Pastor T.L. Barrett and the Youth For Christ Choir
LIke A Ship...(Without A Sail)
Ok, embarrassing revelation time. I have this record in my collection, filed away as an indication that I've listened to it.
Somehow I ended up with a second copy, probably due to the fact that both Light In The Attic and Numero Group have both reissued it over the years. Anway, I pulled it out to listen to, and I'd be goddamned if my immediate reaction wasn't "Wait...isn't this a Parliament song?"
As I pull at the thread further, what I've come to realize is that the title track has been played often over the years on the TMR turntable and beyond. I've heard it dozens of times, no doubt.
But I never really connected it with the Barrett LP. I thought it was George Clinton and company.
Nevertheless, the soulful vocals, the propulsive funk bass bottom and the magical spark in the air anytime you've got a youth choir and this record is IT. In addition to many other dream hypotheticals, a perfect world is one wherein there's a thousand different albums just like this, just as good. I can only imagine...
And since I've got two copies, one can be yours.
Post your best story, truthful or fiction, that explains a song you mis-attributed to the wrong artist, in good faith, because of how much they sounded alike. Except for "Lies" by the Knickerbockers sounding like the Beatles. You can't post that story because I lived that one too.
Get your words up here before midnight January 30th and the winner, as chosen by me, will get this delicious LP mailed straight to their doorstep, or failing that, PO box.
Mine’s more a mistaken musical reference…. I once responded to a request by a female coworker by saying “Whatever you want, Lola!” I was speaking Damn Yankees. She heard The Kinks. There was a very uncomfortable and confusing moment between us until I realized I needed to clarify.
For the longest time I was having dreams about Neil Diamond. They weren’t dreams of the epic adventure scale or the “Neil diamond is my father” or anything of that sort…they were literally just Neil Diamond showing up in my dreams telling to that he had a song that would fit perfectly on my radio program. He would just kind of appear in this cloud of fog, dressed in all in black, cool hair, a little swagger, and then say something to the effect of “Hey, man, I know your show is tomorrow, but I’ve got a perfect song that would really fit well within the confines of your show.” And it’s not like I’m some huge Neil Diamond fan, in fact no one in my family is, and none of my friends are either. So it always struck me as odd that he just showed up, like he was offended that I never played him on my rock n roll radio broadcast. It just never even occurred to me that his particular brand of soft pop would be something I would play on my show. But he kept showing up and finally I started paying attention because he was actually right…anytime I was struggling putting together a playlist for a themed show about cars or traveling or books or whatever, somehow Neil Diamond alway had a song that was like the bridge between certain songs that I never knew I needed. More to the point, people would always call in to comment how much they didn’t know they actually loved Neil. To which I began feeling the same. So when I was putting together a playlist featuring songs about rain, Neil once again showed up and was like, “Dude, I’ve got the perfect song and you know it.” So I woke up, raced to the computer and found this song called “I Love a Rainy Night.” Granted this was like fifteen or twenty years ago and the internet was still catching up with proper labeling. And little did I know I was actually downloading the Eddie Rabbit song. In fact, no one corrected me for years. Years. Other dj’s would say how much they loved that Neil Diamond song, that it fit the playlist perfectly, or that it was a hidden gem or whatever. So I never thought twice about it for at least a decade. Until the song popped up on a podcast and the host mentioned it was Eddie Rabbit. I did some actual research. And the host was right. Shame, complete shame, and embarrassment, washed over me as not only was I lying to myself but to my listeners as well. And then Neil stopped showing up in my dreams. I failed him I think.
Up till about 4-5 years ago I swore that Bitter Sweet Symphony
Was a song by Oasis and not The Verve. And I had even seen the video. It came on the radio and th DJ said the Verve and I argued that it was Oasis. But I was wrong.
I once snuck into the back area of jacks concert in Detroit. I could hear the sound check, but as I had tickets to the show later I didn’t want to be kicked out so I left and waited like I should.
Respectfully,
TMP
It may be apocryphal, but supposedly Neil Young pulled over the first time he heard America’s “Horse With NO NAME.” He called elliott Roberts and asked when he recorded that. Gerry Beckley (of America) said Neil’s dad called Neil to say how much he liked Neil’s new song. And, to make matters worse, “Horse With No NO NAME” knocked “Heart of Gold” off the charts.
That’s all I got.
Everyone tells the story but in my case, it really happened. In 1970 I was about 12 and I was in a record store. The really cool girl behind the counter put on an album and I swear I thought it was the new Paul McCartney solo record, maybe with George Harrison on guitar.I summoned the nerve to ask her what she was playing and learned that it was the debut Emitt Rhodes album. Could’ve fooled me.
Actually this week I thought a couple different songs that were streaming on my tidal account were by Death Cab For Cutie only to find out they were by The Postale Service. I didn’t know Ben Gibbard was in two bands.
I was digging through some old mixtapes when I stumbled upon this mix-up involving The Soft Boys and Television Personalities. The Soft Boys, known for their track “I Wanna Destroy You,” have this quirky, psychedelic vibe. On the other hand, Television Personalities, with their song “Part-Time Punks,” were all about the raw, lo-fi indie scene.
I found this obscure recording by The Soft Boys called “Underwater Moonlight,” which, in a way, echoed the DIY spirit of Television Personalities. I was listening to it one evening, thinking it was a rare Television Personalities track due to the similar vibes of offbeat indie rock.
But then, at a small indie music night in a local watering hole, I heard “Underwater Moonlight” played live by The Soft Boys, and I was like, “Hold on, isn’t this the Television Personalities?” It turned out to be a case of indie rock sonic convergence.
This goes back to the old Napster download days when anyone could just label an mp3 file whatever the heck they wanted and upload for world to access. The Snoop Dogg cover of Gin and Juice for years I just assumed was performed by Phish. After going to several shows hoping I’d hear Phish cover this hilariously twangy rendition, I later learned that track is actually a cover by The Gourds. I felt so dumb because listening back it sounds nothing that band from Vermont. Thanks early internet!
Clowns to the left of me
Jokers to the right
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you
I thought it was Bob Dylan! Did not realize it was Stealers Wheels pretending to be Bob Dylan.