Franck Fernandel   Philips (France)

The Swallow Sisters

… But YOU can make it better.     We’re going to put up one of those LP Cover Lover T-shirts to the artist among you that can give the best face to this holy ghost.  

And the winner is:   Paul from Vinyl Afterlife (check it out).

“America’s Top Pops”   Gala Records UK   (Thanks to our buddy Ulf for sending this in)

From a Chinese movie.   Pathe/EMI Records

Mel told me that reggae and dancehall superstar Sugar Minott passed away today.   (1956-2010)   RIP Sugar.   Here’s “Buy Off the Bar” (1984)   Sonic Sounds and Power House Records.   (Cover art by reggae illustrator Wilfred Limonious.)

[audio:http://lpcoverlover.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/02-Buy-Up-the-Bar.mp3|titles=02 Buy Up the Bar]

And here’s Sugar Minott’s cool, cool cover of Michael Jackson’s “Good Thing Going” from 1981.

Ray Charles “Love Country Style”   ABC/Tangerine Records (1970)   I heard someone say that they fall in love at least once a day.   I do too.   Today this song says it all to the one I love.     Isaac Hayes does it his way on the “Black Moses” LP, but this one from Ray’s country and western catalog, (which he returned to throughout his long career),   is today’s source of sweet inspiration.

[audio:http://lpcoverlover.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/220-Your-Love-Is-So-Doggone-Good.mp3|titles=220 Your Love Is So Doggone Good]

“Hot Dog”   Lou Donaldson   Blue Note Records   (1969)   One of the funkiest Blue Note albums ever with Lou on electrified alto sax, Melvin Sparks on guitar, Charles Earland on organ,   Ed Williams on trumpet and the super-tight drumming of a young Idris Muhammad (still billed under his birth name of Leo Morris) “who hits the kit with a snapping, post-Popcorn style!   A hard and heavy groove from the very first note with killer remakes of “It’s Your Thing” and “Who’s Making Love” – plus Donaldson originals “Hot Dog” and “Turtle Walk”.”

Mississippi Fred McDowell   “1904-1972”   Photo by Baron Wolman   Just Sunshine Records   Recorded September 8-10, 1969 at Malaco Sound Recording Studios, in Jackson, Miss.; prod. by Tommy Couch; Fred McDowell, g, voc; Jerry Puckett, b; Darin Lancaster, dr Liner notes by Michael Cuscuna     Mississippi Fred McDowell taught a young Bonnie Raitt the slide guitar and his recording of “You Gotta Move” was covered by the Rolling Stones on “Sticky Fingers.”   There’s a nice story about Fred’s last live recording session on Oblivion Records You can buy a print of this cover shot at Wolfgang’s Vault