I didn't care for Rushdie's The Ground Beneath Her Feet, but it wasn't bad enough to put me off Rushdie altogether. I definitely still want to attempt to read Midnight's Children.

I just watched the Flaming Lips documentary Fearless Freaks. I'd always kind of dismissed them as psychedelic rock freaky people, even though I really like Yoshimi, but after watching this, I feel ashamed that I ever thought that.

Fascinating stuff, and now I think I'm a little in love with Wayne Coyne. Must go find copy of The Soft Bulletin now.

The Soft Bulletin is amazing. One of the greatest records of the last fifteen years, and totally heartfelt. That Iron & Wine version of "Waiting for a Superman" that tina posted at buffistarawk is also very lovely.

I bought Prog Rock today! And the O'Jays.

So who here has heard Ike & Tina Turner's cover of "Whole Lotta Love"? How about Sandie Shaw covering "Your Time Is Gonna Come"?

Anyway, I've fiddled and fussed and come up with three volumes for erika's 70s Soul Thang mixes. To wit:

Soul Thang 1


Westbound #9	The Flaming Ember
Grazing In The Grass	The Friends Of Distinction
O-O-H Child	The Five Stairsteps
Smiling Faces Sometimes	Undisputed Truth
Back Stabbers	The O'Jays
They Just Can't Stop It The (Games People Play)	The Spinners
(I Just Can't Help Myself) I Don't Want Nobody Else	Terry Callier
I Love You For All Seasons	Fuzz
Give Me Just A Little More Time	Chairmen Of The Board
I Believe To My Soul	Donny Hathaway
Somebody's Been Sleeping	100 Proof (Aged In Soul)
Hey There Lonely Girl	Eddie Holman
Love Land	Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band
Groovy Situation	Gene Chandler
Treat Her Like A Lady	Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
You've Got My Soul On Fire	The Temptations
Turn Back The Hands Of Time	Tyrone Davis
Woman's Gotta Have It	Bobby Womack
Groove Me	King Floyd
Right On The Tip Of My Tongue	Brenda And The Tabulations
Golden Ring	American Gypsy
Inspiration Information	Shuggie Otis
Move On Up	Curtis Mayfield


Soul Thang 2


(Don't Worry) If There's A Hell Below We're All Gonna Go	Curtis Mayfield
The Boss (From "Black Caesar")	James Brown
Papa Was A Rolling Stone	The Temptations
Superstition	Stevie Wonder
Got Myself A Good Man	Gladys Knight & The Pips
Full Of Fire	Al Green
What Am I Gonna Do With You	Barry White
California Dreamin'	Bobby Womack
Strawberry Letter 23	Shuggie Otis
Brown-Eyed Lady	Terry Callier
Take Me With You	Lyn Christopher
Easin' In	Edwin Starr
Fight The Power (Part 1 & 2)	The Isley Brothers
Happiness	Allen Toussaint
Have You Seen Her	The Chi-Lites
Survial	The O'Jays
God Is Love (B-Side Version)	Marvin Gaye
It's A Shame	The Spinners
Tryin' Times	Donny Hathaway
I'll Take You There	The Staple Singers


Soul Thang 3


Hercules	Aaron Neville
The World Is A Ghetto	War
1990	The Temptations
Respect Yourself	The Staple Singers
Oh Girl	The Chi-Lites
Everybody Plays The Fool	The Main Ingredient
Me And Mrs Jones	Billy Paul
If I Were Only A Child Again	Curtis Mayfield
Gotta Get Closer To You	Terry Callier
Ain't No Woman	The Four Tops
Could It Be I'm Falling In Love	The Spinners
992 Arguments	The O'Jays
Sad Tomorrows (B-Side Version)	Marvin Gaye
Women's Love Rights	Laura Lee
You're Welcome, Stop On By	Bobby Womack
Chokin' Kind	Allen Toussaint
Tuesday Heartbreak	Stevie Wonder
Thin Line Between Love & Hate	The Persuaders
Too Late To Turn Back Now	Cornelius Brothers And Sister Rose
Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get	Dramatics
Ain't No Sunshine	Bill Withers
I Can See Clearly Now	Johnny Nash

Still on the Erika's Box Set (aka, I Dig Pelecanos):

Soul 60s 1


Baby Workout	Jackie Wilson
I Don't Need No Doctor	Ray Charles
Do	The Marvelows
Rescue Me	Fontella Bass
Tighten Up	The Archie Bell & The Drells
I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)	Aretha Franklin
You're No Good	Betty Everett
First I Look At The Purse	The Contours
Cool Jerk	The Capitols
Leaving Here Eddie Holland
Ruler Of My Heart	Irma Thomas
Tainted Love	Gloria Jones
The "In" Crowd	Dobie Gray
Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart	The Supremes
Soul Finger	The Bar-Kays
Mustang Sally	Sir Mack Rice
Tell Mama	Etta James
Function At The Junction	Shorty Long
Shake A Tail Feather	The Five Du-Tones
Shake And Fingerpop	Jr. Walker & The All Stars
Expressway To Your Heart	The Soul Survivors
Agent Double-O-Soul	Edwin Starr
Last Night	The Mar-Keys
Show Me	Joe Tex
I Can't Get Next To You	The Temptations
Friendship Train	Gladys Knight & The Pips
The Love You Save	The Jackson 5



Soul 60s 2


But It's Alright	J.J. Jackson
Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)	Chris Clark
Can I Get A Witness	Marvin Gaye
The Cheater	Bob Kuban And The In-Men
I Surrender	Fontella Bass
Band Of Gold	Freda Payne
Chain Of Fools	Aretha Franklin
Grits Ain't Groceries (All Around The World)	Little Milton
If You Ever Get Your Hands On Love	Gladys Knight & The Pips
Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While)	Kim Weston
Baby A Go-Go	Barbara McNair
Wack Wack	Young-Holt Trio
Riding High on Love	Junior Walker & The All Stars
Baby Hit And Run	The Contours
Until You Came Along	Carolyn Crawford
Who You Gonna Run To	Brenda Holloway
Make Me Yours	Bettye Swann
Some Kind Of Wonderful	Soul Brothers Six
Twine Time	Alvin Cash & the Crawlers
Stop	Howard Tate
Big Bird	Eddie Floyd
Nothing But A Heartache	The Flirtations
The Horse	Cliff Nobles & Co.
Ride Your Pony	Aaron Neville/The Meters
She's Looking Good	Rodger Collins
I Know How To Love Her	Jimmy Ruffin
It's Your Thing	The Isley Brothers

Lastly for erika...

b Funk It


Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)	Sly & The Family Stone
New Suit	Wild Magnolias
Love Rollercoaster	Ohio Players
Brick House	Commodores
Let It Whip	The Dazzband
Dazz	Brick
Slide	Slave
Fantastic Voyage	Lakeside
Tear The Roof Off The Sucker (Give Up The Funk)	Parliament
Jungle Boogie	Kool & The Gang
Tell Me Something Good	Rufus
Serpentine Fire	Earth Wind & Fire
Pick Up The Pieces	Average White Band
Play That Funky Music	Wild Cherry
For The Love Of Money	The O'Jays
Cissy Strut	The Meters
Do It ('Til You're Satisfied)	B.T. Express
What Is Hip?	Tower Of Power
More Bounce To The Ounce	Zapp
You Dropped A Bomb On Me	The Gap Band

And if you're wondering, erika, "Westbound #9" gets pride of place because it opens with this lyric:

"Catching the Westbound #9 / Gonna leave this town, leave it far behind/ while I've got my peace of mind."

Wow. That's as big as the Beg, Scream, and Shout set.

Does erika have blackmail goods on you?

That's as big as the Beg, Scream, and Shout set.

Most of the 60s soul stuff comes from it. At least 65%. I mean, I was collecting soul well before that but it's all on vinyl.

Does erika have blackmail goods on you?

Nah, but I think she's needing a big funky soul boost.

Does erika have blackmail goods on you?

Nah, but I think she's needing a big funky soul boost.

You're a good friend, dude.

To get non-soulish for a second, let me once again publically declare my LOVE for early Suede. I cannot imagine why this isn't Jilli's favorite rock band of all time. It's so swoony and grand. (Way way better than Placebo, Jilli! And just as pretty.)

At AMG Stephen Erlewine asserts:

The double-disc Sci-Fi Lullabies collects the majority of those B-sides, leaving behind the odd live track and remix, as well as the worthy "Painted People" and "Asda Town" and the non-LP single "Stay Together." What's included is stellar, offering an alternate history of Suede. In fact, the first disc — comprised of Suede and Dog Man Star B-sides, plus the haunting "Europe Is Our Playground" — is as strong as any of their albums, featuring such essentials as the sleazy "He's Dead," "The Living Dead," "My Dark Star," the storming "Killing of a Flash Boy," the sighing "Where the Pigs Don't Fly," and "Whipsnade," all strong enough to be A-sides.

And I think he's right. I'd put the first disc of Sci Fi Lullabies up with the eponymous Suede debut.