Friday, March 26, 2010

All the Red in China - The Sam Phillips Collection


I’ve always really liked what Sam Phillips said about her decision to switch from Christian music to secular stuff. I can’t quite remember the exact quote, but the essence was “I’m writing about what’s in the light, rather than writing about ‘the light’”. Secular or not, Sam is an incredibly affecting singer – her singing River of Love (from The Turning, her last Christian music album) in 1989 at CBGB’s is one of my all time concert highlights. For this week's post, I've put together two 15 song mixtapes spanning Sam’s career. (And if you’re just discovering the wonder that is Sam Phillips and want more, more, more -  I’d start with either The Indescribable Wow or Cruel Inventions – they’re both gems that hold up incredibly well 20 years after they were released.) Oh, and she’s no relation to the legendary Sun Records producer Sam Phillips – I think Sam was her nickname as a child.

Download Disc One

The Fan Dance
Disappearing Act
Flame
Remorse
Love Is Not Lost
Baby I Can't Please You
I Wanna Be Your Man
Plastic Is Forever
Red Silk Five
You Fascinate Me So
Black Sky
Little Plastic Life
Zero Zero Zero!
Cruel Inventions
Out of Time

Download Disc Two

Love & Kisses
She Can't Tell Time
You Lost My Mind
These Boots are Made for Walking
Entertainmen
Infiltration
If I Could Write
What Do I Do
Flowers Up
Tell Her What She Wants To Know
Hole In Time
Private Storm
Slapstick Heart
Soul Eclipse
River of Love

8 comments:

tuckermucker said...

I enjoy this blog hugely, thank you. Come looking for Fela Kuti and James Brown....????

Ishkabibliophile said...

@tuckermucker,

It was taken down because of copyright infringement. :(

Don said...

I really enjoyed the Sam Phillips comp. I had two of her albums, this convinced me to buy a couple more of them. Thanks!

Ishkabibliophile said...

@Don,

She's quite fab, ain't she? :) Btw, I really like your blog.

art58koen said...

I just bought Sam's Zero Zero Zero & discovered your post, thanks!

laura said...

thank-you so much! i love her!

bglobe313 said...

"Cruel Inventions" is one of the truly perfect LPs. "Every cut on this album is a hit." Amazing music, lyrics, singing.

Love it. Love her.

Ace

Ishkabibliophile said...

Ace,

For a long time, I was partial to The Amazing Wow, but I now think Cruel Inventions is better, if only by a bit.