This album was one of the many produced by Fleetwood Mac pre-Buckingham/Nicks. By the way, has anyone ever seen the cover of the Buckingham Nicks album that they released before joining Fleetwood Mac? Pretty! Very.
Hey, this is a good album. I know I thought that when I bought it. I felt that way one time about all the albums I have, but this is another that I still enjoy, though I haven’t listened to it for a very long time. I do regret that I don’t have the Fleetwood Mac albums with Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. I liked the music, still do. I think I was resistant, possibly because I was following the Bob Welch route after he left the band, and maybe because I thought Stevie was overshadowing Christine McVie. Don’t really remember, but know I did have an issue.
Sunday, I saw the Robert Redford movie All is Lost, with the ex, who has turned into somewhat of a movie buddy. This movie may not be to everyone’s taste and it may or may not have been to mine. It was my idea to see it, and I did find it most interesting. Redford – crush for life. He’s my soul-crush no matter how withered and weathered he gets.
And the ex – he’s now a friend for life. Don’t ask me how this is possible, but do know that it was not an overnight process, and that we were not always friends, especially when we were a couple. I can’t speak for him, but I do think that we have come to realize that after all the tumult, we care about each other, we like each other very much, and that we should not be together.
“I wish that I knew what I know now, when I was younger,” is repeated in the title song, which doesn’t come till the very end of the record. Still, it is the best of the three Faces albums that I have, largely due to that song and the interactive album cover.
Earlier in the day I was in Brooklyn Heights picking up my new eyeglasses and stopped into Housing Works. When I first moved to Brooklyn a few years ago, this store was brimming with goods. I purchased a lovely 16 piece dinner service there, replacing my mother’s old dishes that I had for decades and left behind when I finally relocated. I thought it was just the Housing Works that is nearest to me now in Manhattan that was hurting for merchandise, but now I’m thinking it’s a sign of the times, whatever that may be, because this branch had hardly anything either. Outside, there was a sign announcing “Today Only – Vinyl 50cents.” I did think it might not be ethical to the project if I added to it now, but no matter. The selection that was available consisted mostly of Barbra Streisand, Judy Collins and show tunes, with a couple of Judy Garland and Liza’s thrown in. No rock ‘n roll.
Melancholy does not make for the best workout, and this album was a little better on that count. However, I’m thinking that I must have really liked Rod Stewart a lot back then, cause I am totally unimpressed with these last two albums. I’ve higher hopes for the next one up, but I’m a little anxious about getting to the S’s. I always swore that Stewart’s “Gasoline Alley” was one of the finest records ever made, and I am hoping that I am not totally disappointed.
Anyway, a little Faces history: Originally the Small Faces due to the lack of height of all band members, they sort of disbanded when Steve Marriot left to form Humble Pie (30 Days in the Hole). Jeff Beck alums Rod Stewart and Ron Wood (he was Ronnie then) teamed up with three of the remaining Small Faces, and as they were no longer all small, they became the Faces. The Jeff Beck era and Small Faces, other than that wonderful song “Itchycoo Park” were not on my radar, but in the early 70s, Rod Stewart was putting out albums with the Faces and as a solo artist, so he was pretty much in your face. And I was okay with that.
We’ve reached another of those hard-thought decisions I had to make in the alphabetizing of my record collection. Do I split up The Faces albums from the Rod Stewart albums if I indeed purchased The Faces albums because of Rod Stewart? In this case, I did. I think it’s a pretty even split, but when we get to the S’s, I want you to remember these records that came before.
The most memorable thing about this album is the live version of Paul McCartney’s fabulous “Maybe I’m Amazed,” with Rod introducing by saying “Here’s one you may well know. You may not know it and if you don’t know it, I really don’t know where you’ve been.” Then Ronnie Lane and Rod launch into a really swell rendition. Other than that, it’s kind of a melancholy album. I’m not liking it, but it’s obviously been listened to a whole heap of times, judging by its scratchiness. I was in a lot of pain in high school. I don’t know what I would have done without rock ‘n roll.
I have things to say about Rod Stewart, with and without The Faces, past and present, and think I may wait until the S’s. Not to keep anyone in suspense, but I feel I need to tell the past story in conjunction with his albums so I will perhaps not be so harsh in regards to what he has been doing lately.
![ELO_album_cover_Olé_ELO[1]](https://thewalruswaspaul.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/elo_album_cover_olc3a9_elo1.jpg)
ELO was a really innovative band that mixed rock and classical music, and did it well. I remember seeing them on a show like Midnight Special and recall some little guy playing a cello or viola running around the stage. It was good music and good showmanship.
It was a tough choice whether to play side 2 of the album first for the recognizable songs that I thought would benefit the aerobic part of the workout, or the less familiar side 1. I decided that I should go in order, and then I flipped it over.
This is called a “compilation” album. I guess the term “best of” is not cool enough, but side 2 does contain some really great songs like “Strange Magic,” “I Can’t Get It Out Of My Head” and “Evil Woman.” I had wanted to be thought of as that evil woman, but I was actually too stupid to be evil. That’s okay though. I’d rather be stupid than evil. Now I am much smarter, and have learned that even though evil is prevalent, I don’t have to go there. Nobody does. And that’s the end of the sermon for the day.
Anyway, flipping the album was a wise choice, and gosh darnit, I must say I like this album. Side 1, eh, not so much. It’s a little draggy, but I was able to get my writing done while lying on my back, after leg-lifts and such, then get a bit more action in with the last song on the side, ELO’s version of “Roll Over Beethoven.”
This is another of my brother’s albums, so I don’t have any memories connected to it, except – what the hell happened to Val Kilmer? He was so hot playing Jim Morrison in The Doors movie, and now… well perhaps he just needs to break out his old albums.
There is a street in Brooklyn named Love Lane, which each time I passed conjured up the song “Love Street,” from this album. I wanted to live on Love Lane. It was very short and you could see to one end from the other. I would pass on the exit side, which was lovingly adorned by a stop sign, a do not enter sign, and a one-way sign. It made me want to live there all the more.
My favorite Doors song – “Love Me Two Times,” which is not on this album. Oh, and “Don’t You Love Her,” but that’s an ex-boyfriend thing.
All in all, not a bad album to return from a three-day absence, but nothing memorable. Here’s a picture of Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison. 
Yes! This is Ram 2, and yes, it’s next in line ahead of Layla. Talk about peppy. This is a really good exercise and sing-along album. And that Bonnie Bramlett. Did I mention that she has quite a set of pipes?
Delaney & Bonnie Bramlett and Friends were billed as a rock/soul revue that attracted noted artists including Eric Clapton and then George Harrison. I know I’ve complained that my brother usurped my Delaney & Bonnie album, and he did, but that was the “On Tour with Eric Clapton” album. I never thought this Best of was its equal, till now. I don’t even remember what was on the other except for “That’s What My Man is For,” in which Bonnie lets out a long soulful shriek. Not a psychotic shriek, a controlled shriek. A musical shriek. So cool. She does it in “For Love of My Man” too, which is on this album, but it’s not as intense a song nor as intense a shriek. If memory serves.
I’ve noticed as I listen again to the records of my youth again that way back then most of the voices seemed lower to me, and I am surprised at how high they are to me now. And it’s that way with Bonnie as well, but as we did get to hear her sing a little on Rosanne years later, I do have that lower register in my head. Yes, that was Bonnie Bramlett on Rosanne. She got paired up for a while with a fat, old David Crosby as her boyfriend. No story line. They just sang together, which was quite nice indeed. I just thought she could do better.
I apologize for my mood and lack of zeal lately. I think I must have peaked with Layla and am waiting for something to make me feel as good. Oh, I know there are more coming. After all, we’ve just left the Cs.
I am feeling a bit more upbeat tonight and was more enthused about working out, though I thought I was in for more of the same. Side three of 4 Way Street proved to be more aerobically compatible than any other of the sides of all the CS&N and CSN&Y records. Neil Young is not so annoying now, and the long, extended version of “Southern Man” provided for an exuberant session.
On a separate note, I would like to thank my followers and those who check in now and then. I am new to blogging, and it is so cool to know that there are people out there who are interested. I hope you can all stick around for the next 4-5 months, and when we reach ZZ Top celebrate with me.
It might be age speaking, but I can now appreciate Stephen Stills’ voice and find Neil Young’s grating. Except for maybe “Cowgirl in the Sand,” a favorite of mine on this album. “Purple words on a grey background.”
But yeah, I’m growing weary of CSN&Y. “Please be gone, I’m tired of you.” Trouble is this is just the first record of a double live album.
The Walrus Was Paul 