Gimme a Bowl of Atlantic R&B

I can't remember which volume of the Atlantic R&B series I got first back in the late 80s, but I doubt it took me more than a year to collect all seven. They're all great (though I think I'm just a tiny bit partial to Volume 4) and even though there's more than 25 years between Volume 1 and Volume 7, there's a seamless quality when you listen to all of them on shuffle. So here are 21 of favorite songs from the Atlantic R&B series (3 from each volume).

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You Don't Miss Your Water William Bell

Just One Look Doris Troy

Teardrops From My Eyes Ruth Brown

Sweet Soul Music Arthur Conley

Love, Love, Love The Clovers

Mess Around Ray Charles

Compared to What Les McCann & Eddie Harris

Spanish Harlem Ben E. King

A Beggar For Your Kisses The Diamonds

Fools Fall In Love The Drifters

See-Saw Don Covay

Midnight Special Tiny Grimes

Rainy Night in Georgia Brook Benton

Where is the Love? Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway

I'm in Love Wilson Pickett

Tee Nah Nah Harry Van Walls

Soul On Fire Lavern Baker

Cool Jerk The Capitols

A Lover's Question Clyde McPhatter

Gee Whiz Carla Thomas

Love Won't Let Me Wait Major Harris

Don't Start Him Talking - The Songs of Paul Kelly

Paul Kelly and the Messengers' 1992 album Comedy is one of those classic under-appreciated gems - just about a perfect hour of music. While Kelly's records since then have been a little inconsistent, his body of work over the last 25 year is pretty impressive. He put out a greatest hits (Songs of the South) collection in 2008, but it's only available as an import in the United States so here's 30 of my favorite Paul Kelly songs.

Disc One

Don't Start Me Talking

From St Kilda To Kings Cross

Before Too Long

Dumb Things

She's Rare

Shane Warne Song

Somebody's Forgetting Somebody (Somebody's Letting Somebody Down)

Khe Sanh

Luck

Little Kings

Let's Fall Again

The Foggy Fields Of France

Moon In The Bed

I Had Forgotten You

Big Heart

Disc Two

Last Train to Heaven

Your Little Sister (Is a Big Girl Now)

Special Treatment

Difficult Woman

Young Lovers

Careless

Little Decisions

Same Old Walk

Ball And Chain

You're So Fine

The Ballad Of Queenie & Rover

Yil Lull

Ghost Town

Adelaide

Pidgeon/Jundamurra

I Just Don't Know What to do With Myself - Volume 2

As I mentioned last year, I used to do an anti-Valentine Day show every year when I had my alternative country radio show. While those days may be an increasingly a distant memory, it's still, um.....I don't know if "fun" is the right word, but I still like doing them. In that spirit, I present this year's batch of songs of recrimination, remorse, revenge, and regret.

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I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself Isaac Hayes

Streets Of Baltimore Charley Pride

The World Of Broken Hearts Elvis Costello

The Grand Tour George Jones

Patch My Heart The Mad Lads

Cry Me A River Caetano Veloso

I Wake Up Crying Chuck Jackson

Drown in My Own Tears Percy Sledge

How Can I Go On Without You Jimmy Scott

No Easy Way Down Mark Eitzel

Love Is A Losing Game Amy Winehouse

Woman Left Lonely Cat Power

That Other Woman Got My Man And Gone Margie Joseph

Tears Don't Care Who Cries Them k.d. lang

All Blue Cheri Knight

About the Blues Julie London

Cry On The Detroit Cobras

Don't Forget To Cry Mandy Barnett

It's All Over Now Holly Golightly

Tracks of My Tears Aretha Franklin

A Cavalcade of Kelly Willis

It's kinda hard to believe that it's been 20 years since Kelly Willis' first album came out. I always thought she'd become a bigger star, but maybe that cliche "too country for rock, too rock for country" really did hinder her career. But I'd rather not dwell, so here's a great little homage to Ms. Willis put together by blog readers Al (the A sides) and Jerald (the B sides). Though I did pick out the picture. :)

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Bang Bang

Reason to Believe

The More That I'm Around You

Sincerely (Too Late to Turn Back Now)

Take Me Down

Heaven's Just a Sin Away

Easy (As Falling Apart)

Cradle of Love

I Don't Want To Love You (But I Do)

River of Love

Wrapped

Hidden Things

Not What I Had in Mind

What World Are You Living in?

Get Real

If I Left You

Whatever Way the Wind Blows

Drive South

Teddy Boys

Success

Download The B Sides

It's A Cheatin' Situation

Little Honey

Your Cheatin' Heart

Parallel Bars

Ride Me Down Easy

That's How I Got To Memphis

Rex's Blues

The Only One

When My Baby's Beside Me

Golden Ring

Shine

Lady Yesterday

When I Loved You

Absentee Rag

Truckstop Girl

The Circle

Friendless Marriage

We Always Fight When We Drink Gin

Take Me

Me And Mr. Jones