Various Artists - The Sound Of The City : Los Angeles

Next up, the Los Angeles album from this city-themed series and once again a mix of the familiar and the less so.

‘ Considering that LA is renowned as the city of the car, there are a surprising number of songs about standing on street corners, giving each other the once-over and sometimes even saying hello. In ‘A Little Further Down The Road Apiece’, Freddie Slack takes off his jacket, sits down at the piano and unrolls a bedrock boogie beat as Ella Mae Morse and song-writer Don Ray greet each other and then set off together, looking for the heart of a Saturday night, in search of good music and some down-home cooking. And that’s been a prominent theme for records made in LA ever since, cruising down Sunset in Hollywood, Central Avenue in Watts or Whittier Boulevard in East LA, or just standing on the sidewalk trying to catch the eyes of passers-by.’ 

(Extract from Charlie Gillett’s liner notes)

CD 1

1. A Little Further Down The Road Apiece - Ella Mae Morse
2. Route 66 - Nat King Cole
3. Chicken Shack - Amos Milburn
4. This Joint’s Too Hip - Betty Hall Jones
5. Walking Shoes - Gerry Mulligan
6. Straight Street - The Pilgrim Travellers
7. The Wallflower (Roll With Me Henry) - Etta James & The Peaches
8. Riot In Cell Block Number 9 - The Robins
9. Looking Back - Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson
10. Somethin’ Else - Eddie Cochran
11. Waiting In School - Ricky Nelson
12. La Bamba - Richie Valens
13. Tequila - The Champs
14. Ramblin’ - Ornette Coleman
15. I Get Around - The Beach Boys
16. Dirty Water - The Standells
17. Mary Mary - The Monkees
18. Different Drum - The Stone Ponys
19. Bang Bang - Cher Cher
20. Ode To Billie Joe - Bobbie Gentry
21. Mercy Mercy Mercy - Cannonball Adderley

CD 2

1. For What It’s Worth - Buffalo Springfield
2. Trouble Every Day - Mothers Of Invention
3. Talk Talk - Music Machine
4. So You Wanna Be A Rock ‘n Roll - The Byrds
5. Creeque Alley - The Mamas and Papas
6. On The Road Again - Canned Heat
7. Working Man Blues - Merle Haggard
8. Ooh Las Vegas - Gram Parsons
9. Express Yourself - Charles Wright & Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band
10. Who Is He And What Is He To You? - Bill Withers
11. Low Rider - War
12. Down In Hollywood - Ry Cooder
13. Easy Money - Ricky Lee Jones
14. Nobody’s Girl - Bonnie Raitt
15. Walk Like An Egyptian - The Bangles
16. Oh Yeah - Los Lobos
17. La Raza - Kid Frost
18. Drinking In L.A. - Bran Van 3000