Ooh La La 1973

What a great song from The Faces. The song was written by Ronnie Lane and Ronnie Wood and sung by Wood. That is strange because The Faces had one of the best lead singers around at the time…Rod Stewart.

Stewart by this time was soaring as a solo artist and his interest in the Faces was waning. He claimed the song was not in his key to sing. He did do vocals for it then and Lane but Wood ended up singing the released version.

The Faces had one big hit…Stay With Me but this song is their greatest song to me. Rod Stewart finally covered the song in 1998 for a tribute to Ronnie Lane. Ronnie Lane did his own version with his band Slim Chance. Ronnie Wood also does it live in solo shows.

A song between Granddad and Son about the ways of love. The song never ages because the subject matter never changes and it is continually passed along. The song creates an atmosphere and Wood not known for his singing ability did a great job on this one.

The song was included in the 1998 film Rushmore and enjoyed renewed popularity.

It’s one of my favorite songs of all time. Just a beautiful melody and words.

Poor old granddad
I laughed at all his words
I thought he was a bitter man
He spoke of woman’s ways
They’ll trap you, then they use you
Before you even know
For love is blind and you’re far too kind
Don’t ever let it show
I wish that I knew what I know now
When I was younger
I wish that I knew what I know now
When I was stronger
The can can’s such a pretty show
They’ll steal your heart away
But backstage, back on earth again
The dressing rooms are gray
They come on strong and it ain’t too long
Before they make you feel a man
But love is blind and you soon will find
You’re just a boy again
When you want her lips, you get a cheek
Makes you wonder where you are
If you want some more and she’s fast asleep
Then she’s twinkling with the stars
Poor young grandson, there’s nothing I can say
You’ll have to learn, just like me
And that’s the hardest way
Ooh la la, ooh la la la yeh
I wish that I knew what I know now
When I was younger
I wish that I knew what I know now
When I was stronger

 

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

46 thoughts on “Ooh La La 1973”

  1. A good friend of mine several years ago named this as one of his favorite songs ever also— and The Faces box set is one of the best box sets I own- Five Guys Walk Into A Bar..

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    1. This song can make me sad or happy when I listen to it. I thought Ronnie Lane sang for the longest. I like the version he did live. I haven’t got that set yet…I need to… It’s funny because they turned in to what Steve Marriott was wanting when he left…a harder edged band.

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      1. I watched The Kids Are Alright this morning- every bit as great a doc as I remembered… favorite scene among many- John machine gunning the gold records.

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      2. Success story…that was his house… what I wouldn’t give to have all of those guitars…I like the Russell Harty show interviews.

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      3. The Russell Hardy Show interviews were great – he was trying for a serious interview and that just wasn’t happening!.. that was great- the opening with The Smothers Brothers Show– Roger from Oz and then blowing everything up!

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      4. He actually looked a little frighten for a few seconds… The Smother Brothers show… you could tell that was a real explosion. It’s a wonder more damage didn’t happen. Pete said his hair was on fire.

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      8. No not at all. I can’t imagine being around the guy 24/7 but for a day would have been an adventure…probably in jail for a short term.

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    1. I honestly haven’t listened to it since the 80s. I remember Till the Rivers All Run Dry…that is the only song that I can remember. I need to give it a listen again.

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      1. After getting into The Who and all their albums I picked that one up- and really enjoyed it- probably been a few years since I’ve listened to it.. Street In The City- My Baby Gives It Away- Misunderstood-Nowhere To Run all good ones too.

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      2. Ok, I will hunt it down. I never owned it, a friend of mine did…It’s crazy I don’t have it because I like both of them… but I remembered that song because it was a Don Williams song I believe. He lived in the same county I lived in as a kid. I met him a lot…just a down to earth guy.

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      3. I have a double best of type CD of Don Williams- always liked his stuff– glad to hear he was as he seemed. …. i like Rough Mix- fun album to listen to— maybe I am weird but- I like Pete’s singing over Roger’s..

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      4. I always liked Pete’s singing. I think it depends on the song with me. Baba O’Riley or something loud like that fits Roger… but I love Going Mobile etc… I like when Pete does the acoustic version of Won’t Get Fooled Again…

        Don would mow the city park ball fields…just to help out and fill his days.

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      5. That is pretty cool- mowing the city ball parks….. yes some of those Who songs fit Roger from OZ better no question about that.

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      7. No I got up this morning and watched The Kids Are Alright first thing- been listening to music outside most of the day since it’s a nice day.– I am off tomorrow, a good bet for tomorrow- American Werewolf In London.

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      8. I’m not trying to rush you. The show I wish you could get your hands on is Life On Mars. I should be a spokesman for that show…only the British version. Great music and story. I think you would really like it.

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      9. Is Life on Mars- on DVD? Will look and see if its in the library system… Oh I know you weren’t rushing me. It is sitting on the television stand.

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      10. Yes, it is on DVD. You have to listen hard through the cockney accents but it was praised in England… It is only 16 episodes. They had a sequel called Ashes to Ashes…about the 80s. It was good but not great like Life On Mars.

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      15. a little off topic- not that The Beatles are ever off topic but- have you seen the new book- Visualizing The Beatles A Complete Graphic History of The World’s Favorite Band?

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      17. It is different from any other Beatle book I’ve ever seen- everything graphed- 270 pages- starts at the beginning to the end- main chapters are on the albums.. Not a book that you actually ‘read’ but kind of open anyplace and look at a few pages etc.. authors are John Pring and Rob Thomas.

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      18. It looks good. Now I will have to get it.. I also saw another book I want to get by Steve Turner called “The Complete Beatles Songs” The Stories Behind Every Track Written by the Fab Four… I might seek it out also since I enjoyed the Beatles ’66 so much.

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      23. Well what do you know- they had the Complete Collection of the British version of Life On Mars- I put in a hold on it!

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      24. Awesome! I really think you will like. I could be wrong but you get a taste of 1970s in England. They wanted to use Live and Let Die and Paul said no…they sent him the episode and he agreed right away.

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      26. I know that is why I worried about the American Werewolf in London lol. I think you will though. I’m seventies crazy so I really liked this. Plus I discovered songs I never heard before by some groups like Atomic Rooster and other artists.

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      27. Well, I trust you… I know you like quality. You are about the only one I know that puts Who’s Next over Led Zeppelin IV… I will give it a listen.

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      28. you might be able to find it on youtube if you can stand the little commercials…. oh no question as good as LZ IV is- Who’s Next is better without a doubt!!….. Watching The Kids Are Alright- makes me wish I had seen The Who in their prime…that would have been incredible.

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      29. I have a neighbor who said offhand said he went to concerts in the 70s. I asked him about the Who and yes he saw them in Memphis in the early 70s… Our bass player saw them in Boston…Moon passed out and they had to come back. He said they played a few songs and he had to be removed…he didn’t get to see them when they returned…of course this wasnt the Cow Palace episode. I found the audio of the Boston concert he was at when Moon passed out that night… on youtube.

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      30. It might have been some kind of miracle that Moon lasted 32 years. That would be a bad night- going to a show and it being cancelled like that…. will look for it on youtube.

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      31. I didn’t believe him at first… because I thought it only happened at the Cow Palace…nope it happened in Boston in 75 or 76…his father worked for MCA and he got to see a lot of rock bands free.

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