βBy The Time I Get To Phoenixβ Written by: Jimmy Webb Recorded: August 29, 1967 Producer(s): Al De Lory, Nick Venet Arranger/Conductor: Al De Lory
Released: October 23, 1967
Available on: By The Time I Get To Phoenix
Personnel: Glen Campbell β vocals, acoustic guitar James Burton β acoustic guitar, electric guitars Joe Osborne β bass Jim Gordon β drums
The inspiration for “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” originated in Jimmy Webbβs breakup with his partner, Susan Horton. Their relationship, which peaked in mid-1965, was also the primary influence for βMacArthur Parkβ, another Webb composition. Webb called the song a “succinct tale” with anO. Henrytypetwist at the end which consists merely of the guy saying,‘She didn’t really think that I would go,’but he did.” Although the protagonist in the song plans to leave his lover, Webb did not leave Horton; their breakup was a mutual agreement.
Glen Campbellβs version topped RPM magazineβs Canada Country Tracks, reached number two on Billboardβs Hot Country Singles chart and won two awards at the 10th Annual Grammys. BMI named it the third most performed song from 1940 to 1990.Β The song was ranked #20 on BMI’s Top 100 Songs Of The Century. It was #450 on Rolling Stone magazineβs Top 500 Songs of All Time. And perhaps the greatest accolade …. Frank Sinatra called it “the greatest torch song ever written”.
This is the exquisite βBy The Time I Get To Phoenixβ by Glen Campbell.
May your Saturday be smooth sailing. Thanks for stopping by.
Music is in the bloodline of the Nelson family. Country giant Willie Nelson passed his songwriting prowess on to his sons Lukas and Micah Nelson, both of whom are musicians. Today Iβll be focusing on Lukas, the frontman of Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real. The band appears as the backing band for Bradley Cooperβs character in the 2018 edition of A Star Is Born, with Lukas also co-writing and co-producing songs for the film. From 2015 to 2019, they toured as the backing band for Neil Young. With Young, the band recorded two studio albums (The Monsanto Years and The Visitor), a soundtrack album (Paradox) and two live albums (Earth and Noise &Flowers). For his work on A Star Is Born, Lukas won the BAFTAFilm AwardForOriginal Music in 2019 and a Grammy Award in 2020 for Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media, sharing both awards with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga.
Lady Gaga assists Nelson on βFind Yourself.β Her powerful vocals can be heard in the background of the chorus. Nelson and Gagaβs voices perfectly complement one another and, though this is just one of several collaborations between the pair, itβs undoubtedly the best.
This is βFind Yourselfβ by Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real.
Thanks for stopping by and spinning some tunes with me.
Welcome to Birthday Thursdays! Each week I will feature someone from the world of music whose birthday falls on this day. There wonβt be any chit chat from me, no facts and figures β just some great tunes (and an occasional surprise). Check it out right here every Thursday and enjoy the music.
Happy Birthday to Ella Fitzgerald Born April 25, 1917 inNewport News, Virginia
Written for Glynβs Mixed Music Bag #17, where we are asked to write about a song by a group or solo singer beginning with the letter G or H.
Steve Marriott, Peter Frampton, Greg Ridley & Jerry Shirley
Frustrated with a number of things but mostly his image as a teen idol, Steve Marriott finally had enough. It was New Yearβs Eve, 1969, when he threw down his guitar and walked off the stage at Londonβs Alexandra Palace, quitting his band, Small Faces. Marriott was a talented musician and vocalist who wanted to be taken seriously for his music …. not his looks.
After quitting, Steve Marriott called two friends β one was Peter Frampton β another frustrated teen idol who had recently quit his band, Herd β and the other was 17-year-old drummer Jerry Shirley. Marriott asked his friends if he could join the band they were forming and, to sweeten the pot, said heβd bring with him Greg Ridley, a well-respected bass player from the band Spooky Tooth, who was also looking to make a change. Well, of course, Frampton and Shirley couldnβt turn down an offer like that and so the newest βsupergroupβ (as the press called them) was created. The guys in the band hated being called a supergroup …. they were worried about expectations being set too high and dooming them to failure. In retaliation they chose a name they were more comfortable with …. Humble Pie.
Their debut album, “As Safe As Yesterday Is”, was released in August 1969, along with the single, “Natural Born Bugie”, which reached #4 in the UK singles charts; the album peaked at #16 in the UK album charts. “As Safe As Yesterday Is” was one of the first albums to be described by the term “heavy metal” in a 1970 review in Rolling Stone magazine.
In 1971 Humble Pie released their most successful record to date, “Rock On“, as well as a live album recorded at the Fillmore EastΒ in New York entitled “Performance Rockin’ the Fillmore”.Β The live album reached #21 on the US Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. Culled from four sets recorded on May 28 and 29, 1971 (the original LP was essentially a sampler of songs from several raucous shows),Β βPerformance Rockinβ the FillmoreβΒ was released that November as a double album set. Humble Pie was second on the bill, after Fanny and before headliner Lee Michaels, a fact hardly anyone seems to remember.Β I will testify to that because I was in the audience at the Fillmore East on May 28, 1971 and the only group I remember seeing was Humble Pie. That was just one month before the legendary Fillmore closed its doors …. the end of an era in the history of rock.
Peter Framptonβs final recording with Humble Pie in 1971 was, by some irony, the bandβs most successful, and is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential live albums of the decade. Humble Pie produced 11 studio albums and 2 live albums.
“I Donβt Need No Doctorβ from “Performance Rockin’ the Fillmore” was an R&B song written by Nick Ashford, Valerie Simpson and Jo Armstead, first released by Ashford in August 1966; it went nowhere. The song has been recorded by Ray Charles, John Mayer, rock bands New Riders of the Purple Sage, Great White and Styx, metal band W.A.S.P. and others. Humble Pieβs version became an FM radio standard in the US, peaking at #73 on the Billboard Hot 100 and propelling the album up the charts.
Live from the Fillmore East in my hometown of New York City, this is the single version of βI Donβt Need No Doctorβ by Humble Pie.
Personnel
Steve Marriottβ guitar, vocals, harmonica Peter Frampton β guitar, vocals Greg Ridley β bass guitar, vocals Jerry Shirley – drums
Technical team
Live recording by Fedco Audio Labs Engineer: Eddie Kramer Assistant Engineer: David Palmer Re-mixed at Electric Lady Studies, New York Produced by The Pie
In 1991 Steve Marriott died in an accidental house fire at the age of 44; bassist Greg Ridley died in 2003 at the age of 56 from complications from pneumonia. Peter Frampton continues to enjoy success as a solo artist and Jerry Shirley is still behind the kit, touring with the current members of Humble Pie.
The Fillmore East didn’t last all that long, from March 8, 1968 to June 27, 1971, but a ton of great music was played there. It was our personal music Mecca. Pretty much every legendary 1960s band …. except the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Cream and Dylan …. graced the stage and I was in attendance for a lot of those shows. It was epic.
Big thanks to Glyn for hosting Mixed Music Bag every week.
In 1964 The Kinks came out with a song with a killer riff, so it only made sense that 14 years later guitar genius Eddie Van Halen would take the tune and make it a showcase for his brand of guitar pyrotechnics. Singer David Lee Roth, meanwhile, perfectly laid bare each and every emotion that may have been buried beneath a previous generationβs decency.
The song, of course, is βYou Really Got Meβ, written by Kinksβ frontman Ray Davies. Lead guitarist Dave Davies performs the songβs famous guitar solo, although it was long rumored that Jimmy Page had performed the solo β¦. hearsay that Page himself denied.
βYou Really Got Meβ was originally released in the UK on August 4, 1964 as The Kink’s third single and reached #1 on the Record Retailer chart the following month, remaining there for two weeks.Β Van Halenβs cover of the song was released as their first single and peaked at #36 on the Billboard Hot 100.
This is the fabulous 1964 original version of βYou Really Got Meβ as recorded by The Kinks.
And this is what it sounded like when Van Halen recorded it 14 years later.
Thatβs todayβs Twofer Tuesday! Thanks for stopping by.
The Motown Sound has something extra-special about it. Berry Gordy, Jr. knew people would be listening on their car stereos and transistor radios and he was going to do what it took to make songs sound good and memorable. Even if you couldnβt put your finger on it, when a Motown song came on, baby, you knew it. Still do.
Motownβs first great girl group, TheMarvelettes, consisted of four school friends who were only 14 and 15 years old; some of their early hits were written by the girls themselves. When I was 14, I was busy practicing writing my signature as Mrs. George Harrison! What were you doing at 14?
“Please Mr. Postman”, recorded in 1961, was one of the first #1 singles by an all-female vocal group and is easily Motownβs best single to date β a song with a killer tune and a lyrical hook which listeners around the world instantly latched on to.
Despite their successful start, the group was eclipsed in popularity by the Supremes, with whom they shared an intense rivalry. The Marvelettes made a comeback in 1966 with several hits but struggled and stopped performing together in 1969. The group disbanded for good in 1970.
Kudos to TheMarvelettes for paving the way for future girl groups!
Here now is the fantastic sound ofΒ βPlease Mr. PostmanβΒ by TheΒ Marvelettesβ with a young Marvin Gaye playing the drums.
And this is what was on the B Side: βSo Long Babyβ
Thanks for joining me today for a dose of Monday Motown Magic.
The theme today at Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday is to write about a duet(s) featuring two prominent performers.
Three years ago, Sir Tom Jones β¦. quite possibly the Sexiest Man Ever β¦. and Helene Fischer β¦. Die KΓΆnigin der deutschen Popmusik (The Queen of German Pop Music) β¦. got together on Heleneβs show where the duo put on an unforgettable performance that has been viewed over 21 million times on YouTube. Backed by a brass band and a dazzling stage show, they treated the audience to a seductive duet, proving that Tom Jonesβ voice is still worthy of the halls of fame. Even in his 80s, Tom is leaving fans in awe with his unbelievably strong and silky smooth voice. Not many performers can stand up to that.
Helene Fischer became one of the most popular musical artists in Germany after making her recording debut in 2006. She consistently racked up hits in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland before her 2013 album βFarbenspielβ (βPlay of Colorsβ) became one of the most successful in German history. She followed it with still more number one records, including a four-week stay at the top of the album chart with 2017’s βHelene Fischerβ.
Today’s song was released in 1999 in several European countries; the following year it was issued across the rest of Europe where the track served as the second single from Jones’ 34th album, βReloadβ. Commercially, it reached number one in France and Switzerland while becoming a top-three hit in Austria, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom.
Here is the Sexiest Man Ever along with the Queen of German Pop Music with their sizzling duet, βSex Bombβ.
LYRICS
Spy on me, baby, use satellite Infrared to see me move through the night Aim, gonna fire, shoot me right I’m gonna like the way, the way that you fight
Now you found the secret code I use To wash away my lonely blues And I can’t deny or lie ‘Cause you’re the only one who makes me fly
Sex bomb, sex bomb, you’re my sex bomb And you can give it to me when I need to be turned on Sex bomb, sex bomb, you’re my sex bomb And, baby, you can turn, turn me on (woo)
Hey!
Don’t get me wrong, ain’t gonna do you no harm This bomb’s for lovin’, you can shoot it far I’m your main target, come and help me ignite Lovestruck, holding you tight
Make me explode, although you know The route to go to sex me slow Yes, I must react to claims of those Who say that you are not all that
Sex bomb, sex bomb, you’re my sex bomb And you can give it to me when I need to come along Sex bomb, sex bomb, you’re my sex bomb And, baby, you can turn me on (yeah)
Sex bomb, sex bomb, you’re my sex bomb And you can give it to me when I need to come along Sex bomb, sex bomb, you’re my sex bomb And, baby, you can turn me on (oh right)
You can give me more and more, counting up the score You can turn me upside down and inside out You can make me feel the real deal I can give it to you any time because you’re mine
Sex bomb, sex bomb, you’re my sex bomb And you can give it to me when I need to come along Sex bomb, sex bomb, you’re my sex bomb And, baby, you can turn me, baby, you can turn me on
Sex bomb, sex bomb, you’re my sex bomb And you can give it to me when I need to come along Sex bomb, sex bomb, you’re my sex bomb Baby, you can turn me on
Baby, you can turn me on And, baby, you can turn me on Baby, you can turn me on And, baby, you can turn me on
βEuropa (Earthβs Cry, Heavenβs Smile)β Written by: Santana/Coster Recorded: 1976 Producer: David Rubinson Engineer(s): David Rubinson, Fred Catero Assistant Engineer: Susie Foote
Released: March 26, 1976
Available on: Amigos
Personnel: Carlos Santana β lead guitar Neal Schon β rhythm guitar David Brown β bass Greg Rolie β keyboards Michael Schrieve β drums Armando Peraza β percussion Jose Chepito Areas β timbales
Upon seeing a friend suffering a bad experience while high on mescaline, Santana composed a piece titled “The Mushroom Lady’s Coming to Town“. This precursor contained the first lick to “Europa“. The piece was put away and not touched for some time. When Santana was touring with Earth, Wind & Fire in Manchester, England, he played the tune, this time with songwriter Tom Coster who helped him with some of the chords, and a new song was born. It was renamed as “Europa (Earth’s Cry Heaven’s Smile)”.
The track was featured in the 2004 film βShall We Dance?β and has become one of Santanaβs most beloved songs with its combination of Latin rhythms, blues and jazz influences.
This is Santana with βEuropaβ
May your Saturday be smooth sailing. Thanks for stopping by.
Sixty-two years after the Beatles released βLove Me Doβ β the first of many songs written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney β their offspring have come together to bring back their tune-making magic.
Sean Ono Lennon and James McCartney have joined forces on a song cowritten by them and released by McCartney called βPrimrose Hillβ. Named for a public park in London, this is the first-ever collaboration by Lennon & McCartney, Part 2. And if any song could sound just like taking a bittersweet stroll in the park with nothing but longing memories, then this one pretty much captures it.
Thereβs instantly something familiar about it but it never seems to fall into Beatles mimicry. Nor does it ever reach the heights of Beatles transcendence β¦. I mean, how could it?
Let me know what you think of this rebirth of Beatles music.
This is “Primrose Hill”, co-written by Lennon & McCartney, 2nd Generation.
Welcome to Birthday Thursdays! Each week I will feature someone from the world of music whose birthday falls on this day. There wonβt be any chit chat from me, no facts and figures β just some great tunes (and an occasional surprise). Check it out right here every Thursday and enjoy the music.
Happy Birthday to Paul A. Rothchild (Record Producer) Born April 18, 1935 inBrooklyn, New York
Written for Glynβs Mixed Music Bag #16,where we are asked to write abouta song by a group or solo singer beginning with the letter G or H.
Besides my husband, during my lifetime Iβve been madly in love with three other men: βGeorge Harrison, Daryl Hall and Rick Springfield. They were all so very talented, gorgeous and sexy! I would cut out their pictures from music magazines, make scrapbooks, hang posters in my bedroom and mail them letters. My missives were never answered but Iβm sure thatβs only because they were so busy making music. I would imagine myself as Mrs. Harrison or Hall or Springfield, which got weird because by the time Daryl Hall and Rick Springfield were dominating the billboard charts I had been married for about 10 years! Things could have gotten strained between me and my husband during that time but they didn’t because heβs a very understanding, realistic man and didnβt feel threatened at all. It also didnβt hurt that I had about as much chance of meeting Daryl or Rick as I did winning the Miss Universe pageant.
Well, dear George has passed away but Daryl and Rick are very much alive and I bet theyβre kicking themselves for not answering my letters seeing as how Iβm now such a bigshot storyteller, poet and music blogger! I saw Rick recently on TV and I must say I was shocked; maybe it was the lighting but he really hasnβt aged well and someone should gift him with a jar of Crepe Erase. But Daryl is another story; he still sounds fantastic, looks gorgeous and is one big hunk of burning love. And whatβs more β¦. Darylβs Garage where he does live shows and podcasts is 90 minutes from where I live and his house in Connecticut is only one hour away. (We stalkers fans have to stay on top of things like that!) I just might get my βI β€οΈ Daryl Hall Tank Topβ autographed after all!
Since the letters for Glynβs April MMB are G and H, I immediately wrote about George Harrison last week. Unfortunately, Rick Springfield is out of luck and will have to wait another 6 months before I can write about him. But no worries! You can all breathe a sigh of relief because today is all about Daryl Hall (and some other guy named John Oates).
Did you know that Daryl Hall & John Oates are the number-one selling duo in music history? Theyβre bigger than Simon & Garfunkel, Sonny & Cher, Ike & Tina Turner, Sam & Dave, The Righteous Brothers, Loggins & Messina and The Everly Brothers. (The statistics are impressive and are readily available on Wiki, if youβre interested.) During their time together (starting in 1970), they released 18 studio albums and 63 singles. They also broke up their act and got back together numerous times until October 2022 when they officially called it quits; sadly, they are currently in the middle of an ugly legal battle. But what sweet music they made together!
Some of you may recall that I wrote about this song a while back for Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday; it’s just so nice, I had to feature it twice! You may also remember that the original singer of this song is a guy named Billy Paul who recorded his song in 1972. So why feature a cover of someone else’s song and not an original Hall & Oates song? Because it’s a great song and after all these years, I still βhave a thing going onβ for Daryl Hall.
For all the obvious reasons, here is my pick of the day by Hall & Oates β¦. from 2003 it’s βMe And Mrs. Jonesβ.
Well, no offense John Oates, but threeβs a crowd and for me thereβs only room for Daryl. Heβs certainly come a long way and still has plenty of mileage left in a career thatβs taken him from the streets of Philly to the halls of R&R in Cleveland. And the best is yet to come β¦. especially for me. My hubby, who isn’t the least bit threatened by the likes of Daryl Hall, is taking me to see him live, up-close and personal at the Mohegan Sun arena in July! Now, I just need to find that old tank top …. and you better believe I will wear it!
Thanks to Glyn for another great Mixed Music Bag and thank you for stopping by.
See you on the flip side. π
PS: I almost forgot! For all you purists reading this right now, I simply could not leave without playing one Hall & Oates original; after all, they are the #1 selling duo in music history! This song debuted on the Billboard Top 40Β on February 5, 1977 at #38 and by the end of March it had become Hall & Oates’ first of six #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100.Β At the end of 1977,Β BillboardΒ ranked it as the 23rd biggest hit of the year.Β From the album Bigger Than Both Of Us, here is Hall & Oates’ first #1 hit, “Rich Girl”.
One of the biggest hits in 1970 for the Canadian group The Guess Who was a song that seemingly warned against getting involved with American women. However, songwriter Burton Cummings said that it was simply his way of saying he preferred Canadian girls. Whatever the meaning, Lenny Kravitz tapped into the songβs magnetism and added some guitar theatrics in his 1999 remake that has since become a cover version that stands alongside the original. The song was, of course, “American Woman”.
The single version by The Guess Who reached #1 and held on for three weeks on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the Canadian RPM magazine singles chart. Kravitz covered the song for the soundtrack of βAustin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me”. When it was released as a single, it reached #49 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The Guess Who joined Kravitz and his band for a live performance of “American Woman” at the 1999 MuchMusic Video Awards in Toronto.
From 1970, here are The Guess Who with βAmerican Womanβ
And this is how it sounded when Lenny Kravitz released his version in 1999.
Thatβs todayβs Twofer Tuesday! Thanks for stopping by.
The Motown Sound has something extra-special about it. Berry Gordy, Jr. knew people would be listening on their car stereos and transistor radios and he was going to do what it took to make songs sound good and memorable. Even if you couldnβt put your finger on it, when a Motown song came on, baby, you knew it. Still do.
Smokey Robinson was the lead singer of a band called The Miracles …. five teenaged friends from Detroit, Michigan. He produced, wrote and sang several of Motown’s most memorable hits including the label’s first smash song, “Shop Around” in 1960. A year later, “Please Mr. Postman”, by The Marvelettes, was the label’s first No. 1 song. It would not be the last.
Letβs begin todayβs musical journey withΒ The MiraclesβΒ first smash hit β a song about a mother giving advice to her grown son on how to find a woman worthy of being a girlfriend or wife.
From 1960, Β written by Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy, hereβs βShop AroundβΒ byΒ The Miracles.
And this is what was on the B side β βWhoβs Lovinβ You”. Thatβs right β¦. this was not originally done by the Jackson 5!
Thanks for joining me today for Monday Motown Magic.
The theme today at Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday is to write about songs with the words βhot, burning, fire or blazingβ.
If reports in recent years are to be believed, former JourneyΒ singer Steve PerryΒ and keyboardist Jonathan CainΒ donβt have much of a personal relationship anymore, but when they first met nearly 43 years ago, the situation was very different.
Journey, originally known as the Golden Gate Rhythm Section, was formed in San Francisco in 1973; the name was officially changed to Journey in 1975, shortly after signing with Columbia Records. The band’s early sound was influenced by jazz and fusion music. They gradually shifted towards a more pop-oriented sound in the late 1970s. Steve Perry joined Journey as their lead vocalist in 1977 and became one of the band’s most recognizable members. Jonathan Cain was hired in January 1981 and it wasnβt long before he and Perry began writing together.
One of the first things they did was a song called βWhoβs Crying Now.β Steve Perry said the chorus popped into his head while driving to Los Angeles, which he recorded on his mini cassette player. Once Steve Perry arrived in LA, he went straight to Jonathan Cain’s house to play his work in progress. Perry had come up with most of the melodies and rhythms but was stumped on the lyrics. Perry said, βJonathan just like zeroed in on it. We had the beginning, we had the middle, he helped do the lyrics with me .β¦ and it was done!β
“Who’s Crying Now” tells the sad and age-old tale of good love gone bad. The song, the first single from Journey’s album Escape, helped the LP achieve sales of over nine million copies. The song charted at #46 in the UK Singles Chart, the band’s highest charting single in the UK until “Don’t Stop Believin'”. Billboard praised “Who’s Crying Now” as one of Journey’s “strongest and classiest records” and one of the most appealing love songs of 1981. Escape remains their only #1 album.
In 1996, Steve Perry suffered a hip injury while hiking in Hawaii and was unable to perform. The diagnosis was degenerative bone disease and a hip replacement was required but Perry was reluctant to rush into the surgery and touring was postponed indefinitely. While Perry kept putting off the inevitable surgery, the other members of the band waited nearly 17 months after the initial diagnosis before presenting him with an ultimatum: If he did not undergo hip replacement surgery so the tour could proceed upon his recovery, the band would hire a replacement singer. Still hesitant to undergo surgery, and now upset at his bandmates, Perry announced in 1988 that he was permanently leaving Journey.Β No one loves the idea of surgery but Steve Perry made a big mistake making his band mates wait so long.
The position of lead singer went to Steve Augeri who was then sidelined with a chronic throat infection. The very hard-working singer-musician-songwriter Jeff Scott Soto temporarily stepped into the role of lead singer until Arnel Pineda signed on as frontman in 2007. Pineda, a vocalist for a Filipino cover band, was hired as a result of a video he posted on YouTube and is still Journey’s current lead vocalist. Hey …. sometimes you just gotta give it a shot!
According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Journey has sold 52 million albums in the US, making them the 11th-best selling band. Their worldwide sales have reached over 100 million records globally, making them one of the world’s best-selling bands of all time. A 2005 USA Today opinion poll named Journey the fifth-best US rock band in history. In 2017 Journey was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They are without a doubt a truly great band and, IMO, Steve Perry’s voice is one of the best in the business.
Thanks for hanging with me at Jim’s place.
See you on the flip side. π
Now let’s listen to “Who’s Crying Now” and Steve Perry’s phenomenal voice. From 1981salbum Escape, this is Journey.
Lyrics
It’s been a mystery But still they try to see Why something good can hurt so bad Caught on a one-way street The taste of bittersweet Love will survive somehow, somewhere
One love, feeds thefire One heart, burns desire I wonder who’s crying now? Two hearts, born to run Who’ll be the lonely one? I wonder who’s crying now?
So many stormy nights So many wrong or rights Neither could change their headstrong ways And in a lover’s rage They turn another page The fighting is worth the love they save
One love, feeds the fire One heart, burns desire I wonder who’s crying now? Two hearts, born to run Who’ll be the lonely one? I wonder who’s crying now?
Only so many tears you can cry ‘Til the heartache is over And now you can say your love Will never die
Whoa ooh ooh, ooh ooh
One love, feeds the fire One heart, burns desire I wonder who’s crying now? Two hearts, born to run Who’ll be the lonely one? I wonder who’s crying now?
Lead Vocal, Composer, Lyricist: Steve Perry Background Vocal, Keyboards, Composer, Lyricist: Jonathan Cain Background Vocal, Bass: Ross Valory Background Vocal, Guitar: Neal Schon Drums: Steve Smith Producer(s): Mike Stone, Kevin Elson Engineer: Wally Buck
βNorwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)β Written by: Lennon-McCartney Recorded: October 1965 Producer: George Martin Engineer: Norman Smith
Released: December 3, 1965 (UK), December 6, 1965 (US)
Available on: Rubber Soul Anthology 2
Personnel: John Lennon β vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar Paul McCartney β harmony vocals, bass George Harrison β sitar, 12-string acoustic guitar Ringo Starr β bass drum, tambourine
The first time George Harrison saw a sitar was on the set of Help; a group of Indian musicians had been recruited to add an authentic ambiance to the restaurant scenes. Back in London after the filming, George found a store called Indian Goods; inside was an inexpensive sitar which he bought and began playing around with. While recording βNorwegian Woodβ, George felt it needed something in addition to the guitars. He picked up his sitar and βjust sort of found the notesβ. When the recording was played back, everyone agreed the sitar brought the whole piece together.
From 1965βs Rubber Soul, here are the Beatles with βNorwegian Woodβ
Thanks for stopping by. May your Saturday be smooth sailing.
The son of Bob Dylan shares what his father has passed on to him and what heβs passing on to his children β¦. his passion for great songs.
Jakob Luke DylanΒ was born in New York City on December 9, 1969 to Bob Dylan and Sara Lownds. He began is music career in various indie bands before rising to fame as the lead singer and primary songwriter for the rock band The Wallflowers. He has written hit songs such as β6th Avenue Heartacheβ and βOne Headlightβ, which is listed at #58 on Rolling Stoneβs list of the “100 Greatest Pop Songs”, and for which he won two Grammy Awards. More recently, Jakob Dylan has released two solo albums β βSeeing Thingsβ and βWomen + Countryβ; the latter became Dylan’s highest-charting album since The Wallflowers’ 1996 breakthrough βBringing Down The Horse“, peaking at #12 on the Billboard 200.Β
This is Jakob Dylan and The Wallflowers with βOne Headlightβ
Welcome to Birthday Thursdays! Each week I will feature someone from the world of music whose birthday falls on this day. There wonβt be any chit chat from me, no facts and figures β just some great tunes (and an occasional surprise). Check it out right here every Thursday and enjoy the music.
Happy Birthday to Joss Stone Born April 11, 1987 inDover, UK
“Son Of A Preacher Man”
“Midnight Train To Georgia”
“I Put A Spell On You” Jeff Beck featuring Joss Stone
Written for Glynβs Mixed Music Bag #15, where we are asked to write about a song by a group or solo artist beginning with the letter G or H.
This was a no-brainer for me; not only does my featured performerβs first name start with the letter G, his last name starts with the letter H. Itβs almost as if I had a sign from the heavens, divine intervention. Yes, as soon as I saw this weekβs MMB challenge, I knew who and what I would write about. And if you know me or follow my blogs then you know, too! As the title of my post says βItβs The (Not So) Quiet Beatleβ so, unless youβve been in a 50-year-long coma or stranded on a desert island since infancy, youβve already figured out that my featured artist today is George Harrison, the multi-talented musician born February 25, 1943 in Liverpool.
George was the youngest of four children born to Harold, a bus conductor, and Louise, a shop assistant. His earliest musical influences included Cab Calloway, Hoagy Carmichael, Carl Perkins, Elmore James and Lonnie Donegan. One day while riding his bicycle, George heard Elvis Presleyβs βHeartbreak Hotelβ playing from a nearby house and the song piqued his interest in Rock & Roll. At first his father was apprehensive about Georgeβs interest in pursuing a music career but he was willing to let his son give it a go. He bought him his first guitar and had one of his friends teach George how to play a couple of old songs; like many others at the time, George started a skiffle* group with his brother and a friend.Β At the age of 14 George met Paul McCartney on the bus to school and the pair bonded over their shared love of music. Paul introduced George to John Lennon and the rest, my friends, is the stuff that dreams are made of. [*a genre of folk music with influences from American folk music, blues, country, bluegrass and jazz]
While thereβs a plethora of songs to choose from Georgeβs days with the Beatles, I will be focusing on a few songs from his prolific solo career. These songs may be lesser known but they will all be fun, clever, amusing and uniquely special β¦. just like George. As he said, βDidnβt want to be a star, wanted just to play guitar in this cockamamie businessβ.
I hope you enjoy my selections today.
Chris OβDell is probably the most well-known woman in Beatledom. Not only did she land a job at Apple Studios, she was an assistant and facilitator to the Beatles and other acts including Derek & the Dominos, the Rolling Stones, Dylan, Santana etc., etc. Besides Freda Kelly (the Beatles’ personal secretary), Chris O’Dell knew more about the guys in the band than their own wives. She was on the roof during that famous concert; not just anyone got invited to the roof! You had to be really popular and Chris O’Dell had that market cornered as a super-groupie, something she proudly wrote about in her bio. She was such a favorite among the rock stars, she had songs written about her …. like this one which George Harrison wrote in Los Angeles in April 1971 while waiting for OβDell to ‘pay him a visit‘ ππ at his rented home. For whatever reason, she never showed and George wrote a light-hearted number which provides insight into the Los Angeles music scene at the time. Chris OβDell went on to write her memoirs in a book called βMiss OβDellβ, named after Georgeβs song. George recorded several versions of the song but this one is my favorite. The string of numbers you hear George reciting at the end of the song was Paul McCartneyβs actual phone number.
From George Harrison’s album βLiving In A Material Worldβ, this is βMiss OβDellβ. I dare you not to smile.
This next song was George Harrisonβs humorous send-up of the βHeβs So Fineβ/βMy Sweet Lordβ silly little plagiarism court case. The lyrics have a playful reference to the case (βMy expert tells me itβs OKβ) and, at one point, Eric Idle chimes in with some very funny Motown song references. In case youβre not familiar with the legal goings-on, in 1981 George Harrison was ordered to pay $587,000 for βsubconsciously plagiarizingβ the Chiffons’ 1963 hit single βHe’s So Fineβ during the creation of his own song βMy Sweet Lordβ. Harrison reflected in his biography βI wasn’t consciously aware of the similarity to ‘He’s So Fine’.” I don’t think the law suit had much of a negative impact on George’s pocket or popularity.
From 1976 (and featuring a full cast of characters), this is the funny, campy, in-your-face βThis Songβ from George Harrison’s album βThirty Three And 1/3β.
My last song today is from George Harrisonβs 1987 album βCloud Nineβ. βWhen We Was Fabβ, one of the first songs cowritten by George and Jeff Lynne, looks back to his Beatles days and contains various musical and lyrical references to the 1960s, including quotations from songs by Bob Dylan and Smokey Robinson. This beauty of a tune harkens back to several well-know Beatles songs, particularly from their psychedelic period. Beatles drummer Ringo Starr is fittingly behind the kit on this recording and is prominently featured in the video. Pay attention to this one; there’s a lot of little things going on that are easy to miss.
From βCloud Nineβ, this is βWhen We Was Fabβ.
I hope you enjoyed a look at a different side of George Harrison …. the funny, sharp-witted, clever and not-so-quiet side that he enjoyed in this cockamamie business.
Thanks to Glyn and his Mixed Music Bag weekly prompts. See you next time.
The Motown Sound has something extra-special about it. Berry Gordy, Jr. knew people would be listening on their car stereos and transistor radios and he was going to do what it took to make songs sound good and memorable. Even if you couldnβt put your finger on it, when a Motown song came on, baby, you knew it. Still do.
Not every story is a success. The early history of Motown Records is filled with promising newcomers who didn’t find immortality along the lines of the Supremes or the Temptations. A guy with the unlikely name of Henry Lumpkin is one example, a young singer and composer who bore more than a passing resemblance to Chubby Checker physically and Ben E. King vocally. Henry had one good song under his belt β¦. βWhat Is A Man (Without A Woman)β, cowritten by himself and Carolyn Strong, produced by Brian Holland and Robert Bateman. Poor Henry never charted and by the end of 1962 he was off the Motown roster. Mostly forgotten by all but the most hardcore soul enthusiasts, Henry Lumpkin was one of many early Motown discoveries who deserved better than he got, or at least better luck than he found, with his records.
From January 1962, hereβs a funky, gritty dance number by Henry Lumpkin. This is βWhat Is A Man (Without A Woman)β …. an excellent question!
And this is what was on the B side β βDonβt Leave Meβ (cowritten by Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy)
Thanks for joining me today for a little Monday Motown Magic.
If anyone needs convincing that the Beatles knew a good song when they heard one, consider this: the band began featuring βMoney (Thatβs What IWant)β in their live act in Germany as early as August 1960 …. just a year after the Barrett Strong release in the United States. “Money” became a Top 30 pop success in the U.S. for Barrett Strong but it was not a hit in the UK. The Beatles recorded the song in 1963 and its inclusion in their second album,Β With The Beatles, brought βMoneyβ to a larger audience than ever before.
You remember Barrett Strong from yesterdayβs Monday Motown Magic post? Well, here he is with βMoneyβ from August 1959. I told you youβd know this song!
And this is what the Beatles’ recording of βMoneyβ sounded like
The Motown Sound has something extra-special about it. Berry Gordy, Jr. knew people would be listening on their car stereos and transistor radios and he was going to do what it took to make songs sound good and memorable. Even if you couldnβt put your finger on it, when a Motown song came on, baby, you knew it. Still do.
Iβd like to wrap-up this feature of Tamla songs by showcasing the artist who recorded the labelβs third single β Barrett Strong, with the little-distributed and (now) highly collectable βLetβs Rock.β This song may be new to many of you but if you check out tomorrowβs Twofer Tuesday, youβll get to hear another of his songs, one youβre sure to recognize. Just like other recording artists, Barrett Strong β¦. together with Norman Whitfield β¦. went on to co-write many of the most indelible songs in Motown history. Barrett Strong passed away just two months ago at the age of 81.
If you’d like to hear more of these early Tamla recordings, leave me a comment; perhaps weβll revisit them at a later date.
From 1959, this is βLetβs Rockβ by Barrett Strong.
And this is what was on the B side β¦. βDo The Very Best You Canβ
βBridge Over Trouble Waterβ Written by: Paul Simon Recorded: January 1970 Producer(s): Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, Roy Halee Engineer: Roy Halee
Released: January 26, 1970
Available on: Bridge Over Trouble Water
Personnel: Paul Simon – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion Art Garfunkel β lead vocals, percussion Los Incas β Peruvian instruments Joe Osborn β bass guitar Larry Knechtel β piano Fred Carter Jr. β guitar Pete Drake β Dobro, pedal steel guitar Hal Blaine β drums Jimmie Haskell & Ernie Freeman β strings Jon Faddis, Randy Brecker, Lew Soloff & Alan Rubin β brass
Paul Simon said he wrote βBridge Over Trouble Waterβ very quickly, so much so that he later asked himself: “Where did that come from? It doesn’t seem like me.”
Simon wrote it as “a little hymn“, a song about providing comfort to a person in need. Garfunkel and producer Roy Halee thought it was more epic than a little hymn and convinced Simon to write a third verse. When done, Paul Simon thought it was too long, too slow and too orchestral to be a hit single.
However, Clive Davis at Columbia Records disagreed; he identified the commercial appeal of the song and it was included on the 1970 album of the same name β their fifth and final LP.
Paul Simon told his partner Art Garfunkel that heβd like him to sing the song alone, the “white choirboy way“. At first, Garfunkel felt the song was not right for him, as he liked Simon’s falsetto on the demo version, and suggested that Simon sing instead. At the suggestion of Garfunkel and Roy Halee, Simon wrote an extra verse and a “bigger” ending, adding harmony in the final verse.
Ultimately, Paul Simon became jealous of the reaction from audiences and the attention Art Garfunkel was getting every time they performed the song and thought how the song really should have been his. Well, Paul’s the one who made the suggestion; now he was regretting it. These feelings of jealousy and animosity would contribute strongly to their eventual split. So much for the peaceful little hymn.
In the US, βBridge Over Troubled Waterβ reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 1970, and stayed there for six weeks. It was the biggest single of the year. It also reached #1 in the UK in 1970. It was certified gold for selling over one million copies in the US and more than six million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles ever.
Here is one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded, Simon & Garfunkel’s βBridge Over Trouble Waterβ.
Lyrics
When you’re weary Feeling small When tears are in your eyes I’ll dry them all I’m on your side Oh, when times get rough And friends just can’t be found
Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down
When you’re down and out When you’re on the street When evening falls so hard I will comfort you I’ll take your part Oh, when darkness comes And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down
Sail on silver girl Sail on by Your time has come to shine All your dreams are on their way See how they shine Oh, if you need a friend I’m sailing right behind
Like a bridge over troubled water I will ease your mind Like a bridge over troubled water I will ease your mind
Welcome to Birthday Thursdays! Each week I will feature someone from the world of music whose birthday falls on this day. There wonβt be any chit chat from me, no facts and figures β just some great tunes (and an occasional surprise). Check it out right here every Thursday and enjoy the music.
Happy Birthday to Lady Gaga Born March 28, 1986 in New York City
“Poker Face”
From “A Star Is Born” this is Gaga and Bradly Cooper with “Shallow”
What do Bruce Springsteen, Frank Sinatra, Jon Bon Jovi, Zakk Wilde, Count Basie, Southside Johnny, Tony Bennett, Dankig, Ricky Nelson and Paul Simon all have in common? Iβll give you a few minutes to mull that over.
OK, timeβs up.
So, what do all those guys have in common? They are all from the illustrious Garden State β¦. New Jersey, USA. Yes, they are all Jersey Boys. However, they are not the Jersey Boys; that distinction goes to the Four Seasons, my featured group for this week and one of the best-selling bands of all time.
Evolved from a Newark, New Jersey vocal group called the Varietones and briefly known as the Four Lovers, the Four Seasons developed a harmony-based style that shared the same Italian American doo-wop origins as New Yorkβs Dion and the Belmonts.
Frankie Valli, best known for his soaring falsetto, was the band’s lead singer, alongside Bob Gaudio on keyboards and vocals, Tommy DeVito on lead guitar and vocals and Nick Massi on electric bass and vocals. And no drums. βBut Nancyβ you ask, bewildered, βarenβt the Four Seasons known for their kickass drumming?β Yes, kids, thatβs true and thereβs a very good explanation. Read on.
The only member of the Four Seasons who played drums was Frankie Valli and heβll tell you himself he wasnβt very good at it. Since they never had a member of the group to sit behind the kit, they always used session drummers. The most popular studio drummer at the time was Buddy Saltzman who, from 1955 through 1968 was the most used studio drummer in recording history. Let me repeat that: from 1955 through 1968, Buddy Saltzman was the most used studio drummer in recording history. Saltzman once said, “All I ever wanted to do was play drums and provide for my family.” Without a doubt, Buddy Saltzman fulfilled his goals in spades and in the process he helped create some of the coolest and longest-lasting music of the twentieth century.
Bob Gaudio, along with producer Bob Crewe, became the Four Seasonβs chief songwriter as the group cranked out R&B and R&R hits, first for Vee Jay and then for Philips Records. Among the top-10 hits from the group’s golden period was the song Iβm showcasing today β “Dawn (Go Away)” from 1964.
βDawnβ was the groupβs first record on the Philips label and would have been a runaway #1 hit in the US if not for those pesky Beatles. βDawnβ entered the Top 40 on February 8, 1964 and climbed to #3 the week of February 22, behind βI Want To Hold Your Handβ and βShe Loves Youβ. It stayed at #3 for three weeks when it was bumped to #4 by βPlease Please Meβ. By March 28 it was at #5 as βTwist And Shoutβ entered the Top 5. On April 4, βDawnβ was out of the Top 10 and the Beatles held all five top positions. Boy! Talk about tough competition! In February 1964, 60% of the singles sold in the US were by the Beatles; the second-biggest seller was the Four Seasons. I wonder what Frankie Valli was thinking during that time.
Written by Bob Gaudio and Sandy Linzer, βDawnβ was called a self-deprecating song, with Frankie Valli constantly telling the girl that heβs not good enough for her: βThink what the future would be with a poor boy like me.β As Frankie Valli explained, “We sang songs about men and their situations with women, and about how things don’t always go the way you want them to.”
I chose to feature βDawn (Go Away)β today to highlight the impact of the British Invasion on American artists and because itβs a damn fine song but a big reason for going with βDawnβ is Buddy Saltzman, the previously mentioned session drummer. Buddyβs really kicking it in this song; he accented the recording with bombastic around-the-kit fills as well as the softer ghost notes while never using a cymbal once. I donβt have to tell you to listen for the drums; theyβre in your face in the best possible way β¦. Buddy Saltzmanβs way.
Thereβs a ton more to be said about the Four Seasons but I’d much rather listen to their music.
From 1964, this is βDawn (Go Away)β
In 1967 Frankie Valli began a parallel solo career. Due to the competition from groups from the UK, his popularity and that of the group declined in the mid 60s but rebounded in the 70s when both Valli and the Four Seasons had #1 singles before being relegated to the oldies circuit.
So where are the band members now? Incredibly, Frankie Valli celebrated his 89th birthday last year and is still performing! Bob Gaudio turned 81 in 2023 and is generally retired but still appears at various Four Seasons-related events. Tommy DeVito died in 2020 at the age of 92 after battling COVID. He had quit the group in 1970 but reunited with the band on several occasions. Nick Massi passed away from cancer on Christmas Eve in 2000, age 73.
The story of the Four Seasons was dramatized in the long-running Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Jersey Boys. The groupβs original line-up was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999 and the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2017. They are one of the best-selling musical groups of all time, having sold an estimated 100 million records worldwide.
Thatβs my story and Iβm not even going to bore you about the time I met Frankie Vallie 20 years ago on the set of βThe Sopranosβ. He was Rusty Millio; this episode should have been called “Rusty (Go Away)”.
Thanks to Glyn for hosting another month of Mixed Music Bag.
Frequently, the trick of cover songs is to take the bombastic and quiet it down, ‘acoustify‘ a track, if you will. Jimi Hendrix does the opposite here, morphing folkie Bob Dylan into a churning R&R freight train, fueled by the urgent guitar licks that only Hendrix could pull off. Jimi was a super-fan of Dylan and recorded a number of pristine covers, but years later, “All Along The Watchtower” remains the cream of the crop and the songβs definitive remake version.
But first, from 1967, here is Bob Dylan with “All Along The Watchtower”
You’re gonna wanna raise the volume for this, then stand back. Here’s Hendrix with his amped-up cover of “Watchtower”.
The Motown Sound has something extra-special about it. Berry Gordy, Jr. knew people would be listening on their car stereos and transistor radios and he was going to do what it took to make songs sound good and memorable. Even if you couldnβt put your finger on it, when a Motown song came on, baby, you knew it. Still do.
Before Motown, there was Tamla. Berry Gordy realized that the way to make money was to produce his own records for his own label. In 1959 he founded Tamla Records with an $800 loan from his family; he added the Motown label later that year. The Tamla label remained in operation until being merged with Motownβs main line at the end of 1986. Tamlaβs second release wasΒ “Merry-Go-Round” by Eddie Holland in 1959.
Charismatic and handsome with a good voice, Eddie Holland had a promising career as a singer except one big problem kept him behind the scenes …. stage fright. His time as a singer may have been short-lived but, as part of the team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, Eddie realized a long and successful career in songwriting and production.
Let’s have a listen now to Tamla Label’s Eddie Holland with “Merry-Go-Round”.
And this is what was on the B side …. “It Moves Me”
The topic today at Song Lyric Sundayis to write about a song(s) dealing with children and/or families, two themes that clearly go hand-in-hand.
We have a serious tune today, a classic song thatβs a lesson and a warning to parents everywhere. The song sends a powerful message which needs to be heeded before everything slips away and is lost forever. Sounds ominous, doesnβt it?
My featured performer today is Harry Chapin, born in NYC in 1942 and cousin of Mary Chapin Carpenter. Music was always in Harryβs life and his three siblings also became musicians. His wife, Sandy, was a writer and todayβs song is based on a poem which she wrote. At first, Harry wasnβt crazy about the poem but after the birth of his son, he decided to give it another look.
The result was a song of regret, the sad tale of a man who only had time for his work and put everything before the needs of his young son who emulated his dad and eventually grew up to be βjust like himβ. That song is βCatβs In The Cradleβ which was a huge hit for Harry Chapin in 1974, being his only #1 song. It was nominated for a Grammy in 1975 and was inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 2011.
Music magazine Cash Box called βCatβs In The Cradleβ a “lyrical delight, atender story of a father and his son and a perfect representation of how roles change in the relationship over the yearsβ. Record World said that the song “deals with the preoccupations plaguing parenthood” and that it βbridges the generation gap by pointing up mutual faultsβ.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase “Cat’s in the cradle,” which is a reference to a child’s nursery rhyme about a cat sleeping in a cradle. The phrase serves as a metaphor for the passing of time and the changing relationship between father and son.
Sadly, on July 16, 1981, Harry Chapin died at the age of 38. He was killed in an accident on the Long Island Expressway when his Volkswagen Rabbit was rear-ended by a tractor trailer truck. He was on his way to perform at a benefit concert when the accident occurred. In addition to being a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Harry Chapin was a philanthropist and hunger activist. As a dedicated humanitarian who fought to end world hunger, he was a key participant in the creation of the Presidential Commission on World Hunger in 1977. In 1987 he was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his humanitarian work.
There are many different videos for βCatβs In The Cradleβ but this is my favorite. Letβs have a listen to Harry Chapin.
In keeping with the theme today of children and/or dfamilies, here is Harry Chapinβs daughter, Jen, performing his song.
Heavy metal band Ugly Kid Joe also released their own cover; while staying faithful to the original, they chose to remove the apostrophe from the title. Interpreted literally, there is more than one cat in their cradle. This is Ugly Kid Joe with βCats In The Cradleβ.
Lyrics
My child arrived just the other day He came to the world in the usual way But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay He learned to walk while I was away And he was talking ‘fore I knew it, and as he grew He’d say “I’m gonna be like you, dad” “You know I’m gonna be like you”
And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon Little boy blue and the man in the moon “When you coming home, dad?” “I don’t know when” But we’ll get together then You know we’ll have a good time then
My son turned ten just the other day He said, thanks for the ball, dad, come on let’s play Can you teach me to throw, I said-a, not today I got a lot to do, he said, that’s okay And he, he walked away, but his smile never dimmed It said, I’m gonna be like him, yeah You know I’m gonna be like him
And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon Little boy blue and the man in the moon “When you coming home, dad?” “I don’t know when” But we’ll get together then You know we’ll have a good time then
Well, he came from college just the other day So much like a man I just had to say Son, I’m proud of you, can you sit for a while? He shook his head, and they said with a smile What I’d really like, dad, is to borrow the car keys See you later, can I have them please?
And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon Little boy blue and the man in the moon “When you coming home, son?” “I don’t know when” But we’ll get together then, dad You know we’ll have a good time then
I’ve long since retired, my son’s moved away I called him up just the other day I said, I’d like to see you if you don’t mind He said, I’d love to, dad, if I can find the time You see, my new job’s a hassle, and the kids have the flu But it’s sure nice talking to you, dad It’s been sure nice talking to you And as I hung up the phone, it occurred to me He’d grown up just like me My boy was just like me
And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon Little boy blue and the man in the moon “When you coming home, son?” “I don’t know when” But we’ll get together then, dad We’re gonna have a good time then
“Because“ Written by: Lennon/McCartney Recorded: August 1, 4 & 5, 1969 Producer: George Martin Engineers: Geoff Emerick, Phil McDonald
Released: September 26, 1969 (UK), October 1, 1969 (US)
Available on: Abbey Road Anthology 3 Love
Personnel: John Lennon: vocals, lead guitar Paul McCartney: vocals, bass George Harrison: vocals, Moog synthesizer George Martin: electric spinet Baldwin harpsichord Ringo Starr: handclaps (for timing purposes)
The ballad βBecauseβ features a tightly woven, lush harmony vocal performance between John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison, overdubbed three times to make nine voices in all.
The story has been told that this song is actually “Moonlight Sonata” by Ludwig van Beethoven played backwards, which is a gross simplification, but itβs safe to say Beethovenβs famous piece certainly served as an inspiration for the song. And it certainly wasn’t the first time the Beatles experimented with recording music (and lyrics) backwards.
It took 23 attempts over a 3-day period to achieve a finished product everyone was happy with. Thatβs not terribly long when youβre aspiring for perfection.
Here, in my opinion, is the perfect ballad by the Beatles. This is “Because”.
Lyrics
Aah Because the world is round It turns me on Because the world is round
Aah Because the wind is high It blows my mind Because the wind is high
Aah Love is old, love is new Love is all, love is you
Because the sky is blue It makes me cry Because the sky is blue Aah
Welcome to Birthday Thursdays! Each week I will feature someone from the world of music whose birthday falls on this day. There wonβt be any chit chat from me, no facts and figures β just some great tunes (and an occasional surprise). Check it out right here every Thursday and enjoy the music.
Happy Birthday to Eddie Money Born March 21, 1949 in Brooklyn, New York
This is something that I canβt say very often so Iβm going to say it loud and clear:
IβM A LITTLE TOO YOUNGto remember sitting around the radio listening to the tunes of my featured group but Iβm well familiar with them and their many songs just the same. They were extremely important in the development and acceptance of R&R music; itβs a known fact this group strongly influenced the Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, the Hollies, the Beach Boys, the Bee Gees and other groups; in fact, their records are included in John Lennonβs personal juke box.
Iβm talking about the Everly Brothers, the American rock duo known for their steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close harmony singing. The duo, consisting of Don and Phil, grew up in a musical family in Knoxville, Tennessee; they combined elements of R&R, country and pop, becoming pioneers of country rock.
The brothers began writing and recording their own music inΒ 1956 and their first hit song, “Bye Bye Love”, came in 1957, written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant. That song hit #1 later in the year and additional hits quickly followed, including βWake Up, Little Susieβ and βAll I Have To Do Is Dreamβ. Β When Phil and Don enlisted in the US Marine Corps Reserve in 1961, their output dropped off; additional hit singles continued through 1962, with βThatβs Old Fashioned (Thatβs The Way Love Should Be)β being their last top-10 hit.
No need to drag out your old transistor radio; Iβve got those top three Everly Brothers tunes right here. Letβs go in order, starting with βBye, Bye Loveβ. Here are Phil & Don, the Everly Brothers.
βWake Up, Little Susieβ
βAll I Have To Do Is Dreamβ
Thanks for joining me today and thanks to Glyn for hosting Mixed Music Bag.
The Elephant's Trunk 