Song #30 On My MP3 Player - Back Of A Car by Big Star

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Song #30 on my MP3 player is 'Back Of A Car' by Big Star, which is the seventh track on the band's 1974 album Radio City.

Big Star was a band that formed circa 1971 with a lineup that featured Alex Chilton, Chris Bell, Jody Stephens, and Andy Hummel. Alex Chilton was the lead singer of The Box Tops, a band that had hits during the 1960's with 'The Letter' and 'Cry Like A Baby'. Big Star released three albums from 1971 to 1974: #1 Record, Radio City, and Third/Sister Lovers. The music was good, but their record labels were either poorly managed or just not interested in distributing their albums. The history of Big Star is very interesting, and take some time to read Need A Big Star Primer? by Mark Hinson for a more complete history.

The first time I heard Big Star was during the summer of '95 or '96 when my good friend Ryan Dellwood played 'September Gurls' when he was a guest DJ with me at a college radio station in Ohio. I really liked the song, but Dellwood informed me that their music was hard to find. A few weeks later I found #1 Record and Radio City on the same CD at a local music store. Dellwood was thrilled I found their music.

Big Star is loved by the hipsters, indie rockers, and this Lost Soul of Rock & Roll. They have some damn good songs, but they also have some songs that have me hitting the fast forward button on my cd player. When they're good, they are on fire. Big Star is classified as power pop, which means they are inspired by bands like The Beatles and The Kinks, but they also have a nice touch of early 70's rock. What's nice about Big Star is that they can produce and absolute rocker or make a beautiful ballad.

'Back Of A Car' is one of my favorite Big Star songs because there are great harmonies, cool lyrics, and a wonderful guitar sound. Big Star has some songs that really connect with young people, and the story of 'Back of A Car' is pure teen angst. This is one of those songs that should have been a hit, but wasn't. It did inspire a bunch of musicians to form their own bands and maybe that's better than having a hit. Enjoy.  



TonyDoug Wright is the Lost Soul of Rock and Roll. 

60's Live: Hold On, I'm Comin' - Sam and Dave

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I saved the best for last for 60's Live. Hendrix setting his guitar on fire at Monterey Pop was cool, The Who blowing up their drum kit (note: start that link from the 3:18 mark) while on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour was wild, and Hendrix playing the Star Spangled Banner at Woodstock is pretty damn awesome. Today I'd like to share something that I feel is criminally overlooked and that was Sam and Dave's killer performance of 'Hold On, I'm Comin' during the 1967 Stax European Tour.It is important to note that the backing band was none other than Booker T and The M.G.'s.

The reason I picked this performance is simply due to the fact that it is absolutely amazing to watch. Sam and Dave end their set brilliantly by delivering a hot rendition of 'Hold On, I'm Comin' and add some audience participation which leaves the crowd in a frenzy. This is how it's done, so all of you wanna be rockers take a cue from Sam and Dave. Enjoy.




TonyDoug Wright is The Lost Soul of Rock and Roll and is also the head writer and owner of Champion City Comics. Follow him @TonyDougWright on Twitter.

Land of a Thousand Dances by Wilson Pickett

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Mash potato
Do the alligator

Chris Kenner, a New Orleans R&B singer, wrote and performed 'Land of a Thousand Dances' in 1962, but two other artists gained greater fame with this song. Cannibal & The Headhunters, an act from Los Angeles, covered the song in 1965 and it went to #30 on the charts. However, it was Wilson Pickett who had the biggest hit with 'Land of a Thousand Dances' when it went to #6 on the charts in 1966. Of the three, Pickett has the best version due to the rawness and soulful style he brings to the song.

My parents are big fans of 'The Wicked' Pickett, and growing up songs like 'Land of a Thousand Dances', 'In The Midnight Hour' and 'Mustang Sally' were on heavy rotation. There is no reason for not liking soul music, and if you do, then you can get out of my rock room. Just hit play below and do the watusi.  

Donald 'Duck' Dunn (1941 - 2012)

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May has been a tough month for rock and roll fans. We've lost Adam 'MCA' Yauch, Donna Summer, Robin Gibb, and Donald 'Duck' Dunn to name a few.

I grew up in a house where Stax and Motown were on heavy rotation. Every weekend, my mom would play the Best of Sam and Dave and she would have my sister and I be her back-up dancers while she would lip-sync. It was great. The music of Stax and Motown was - and still is - wonderful and I am a fan to this day.

Stax was record label based out of Memphis, Tennessee and the house band was Booker T. and the M.G.'s. Booker T. Jones (piano), Donald 'Duck' Dunn (bass), Steve Cropper (guitar), and Al Jackson, Jr. (drums) were the backbone of Stax and they are the musicians on hits for artists like Otis Redding and Sam and Dave. Those hits include 'Hold On, I'm Comin', 'Soul Man', and 'Try A Little Tenderness'. Booker T. and the M.G.'s had a major hit with the ultra cool instrumental, 'Green Onions'.

Donal 'Duck' Dunn not only performed as a member of Booker T. and the M.G.'s but he also worked with artists such as Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Diana Ross, and The Blues Brothers.

Enjoy some classic clips featuring Donald' Duck' Dunn, Otis Redding, and Sam and Dave.