Day 282: I been caught stealin', once, when I was five...

The penultimate day of listening and some final hip-hop business, a REALLY hard to find one and then an absolute classic...

Album 1022/1031

Wu Tang Clan - Enter the Wu Tang (36 Chambers) (1993)

Tracks 1–5 are on the Shaolin Sword side of the album and tracks 6–12 are on the Wu-Tang Sword side.

#	Title	Performer(s)	Producer(s)	Samples[50]	Time
1	"Bring da Ruckus"	Chorus: RZA First verse: Ghostface Killah Second verse: Raekwon Third verse: Inspectah Deck Fourth verse: GZA	RZA	"Synthetic Substitution" by Melvin Bliss "CB#2" by Ralph Vargas and Carlos Bess Dialogue from Shaolin and Wu Tang Dialogue from Ten Tigers of Kwangtung	4:10
2	"Shame on a Nigga"	Intro: Raekwon Chorus & first verse: Ol' Dirty Bastard Second verse: Method Man Third verse: Raekwon Fourth verse: Ol' Dirty Bastard	RZA	"Black and Tan Fantasy" by Thelonious Monk "Different Strokes" by Syl Johnson Dialogue from Shaolin and Wu Tang	2:57
3	"Clan in da Front"	Intro: RZA Chorus/verses: GZA	RZA	"Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are" by Thelonious Monk "Honeybee" by The New Birth "The Love You Save" by The Jackson 5 "Synthetic Substitution" by Melvin Bliss Dialogue from Shaolin and Wu Tang	4:33
4	"Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber"	Intro skit: Raekwon, Method Man, Ghostface Killah, U-God, Inspectah Deck First verse: Raekwon Second verse: Method Man Third verse: Inspectah Deck Fourth verse: Ghostface Killah Fifth verse: RZA Sixth verse: Ol' Dirty Bastard Seventh verse: GZA	RZA	"Spinning Wheel" by Lonnie Smith "As Long as I've Got You" by The Charmels "Down in the Valley" by Otis Redding Dialogue from Shaolin and Wu Tang	6:05
5	"Can It Be All So Simple"	Intro: RZA & Raekwon Chorus: Raekwon & Ghostface Killah First verse: Raekwon Second verse: Ghostface Killah	RZA	"The Way We Were / Try to Remember" by Gladys Knight & the Pips "I Got The..." by Labi Siffre	6:53
6	"Da Mystery of Chessboxin'"	Chorus: Method Man First verse: U-God Second verse: Inspectah Deck Third verse: Raekwon Fourth verse: Ol' Dirty Bastard Fifth verse: Ghostface Killah Sixth verse: Masta Killa	RZA (Co-produced by Ol' Dirty Bastard)	"Tramp" by Otis Redding and Carla Thomas Dialogue from Shaolin and Wu Tang Dialogue from Five Deadly Venoms trailer	4:48
7	"Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing ta Fuck Wit"	Intro/chorus/first verse/outro: RZA Second verse: Inspectah Deck Third verse: Method Man	RZA (Co-produced by Method Man)	"Theme From Underdog" by W. Watts Biggers "Papa Was Too" by Joe Tex "Nobody Beats the Biz" by Biz Markie "Tomorrow" by Andrea McArdle "In the Rain" by The Dramatics Dialogue from Executioners From Shaolin	3:36
8	"C.R.E.A.M."	Intro: Method Man & Raekwon Chorus: Method Man First verse: Raekwon Second verse: Inspectah Deck Background vocal: Buddha Monk	RZA	"As Long as I've Got You" by The Charmels	4:12
9	"Method Man"	Pre-song dialogue: Method Man & Raekwon Intro: GZA Chorus/verses: Method Man Outro: RZA & Ghostface Killah	RZA	"Sport" by Lightnin' Rod feat. Kool & the Gang	5:50
10	"Protect Ya Neck"	Intro: RZA and Method Man First verse: Inspectah Deck Second verse: Raekwon Third verse: Method Man Bridge: U-God Interlude: Method Man, Ol' Dirty Bastard and RZA Fourth verse: Ol' Dirty Bastard Fifth verse: Ghostface Killah Sixth verse: RZA Seventh verse: GZA Outro: RZA, Method Man	RZA	"The Grunt" by The J.B.'s Dialogue from Shaolin and Wu Tang	4:52
11	"Tearz"	Intro/first verse: RZA Second verse: Ghostface Killah	RZA	"After Laughter (Comes Tears)" by Wendy Rene "Get Me Back on Time, Engine #9" by Wilson Pickett "The Way We Were" by Barbra Streisand	4:17
12	"Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber—Part II"		RZA	"Make It Funky" by Ralph Vargas and Carlos Bess	6:09
13*	"Method Man" (Skunk Mix)	Chorus/verses: Method Man	RZA	"Going to Kentucky" by Traditional Folk "I'm Just a Bill" by Jack Sheldon "Disco Lady" by Johnnie Taylor "Synthetic Substitution" by Melvin Bliss	3:12

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enter_the_Wu-Tang_(36_Chambers)

Golf's verdict: Okay, I get the obsession with Kung Fu movies probably made this pretty fresh and different and some of the banter between the various Clan members is actually quite amusing, but ultimately it's another overly long, slightly above average hip-hop album.

Máire's verdict: A bit boring and overly long.

Album 1023/1031

A Tribe Called Quest - People’s Instinctive Travels & the Paths of Rhythm (1990)

All tracks written and produced by A Tribe Called Quest. Credits from album liner notes.

No. Title Length 1. "Push It Along" 7:42 2. "Luck of Lucien" 4:32 3. "After Hours" 4:39 4. "Footprints" 4:00 5. "I Left My Wallet in El Segundo" 4:06 6. "Pubic Enemy" 3:45 7. "Bonita Applebum" 3:50 8. "Can I Kick It?" 4:11 9. "Youthful Expression" 4:52 10. "Rhythm (Devoted to the Art of Moving Butts)" 4:01 11. "Mr. Muhammad" 3:33 12. "Ham 'n' Eggs" 5:27 13. "Go Ahead in the Rain" 3:54 14. "Description of a Fool" 5:41 Total length: 64:15

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Instinctive_Travels_and_the_Paths_of_Rhythm

Golf's verdict: Much more like it, especially as it features "Can I Kick It?' one of the first rap tracks that really made an impression on me.

Máire's verdict: More enjoyable than Wu Tang Clan but still overly long.

Album 1024/1031

Van Morrison - It's Too Late To Stop Now (1974)

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Ain't Nothin' You Can Do"	Joseph Scott	3:44
2.	"Warm Love"	Van Morrison	3:04
3.	"Into the Mystic"	Van Morrison	4:33
4.	"These Dreams of You"	Van Morrison	3:37
5.	"I Believe to My Soul"	Ray Charles	4:09

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"I've Been Working"	Van Morrison	3:56
2.	"Help Me"	Sonny Boy Williamson II, Ralph Bass, Willie Dixon	3:25
3.	"Wild Children"	Van Morrison	5:04
4.	"Domino"	Van Morrison	4:48
5.	"I Just Want to Make Love to You"	Willie Dixon	5:16

Side three

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Bring It On Home to Me"	Sam Cooke	4:42
2.	"Saint Dominic's Preview"	Van Morrison	6:18
3.	"Take Your Hand Out of My Pocket"	Sonny Boy Williamson II	4:04
4.	"Listen to the Lion"	Van Morrison	8:43

Side four

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Here Comes the Night"	Bert Berns	3:14
2.	"Gloria"	Van Morrison	4:16
3.	"Caravan"	Van Morrison	9:20
4.	"Cyprus Avenue"	Van Morrison	10:20

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It's_Too_Late_to_Stop_Now

Golf's verdict: A double album of live Van Morrison. Does exactly what you would expect. Probably gave Alan Parker the idea for The Commitments.

Máire's verdict: I just don’t like his voice not his style of singing.

Album 1025/1031

The Bees - Sunshine Hit Me (2002)

1. "Punchbag" (Paul Butler, Aaron Fletcher) – 3:38
2. "Angryman" (Paul Butler, Aaron Fletcher) – 4:06
3. "No Trophy" (Paul Butler, Aaron Fletcher, Michael Clevitt) – 3:26
4. "Binnel Bay" (Paul Butler, Aaron Fletcher) – 2:57
5. "Sunshine" (Paul Butler, Aaron Fletcher, James Nye) – 3:27
6. "A Minha Menina" (Jorge Ben) – 2:48
7. "This Town" (Paul Butler, Aaron Fletcher) – 2:59
8. "Sweet Like a Champion" (Paul Butler, Aaron Fletcher) – 4:27
9. "Lying in the Snow" (Paul Butler, Aaron Fletcher) – 3:52
10. "Zia" (Paul Butler, Aaron Fletcher, James Nye) – 4:12
11. "Sky Holds the Sun" (Paul Butler, Aaron Fletcher) – 3:39

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

Golf's verdict: We actually had to go to an actual record store and buy a second hand copy of this CD, so hard was it to track down. Spotify and Apple did not have it and YouTube could only muster about half of it. Luckily Auckland's legendary Real Groovy has a copy which only took me about 20 minutes to find. Given I have spent $12 on this I am pleased to say it is a real eclectic mix great summer tunes and features a cover of  Os Mutantes's 'A Minha Menina' that featured on many an advert and TV show in the UK back in the 90s.

Máire in Real Groovy, clutching the last album we needed to track down

Máire's verdict: Wasn’t that impressed until track 6 (‘A Minha Mehina’) which I recognised and really like.

Album 1026/1031

Jane’s Addiction - Ritual de lo Habitual (1990)

All tracks written by Perry Farrell, Dave Navarro, Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Stop!"	4:14
2.	"No One's Leaving"	3:01
3.	"Ain't No Right"	3:34
4.	"Obvious"	5:55
5.	"Been Caught Stealing"	3:34
6.	"Three Days"	10:48
7.	"Then She Did ..."	8:18
8.	"Of Course"	7:02
9.	"Classic Girl"	5:07

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

Golf's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! Jane's Addiction are responsible for 2 of the greatest rock albums ever and (following 'Nothing Shocking') this is the second. Love every second of it, even the weird romany, violin bits in 'Of Course'. In my Top 20.

Máire's verdict: I was never a massive fan until ‘The Great Escape Artist’. Still think that’s their best album (Golf will disagree, I’m sure) but this is a really good listen.