The Poetry of Ray Davies

Now I'm on the fire of desire and the mystery, crying, oh but I ask where is the poetry?...Ray Davies - Poetry 

A couple of classic artists, Ray Davies (of The Kinks) and The Jayhawks have teamed up for a really great new Ray Davies album, Americana.  The song Poetry is a real standout on the album.  

Arthur and Victoria

Though I am poor, I am free; When I grow I shall fight for this land I shall die; Let her sun never set; Victoria, Victoria, Victoria, 'toria... The Kinks - Victoria

I have been listening to The Kink's Arthur Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire alot lately and really getting into the underated Kinks early rock opera.  Here is the great lead off track:

Better Things On The Way

Here’s wishing you the bluest sky and hoping something better comes tomorrow. Hoping all the verses rhyme and the very best of choruses to follow all the doubt and sadness; I know that better things are on the way... (The Kinks - Better Things)

I've recently read some exciting musical news:


Ray Davies has recently recorded some Kinks classics with various artists including Lucinda Williams, Alex Chilton (of Box Tops and Big Star fame), Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen. Ray and Bruce recorded Better Things from The Kinks great, under-rated 1982 album Give the People What They Want. According to raydavies.info the albums will be finished in the next few months and will be released late this year or early next.

In other Springsteen news, I've read that the Darkness on the Edge of Town Box Set may be released sometime between "June and December" of this year. One of my favorite blogs, Blogness on the Dark Side of Town recently ran an interesting poll on the subject.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have just announced on their website the upcoming release of a new CD - Mojo. In addition they have announced a major North American Tour this summer. The tour will include a stop at one my favorite venues, Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, OH and The Drive-By Truckers will be the opening act for that particular show.

Mix Monday: Come Dancing

Come dancing! Come on sister have yourself a ball. Don't be afraid to come dancing; Its only natural... (The Kinks - Come Dancing)

A new wedding video has become a hit on Youtube. The video has touched a nerve with the public and with me also. This is the way a wedding should be; a celebration with friends & family. Everyone is having a ball. So with this in mind today's Mix Monday is in honor of the dancing wedding.

The under appreciated George Harrison wrote some pretty good songs in his day. From The Beatles' A Hard Day's Night George's I'm Just Happy To Dance With You says it all "I don't need to hug or hold you tight; I just want to dance with you all night; In this world there's nothing I would rather do'cause I'm happy just to dance with you".

• The Beatles - I'm Happy Just To Dance With You

Lead singer of the Old 97's, Rhett Miller sings with such urgency that it easy to get caught up in their songs. From last years Blame It On Gravity, Dance With Me -"Dance with me into the ocean, Roll with me into the sea".

• Old 97's - Dance With Me

The Mavericks sang "I just wanna dance the night away; With senoritas who can sway; Right now tomorrow's lookin' bright; Just like the sunny mornin' light"

• The Mavericks - Dance the Night Away

This is a great version of Dancing in the Dark, obviously in front of an European audience. You can feel the energy here; with the great line "You cant start a fire, you cant start a fire without a spark; This guns for hire even if were just dancing in the dark".

• Bruce Springsteen - Dancing in the Dark

I was fortunate to see The Kinks a couple of times. The first time that I saw them, The Romantics opened the show. There were no seats on the floor and we got there early enough to be in the main front. When the show started the crowd went forward it got very uncomfortable and a bit scary. However in the end we had a good time and it was a great show.

• The Kinks - Come Dancing

The Kinks covered Martha and the Vandellas Dancining in the Street on their Kinda Kinks album. The first of the trilogy of "Street" songs with the lyrics "Summer's here and the time is right for dancin' in the streets". The second one, The Rolling Stones sang "cause summers here and the time is right for fighting in the street" in their song Street Fightin' Man. The third in the trilogy, Bruce Springsteen sang "Summer's here and the time is right for racin' in the street" from Racing in the Street.

• Martha & the Vandellas - Dancing in the Street