Hebrew School Carpool

Date
August 7, 2013

Miracler
Dan Weber

City 
Detroit

Oh, Dan Weber.  
Where were you in 1983. Specifically, why weren't you in Northwest Indiana? My friends and I could have really used a guy with this stuff on his mix tapes. And even if we had just been buddy–friends. It would have given us hope. And I bet Fritz Eifrig would have appreciated the break. Well, this is doing some retroactive repair, in the way that someone on Facebook just passed along a private compliment about the way I 'rocked' a puffy ski vest in high school (?). Now I can go back and rip out some specific diary pages and change everything! And that's what DW, or 'Danny Lee' in the comment section, he of April '12's Prodge Virdgins and June '11's Lion on a Beach for Y'all and Nov. '10's Have Some Fruit has shown us over his Prodge tenure: it's still possible to make the dreamy backmix that was missing from your high school soundtrack. 

Why, here's what you said about Prodge Virdgins:

I have had the privilege of exchanging first cassettes then CDs with Dan for 15 years, and this latest release from Detroit doesn't disappoint. The 45 minutes have been on repeat, and it all hangs together really well, when you consider the mix of styles it encompassed. What's not to like in power pop like Baby It'd You? Great compilation Dan.   /   Loving this sweet and true! The Muffs, Millie Jackson, Starbelly and Blaze my current faves but it keeps changing. Thanks!   /   Phil Seymour! I am instantly impressed. Now I can only guess what's been on those 15 years of cassette mixes!   /   I saw the Ben Vaughan Combo years ago and he blew the room away. His recorded stuff was never able to catch all of his energy and charm, maybe that's why he wasn't able to hit a greater success. It's great to see him in the prodge.   /   Very nicely done. Yuck, The Muffs and Steve Lawrence all on the same mix. That's fantastic.   /   Bouncin' all over with the Americana of this mix. And now I'm going to name an English band on here that I like. Yuck. Just heard they are playing this weekend in SF. They intrigue me and their name is the biggest Fuck You since...I don't know, there must have been a band called Fuck You. "Growin' a Beard" could be the anthem for our neighborhood these days; seems like every guy is now doing it (except for me, but I am challenged in the facial-follicle arena). Love the Bodeans, MillieJ, and all the boozy bluesy in the mix. Nice work and thanks!   /   Dan, love how everything flows together for such an eclectic brew. Fun liner notes to boot.   /   "Hurts So Good": Loved this on first listen and immediately listened six times more. Then thought the experience was feeling a lot like hearing Candi Staton's "Heart on a String" for the first time and six times more...on "A Lion on a Beach for Y'All"...from, oh yeah, Dan Weber. So cool.   /   Really enjoyed this mix. My faves so far are Phil Seymour, Your Youth, 20 Miles, and Jim Ford.   /   Thanks Dan, I hadn't known, or had forgotten that (the non-Cougar Meloncamp) "Hurt So Good" was a Millie Jackson song. I was familiar with this version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXSR8aZ6l-Q&feature=related I usually don't like covers that stick close the original but the "faithful" Love cover really brings out the poppyness of the original. Thanks for sharing!   /   I've been digging this mix for months, but "Baby It's You" just came on my shuffle, so I hustled upstairs, thinking, 'Okay, I know this isn't Cheap Trick, but who *is* it?!', and remembered I loved the track from your mix. Such a great find, thanks so much. LUVVIN IT!   /   Great mix, top to bottom. Favorites: Bodeans, The Picketts, Millie Jackson, and Jim Ford. And, thanks for the special treat of "Alone Again Or"--I have heard countless covers, but never the original.   /   Thanks for this super-nice blend, Dan. My favorite song on the mix -- however hard to choose -- is Millie Jackson's "Hurt So Good." Jim Ford's voice reminds me of Bang Masters era Van Morrison. Similar soul power, but with less nasal vibration, and incredible range, especially in the high end. Nick Lowe calls Ford his biggest musical influence. That's cred, y'all. Rest in peace, Jim Ford. Blaze Foley: GREAT. That Merle Haggard hit, "If I Could Only Fly," is one of his. A tear-to-the-eye song if there ever was one. And speaking of beautiful losers, has Townes van Zandt made it onto the Prodge? The one song that doesn't completely hang with the rest is the Steve Lawrence number -- and yet I totally dig it. My mom loved Steve and Eydie, so they were part of my growing up soundtrack. I had no idea Steve was a Liebowitz. Fun!   /   Jim Ford reminded me of Van Morrison when I liked him (that's a good thing). Dug the Muffs. Yuck - didn't know they had a softer side. And nice Starbelly. Thanks for a complete mix of things I'd never heard before.   /   Loving the Jim Ford track - a shaft of sunlight through freezing fog. Thanks for the tip Dan.   /   For my money, "Are they better than Styx" is a pretty low bar to clear. That said - yes, Crack the Sky are. The yelpy vocals irked me slightly at first, but the rock won me over (kinda how I feel about Rush). Phil Seymour was new to me, and I'm looking forward to getting my hands on some more, 'cause this song is the bee's knees. I already love the Muffs, so that one was pretty easy to win me over with, and I was surprised to learn that the theme from "Bewitched" had lyrics. Crazy world. Lastly, that Blaze Foley song is indeed a thing of beauty.

Liner Notes by Danny Lee 
Back in the early-to-mid 1970s, a few families in our neighborhood organized a carpool to ferry us to and from the Shaarey Zedek Religious School every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. One of the drivers was Mrs. Silverstein. She wasn’t the nicest parent in the group and she used to infuriate me whenever it was her turn to drive, because she was a habitual station-switcher. Whenever a super-catchy, top-40 tune would start to play on the Vista Cruiser’s radio, she would give it maybe 20 seconds and then twist the dial to find something else. Gilbert O’Sullivan. Charlie Rich. Gordon Lightfoot. Rufus and Chaka Khan. All my favorites died by her callous hand.

I still remember the peak of my frustration. Mrs. Silverstein casually put the kibosh on “Nothing From Nothing” and I was pissed. I loved that melody and I wouldn’t stand for this crap anymore. I gathered my courage and asked her to please go back to the song. She replied - and this still sticks in my mind -  “Really? Aren’t they all the same anyway?” She did go back to the song, but I never forgave her for her ignorance. In order to make amends for Mrs. Silverstein’s sins, I present songs in the spirit of those hooky hits I always missed out on. No Tony Orlando in here (you’re welcome), but hopefully you’ll find something you can hum along to. L’chaim!
 

1. It's Been Too Long And It's Too Late Now - Velvet Crush

Thanks to that amazing 3MPMP master list, I noticed that CvS included one of VC’s tunes in the very first season. They deserve another appearance.

2. Andy Norris - Badfinger

Been getting into their later stuff lately. Joey Molland could write too!

3. As Long As I'm With You -The Rubinoos

The lighter side of power pop.

4. You're a Lonely Girl - P.F. Sloan

Supremely talented songwriter. Supremely screwed by his record company, natch.

5. Catalina - Allah-Las

Maybe my favorite new band. I hear equal parts Standells and Mazzy Star.

6. Rain - The Jazz Butcher

Pat Fish is one of my 80’s heroes. I don’t have many of those.

7. Dimes For Nickels - JD McPherson

My brother introduced me to this guy. Check out the live versions on YouTube. Fun.

8. The Day the World Turned Blue - Gene Vincent

From Gene’s last album. A broken-down (young) man sings a beautiful song.

9. As We Go Along - The Monkees

From the “Head” soundtrack. Super sweet Mickey Dolenz vocals. I get irritated whenever I read a derogatory comment about the Monkees. I bet Mrs. Silverstein hates the Monkees.

10. Sad Sad Girl And Boy - The Impressions

Everything Curtis Mayfield did just sounds like gospel music to me.

11. I Can't Let Go - Evie Sands

Recently found out about her. Bubbled just under the surface in the 60s and sadly never got her due.

12. Danger - Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons

Like Badfinger, they have a goldmine of stuff beyond the hits.

13. He's In Town - The Rockin' Berries

More great falsetto, this one from across the pond.

14. You Don't Have To Be a Baby To Cry - Fred Neil

Fred Neil in a good mood is really weird. But I like it.

15. Long Road Home - Fanny

June and Jean Millington were pioneers. Fanny was the first all-female band to release an album on a major label.

16. Ab's Song - The Marshall Tucker Band

A very small song that really packs a punch for me. If you like it, check out Iron and Wine’s version. 

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