Tim Buckley – Buzzin’ Fly

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’ flyI come into your lifeNow I float awayLike honey in the sunWas it right or wrongI couldn’t sing that song anyway

Oh, but darlin’Now I rememberHow the sun shown downAnd how it warmed your prayin’ smileWhen all the love was there

You’re the one I talk aboutYou’re the one I think aboutEverywhere I goAnd sometimes honeyIn the mornin’Lord, I miss you so

That’s how I know I found a homeThat’s how I know I found a home

Oh, hear the mountains singingLord, I can hear them ringing, darlin’,Out your nameAnd tell me if you knowJust how the river flowsDown to the sea

Now I wanna knowEverything about youI wanna knowEverything about you

What makes ya smileWhat makes ya wildWhat makes ya love me this wayDarlin’ I wanna knowDarlin’ I wanna know

You’re the one I talk aboutYou’re the one I think aboutEverywhere I goAnd sometimes honeyIn the mornin’Lord, I miss you so

That’s how I know I found a homeThat’s how I know I found a home

A-walkin’ hand in handAnd all along the sandA seabird knew your nameHe 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’ flyI come into your lifeNow I float awayLike honey in the sunWas it right or wrongI couldn’t sing that song anyway

Oh, but darlin’Now I rememberHow the sun shown downAnd how it warmed your prayin’ smileWhen all the love was there

You’re the one I talk aboutYou’re the one I think aboutEverywhere I goAnd sometimes honeyIn the mornin’Lord, I miss you so…

…

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, 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. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

35 thoughts on “Tim Buckley – Buzzin’ Fly”

    1. Yea that was me also…but lately I’ve been listening to him recently. He has a super voice Christian…plus his writing skills are great. You won’t have pop hits out of this…just well written music.

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  6. Had no idea about Tim and Frank on the show. I know that they were with the same record label. This is an all time favorite cut for me. Up there with ‘Waterloo Sunset’ Makes No Difference’ Hello In There’. Magic. Im in a good mood after this and Christian’s post with Weather report. I am what you call a happy MOTHER!

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    1. LOL…glad you liked it. Yea as a kid seeing Frank and Tim on that show is something I’ll always remember. My 7 year old mind was like Whoa…this is different.
      I’ve heard of him more than heard him until recently…he had a great voice plus the man could write.

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      1. Couple schools with Buckley. A lot of folks like his earlier stuff. I do also but I really liked when he took his music further. Big fan of his ‘Greetings From L A’ record. Nothing else like it in my pile. “. I’m a Buzzin’ Fly today man. That choice made me smile.

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  7. Like CB said, I had no idea they had him (let alone Zappa) on the show. That’s kind of cool. I’m more familiar with his son Jeff but Tim seemed a talent too – unfortunately he passed along his mental issues as well as musical talents to his boy.

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    1. Yea he was very talented in his voice and lyrics. The Monkees did some cool things that they don’t get credit for…who the hell would have Zappa on a prime time show lol…I thought it was great.

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      1. it would have been a really big show… and memorable… if Ed Sullivan had Zappa on. ‘And here is he is kiddies, he’s going to sing a nice song about a lad named Bobby Brown. I can’t wait to hear it…’

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      2. Yea that would not have worked…that was one of the cool things about The Monkees…they did introduce some people and did different things.

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    2. As to Max’s post of the recent Monkee’s song. I dont think we have to dig to deep to guess what kind of thoughts must have been going through Nesmith’s head watching and listening to Frank and Tim playing their own music.

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    1. Robbie Robertson tells a story of Tim coming over with his son during a bad drug period for him…it’s really sad.

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  9. One of those numbers that rambles along and hits a nice groove. Sometimes a two minute song is enough, like say, the Box Tops ‘727’ a smidge over two minutes and we’re done. Then other times it’s nice to go the Grateful Dead route- it might take longer and wander along a little but there are plenty of highlights along the way.

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  10. No recollection of the musical guests on The Monkee’s TV show but I have not watched it in about 50 years! Really great to read about Tim Buckley and Buzzin’ Fly is such a well written song. He really had a different take on the love song.

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      1. My pleasure on listening, and thank you, yes, it was. We all met up at Meijer Gardens, including my Daughter In Law’s parents. A grand time was had by all. I hope Jen had a good day also.

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  14. While I’m quite familiar with Tim Buckley and the strong influence he had on the music industry, I’ve never really explored his music to any degree. This is a really good song. It was a terrible tragedy that both he and his son Jeff died far too young.

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  15. I have his first or maybe second album from my back in the day collection. No idea he was on the Monkees show, but I didn’t catch them all. A great voice and songwriter, gone too soon.

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    1. Yea Phil…what surprised me more was Zappa being on that show…Zappa didn’t really equal prime time.
      I like what I’ve heard so far.

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      1. Okay, now I know that some of the shows were missed. Zappa on the Monkees? That makes no sense to me. I also didn’t know Flo and Eddie were part of the Mothers band, imagine that.

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      2. In the show…Zappa plays Nesmith and Nesmith plays Zappa…it’s a fun one. Flo and Eddie..what voices.

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