"Rock Me, Mama" was originally penned by Bob Dylan during the 'Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid' sessions in 1973. 25 years later Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show added verses (some of which are geographically inaccurate, as the hitchhiking Southbound journey unfolds) and he called the song 'Wagon Wheel'. Then in 2013 Darius Rucker, ex lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish recorded his version and it became huge. 

It's a great singalong track, you'll soon pick it up... 

  

I've had this song lined up for a while, waiting patiently to be played. Last Monday's Dylan show at our local provided the perfect cue.

I know Bob Dylan features a lot in these blogs, directly or as inspiration to others. I make no excuses for this as I would argue he is the greatest songwriter of our age. 

'Changing of the Guards' was the opening track on the 'Street Legal' album, released in 1978 just before I saw him in London on 20th June. This was the tour that saw him rework many of his best known songs so that when they were played you didn't recognise them until the lyrics came in.

It seems todays track wasn't part of that night's set (according to setlist.fm). Later shows on the tour list it as an encore. But what I can say for certain is our tribute band (of Jason McNiff and Richard Moore) played it last Monday.

Critics have praised 'Changing of the Guards' for its originality and the haunting effect of the backup singers (Carolyn Dennis, JoAnn Harris, Helena Springs) echoing Dylan's words throughout the verses. Lyrical references and disguised personal content, it's one of his typical no chorus compositions - hit it

  

Somehow we haven't had one of these in awhile. That is my regular feature of an artist or band I've only recently discovered.

From Toronto, Canada we have Elephants and Stars. Formed in 2020 their bio tells us :

"Elephants and Stars are real. Much like both real elephants and the stars above us, they are mature. They spend their time in rehearsals and in the studio crafting rock songs with hooks and lyrics with a bite that might take more than one listen to fully appreciate."

My take is they've master the art of the 3 minute rock song. And if the initial hook doesn’t get you by the time of the chorus it will have you !

Their line-up is: Manfred Sittmann - vocals, guitar; Adam Seed - lead guitar; Michael MacMillan - bass; Stewart McKinney - drums, with keyboards by: Simon Head.

I've picked ‘Strangers on a Train’ as my Star Track, because the 'fish-eye' video is so good. But I could have chosen anything by them, there's loads of great tracks, to many to list (and plenty of videos too). I can highly recommend the 'Dreamland' (EP) and the 'Under the Earth and Above Heaven' album, for starters, having bought both of these. 

Bandcamp is the place to go to buy their music - download prices are in Canadian dollars [$1.88 to the pound] so they are really good value. Link is here.  

Let's Rock & Support Canada 

   

Today's track needs no introduction, but it's going to get one...

Next week marks 40 years since the release of 'Graceland' by Paul Simon. 

Partly recorded in Johannesburg, Paul Simon had become fascinated with 'mbaqanga', South African street music and was criticized at the time for breaking the cultural boycott due to the policy of apartheid in South Africa. He said the record showcased collaboration between black and white people and raised international awareness of apartheid. With some praising him for helping popularize African music in the West.
In 1987 the album won the Grammy for Album of the Year and is now considered one of the all time great albums.

Picking one track of the record isn't easy but I've gone for this as it heavily features the male choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo.  

'Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes' (from The African Concert, 1987)

  

Having suggested this Summer was feeling like one of those from the sixties. How about I pick a year and ask you what you were listening to ?

The Summer of 1968: here's a few singles in the charts > 'Young Girl’ Gary Puckett and the Union Gap; 'My Name is Jack' Manfred Mann; 'Dance to the Music' Sly & the Family Stone; 'Mrs Robinson' Simon & Garfunkel; 'Fire' by Arthur Brown. 

The Beatles 'Yellow Submarine', animated musical film was on release, so perhaps you were in the cinema ? Or maybe you remember this forgotten hit, by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich called 'Last Night in Soho'. 

If you didn't already know, the group were five friends from Wiltshire, David John Harman (Dave Dee), Trevor Leonard Ward-Davies (Dozy), John Dymond (Beaky), Michael Wilson (Mick) and Ian Frederick Stephen Amey (Tich).
I saw a 2021 film of the same name earlier this year. This British psychological horror filmed around London's Soho, had dream sequence flashbacks to the 1960s, and cast members from that era, including Terence Stamp and Rita Tushingham. The Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich Top Ten single played over the final credits.

The video is from Beat-Club, a West German music programme that ran from September 1965 to December 1972. 

   

An alternative (and occasional) music posting highlighting something out of the ordinary.
Perhaps of limited appeal, unconventional, experimental or just far-out !
Call it what you like (or switch it off, if you don't like). 

This is the final part of my Rabbie Burns trilogy.

We're away up in Scotland and this song and the video seem ideal for this time.

'Now Westlin Winds', or 'Song Composed in August' is based on a Robert Burns poem and is a celebration of the bird life of Scotland and of the gentleman’s pursuit of hunting.

Sung by Dick Gaughan 'Now Westin Winds' is from his 1981 LP 'Handful of Earth' - accompanied here by this scenic video

  

Couldn't let the Summer go by without mentioning that along with the long days of hot weather it's starting to feel like a Summer from the Sixties.

But first the name Andrew Watt, a 35 year old New York, music whizz kid/record producer gets a mention because he links some famous legends from the past that need no introduction. He worked with Paul McCartney on his album 'Boys of Dungeon Lane', released in May. Check out 'Home To Us' a song duet with Ringo that's about their Home Town, that even manages to include some yeah, yeahs !

I should also say Ringo had a nice single release called 'Long, Long Road' along with a great video. More pure nostalgia ...

So two Beatles records and now a new LP from the Rolling Stones. Andrew Watt, who could be their grandson, produced the 'Hackney Diamonds' album in 2023 and he's at it again on the latest offering from Mick, Keith and Ronnie. And it's a another winner.

'Foreign Tongues' is out now and I particularly like this track all about that 'American Dream', reflecting on how it's not what it once was... 'Ringing Hollow' > some great lines

And from the album, give 'Back In Your Life' a listen. 

Along with those Beatle tracks for the full nostalgia trip ! Summer's here, the time is right 

   

Bit of an 80s party happening this weekend. Madness - you bet !

Welcome to the 'House of Fun' - a UK No.1 hit single in 1982, about a young fellow trying to buy condoms on his sixteenth birthday. It could only be a Madness song !

Along with a video that's very Monty Python-esque. The boy in the song is misunderstood by the chemist, as he asks for the condoms using slang euphemisms.

Written by band members Lee Thompson (saxophone) and Mike Barson (keyboards) and naturally sung by Hastings born Graham McPherson, better known as Suggs. 

Curiously 'House of Fun' was not released in America, however the music video was shown on the then newly launched MTV channel >

PS:

To confirm the 'Prog Prom', mentioned last week, is on tv tonight at 7pm on BBC4. 

   

Tonight is the first night of The Proms 2026. Copland, Gershwin and Ravel launch this season. 

Tomorrow night it's the turn of composers Emerson, Anderson, Banks, Hayward, Hammill, Oldfield, Zappa and Wright: in a Special Prog Rock Prom titled 'A Fanfare for the Common Man'. See the full programme here. 

Many of the featured compositions have been Friday Star Tracks, so it's a popular selection performed by an orchestra and a band comprising of Carl Palmer and Peter Hammill along with Guy Garvey, Jane Weaver and Gruff Rhys. I'm sure you'll know most of the songs included. 

To following the evening's title I've picked today Emerson, Lake & Palmer's version of 'Fanfare for the Common Man'. This is a shorten edit from the 9 minute original, which was the *Aaron Copland composition at the start and end with a 6 minute middle section added by Keith Emerson. Filmed at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal. 

NB: This Prog Prom is scheduled for TV broadcast next Friday, 24th July on BBC4 and will be available on the iplayer from then.

One song in the programme I was not familiar with was 'Refugees' by Van der Graaf Generator, so I gave this poignant piece a listen and recommend you do too: (link here) - interesting video also. 

*The 1942 original 3 minute classical piece is basically all 'Fanfare'. Here's a video with some fantastic images - fyi (click on)  

  

World Cup 2026, with an introduction last Wednesday, (scroll down) takes another musical break today.

Aside from the cameras constantly picking out people in the crowd you don't recognise it's been the 'Hydration' breaks that have caused as many talking points as VAR decisions.   

Commercial / Coaching / Music / booing breaks call them what you will they have become a pause of annoyance. And apparently the best way to stop the crowd booing is to get them to start singing, with American stadium DJs quick to get the music playing. 

So you have probably heard ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ by Journey and other singalong tunes by John Denver and The Killers and no doubt this track by Bon Jovi.

Though not in anyway about football, I can see why it was chosen, with lyrics like: 

"hold on to what we've got"
"We'll give it a shot"

And "we're halfway there" - all rallying cries of encouragement to take back on to the field of play.
All together - 'Livin' On A Prayer'