Another musical gift to the interwebs…a spiritual gift, if you will. I’m putting up all three LPs by the Harold Family (the southern gospel group my dad, his siblings, and their dad had back in the ’70s). I’ll add album art when I can get it scanned.
The Harold Family - Gospel on the Move
I love the old Frank Loesser standard “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” particularlly the cover cut by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Jordan. A couple winters ago, iTunes showed it’d listened to that song a couple hundred times. It has some special meaning to me* and besides that, it’s just a really pretty song. So imagine my delight when I found this little jem: a parody sung by Homer and Jethro (with assistance from none other than June Carter).
Put some records on while I pour.
Homer and Jethro (featuring June Carter) - Baby, It’s Cold Outside
*My girlfriend/love of my life/soulmate really loves the movie Elf, and Zooey Deschanel’s character croons the song in a shower scene while Buddy the Elf is outside listening…which is not nearly as dirty as I just made it sound. Watch the movie.
I searched and searched and searched, but to no avail. It is impossible to find Ralph Stanley’s “I’m Willing to Try” online. iTunes doesn’t have it, and neither do the….ahem…less legitimate sources for digital audio. Apparently the song has been a regular in Dr. Ralph’s live set, but he only recorded it once (on his 1983 album Child of the King). Rebel Records hasn’t released Child of the King on CD yet, so my only option was to order the original LP. I pulled the audio off the record using a nifty converter box and Audacity, and below you’ll find a link to the fruits of my labor. Enjoy.
Here’s a song by Amy Winehouse, not available for download (at least not on iTunes). This one’s a cover of the old Phil Spector song “To Know Him is to Love Him.” Really cool.
Amy Winehouse - To Know Him is to Love Him
Lastly, but certainly not leastly, is this: Joss Stone and Melissa Etheridge doing a Janis Joplin medley performed live at the 2005 Grammys. Doesn’t Joss Stone remind you of Janis? I mean, without all the drugs of course. The sound quality sucks, and I apologize but this is the best I could find. If anyone out there in Internet land has a better version, please comment and lemme know. This used to be offered on iTunes as a charity single, but alas, not any more. Captain Zack Sparrow to the rescue! (Pirate, get it…..arrgh.)
Joss Stone & Melissa Etheridge - Cry Baby/Piece of My Heart
I wish you the best in your own musical travels. Peace and love, children.