SMALL TOWN TALK: Episode 50 B - The Long Song show.

Small Town Talk

In which, by the glow of the turntable light on Stanyan Street, Ginger Baldy and Nick Waterhouse play TB Sheets on heavy repeat.

1. Drivin’ Wheel - The Butterfield Blues Band (From “The Resurrection of Pigboy Crabshaw” - 1967)

2. Stanyan Street - Nick Waterhouse (From “Never Twice” - 2016)

3. TB Sheets - Van Morrison (From “Blowin’ Your Mind” - 1967 & “TB Sheets” - 1973)

4. Born To Be With You - Dion (From “Born To Be With You” - 1975)

5. Evil, Mean And Nasty - Swamp Mama Johnson (From “Wetlands” - 1995)

6. Backwoods Girl - Sir Douglas Quintet (From “Together After 5” -1975)

Theme song: Small Town Talk - Bobby Charles (1972)

PLAYING TB SHEETS ON HEAVY REPEAT
AND THE MEDICINE KEEPS ME VOID
RUNNIN’ HOME IN THE RAIN, HALF OUTTA MY MIND,
WITH MY FRIEND GEORGIE BOY

Stanyan Street - Nick Waterhouse (From “Never Twice” - 2016)

TB Sheets:

It’s not clear whether Van Morrison’s song, TB Sheets is in any way autobiographical. Morrison has always been incredibly private and has never revealed the song’s origins.
The liner notes to the Bang label’s later compilation “TB Sheets” which included TB Sheets, infers that the song was personal, stating that Morrison broke down in tears after the take and the session was abruptly finished.

However, it is worth noting that while recording “Blowin’ Your Mind”, Morrison fell out big time with Bang records owner Bert Berns over his contract, and as a result, the record was compiled and released without Morrison's consent, and that includes the liner notes.

Later that same year, Berns, whose heart had been damaged from rheumatic fever contracted as a child, died from heart failure at the age of 38, and his wife Ilene Berns, who took over Bang, initially blamed his death on stress cause by the arguments with Morrison. Van Morrison claimed he never received any royalties for Brown Eyed Girl.

As a result, when Morrison moved to Warner Brothers he was left with extremely unpalatable contractual commitments to Bang, which he honoured by a whole series of recordings that were intended to be of absolutely no financial use to the Bang label.

Swamp Mama Johnson were:

Drums / Backing Vocals - Kim Carson

Tenor Sax - Tracy Ferrara

Bass - Patty Mey / then from 1999, Leah Hinchcliff

Guitar - Laurie Miller

Lisa Mills - Lead Vocals & Harmonica

The Excellent Tracy Ferrara is a private music instructor, currently gigging with three bands and owns her own company Saxbombs Productions, out of Seattle.

Leah Hinchcliffe, plays in a number of bands around the Northwest US and teaches Bass:

https://www.leahhinchcliff.com/

Vocalist Lisa Mills died in a motorcycle accident in 2012.

You can find other Swamp Mama Johnson tracks in episodes 6, 23 & 34 of Small Town Talk.

Anybody listening to Small town Talk in the USA, check out James Hunter, Britain’s finest Soul singer.

He’s touring the States all year. For those in Blighty however, there are four UK gigs in the first half of July. Tickets still available:

https://www.jameshuntermusic.com/

Not just the best reissue record label, but the very best record company in the world:

https://www.acerecords.co.uk/

And the man who knows where it’s at - and where it’s been! The incomparable Johnny Corsair with our sister show Bright Lights Big City:

https://johnnycorsair9.podbean.com/

And to get further information and musings on this podcast or my music collection, email me at:

[e-mail]

Episode 50 Illustration: The long songs show symbol. It’s my old Revox showing it’s age