I posted a Dr. John song last week, and I mentioned Allen Toussaint, who works as a producer and writes charts for horns. I had heard about him through Robbie Robertson’s book Testimony, which is a great book—just saying. CB and I started talking, and I had no idea Toussaint was a performer and songwriter—a very successful songwriter. I thought he mostly just did horn charts for musicians so his story and the songs he wrote totally surprised me.
Allen Toussaint started his career in the 1950s. He was born in New Orleans and grew into a huge musician, songwriter, producer, and performer. Toussaint was inspired by Professor Longhair and other New Orleans piano legends. By the time he was a teenager, Toussaint was already working as a keyboardist and songwriter. He has produced, written for, arranged, had his songs covered by, and performed with music giants The Judds, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Elvis Costello, Patti LaBelle, Dr John, Aaron and Art Neville, Joe Cocker, The Meters, Glen Campbell, The Band, Little Feat, The Rolling Stones, Devo, Ernie K-Doe, Lee Dorsey, Irma Thomas, Etta James, Ramsey Lewis, Eric Gale and the countless others.
That list alone knocked me out. A few of his songs are Mother-in-Law by Ernie K-Doe (1961), Working in the Coal Mine by Lee Dorsey, Fortune Teller (The Rolling Stones), Southern Nights (later a hit for Glen Campbell), and many more. That is a diverse set of songs. Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues) I remember as a kid because I had Three Dog Night’s greatest hits and this one was a favorite of mine. Many people have covered this song including Levon Helm, Frankie Miller, B.J. Thomas, and Maria Muldaur.
This song was released in 1974 and was covered by five artists in a year. It was the Three Dog Night version that was a hit. It peaked at #33 in the US and #25 in Canada for the band. It was released on their Hard Labor album. Toussaint was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and he received the National Medal of Arts in 2013 from Former President Barack Obama.
Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)
Well, I tried to run my gameShe said “Man, that’s the same old thing I’ve heard before”And I’m too tired to go for your show (again and again)
And she started to explainShe said “Man, I ain’t saying what you’re playing just can’t make itBut I just can’t take it anymore”
Play something sweet, play something mellowPlay something I can sink my teeth in like JelloPlay something I can understandPlay me some Brickyard Blues
Play something sweet and make it funkyJust let me lay back and grin like a monkeyPlay something I can understandPlay me some Brickyard Blues
Well, I started to sweatShe said “Don’t get upset ’cause you just might break a stringAnd that won’t do a thing for your show
So I said to myselfI said “Self, do you see what is sailing through my soul?”And I gotta have some more, don’t ya know
Play something sweet, play something mellowPlay something I can sink my teeth in like JelloPlay something I can understandPlay me some Brickyard Blues
Play something sweet and make it funkyJust let me lay back and grin like a monkeyPlay something I can understandPlay me some Brickyard Blues
It’s enough to make it light in the darkIt’s enough to make a bite just a barkIt’s enough to make a body move aroundIt’s enough to make a rabbit hug a dogPlay something sweet
Well, I tried to run my gameShe said “Man, that’s the same old thing I’ve heard before”And I’m too tired to go for your show (again and again)
And she started to explainShe said “Man, I ain’t saying what you’re playing just can’t make itBut I just can’t take it anymore”
Play something sweet, play something mellowPlay something I can sink my teeth in like JelloPlay something I can understandPlay me some Brickyard Blues
Play something sweet and make it funkyJust let me lay back and grin like a monkeyPlay something I can understandPlay me some Brickyard Blues
Play something sweet, play something mellowPlay something I can sink my teeth in like JelloPlay something I can understandPlay me some Brickyard Blues
Play something sweet and make it funkyJust let me lay back and grin like a monkeyPlay something I can understandPlay me some Brickyard Blues
…
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The man just oozed music from every pore. I like everything I’ve heard of his. Maria Muldaur is great too.
He wrote Al Hirt’s Java, too!
Oh wow…I didn’t know that. He wrote a lot of music!
I wish I could remember, there was one of his song that one of the local DJs used as a closing theme song. It was slow and had an organ in it. Need to think more…
Someone just said he wrote the music that would become the Dating Game theme as well.
Whipped Cream – Herb Alpert’s track
Cool…ok
Good stuff as always Max! A few years ago I did a little research on the ‘New Orleans Sound’ of the very early 60’s & he was the catalyst there. Very underrated in the history of ‘Rock & Roll’ pop music.
He was the man in New Orleans. The guy could do anything.
Dig it! He needs more attention posthumously.
Yes he does Carl…the guy was a renaissance man in music….just incredible.
I just listened to Working in the Coal Mine as a Song Lyric Sunday contribution. I have always liked Maria Muldaur, and this is a nice song to hear her voice. Allen Toussaint is New Orleans!
Yes he is…I never knew he did so much.
Another musical genius – you’re on a roll today! Toussaint also wrote “Whipped Cream”, which became a hit for Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. (I was a trumpeter in my youth and had the sheet music for the lead trumpet parts from that album, so I played that song a lot.) It also became “The Dating Game” theme song.
He worked with the New Orleans house band that became The Meters and spawned The Wild Tchoupltoulas and The Neville Brothers. Toussaint sometimes wrote under his mother’s name, Naomi Neville. That led to this question on “Fresh Air” with Terry Gross:
“GROSS: Are you any relation to the Neville Brothers?
TOUSSAINT: We don’t know. Naomi Neville is my mother’s maiden name.”
I had no clue about this guy at all…except that he wrote some charts for The Band…I had no clue of the history. This one really surprised me at the history of the man…he could do anything.
That is a GREAT response to that question!
Quite a talent! I have heard his name but didn’t know anything much about him, including that he wrote some of those songs. New Orleans seemed to have its own musical ecosystem that rarely spread out to the rest of the country, didn’t it?
Yes and since I wrote this…other people have told me about some of the songs he wrote…it’s more than I mentioned that people know….what a talented guy.
I like both versions of that song
I know the Three Dog Night one the most…but all are good.
Great stuff Max. That live cut captures him in the moment. Man is he cool and does that sound good. Maria did good job. Allen was the real deal
(David Sanborn had one of the best music shows)
Yes did do a great job on this one. This guy was the embodiment of talent… probably one of the most talented artists I’ve ever posted…the man could do anything.
Funny how the music just grabbed you and you went for the ride. Good for you.
Talented like crazy as you pointed out. I found out about some years back and like you I could not believe his resume. He’s certainly a legend in New Orleans and should be one everywhere.
I was telling someone that today I probably posted two of the most talented artists I’ve ever posted… especially Toussaint.
Wow, I have to say your post was quite a revelation for me. I had heard of Allen Toussaint nut never realized what an impressive songwriter he was – not to mention performer. “Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)” sounds pretty neat!
We are in the same place Christian. The more CB talked about him and I read…I couldn’t believe! I knew this song through Three Dog Night….but I couldn’t believe he did so much for music.
Is that David Sanborn introducing him?
I think so John.
Not to trump Max but yes. I was saying to Max, that he had one of the best music shows ever. You familiar with it John? David just passed away last year if I’m correct.
I’ve seen clips, but never the whole show. I don’t think it layed in Atlanta, or, if it did, I didn’t see it. I’m thinking it played on Friday nights, and usually I was coming home from the airport then. Too bad, too, because Sanborn was an excellent player. He got his start with Paul Butterfield, which I knew but had to be reminded of. I have his “Backstreets” album… smooth jazz at its finest, a little more jazz than that usual for that genre, which made it even better for me…
His show was on late up here and I was lucky to hook in. No BS just guest playing music. So many under the radar people. It was great. Jools Holland did a similar thing. Yes David put out some very good records.
Allow me to say that all of the accolades above are an understatement for how great Toussaint was. He was New Orleans pop music for years, although I am not familiar with collaborations between Toussaint and either Fats Domino or the man behind Fats, Dave Bartholomew. Austin City Limits reruns their Toussaint show every once in a while and I highly recommend it.
Toussaint was behind so many hit records from New Orleans. The earliest I knew of was I Like It Like That by Chris Kenner, but I don’t guarantee that was his first hit or even recording. He wrote Java that Al Hirt had a hit with when he was a kid in the service.
There are so many greats in recorded music. Toussaint is in the upper echelon. Great music.
He made very few records under his own name, but the two (?) for WB/Reprise in the 70s are highly recommended.
I see USPS is issuing a stamp in Toussaint’s honor. I gotta go get me some.
Yeah, I do most of my mail in e-mail. And I don’t collect stamps.
But this is special.
I got the Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, and Clara Bow stamps…I love when they do that…I’ll get some…thanks for mentioning it.