Day 24: Billy, Willy, Iggy, John, Paul, John, Ringo and some Urban Hymns

By request, today we're introducing the HIDDEN GEM badge to identify those albums that either (or both) of us think deserve that description. Obviously, to qualify the album needs to be both amazing, but also not so well known as to be a staple in most households (so Revolver is not, but Urban Hymns and Lust for Life are). Make sense? Good...

Album 77/1031

Billy Bragg & Wilco - Mermaid Avenue (1998)

All lyrics written by Woody Guthrie; music composers are listed below.

1. "Walt Whitman's Niece" (Billy Bragg) – 3:53
2. "California Stars" (Jay Bennett, Jeff Tweedy)– 4:57
3. "Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key" (Bragg) – 4:06
4. "Birds and Ships" with Natalie Merchant (Bragg) – 2:13
5. "Hoodoo Voodoo" (Tweedy, Bragg, Bennett, John Stirratt, Ken Coomer, Corey Harris) – 3:12
6. "She Came Along to Me" (Bragg, Tweedy, Bennett) – 3:26
7. "At My Window Sad and Lonely" (Tweedy) – 3:27
8. "Ingrid Bergman" (Bragg) – 1:50
9. "Christ for President" (Tweedy, Bennett) – 2:39
10. "I Guess I Planted" (Bragg) – 3:32
11. "One by One" (Tweedy) – 3:22
12. "Eisler on the Go" (Bragg) – 2:56
13. "Hesitating Beauty" (Tweedy) – 3:04
14. "Another Man's Done Gone" (Bragg) – 1:34
15. "The Unwelcome Guest" (Bragg) – 5:09

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

Golf's verdict: When Woody Guthrie died he left behind notebooks with 100s of lyrics for unrecorded songs. Not being a musician, only scant notes on what style of song he had in mind survived. His duaghter asked Bragg (a long time Guthrie advocate) to write music to accompany and he roped in the superb Wilco to share the job. This ended up as Vol 1 of 3. It is a little patchy and som of the lyrics show their age (Guthrie died in 1967). Disappointed not to hear any references to fascists!

Maire's verdict: Some lovely tracks (One by One was a highlight), but far too many annoying ones (such as Ingrid Bergman).


Album 78/1031

The Beatles - Revolver (1966)

All songs written by Lennon–McCartney, except where noted.^[282]

Side one
No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Taxman" (George Harrison)	Harrison	2:39
2.	"Eleanor Rigby"	McCartney	2:06
3.	"I'm Only Sleeping"	Lennon	3:00
4.	"Love You To" (Harrison)	Harrison	2:59
5.	"Here, There and Everywhere"	McCartney	2:25
6.	"Yellow Submarine"	Starr	2:41
7.	"She Said She Said"	Lennon	2:37

Side two
No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Good Day Sunshine"	McCartney	2:08
2.	"And Your Bird Can Sing"	Lennon	2:00
3.	"For No One"	McCartney	2:00
4.	"Doctor Robert"	Lennon	2:14
5.	"I Want to Tell You" (Harrison)	Harrison	2:29
6.	"Got to Get You into My Life"	McCartney	2:29
7.	"Tomorrow Never Knows"	Lennon	2:57

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolver_(Beatles_album)

Golf's verdict: Arguably even greater an achievement than Sgt Pepper that came immediately after. Okay, Yellow Submarine is a kids song but even that has become a classic. Tomorrow Never Knows sounds like nothing on earth that had ever been put to vinyl. When the Chemical Brothers resurrected it 30 years later, it still sounded fresh.

Maire's verdict: One of my all-time favourite songs is on this album - Eleanor Rigby. Shame it's ruined by the bloody awful Yellow Submarine.


Album 79/1031

The Verve - Urban Hymns (1997)

All songs written by Richard Ashcroft, except where noted.

International version
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Bitter Sweet Symphony"	Mick Jagger Keith Richards Ashcroft	5:58
2.	"Sonnet"		4:21
3.	"The Rolling People"	The Verve	7:01
4.	"The Drugs Don't Work"		5:05
5.	"Catching the Butterfly"	The Verve	6:26
6.	"Neon Wilderness"	Nick McCabe The Verve	2:37
7.	"Space and Time"		5:36
8.	"Weeping Willow"		4:49
9.	"Lucky Man"		4:53
10.	"One Day"		5:03
11.	"This Time"		3:50
12.	"Velvet Morning"		4:57
13.	"Come On" "Come On" [silence] "Deep Freeze"	The Verve	15:15
Total length:			1:15:57

Note: "Deep Freeze" is a hidden track. The album's digital version has "Come On" and "Deep Freeze" as separate tracks, without the silence in between

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

Golf's verdict: Whilst it could have been tighter (76 mins is more or less the maximum capacity of a CD) this still has 5 or 6 stone cold classics on it. The mystery of how Richard Ashcroft can go from writing all these for The Verve and then serving up disappointment after disappointment as a solo artist continues to annoy.

Maire's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! How did I forget how gorgeous this album is? I listened to it twice.

Album 80/1031

Iggy Pop - Lust for Life (1977)

All lyrics written by Iggy Pop except "Turn Blue" by Pop and Walter Lacey; music composers are listed below.

Side one
No.	Title	Music composer(s)	Length
1.	"Lust for Life"	David Bowie	5:13
2.	"Sixteen"	Pop	2:26
3.	"Some Weird Sin"	Bowie	3:42
4.	"The Passenger"	Ricky Gardiner	4:44
5.	"Tonight"	Bowie	3:39

Side two
No.	Title	Music composer(s)	Length
6.	"Success"	Bowie, Gardiner	4:25
7.	"Turn Blue"	Bowie, Warren Peace	6:56
8.	"Neighborhood Threat"	Bowie, Gardiner	3:25
9.	"Fall in Love with Me"	Bowie, Hunt Sales, Tony Sales	6:30

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

Golf's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! Determined to help his friend find the success he deserved and whilst sharing a flat in Berlin, in 1977 David Bowie co-wrote and recorded 2 albums with Iggy. The influence is very clear from the outset and the album is strong throughout. Lust for Life aside, The Passenger, not written by Bowie, is the strongest track. Whilst it ended up taking another 10 years and Real Wild One to finally get Iggy onto Top of the Pops, by the time Trainspotting made the title track unavoidable for much of the late 90s he was already rock-royalty.

Maire's verdict: I haven't listened to this album for years and had forgotten how Bowie-esque some of the tracks are (particularly thinking of Turn Blue). I do love '70s Bowie so obviously enjoyed it.