Zero to 180 – Three Minute Magic

Discoveries of a Pop Music Archaeologist

Category: Gospel & sacred

60s/70s rock +/- pop
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‘Sister Baby Merry Clayton’ – Stage Name Used Ever So Briefly

<LINK to related Spotify playlist: . Merry Clayton Steals The Show> From Terri Gross‘s 2013 interview on NPR’s Fresh Air radio program, we learn that it was Bobby Darin who had signed Merry Clayton to Capitol Records when the New Orleans-born vocalist was barely fifteen years old. And yes, it

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"Pengosekan"
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The “Monkey Chant” in Pop

[Note:  Piece updated on February 15, 2019 – see special coda at the tail end] Zero to 180 is intrigued to discover that today’s featured song is the sole composition attributed to Vic Coppersmith-Heaven [whose impressive audio engineering CV includes Cat Stevens, The Rolling Stones, Billy Preston, and even Stanley Kubrick] on Discogs.  This

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"The Atomic Telephone"
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“Atomic Telephone”: King 78

King Records Month 2018:  King Turns 75! Folks who do not have enough dough (or shelf space) for Bear Family’s undoubtedly meticulous and wide-ranging box set of popular music from the original Atomic Age, can nevertheless simulate the experience by (1) keyword searching 78 RPM using the word “atomic” (also

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"I'm Thankful"
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“Thankful”: Plateful of Grateful

Zero to 180 has a soft spot for populist anthems that promote unity, such as “We the People” by Allan Toussiant, “Time to Get It Together” by Tom Jones, and “This Old Town” by Wilson Pickett. “I’m Thankful” — originally produced by Sam Cooke and recorded for the 1961 album

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"I Found Love"
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The Free Design Have Found Love

What a perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, as there can never be too much love in this fractured world and in these fractious times. “I Found Love“ The Free Design (1968) “I Found Love” by The Free Design is such an obvious choice for an A-side release (which it

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"We The People" (1969)
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The Great (Musical) Experiment

Even less seems to be written about Allen Toussaint‘s final A-side for Bell, 1969‘s populist anthem, “We the People“: “We the People“ Allen Toussaint (1969) Imagine the magnitude of our collective output if we all directed our energies toward constructive ends instead of squabbling amongst ourselves.  Help me understand exactly

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"Witchi Tai To"
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“Witchi Tai To”: Pop Chant

How did I only just learn of “Witchi Tai To“?  This morning I heard this song for the first time, and it immediately occupied the empty spaces in my soul and refused to leave: “Witchi Tai To“ Topo D. Bill (1969) I am hardly the first person to react this

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"Free the People"
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Barbara Keith’s Liberation Gospel

Ed Ward wrote a special section devoted to 45s (non-album releases) in the original Rolling Stone Record Review from 1971, with particular praise for Barbara Keith‘s A-side, “Free the People“: “You may remember Delaney & Bonnie‘s version of this song, and how good it was.  Well, Barbara’s the one who

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"Up Above My Head"
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Sister Rosetta Tharpe – Rock & Roll Architect

Such a mighty presence, a powerful singer and electrifying guitarist, with her triple-pickup solid body Gibson – so why isn’t Sister Rosetta Tharpe mentioned as a rock & roll pioneer in the same breath as Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley?  Elvis, in fact, would be

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"Mighty Time"
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“Mighty Time”: New Riders + Sly Stone & Jerry Garcia

Oh, what a mighty find at the local thrift shop last week — the title track from this 1975 album by New Riders of the Purple Sage – with special guests, Sly Stone and Jerry Garcia: “Mighty Time“ New Riders of the Purple Sage with Sly & Jerry (1975) Skip

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