Frankie Miller – I Can’t Change It

This is the kind of song and artist I like posting. I call it New Old music because not everyone has heard of Frankie Miller, unlike Neil Young and other artists. The song just sticks with me with its haunting and melancholy melody. The guy has a voice that is about as strong as you can get. There are certain voices that don’t just sing a song, they bleed it. Frankie Miller had one of those voices. You could park it next to Rod Stewart, Steve Marriott, and Joe Cocker, and no one would flinch. 

I was watching Life On Mars when this song came on in an emotional scene. I’d never heard of it before. I never heard of Frankie Miller, but what a singer. He wrote this song when he was just 12 years old. Ray Charles also ended up recording it. Charles did his usual fantastic job on it, but I like Frankie’s stark arrangement. I can’t say enough about his voice. In some of his other songs, he reminds me of Bob Seger with an even a little stronger voice if that is possible. He wrote Ain’t Got No Money which Seger covered.

The best way I can describe this song is that it doesn’t need a big chorus or a clever twist. It just tells the truth. And in doing so, it becomes one of those tracks you return to when the world’s too loud and you need something real. Much like why I keep returning to Ronnie Lane and others. This one doesn’t have a wasted note. No overplaying. Just a slow, steady build that wraps around you.

This was on his 1973 debut album Once In A Blue Moon. In 1994, while he was forming a band with Joe Walsh, he had a brain aneurysm. He has fought back but sadly had to retire. If you don’t know much about him, he is worth looking up.

I can’t find a live version but check out this show.

I Can’t Change It

My friends can’t find some things I say
Must be the way I say those things
My friends can’t find some things I do
Must be the way I do those things
I can’t change it
But I’m trying to do right

I used to steal I used to fall
Was I wrong I can’t recall
I stole in love but all in all
Was I wrong I don’t recall
I can’t change it
But I’m trying to do right

Is it bad to look inside yourself and decide to go
To someone who can show the way complete
Are you glad to lose the doubts you thought would never go
When them inside hallucinations had you beat

My own true love has gone away
What can I say she left that day
The moon still shines a different way
What can I say
She left that day
I can’t change it but I’m waiting patiently

…

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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.

33 thoughts on “Frankie Miller – I Can’t Change It”

  1. Another one of ‘ours’ from Glasgow! I have him with Graham Parker and maybe Jess Roden as my favourite vocalists.

    Frankie is mentioned in the same breath as Alex Harvey. I can’t say any better than that.

    Good spot, and well done giving Hina well deserved shout.

    (I’d have his version of Caledonia as our national anthem! And ‘Be Good To Yourself’ is another to check … Not just for his vocals but also the brass section.

    😀

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    1. Thanks man…that show has led me to a lot of artists I never knew about like Miller and even Atomic Rooster.
      Listening to Be Good To Yourself…awesome man! I love this!

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  2. Pingback: Frankie Miller – I Can’t Change It – MobsterTiger

    1. It was the episode where Sam had the honeytrap and she was killed… I’ll never forget it. It also helps that I’ve seen Life On Mars at least 4 times through. Probably my favorite show of the 21st Century…it’s up my alley! His voice Randy….is incredible!

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  5. I randomly saw Frankie Miller many moons ago back in Germany as part of a Rockpalast TV broadcast. While the name stuck with me, I never followed up to check him out. This song you posted makes me very curious to hear more. This dude has an intriguing voice, which immediately grabbed me. I also love the gospely backing vocals. Great pick!

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    1. From the stuff I’ve heard…he is a soul/blues singer…a great one at that! I like that live show I posted…some cool music.

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      1. I have to go back and watch more of that clip. It’s cool the entire show is on YouTube.

        Rockpalast featured some pretty amazing bands and artists, including The Kinks, Rory Gallagher, Joe Cocker and I believe Thin Lizzy, among many others.

        Not to mention my longtime favorite German rock band BAP. They shared the bill with Gallagher. and band leader Wolfgang Niedecken got to meet him backstage.

        Apparently, Rory was super nice. When noticing Wolfgang was staring at Rory’s beat up Stratocaster, he asked Wolfgang whether he wants to try it out. Apparently, Wolfgang was so excited/nervous that all he could master was a G chord. How friggin’ cool must that have been!

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      2. I need to learn more about Gallagher…I’ve heard some stuff but not a lot. What a cool story man! Yea that would have made me nervous as well!
        Christian…didn’t Germany have another rock show like this one before? The Beat Club or something like that? A lof of performers were on that as well including The Dead.

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      3. Yep, Beat-Club was in the ’60s and I believe part of the ’70s. While Germany hasn’t exactly produced a flood of internationally known artists, they had some cool TV music programs.

        Another one I recall was “Ohne Filter” (literal translation: without filter, meaning truly live), though it never reached the popularity of Rockpalast and Beat-Club. At some point, “Ohne Filter,” was moderated by then-prominent German music expert and DJ Frank Laufenberg.

        BTW, speaking of speed… 🙂

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      4. I just looked Ohne Filter up…cool. That must have been more of the 80s…I’ll check that out.
        Oh that link…COOL Deep Purple! And….I love that lady that introduces everyone! I remember her introducing others.

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  6. Oh, man, I just noticed that live clip you posted is from Rockpalast! This was such a great music program. That said, I believe this was not the Frankie Miller gig I caught on TV. I believe “my” Rockpalast episode was broadcast from Lorelei in the ’80s, a famous rock formation and open air venue on the bank of the Rhine river close to Bonn. Either Steve Miller Band and/or Joe Cocker performed during the same event. I could probably find out…

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    1. It is a cool program man…some great acts were on that show! Cocker is a perfect arist to be on this bill with Miller. I think you would like Miller’s music.

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  7. A new name to me. Sounds like Joe Cocker to me, but I’ll give this guy the upper hand since he writes his own material. Sounds like a voice that was destined to sing Gospel one day. A shame the aneurysm cut that career short.

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  9. What a beautiful song and voice. Have read his name in MOJO magazine or somewhere. Will check out the other video and more. Seems to me you posted something else of his before, or am I crazy? (Both can be true).

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    1. LOL…no I never have posted another song by Frankie Miller before but I could have mentioned him when I mentioned Life On Mars. I read so many blogs…I forget who I’ve seen and haven’t.

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  11. He’s really good. Either I wasn’t aware of him in the 70s or have forgotten. His voice is very like early Paul Rodgers (Free). I’ve bookmarked the gig to watch/listen to later. Thanks.

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      1. How many times have you seen Life On Mars, Max? I think I’ve seen it three or four times. Might be time to watch it again (trouble is, I’ve other things I want to rewatch, too!)

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