What's The Connection? Groove 2

Sixteen more, and the word still isn't tired. This batch runs the full map — rock, funk, reggae, zydeco, soul, and a little something from the bayou — and every single one of them has groove right there in the title where you can see it. Some of these are obvious. Some of them you might not have heard in years, or maybe ever. That's kind of the point. The Salsoul Orchestra will tell you it doesn't have to be funky to be a groove, and honestly, this whole volume proves it. There will be a third connection, eventually. The word has more left in it than I think.

What's The Connection? Groove 2

17 Ace Frehley - New York Groove

18 Talking Heads - Double Groove (Unfinished Outtake)

19 Rodney Franklin - The Groove

20 Skyy - Groove Me

21 Tower Of Power - So I Got to Groove

22 Teena Marie - Behind The Groove

23 Heatwave - The Groove Line

24 Lil Brian And The Zydeco Travelers - It's A Zydeco Groove

25 Paul Carrack - I Live By The Groove

26 Prince - Get Yo Groove On

27 Tiki Tokkers - Global Groove (Hana Hou)

28 Salsoul Orchestra - It Don't Have To Be Funky (To Be A Groove)

29 Bunny Wailer - Rock N Groove

30 Chocolate Milk - Groove City

31 Lee Scratch Perry - (I Got The) Groove

32 System - Don't Disturb This Groove

What's The Connection? Groove 1

Not "groovy." Not "groovin'." Not even "grooves." Just groove — singular, present tense, like it's happening right now, because it is. They aren't all funky. Not all of them are even dancefloor. But every single one of them has that thing — that locked-in, can't-explain-it feeling that makes you close your eyes and nod your head whether you're in a club or your kitchen. That's the groove (at least the word) and it doesn't care what genre you filed it under. I had to start somewhere, and groove felt like the right word to open with. There's a reason it became its own language — musicians talk about being in it, losing it, finding it again. There will be more of these connections, the word is big enough to go a few rounds. But this is where it starts. 

What's The Connection? Groove 1

01 Deee-Lite - Groove Is In The Heart

02 King Floyd - Groove Me

03 Heatwave - Gangsters Of The Groove

04 Madonna - Into The Groove

05 The Tardy Disco-nesians - Grandpa Got The Groove

06 One Way - Mr. Groove

07 MC Hammer - Addams Groove

08 T-Connection - Groove to Get Down

09 Funkadelic - One Nation Under A Groove

10 Peaches & Herb - Shake Your Groove Thing

11 Heaven 17 - (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang

12 Maceo Parker - Maceo's Groove

13 Archie Bell & the Drells - Let's Groove

14 Led Zeppelin - We're Gonna Groove

15 Earth, Wind & Fire - Let's Groove

16 Isley Brothers - Groove With You

Gee Whiz, You're Neat, Repeat

This one I just finished. The first two had been archived somewhere in my brain for years and this one felt like it had been waiting in line. Same idea, same no-real-genre situation. Some of this leans retro, some of it is newer artists doing what the old artists did, and some of it is just stuff that fits the mood. This pick brings the whole series to 105 tracks, which probably says more about me than I'd like to admit. I always think of it as doo-wop even though only part of it actually is. Gee Whiz, here we are anyway.

Gee Whiz, You're Neat, Repeat

78 Fabulous Poodles - When the Summer's Thru

79 The Capris - Morse Code Of Love

80 Liquorice John Death - High School Confidential

81 Curtis Lee - Gee How I Wish You Were Here

82 The Royal Jesters - Take Me For A Little While

83 Yvonne Caroll & The Roulettes - Gee What A Guy

84 Paris Sisters - I Love How You Love Me

85 Jakki O - Ooo...Aaah

86 Don & Juan - What's Your Name

87 The Ink Spots - If I Didn't Care

88 Dicky Doo And The Don'ts - Click-Clack

89 Capris - There's A Moon Out Tonight

90 The Ditty Bops - Sister Kate

91 Ariana Grande - Tattooed Heart

92 She & Him - Why Do You Let Me Stay Here

93 Mayer Hawthorne - When I Said Goodbye

94 Tracey Ullman - They Don't Know

95 Cyndi Lauper - He's So Unusual

96 Lil' Rob - Barely Getting By

97 Ray Barretto - A Deeper Shade Of Soul

98 The Five Satins - In the Still of the Night

99 Olly Murs - Dance With Me Tonight

100 Frank Zappa - You Didn't Try to Call Me

101 The Marcels - Blue Moon

102 Starlighters - Zoom

103 Question Mark And The Mysterians - Can't Get Enough Of You Baby

104 Ruben And The Jets - If I Could Only Be Your Love Again

105 Meghan Trainor - Dear Future Husband

Gee Whiz, You're Neat Too

I knew I was going to make a second volume almost immediately after finishing the first one. Then I thought about it for a while. By a while I mean years. This pick picks up where the first one left off, which is to say it doesn't really have a genre either. There's more variety this time. A little further forward in a few spots. Some of this was stuff I'd been sitting on, some of it showed up while I was looking for something else entirely. That's usually how it goes. Gee Whiz, where does the time go.

Gee Whiz, You're Neat Too

40 Billy Stewart - Sitting In The Park

41 Big Daddy - I Want Your Sex

42 Ruben And The Jets - Dedicated To The One I Love

43 The Platters - (You've Got) The Magic Touch

44 The Monotones - Book Of Love

45 Four Seasons - December 1963 (Oh What A Night)

46 Johnny Staton & The Feathers - Charlene

47 Candye Kane - Forgive Me

48 The Zombies - Goin' Out Of My Head

49 Fats Domino - I'm Walkin'

50 The Skyliners - Since I Don't Have You

51 Big Daddy - Like A Virgin

52 Skip And Flip - Cherry Pie

53 Clovers - Love Potion Number Nine

54 Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons - Big Girls Don't Cry

55 Big Sandy - Have Love Will Travel

56 The Chords - Sh-Boom

57 Chordettes - Lollipop

58 Big Daddy - Ice Ice Baby

59 Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers - Why Do Fools Fall In Love

60 Lesley Gore - You Don't Own Me

61 Little Caesar & The Romans - Those Oldies But Goodies (Remind Me Of You)

62 Ritchie Valens - Donna

63 Anthony & The Sophomores - Play Those Oldies, Mr. Dee-Jay

64 The Stray Cats - I Won't Stand In Your Way

65 10cc - Donna

66 The Earls - Remember Then

67 Ginny Arnell - Dumb Head

68 Paul Anka - Put Your Head On My Shoulder

69 The Dubs - Could This Be Magic

70 Boyz II Men - In The Still Of The Nite (I'll Remember)

71 Ruben And The Jets - Charlena

72 Big Daddy - Stayin' Alive

73 Sam Cooke - Wonderful World

74 Frank Zappa - Deseri

75 Dicky Doo & The Don'ts - Nee Nee Na Na Na Na Nu Nu

76 The Drifters - This Magic Moment

77 Coasters - Searchin'

Gee Whiz, You're Neat

It all started with a Rhino Records LP I got from Big Daddy. If you don't know Big Daddy, the short version is: they took current hits and recorded them as if they were made in the 50s. It was genius and hilarious and I played that record to death. And then I thought, well, what if I just put the real thing next to it? Old and new in one pick. Most people call this kind of music doo-wop, and some of it is. But some of it is rock and roll, and some of it is early soul, and some of it is just whatever teenagers were listening to when their parents weren't home. I still don't know what to call it. Gee Whiz, I just know it sounds right together.

Gee Whiz, You're Neat

01 Carla Thomas - Gee Whiz

02 The Crows - Gee

03 Big Daddy - Super Freak

04 Everly Brothers - All I Have To Do Is Dream

05 The Penguins - Earth Angel

06 Dion & The Belmonts - A Teenager In Love

07 Big Daddy - Just What I Needed

08 The Flamingos - I Only Have Eyes For You

09 Big Daddy - Eye Of The Tiger

10 The Diamonds - Little Darlin'

11 Big Daddy - I Write The Songs

12 Chuck Berry - Almost Grown

13 Rap Reiplinger - Acafella Jive

14 The Platters - Only You (And You Alone)

15 Fats Domino - Ain't That A Shame

16 The Essex - Easier Said Than Done

17 Del Shannon - Runaway

18 Big Daddy - Bette Davis Eyes

19 Mark Dinning - Teen Angel

20 Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons - Candy Girl

21 The Big Bopper - Chantilly Lace

22 Jerry Lee Lewis - Breathless

23 Bill Haley & The Comets - Rock Around The Clock

24 Big Daddy - Ebony And Ivory

25 Danny And The Juniors - At The Hop

26 Big Daddy - The Rose

27 The Cadillacs - Speedo

28 Little Richard - Send Me Some Lovin'

29 Everly Brothers - ('Til) I Kissed You

30 Big Daddy - Whip It

31 The Diamonds - The Stroll

32 Dion And The Belmonts - I Wonder Why

33 Gene Chandler - Duke Of Earl

34 Big Daddy - Hit Me With Your Best Shot

35 Big Daddy - You Don't Bring Me Flowers

36 Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons - Dawn (Go Away)

37 Big Daddy - Hotel California

38 Buddy Holly - Maybe, Baby

39 Jewel Akens - The Birds And The Bees

Funky Disco (Leopard) 6

Here we go with another round of that sweet spot where funk gets extra bouncy and disco gets extra nasty, and Volume 6 keeps the groove rolling with more 70s/early 80s heat — heavy on the bass lines, tight horns, and those irresistible dancefloor slaps, so Pick your favorites and crank it up because this one’s built for the party that refuses to quit. Funky Disco keeps growing. Got a track that belongs in the next one? Drop it in the comments — especially if it’s got that raw, sweaty, get-down energy we love.

Funky Disco 6

80 Commodores - Funky Situation

81 Skyy - First Time Around

82 The Tardy Disco-nesias - Grandpa Got The Groove

83 Parliament - Aqua Boogie (A Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop)

84 Fred Wesley - Blow Your Head

85 Cameo - Keep It Hot

86 Ohio Players - Skin Tight

87 The Fatback Band - Backstrokin'

88 Mass Production - Welcome To Our World (Of Merry Music)

89 The Bar-Kays - Too Hot To Stop (Pt. 1)

90 Slave - The Party Song

91 Graham Central Station - The Jam

92 T-Connection - At Midnight

April Fools 4

Happy April Fools! Some birthdays you just never forget. My cousin's falls on April 1st, which means every year her birthday message doubles as a prank threat. She's a good sport about it. That's also why the April Fools series exists — a once-a-year excuse to dig deep into jokers, jokes, and jokey energy across genres, eras, and languages. Volume whatever-this-is keeps that tradition going with 24 tracks spanning reggae dub, hip-hop, psych rock, new wave, French ye-ye, German schlager, and a few left turns even I didn't see coming. The Pick this round is Faith No More's reading of "I Started A Joke" — a cover that somehow out-saddens the Bee Gees original, which is saying something. As always, the joke's on you if you sleep on this one.

April Fools 4

64 Scientist - Joker Dub

65 Billy Myles - The Joker (That's What They Call Me)

66 Duran Duran - 911 Is A Joke

67 MCM And The Monster - Serious Joke

68 Eric B & Rakim - I Ain't No Joke

69 Sharon Van Etten - Joke Or A Lie

70 Garden Odyssey - The Joker

71 The Laurie Johnson Orchestra - Joker

72 Brian Jonestown Massacre - When Jokers Attack

73 Nina Hagen - Life Is A Joke

74 Conny Froboess - Jolly Joker  (Holl)

75 Robbie Williams & The Orb - I Started a Joke (I Started An Orb Mix)

76 The Ventures - Joker's Wild

77 Cherrie Vangelder-Smith - Jokers

78 Henriette Coulouvrat - Can't You Take A Joke Ha Ha Hi Hi!

79 Druids - Girl Can't Take a Joke

80 The Milestones - The Joker

81 kd Lang - The Joker

82 Faith No More - I Started A Joke

83 Lee Scratch Perry - The Joker

84 REM - The Worst Joke Ever

85 Wolfmother - Joker & The Thief

86 Queens Of The Stone Age - Running Joke

87 Pet Shop Boys - I Started A Joke