What Are You Listening To?

[Music Head]

from my library (vinyl)



Another one hard to peg. They were all over the genre board. Some albums as Dr. Hook and The Medicine Show, but this one is just Dr. Hook. New Jersey band formed in 1969 who were around their peak with this album. That peak wasn't very high for them. Best known for their novelty songs, they could take the serious turn also, as with their debut hit Sylvias Mother. That's not on this one, but still a top notch serious one with Cooky And Lila, along with the camp ones. No coincidence that 3 of the 4 best tracks here are penned by Shel Silverstein. The album didn't do that well here at #141, despite the credible cover of the single, Only Sixteen which went to #6. Another single of The Millionaire fared worse at #95. Of course, I can relate to track 4. Bottom line, a good bar band.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Do Downs

Best Track - Everybody's Making It Big But Me

Elvis he's a hero he's a superstar
And I hear that Paul McCartney drives a Rolls Royce car
And Dylan sings for millions
And I just sing for free
Oh everybody's makin' it big but me

Oh, everybody's makin' it big but me
Everybody's makin' it big but me
Neil Diamond sings for diamonds
And here's ole rhinestone me
Oh everybody's makin' it big but me

Well I hear that Alice Cooper's got a foxy chick
To wipe off his snake, and keep him rich
And Elton John's got two fine ladies
And Doctor John's got three
And I'm still seein' them same old sleezoes, that I used to see

Oh, everybody's makin' it big but me
Yeah everybody's makin' it big but me
I've got charisma
And personality
Oh how come everybody's makin' it big but me?

(What's wrong with that?)
(I don't see nothing wrong with it Ray)

Well I paint my face with glitter
Just like Bowie does
And I wear the same mascara
That Mick Jagger does
And I even put some lipstick on
But that just hurt my dad and mom
And everybody's makin' it big but me

Oh, everybody's makin' it big but me
Yeah everybody's makin' it big but me
They got groupies for their bands
And all I got is my right hand
And everybody's makin' it big but me

Everybody's makin' it, makin' it, makin' it
Everybody's makin' it big......

1) Levitate - *
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLmLY0Dbp_Q
2) Let Me Be Your Lover - **
3) Only Sixteen - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jkOJpZI9HM
4) I Got Stoned And I Missed It - ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9zcLAUp5E0
5) Bubblin' Up - ***
6) Wups - **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGkLZ75S0yo
7) The Millionaire - **
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n7dpK1KWRw
8) Everybody's Making It Big But Me - ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WvhMWXiayQ
9) Cooky And Lila - ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56xQiXxQM1w
10) Everybody Loves Me - *
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OV46sDAbOc
11) On The Way To The Bottom - *
12) Do Downs - *

3's - 4
2's - 4
1's - 4

Grade - 2.0

[CRAZY-HORSE]

thnaks for that one MH,you've just jogged my memory...i havent played them for a long time,gonna put some of the good "Dr." on right now. i havent got the one you just put up on the board.

heres one you wouldnt have probably heard before, its their rendition of an Aussie folk song,they recorded it in Australia around 80-81, it was only ever released here as a single,never put on an album. they were huge here in the late 70s and early 80s and toured here almost every year...this was a thank you to their fans here.
The Wlid Colonial Boy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3rc3q0ma0c

[JazzyRandy]

Drive-By Truckers Brighter Than Creation's Dark 2007

[Jerome]

Bought the Boss's 'The Promise' today. Will be listening to it later tonight. Looking forward to this one.....

[Thraak]

[video=youtube;IUvllpY6rNQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUvllpY6rNQ[/video]

Very underrated Trower song from the 80s with Davey Pattison.

[Jerome]

Awesome guitar work - thx for this.

[Thraak]

1)"Wiggle Wiggle" – 2:09
2)"Under the Red Sky" – 4:09
3)"Unbelievable" – 4:06
4)"Born in Time" – 3:39 (later covered in 1998 by Eric Clapton on his 'Pilgrim' album)
5)"T.V. Talkin' Song" – 3:02
6)"10,000 Men" – 4:21
7)"2 X 2" – 3:36
8)"God Knows" – 3:02
9)"Handy Dandy" – 4:03
10)"Cat's in the Well" – 3:21

Often underrated album in Bob Dylan's extensive back catalogue. Received an utterly ruthless panning at the time of it's release and still to this day. It is pretty obvious though that this is not the quintessential Dylan record; it is a collection of light-hearted and laid back rock/pop songs which were evidently written for his then four year old daughter's enjoyment. This appears to be confirmed on the album's liner notes which read 'For Gabby Goo Goo' (a nickname for his daughter at the time).

On this record there are number of discreet collaborations, many of which with some of the most famous and much-loved musicians in the industry including pianist Elton John (2X2), Guns 'N' Roses axeman Slash (Wiggle Wiggle- which has been continously immortalised throughout the past 20 years as Dylan's all time worst song), Jimmie Vaughan & his brother Stevie Ray who died just months after his appearance on this album (10,00 Men, God Knows, Cat's In The Well). George Harrison even guests as guitarist on the title track.

Despite the heavy criticism from both fans & critics, I find this a very enjoyable album. 'Under The Red Sky' has been overly criticised IMO and after reading the reviews you would expect to hear something utterly repulsive to the ear and totally unlistenable although what you get is simply a less diverse and lyrically complicated album than the ones which Dylan is known for.

The problem that critics have with artists like Neil Young and Bob Dylan is that they expect them to keep churning out the same identical product over and over again so that it fits into their pre-conceived perception of what is 'acceptable' by comparing every single new release to the previous one. Fortunately, that is not how these guys work and they are constantly one step ahead of the critics producing exciting, varied and inspirational music even to this day.

After considering the above, I urge you to ignore all the negativity surrounding this album and instead listen to it and form your own opinion!

Wiggle Wiggle & selection of other tracks on the record:
http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/album/Under+The+Red+Sky/2361132

[Jerome]

I've never heard this one - didn't even know it existed??!!! Will have to get a copy. Big Dylan fan but don't know all his stuff. Do have his latest release and it's brilliant.

[Jerome]

By the way, I was extremely disappointed with Mr Springsteen's 'The Promise'. Everybody seems to be raving about it but I find it pretty mediocre and pedestrian. Very bland. I expected more. Oh well, you can't have it all. Some you win, some you lose.

[Thraak]

I've never heard this one - didn't even know it existed??!!! Will have to get a copy. Big Dylan fan but don't know all his stuff. Do have his latest release and it's brilliant.

You can stream some of the tracks in the link above ^. Funny you mention it because I was just listening to 'Together Through Life' for the first time in ages! It's a fantastic record and one of his best in terms of more recent ones.

By the way, if you are new to Robin Trower you should check out his early albums such as 'Bridge Of Sighs', 'For Earth Below' & 'Twice Removed From Yesterday' as a good starting point although I think he is ten times better live than on record.

Also if you want to see how consistent a musician he is you should check out the groups section where there are videos from a recent gig I attended in Glasgow

By the way, I was extremely disappointed with Mr Springsteen's 'The Promise'. Everybody seems to be raving about it but I find it pretty mediocre and pedestrian. Very bland. I expected more. Oh well, you can't have it all. Some you win, some you lose.

Wasn't that Springsteen's unreleased material from the 'Darkness On The Edge Of Town' recordings? Having not even heard that album I haven't even bothered to buy it!

Have similar thoughts about Springsteen's latest album 'Working On A Dream' though. He's a bit of a one-trick pony in my book.