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Long lost songs

This is a discussion on songs or versions we've heard maybe just once on the radio and spent years searching for. Anything you knew existed, but couldn't find.

For instance, about 1972 I was lying in bed listening to the local progressive rock station (WNEW) as I was falling asleep. On come a great R&B song with a line something like "Before I Die I want to be the kind of man you want me to be". The DJ never announced the title or artist that I could hear. Never heard it again. Years later I heard "She's Gone" by Hall and Oats and figured it was them. Nope. Continued to search on and off for decades, employing new technology as it became available.

Early this year, while searching for something totally different on SecondHandSongs I came across "When I Die" by Mother Lode. Bingo! Joy, joy, joy! Found the CD on Amazon, (only format available) Love It. Most of the rest of their songs are weird but "When I Die" is almost as good as my memory had made 'Before I Die'.

Another example is versions. There are some song that I love that have very different interpretations by various artists. "Hey Joe" and "Morning Dew" are two. I like to collect those versions. Long ago I heard a version of "Morning Dew" sung by a guy with a very unique voice. It had a mesmerizing rhythm guitar line that got into my brain. I never forgot it, because the girl I was with turned out to be a nymphomaniac. What a night!

Using   SecondHandSongs agin, I found Long John Baldry on his self-titled album on EMI. What a crystal clear LP! He's recorded several fine versions of the song, but this is THE one with that guitar line. Highly recommended.

I am sure many of you have similar tales and can relate to the elation I felt on finding something I'd been searching for for decades. Let's hear them.
2channel8
2channel8 OP
760 posts
 
martykl

So glad you scored! It is a triumphant feeling isn't it? Like being rewarded for keeping the faith in searching for something that after so many years, sometimes you doubt even exists. 

I'll give another example. When I was young I never bought Beatles albums. They were always on the radio and my sister and friends and cousins were always playing them, so there was no need. Consequently I was not well versed in some of their more obscure songs. Fast forward 15 or 20 years and I am at a cousin reunion picnic. As was our tradition, after everyone was good and drunk, we started "singing" oldies. My cousin starts "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away". Great song I hadn't thought of for years. I says, 'who did that?' She says "the Beatles, of course." I says "no, there was a female vocal." Bets were laid but never collected. I kinda figured my memory had played a trick on me.

Another decade goes by and I get a fabulous 3 CD collection, The British Invasion. Highly recommended. There it is. You've Got To Hide Your Love Away by the Silkie!!! 
falconquest's avatar
falconquest
1,108 posts
 
I think I owned the LP when I was younger and had a Bang & Olufsen turntable which eventually was moved on and I got away from audio for several years. Interestingly, certain lyrics stick with me and I recall "lines on my face" would pop into my head every now and then. I always thought about researching it until one day I finally got around to it. This is such a great tune from Peter Frampton playing his 1954 custom Gibson Les Paul with triple humbucking pickups. Not really an obscure song but one who's lyrics haunted me for years. Enjoy!

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bsi41lbI3sM
2channel8 OP
760 posts
 
I haven't thought about that LP in a long time. Hope it's still in one of the boxes. I better go find it!
crazyeddy's avatar
crazyeddy
381 posts
 

Hey Ghosthouse. You should check out the rendition of "Be thankful for what you got" by Vanessa Fernandez on the "Use Me" LP

180 gram pressing at 45 RPM. Stellar album !!

ghosthouse's avatar
ghosthouse
4,321 posts
 
Thanks crazyeddy. I found the album on Spotify. That track is running now. I’ve seen her name around but haven’t listened to her at all. I tend to have a bad attitude about covers going in. Show me why I should listen to your version. What are you bringing to it? Similarly, the VF makes me ask "why?". Don’t mean to come across harsh. I’ll try it again later. Different strokes for different folks. Glad it is something you enjoy. BTW - your on-line name - anything to do with the old NJ electronics stores?
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