It's Covered: Sweet Home Chicago

'Tis truly a good day to be from Chicago, particularly for the hockey minded amongst us. To add to the celebrations undoubtedly taking place in my fair hometown, a quick It's Covered on the Windy City's unofficial anthem, Sweet Home Chicago.

Though there are probably more versions out there than a body could possibly count, the original is credited to Robert Johnson (though there is some dispute, as the song bears more than a passing resemblance to works by Scrapper Blackwell and Kokomo Arnold. Yes, in RJ's version, he does say, "...back to the land of California," but that's the only version today with that discrepancy. The others here for your listening pleasure have variations of their own, but clearly are talking about Chi-Town.

Congratulations to the 2010 Stanely Cup Champions, your Chicago Blackhawks!!!

mp3: Sweet Home Chicago (Robert Johnson from King of the Blues)

mp3: Sweet Home Chicago (The Blues Brothers from The Blues Brothers Soundtrack)

mp3: Sweet Home Chicago (Buddy Guy from Ohne Filter, July 1991)

mp3: Sweet Home Chicago (Lonnie Brooks from Essential Blues, Vol. II)

mp3: Sweet Home Chicago (Luther Johnson, Jr. from Evidence Blues Sampler)

mp3: Sweet Home Chicago (Satan and Adam from Harlem Blues)

Video Vixens

Just this morning i learned my old boss, Buddy Guy, is opening his new club tonight in Chicago. As i worked at the last one (greatest job of my life), i felt obligated to attend the new opening. Add in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals, and guess who decided to book a flight a couple of hours ago to Chicago? That's right, biyatches, me. Still, i didn't want to leave you with nothing before i left, so enjoy the following for your viewing pleasure.

Finally looks like that Sir Lusciouc Leftfoot is going to see the light of day. If the couple of singles floating out there are any indication, expect a triumphant return.



mp3: Shutterbug (Big Boi from Sir Luscious Leftfoot ... Son of Chico Dusty)

This has become my most favoritest Josh Ritter track, and quite frankly, the most bittersweet love song i've heard in a long time. And dig this--the drummer also is a master puppeteer, so HE MADE THE VIDEO!!! Now that's talent right there, kids.



mp3: The Curse (Josh Ritter from So Runs the World Away)

i mentioned this track to you cats a while ago, and it's since started to blow up pretty nicely. See? Once i saw this video, i knew you needed to see that, too.



mp3: Snowflake (Malachai from Ugly Side of Love)

And here's one of my old boss at the old club. Le sigh. i'm feeling a bit verklempt now, so talk amongst yourselves for a moment.



mp3: Hoodoo Man Blues (Buddy Guy & Junior Wells from Last Time Around--Live at Legends)

Yes, i was there for the recording of that CD. i was bar backing that night, as a matter of fact. They planned on releasing even more tracks from the two night affair, but we were making too much noise in the background. i thought breaking bottles would give it that Janis Jopline "Turtle Blues" effect, but the sound guy disagreed. And there's your meaningless factoid for the weekend.

And i'm out. i gots to gets on a plane, suckas.

The Greatest Good News vis a vis Back Surgery Mix You Will Ever Hear

Saw my fourth back doctor today, only to hear that the previous guy was a quack (his opinion). i immediately trusted the new doc because he wasn't too pretty (previous guy was). Never trust people that are too pretty.

New back doc called the last one's suggested surgery "a bullshit tip." Instead of the multi-day, majorly invasive surgery the last one wanted to do, the new guy will be done in one afternoon. My four month recovery time has gone to "I'll put you on a six week moratorium from doing anything stupid, but I expect you back on your feet within a week." Essentially, he's going to put a tiny pin-like object in-between my vertebrate.

i was delighted to hear this, as who doesn't enjoy a little screwing now and again?

And the insurance company is paying.

Not sure if i can go six weeks without doing anything stupid, though.

i think i have a crush on my new doctor.

And you know what that means? That's right. Time for The Greatest Good News Vis-à-Vis Back Surgery Mix You Will Ever Hear.

mp3: Dr. Feelgood (Love Is A Serious Business) (Aretha Franklin from I Never Loved a Man That Way I Love You)

mp3: Good (Morphine from Good)

mp3: Good Day (Jewel from Goodbye Alice in Wonderland)

mp3: A Good Day to be You (MC Honky from I Am the Messiah)

mp3: Good Feelings ft. Sabira Jade (Paper Tiger from Jus Like Music & Apple Juice Break present: Oscillations Part 1)

mp3: Good News (Buddy Guy from DJ Play My Blues)

mp3: Good Things (The BoDeans from Best of Mountain Stage, Vol. 7)

mp3: Good Night, Herr Doktor (Frau Blucher from Young Frankenstein)

The Greatest "All" Mix You Will Ever Hear, As Relates To Some Daffy Blogger Forgetting To Read Your Email

As some of you fine musicians and assumed inebriated readers who stop by to muck about LET might already know, i've got an apology to make. It seems that the main LET mailbox has gone unattended for some time, resulting in a slew of emails not having been read and/or responded to in a timely matter. i thought i set up the defaults to send copies of everything that went there to my personal email addy, but clearly messed up that endeavor. A handful of folks already have received personal emails, and the rest of you were probably wondering what Cyclo-flo' had that you didn't. Mia culpa.

The good news is the problem has been resolved. The better news is that we now have a rather large backlog of stuff to share. It appears we have a little bit of everything waiting to be checked out--the tip of the iceberg alone shows indie rock, DJ/beat scene mixes, remixes, acoustic tracks, and a little something from my personal favorite local DC-area artist. Sadly, it appears we're still waiting on additional Nigerian hip-hop offerings, but we can all hope, right?

Just to be on the safe side, if you sent in something recently (like the last three months or so recently), you might want to resend. i'm not saying that implied and outright promises of sex and drugs will help us to write about your rock 'n roll, but Black Dynamite knows it won't hurt.

To make amends, since it's all my fault that this happened, it's only fair to give you The Greatest "All" Mix You Will Ever Hear, As Relates To Some Daffy Blogger Forgetting To Read Your Email

mp3: All Apologies (Nirvana Cover by Ben Gibbard from some 2007 Live Show in NY)

mp3: All My Friends (LCD Soundsystem Cover by Franz Ferdinand from All My Friends maxi-single)

mp3: All My Friends (Broken Social Scene from a live KCRW performance on 11.08.05)

mp3: All Good (De La Soul from Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump)

mp3: All Consolation (White Denim from Fits)

mp3: All Better Now (Earl Greyhound from Soft Targets)

mp3: All For U (RJD2 from Magnificent City Instrumentals)

mp3: All Your Love (Buddy Guy from DJ Play My Blues)

mp3: All That Jizz (Killer Mike from Frisky Dingo)

mp3: All You Men Are All Alike ( Madeline Kahn from Young Frankenstein)

The Greatest (And Probably Only) Coumadin Mix You Will Ever Hear

In the on-going war to destroy my evil inner ninja scabs, one of my numerous docs has decided it's time for me to take Coumadin, marking the third blood thinner i'm currently on these days. While they have me doing these for different reasons, some of the lovely effects include bruising as easily as a kindergarten girl and tending to bleed heavily if so much as a sharp breeze passes me by. To make matters more interesting still, Pop pointed out that the drug originally was used as rat poison. It's clear that there's only one way to process all this information overload. Yep, that's right, it's time to put together The Greatest (And Probably Only) Coumadin Mix You Will Ever Hear.

You know, at this point, i might as well just start a "Stump the Mix Master" column where you cats are invited to attempt to give me a topic upon which you think it would otherwise be impossible to make a mix tape. Of course, i will prove you wrong, but at least the kids at home can play along.

Seriously, a Coumadin mix? Sweet Yoda on a yak, i'm fucking good.

(Ed. note: upon further review, it was blatantly clear to the otherwise three blind refs that this mix had to start with Groucho's remarks on the matter. For earlier fans who downloaded with the great mustachioed one riding fourth, please change your score cards to reflect appropriately. Clearly, i needed more meds before the original posting. Remember, kids, drugs make you strong, cool and popular.)

mp3: Poison (Grouch Marx clip from A Day at the Races)

mp3: Bleed Like Me (Garbage from Bleed Like Me)

mp3: Bruises (Melanie Pain from My Name Is)

mp3: I Smell A Rat (Buddy Guy from Stone Crazy!)

mp3: Poison (Bel Biv Devoe from Poison)

Live Review: Buddy Guy @ the Birchmere, March 27

The good news is that Buddy Guy, one of the true geniuses of the blues game, still puts on a blistering show. The bad news is it's almost identical to the same show he's been putting on for years now. I used to work at Buddy Guy's Legends (his club) in Chicago many moons ago, so I've seen the guy literally dozens of times. Hell, I buy tickets to see him these days just because I figure I still owe him for all the booze and food I consumed for free more than a decade ago. Even on an off night, the man is going to blow your socks off, playing smoking guitar solos, quiet interludes and yakking it up with the audience like the best performers out there.

This time around, Buddy displayed more energy than I'd seen him have in a while. Decked in a blue track suit and white kangol hat, even the outfit was a departure from every time I've seen him over the years, foregoing his trademark overalls or polka dots. Now, the problem with the Buddy of late is he arguably takes his job as Ambassador of the Blues a bit too seriously. By this I mean the man literally did not finish one song during his entire hour and one half set. Instead, he played snippets of dozens of songs, most in the style of the original performers. Adding to my personal disappointment, he only played one track of his own, "Damn Right, I Got the Blues." He did run through some covers he's done on albums ("Fever"), but most everything else was by somebody else. He did one-time partner Junior Wells' "Hoodoo Man," John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom," and Cream's "Strange Brew," amongst others. With each song, he commented on how radio doesn't play the blues anymore, so it was his mission to give a taste of all of it to the crowd. Of course, he did run through his repertoire of guitar tricks, playing behind his back, one-handed and going through the entire crowd with his wireless amp playing to damn near every individual in the room.

While Buddy's only 71, if you've never seen this master of the electric blues guitar, I can't stress enough that you should while you're still able. Too many of the greats have passed on already and there simply aren't too many legends left.