream Syndicate) predated the term Jam Band. I guess Garage Band or Post Punk would be the best descriptor for Dream Syndicate, they predated Alternative too. The Velvet Underground is always mentioned in articles about Dream Syndicate but how often is Television included in these conversations?

I did a brief search too see if there's been a Dream Syndicate tribute recording and found this cover of Halloween by some guys called Polar. It's appropriate, the V.U. influence is apparent.  Also looks like Yo La Tengo has covered this one too.

 

Also, "I'm just tryin' to remember, the days of wine and roses."

One through sixteen:

1. The Damned -- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1.5. The Damned -- White Rabbit
2. Junior Kimbrough -- Gotta Try You Girl
3. Paul Simon -- Stranded in a Limousine
4. Booker T & the M.G.s -- Green Onions
5. Lee Scratch Perry -- I am Happiness
6. The Jam -- In the City
7. Brute -- Nine High a Pallet
8. The Doors -- Peace Frog
9. Scientist -- Dance of the Vampires
10. Patti Smith -- Dancing Barefoot
11. Tribe Called Quest -- Left My Wallet in El Segundo
12. Ray Wylie Hubbard -- Snake Farm
13. James McMurtry -- Too Long in the Wasteland
14. The Everybodyfields -- The Only King
15. Old Crow Medicine Show -- Wagon Wheel
16. The Dream Syndicate -- Tell Me When It's Over

Twenty-five tunes you've never heard because you were not listening.: #15 Old Crow Medicine Show -- Wagon Wheel

 Yeah, yeah, yeah, everyone has heard this song. It certainly fits my East Tennessee, Johnson City theme. I actually didn't know the name of the tune, I just remembered a song that mentioned Johnson City. I also didn't know this tune had been recorded my Darius Rucker. I found this article with all the, seeming, relevant information from the Nashville Scene. The comments below the article are entertaining. Anyone who doesn't understand how a wagon wheel will rock you has no concept of per-industrial transportation. 

 

The geography is all messed up in this song. I don't know why you'd go through the Cumberland Gap too get to Raleigh? But, I have never hitchhiked from the East Coast and I'm not a song writer. Regardless, like The Only King, this song's nut just about the Deep South, it's about all of us.

One through Fifteen:

1. The Damned -- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1.5. The Damned -- White Rabbit
2. Junior Kimbrough -- Gotta Try You Girl
3. Paul Simon -- Stranded in a Limousine
4. Booker T & the M.G.s -- Green Onions
5. Lee Scratch Perry -- I am Happiness
6. The Jam -- In the City
7. Brute -- Nine High a Pallet
8. The Doors -- Peace Frog
9. Scientist -- Dance of the Vampires
10. Patti Smith -- Dancing Barefoot
11. Tribe Called Quest -- Left My Wallet in El Segundo
12. Ray Wylie Hubbard -- Snake Farm
13. James McMurtry -- Too Long in the Wasteland
14. The Everybodyfields -- The Only King
15. Old Crow Medicine Show -- Wagon Wheel 

Twenty-five tunes you've never heard because you were not listening.: #14 The Everybodyfields -- The Only King

This one is by a little band from Johnson City, Tn. They grew up and moved to Knoxville, and broke the band up. They have their respective music projects over in Knox County now, as far as I know. As I've said, again and again, doesn't get much more Americana than this.

Yeah, it's a song about Elvis, which, I believe, makes it a song about Tennessee. The combo of the steel guitar and Jill Andrews voice really invoke the High Lonesome Sound for me.

The top 14!

1. The Damned -- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1.5. The Damned -- White Rabbit
2. Junior Kimbrough -- Gotta Try You Girl
3. Paul Simon -- Stranded in a Limousine
4. Booker T & the M.G.s -- Green Onions
5. Lee Scratch Perry -- I am Happiness
6. The Jam -- In the City
7. Brute -- Nine High a Pallet
8. The Doors -- Peace Frog
9. Scientist -- Dance of the Vampires
10. Patti Smith -- Dancing Barefoot
11. Tribe Called Quest -- Left My Wallet in El Segundo
12. Ray Wylie Hubbard -- Snake Farm
13. James McMurtry -- Too Long in the Wasteland
14. The Everybodyfields -- The Only King

Twenty-five tunes you've never heard because you were not listening.: #13 James McMurtry -- Too Long in the Wasteland

Too long in the wasteland, that's what ya get after snakes and frogs. As you can see, this video is six, or seven, years old. I wonder if he still plays at the Continental Club in Austin? I'd love too see that.

Hopefully I can sustain Americana Week on the ol' list.

The top 13!

1. The Damned -- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1.5. The Damned -- White Rabbit
2. Junior Kimbrough -- Gotta Try You Girl
3. Paul Simon -- Stranded in a Limousine
4. Booker T & the M.G.s -- Green Onions
5. Lee Scratch Perry -- I am Happiness
6. The Jam -- In the City
7. Brute -- Nine High a Pallet
8. The Doors -- Peace Frog
9. Scientist -- Dance of the Vampires
10. Patti Smith -- Dancing Barefoot
11. Tribe Called Quest -- Left My Wallet in El Segundo
12. Ray Wylie Hubbard -- Snake Farm
13. James McMurtry -- Too Long in the Wasteland

Twenty-five tunes you've never heard because you were not listening.: #12 Ray Wylie Hubbard -- Snake Farm

As a certain set of English blokes have been known to say, "now for something completely different!" Actually, it's not completely different, I noticed that the guitar style for Snake Farm is very similar to Junior Kimbrough.  I would hear this tune on WDVX when I lived in Knoxville, Tn. I imagine that WNCW here in Western North Carolina has played it a few times as well. It's a big ol' Americana reptile party up in here. (Peace Frog, Snake Farm) What could be next?

The top 12!

1. The Damned -- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1.5. The Damned -- White Rabbit
2. Junior Kimbrough -- Gotta Try You Girl
3. Paul Simon -- Stranded in a Limousine
4. Booker T & the M.G.s -- Green Onions
5. Lee Scratch Perry -- I am Happiness
6. The Jam -- In the City
7. Brute -- Nine High a Pallet
8. The Doors -- Peace Frog
9. Scientist -- Dance of the Vampires
10. Patti Smith -- Dancing Barefoot
11. Tribe Called Quest -- Left My Wallet in El Segundo
12. Ray Wylie Hubbard -- Snake Farm

Twenty-five tunes you've never heard because you were not listening.: #11 A Tribe Called Quest --

Here is something a bit different from the Wayback Machine. A Tribe Called Quest with a little tune that should have been in the Grand Theft Auto San Andreas soundtrack. I'm pretty sure the car in this video was featured in GTA S.A. as the Clover.

Yeah, Hip Hop, I don't know much about it. This is just a happy little tune to help put some peep in our step for the day. I'll plan to feature some Americana next week.

The list so far:

1. The Damned -- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1.5. The Damned -- White Rabbit
2. Junior Kimbrough -- Gotta Try You Girl
3. Paul Simon -- Stranded in a Limousine
4. Booker T & the M.G.s -- Green Onions
5. Lee Scratch Perry -- I am Happiness
6. The Jam -- In the City
7. Brute -- Nine High a Pallet
8. The Doors -- Peace Frog
9. Scientist -- Dance of the Vampires
10. Patti Smith -- Dancing Barefoot
11. Tribe Called Quest -- Left My Wallet in El Segundo

Twenty-five tunes you've never heard because you were not listening.: #10 Patti Smith -- Dancing Barefoot

I bet ya haven't heard this one! Well, I bet a certain percent of you all haven't heard it. Did ya think that "Because the Night" was the only song Patti Smith ever wrote? Or, did ya think Natalie Merchant wrote "Because the Night?"

A couple of things occur based on this video. First, Patti Smith was much bigger in Europe than she ever was in the U.S. Second, I'm pretty sure that the Dream Syndicate borrowed this bass guitar line for John Coltrane Stereo Blues. Now I gotta post some Dream Syndicate, but that was inevitable.

The top 10, more or less:

1. The Damned -- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1.5. The Damned -- White Rabbit
2. Junior Kimbrough -- Gotta Try You Girl
3. Paul Simon -- Stranded in a Limousine
4. Booker T & the M.G.s -- Green Onions
5. Lee Scratch Perry -- I am Happiness
6. The Jam -- In the City
7. Brute -- Nine High a Pallet
8. The Doors -- Peace Frog
9. Scientist -- Dance of the Vampires
10. Patti Smith -- Dancing Barefoot

Twenty-five tunes you've never heard because you were not listening.: #9 Scientist -- Dance of the Vampires

Some of you have heard this one. Honestly, I'd be very happy if you have all heard it or heard of Scientist. I love Dub, as this and forthcoming lists will illustrate, and Scientist, like Lee Scratch Perry, is a must have addition to the Dub universe.

Hum, hum, hum, What to list for number ten?

The list so far:

1. The Damned -- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1.5. The Damned -- White Rabbit
2. Junior Kimbrough -- Gotta Try You Girl
3. Paul Simon -- Stranded in a Limousine
4. Booker T & the M.G.s -- Green Onions
5. Lee Scratch Perry -- I am Happiness
6. The Jam -- In the City
7. Brute -- Nine High a Pallet
8. The Doors -- Peace Frog
9. Scientist -- Dance of the Vampires

Twenty-five tunes you've never heard because you were not listening.: #8 The Doors -- Peace Frog

Back into more familiar territory, again, this is a personal favorite and certainly not one of the more popular Doors' tunes. Peace Frog captures all the chaos of the "Summer of Love," Kent State, Altamont, the Kennedy and King assassinations and, ultimately, the disappearance of Jim Morrison. So, Peace Frog to ya all.

The list so far:

1. The Damned -- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1.5. The Damned -- White Rabbit
2. Junior Kimbrough -- Gotta Try You Girl
3. Paul Simon -- Stranded in a Limousine
4. Booker T & the M.G.s -- Green Onions
5. Lee Scratch Perry -- I am Happiness
6. The Jam -- In the City
7. Brute -- Nine High a Pallet
8.  The Doors -- Peace Frog