Tuesday Tunes 264: More Hot Ones

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I’d been thinking about changing the theme this week, but as our heatwave is forecast to return again for several more days I thought I’d take this for a final spin – for now. I already have next week’s theme chosen but for now here are three more sunshine songs, two sun ones, and a heat one that somehow crept in there too. So that’s a bonus six songs for this week. All bar one have appeared here before, though at least two or three years ago, so I don’t feel guilty about playing them again – after all, if I were one of those oldies radio stations you’d be getting them every hour!

Let’s start with a rock classic, shall we. This takes me right back to my teenage days. I haven’t been able to find a decent video for it, so it will have to be an audio-only one, but it is still a great song from a band that were all too short-lived

As I expect you may well know, Cream were a British rock band formed in London in 1966. The group consisted of bassist Jack Bruce, guitarist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker. Jack was the primary songwriter and vocalist, although Eric and Ginger contributed too. Sunshine Of Your Love was a track on their second album, Disraeli Gears, which was released in November 1967 and got to #5 in the UK and #4 in the US. This track was taken from it as a single the following month, and peaked at #25 in the UK and #5 in the US. The song was co-written by Jack and Eric, along with frequent collaborator Pete Brown, and the two of them share lead vocals. This has long been a favourite of mine, as were the band, who gave us four albums in a little over two years and then went off to do other things, as you may have noticed.

Today’s second tune is another favourite, this time from the Seventies. I already had this on my list but as it was suggested in comments last week (thank you, Stevie) it just had to go in today. I have only played it once before, two years ago, and while it isn’t exactly imaginative in its lyrics, it is such a happy sound:

Osibisa are a Ghanaian-British Afro-rock band founded in London in the late 1960s by four expatriate West African and three London based Caribbean musicians. They are still officially in existence, though only two of those original seven members are still with us. The band released albums up to 2009, and then returned with another in 2021. A couple of their early records both reached #11 in the UK Albums chart, and Sunshine Day was their best performing single, getting to #17 in January 1976. It’s happy and fun, and I’ve always rather liked it.

Taking the pace down a notch for my next one. This is, as regular readers will know, one of my favourite bands, and while it isn’t exactly a summery song I’ll take any excuse I can to play them:

As I have said when I shared Sun Comes Up It’s Tuesday Morning before (at least twice!), I find the beauty of Margo Timmins and her voice irresistible. The Cowboy Junkies come from Canada, and still have the same line up – including Margo and two of her three brothers – as when they began in 1985. They have never been a band to storm the charts, but have a loyal following who appreciate just how good their music is. I think this is beautiful, and the video has a lovely feel to it, even though the song is actually about a woman managing the time after the end of a relationship, about how she is spending her days alone, and concluding that there are benefits: that extra space in bed is worth having! It was on their 1990 album Caution Horses, which reached #11 in Canada, #33 here, and #47 in the US. This track was released as a single, peaking at #22 in Canada and #90 here, but didn’t make the US chart. They are very much an albums band, though: there is nothing wrong with that, and I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see this one again.

What to play next? How about some prog rockers going for the pop charts? Try this:

Asia were a UK prog rock supergroup, formed by former members of King Crimson, Yes, and Emerson, Lake And Palmer. Heat Of The Moment was the opening track on their debut album, Asia, released in March 1982, which gave the band instant success. I bought the album and played it a lot at the time, less so since then. The album topped the charts in the US, but had to make do with a peak of #11 in the UK. This track was released the following month as the lead single from it, and got to #4 in the US. It only reached #46 here in the UK, though: I guess we saw them as an albums band, given its members’ previous history. Their 1983 follow up Alpha went to #5 in the UK and #6 in the US, but after that sales fell sharply: I guess the title of this one was somewhat prescient for them!

I promised you a previously unplayed track, didn’t I. This is an old song, but I love this fairly recent version of it:

I’ve played The Dead South before – you may remember their superb video for their own song, In Hell I’ll Be In Good Company – and they put their own Americana/alt-folk stamp on a song that ranks as a standard by any measure you take. Wikipedia calls them a ‘folk-bluegrass musical ensemble’ who are based in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. The band was initially formed in 2012 as a quartet by Nate Hilts (vocals, guitar, mandolin), Scott Pringle (guitar, mandolin, vocals), Danny Kenyon (cello, bass, vocals) and Colton Crawford (banjo). Crawford left the band in 2015 and was replaced by studio musician Eliza Mary Doyle before rejoining in 2018, and that is the lineup you see here. As far as I can tell they haven’t had any real chart success but have won several awards in Canada: eight wins from ten nominations, including two of their prestigious Juno Awards.

The song, You Are My Sunshine, is an American standard of old-time and country music and is the state song of Louisiana. Its original writer is disputed, but it is known to have been written and recorded as early as 1939: it was first published and copyrighted in 1940 by Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell. According to the performance rights organisation BMI, by the year 2000 the song had been recorded by over 350 artists and translated into 30 languages. The Dead South released their version in 2021 on a six track EP, Easy Listening For Jerks, Part 1, which was a set of covers of older songs – Part 2 was comprised of songs by the likes of The Doors and System Of A Down. A fairly eclectic mix!

I feel like closing this week – and this mini-series – with a bit of Stevie Wonder. He has two prime candidates, and I’m choosing to play what I think might be the slightly less obvious one:

A Place In The Sun was quite possibly the first Stevie Wonder song to contain an element of social conscience, I think, although it wasn’t one of his own: it was written by Ron Miller and Bryan Wells. Miller also had a hand in Stevie’s big hit For Once In My Life. This was released in November 1966, peaking at #9 in the US and #20 in the UK. The album it was on, Down To Earth, only reached #92 in the US and didn’t chart here. While you watch that video, bear in mind that although he had been making records for four years at this point, he was still only 16: quite remarkable, really. I’m including it because its message of hope is something which I think we all need at present, probably even more so than when the record first came out:

“You know when times are bad
And you’re feeling sad
I want you to always remember

Yes, there’s a place in the sun Where there’s hope for everyone“

I closed a post with this song and message when I first played it, back in 2021, and it just feels so right to do that again. I must be getting philosophical in my old age!

One final thing. As ‘summer songs’ is this week’s theme I’m linking this to Cathy’s link party, which you can find here. There is a proper link for it but it was too complicated for an old dodderer like me!

I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s tunes, and the whole series of five posts, and will see you again next Tuesday with a new theme, as promised. And I’ll also be back in a couple of days and on Sunday. See you then? Hope so 😊

57 thoughts on “Tuesday Tunes 264: More Hot Ones”

  2. Pingback: My August | Take It Easy

  3. Stellar lineup here, Clive! 👌 “Sunshine of Your Love” is an old favourite. Osibisa was a revelation, and you’re right – such a joyful sound! 😀 I’m well-acquainted with The Cowboy Junkies and agree with you about Margo’s exquisite voice. The other Canadian band I didn’t know, so thanks for the introduction. Not usually a bluegrass fan, but these guys are awesome! They remind a bit of an American band called Iron Horse, which has a similar vibe. That Asia song gets a lot of airplay here on Classic Rock Radio. It’s good, but somewhat overexposed. And last but not least, I enjoyed the Stevie Wonder tune, and prefer the “Little Stevie Wonder” era to his later output.

    Cheers from southern Ontario Canada, where it’s been hot, hazy and humid all summer. 🥵 (Still better than winter, though!)

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    • Thank you, Debbie, I’m pleased you liked them. Cream is a classic, and I’m not surprised that Osibisa were new to you.

      I never miss a chance to play Cowboy Junkies! If you liked that Dead South one I can recommend the official video for their song In Hell I’ll Be In Good Company: great song and the video is a hoot.

      Asia were short-lived, which isn’t really a surprise.

      And though I played that Stevie one I much prefer his more mature stuff, from Music Of My Mind onwards.

      I can’t remember if I’ve thanked you for the recommendation but if not please consider it done now. I still haven’t worked out how they work, though!

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      • That’s hilarious! I love it. 🤣🤣🤣 Sharing for the enjoyment of others:

        You did thank me for the recommendation, and you’re welcome! 🙂 I don’t really understand what it does either, but hopefully it means your blog will get increased exposure in the WordPress Reader. 🤔

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      • Thank you for sharing it. I’m pleased you like it so much – I love some of the looks they get from passers by!

        I still haven’t worked out how to make recommendations!

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      • Thanks for introducing me to the Dead South Clive! They are a fun, unique band. 😀

        To recommend a blog, you have to be subscribed to it. Find it on the left-hand side of your WordPress Reader page and click on it. The blog will then appear in the middle of the page. Look on the right-hand side and you should see a button to “Recommend blog”. Click on it and that’s it. What it actually does, I have no idea, but hopefully it means increased exposure for said blog. Here’s a screenshot:

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      • They are a lot of fun, aren’t they. There are live videos on YouTube that show how entertaining they are in concert.

        Thank you for that, I’ll take a look. I’m not sure how others will know of the recommendations but I’m thinking that if I make a few I can add a widget for them to my site.

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      • Me too! You might find them playing your and their homeland, depending on which part of that large country they are in.

        I got an email too, but it seems to be the only publicity for it so far!

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  4. I love that you included “You are my Sunshine!” Will never forget my Dad singing that to my mom before she went back for open heart surgery. ❤️
    And yay on being philosophical and ending with Stevie Wonder’s song. Great choice. 🙂

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  5. The opening riff of the Cream tune steals the show. You didn’t mention if Sunshine Day charted in America. I suspect it must have because I knew the song immediately. I also had the first Asia album, which had several big hits on it. If I recall, the second album was a bit of a dud. All the songs scored well with me today.

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    • It’s an ‘intros’ song, isn’t it!

      Wikipedia doesn’t give any detail of a US singles chart placing for Sunshine Day, though the album it was on got to #200 there. Maybe that was enough to get some radio time?

      You’re right on Asia – I did have their second album and while it wasn’t a dud it was nowhere near as good as the first one.

      Glad to score highly with you 👍

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  7. the cllosing song did deserve another share and ended this post so well.
    “You know when times are bad
    And you’re feeling sad
    I want you to always remember
    Yes, there’s a place in the sun Where there’s hope for everyone“

    ==
    and it is so hot here too so I liked that you stuck with the theme of sun and heat for this week

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  8. Love the theme, although Asia is still a bit too 80’s for me, but my brother-in-law did demand I sing “I bless the rains down in Africa” when we were on safari and while it pained me greatly to do so, I did it!

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    • I prefer 60s and 70s but there was the occasional good one in the 80s too!

      Not one member of Toto ever went near Africa, which explains their lack of geographical knowledge. I hope it didn’t rain on you while you sang that, or it would have spoiled any chance you might have had of seeing Kilimanjaro in the very far distance 🤣

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  9. Oh my! Osibisa I can recall them making waves in 1971/72 and the captivating ‘flying elephant’ albums Osibisa & Woyaya…curse me for being a twit and not buying them at the time, I would have been a happier guy.

    Talking about Sunshine of Your Love, and Cream. Track back to the mid 1960s Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker were in the Graham Bond Organisation……and to put it mildly did not get on with each other causing tensions……a few years on we have an even smaller unit….Cream….and….
    Artises…Go figure!!

    Considering the current weather very apt selection

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    • I saw Osibisa when they played my uni. A great show but I never bought any of their albums.

      Band members often don’t get on – they weren’t the first or the last!

      This is the fifth post I’ve run with similar themes – I started in a heatwave and going out in one too 🤣

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  11. I’m so happy you decided to take a spin on the dance floor. The summertime heat isn’t always pleasant. The seasons change quickly enough and I try to not wish my days away but it’s really hard.

    The 70s was an excellent era for music. I love the sound of Osibisa “Sunshine Day”. I don’t remember this band. Did they chart in the US? “Sunshine of Your Love” is such a good old oldie and one that I also shared. But, I have to say WOW, I haven’t heard Asia in like forever. Their 1982 hit “Heat of the Moment” takes me back. I was in college at the time and the world came to our east Tennessee town with the World ‘s Fair. Those were exciting days!

    I’m heading over to YouTube to find more Osibisa and Asia music to sample. Thanks for joining the party. No need to worry about fooling with the linky code, a link back to my site works beautifully. Have a boogietastic week, Clive!

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    • Your theme was ideal for me, as I have been running a series with it!

      My go to decade is the 60s but the 70s were good, until disco and punk destroyed things! I don’t think Osibisa had much success over there. They were more of a live band here: I saw them during my uni days and they were fantastic. Good that Asia brings back those memories for you – I was seven years out of uni by then so memories for me are of work and drudgery!

      I tried copying the link code but it just appeared as code in the post, so I used your form instead. It worked a treat 👍

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  15. I like this version of “You are my Sunshine ” better than the original…I love Margo Timmins voice she has such a beautiful tone…and Stevie I can listen to him all day long I have always been a fan…Some good tracks, Clive to showcase “Sun” I hope you are having a good week, Clive xxx

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    • It’s really good, isn’t it – they are a talented bunch. I’ll always take the opportunity to play Cowboy Junkies, Margo’s voice is incredible. I’m not the biggest fan of Stevie or Motown but I always liked this one. Hope your week is going well too xxx

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      • We’re on the cusp of our fourth heatwave this summer! Stories in the paper of drought conditions and reservoirs being well below capacity! It feels a bit scary, to be honest. Glad you have something to cool you down xx

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  16. The heat is on, Clive! Another heatwave for us, too.
    A combo of familiar and new songs today, my favorite being You Are My Sunshine by Dear South. It’s very cool how they took a well-known song with a happy melody and turned it into a somber number …. simply by going from major to minor.
    Always great to hear an old favorite from Cream.
    Time to get ready for Colette. Enjoy your Tuesday.

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  17. Good morning/afternoon! I enjoyed the concert. Cream always a favorite, Asia – love that one, and Stevie Wonder – so young and already a star in my opinion. The others were okay. The You are My Sunshine, I like the song, I really couldn’t get into the way they did it. Something was so off key, off tune, or something. Different for sure, but I couldn’t listen to it all. Sorry. 🙂

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