Allen Toussaint

Legendary New Orleans songwriter, producer, and pianist Allen Toussaint died November 9 at the age of 77. Although a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Toussaint was certainly not a household word, although most folks would recognize some of the biggest hit songs he wrote – “Mother-In-Law”, “Southern Nights”, and “Yes We Can Can”, among others.

 

My favorite Allen Toussaint songs and versions:

On Your Way Down – Trombone Shorty (with Toussaint on piano)

A Certain Girl – Warren Zevon

All These Things – The Uniques

Working In A Coal Mine – Lee Dorsey

I Like It Like That – The Dave Clark Five

Freedom For The Stallion – The Hues Corporation

LP #4 The Beat Farmers – Tales Of The New West (1985)

While the Beat Farmers did a number of great songs after their debut album – most notably “Riverside”, “Road To Ruin”, and a great cover of Neil Young’s “Powderfinger” – they never put together an entire studio album nearly as great as this one. In addition to “Reason To Believe” (one of the few covers of a Springsteen song that completely surpasses the Boss’s original), the band also did nice versions of Lou Reed’s “There She Goes Again” and John Stewart’s “Never Going Back”. What really makes the album work, however, are the originals, written by current band members Buddy Blue and Jerry Raney, and close associate (and future member) Paul Kamanski. The production by Steve Berlin (of Los Lobos) and Mark Linett is also impeccable.

 

The Beat Farmers are one of the best exemplars of the 1980s “cowpunk” movement, although unlike bands such as the Long Ryders their music steered clear of political overtones. Allmusic.com probably summarized their sound best:  “country, rockabilly, and roots rock with punk energy and a raucous sense of humor.” While “Lost Weekend” is probably the song that best summarizes these elements, their best-known track is probably the short-and-strange “Happy Boy”, which was popularized by Dr. Demento and still gets some airplay today.

 

Favorite tracks:

Lost Weekend

Goldmine

Reason To Believe

Bigger Stones

Selfish Heart

California Kid

Shuffle #77 (November 10, 2015)

Shower The People – James Taylor

Rikki Don’t Lose That Number – Steely Dan

A Woman In Love (It’s Not Me) – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Help Me, Rhonda – The Beach Boys

Love And Happiness – John Mellancamp

The Mary Ellen Carter – Schooner Fare

Tears Dry On Their Own – Amy Winehouse

Bigger Stones – The Beat Farmers

Mr. Dream Merchant – Jerry Butler