This song was off the album Straight Up which is in my top 5 of power pop albums.
George Harrison helped produce and mix this album and was impressed by this song. It was earmarked to be the first single off the album. That got cancelled. Not that the song couldn’t be a single because it is that good. Day After Day and Baby Blue were the first two singles and I can’t fault George for that.
There were many possible singles from this album. Suitcase, Sweet Tuesday Morning, Take It All and I’d Die Babe are songs that could have been considered.
If you are new to Badfinger and would like to start with an album that is not a greatest hits package…Straight Up is the album to purchase.
Name of the Game
I saw the railway master and I looked him in the eye
I said, “Would you go much faster if you thought that you would die?”
He said, “Not me sir, I could not care, in fact, I would not try.
For protest would not take me far.
It’s different, me not being a star.”
I lock my feelings in a jar until another day
Oh, comfort me, dear brother, won’t you tell me what you know?
For somewhere in this painful world is a place where I can go
Oh, long awaiting mother, is it time to make a show?
And take your babies to your breast
No, we never passed the test
And all our sins should be confessed before we carry on
[CHORUS:]
Oh, don’t refuse me
If you choose me, you’ll follow my shame
No, don’t confuse me
For I know it’s the name of the game
I got up off my pillow and I looked up at the sun
I said, “You can see quite clearly, now, the things that we have done
We burned your sacred willow and our battles we have won.
But did we get so very far?
It’s different, me not being a star.”
I lock my feelings in a jar until we go away
[CHORUS x2]
This is a very nice song. But I think they were right to lead with Day By Day and Baby Blue as the singles.
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Ugh, I just realized I wrote ‘Day By Day’ instead of Day After Day. *embarrassed*
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LOL I didn’t even notice! I knew exactly what you meant.
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Baby Blue is one of the most perfect songs to me…it has everything….but their album music is pretty good.
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I like the other songs too. I agree about Baby Blue. Day After Day is very easy to like as well.
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Next time I’m going to feature the guitar player writing and singing one…well the other guitar player other than Pete Ham. He wasn’t as good as Pete but still good. Joey Molland…he is the only surviving member now.
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I’ll look forward to reading it. I know Joey Molland has put out some new music recently, but I haven’t heard it yet.
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I know he redid some Badfinger songs with other people…they sound good
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I need to listen to them.
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Matthew Sweet does one…some are really good…the ones I’ve heard.
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With all this outstanding music, I think this album has a greatest hits feel to it.
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It is that good…if someone was to start with an album by them that is not a greatest hits…this would be it… sorry for the delay…I was under the weather today…feel better now
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No need to apologize whatsoever, Max. And sorry to read you didn’t feel well. Glad things seem to be better now!👍
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Another great tune from talented craftsmen. Badfinger was great. No doubt. They get a lot of love in classic rock circles and it’s justified. They are like the Pixies in alternative rock, though they had more commercial success than the Pixies. A rare band that music fans love, but not as much as the critics do.
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That is a good comparison Pam…Their alum cuts are quality…sorry for the delay….I was under the weather today
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Oh yuck…I hope you are feeling better today, Max.
–Pam
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“Their alum” yea I was still out of it! I’m doing much better today! Thanks Pam.
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I’ve been listening to lots of Badfinger lately. I never liked their big singles that much, but the albums are good.
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They are good. Now Baby Blue to me…is the perfect power pop song. Tone of the guitar, his voice, and that riff… but yea their non hits…some I do like better…like Midnight Caller.
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Like run-sew-read notes, a really good song (which is a new one to me) but not quite there with their hit singles.But…everytime you post some obscure Badfinger song, it sounds quite good. Truly under-rated band.
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They didn’t have many throwaway songs…a lot of quality.
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With the lyrics, “Oh, long awaiting mother”, you could have used this for Song Lyric Sunday this week. I don’t remember this song much, but it is really nice.
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I was under the weather today and last night…I’m glad I did this one weeks ago.
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I love the singer’s voice. I need to learn more about them and their discography beyond the airplay hits.
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Pete Ham was great…I’m finally coming back to life. I think you would like them Lisa.
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Glad you are feeling better! I tried to find that album at library and they don’t have anything but Badfinger’s greatest hits 😦 I might have to break down and buy one lol
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Straight Up is the one to start with…it’s really good. The other guitar player’s songs are really good also.
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I think they made a wise choice by going with “Day After Day” and “Baby Blue” as the singles, although this would be good as a third.
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Oh yea it’s not quite as commercial as the other two but the quality is there.
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I think they were still applying the unwritten rule of “under 3 minutes,” though there had already been a number of songs that exceeded that. There were some stations that would speed up their turntables so they could play more commercials…
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Yea thank goodness for Layla and some others who did break it….that was a very important thing back then.
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I love albums that are as good as a greatest Hits package.
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This is new to me but, still in the vein of the two leaders. I agree with your Baby Blue assessment.
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They wrote good songs…hits and non hits alike…but Baby Blue is the king.
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Amen.
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