The Silver Screen Oasis

Thanks for the tip, Wendy! I'm on my way now to the local
oyster bar. Whoa. Did I say bar?
PATTY DREW "Working On A Groovy Thing"
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PHIL COLLINS "A Groovy Kind of Love"
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MEL & TIM "Groovy Situation"
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LOU RAWLS "Groovy People"
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You have certainly started a nice groove, Miss Wendy.

James Brown Ain't That a Groove
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Peaches & Herb Shake Your Groove Thing
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Deee-Lite Groove Is in the Heart
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King Floyd Groove Me
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Funkadelic One Nation Under a Groove
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Gosh I love funk! From Mel and Tim to James Brown to King Floyd to Funkadelic, great music.

Harry Nilsson returns to the Record Party, both as himself and
represented by others who have interpreted his music, like...
BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS "Without Her"
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THREE DOG NIGHT "One"
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THE MONKEES "Cuddly Toy"
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And as much as his own compositions enriched our world, Nilsson
was able to bring his own wonderfulness to the words and music
of others, like...
"You Can't Do That" (The Beatles)
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"Everybody's Talkin'" (Fred Neil)
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"Simon Smith and His Amazing Dancing Bear" (Randy Newman)
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Oooh, I should have stopped in earlier....this is wonderful!

Love that Nilsson! Then there's Tim Hardin.

Bobby Darin If I Were a Carpenter
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The Nice Hang On to a Dream
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Colin Blunstone Misty Roses
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Simple Song of Freedom (Bobby Darin)
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Bird On a Wire (Leonard Cohen)
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As well as the usually overlooked and undervalued John Hartford...
“Gentle on My Mind” (Glen Campbell)
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“Natural to Be Gone” (Willie Nelson)
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“California Earthquake” (Mama Cass)
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Are you guys trying to spook me?

I fell in love with John Hartford when I was 5 or 6 years old watching him play the banjo and guitar on the Glen Campbell Show. My eye always shot right past Glen to the dark fellow sitting behind him. I followed his career as I grew up. I finally got to meet him years later at a music festival..... what a talent! He could play many instruments, pilot a riverboat... write music. He was so kind to me when I told him about writing a letter to him as a little kid with the help of my mom. He was extremely gallant, kissed my hand and told me we would meet again one day. We didn't unfortunately, I really wish we had. One of the few times in my life I found that the real man was better than the image. I think he was an old soul, because he seemed like he came from a totally different time. What a gentleman.

He wasn't covered that often -- who could match that voice? -- and
he didn't sing many covers, but as long as we're on that singer-
songwriter thing, my favorite...Tim Buckley.

This Mortal Coil Song to the Siren
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Blood Sweat and Tears Morning Glory
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Jeff Buckley I Never Asked to Be Your Mountain
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Sally Go 'Round the Roses (The Jaynetts)
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Glen Campbell did a fine job with "Gentle On My Mind," but John Hartford's rendition was better. The man may have been under-appreciated in some regions. I grew up in Bluegrass country. Among my peers, he was never held in less than the highest esteem.

The beautiful and indispensible LAURA NYRO is my hands-down
favorite of the so-called “singer-songerwriters” from the late 60s / early
70s. I would have posted some of her great songs as done by others
but I just wasn't in the mood to hear The 5th Dimension's Greatest Hits.
Here instead is Laura doing some incredible renderings on some classic
60s rhythm and blues...
SPANISH HARLEM (Ben E. King)
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UP ON THE ROOF (The Drifters)
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IT'S GONNA TAKE A MIRACLE (The Royalettes)
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YOU REALLY GOT A HOLD ON ME (The Miracles)
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Oh, Dewey...Tim Buckley is atop my heap, but Ms. Nyro is right there
next in line. Did anyone do justice to her songs? And her covers --
The Bells!!! -- were always so right. Here's my favorite use of one
of her songs (and I don't think The Fifth Dimension ever dared to
cover it).

Been on a Train from Alvin Ailey's Cry
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Blood, Sweat, and Tears ...

Spinning Wheel ... One of my favorites ...
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You've made me very happy - another sentimental favorite too ...
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Sail Away 1973 - Incredible Song ... I love this!
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I love this Group ...

There are singer-songwriters, then there are songwriting teams
with a Muse. For example...to pick one at random...Burt Bacharach,
Hal David and Dionne Warwick.

Don't Make Me Over
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Anyone Who Had a Heart
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Walk On By
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You'll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart)
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I Say a Little Prayer
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When the 5th DIMENSION wasn't busy covering the Laura Nyro
songbook, they worked wonders with the songwriting magic of
JIMMY WEBB...
UP, UP AND AWAY
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CARPET MAN
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PAPER CUP
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THE GIRLS SONG
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