Mike’s 1969

Songs

1. Chicago Transit Authority–“Questions 67 and 68”
2. The Beatles–“You Never Give Me Your Money”
3. Dillard and Clark–“Polly” or “Through the Morning, Through the Night” (The sound of heartbreak.)
4. Kevin Ayers–“Town Feeling” (Brent knows that this entire album doesn’t do it for me. In spare doses, though. On most of his records there are at least one or two of these unbelievably melodic pieces with interesting, thought out arrangements like this one.
5. Roberta Flack–“The First Time, Ever I Saw Your Face” (I’ve said it before here somewhere, probably on the covers theme, as lovely a vocal as anything I may have ever heard. So perfect I can’t hear it sung by her live, or by anyone else.)
6. Love–“Gather Round” (In my opinion, Arthur Lee’s crowning masterpiece, and I think the last recorded song by this version of the band. Have come around to loving the totally superfluous jam at the end, which it seems to me is his final “Fuck off, I’m going to do whatever the damn hell I please” conceit on this album full of them.
7. The Meters–“Cissy Strut” (So many classic grooves in 1969…)
8. Aphrodite’s Child–“It’s Five O’Clock” (…and so much organ. I’m probably wrong, but I don’t know that I’ve ever heard anything like the fuzzed-out organ on this song. And I always love a good use of the theremin, hammy as it is here. Had this on cycle for most of a day at work this month. Thanks go to Tim for introducing me to this band for our first theme.)
9. Gun–“Situation Vacant” (Replacing the Dekker cut with this one, representative of the great hard rock that was happening.)
10. Flying Burrito Brothers–“Sin City” (Tough to pick just one cut from this album. Another one that I’ve only recently become familiar with, largely thanks to John and Tim.)

Albums
1. King Crimson–In the Court of the Crimson King (Oh come on, seriously.)
2. Procol Harum–A Salty Dog (God this is beautiful. “A Salty Dog” | “Too Much Between Us” | “The Devil Came from Kansas”
3. The Kinks–Arthur or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire (“Victoria” | “Shangri-La,” probably my favorite Kinks Song of All-Time, off what may well be their Best Album.)
4. The Velvet Underground–The Velvet Underground (“Pale Blue Eyes” | “Candy Says” | “Jesus“)
5. Fairport Convention–Unhalfbricking (Three great albums released in 69, two of which could have easily made my albums list. I resigned myself to selecting Unhalfbricking, I guess mostly because of “Autopsy,” and the fact that I love Martin Lamble, only 19, who died tragically in a car accident after the recording of this album. This track includes one of my favorite moments in recorded history, at 1:22, that guitar chord, was it a mistake? And one of my favorite guitar solos, starting at 2:11. I think I forgot that one when we covered guitar solos as a topic. Also, Ashley Hutchings’ bass is just shake your head ridiculous throughout this album. Check out how it drives everything on “Sailor’s Life.” Also!, a rhythm guitarist in Simon Nicol who provides crucial contributions. How often can you say that? I just can’t get over the fact that two of the members of the band were teenagers at the time of this mature and revolutionary recording.)
6. Sly and the Family Stone-Stand (“I Want to Take You Higher” | “Stand” | “Everybody Is a Star“)
7. Shirley and Dolly Collins–Anthems in Eden (What genre is this? Early Music I guess. Unlike anything else of the time, thanks in large part to Dolly’s arrangements, the use of early music instruments like crumhorns and the like, and Dolly’s own inimitable “portative” organ. Every time I listen it grows on me more. Includes the great Robin Williamson song “God Dog.” )
8. Captain Beefheart–Trout Mask Replica (I’ll take Bob’s picks, and “Ella Guru.”)
9. Colosseum–Valentyne Suite (Took my head off the first time I heard it 30-35 years ago, and has continued to do so every time since. The title track (start here) is one of the great progressive jazz/rock masterpieces, but don’t forget the propulsive blues on the first side, including “Buddy’s Blues“. Crank it up! Two bassists kills me, in every incarnation I can remember–later double-trio King Crimson, Donald Byrd, here. Other examples?)
10. Keef Hartley Band–Halfbreed (John Mayall drummer leaves the increasingly drug soaked acoustic fold of the Bluesbreakers, and puts out this deliriously rocking, driving, no holds barred masterpiece. Start with “Stacked” or “Born to Die.” I’m no big fan of this kind of electric blues in general, but when it is passionately done, with at least a hint of evil, as on the Colosseum and Zeppelin records also listed (wait, I forgot to list Zeppelin’s first record!, ah hell), well that’s another story.  Also check out Blodwyn Pig’s raucous Ahead Rings Out.)

I love Brent’s idea to partition jazz, which allows me to cheat and list 20 albums! Good thing, because there was a ton of great jazz.

Jazz/Other
1. Miles Davis–Filles de Kilimanjaro (May well be my favorite album of the year. If I had to pick one cut, “Mademoiselle Mabry.”)
2. Pharoah Sanders–Karma
3. Don Rendell & Ian Carr–Change Is (“Cold Mountain“)

4. Moondog–Moondog (“Lament 1, Bird’s Lament” | “Witch of Endor“)
5. Don Cherry–Eternal Rhythm (“Part 1” | “Part 2“)
6. Archie Shepp–Yasmina, a Black Woman
7. Sun Ra–Atlantis
8. Joe Henderson–Power to the People (“Black Narcissus“)
9. Sonny Sharrock–Black Woman (“Black Woman.” Sonny sure was busy in 1969, appearing on two of the albums I list here (Karma and Eternal Rhythm) and this one. Also from 1969, his appearance on the pretty good Herbie Mann Memphis Underground album, “Hold on, I’m Coming.” Wait for it, it’s worth it, or just go ahead and skip to 5:35!)
10. Art Ensemble of Chicago–People in Sorrow

1969, man, what a time that must have been. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Music Emporium (“nam myoho renge kyo” | “Velvet Sunsets“) or Buffy Sainte-Marie’s avant garde masterpiece, Illuminations (“God Is Alive, Magic Is Afoot” | “Poppies“)

My 1969 Collection

1967–Mike

Albums

1. Jimi Hendrix Experience–Are You Experienced? We’ve heard these songs a million times on FM radio, right? But rarely, if ever, have I pulled out the album and listened to it start to finish. I’ve played “Axis–Bold as Love” a heck of a lot more throughout my life since purchasing it on 8 track in 7th grade, and it holds a special place in my heart for that reason alone. That may be why listening to “Are You Experienced?” again this month took my breath away. It is so familiar, yet listening to it in its entirety, so new. Youtube doesn’t do this justice. Spotify version sounds pretty damn good. Did I really, some time back, manage to post a list of guitar solos without including one from this album? Shoot me.
2. The Velvet Underground & Nico. Every song, maybe especially “Heroin.”
3. Love–Forever Changes.
4. The Doors. I remember when it was not cool to like this album. Imagine that. The least heralded songs–Back Door Man (one of my top B1 tracks of all time, I think I might have mentioned before), Crystal Ship, Alabama Song–are just as good as the well-recognized greats like “Break on Through” (what a first track!), etc. Tim noted Densmore’s drumming a few months ago. Check “Touch Me” again. It always surprised me how little they were able to accomplish after Morrison’s passing, such a great band.
5. The Kinks–Something Else by the Kinks. So many great songs.
6. The Beatles–Magical Mystery Tour. It might actually be “Flying” that pushes this over the edge of greatness for me. Weird, huh?
7. Aretha Franklin–Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You. Includes several of the great songs of this or any year, including the title track, the vocals rapturous (is that a word?) and the band, well christ, every element is just perfection: the organ, piano, bass, drums, the backing vocals, the guitar. The fucking horns!
8. Pink Floyd–Piper at the Gates of Dawn. I swear this music we listen to, it generates its own electricity. It could solve the world’s energy crisis, couldn’t it? Astronomy Domine; proof.
9. Pete La Roca–Turkish Women at the Bath. The biggest surprise for me this month. This was re-released in 1973 as the Chick Corea “Bliss” album, which is what I have but had never listened to before this month. John Gilmour and Corea do shine here, but La Roca wrote many of these songs, all spell-binding and beautiful. Start with the title track, but also check out “Bliss” and all the rest, available on Spotify along with his other brilliant album, “Basra” (released in ’65). What a find.
10. Sun Ra–We Travel the Spaceways. Feels a little bit strange to select this as a top ten album from 1967, in spite of the fact that it consists of recordings from the late 50’s. But as this is a go-to album from one of my favorite artists of all-time, and I don’t think I’ve had an opportunity to sing his praises yet on this space, I couldn’t resist including it. Some Ra fans will find this to lack some of the experimentation or freedom of his later work, but elements of that can still be found here, alongside several of his greatest melodies, such as Tapestry for an Asteroid.

I’ll try to get to a song listing soon. Here’s a list of the top 50 albums I own from 1967.