This Is Me--2024 A to Z Theme

My A to Z Themes in the past have covered a range of topics and for 2024 the theme is a personal retrospective that I call "I Coulda Been" which is in reference to my job and career arc over my lifetime. I'll be looking at all sorts of occupations that I have done or could have done. Maybe you've done some of these too!

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Where Will This Post Take Us? ( #AtoZChallenge )

 

Where will this post take us?  Down memory lane for me and maybe down "what the heck is this music?" for others   Whatever, wherever, or whoever--this music is pretty good in my estimation.  But what do you think?



#AtoZChallenge 2022 Blogging from A to Z Challenge letter   My albums by Michael White were sold along with Joe Walsh and Stevie Wonder.  Oh well, I still have a handful of albums under W...


Links to the music are included throughout the post if you want to hear the music.




Wally (1974)   This is another one of those albums that I bought based on hearing one cut on the radio. This was in early 1975 when I was living in a cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains.  When I heard the cut "The Martyr" I stopped what I was doing in order to listen.  The song prominently features the sound of electric rock violin and it being an excellent song I decided this was an album that I wanted to own.  Soon after I heard the song on the radio, I went to Knoxville to get the album.  No cut-out bin for this one--I had to get it for full price.  I think it was worth the money.  It's an excellent album by a little known prog rock band.



War  "Why Can't We Be Friends?"  (1975)  Maybe you're wondering why the album title is in Spanish on my copy.  I bought this in 1976 when I crossed over the border to Ciudad Acuna Mexico. Upon seeing a record shop I decided to check out the music to see if there were any bargains.  I saw this album in the window and thought it would be an interesting addition to my vinyl collection. It wasn't that much of a bargain price, but it's cool to have the Spanish version where everything on the cover is in Espanol, but the it's the same recording that you'd find on a version purchased in the U.S.  It's a good album.  You probably know this music.



Ralph Vaughn Williams  "Sinfonia Antartica"  (1970)     This is Williams' seventh symphony which expands upon incidental music he had written for the 1948 film Scott of the Antarctic.  When I heard this on the University of Tennessee radio station WUOT I became very interested in the music.  This was an easy record to find at the University Bookstore--they must have stocked anything they played on the station.  What particularly drew me to this symphony was the use of the sound of a wind machine as well some unique symphonic orchestration that included an organ.  The imagery created by the music does remind me of the vast icy wastelands of Antarctica.  This is great music for reflection and relaxation.  




Wichita Fall  "Life Is But A Dream"   (1968)  Side one & side two   There are certain albums that I would typically put on when my head was in a certain altered state that called for music like I found on this album.  When I saw the album in a cut-out bin I could tell it was likely a weird interesting one.  I was right.   This was the kind of album that I'd put on late at night when the friends were all gone and the party was over.  Dreamy strange textures of orchestration and lyrics that were somewhat mundane but conducive to a state of reverie.  The music did much of the thinking for me when I listened to it.  I'm still entranced listening to this.  Big orchestral sounds in a rather impressive production.  Seems like this is an apt album to keep in my collection.




Nick Waterhouse   "Time's All Gone"   (2012)   This, my most recent acquisition, came as a gift from my youngest daughter and her significant other a few years ago as a gift (birthday?).  Unfortunately I have yet been able to play it since I don't have a turntable at present.  But thanks to YouTube you and I can listen to it.  Not bad at all.


        Is there anything in this post you remember?   Have you purchased any foreign releases of albums from the United States?    Which W artists are some of your favorites?  





26 comments:

  1. Craig here, another bad hair day for commenting.

    I lost my War albums in a bet, so all I have left of Ws, in albums, is Jerry Jeff Walker.

    I have more in CDs, but this isn't about them.

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    1. Craig, sorry about the comment platform. Why do they have to mess with us?

      Jerry Jeff Walker is a good one to have. I'm not sure that I have any of his solo albums, but I know I used to listen to his music somewhere if not my own home.

      Lee

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  2. W is not much better. I have Whiskey in the Jar from Ireland and John Williams (Echoes of Spain)

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    1. Patricia, I don't know the Irish group, but Williams is a fine guitarist so that's a good album to own.

      Lee

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  3. I have discovered so many amazing albums thanks to your blog!
    Dropping by from https://momandideas.com

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    1. Mom, I try to inform and educate as much as I can.

      Lee

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  4. Lee,

    I remember War, "Why Can't We Be Friends". The only artist to come to mind is Andy Williams at the moment. Perhaps if I had more free time to relax while thinking about this then I'd come up with another one but as it is I'm pressed. I've done horrible this month in keeping up with others. I sure do appreciate your encouragement with your stop ins. Happy A2Zing! We're almost done. YAY!!

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    1. Cathy, you haven't done badly at all keeping up. Giving up is bad.

      Andy Williams is a classic and it would be nice to have an album of his music, but I never bought any. I believe my mother used to have one of this albums. I remember hearing "Hawaiian Wedding Song" a lot in my younger days.

      Lee

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  5. War had a great run in the '70's.

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    1. John, War had a great sound that people still enjoy hearing. They still have a considerable following out here in L.A.

      Lee

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  6. Familiar with a few. Joe Walsh I tried to play his flute solos (he was masterful). You have such amazing taste covering many spectrums.
    As always Arlee, thank you for the A to Z Challenge. There are so many wonderful and gifted bloggers that shine through.
    Cheers - Moonie
    War Torn

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    1. Moonie, I don't know about Joe Walsh playing flute but he's a good guitarist and I like his weird vocal style.

      So much blogging talent in A to Z. I 've been learning so much fascinating info.

      Lee

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  7. LEE ~

    Knowing your love of Prog-Rock, I expected to see some Rick Wakeman albums here.

    Believe it or not, I actually owned some Yes and Wakeman solo back in the LP era. But that was when I was still experimenting a great deal; buying albums that others loved and/or recommended, and before I'd found my own ears.

    >>... Which W artists are some of your favorites?

    Pre-'83 Tom Waits albums occupied a pretty decent chunk of space in my LP collection. Later, I sold them all when converting to CD. And today, pre-'83 Tom Waits occupies a pretty decent chunk of space in my CD collection.

    >>... Have you purchased any foreign releases of albums from the United States?

    The first one that comes to mind is [Link> Sarah's Crime by Toshi Hinata. I was in the Tower Records store, Westwood Village, in 1986, when the store started playing this album. It instantly made me feel like I'd stepped into a dream about a life I could only vaguely remember.

    I went immediately to the front of the store and asked what they were playing. Bought the LP then and there, and years later found it on CD and bought it again.

    'Sarah's Crime' was recorded in Japan and it comes with an 8-page booklet all in Japanese. It's obviously a concept album and the music relates to a story. I've always wished I knew someone fluent in Japanese who could translate the booklet for me.

    ~ D-FensDogG

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    1. STMcC, as to Wakeman and Yes I never had any of their albums but I heard them frequently from my friends who had their albums. Now on CD I still have no Wakeman but I have a few by Yes. I like both of these artist's works.

      Waits I used to listen to albums that friends had and then later bought a number on CD. I rarely listen to any of them now which goes for my other albums as well.

      "Sarah's Crime" is a new one to me--never heard of it or heard the music. I've bought a number of albums because I heard them in a record store as I was browsing. Now it's difficult to find that kind of experience. I used to spend hours browsing record bins and listening to whatever they were playing in the store.

      Lee

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  8. would love to try Japanese music some day. Lovely post.

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    1. Paromita, I'm not familiar at all with Japanese music. But I do like a lot of what I hear coming out of the K-Pop movement.

      Lee

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  9. Those lazy summer days when every bouncing car had "War" on the boombox ;-) Favorite Ws? The Who, White Snake, Joe Walsh, Winwood and Wonder, Mary Wells, and J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers!

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    1. Diedre, you've hit the jackpot with your music list. I've owned or still own many albums from these artists. I wish War was still blaring from the cars passing my house at times. Now it's mostly Rap or Ranchero music.

      Lee

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  10. Cool albums! No, I don't have any foreign stuff. That's awesome though.

    On Z day at Uniquely Maladjusted but Fun, I'm giving you a funny shout out. I hope you'll appreciate it. Feels like a great ending to the month.

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    1. Jamie, I'll be interested to read your post. It's been a good month from what I've seen and experienced.

      Lee

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  11. I'm traveling and only have cell phone internet. I DO have a Rick Wakeman album. And a million Who albums. And winwood, a stevie wonder, a couple of Fats Waller. Some classical albums focusing on conductor Bruno Walter. Several albums and sets of composer Richard Wagner. That's all i can remember without looking... And I'm gone. Ill bet there are a few more,especially in the opera section.

    Sixgun McItchyfinger

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    1. 6-Gun, I thought I had replied to your comment, but who knows what goes on with Blogger sometimes.

      I used to listen to Rick Wakeman a lot in the mid-70s from other friends' album collections. Though I like him, never had any of his albums.

      I've got a smidgeon of Wagner on my CD shelves. Never got into his music so much though he did some great stuff.

      Lee

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  12. So, I commented on this yesterday- even got the e-mail notice- and yet, it didn't print on your blog, apparently! Stupid new comment section, Chris smash! But Here, from that e-mail notification, is the original comment: Wally sounds instrumentally a LOT like the Move circa Message From The Country, I like this! My nephew (virtually same age) and I used to sing Why Can't We Be Friends while riding on his minibike down the backroads.

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    1. CW, yeah, stupid new comment section. Why can't these tech people just leave working things alone?

      I like the sound of Wally a lot, but I've never seen any of their other albums other than on line. I guess they are more popular in England or elsewhere maybe. "Why Can't We Be Friends" is a fun song.

      Lee

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  13. Wally sounds like one I need to listen too

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    1. Mike, I like the sound of this group on the album I own and I've listened to some of their other music on YouTube and it's good as well.

      Lee

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Lee