Tag: Jackie DeShannon

Review: Paul Thorn’s “What the Hell is Goin’ On?”

By Ken Paulson

–What the Hell is Goin’ On? is one of the rarest of cover albums, with song selections so right that they don’t sound like covers at all.

Thorn’s albums – including the recent Pimps and Preachers – are filled with colorful characters and unlikely adventures, and the songs he’s selected for this project come from the same neighborhood, including Ray Wylie Hubbard’s “Snake Farm” and “Jukin’” by Al Anderson, Shawn Camp and Pat McLaughlin.

The most unexpected tracks include the early Lindsey Buckingham song “Don’t Let Me Down Again” and “Walk in My Shadow,” a Free cover.

Surprisingly the album’s highlights are the two sweetest songs. “Small Town Talk” was written by Rick Danko and Bobby Charles, and recorded memorably by Jackie DeShannon in 1973 on Your Baby is a Lady. Thorn uses a lighter touch here and nicely updates this 40-year-old song.

Best of all is the beautifully down-to-earth “She’s Got a Crush on Me,” written by Donnie Fritts and Billy Lawson, and recorded by Fritts on his fine One Foot in the Groove album. Sample lyrics: “She puts peanuts in her Coke; she laughs at all my jokes.” Now that’s romance.

Jackie DeShannon: “When You Walk in the Room”

“When You Walk in the Room,” Jackie DeShannon’s first album in 11 years, is a remarkable retrospective of songs she wrote and others she made famous.
DeShannon is in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, but you have to wonder why she’s not also in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame. Like Carole King, she wrote songs for some of the biggest names in pop and rock music, and carved out an impressive recording career long before female singer-songwriters were commonplace.
The new album features acoustic performances of DeShannon’s finest work, including big pop hits written by others – “What the World News Now” and “Needles and Pins” – and her own versions of songs she wrote for others. The latter includes “Don’t Doubt Yourself, Babe” (recorded by the Byrds) and the title song, which was a hit for both the Searchers and Pam Tillis.
DeShannon wrote “Bette Davis Eyes” with Donna Weiss for her “New Arrangement” album, but the song was rebuilt when Kim Carnes recorded it, and it became one of the biggest hits of 1982. DeShannon wisely does the Carnes arrrangment here, although your brain will want to supply the missing handclaps.
DeShannon stills sings beautifully, and the simple instrumentation and production bring the songwriting to the fore.
“Break-A-Way,” a DeShannon song recorded by Irma Thomas and later, Tracey Ullman, is slowed down here. I’ll admit I missed the original recording’s energy, but this take puts the melody front and center.
James Taylor and Carole King were a huge touring and recording success last year as they revisited their hits on the Troubador tour. DeShannon and this new album are certainly in that league and deserve the same kind of attention.