Friday, June 30, 2023

La Fin de la Semaine Essay Question: Special "Glug! Glug! Glug!" Edition

From 2023, and his forthcoming (as yet untitled) new EP, please enjoy former Spongetones auteur/power pop legend Jamie Hoover and his hilarious alt-country booze ballad "Bourbon Understands."

Attentive readers will doubtless remember my enthusiasm for Hoover, particularly for his absolutely transplendent mid-90s cover (with the Spongetones) of Paul McCartney's "On the Wings of a Nightingale"...

...which I wrote about back in 2019 over HERE. But, as you can tell from the new one, he's sort of branching out these evenings, genre-wise, and good for him. At least as long as his liver holds out.

But now to business. To wit:

...and your favorite or least favorite country song by a solo artist or group that is NOT specifically a full-time country act is...?

Discuss.

BTW, my choice would be Steve Goodman's "You Never Even Call Me By My Name."

Which begins with the line "I was drunk the day that mom got out of prison." Heh.

Anyway...Have a great weekend, everybody!!!

BTW: You can, and should, find out more about Hoover's music and his future (hopefully sober) plans over at his OFFICIAL WEBSITE.

You're welcome.

19 comments:

edward said...

Ok, it Ends with the line "I was drunk...", but still a great song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sco_eBvXGTQ&t=2s

J. Loslo said...

Maybe this doesn't count because he's covering an actual country artist (Cornell Hurd), but Glenn Tillbrook's rendition of "Genitalia of a Fool" is worth mentioning:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVwjG7k2x7M

Also notable: Elvis Costello's "Stranger in the House" and The Monkees' "What Am I Doing Hangin' Round."

Cleveland Jeff said...

In addition to his Spongetones gig and solo career etc., Jaime toured with Don Dixon and Marti Jones, along with percussionist extraordinaire Jim Brock. His great guitar, always perfect for the song, is on full display on Marti Jones' Live At Spirit Square from 1996, one of the best live records ever in my opinion. more about Marti here:
https://kleaveburg.blogspot.com/2010/12/marti-jones.html

Gummo said...

Favorites all:

What Goes On, Act Naturally - The Beatles
Dead Flowers, Far Away Eyes - The Stones
Buffalo Ballet - John Cale
Grateful Dead, too many to list

Alzo said...

Okay, Steverino- you started this by turning me on to this group.

I swear, these lassies can do anything: pop, rock, blues, folk and this dead-on approximation of Dolly Parton:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMG0GSv66ug

getawaygoober said...

Ed Sanders - The Iliad
Rolling Stones - No Expectations

steve simels said...

Cleveland Jeff:

Couldn’t agree more about the live Marti Jones album.

pete said...

Does Steely Dan's "Razor Boy" count?

Anonymous said...

pete:


I'd say ix-nay on the Razor Boy

but "Pearl of the Quarter" comes a lot closer, pedal steel and all'

VR

Anonymous said...

Drive-by Truckers/Jason Isbell - Goddamn Lonely Love
Isbell solo acoustic version - very nice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pllYesK_b-g

Flying Burrito Brothers - Christine's Tune, Hot Burrito #1, Sin City, Wheels (hell, most of the Gilded Palace of Sin)

Buffalo Springfield - Kind Woman

Monkees - since What Am I Doing Hangin' Round is taken I'll pick If I Ever Get To Saginaw Again

Grateful Dead - Mama Tried, Me and Bobby McGee

Byrds - entire Sweetheart and bonus tracks

Allman Brothers - Ramblin' Man

Guns N' Roses - I Used To Love Her

I used to love her but I had to kill her
I used to love her but I had to kill her
I had to put her six feet under
And I can still hear her complain


worst

Led Zeppelin - Hot Dog (not a fave) (shoulda been saved for Coda) (but, then again, In Through Out Door my least fave Zeppelin by far) (though I likes me a little South Bound Suarez which kicks ass)

Elton John - No Shoestrings On Louise, Texan Love Song

Neil Diamond - You're So Sweet Horseflies Keep Hangin' 'Round Your Face

Steppenwolf - Tenderness (opening lyrics below)

She tried to show me how to love
I bit her lips and bruised her arms
No I hadn't learned Tenderness
She asked "what does love mean to you?"
I grabbed her hair and pulled her down
I looked in her eyes and laughed

VR

gotta dust off my Marti Jones

Anonymous said...

RE; Spongetones.
I fully understand Steves Fan Boy
Too wit - Hofner guitars both 6 and 4 string, Rickenbaker guitars,
Vox Super Beatle Amps...only thing missing is a set of Ludwig.
My Dick Clark song review rating between 35 and 98, hmm - 88
Great Harmonies

rob
-

Cleveland Jeff said...

Thanks Steve!

M_Sharp said...

Alex Chilton - "Free Again"
Alvin "Youngblood" Hart - "Cowboy Boots"
The Ravonettes - "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry"
Rolling Stones - "Country Honk"
NRBQ - "Dry Up And Blow Away"
Arthur Alexander - "In The Middle Of It All", and almost everything else on his great "Lonely Just Like me" album
Supersuckers - "Non-Addictive Marijuana"
The Hoodoo Gurus - "Hayride To Hell"
Toni Price - "Call Of My Heart"
Ben Vaughn - "Ava Gardner Blues"

ChrisE said...

Don Henley - You're Not Drinking Enough (with "Soul Man" Sam Moore on backing vocals)

Marshall Crenshaw - Like A Vague Memory and Lesson Number One (the latter tune Marshall wrote hoping that the aforementioned Everly Brothers would cover it)

pete said...

Interesting that no one has mentioned "Willin'" by Little Feat, which would go on my Least Favorite list.

Anonymous said...

Fave:

Willin' both versions (1st LP with Ry) (2nd LP more refined)

Toss up between the two. Lean toward the less refined 1st version. 2nd LP more familiar with most "familiar" people.

Also love-

I've Been the One from the first Feat LP

Syd Straw's cover is exquisite on the Golden Palomino's Blast of Silence

That album also includes a cover of one of my Little Feat favorites, The Brides of Jesus. Love the original but it's not a country song.

Toodles,

VR

Take good care of your Feat Pete. thanx for the suggestion

Anonymous said...

Marshal Crenshaw- I'm sorry but so is Brenda Lee
Ween- piss up a rope or anything else off their album '12 Golden Country Greats'
Southern Culture on the Skids- liquored up and lacquered down
Bob Dylan- Nashville Skyline album.
further discussion on this topic might be as to the question of whether the artists respect the genre and are paying tribute or are they mocking it.
rs

Anonymous said...

i'm not saying that certain aspects of the genre do not deserve to be mocked .....
rs

Anonymous said...

Hung Up On You - Fountains of Wayne
There's a Story In Your Voice - Elvis Costello