Shuffle #32 (October 18, 2014)

All I See Is You – Dusty Springfield

Losing My Religion – R.E.M.

Happy Hour – The Housemartins

There She Goes Again – The Beat Farmers

Violet Hill – Coldplay

Money’s Too Tight To Mention – Simply Red

Fire On The Bayou – Neville Brothers

Shining Star – Earth, Wind And Fire

If You Could Read My Mind – Gordon Lightfoot

#15 Going In Circles -- The Friends Of Distinction (1969)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBkYN7wYQFk

My most vivid memory associated with this song happened about ten years after its release. I was living in an apartment in Rockville, lying awake in bed with the window open, while somebody either outside or in a nearby unit had tuned in legendary area DJ Melvin Lindsey on WHUR. Lindsey was just finishing off a countdown of listener favorites, and “Going In Circles” was #2 on the list. (Oddly enough, the #1 song is also my all-time favorite.)

#16 Hello Stranger -- Barbara Lewis (1963)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-VDbbjIto4

I actually never heard this song until I got to Lebanon Valley College in 1971. The freshman class decided to have a dance marathon, and since I had been elected President of the class (a long story ...) I certainly wasn’t going to miss it. Most of the live entertainment was provided by a freshman-based “grease band”, which played 50s and early 60s rock songs (“Teen Angel”, etc.) along the lines of Sha Na Na. At one point, however, Jane Garlock (a junior) went to the piano and did a version of “Hello Stranger” – I fell in love with the song immediately. Yvonne Elliman and Queen Latifah have both done nice cover versions, but Lewis’s original (she also wrote the song) remains definitive.

#17 Ridin' In My Car – NRBQ (1977)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRK2o3EkOUw

NRBQ never had much commercial success in terms of selling either singles or albums, but in their heyday they had a well-earned reputation as a great live band. I saw them once, at Wolf Trap on a double bill with Los Lobos. I was surprised when Los Lobos came out first, since they were certainly the more famous of the two, but after NRBQ’s set I understood the reasoning; you really wouldn’t want to have to follow these guys on stage. “Ridin’ In My Car” may be the greatest road song of all time – if you have a convertible, be sure to listen on a gorgeous summer day with the top down.

#18 Someday Soon -- Judy Collins (1969)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Jn90y9H9S4

In late 1968, folk singer Judy Collins (to whom Stephen Stills paid tribute in “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes”) had her only top 10 hit with Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now.” In August of 1969, she released “Chelsea Morning” (another Mitchell song) as a single; it didn’t do much on the charts, but is well-known for inspiring the name of Bill and Hillary Clinton’s daughter.

In between these two, Collins put out “Someday Soon” as a single. This one didn’t have much commercial success either, peaking at #55, but this poignant ballad written by Ian Tyson (of Ian and Sylvia fame) is my favorite Judy Collins recording (although her version of “Amazing Grace” comes close).