Alex Chilton's Jukebox #2

This second set of Alex Chilton's Jukebox begins in 1964, the year of the Beatles' US tour and A Hard Day's Night. It's the first year of high school for Alex. He will join a band that will become the Box Tops, and they will have a hit with "The Letter" when Alex is 16. 

The Box Tops break up in 1970.  So do the Beatles.  Alex attempts a solo career, and turns down an offer to join Blood Sweat & Tears. Instead, he joins Big Star. These are the same years (1964-72) of the original songs in today's set.

Alex Chilton's Jukebox doesn't include every song he covered. Do we need to hear "Jumpin Jack Flash", "Sugar, Sugar" and "Boogie Shoes" again? They probably popped into your head as soon as you saw the titles.

Also excluded are the jazz standards that Alex recorded, and his classical guitar instrumentals.  Alex grew up hearing the "cool jazz" of Nina Simone and Chet Baker, as well as Count Basie's April In Paris LP.  Alex also recorded songs from the early 60's musicals Bye Bye Birdie and Silk Stockings. Some of his interpretations of standards were collected on the 2019 album Songs From Robin Hood Lane.

A number of the songs that are included appeared on live albums: Dusted In Memphis, Electricity By Candlelight, Live In Anvers, Live In London, Live On Beale Street, Ocean Club '77, and his 1996 show in Glasgow (which appears in part on Shoeshine Chartbusters.)

Alex participated in tribute albums for The Beach Boys, Tom Waits, and The Who. He also sang with Ray Davies on Ray's 2010 duets album See My Friends.  The reunited Big Star performed "Patty Girl" on Live In Memphis, and they recorded "Mine Exclusively" on the 2005 reunion album In Space.  The reunited Box Tops did some great covers on their 1998 album Tear Off!