Keeping up with the Joneses

Ricki Lee Jones ‘Pirates’

I think that like most people my age, the first time that I ever saw mention of Ricki Lee Jones was on the credit for the eponymous spoken word sample in The Orb’s chill-out masterpiece, “Little Fluffy Clouds”. (She was not a fan, I hear).

I recently read an article retrospective of her first couple of records (her self-titled debut and ‘Pirates’) and, after seeing this come up, I guess in a sort of slightly voyeuristic way, I wanted to hear the record which expresses what it’s like to break up with Tom Waits.

The LP opens with ‘We Belong Together’, (which I’ve heard before) and fits favourably into the canon of songs by writers such as Carole King and Joni Mitchell. The eighties production values grate me a little but there’s much to enjoy if you can get past them.

As I’m a dork, I currently store my New Zealand record collection alphabetically.

I realised that I appear to have a few other great records by female artists with the surname Jones:

Grace Jones ‘Nightclubbing’

The second of Jones LP’s recorded at Island Records Compass Point studios, features Sly & Robbie (which usually means I’ll buy it). Roots Manuva featured the title track on his ‘Back To Mine’ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_to_Mine) mix a few years back.

Grace Jones ‘Living My Life’
The third and final record in the Compass Point trilogy. Possibly even more famous for its iconic cover image than the actual record itself.

Grace Jones ‘Slave To The Rhythm’

Massive pop production from Trevor Horn, featuring Grace Jones biggest ever selling single (the title track), which was even bigger than ‘Pull Up To The Bumper’ off of ‘Nightclubbing’.

The Jones Girls ‘The Jones Girls’

Produced by Gamble & Huff and released on Philadelphia International in 1979, it had one big single on it in the form of the million selling, "You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else", which (as is much of the album) is great pop disco/Philly soul.