Badfinger -Suitcase

This song was on their Straight Up album but it’s when they were live it came alive. They have a terrific groove going on and Pete wails on the solo. This was Badfinger live as they ventured out of power pop into a jam band. The live version of the band is much different than the studio version.

This song was going to be the B side to Name of the Game issued as a single but Apple never released it. The song has a power pop base but with hard electric on top and it changes the dynmaic of it.

Making the Straight Up album was no easy task. They started off with Geoff Emerick (he produced their last album and engineered several Beatle albums) producing them. The songs were rejected by the Apple’s head of US operations Allan Steckler. George Harrison thought a lot of Badfinger, especially Pete Ham and wanted Name of the Game to be released as a single before the album.  George then started to produce the band himself. He worked with them and they started to make progress. He played slide with Pete on the hit Day After Day and Leon Russell played piano.

They were making great progress but then the  Bangladesh concert came up and George was distracted. He handed off the producing to Todd Rundgren. The band and Rundgren didn’t mix well but he finished producing it in two weeks. The members were much happier with George who actually listened to their ideas.

It was a great album but one of the complaints from the band was it lost a lot of rawness and energy after Rundgren mixed it.

Going through three producers…it’s a wonder it’s as good as it is.

The Studio version is the second video but I would reccomend the live version…and I don’t do that a lot.

Suitcase

Suitcase, suitcase, follow me ’round
Bootlace, bootlace, tie me down
Money for fun, yeah, golden crown
It’s all inside a game we’ve been playing for so long

Driver, driver, go too fast
Miser, miser, make it last
Pusher, pusher, on the run
It’s all inside a game we’ve been playing for so long

And I’m sorry to be leavin’
Yeah, that’s all I get to say
‘Cause I’m sorry to be leavin’ today

[guitar solo (Pete Ham)]

Well I’m sorry to be leavin’
But that’s all I get to say
‘Cause I’m sorry to be leaving today

(Driver drive)

Driver, driver, go too fast
Miser, miser, make it last
Pusher, pusher, on the run
It’s all inside a game we’ve been playing so long

So long

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.

19 thoughts on “Badfinger -Suitcase”

    1. Yes he did…Rundgren wanted to get it finished. He did do a great job on Baby Blue…but Harrison was really into them.
      From the other bands that worked with Rundgren like Fanny….he could be difficult at times…but I guess we all are.

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    1. The two SG’s….you make a great point there. They usually match one with a Fender. That SG that Pete is playing was the one that George gave him. It sold for a crazy price. I think the owner of the Colts has it.

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  6. Terrific live version! It’s not that the study version sucks, but I agree the live version is far more compelling – sounds really edgy and funky, at times almost a tiny bit like Hendrix.

    Love the slide guitar and wah wah action. I’ve always wanted to own a Gibson SG, even though it essentially would be a waste, since I never got far on the electric. But it’s just such a cool guitar! Plus, I’m a complete nutcase when it comes to music gear. 🙂

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    1. That SG Pete is playing was George Harrison’s SG that he gave Pete. Somebody mentioned….two SG’s at once….you don’t see that often.
      Pete was really good guitar player…really good. I love the rhythm they had going live.

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      1. Pete was kicking some serious budd there. Frankly, I did not expect Badfinger putting on such an edgy performance. But that’s also because I still haven’t fully explored them! It’s really mostly thanks to you that I now at least know some of their songs!

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      2. They were different live that is for sure. They kept on being compared to the Beatles which is a kiss of death so they jammed a lot…like this cover. I hope you liked some of them.

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      6. They would have been fun to see. All of them could sing also…the drummer not as much but all good singers.

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  7. it’s another new one for me … just listening to the studio version, which in itself is rawer and more ‘Southern rock’ than what I associate with Badfinger. They obviously had some versatility beyond even what the hits showed.

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