Back in 1972, The Lemon Twigs opened up for Badfinger and Big Star. I’ve read that it was considered one of the best power pop concerts ever.
Well…I’m sorry readers…I just lied…The Lemon Twigs were not even born at that time…but if they jumped in a time machine…they could easily walk right in and open for those bands. They sound and look 1970s power popish to the core.
I just picked an “older” (from 2023!) song by random because I haven’t heard anything from them that I don’t like. They were formed by brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario. They grew up in Long Island, New York, and were exposed to music from an early age through their family, who are also musicians.
They had great influences. The brothers were influenced by their father’s record collection, which included classic rock artists like The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and The Kinks. They began playing music together as children, experimenting with various instruments and songwriting.
Michael got into acting when he was 4 years old. Here is his IMDB profile. Michael was born in 1998 and Brian was born in 1997. They started to play music when they were 6 and 8 years old. They released their first album (a cassette tape) when in 2015. Their debut album came out in 2016 called Do Hollywood. The album got positive reviews from critics. Together they have 6 albums out. The last one just came out called A Dream Is All We Know.
This song was on the Everything Harmony album released in 2023. The song is credited to The Lemon Twigs. That is the smartest thing to do for the band. REM did that and unlike many other bands…getting writing credits is not a problem. I first heard about them a while back. A commenter commented on a power pop track I had and mentioned The Lemon Twigs. Jeff and Christian have brought them up recently also.
In My Head
In my head, in my head I am different in my head I am someone else instead In my head, in my head
In my mind, in my mind There is sadness all the time And I keep the things I find In my mind, in my mind
And never do I share these things with anyone The feeling is cold and I’m afraid Strangers passing, mm
In my dream, in my dream There are symbols that repeat (symbols that repeat) There are copies in the street (again and again) In my dream, in my dream (again and again) (Again and again)
And never do I share these things with anyone The feeling is cold and I’m afraid Strangers passing, mm
And I am done, even gone Feeling nothing, feeling numb Feeling nice, made of neon shining ice Strangers passing, mm
Ooh, ooh, ooh Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh) La-la-la, la la la La-la-la, la la la la La-la-la, la la la la La-la-la, la la la
La-la-la, la la la La-la-la, la la la la La-la-la, la la la la La-la-la, la la la
You don’t hear voices like this every day. The soulful voice the man had was breathtaking.
The songwriting credit for the song has Charles “LC” Cooke, who was Cooke’s brother. Some say he was mistakenly credited and that Sam Cooke wrote it. It’s also said that Sam Cooke wrote the song but gave the credit to his brother because he didn’t want his publisher to get profits off the song. That is the story I believe. This song is credited to Sam Cooke with The Bumps Blackwell Orchestra.
*The song peaked at #1 on the Billboard 100, #1 on the R&B Charts, and #29 in the UK in 1957. Sam Cooke is one of the artists that you have to think…what could have been if he hadn’t had such a tragic death at such a young age… Not that he didn’t have a very successful career to that point. He had 20 Top Ten Hits, 29 Top 40 Hits, and 4 Number 1 hits in the R&B Charts.
In the Billboard 100, he had 34 songs in the top 100 and 4 top ten hits. He died when he was only 33 years old. I would suggest reading All Things Thriller’spost about Sam Cooke’s death.
*I looked up the chart position for this song. In Wiki and a Billboard database, it has number 1. I go to Billboard’s site and it doesn’t list the song as even charting… which is crazy. From what I’ve read…the charts changed that year in Billboard…maybe that was part of this. The B side was Summertime.
Art Garfunkel: “I must have sung ‘You Send Me’ to myself walking up and down stairwells at least a thousand times. It was on the charts right when I was having my first little success with Paul Simon as Tom and Jerry. I was just a kid, calling on radio stations for promotional purposes, and all I heard was ‘You Send Me.’ Sam was great to sing along with. He was my hero.”
You Send Me
Darling, you send me
I know you send me
Darling, you send me
Honest, you do, honest, you do
Honest, you do, whoa
You thrill me
I know you, you, you thrill me
Darling, you, you, you, you thrill me
Honest, you do
At first I thought it was infatuation
But, woo, it’s lasted so long
Now I find myself wanting
To marry you and take you home, whoa
You, you, you, you send me
I know you send me
I know you send me
Honest you do
Whoa-oh-oh, whenever I’m with you
I know, I know, I know when I’m near you
Mm hmm, mmm hmm, honest, you do, honest, you do
Whoa-oh-oh, I know-oh-oh-oh
I know, I know, I know, when you hold me
Whoa, whenever you kiss me
Mm hmm, mm hmm, honest you do
At first I thought it was infatuation
But, woo, it’s lasted so long
Now I find myself wanting
To marry you and take you home
I know, I know, I know you send me
I know you send me
Whoa, you, you, you, you send me
Honest you do
I love horror anthologies. They were really big in the early seventies. The Amicus Productions company made quite a few good ones. I remember some of these as kids…especially number Tales from the Crypt. I’m going to list my top 5 of only Amicus today.
I am working on a post that lists my favorite 5-10 Anthologies of all time. Today I want to focus on the British film company Amicus. One actor that they depended on a lot was Peter Cushing. He is in all of the ones below except for Vault Of Horror.
Amicus Productions was a British film production company specializing in horror and suspense anthology films during the 1960s and 1970s. The company was founded in 1962 by Americans Milton Subotsky and Max Rosenberg, who aimed to replicate the success of Hammer Film Productions, another prominent British studio known for its horror films.
Despite their success, Amicus struggled financially in the late 1970s due to changing audience tastes and the declining popularity of horror anthology films. Milton Subotsky eventually left the company in 1975, and without his creative leadership, Amicus gradually faded from the spotlight.
The good news though… it was announced in 2023 that Amicus will be coming back to film production…they are trying to make a film called In The Grip of Terror.
Below are the 5 and most descriptions I got from IMDB. My favorite anthology horror is at the bottom.
Asylum 1972
A young psychiatrist interviews four inmates in a mental asylum to satisfy a requirement for employment. He hears stories about 1) the revenge of a murdered wife, 2) a tailor who makes a suit with some highly unusual qualities, 3) a woman who questions her sanity when it appears that her brother is conspiring against her, and 4) a man who builds tiny toy robots with lifelike human heads.
The Complete Movie
Vault Of Horror 1973
Five strangers board a descending lift, one by one, in a modern office block in London. They reach the sub-basement and find a large, elaborately furnished room that appears to be a gentlemen’s club. Resigned to waiting for help, they settle down with drinks and talk. The conversation turns to dreams, and each man tells of a recurring nightmare. Tom Baker is in the last episode of this one. My personal favorite Doctor of the Doctor Who franchise.
The complete movie!
From Beyond The Grave
The first tale, titled “The Gate Crasher” stars David Warner and has a sort of Hellraiser feel about it, as he buys an old mirror from the antique store and it turns out to be inhabited by a ghost-like thing that entices Warner into bringing it fresh blood. It’s not a bad story, though I feel that more could have been made of it. 2) Story number two is the best and focuses on a man who steals a war medal from the antique store to impress a former army man and ends up getting more than he bargained for. This tale is very strange and stars Donald Pleasance in one of his weirder roles. It’s imaginative and inventive, and therefore interesting as it’s impossible to tell where it’s going. 3) Story number three, “The Elemental” is a fun little story, though there isn’t really a great deal of point to it. 4) The fourth and final tale appears to be the centerpiece and focuses on an old wooden door that gives way to an expansive blue room. This is a decent little story and we get to watch Lesley-Anne Down wielding an axe, which makes it worthwhile.
Overall, From Beyond the Grave is everything an anthology should be: it’s fun and interesting in the right places. There are plenty of plot holes, but also no need to pay them any mind. From Beyond the Grave comes highly recommended to horror fans!
The House That Dripped Blood
Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Joss Ackland, Jon Pertwee all star in this 4 story anthology.
A Scotland Yard investigator looks into four mysterious cases involving an unoccupied house and its tragic previous tenants: 1) A hack novelist encounters a strangler who’s the villain of his books, leading his wife to question his sanity, 2) Two men are obsessed with a wax figure of a woman from their past, 3) A little girl with a stern, widowed father displays an interest in witchcraft, and 4) An arrogant horror film actor purchases a black cloak which gives him a vampire’s powers.
Here is the complete movie!
Tales From The Crypt
Joan Collins, Peter Cushing are among the actors in the movie. To me… this is the best anthology horror. Five people meet deep in a cave and they don’t know how they got there. They soon find out how and why and what is about to happen to them.
Five people come upon a catacomb and take the tour. After they get lost, they find they’re trapped, and they see The Crypt Keeper (Sir Ralph Richardson). He asks them each to see why they’re there: (1) And All Through the House: Christmas Eve, Joanne Clayton (Dame Joan Collins) kills her husband (Martin Boddey) expecting to receive his insurance. She hears on the wireless that the police are seeking an escaped homicidal maniac posing as Santa. When the man knocks on her door, she can’t phone the Police, and she has a Christmas surprise. (2) Reflection of Death: Carl Maitland (Ian Hendry) leaves his wife (Susan Denny) and children for his mistress, but something happens during his journey. (3) Poetic Justice: the widowed janitor, Arthur Edward Grimsdyke (Peter Cushing) is a good man who spends his leisure time with the children from the neighborhood. His heartless neighbor doesn’t like him and destroys his life, leading Grimsdyke to commit suicide on Valentine’s Day. A year later, Grimsdyke rises from his tomb seeking revenge. (4) Wish You Were Here: dirty businessman Ralph Jason (Richard Greene) is bankrupt, and his lawyer and friend, Charles Gregory (Roy Dotrice), tells him he must sell his real estate. When he tells his wife Enid (Barbara Murray), she recalls they have a statue with a legend; it’ll grant three wishes to the owner. She makes the wishes, and leads Ralph to eternal damnation. (5) Blind Alleys: cruel Major Rogers (Nigel Patrick) comes to the Elmridge home for the blind, with his dog, to be the new director. He tortures the internees until the day they get revenge. Soon, the internees discover they’re at the gate of Hell.
I believe I first heard this by Eric Clapton in the late seventies when I was a kid. I always liked the song but this version is great as well. It’s the cool rhythm that draws me in. One of the best and most copied rhythms in rock.
In some circles, Otis was known as “the godfather of rhythm and blues.” He was a multi-talented musician, known primarily as a drummer, vibraphonist, pianist, singer, and composer. He led his own band, the Johnny Otis Orchestra, which played a significant role in the development of West Coast rhythm and blues.
He earned that title. He helped in discovering and promoting such musicians as Etta James, Big Mama Thornton, and Jackie Wilson. Otis was a white musician who immersed himself in black music and culture. He was accepted in that community and became an advocate for racial integration and civil rights. Otis was also a popular radio DJ, hosting shows that showcased rhythm and blues music and spreading the word of that genre.
Johnny wrote this song and released it in 1958. It peaked at #1 on the Billboard R&B Charts and #9 on the Billboard 100. It’s one of the most catchy rhythms in rock and roll next to the Bo Diddley rhythm or Who Do You Love…it very well could be called a variation of Bo Diddley.
When he played this live his audience would mimic a dance and clap they had to the song. Some had said that the song was about masturbation…something that Johnny Otis denied until he passed away in 2012 at the age of 90. I think some people spend their lives trying to find something controversial in everything. I guess I’m guilty of it at times.
According to secondhandsongs.com there are 69 versions of this song. Artists that covered the song include Cliff Richard, The Crickets, Sonny Burgess, The Gentrys, The Tremeloes, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Fleetwood Mac, Eric Clapton, George Thorogood, and I’ve heard The Grateful Dead do it live on a few clips I’ve seen.
Willie and the Hand Jive
I know a cat named Way-Out Willie He got a cool little chick named Rockin’ Billie Do you walk and stroll with Susie Q And do that crazy hand jive too?
Papa told Willie “you’ll ruin my home You and that hand jive has got to go” Willie said “papa, don’t put me down Been doin’ that hand jive all over town”
Hand jive, hand jive Hand jive, doin’ that crazy hand jive
Mama, mama, look at uncle Joe, look at him He’s doin’ that hand jive with sister Flo Even gave baby sister a dime, hey, hey Said “do that hand jive one more time”
Well, a doctor and a lawyer and a indian chief They all dig that crazy beat Way-Out Willie gave them all a treat, yeah When he did the hand jive with his feet
Hand jive, hand jive Hand jive, doin’ that crazy hand jive, hey, hey Come on, sugar, yeah!
Well, Willie and Billie got married last fall They had a little Willie Junior and that ain’t all You know that baby got greatness and it’s plain to see, hey, hey Doin’ that hand jive on T.V., come on
Hand jive, hand jive (Why don’t you) hand jive, doin’ that crazy hand jive
What a groundbreaking band Thin Lizzy was at the time. You had a black Irish singer, Phil Lynott, who reminded people of Van Morrison singing and a little of Springsteen in some of his writing…all in a harder rock format. Thin Lizzy revolutionized the dual synchronized guitar attack. Other bands that did the same in the future would use Thin Lizzy as a how-to guide.
The dual guitar is on display here…one playing lead and the other playing the same lead an octave higher. Other bands had two and sometimes three guitarists but they usually didn’t play in unison like Thin Lizzy. It made for a different sound. Now you can use a guitar effect to get close to that on one guitar. Brian May would do it with Queen at times on recordings.
The song was written by Brian Downey, Scott Gorham, and Phil Lynott. It was on the album Bad Reputation released in 1977. The album peaked at #4 in the UK, #39 on the Billboard Album Charts, and #44 in Canada. The album sold very well and went gold.
The song was not a hit but it was played on FM radio stations at the time. It’s one of the songs they are remembered by like Whiskey In A Jar, The Boys Are Back In Town, Jailbreak, and my personal favorite The Cowboy Song.
The members of Thin Lizzy were bassist and singer Phil Lynott, Drummer Brian Downey, guitarist Brian Robertson, and guitarist Scott Gorham. Gary Moore was a member for a few months and also Them’s keyboardist Erix Wrixon but Moore and Wrixon didn’t stay long.
Scott Gorham: “Well, I had the riff down. Phil came up and he says, ‘We need to do an off-time thing with this.’ He started to work with Brian Downey on that, and that’s when they came up with this strange timing that you don’t usually associate with Thin Lizzy. I listened to that and went, ‘Man, that is so fu–ing cool, it’s unbelievable,’ and I jumped in on it. Then it kind of developed itself from there.”
“‘Bad Reputation’ was one of those songs that came together really quickly, as soon as we had that off-timing tagline come in, everything just fell into place, all the harmony guitar work and all that, the lead guitar thing. Phil’s idea from it, from the riff itself, he just thought, you know, something along the lines of, ‘Man, this could give us a really bad reputation. That’s it. That’s what we’re going to call this song.’ And he started writing this song called ‘Bad Reputation.'”
Bad Reputation
You’ve got a bad reputation That’s the word out on the town It gives a certain fascination But it can only bring you down
You better turn yourself around Turn yourself around Turn it upside down Turn yourself around
You had bad breaks, well, that’s tough luck You play too hard, too much rough stuff You’re too sly, so cold That bad reputation has made you old
Turn yourself around Turn yourself around Turn it upside down Turn yourself around
I first heard Tim Buckley on, of all things, The Monkees television show. As a kid I remember hearing how great his voice was. I was around 7 so I had no clue who he was. Here is that clip that I saw around 1974. The first time I saw Frank Zappa was on the Monkees as well. At the end of the Monkee’s second and final season, they had almost full control and they used it as much as possible to promote artists they liked.
Buzzin’ Fly was released in 1969 on the Happy Sad album. On this album, he was transitioning from his earlier folk sound to a more jazz-influenced and experimental style. The album was produced by former Lovin’ Spoonful members Zal Yanovsky and Jerry Yester.
This was released at the height of his popularity. The album peaked at #81 on the Billboard Album Charts in 1969. When he started experimenting and moving away from his folk sound it upset some of his long-time fans. After this album, his popularity decreased because he moved toward a jazz feel.
This song was written before the other songs on the album. Buzzin’ Fly was written around 1966. It was performed with his high school band Harlequin 3, with bassist Jim Fielder and later lyricist, Larry Beckett.
The song became one of the most requested songs in concert that he had at the time. Gregg Allman called Tim Buckley and wanted to do an album with him in 1975 and Buckley agreed…but the world would lose Tim Buckley after an overdose in June of 1975 at age 28.
Buzzin’ Fly
Just like a buzzin’ fly I come into your life Now I float away Like honey in the sun Was it right or wrong I couldn’t sing that song anyway
Oh, but darlin’ Now I remember How the sun shown down And how it warmed your prayin’ smile When all the love was there
You’re the one I talk about You’re the one I think about Everywhere I go And sometimes honey In the mornin’ Lord, I miss you so
That’s how I know I found a home That’s how I know I found a home
Oh, hear the mountains singing Lord, I can hear them ringing, darlin’, Out your name And tell me if you know Just how the river flows Down to the sea
Now I wanna know Everything about you I wanna know Everything about you
What makes ya smile What makes ya wild What makes ya love me this way Darlin’ I wanna know Darlin’ I wanna know
You’re the one I talk about You’re the one I think about Everywhere I go And sometimes honey In the mornin’ Lord, I miss you so
That’s how I know I found a home That’s how I know I found a home
A-walkin’ hand in hand And all along the sand A seabird knew your name He knew your love was growin’ Lord, I think it knows it’s flowin’ Thru you and me
Ah, tell me darlin’ When I should leave you, Ah, tell me darlin’ I don’t want to grieve you…
Just like a buzzin’ fly I come into your life Now I float away Like honey in the sun Was it right or wrong I couldn’t sing that song anyway
Oh, but darlin’ Now I remember How the sun shown down And how it warmed your prayin’ smile When all the love was there
You’re the one I talk about You’re the one I think about Everywhere I go And sometimes honey In the mornin’ Lord, I miss you so…
You know I’m gonna shoot my woman Cause she’s foolin’ around with too many men
Before I start this I want to thank Randy from Mostly Music Covers. While writing this up the song title I had was “Bring Me My Shotgun” but I couldn’t find the album it was on. I’m a babe in the woods with blues…so I asked Randy and Shotgun Blues was recorded in 1948. As far as I can tell he did re-record many of his songs and this one around 1960. I’ll include the earlier version of Shotgun Blues and the 1960 version named Bring Me My Shotgun..at least for this post. He would change up the lyrics in some versions. What made it confusing was that he changed the way he did the vocals a little as well… again thank you, Randy.
I’m sitting with headphones on listening to Lightnin’ Hopkins and it’s like he is in the room with me. I’ve never posted anything about him before but I wanted to clear that up today.
He was born in Texas and He grew up in a musical family and learned the blues from his older cousin, country blues legend Blind Lemon Jefferson. Jefferson and Hopkins started to play together at church gatherings. Hopkins started performing in the 1920s and 1930s in the local Texas blues scene. By the mid-30s Hopkins was sent to a prison farm but the reason is unknown. He described working on a road gang and being shackled to his bunk at night.
In the mid-1940s he was teamed with a Houston piano player named Wilson “Thunder” Smith. They were known as Thunder an’ Lightnin’ and they had a local hit named Katie May with Aladdin Records. Hopkins would record with many different labels throughout the rest of his life. The Folk-Blues revival was stirring in 1959, and Folkways producer Sam Charters persuaded Lightning (with the help of a bottle of gin!) to record 10 tracks in the shabby room where he had been living in Houston. I have one of them below called “Hopkins Sky Hop.” Bring Me My Shotgun was released in 1960.
He started to get popular, especially with the British white soon-to-be musicians. He worked the College and club circuit, toured Europe with the Folk/Blues Festival, and starred at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. He found an appreciative new audience of rock fans who heard this great guitarist who lived the blues.
He later headlined over the Jefferson Airplane and he played with the Grateful Dead a few times. He recorded dozens of albums through the 60s and 70s. He finally left us in 1982.
Bring Me My Shotgun
Woah, go bring me my shotgun
Oh I’m gonna start shootin’ again
Go bring me my shotgun
You know I just got to start shootin’ again
You know I’m gonna shoot my woman
Cause she’s foolin’ around with too many men
Yes bring me my shotgun
Yes man and a pocket full of shells
Yes go bring me my shotgun
Yes man and a pocket full of shells
Yeah you know I’m gonna kill that woman
I’m gonna throw her in that old deep dug well
Hide her from everybody they won’t know where she at
That woman said Lightnin’ you can’t shoot me
She said now you is dead of tryin’
I don’t take a day off for nobody
She said Lightnin’ you can’t shoot me
She said yes and you dare to try
I said the only reason I don’t shoot you little woman
My double barrel shotgun, it just won’t fire
High wire fencing on the playground High rise housing all around High rise prices on the high street High time to pull it all down
I’ve heard of this band…Dave posted something before but I never listened to a lot of their songs. CB sent me a link and off I went. The Tom Robinson Band was a British rock band formed in 1976. The band was named after its frontman, Tom Robinson, a singer-songwriter and bassist. Their music was influenced by punk rock and new wave, and they were associated with the punk scene in London during the late 1970s.
Truth is…I could have picked MANY songs but this one talked to me. It’s fairly well known and since I always like to pick a song that would ring a bell for the first song of an artist I never posted before…I picked this one. He did have a top 10 hit in the UK in 1977 with 2-4-6-8 Motorway. More than punk or new wave…he reminds me a lot of Springsteen, Joplin, and Phil Lynott…spitting out words like his life depended on it. You can see, feel, and hear the intensity as he sings. These are the kind of artists that I like… the ones that give you everything they have. Robinson not only gave everything but is a hell of a writer on top of that.
He often addressed political and social issues, including themes of anti-racism, LGBT rights, and other causes. Tom Robinson himself was openly gay in the 1970s, and this was reflected in his music, making him an important figure in that community at the time.
This song was inspired by actual events, particularly the “Battle of Lewisham” in 1977, where anti-fascist protesters clashed with members of the National Front during a march. The song captures the tension and conflict between protesters and police.
This song was on his album Power in the Darkness album released in 1977. Robinson and Roy Butterfield wrote this song. The album peaked at #4 in the UK and #144 on the Billboard Album Charts. One note about the album which I think is brilliant. They included a stencil much like the album cover but with a warning…”This stencil is not meant for spraying on public property!!!”
The song peaked at #33 in the UK in 1978.
Up Against The Wall
Darkhaired dangerous schoolkids Vicious, suspicious sixteen Jet-black blazers at the bus stop Sullen, unhealthy and mean Teenage guerillas on the tarmac Fighting in the middle of the road Supercharged FS1Es on the asphalt The kids are coming in from the cold
Look out, listen can you hear it Panic in the County Hall Look out, listen can you hear it Whitehall, up against a wall Up against the wall…
High wire fencing on the playground High rise housing all around High rise prices on the high street High time to pull it all down White boys kicking in a window Straight girls watching where they gone Never trust a copper in a crime car Just whose side are you on?
Look out, listen can you hear it Panic in the County Hall Look out, listen can you hear it Whitehall, up against a wall Up against the wall… Against the wall
Consternation in Brixton Rioting in Notting Hill Gate Fascists marching on the high street Carving up the welfare state Operator get me the hotline Father can you hear me at all? Telephone kiosk out of order Spraycan writing on the wall
Look out, listen can you hear it Panic in the County Hall Look out, listen can you hear it Whitehall, up against a wall Look out, listen can you hear it Panic in the County Hall Look out, listen can you hear it Whitehall, up against a wall Up against the wall Up against the wall
Apple has released a clean version of the Let It Be film. Today they dropped a new video of the song Let It Be. I have had this movie since the 80s but you could only get a terrible quality version. This video shows how clear it will be as in The Get Back film a few years ago.
My only complaint is I wish the Let It Be version would have included George’s distorted solo.
This is the video of the title song they just released today.
I had never heard of this band but I like this song. You probably have heard of the song that two of the members made when this band was over.
Danny Wilde and Phil Solem originally met each other at a party, where they bonded over a stack of David Bowie, Brian Eno, Roxy Music, and Cheap Trick records. At the time, Solem and Wilde were just 20. Solem was performing around Los Angeles with a power pop band called Loose Change. Wilde was playing in a power-pop band The Quick. When the Quick dissolved, Wilde and his Quick bandmate, bassist Ian Ainsworth, formed Great Buildings and recruited Solem to join, adding vocals and guitar work that created
In the early eighties, they were the LA band with the best shot at Top 40 radio. From the start, the band kept a relatively low profile on the local club circuit and got their big break with Columbia and released their album Apart From The Crowd in 1981.
Well Apart From The Crowd was ignored by radio programmers and the public in general. You would think right after The Knack had exploded on the scene…these guys would get some play…but that didn’t happen. Hold On To Something is pure power pop and a good bit of ear candy. It sounds very radio-friendly.
After Great Buildings broke up, members Danny Wilde and Phil Solem, started The Rembrandts and would make considerable waves around the globe with their hit (and Friends theme song) “I’ll Be There For You,” while Ainsworth would make a name for himself as a producer.
Phil Solem: “Our m.o. is to only put out things that have a timeless kind of quality to it, that isn’t going to be time-stamped in some era,” Solem says. “And, so far, our records have done pretty well with that.”
Hold On To Something
Late night, the house is empty still
Wish I could hold you close to me
No right to leave me here this way
I thought love was here to stay tonight
Tonight
Hold on, hold on
Just hold on to something
Hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on
Just hold on to something
Hold on, hold on
Ha!
Pressure, so you refuse to share
And you forget to care at all
Something, something besides just you
And no matter if it’s true tonight
Tonight
Hold on, hold on
Just hold on to something
Hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on
Just hold on to something
Hold on, hold on
You might also like
…And The Light Goes On
Great Buildings
…And The Light Goes On
Great Buildings
Cupid (Twin Version)
I’ve got to deny myself once
Just ignore the fronts that keep me from you
Oh, you
Oh
Hold on, hold on
Just hold on to something
Hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on
Just hold on to something
Hold on, hold on
Hold on, hold on
Baby, you just gotta hold on
Hold on, hold on
Well, hold on
Well, hold on, hold on
Baby, baby, baby, hold on
Hold on, hold on, hold on
Yeah!
When I first saw the Michael Myers character Austin Powers I automatically thought of Peter Asher. I learned about them in the 80s while listening to an oldies channel at where I used to work. Peter and Gordon were Peter Asher and Gordon Waller.
The first song I remember hearing and liking from them was I Go To Pieces. They were part of the British Invasion to come in after The Beatles. Peter Asher had a secret weapon. His sister was going out with Paul McCartney and McCartney was living at the Ashers at this time in a room beside Peters.
McCartney first gave the duo a song called A World Without Love that John Lennon rejected because of the first line he didn’t like (Please lock me away). The record was huge… it peaked at #1 in the US, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK in 1964. Paul wrote “World Without Love,” Nobody I Know,” “I Don’t Want To See You Again,” and “Woman” for the group. Woman though was different than the others.
Paul didn’t want the Lennon/McCartney name on this song. People were saying they were only hits because of who wrote the song. Peter and Gordon were told they were only jumping on the Beatle bandwagon. When this song was released it first got credited to A. Smith and then Bernard Webb. The song was rising up the charts but only after two weeks, it was traced back to Lennon and McCartney’s publishing company Northern Songs so it was exposed.
The song was a hit regardless peaking at #14 on the Billboard 100, #1 in Canada, #28 in the UK, and #7 in New Zealand in 1966. The duo would have other hits not written by McCartney like I Go To Pieces and Lady Godiva. They had a longer career than I first thought. Their success lasted until 1967 but not before they amassed 10 top 40 hits in America alone.
Peter Asher would later become head of A&R for Apple Records in 1968. He signed, produced, and managed James Taylor. After Allen Klein destroyed what was left of Apple Records, Asher packed up and moved to California. He took James Taylor with him and produced him through the seventies. He also picked up another artist and produced her…Linda Rondstadt. He also produced albums by J. D. Souther, Andrew Gold, and Bonnie Raitt. He also worked with Cher and 10,000 Mainiacs.
He became Senior Vice-President, of Sony Music Entertainment in 1995 and held that job until 2002 when he went back to artist management. .
Peter and Gordon reunited in 2005 and played concerts when they had time. They did this up until Gordon’s death in 2009 of a heart attack. Peter would go on to Sirus Radio doing a Beatle show on their Beatles channel called “From Me To You. ”
He also wrote a book on The Beatles called The Beatles From A to Zed. I just read it and it is really good. It’s not a biography on the Beatles or any dirt though…it’s a fun book and he goes through the alphabet and names Beatles songs, places, things, and etc corresponding to whatever letter he is on.
Woman
Woman, do you love me?
Woman, if you need me then
Believe me I need you
To be my woman
Woman, do you love me?
Woman, if you need me then
Believe me I need you
To be my woman
And should you ask me how I’m doing?
What shall I say? Things are okay
But I know that they’re not
And I still may have lost you
Woman, do you love me?
Woman, if you need me then
Believe me I need you
To be my woman
I guess you’ll take your time and tell me
When we’re alone, love will come home
I would give up my world
If you’ll say that my girl is my woman
I’ve got plenty of time (I’ve got plenty of time)
Time just to get through it
Once again you’ll be mine (once again you’ll be mine)
I still think we can do it
And you know how much I love you
Woman, don’t forsake me
Woman, if you take me then
Believe me I’ll take you
To be my woman
As a 6-year-old I watched the Monkees show in re-runs intently dreaming of one day forming a band and living all together. Most of that dream came true except the all living together…which we probably wouldn’t still like each other if that had happened. This song was popular with me because I remember the TV show and liked this song. The Monkees had their own MTV before MTV…their show would not only play videos of hits but album cuts as this was…and it’s a good one.
This song was written and produced by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart with lead vocals by Mickey Dolenz. He had one of the best pop voices in the sixties. “She” was on The Monkees’ second album More of the Monkees. This album was the last one they would not have much control over. The album was released without the band’s knowledge. They discovered it while they were in Cleveland, Ohio on tour. They were not happy at all. This album’s release was the key moment that started Mike Nesmith’s fight for control.
After the album was released Nesmith and the others met with Don Kirshner (the show and music creator). They met him in the Beverly Hills Hotel and Nesmith punched a hole in the wall and told Kirshner and his lawyer…“That could have been your face!” After that Nesmith was told to read his contract so Nesmith did the only thing he could do to break free from the control…he threatened to quit.
Kirshner refused to allow them to play instruments on their records, hiring seasoned studio musicians instead…although Nesmith and Tork did get to play some instruments on their first two albums. After Nesmith threatened to quit…the executives took notice. They dropped Kirshner from The Monkees completely. After he was dismissed from the Monkees…he created the Archies…because he said “I want a band that won’t talk back.”
Four months after More of the Monkees was released…The Monkees released their album Headquarters in May of 1967. This time they were in control and played their own instruments with no Kirshner to be found.
More of the Monkees peaked at #1 on the Billboard 100, in Canada, and The UK in 1967. Their first album with them playing everything…Headquarters peaked at #1 on the Billboard 100, #1 in Canada, and #2 in the UK. It tops some people’s Monkee album lists.
By the way…their next album after Headquarters, again playing most of the instruments themselves Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. also peaked at #1 on the Billboard 100 in 1967. So for those who are keeping score…that is three #1 albums released in 1967.
Here are quotes about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by each member of the Monkees.
Peter Tork: [Wenner] doesn’t care what the rules are and just operates how he sees fit. It is an abuse of power. I don’t know whether the Monkees belong in the Hall of Fame, but it’s pretty clear that we’re not in there because of a personal whim. Jann seems to have taken it harder than everyone else, and now, 40 years later, everybody says, ‘What’s the big deal? Everybody else does it.’ [Uses studio artists or backing bands.] Nobody cares now except him. He feels his moral judgment in 1967 and 1968 is supposed to serve in 2007.
Michael Nesmith:“I can see the HOF (Hall of Fame) is a private enterprise. It seems to operate as a business, and the inductees are there by some action of the owners of the Enterprise. The inductees appear to be chosen at the owner’s pleasure. This seems proper to me. It is their business in any case. It does not seem to me that the HOF carries a public mandate, nor should it be compelled to conform to one.”
Davy Jones:“I’m not as wealthy as some entertainers, but I work hard, and I think the best is yet to come. I know I’m never going to make the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but maybe there’s something else for me in show business. I’ve been given a talent—however big or little—that has given me many opportunities. I’ve got to try to use it the best way I can. A lot of people go days without having someone hug them or shake their hand. I get that all the time.”
Micky Dolenz:“As far as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame I’ve never been one to chase awards or anything like that; it’s never been very important to me. I was very proud to win an Emmy for The Monkees, having come out of television as a kid. When we won the Emmy for best TV show in ’66 or ’67 that was a huge feather in my cap. But I’ve never chased that kind of stuff. I’ve never done a project and thought, ‘What do I do here to win an award?’ Specifically as far as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame I’ve been very flattered that the fans and people have championed the Monkees. Very flattered and honored that they do. If you know anything about the organization, and I’ve done charity work for the foundation, the Hall of Fame is a private club.”
She
She, she told me that she loved me,
And like a fool I believed her from the start.
She, she said she’d never hurt me,
But then she turned around and broke my heart
Why am I standing here,
Missing her and wishing she were here.
She only did me wrong;
I’m better off alone.
She, she devoured all my sweet love,
Took all I had and then she fed me dirt.
She, she laughed while I was cryin’.
It was such a joke to see the way it hurt.
Why am I standing here,
Missing her and wishing she were here.
She only did me wrong;
I’m better off alone.
And now I know just why she
Keeps me hangin’ ’round.
She needs someone to walk on,
So her feet don’t touch the ground.
But I love her,
I need her,
I want her.
Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! She!
[Instrumental]
Why am I standing here,
Missing her and wishing she were here.
She only did me wrong now;
I’m better off alone.
I don’t do many album reviews because frankly…I think other people do them better but sometimes I cannot resist…and this is one of them.
When I was 18 or so, I ordered exports from Tower Records because you could not just go to many record stores in America and buy a Them album in the eighties.
I bought the “Backtracking” album which was a compilation of Them. His voice blew me away. That is when I looked in the Van Morrison section for the albums I could buy there. The first album I bought…just by chance…was Tupelo Honey. Compared to the raw intense Them songs…this was a totally different ballgame. The songs’ production values and sophistication were in a new league.
Personally, I really like this album. I thought it was a great introduction to his catalog. Is it his best? No, it’s not, but for a beginner Van fan, it was a great introduction album. The songs on Tupelo Honey are very radio-friendly. After this album I bought Moondance, His Band and Street Choir, Veendon Fleece, etc…the 8 albums up to Wavelength. After that, I started on the 80’s catalog.
He made this album in 1971 when he moved to Northern California with his wife Janet Planet who was from that area. He originally wanted to make a country album. Soon that idea was dropped and he worked with Ted Templeton as producer. He used a lot of unused songs that he had.
The opening track Wild Night has an irresistible hook and is one of Van’s best-known songs. The title track may be my favorite Van Morrison song period. The only song that I would skip when I got the album, and still do, is I Wanna Roo You. In Moonshine Whiskey and some other songs, you can hear some of the country album he was going to make.
Another favorite on the album is Old Old Woodstock and he puts you there with his lyrics and the feel of the song. You’re My Woman was a song for Janet Planet and I’ve always liked that one.
The album peaked at #27 on the Billboard Album Charts and #32 in Canada in 1971.
Again, this is not Van’s best album but it got me into his solo career. It’s a great-sounding album and one of Van’s most commercial. I would highly recommend this to anyone wanting to explore Van the Man’s catalog.
Tracklist
Wild Night
(Straight to Your Heart) Like a Cannonball
Old Old Woodstock
Starting a New Life
You’re My Woman
Tupelo Honey
I Wanna Roo You (Scottish Derivative)
When That Evening Sun Goes Down
Moonshine Whiskey
I could not find the complete album on Spotify so I found it all grouped together on YouTube with this link…
Tupelo Honey
You can take all the tea in China
Put it in a big brown bag for me
Sail right around the seven oceans
Drop it straight into the deep blue sea
She’s as sweet as tupelo honey
She’s an angel of the first degree
She’s as sweet as tupelo honey
Just like honey from the bee
You can’t stop us on the road to freedom
You can’t keep us ’cause our eyes can see
Men with insight, men in granite
Knights in armor bent on chivalry
She’s as sweet as tupelo honey
She’s an angel of the first degree
She’s as sweet as tupelo honey
Just like honey from the bee
You can’t stop us on the road to freedom
You can’t stop us ’cause our eyes can see
Men with insight, men in granite
Knights in armor intent on chivalry
She’s as sweet as tupelo honey
She’s an angel of the first degree
She’s as sweet as tupelo honey
Just like honey from the bee
You know she’s alright
You know she’s alright with me
She’s alright, she’s alright (she’s an angel)
You can take all the tea in China
Put it in a big brown bag for me
Sail it right around the seven oceans
Drop it smack dab in the middle of the deep blue sea
Because she’s as sweet as tupelo honey
She’s an angel of the first degree
She’s as sweet as tupelo honey
Just like honey from the bee
She’s as sweet as tupelo honey
She’s an angel of the first degree
She’s as sweet as tupelo honey
Just like the honey, baby, from the bee
She’s my baby, you know she’s alright…..
This is an interesting list to make. Everyone knows I’m a huge fan but there are some that I won’t listen to…not because they are burned out…I won’t even list those…these are ones I never really liked since I was a kid.
Some of you will notice that one “song” or experiment is not in here…that’s because I count Revolution #9 as an experiment and not a true song. I find it fascinating…a sound collage. I looked up the usual suspects… Yellow Submarine, Good Day Sunshine, Don’t Pass Me By, Rocky Raccoon, and Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da but I like those.
These are songs I’ll never post except this once.
5: Little Child – This was on their Meet The Beatles album in the US. Never liked it as a kid, teen, or now. But I did find a version I like by The Inmates that I just found recently.
4: Mister Moonlight – This song was written by someone else but I just never took to it at all…although John did a great vocal on it.
3: Can’t Buy Me Love – I know…this one seems out of place on this list but it was on the first Beatle album I ever bought (Hey Jude Again) and I skipped it even as an eight-year-old.
2: Maxwell’s Silver Hammer – I’ve heard my share of jokes about this song with me being named Max. I would like to use that damn hammer on every recording of this. I’ll never forgive Paul for introducing Maxwell to the world. The other three Beatles felt the same. There are some that really like it…more power to them!
1: Now the number 1 song…it’s the only one on the White Album I cannot and will not listen to. Wild Honey Pie. This song makes Revolution #9 look like Stairway to Heaven. I have to think they did this as a joke and just left it on. Patti Harrison liked this one so Paul left it on. Paul is the only one on this song.
If three and four was seven only
where would that leave one and two?
If love can be and still be lonely
where does that leave me and you?
When CB sent me this link… it was like listening to something I’ve heard all of my life but I haven’t… a very cool and inviting song and voice. The song Buckskin Stallion Blues was written by Townes Van Zandt.
Jimmie Dale Gilmore grew up in Lubbock, Texas, and moved to Austin in the 1960s. In the 1970s he joined forces with fellow musicians Joe Ely and Butch Hancock to form the influential country-folk band called The Flatlanders. The band was ahead of its time, blending traditional country music with rock and roll elements. They have been playing off and on since 1972…they have had 10 albums and the last one was released in 2021.
He released his solo debut album Fair & Square in 1988. His music has introspective lyrics, and a blend of country, folk, and rock influences. What I’ve heard is authenticity and depth. He has released 9 solo albums with his last one in 2018. But…there is more. He also acted in some movies…he was Smokey in The Big Lebowski and was Reverend Saunders in Parkland. He also has songs on soundtracks.
Mudhoney is a band out of Seattle in the early 90s. I have a friend who really likes them and I have heard some songs by them I really liked. They are often credited as pioneers of the grunge genre and were a prominent part of the Seattle music scene that eventually gave rise to bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden.
This collaboration was unlikely on paper but it worked! The joint EP Buckskin Stallion Blues was released in 1994. Allmusic labeled the style as Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Garage Punk, Grunge, Country-Folk, and Progressive Country. After listening to it I thought that was a fair assessment. The EP has 5 tracks…2 by Mudhoney alone and the other 3 by Gilmore and Mudhoney.
Buckskin Stallion Blues
heard her sing in tongues of silver
I heard her cry on a summer storm
I loved her, but she did not know it
So I don’t think about her anymore
Now she’s gone, and I can’t believe it
So I don’t think about her anymore
If three and four was seven only
Where would that leave one and two?
If love can be and still be lonely
Where does that leave me and you?
Time there was, and time there will be
Where does that leave me and you?
If I had a buckskin stallion
I’d tame him down and ride away.
If I had a flyin’ schooner
I’d sail into the light of day
If I had your love forever
Sail into the light of day
Pretty songs and pretty places
Places that I’ve never seen
Pretty songs and pretty faces
Tell me what their laughter means
Some look like they’ll cry forever
Tell me what their laughter means.
If I had a buckskin stallion
I’d tame him down and ride away.
If I had a golden galleon
I’d sail into the light of day
If I had your love forever
Sail into the light of day
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