Groovin' (on a Sunday Afternoon)

I was looking through music today, trying to decide what I ought to post. I spent the morning lazing around, and the better part of the afternoon doing the same. It’s overcast outside and altogether a low-energy sort of day.

How better to celebrate my laziness than to post some mellow music, I figure. Probably the only thing more lazy would be no post at all. But then the week would start, I’d get busy, and I’d probably go all week without posting. Then where would we be?

But my point, and I do have one, is that I looked through my collection and found a sort of weird compilation titled Lounge-A-Palooza, released in 1987 on Hollywood Records. According to the liner notes, Lounge-A-Palooza is “a post-modern soundscape evoking beautiful strangers in the night (and) fallout shelters with well-stocked wetbars.”

More simply, it’s a eclectic collection of lounge singers doing rock songs and rock singers doing lounge songs, or lounge versions of other songs. Poe, a New York singer appearing on the album, sums it up nicely when she says, “Lounge-A-Palooza is a record celebrating all that is lounge.”

I picked a couple of sampler songs from the disk, including Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme doing a version of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun,” and “Wichita Lineman,” featuring Glen Campbell (who originally recorded it in 1968) with Michelle Shocked and The Texas Tornadoes (Freddy Fender, Doug Sahm, and Sheila E., among others). "It's one of those simple songs that appears to be about nothing at all, but in fact is about everything,” Poe said about “Wichita Lineman.” Also there is “I’m Not in Love” as interpreted by the Fun Lovin’ Criminals. I’m sure everyone remembers 10CC had a mid-70s hit with the song. The Fun Lovin’ Criminals are probably better known for “Scooby Snacks.”

Anyway, light up a menthol cigarette, shake yourself up an extra dry martini, and just groove, baby, groove.

Black Hole Sun.mp3 Steve and Eydie
I’m Not in Love.mp3 Fun Lovin’ Criminals
Wichita Lineman.mp3 Glen Campbell, Michelle Shocked, and the Texas Tornadoes

posted by aikin @ 5:31 PM