ABCs of My Vinyl Collection (Letter F, Part 1)

I took the entire summer off from this vinyl-ripping series because, well, I got burned out. Tonight, I feel refreshed and raring to go, but I am going to be more selective with my choices. I may only choose 10 to 12 bands per letter to keep things moving. I also thought it would be fun to come clean about some of the more cringe-worthy selections from my vinyl collection. When I was a lad, specifically between 1982 and 1985, I seemed to buy just about every hit that came from across the pond... as long as it had a synthesizer in it. Save your laughs and groans for next week when I unveil Misstep Mondays. In the meantime, let's get this f-ing thing started.

The Feelies have featured on these pages many times in the eight-and-a-half years this blog has been operating, and I believe all six of their LPs have already had a proper airing. That doesn't leave much for me to play today, but there is no way I'm going to pass up an opportunity to tout a band in my collection I consider to be in the upper echelon of absolutely essential. So, how about a cover?

The Feelies have been performing inspired covers from the word go. Songs by the Beatles, Stones, Velvet Underground, Stooges, Monkees, Jonathan Richman and Neil Young have appeared with regularity on LPs, B-sides or as crowd-pleasing show closers since 1980. VU's "What Goes On" is my absolute favorite (already featured here before), but a close second would be Patti Smith's "Dancing Barefoot". The band has been playing that one at shows since the '80s, and a recording of the song showed up at least twice during that decade, including as a B-side of the 12" promo single for "Away" in 1988 and on a flexi that came with an issue of The BOB magazine in 1989. Tough finds, though.

Fortunately, in 2016, a four-song vinyl EP of covers called "Uncovered" was released for Record Store Day, and "Dancing Barefoot" was included. With my days as RSD lemming long behind me, I wasn't willing to wake up early and line up for it. Luckily, my local mom-and-pop shop still had a copy when I stopped in the next day. Bassist Brenda Sauter takes the lead vocals, and she does a hell of a job with one of Smith's most beloved songs.

"Dancing Barefoot"