Doug Sahm
HELL OF A SPELL
Takoma 6507
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This 1980 reissue is a hell of a disk. From the opening riffs this disc is crammed with Doug's typical rompin' and stompin' Texas Blues/Rhythm and Blues mix This also includes liberal dashes of the Tex/Mex and Rockabilly he grew up cutting his teeth on. I mean this literally. Rudy "Tutti" Grayzell used to go to the school when Doug was 11, as legend goes, and pose as his uncle and pull the musical prodigy out of school to play some of the gigs that required some travel. This compilation is dedicated to one of his heroes, Eddie Jones, better known as Guitar Slim. He does one of his tunes on the disc, but it is the horns and overall sound and feel of the disc that bring back the memories of Jones. 6 of the 11 tunes were penned by Doug Sahm and they stand up as some of the best things he has done. He manages to take that voice of his and put all the ache and pain that things gone sour can evoke and guide you along with him down this road without ever getting sappy or maudlin. Listen to the tone and feel of HANGIN' ON BY A THREAD, and the smooth shift to the Brook Benton heartbreak tune I'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU. He shifts gears with the precision of a Grand Prix driver. This disc shows off some of the remarkable range of Sahm's abilities, and genius. This becomes clearer when you think of his work with Dylan, the Texas Tornadoes, and let's not forget the early rock hits, such as MENDICINO, and SHE'S ABOUT A MOVER. Also with this disc it is the only one that comes to mind that his long time compadre, Augie Meyer isn't helping with his familiar organ sound, instead Kelly Dunn is handling keyboards. Doug is Texas bred, but his influences are as broad as the sky is big down there. Here he is concentrating on the Blues, and he gets some exciting things down on the disc.
PRODUCED BY - Dan Healy
Songs, times and writers - all songs by Doug Sahm except where noted
1 TUNNEL VISION - 2:29
2 AIN'T INTO LETTIN' YOU GO - 3:45
3 ALL THE WAY TO NOTHING - 3:13
4 HANGIN' ON BY A THREAD - 2:37
5 I'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU - 4:19 - Brook Benton
6 THE THINGS THAT I USED TO DO - 5:17 - Eddie Jones
7 I DON'T MIND AT ALL - 1:58 - writer unknown
8 NOTHIN' BUT THE BLUES - 2:15 - Max Longmire
9 HELL OF A SPELL - 3:30
10 CAN'T FAKE IT - 4:12
11 NECT TIME YOU SEE ME - 3:23 - Forest-Harvey
Musicians
Doug Sahm - vocals, guitar
Charles McBurney - trumpet
Louie Bustos - baritone and tenor saxophones
Rocky Morales - saxophone
John Reed - guitar
Kelly Dunn - keyboards
Jack Barber - bass
John "Fuzzy" Oxendine - drums