Moondog Matinee

The Band’s “Moondog Matinee” album is not a well-known album. None of my friends had it and I don’t think it was ever widely promoted. I believe I found it in a “Sam the Record Man” delete bin.

I had heard a story at the time that the songs were a collection of tracks “The Band” used to play when they were “The Hawks” and playing clubs around southern Ontario with Ronnie Hawkins. In the years before Wikipedia, I could go on believing this legend. I have since found out that it is a collection of Blues and R&B songs that they liked. No matter. I prefer to believe the legend and that they were playing these songs in some smokey old small town bar while working the Ontario bar scene.

I loved the record. It introduced me to a whole lot of music and artists such as Sam Cooke, Fats Domino and Allen Toussaint. The Eclectic Vinyl Orchestra covers two songs from this album: “The Great Pretender” and Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller’s “Saved”. More about these songs in a later post. However, this was the first time I ever heard “Saved” and, as with a lot of albums, it sent me back looking for the original by Laverne Baker. I will always love this collection for introducing me to Sam Cooke’s “A Change is going to Come” and Fats Domino’s “I’m Ready”. These two songs may eventually make it into the Eclectic Vinyl Orchestra song list.

Track Listing

“Ain’t Got No Home”
Written and performed by Clarence “Frogman” Henry

“Holy Cow”
Written by Allen Toussaint
Performed by Lee Dorsey

“Share Your Love (With Me)”
Written by Deadric Malone, Alfred Braggs
Performed by Bobby “Blue” Bland, Aretha Franklin, Van Morrison

“Mystery Train”
Written by Junior Parker, Sam Phillips
Performed by Junior Parker and Elvis Presley

Written by A“Third Man Theme”nton Karas
Performed by Anton Kara for the soundtrack of the movie “The Third Man”

“Promised Land”        
Written and performed by Chuck Berry

“The Great Pretender”
Written by Buck Ram
Performed by The Platters

“I’m Ready”   
Written and performed by Fats Domino

“Saved”
Written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Recorded on Atlantic Records by Laverne Baker

“A Change Is Gonna Come”
Written and Performed by Sam Cooke
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