Features / The Weekend Stream

Welcome to another relaxing journey down The Weekend Stream featuring a classic anthem from Barry Manilow and the late Peter Allen; a moving farewell for a great cause from Ozzy Osbourne and his friends in Judas Priest; classic pop from The King Family; a host of jazz, R&B, and country reissues; a dash of Christmas cheer from an old friend; and more!

Barry Manilow, Once Before I Go (Stiletto) (Apple / Amazon)

Fans attending Barry Manilow’s concerts of the last couple years have occasionally heard him pull out a very special encore: the Peter Allen/Dean Pitchford ballad “Once Before I Go.”  Originally written for Ann-Margret and first recorded by Allen on his 1983 album Not the Boy Next Door, the moving ballad of introspection and reflection was notably used as Hugh Jackman’s eleven o’clock number in the Broadway musical The Boy from Oz.  Clive Davis, whose Arista Records label released Not the Boy Next Door, remembered the song and offered it to Manilow.  Now, Davis is the executive producer of this rendition helmed by Babyface and Demonte Posey.  “Once Before I Go” is sure to be a highlight of Manilow’s next album What a Time and likely his live performances, too, as he continues his Last Concerts tour.  “Once Before I Go” is also available from Manilow’s online store on a 12″ single with an exclusive B-side of Stephen Sondheim’s gorgeous “With So Little to Be Sure Of” from Anyone Can Whistle.  Barry talks a bit about the song here.

Roberta Flack, Eternally (Radio Edit) (RJSB) (Apple / Amazon)

A new single arrives today from the late Roberta Flack.  “Eternally,” penned by Jerry Barnes and the late Katreese Barnes, was recorded in 1997 and produced by Jerry, Suzanne Koga, and Joan Martin.  The full version of the gentle ballad will arrive later this year on a digital Dolby Atmos collection drawn from Flack’s catalogue.

Judas Priest featuring Ozzy Osbourne, War Pigs (Charity Version) (Epic) (Apple / Amazon)

Before his passing, Ozzy Osbourne teamed with Judas Priest to re-record Black Sabbath’s anthemic “War Pigs” to benefit The Glenn Tipton Parkinson’s Foundation and Cure Parkinson’s.  Ozzy and Rob Halford trade off vocals on this powerful new rendition of the Paranoid classic.

David Bowie, I’m Deranged (Apple / Amazon) / The Heart’s Filthy Lesson (Parlophone/Rhino) (Apple / Amazon)

Parlophone rounds up remastered versions of various 1.Outside mixes for these two digital EPs.  I’m Deranged has four remixes of the track while “The Heart’s Filthy Lesson” offers six versions of that song plus B-sides “We Prick You” and “The Voyeur of Utter Destruction (As Beauty)” in Tim Simenon’s mixes.

Kate Bush, Best of the Other Sides (Noble & Brite) (Apple / Amazon)

Kate Bush’s Best of the Other Sides rounds up 11 odds and ends from her catalogue which were previously included on the 2018-2019 collections The Other Sides.  These versions have been remastered and certain tracks (including “Experiment IV,” “You Want Alchemy,” and “Walk Straight Down the Middle”) have been slightly tweaked and/or edited.  Physical versions arrive on October 31.

The King Family, The Now Sound of The King Family (Polly O. Entertainment) (Apple / Amazon)

Here’s a real archival delight from The King Family and The Alvino Rey Orchestra: a new collection of 14 pop favorites from the ’60s and ’70s (including “MacArthur Park,” “The Windmills of Your Mind,” “Sunny,” and “Dream a Little Dream of Me”) in previously unreleased versions by the King Family including The Four King Cousins, The King Sisters and Daughters, Marilyn King, and others.

Tom Fletcher, ‘The Explorer and The Bear’ from Paddington: The Musical (Dramatic Paws/Universal Music) (Apple / Amazon)

Singer-songwriter Tom Fletcher (of the band McFly) previews a soaring ballad from his score to the upcoming West End production of Paddington: The Musical: “The Explorer and the Bear,” sung by the titular bear as he searches for the explorer who knew his Aunt Lucy and Uncle Pastuzo and promised him a home in London.  Paddington opens at the Savoy Theatre in November.

Rufus Wainwright, Mack the Knife (Thirty Tigers) (Apple / Amazon Link TBD)

Rufus Wainwright has teamed with The Pacific Jazz Orchestra for the upcoming album I’m a Stranger Here Myself: Wainwright Does Weill.  Here’s the first single from the Kurt Weill tribute: Rufus doing The Threepenny Opera‘s “Mack the Knife” live in both German and English, in an arrangement inspired by the immortal Bobby Darin recording.

Kenny Drew Trio, Kenny Drew Trio (Apple / Amazon) / The Sonny Criss Orchestra, Birth of the New Cool (Apple / Amazon) (Craft)

Craft Recordings serves up a couple of jazz gems in 2025 remasters including the 1956 set from Kenny Drew, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones; and a 1968 LP from saxophonist/leader Sonny Criss and his orchestra.

Grupo Laberinto, Grupo Laberinto (Craft) (Apple / Amazon)

Craft also offers this 10-song remastered set from the Mexican group known for their ballads and boleros.

Wings Livinryte, Your Love Keeps Me Off the Streets (RCA/Legacy) (Apple / Amazon)
The Brothers, Disco Soul (RCA/Legacy) (Apple / Amazon)
Billy Walker, Lovin’ and Losin’ (RCA/Legacy) (Apple /Amazon)
Jesse Belvin, Yesterdays (RCA/Legacy) (Apple / Amazon)
The Danny Davis Singers (RCA/Legacy) (Apple / Amazon)
Steve Satten, Whatcha Gonna Do for Me (Columbia/Legacy) (Apple / Amazon)
Rick Cunha, Moving Pictures (Sierra/Legacy) (Apple / Amazon)

Sony has dipped into its archive for another group of releases originally issued in 1975 on the RCA label including the lone album from Wings Livinryte a.k.a. Wings Hauser a.k.a. Gerald Dwight Hauser (which includes renditions of Jimmy Webb’s “The Moon’s a Harsh Mistress” and Randy Newman’s “You Can Leave Your Hat On’); the first LP by The Brothers, featuring the late, great Ben Lanzarone on piano (and versions of “Kung Fu Fighting” and “Never Can Say Goodbye”); country singer-guitarist Billy Walker’s RCA debut Lovin’ and Losin”; Nashville great and Nashville Brass founder Danny Davis’ The Danny Davis Singers (doing such covers as “Behind Closed Doors” and “Let It Be Me”); and R&B vocalist Jesse Belvin’s compilation Yesterdays, which premiered a handful of previously unreleased tracks.  On the Columbia front, Sony reissues the 1975 LP Whatcha Gonna Do for Me from trumpeter Steve Satten and a host of NYC session greats; and Rick Cunha’s 1980 LP Moving Pictures, originally issued on the Sierra label and produced by Ken Mansfield.

Herb Alpert, Jingle Bells (Herb Alpert Presents) (Apple / Amazon)

On November 7, Herb Alpert – currently packing houses with a rare Tijuana Brass tour – releases Christmas Time Is Here, his third Christmas album, on CD and LP.  This weekend, he previews it with a delightfully quirky, New Orleans-inspired recording of “Jingle Bells,” the classic which he first recorded on 1968’s TJB Christmas Album.  (The upcoming set also offers new arrangements of “Winter Wonderland,” “Sleigh Ride,” and “My Favorite Things” from that seminal album).  Based on this track, we know this will be one cooking Christmas record!

We occasionally like to spotlight worthy causes in The Weekend Stream, and today is no different.  “Angel of the Morning” singer Merrilee Rush, 81, is currently recovering from a traumatic brain injury which resulted from a fall in a parking lot on June 24.  Merilee has undergone four surgeries and is still in need of further hospitalization and care, but her insurance is no longer covering all of her expenses.  Her family and friends have started a GoFundMe page to aid in her recovery.  If you’re able to help, visit her GoFundMe page here.  TSD sends Merrilee our love and well wishes during this difficult time.