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This is the final episode of Memphis to Manchester for the year 2021. Happy New Year, everybody! Next week's episode will be my 2021 year-end recap. - Music bed. Instrumental version of the Wilson Pickett hit composed by Steve Cropper and Wilson Pickett.

I, usually, play the Charles Brown version so it's about time I played the original version. Written by Billy Ward. Thanks to Roy Kasten from Feel Like Going Home for getting this into my hands many moons ago.

All the songs for this 1942 "Holiday Inn" soundtrack were written by Irving Berlin.

Recorded in 1935 for the Champion label and written by Mary Harris. Featuring Mary Harris (vocals), Peetie Wheatstraw (piano), and Charley Jordan (guitar). Both Peetie Wheatstraw and Charlie Jordan shuffled off this mortal coil in St. Louis. This is the oldest track being played on the show today.

Originally released in 1947 and co-written by Leonard Heavy Swain and Dinah Washington. "I send you after butter / Then you'll swear I wanted lard / I can't seem to figure / What makes your big fat head so hard...Here's my resolution baby, I'm cutting out from you."

Featuring the vocals of Shirley Goodman and Leonard Lee and originally released on the Aladdin label in 1957. This was the same year the New Orleans duo hit it big with "“Let the Good Times Roll.” This song is credited to Leonard Lee and Aladdin Records co-owner Eddie Mesner.

Music bed. 1992 sax-driven instrumental by the Bay Area band.

RIP soul and R&B singer, record producer, and songwriter Joe Simon who passed away at age 85 on December 13. This was written by Harlan Howard who wrote three of the songs on this album. Joe Simon won a Grammy for best male R&B vocal performance for this song in the same year.

Written by Raeford Gerald and Joe Simon. She recorded this at Muscle Shoals in 1972. Bettye LaVette on Joe Simon: "We lost another one of the good guys. RIP Rhythm & Blues legend, Joe Simon. One of the nicest men that I ever met in show business."

Written by Joe Simon, Allen Orange, and Carroll Vories and originally released as a 1970 single b-side on the Sound Stage 7 label.

Joe Simon's first hit was "My Adorable One" and it was recorded in 1964. This fine cover version was recorded in 1977 and was one of twelve bonus tracks added to this reissue of his 1967 Goldwax album.

Written and produced by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff and arranged by Thom Bell.

Smooth-sounding ballad with some darker lyrics on this album featuring the backing of his tour band Tony Garnier (bass), Stu Kimball (guitar), multi-instrumentalist Donnie Herron, George Recelei (drums), and Charlie Sexton (guitar) with additional contributions by David Hidalgo on accordion, guitar, and violin.

Remastered version of the 1963 Blue Note recording. This instrumental was written by guitarist Kenny Burrell.

Sublime duet written by Deanie Parker, Mary Frierson, and Randle Catron and featuring backing by Booker T. & the MGs, Isaac Hayes, and the Memphis Horns.

Twelve midnight isn't always about confetti and streamers. Written by Sam Sweet and found on one of Ray Charles's finest albums.

Written and produced by Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan. David Hidalgo from Los Lobos plays accordion on this. A NYE to be remembered on a song that includes strains of Auld Lang Syne and rhymes "Irving" with "disturbing." That's entertainment value.

Music bed. 1967 instrumental written by Packy Axton and found on this compilation CD produced by Robert Gordon and meant as a companion piece to his highly recommended book, It Came From Memphis.

Music bed. Instrumental version of the composition by Jerry Leiber, Barry Mann, Mike Stoller, and Cynthia Weil.

This album is essentially a jazz album made up of 26 songs and featuring a slew of different vocalists and instrumentalists. This one features the vocals of Django Haskins and the sax of Branford Marsalis. This one is Chris Stamey's love letter to New York. Ambitious, beautifully produced, and tuneful as can be.

"Judy's beside herself / Jack's in a state of desolation / The writing on the wall wasn't writing at all / Just forces of nature in love with a radio station / You can follow a rose wherever it grows / Yeah, you can fall in love with Times Square."

Gorgeous version of a song originally recorded by Peggy Lee.

Written by Neko Case. "You raise your glass and may exclaim /"I'll put my hands on the truth by God" / But it's faster, love, than you and me / Faster than the speed of gravity / That's how it catches you from falling / And how it always slips away"

Written by John Paul Keith. "What can I say? / Auld Lang Syne brings me down / Why can't those hands spin the other way around? / Can you believe it's already New Year's Eve?" See earlier entry for Ray Charles.

From Katie Crutchfield's forthcoming five-song soundtrack EP being released on January 7.

From the singer-songwriter's forthcoming album being released on January 10, 2022.

Written by Sue Harshe and Marcy Mays. "First day Champagne / Old acquaintances are far apart / Tonight Auld Lang Syne means / Leave before the kissing starts."

Written by Mike Martin and featuring backing vocals by Michelle Rae (who also plays flute on this track). John Horton of Son Volt plays the electric guitar on this track. Highly recommended.

Pop gem written by bassist Chris White and recorded in 1967 at Abbey Road Studios.

Merle Haggard cover featuring the collective vocal talents of Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe, and Angaleena Presley.

"It’s New Years Day / Just like the day before / Same old skies of grey / Same empty bottles on the floor / Another year gone by / And I’m thinking once again / How can I take this losing hand / And somehow win / Just give me one good year / To get my feet back on the ground / I’ve been chasing grace / But grace ain’t so easily found / One bad hand can devil a man / Chase him and carry him down / I gotta get out of here / Just give me one good year."

'Now once I drew to an inside straight flush / And I wished I could sing like Otis Rush / The truth of the matter is I really can't sing / But I can quote Martin Luther King / His words are stronger than angel dust is / "The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice"'

Written and sung by Scott McCaughey. "Should old acquaintance be forgot and never blow my mind."

Music bed. Instrumental composition by Dex Romweber.

Lucy Dacus put out a number of singles in 2019 to coincide with various holidays. This one chronicled leaving the year behind and not necessarily on a good note. "I drank the dregs of the champagne alone."

Wed 1/19 Watkins Family Hour – The Sheldon. Highly recommended.

"There's a girl named Martha / Who meets me here on Saturday nights / She never says too much / She just sits down beside me and puts her hand in mine / She's got a gentle way / That keeps me from feeling so alone / She always shows up late / And leaves before the credits roll / And I never watch her leave / I just close my eyes and pretend I'm asleep until the second feature begins / Midnight at the movies again.'

This marked their first new album in 35 years featuring the original lineup of John Doe (bass, vocals), Exene Cervenka (vocals), Billy Zoom (guitar), and D.J. Bonebrake (drums). The amazing thing is they sounded as good as ever.

All of the songs were written by Arnold Miller and Connie Pearce Miller. Arranged and conducted by Pete Rugalo. That's a wrap. Happy New Year!