Virtual Vinyl

Times like these when there’s nothing to do because the weather outside is frightful, I really wish I could snuggle up with some cold, hard vinyl. No idea what became of my collection. Back in the eighties were my parents throwing it all away, taking it to the streets in black plastic bags or did they sell the collection to put me through college?

Okay, I promise no more hidden song titles if you’ll tell me your favorite records (and let’s keep it vinyl) of all time, based on two criteria: album cover art and actual music.

Without the visual cues from the missing vinyl collection, I’ll pull from the acoustic memory archives to make my lists.

Best Album Cover

1.)Bob Welch, French Kiss: I gave this album to my high school boyfriend, and my parents considered making me go to confession for the licentious cover art.

2.) (a tie) The Who By Numbers: I was so young that I still liked the chance to connect the dots.

Some Girls, Rolling Stones: Sure we could always picture Mick as a girl, but this cover gives you the opportunity to see rest of the boys in lipstick.

3.)Red Octopus, Jefferson Starship: That octopus/heart graphic is slick, pun intended.

Best Album Music

1.)Night Moves, Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band: 7/9 aint’ bad.

2.)Stand!, Sly and the Family Stone: Here I’m tapping into my older sister’s collection.

3.)Heart Like a Wheel, Linda Ronstadt: just enough cowbell.

Memories will remind you/

That our love was meant to be.

-Collins, Banks, Rutherford, "Throwing It All Away"

Christmas Music

I’m just a sentimental fool come Christmas time. This year I sent a few cards, homemade, of course, and couldn’t help but enclose lyrics from a couple of my favorite holiday classics.

It’s that time of year when the world falls in love/Every song you hear seems to say/ “Merry Christmas, may all your New Year dreams come true.”

That’s “The Christmas Waltz.”

Course the version of that song I like is the one that Bruce Robison sings on the Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison record Happy Holidays. His Texas rendition is so sincere. Bruce warmed my heart some ten years ago at a Cactus Records in-store when he told my daughter she was the prettiest little girl in Houston.

I also quoted from “Santa Baby” for some of the holiday cards; surprisingly, Senator Javits' niece wrote that song.

I don’t own many Christmas records, at least not that I’ll admit, but I also have one by Willie Nelson. He sings “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer” almost as well as my grandfather did.

Yesterday my son asked what my favorite Christmas song is, and I told him my grandfather’s version of “Up on the Housetop” was my favorite when I was his age. Anything Pawpaw George sang with his Waitsian voice and his ukulele was special.

Turns out I also have a John Prine Christmas record. He sounds down-and-out enough on that record to be from Texas, but he hails from Illinois.

Gosh, all this talk about music makes me homesick for Texas, but this Christmas I’ll be in northern Carolina, bracing for snow. My inbox is filling with Austin gig announcements from folks like John Greenberg, Dave Grissom and Troy Campbell. I’ll miss them all.

Think I’ll leave you with this song to give you a little taste of Christmas at the ranch. Brings back lots of acoustic memories of Bruce and Kelly from the Mucky Duck in Houston to Gruene Hall in Hill Country. And if this doesn’t put you in the mood for a Texas dance hall, check out John Spong’s article in Texas Monthly. God bless.