Pots-Pourris du Jour: “Golden Shower of Hits” / “Medley in C” / “James at 16”
THE CLASH of Cover Medleys: Circle Jerks vs. Eugene Chadbourne and the Red Clay Ramblers vs. Soul Asylum
VOTE, COMMENT, then TURN THE BEAT AROUND
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Official Cover Me Impressed Medley Definitions:
For our purposes we will rely on medley standards as outlined at the 2012 Institute of Chartered Music Listeners Music-Medley Symposium, which identified and defined the following categories of
Music Medleys:
The Meager-Medley – a musical composition comprised of parts from two independent songs.
The Mini-Medley – a musical composition comprised of parts from three independent songs.
The Medial-Medley – a musical composition comprised of parts from four independent songs.
The Mega-Medley – a musical composition comprised of parts from five or more independent songs.
THE CLASH of Cover Medleys
Circle Jerks vs. Eugene Chadbourne and the Red Clay Ramblers vs. Soul Asylum
Circle Jerks: Golden Shower of Hits
“Along Comes Mary” (The Association) / “(They Long to be) Close to You” (The Carpenters) / “Afternoon Delight” (Starland Vocal Band) / “(You’re) Having My Baby” (Paul Anka) / “Love Will Keep Us Together” (Captain & Tennille) / “D-I-V-O-R-C-E” (Tammy Wynette)
Eugene Chadbourne and the Red Clay Ramblers: Medley in C
“Always on My Mind” (Willie Nelson) / “Whiter Shade of Pale” (Procol Harem) / “San Francisco Nights” (The Animals) / “Ain’t Misbehavin’ ” (Louis Armstrong) / “Imagine” (John Lennon) / “TV Party” (Black Flag) / “Misty” (Johnny Mathis) / “Dang Me” (Roger Miller) / “England Swings” (Roger Miller) / “I Started a Joke” (Bee Gees) / “To Sir With Love” (Lulu) / “Waltz Across Texas” (Ernest Tubb) / “The Shah Sleeps in Lee Harvey’s Grave” (Butthole Surfers)
Soul Asylum: James at 16
“The Cross” (Prince) / “For What it’s Worth” (Buffalo Springfield) / “I’m Waiting for My Man” (The Velvet Underground) / “Birth, School, Work, Death” (The Godfathers) / “Damaged Goods” (Gang of Four) / “Play that Funky Music” (Wild Cherry) / “Free For All” (Ted Nugent) / “I Don’t Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops, Upside Your Head)” (The Gap Band) / “Body Slam” (Bootsy Collins) / “Stayin’ Alive” (Bee Gees) / “Wishing Well” (Terence Trent D’Arby) / “Get Down Tonight” (KC & the Sunshine Band) / “Peaceful Easy Family” (The Eagles)
SPACE
Oh the disharmony! Much like Harlan County there are no neutrals here. It is your solemn responsibility to decide which medley of cover songs prevails. In other words … Which Side Are You On?!!?
Disclaimer: Votes cast from Florida may or may not be counted.
I generally do not like a medley. For every good one, such as David Johansen’s Animals medley, there are myriad bad ones. I would not put these 3 here in the same column as Johansen. But if I have to vote for one I’ll go with Soul Asylum because of Play That Funky Music White Boy.
I feel proud of myself for making it a full two minutes through the Red Clay Ramblers one.
I’m generally a big fan of medleys. It gives a band an opportunity to get creative, have some fun and, maybe, pay tribute to some of their favorite musicians (or satirize those they rebuke). I like all three of these medleys aplenty. I like Soul Asylum’s medley more than the Circle Jerks. And just by the narrowest of margins I like Chadbourne’s more than Soul Asylum.
Red Clay Ramblers! sort of a redneck Holy Modal Rounders…