Augie Rios – Dónde Está Santa Claus (1958)

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Merry Christmas to you and yours. Augie Rios was an American singer-actor born to Puerto Rican parents. He was quite the child star in the last 1950s and his repertoire included this unusual number. ‘Dónde Está Santa Claus?’ was released as a single in 1958 and I don’t recall hearing it too often. That’s a rare thing for a Christmas single and should be rejoiced. Rios also did a pretty good job at nailing the Buddy-Holly-come-Christmas schtick for a 12 year old.

Peter Gabriel – Playing For Time (Dark-Side Mix) (2023)

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I have to say, I wasn’t expecting to post any contemporary Peter Gabriel in 2023. His latest LP i/0 is his tenth studio album and first in a dozen years. I’ve been pleased by the Randy Newman inspired ‘Playing For Time’. I hope it serves as a new direction – unlike some of his peers, his unmistakable voice is still holding up and is good to hear again. The story goes that Gabriel has been working on this album for over 20 years. To stop the vacillation, he commissioned several mixes of most songs on the album. This Dark-Side Mix is by Tchad Blake; there’s also one from Mark ‘Spike’ Stent (Bright-Side Mix) and Hans-Martin Buff (Atmos In-Side Mix). Take your pick.

The Cinematic Orchestra feat. Patrick Wilson – To Build A Home (2007)

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I have not followed the career of Canadian singer-songwriter Patrick Watson, but like so many I was once wrapped up in the ubiquity of the piano he performed on ‘To Build A Home’, The Cinematic Orchestra’s signature track. Released on Ninja Tune in 2007, the song quickly became celebrated for its haunting sound and the emotional vocals that Wilson penned.

Scott Walker – Jackie (1968)

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The passionate and mahogany tones of Scott Walker… R.I.P. In 1968, the single ‘Jackie’ was released in advance of his sophomore solo album Scott 2, was quickly banned by the BBC and subsequently went to Number 1 in the UK charts. “Stupid-ass”… very rude.

Frankie Valli ‎- Can’t Take My Eyes Off You (1967)

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A guilty pleasure and gift to my wife this morning. ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’ is a 1967 single credited to Frankie Valli. The song was co-written by producer Bob Crewe and The Four Seasons’ very own Bob Gaudio. It has been covered dozens of times, not least half the football league’s travelling supporters.

Haruomi Hosono – Close To You (2010)

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Like Ryuichi Sakamoto, Haruomi (Harry) Hosono first gained global recognition as one third of the electronic music group Yellow Magic Orchestra. In 2010, postrock maverick Jim O’Rourke had the genius idea of producing All Kinds of People: Love Burt Bacharach, a tribute album to 60s lounge don Burt Bacharach. Yes, I kid you not. The LP features guest vocalists Kahimi Karie, Yoshimi, and several other venerable Japanese artists, including Hosono, who gets a helping drum hand from Wilco’s Glenn Kotche on the classic ‘Close To You’.

The Turtles – You Showed Me (1968)

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‘You Showed Me’ was a song composed by Roger McGuinn and Gene Clark in the early 196os, before their partnership with David Crosby to form The Byrds. The song would never make to the front line of The Byrds’ canon, missing the cut of their classic debut long player Mr. Tambourine Man. In step The Turtles, who had first become acquainted with the song after hearing Clark, McGuinn and Crosby perform it at The Troubadour club in L.A. The Turtles added something distinct by giving it its familiar slow beat. And as for me, I became acquainted when De La Soul sampled that beat for the interlude ‘Transmitting Live From Mars’ on their 1989 album 3 Feet High and Rising. “Ecoutez: ‘A midi’/ Quel heure est-il?” Have a great weekend.

Francisco Alves – Aquarela do Brasil (1939)

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Simply known as ‘Brazil’ once Disney got hold of it in 1942, Ary Barroso’s ‘Aquarela do Brasil’ was first sung by Francisco Alves a few years earlier. It has since become a samba standard covered by the international great and good, including Jimmy Dorsey, Sinatra, João Gilberto, Tom Jobim. I will always associate it with Terry Gilliam’s movie Brazil – it provided the theme throughout. It now provides a start to a week to celebrate the World Cup.

Nat King Cole – Smile (1954)

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Based on an theme tune used in Charlie Chaplin’s movie Modern Times, ‘Smile’ was brought to life by the lyricism of two Brits, John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons, and the calming tones of Nathaniel Adams Coles – aka Nat King Cole. Have a great weekend.

Etta James – Waiting For Charlie (1962)

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Easing us into the Easter weekend, Etta’s James’s ‘Waiting for Charlie (To Come Home)’ features on her eponymous 1962 album. Written by the king of easy, Burt Bacharach, the song has a marching arrangement which builds and builds; and then there’s that violin… have a great break!

She & Him – Baby It’s Cold Outside (2011)

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Another Dean Martin track, and I plump for another cover. Nothing against the King of Cool, I just like the minimalist production. The gender swap amuses too.

Frank Sinatra – Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (1950)

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It’s got to be Frank over Dino. Happy Christmas one and all!

Floyd Cramer – MacArthur Park (1968)

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‘Mac Arthur Park’ by a Nashville slip-piano legend. It’s not right, but it works.

Paolo Conte – Via Con Me (1981)

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In 1981, Paolo Conte released Paris Milonga, an album that would reach out beyond Italy because of, in a large part, the English-spoken ‘Via Con Me’. In a week that features Serge Gainsbourg, why not a bit of cabaret as well? The song sounds as if it emanates from a bar stool and the nicotine-lined vocal chords of a lecherous flâneur. It’s a heady mix. Have a good weekend.

Serge Gainsbourg & Brigitte Bardot – Bonnie And Clyde (1968)

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To these ears, listening to Serge Gainsbourg is incomparable to the impression left by any other artist. It’s not just the French language. His 1968 duet ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ with lover Bardot is a great example – moody atmosphere, humour abound, a love of Americana, self confidence, and much je ne sais pas.