Day 6: Hunting High & Low for an Imaginary Kinky Tapestry

You'll have to excuse the ever more desperate attempts to cram in as many punning references to the titles as we can. I am sure I will grow bored of it soon.

Today we're in Hokianga, home of some of New Zealand's remaining Kauri trees and experiencing the misery of traffic congestion as we had to wait for the car ferry for a whopping 45 minutes!

(More pics and details here: http://hokiangatourism.org.nz/)

Album 19/1001

Carole King - Tapestry (1971)

All songs written by Carole King except where noted.

Side 1

1. "I Feel the Earth Move" – 3:00
2. "So Far Away" – 3:55
3. "It's Too Late" (lyrics by Toni Stern) – 3:54
4. "Home Again" – 2:29
5. "Beautiful" – 3:08
6. "Way Over Yonder" – 4:49

Side 2

7. "You've Got a Friend" – 5:09
8. "Where You Lead" (lyrics by Toni Stern) – 3:20
9. "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" (Gerry Goffin, King) – 4:13
10. "Smackwater Jack" (Goffin, King) – 3:42
11. "Tapestry" – 3:15
12. "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (Goffin, King, Jerry Wexler) – 3:59

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapestry_(album)

Golf's verdict: Positively bulging with tunes that have since become the sort of standards that get sung on every TV talent show and karaoke, as well as being covered by loads of different artists. This was the first time we'd listened to this album, but it already felt as familiar as a favourite pair of Ugg boots. Certainly paid a few mortgage payments for Carole!

Maire's verdict: Can't believe I haven't listened to this album before. Loved it.

Album 20/1001

The Kinks - ...Are The Village Green Preservation Society (1968)

Side one
No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Village Green Preservation Society"	2:45
2.	"Do You Remember Walter?"	2:23
3.	"Picture Book"	2:34
4.	"Johnny Thunder"	2:28
5.	"Last of the Steam-Powered Trains"	4:03
6.	"Big Sky"	2:49
7.	"Sitting by the Riverside"	2:21

Side two
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Animal Farm"	2:57
2.	"Village Green"	2:08
3.	"Starstruck"	2:18
4.	"Phenomenal Cat" (spelled "Phenominal Cat" on the LP sleeve)	2:34
5.	"All of My Friends Were There"	2:23
6.	"Wicked Annabella"	2:40
7.	"Monica"	2:13
8.	"People Take Pictures of Each Other"	2:10

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kinks_Are_the_Village_Green_Preservation_Society

Golf's verdict: Despite lacking any of their better known hits, this is packed full of the sort of erudite and pithy observational lyrics that (Sir) Ray Davies served up by the dozen in the 60s. A concept-album of sorts, with all the songs linked by the theme of a mythical English country life that must have been as unfamiliar to the Muswell Hill raised Davies Brothers then as it has become to almost all of us listening to it now.

Maire's verdict: Not one of my favourites but still a great album to listen to from The Kinks.

Album 21/1001

A-ha - Hunting High & Low (1985)

All lyrics written by Pål Waaktaar; all music composed by Waaktaar except where noted.

1. "Take On Me" – 3:48 (Waaktaar/Furuholmen/Harket)
2. "Train of Thought" – 4:14
3. "Hunting High and Low" – 3:45
4. "The Blue Sky" – 2:36
5. "Living a Boy's Adventure Tale" – 5:00 (Waaktaar/Harket)
6. "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." – 5:08
7. "And You Tell Me" – 1:51
8. "Love Is Reason" – 3:04 (Waaktaar/Furuholmen)
9. "I Dream Myself Alive" – 3:06 (Waaktaar/Furuholmen)
10. "Here I Stand and Face the Rain" – 4:30

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunting_High_and_Low

Golf's verdict: I bought this in 1986 at the age of 13, along with the first Pet Shop Boys album, Actually. (No, really, I did). I was in Hamburg on a German student exchange and spent the rest of my pocket money on a rather snazzy (I thought) hunting knife like Rambo's (with a sewing and survival kit in the handle? You know the one.). It will surprise none of you to hear that the opportunity to utilise said knife in 1980s Somerset remained limited, with zero confirmed 'kills'. The cassette of this album, however, was a real favourite. Still know most of the words.

Maire's verdict: I'm not sure my sister has ever forgiven me for taping over her original copy (cellotape required) with a Pixies concert. Thoroughly enjoyable and may have to buy her a copy to apologise (only 27 odd years later).

Album 22/1001

John Lennon - Imagine (1971)

All songs written by John Lennon, except "Oh My Love" by Lennon and Yoko Ono.

Side one

1. "Imagine" – 3:01
2. "Crippled Inside" – 3:47
3. "Jealous Guy" – 4:14
4. "It's So Hard" – 2:25
5. "I Don't Want to Be a Soldier" – 6:05 ^{[nb 3]}

Side two

1. "Gimme Some Truth" – 3:16
2. "Oh My Love" – 2:50
3. "How Do You Sleep?" – 5:36
4. "How?" – 3:43
5. "Oh Yoko!" – 4:20

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imagine_(John_Lennon_album)

Golf's verdict: It has a couple of undeniably classic tunes on it, but plenty of 'meh' too. Even though they rarely wrote much together, the whole of the Lennon/McCartney partnership was so much larger than just the sum of its constituent parts. Discuss.

Maire's verdict: I was rather bored (and prefer the Bryan Ferry version of 'Jealous Guy').