Zero to 180 – Three Minute Magic

Discoveries of a Pop Music Archaeologist

Category: Instrumentals

"Pink Velvet Swing"
Zeroto180

“Pink Velvet Swing”: Six Degrees of Roy Clark

In 1962 Capitol Records released a Roy Clark instrumental LP entitled, The Lightning Fingers of Roy Clark.  Given the year of release, Roy shows amazing restraint by limiting to three the number of songs whose titles end with the word “Twist.” One obvious album highlight is Roy’s version of Hank

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"Goin' Up the Country"
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“Goin’ Up the Country”: The Duck & The Bear – and Duane

Interesting to learn that Canned Heat‘s big 1968 hit “Goin’ Up the Country” is basically a re-write of 1929’s “Bull Doze Blues” by Henry Thomas, down to the flute part (listen here). Vocalion (Jan. 1929) The next year, 1969, saw the single release of a spirited cover version by The

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"Rhodes-Bud Boogie"
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Texas Troubadours: Backup Band Extraordinaire

Perhaps it’s not fair to single out a backing band in country music, since there are so many outstanding ones — The Texas Playboys, The Cherokee Cowboys, The Drifting Cowboys, The Golden West Cowboys, The Brazos Valley Boys, The Western Caravan, The Buckaroos, The Strangers, The String Dusters/Pleasant Valley Boys

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"Secret Reunion (Lucky Theme)"
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“Secret Reunion”: Dainty, Angelic

How interesting (though not surprising) to learn that the featured vocalist in the previous tribute to Ennio Morricone is the same one featured here on this tinkly and mesmerizing instrumental – “Secret Reunion (Lucky Theme)” – from Bruno Nicolai‘s soundtrack for an Italian spy thriller in the James Bond style,

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"My Name Is Nobody"
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“My Name is Nobody”: Soundtrack for a Cipher

I would love to know exactly how Ennio Morricone instructed his vocalists to yip and mew and emit all sorts of silly sounds, as on the title track to the 1973 Sergio Leone film, Il Mio Nome è Nessuno (My Name Is Nobody): Vimeo lists musician credits for this soundtrack

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"Batman"
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Lee Hazlewood: Lesser-Known Legend of Surf & Twang Guitar

Even if only for his pioneering production work with one of my guitar heroes, Duane Eddy (e.g., using a gigantic grain tank as an echo chamber), let it be known that Lee Hazlewood, while himself not a hotshot guitarist, co-wrote some of Eddy’s best tunes (including half of his excellent

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"Bye Bye Birdie"
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“Bye Bye Birdie”: Groovy Guitar & Organ Instrumental

Chet Atkins‘s guitar sounds mighty and majestic when propelled by the infectious, burbling rhythms of an unnamed organist in this treatment of “Bye Bye Birdie” from Chet’s 1963 album, Teen Scene — dig that groovy roller rink organ sound. Note the original album cover: Check out the new and improved

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"Panhandle Rag"
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“Panhandle Rag”: Tip of the East Coast Western Swing

Here’s a great rockin’ arrangement of Leon McAuliffe‘s steel guitar instrumental, “Panhandle Rag” by The Hachey Brothers & Mary Lou: “Panhandle Rag“ The Hachey Brothers & Mary Lou (1958) Thanks to Lonesome Lefty’s Scratchy Attic for the biographical info: Brothers Curly and Bobby Hachey were natives of Atholville, New Brunswick. 

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"Four Brothers"
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The Barclay Stars: Five French Guitars

The album cover would seem to say it all — — but the liner notes reveal that this is not just any ordinary guitar army: This album was recorded in France.  It spotlights the work of five of France’s outstanding guitarists:  Francis Le Maguer (musical director), Pierre Cullaz, Raymond Gimenes,

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