For this geographically themed playlist, we are going, somewhat topically, given that it is the current centre of US political focus - to the state of Georgia.
Now, my musical association with the state goes back to the late 1980s and my discovery of R.E.M. and the associated Athens / University of Georgia scene. But it turns out, Georgia has a musical heritage way beyond that, with a wide range of genres and musical legends included - who knew?!
So, lets see where this musical voyage of discovery takes us....
1. R.E.M.: Driver 8
As my first knowledge of music from Georgia begins with R.E.M., so will this playlist. I had an incredible array of songs I could have chosen from, especially from the first six albums. But in the end, I went with this deceptively simple tune, from the wonderful third album, Fables of the Reconstruction - one of my favourites. A hooky, 60s-ish guitar riff from Peter Buck gives way to an almost folky, atmospheric song, heightened by typically barely decipherable Michael Stipe lyrics.
2. Love Tractor: I Broke My Saw
A big player on the Athens scene throughout the 1980s, Love Tractor were highly regarded and especially well known for their instrumental tunes. This is a remastered version of I Broke My Saw (not an instrumental) from their Themes From Venus album - produced by Mitch Easter, who R.E.M. devotees will remember produced the first two of their albums.
3. Arrested Development: Mr Wendel
This takes me back to my college days, because in the early 90s, the laid back sound of Arrested Development was an essential part of any student disco. This song is about homelessness and not ignoring it - still sadly relevant today. It features a sample taken from Sing A Simple Song by Sly & The Family Stone. Smash Hits apparently called this a "deliciously laid back rap number," and I can't really add much to that.
4. Black Crowes: No Speak, No Slave
While the Black Crowes burst onto the scene with Shake Your Money Maker; all brash blues-rock, epitomised by their hit cover of Otis Redding's Hard To Handle. Their sophomore album The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion delved much deeper into the nitty gritty dirt of the blues. No Speak, No Slave opens up with this strident guitar, which soon breaks into a heavy, Zeppelin-y hard, relentless blues riff that drives the song along (or pummels it, more like), while Chris Robinson does his best Robert Plant over the top.
5. Ray Charles: Georgia On My Mind
Now, we bring you a bona fide legend! You could say that Charles did not have a great voice, but his delivery packs so much punch and soul, it doesn't matter one jot. Listen to this version of Georgia On My Mind (what else could I choose?) - for the most part, the orchestration is nice and restrained (just bubbling up enough towards the end, to bring the song to its finale), allowing Charles's soulful piano and voice free rein to belt it out with conviction.
6. Pylon: Crazy
A song, and band, that I became aware of through R.E.M. (this is becoming a common link), who covered this tune as (double link) B-side to Driver 8, which then also turned up on their rarities album, Dead Letter Office. But this is the original, from University of Georgia art students, Pylon - who formed in 1979 and were championed early on by the B52s. The really catchy guitar part will sound familiar, if you know the REM version, but singer Vanessa Briscoe-Hays slightly maniacal vocals take the song to a much different place than Stipe's version did.
7. Chickasaw Mudd Puppies: McIntosh
This song comes out of leftfield, and is again something I discovered via, you guessed it, R.E.M. I could describe them as Americana or folk-punk, but I'm not sure either description would tell the whole story. The sound is a full frontal assault on the senses, complete with Brant Slay's heavy southern drawl, washboard, cowbells, cans and a stomp board that they invented. Debut White Dirt, from which McIntosh is taken, was produced by Michael Stipe and blues legend, Willie Dixon.
8. Drive By Truckers: Decoration Day
Co-founder, Patterson Hood comes from legendary musical stock, his father David Hood being one of the renowned Muscle Shoals session musician outfit. And while he and co-founder Mike Cooley originate from Alabama, the band was originally based in Athens, Georgia. But it was Jason Isbell (who has long since left the band to pursue a successful solo career) who shone with a pair of tunes on the 2003 album, Decoration Day (his first with the band), including this, the title track. It's a dark, sprawling southern rock epic, apparently based on a real feud between two families - that really showed off the power of the band's new three guitar attack.
9. The B52s: Rock Lobster
I am not a fan of party music in the generally regarded sense of that phrase, but if I was forced to come up with a party playlist, it would probably consist almost exclusively of B52s songs! For my choice here, I could have gone slightly off-piste with 52 Girls or Lava or something like that - but really it had to be this, the original B52s party classic (and it's in Rolling Stone's Top 500 songs of all time, for heaven's sake).
10. Gladys Knight: Midnight Train Georgia
Another legend of Georgia and another track that picked itself. Gladys Knight was born and raised in Atlanta and is known as The Empress Of Soul. This is quite a way to end the playlist - the first thing to note on this live version - recorded in 2017 - is what a voice this lady still has! Knight was 72 at the time of this recording and she sounds just as phenomenal as she did 50 years earlier (check an older version out if you don't believe me). This song gave her a US number one hit, with her backing band The Pips (not featured in this version).
Fun Fact: Gladys Knight & The Pips recorded a version of I Heard It Through The Grapevine in 1967. Three versions of the song were recorded within a year of each other, and although Knight's version was recorded last of the three, it was the first to get a release. The Miracles had been first to record it, while the most famous version, by Marvin Gaye, didn't come out until October 1968, 13 months after Knight's.