Reba Rambo

Artist: Reba Rambo

LP: Lady

Song: "The Land of Ooh's and Ah's" / "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"

[ listen ]

Song: "Lady"

[ listen ]

This 1976 solo LP by Reba Rambo (formerly of The Rambos) has a lot to say about rainbows. The album's first cut, "The Land of Ooh's and Ah's" even makes a (somewhat cumbersome) attempt to meld the plot of "The Wizard of Oz" with Christian ideology. The song lyrics are included below. I've also posted Reba's dramatically breathy and eerily beautiful "Lady," which examines Jesus' life from his mother's perspective. You can read about Reba Rambo and find her discography here, go here to read about Reba's support of the Gay Christian Movement (heart-warming, though hardly surprising given her recurring references to rainbows and "The Wizard of Oz"), and click on "Our Pastors" here to find out what Reba and husband Dony are up to nowadays. I left my mp3 music files at home, so will post links tomorrow. Meanwhile, here's a video clip of Reba Rambo performing "The Land of Ooh's and Ah's":

Reba Rambo on YouTube:

[ "The Land of Ooh's and Ah's" / "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" ]

Willa Dorsey

Artist: Willa Dorsey

LP: The World's Most Exciting Gospel Singer 

Song: "Jesus Put a Song In My Soul"

[ listen ]

Song: "Joy In My Soul"

[ listen ]

This week I'll be posting more of the religious records I picked up earlier this month, starting with this wonderful 1968 Willa Dorsey LP. Nobody's ever made me wish I'd be going to heaven when I die as much as Willa Dorsey has—but since I'm not likely to make it, I'm hoping she occasionally tours. A native of Atlanta, where she reportedly lived next door to Martin Luther King, Willa Dorsey lived in Portland, Oregon for the last 40 years of her life and was still playing piano and singing at the Lighthouse Mission Church in Northeast Portland as recently as 2006. You can read her obituary on the OregonLive website here, where several people have left moving comments with further details about the singer's life and music. Notes from the back of this LP and a video clip of Willa Dorsey performing with the Billy Graham Crusade are included below. You can get your very own copy of Dorsey's Grammy-nominated "The World's Most Exciting Gospel Singer" LP for $5 on eBay here.

Willa Dorsey on YouTube:

[ "It Is Well" ]

[ Willa Dorsey: July 2, 1933 — January 5, 2009 ]

Eavesdroppings

Overheard when: 12:08pm on Sunday, September 12, 2010
Overheard where: The Hurricane Cafe at 2230 7th Avenue in Seattle, WA [map]
Overheard who: a shrewd brown-haired boy, age 7 or 8, who was one of a group of five youngsters who had clustered near my lunch-counter seat in order to better observe the eclectic assortment of Mister Potato-Heads on display above the kitchen service window.
Overheard what: "Darth Vader never had two lightsabers."

Crackin'

Artist: Crackin'

LP: Crackin'-1

Song: "Wanna Dance?"

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Some folks on the rate your music website have assigned this 1975 Crackin' LP low star-ratings, calling it "painful" and "average." But if it's any consolation, the photos on the back of the record show that the men of Crackin' range anywhere from "above average" to "smoldering" in the looks department—and as we all know, when the guys in the band are sexy, it makes their music sound a lot better. You can read a little about Crackin' here and see some better pictures of Leslie Orlando Smith, the smolderingest member of Crackin', without any wear and tear on his face here and here. Personally, I think the record's alright, and "Wanna Dance?" has been added to the playlist for the dance portion of my sister's wedding reception tomorrow. 

Rhythm Heritage

Artist: Rhythm Heritage

LP: Disco-Fied

Song: "Caravan"

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Here's my other favorite rendition of "Caravan." You can read about Rhythm Heritage on Wikipedia here. Believe it or not, I wore those exact same socks to work today.

The Dell Trio

Artist: The Dell Trio

LP: The Dell Trio Presents [10" EP]

Song: "Caravan"

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This might be the best rendition of "Caravan" I've heard yet—and I've heard a few! The Dell Trio whips up some real swingin' sounds with just an organ, an accordion and a guitar. According to my sources, the fellow pictured in the upper left on the cover of this 1951 Columbia 10" EP grew up in a cornfield somewhere in western Illinois...so I guess you could say there's a farmer in The Dell... trio.

Cupcake 4: Lemon Butterfly

Butterfly cakes may remind you of children's birthday parties, but these attractive, creamy, miniature delights are popular with adults too.

Makes 12 cupcakes

generous ¾ cup self-rising white flour

½ tsp baking powder

8 tbsp soft margarine

generous ½ cup superfine sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten
finely grated rind of ½ lemon
2 tbsp milk

confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Lemon filling

6 tbsp butter, softened

1½ cups confectioners' sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

* Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Put 12 paper baking cases in a muffin pan, or put 12 double-layer paper cases on a baking sheet.

* Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the margarine, sugar, eggs, lemon rind, and milk and, using an electric hand whisk, beat together until smooth. Spoon the batter into the paper cases.

* Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until well risen and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

* To make the filling, put the butter in a bowl and beat until fluffy. Sift in the confectioners' sugar, add the lemon juice, and beat together until smooth and creamy.

* When the cupcakes are cold, use a serrated knife to cut a circle from the top of each cupcake and then cut each circle in half. Spread or pipe a little of the buttercream filling into the center of each cupcake, then press the 2 semicircular halves into it at an angle to resemble butterfly wings. Dust with sifted confectioners' sugar before serving.

 

side one:
01. Besos y Lágrimas - Sergio Golwarz
02. I Feel Like a Feather In the Breeze - Doris Day
03. Watching Birds - Stornoway
04. Catnip - Dave "Baby" Cortez
05. El Pussycat - Sandy Nelson
06. Lemmon Flavored Blues - Jack Lemmon
07. Let's Fly Away - Doris Day
08. Floating - Nobody & Mystic Chords of Memory
09. Limón Limonero - Los Macovals
10. The Moon Was Yellow - Werner Müller & His Orchestra
11. Sugar Cane - Men and Boys of the S/S Christian Radich
[ listen ]

side two:
01. Popcorn - Hot Butter
02. Yatara-chan's Annoying Noise - Katra Turana
03. Why Don't We Do This More Often - Doris Day
04. Lemon Tree - Steel Band Bamboushay
05. Wayward Song - The Earlies
06. Détente - Bertrand Gosselin
07. When Spring Comes Around - Leon Bibb
08. Now and Again - It Hugs Back
09. Get Out and Get Under the Moon - Doris Day
[ listen ]

Foggy River Boys

Artist: Foggy River Boys

LP: My God Is Real

Song: "The King's Highway"

[ listen ]

A few days ago I picked up a bunch of neat old Christian and gospel music records, including this one from the Foggy River Boys. You can find info on earlier versions of the group on Wikipedia here, but none of the guys in this 1964 lineup are mentioned there—or anywhere else on the internet, unfortunately. In any case, I was amazed to note how much one of the Foggy River Boys pictured on the front of this LP resembles Joan Crawford in drag. If you're not sure which guy I mean, here's a clue:

Alessi

Artist: Alessi

LP: 7" single

Song: "All For a Reason"

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You can read about identical twins Bobby and Billy Alessi here, and visit their website here to get their new CD. Rumor has it that "All For a Reason" is an actual recording of a drunken, late-night phone call Billy made to Bobby back in December of 1977.

[ Billy & Bobby - or - Bobby & Billy ]

Olivia Newton-John

Artist: Olivia Newton-John

LP: 7" single

Song: "Don't Stop Believin'"

[ don't listen ]

Here's something uplifting and inspirational from "Down Under," posted in honor of the smart and terrifically twisted Australian crime thriller I went to see at the cinema last night. Actually, Olivia Newton-John was born in Cambridge, England, but her family moved to Melbourne when she was 6, so most people think she's Australian. You can read about ONJ's exciting career in music and film on Wikipedia here.

Note from April 18, 2011: I've just been informed that by posting this uplifting Olivia Newton-John single, I have infringed upon the copyright of others. So if you want to be inspired by this lovely song from "Down Under," I guess you'll have to fork over some change first. It's worth it.

Gwen Guthrie

Artist: Gwen Guthrie

LP: 7" single

Song: "(They Long to Be) Close to You"

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With nothing ready to post today, I went rummaging through my collection this morning and found a 1987 cover of this old Burt Bacharach/Hal David tune, best known as a 1970 hit for The Carpenters. Guthrie's version, which includes additional lyrics like "I wanna' get so close to you, I'll be stickin' like Krazy Glue," only made it to #69 on the U.S. R&B singles charts, but it went to #25 on the pop charts in the U.K. Born in Okemah, Oklahoma in 1950, Gwen Guthrie began her music career when she was asked to sing backing vocals on Aretha Franklin's "I'm In Love" single in 1974. She then worked with artists like Roberta Flack, Stevie Wonder and Madonna before launching a successful solo career in the 1980s, releasing a string of hits that were immensely popular on the dance floor. Guthrie became known for her "controversial" songs in which she demanded that a man be fiscally responsible before becoming romantically involved with her. An ally to the gay community and supporter of the fight against AIDS long before it was fashionable, Guthrie donated the proceeds from her 1988 "Can't Love You Tonight" single to the AIDS Coalition. Sadly, Gwen Guthrie died in early 1999 from uterine cancer. You can read more about her life and career here and here and find her obituary in the U.K. Independent here.

[ Gwen Guthrie: July 9, 1950 — February 3, 1999 ]

Cupcake 5: Valentine Heart

The 14th of February was probably chosen as Valentine's Day because it was the ancient belief that birds, particularly lovebirds, began to mate on that date. Make a batch of these delicious cupcakes for the one you love. Alternatively, impress your family and friends with them.

Makes 6 cupcakes

6 tbsp butter, softened, or soft margarine

generous 3/8 cup superfine sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa

1 tsp baking powder

Marzipan hearts

1¼ oz/35 g marzipan

red food coloring (liquid or paste)

confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Topping

4 tbsp butter, softened

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 oz/25 g semisweet chocolate, melted

6 chocolate flower decorations

* To make the hearts, knead the marzipan until pliable, then add a few drops of red coloring and knead until evenly colored red. Roll out the marzipan to a thickness of ¼ inch/5 mm on a counter dusted with confectioners' sugar. Using a small heart-shaped cutter, cut out 6 hearts. Put these on a tray lined with waxed paper and dusted with confectioners' sugar. Let dry for 3-4 hours.

* To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Put 6 paper muffin cases in a muffin pan.

* Put the batter, sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl and beat together until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition. Sift in the flour, cocoa, and baking powder and, using a large metal spoon, fold into the mixture. Spoon the batter into the paper cases.

* Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until well risen and firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

* To make the topping, put the butter in a large bowl and beat until fluffy. Sift in the confectioners' sugar and beat together until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and beat together until well mixed. When the cakes are cold, spread the frosting on top of each cake and decorate with a chocolate flower.

 

side one:
01. It All Depends On You - Jackie Gleason
02. With Tomorrow - Gene Clark
03. The Time You Spent With Me - Ohio Express
04. I Fell In Love With a Ghost - Lydia Lunch
05. Say It Isn't So - Jackie Gleason
06. Stop Draggin' My Heart Around - Stevie Nicks w/ Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
07. Crève Misère - Georges Chelon
08. Nobody's Sweetheart - The Mills Violano Virtuoso (Double) of the Gay '90s Melody Museum, St. Louis
09. You Were Meant For Me - Jackie Gleason 
[song ends abruptly just as it's getting started.]
[ listen ]

side two:
01. When He Wants a Woman - Timi Yuro
02. Honey Bunch - The Gentleman Losers
03. Jealous - Jackie Gleason
04. Le Mur De La Prison D'en Face - Yves Duteil
05. God Knows (You Gotta' Give to Get) - El Perro Del Mar
06. Don't Wanna' Live Inside Myself - Bee Gees
07. Mirror Kissers - The Cribs
08. No Place So Alone - Tindersticks
09. Dark Is the Night - Jackie Gleason
10. Starry-Eyed and Breathless - Ethel Ennis 
[track suddenly cuts off for no apparent reason.]
[ listen ]

Crystal Gayle

Artist: Crystal Gayle

LP: 7" single

Song: "'Til I Gain Control Again"

[ listen ]

The third and final album by This Mortal Coil came out in 1991 at about the same time I did, and it was one of the main soundtracks for what was a pretty difficult time in my life. Their version of "'Til I Gain Control Again," with lead vocals by Heidi Berry, was one of the songs I listened to most often (you can hear it here), so it was a nice surprise when I recently came across this 1982 single that features Crystal Gayle doing a version of the song. "'Til I Gain Control Again" was originally written by singer Rodney Crowell and was first recorded and released by Emmylou Harris in 1975; you can listen to her version here. Crystal Gayle was born in Paintsville, Kentucky in 1951 and is singer Loretta Lynn's youngest sibling. Gayle has had 18 singles reach #1 on the country charts over the years, you can go here to find out which ones and to read more about the life and career of the talented singer known for her crystal blue eyes and her shimmering, incredibly long hair. I've always thought it must be kinda' gross cleaning out the drain in the tub after Crystal Gayle takes a shower.

Anna Oxa

Artist: Anna Oxa

LP: Anna Oxa

Song: "La Sonnambula"

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One of the things I like most about Italian pop music of the 1970s is that about 90% of the time, the singer is screaming at the top of their lungs by the end of the song. You can read about Anna Oxa here, and see her discography, tour dates, photos and more on her otherworldly website here—but be warned: loud music will automatically start to play and your cursor arrow will catch on fire!

Nicola Di Bari

Artist: Nicola Di Bari

LP: Un Successo Dopo L'Altro

Song: "Il Mondo E' Grigio, Il Mondo E' Blu"

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Here's a cool Nicola Di Bari song that features rambunctious percussive flourishes. Sorry if I seem a bit under the weather. I was out too late last night with some lemon juice, gin and a touch of absinthe—then awoke in the middle of the night from a terrible nightmare. (Armed with a broom, I was trying to fend off a cougar that had been about to attack the family dog. I figured that the dog and I would work together to get rid of the cougar, but as soon as the cougar turned its attention to me, the family dog trotted off to safety.) In my sleep-deprived haze, I left my homemade lunch sitting on the kitchen counter as I headed for work, and also forgot to grab my only functioning pen, so am using a crappy yellow Paper Mate ever-sharp today instead. Anyway, the Italian-language notes from the back of Di Bari's 1976 LP are included here: