Graham Nash wanted to change the direction of the Hollies and write songs that were more in vogue around this time instead of the simple pop songs they were writing. The song only made it to #18 in the UK charts and it was considered a failure compared to their earlier releases although it was praised by the critics. I think it is inventive and fits in really well with the times.
Nash wrote it after he got back from America on a tour. This was not the rest of the band’s favorite song by any means and they wrote a simple…very simple pop song to follow this song called Jennifer Eccles that of course went to #7 in the UK charts which a disheartened Nash hated and he left for greener pastures with Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. I can’t blame him for not liking Jennifer Eccles…it was a weak song.
The song only made it to #51 in the Billboard 100 in 1967. Maybe the change of direction didn’t sit too well with the public. It’s one of my favorites by the Hollies.
Graham said: “My world was turning to sh*t at that point. I was on top of the world, we had 16 or 17 top ten hits, but I was feeling shitty. We made a great record of that song but it only got into the top 30, and the Hollies were always expecting their songs to go into the top 10. So they started to not trust me and not record my songs, ‘’Marrakesh Express’’ being one of them. So I wasn’t feeling that great about my life. It was all turning to sh*t, it wasn’t turning to gold, it was turning to rust.”
Personally, I like the song better than Marrakesh Express.
King Midas In Reverse
If you could only see me. And know exactly were I am. You wouldn’t want to be me, Oh I can assure you of that.
I’m not the guy to run with, Cause I’ll pull you off the line. I’ll break you and destroy you Give time.
He’s King Midas with a curse. He’s king Midas in Reverse. He’s King Midas with a curse. He’s King Midas in Reverse.
It’s plain to see it’s hopeless, Goin’ on the way we are. So even though I loose you, You’ll be better off by far.
He’s not the man to hold your trust, Everything he touches turns to dust in his hands. Nothing he can do is right, he’d even like to sleep at night, but he can’t.
All he touches turns to dust All he touches turns to dust All he touches turns to dust All he touches turns to dust
I wish someone would find me, And help me gain control. Before I loose my reason, And my soul
He’s King Midas with a curse. He’s King Midas in reverse. He’s King Midas with a curse. He’s king Midas in Reverse.
He’s King Midas with a curse (all he touches turns to dust) He’s Kind Midas in Reverse. (all he touches turns to dust) He’s King Midas with a curse, (all he touches turns to dust) He’s King Midas in Reverse
A George Harrison song that was inspired by… Pattie Boyd of course. It was on perhaps the worst Beatle album, the soundtrack to Yellow Submarine. This one I have always liked. The intro is psychedelic with an awesome loud guitar with an organ following. It’s not George’s or the Beatles best song but it fits well on the album and film. Like many Beatle songs…any other band would have featured this song more prominently on an album but the Beatles just stuck it on the soundtrack they didn’t care much about at the time.
Harrison said in 1999 that Paul McCartney played the screaming intro guitar on this song and John Lennon supplied the guitar feedback, allowing George to be free to concentrate only on vocals during the recording of this song.
The Beatles recorded this at De Lane Lea Recording Studios instead of Abbey Road because they were booked at the time.
From Songfacts
A verse was edited out of album version, cutting time from 8 minutes to 6. The full version appears in film Yellow Submarine.
This was by far the longest Beatles song until “Hey Jude” was recorded over a year later.
The line, “With your long blond hair and your eyes of blue” was taken from the song “Sorrow,” originally recorded by the McCoys but popularly covered by The Merseys in 1966 and David Bowie in 1973.
It’s All Too Much
It’s all too much, it’s all too much
When I look into your eyes, your love is there for me And the more I go inside, the more there is to see
It’s all too much for me to take The love that’s shining all around you Everywhere, it’s what you make For us to take, it’s all too much
Floating down the stream of time, of life to life with me Makes no difference where you are or where you’d like to be
It’s all too much for me to take The love that’s shining all around here All the world’s a birthday cake So take a piece but not too much
Set me on a silver sun, for I know that I’m free Show me that I’m everywhere, and get me home for tea
It’s all to much for me to see A love that’s shining all around here The more I am, the less I know And what I do is all too much
It’s all too much for me to take The love that’s shining all around you Everywhere, it’s what you make For us to take, it’s all too much
Great debut single by “The Who.” They released a single before this one but the band had a different name…”The High Numbers.” The song was released in 1964 but peaked at #8 in the UK in 1965.
I Can’t Explain is a simple 3 chord song and what makes it go are the drums. Keith makes his presence felt right away. This was not released on an album until 1971. It is the first song on one of the best compilation albums I ever bought, Meaty, Beaty, Big, and Bouncy.
Roger Daltrey said: “When we turned up to record it there was this other guitarist in the studio – Jimmy Page. And he’d brought in three backing vocalists, which was another shock. He must have discussed it with our management, but not with us, so we were thrown at first, thinking, ‘What the f–k’s going on here?’ But it was his way of recording.”
Page ended up playing the riff and Townsend played the solo.
John Carter, Perry Ford, and Ken Lewis provided the background vocals. The trio were popular session singers in England, where they were known for their harmony vocals. For session work, they called themselves The Ivy League, but they went on to have a hit called “Let’s Go To San Francisco” as The Flower Pot Men. Perry Ford also played piano on this track.
From Songfacts
This was produced by an American named Shel Talmy. He was famous for putting loud, powerful guitar on the songs he produced, and had recently worked with The Kinks on their first hit, “You Really Got Me.” Talmy produced this in a similar style.
Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin fame was a session musician at the time and was brought in to play guitar on this track. The Who producer Shel Talmy knew the guitar would be very prominent on this song and had Page ready in case Townshend couldn’t handle it. Pete did just fine, and quickly established himself as a premier rock guitarist.
The Who made their first US television appearance performing this on the ABC show Shindig. The program aired from 1964-1966 and featured many popular musicians performing their hits. The Everly Brothers, Glen Campbell, and Sonny and Cher were all frequent guests on the show.
Meaty, Beaty, Big And Bouncy was a 1971 compilation of The Who’s early hits, many of which did not appear on albums and could only be purchased as singles. In 1966, The Who broke their contract with manager and producer Shel Talmy. As part of the deal, Talmy got royalties from Who records over the next five years. By 1971, the band was able to release the compilation album without giving the royalties to Talmy.
The Who played this at the Woodstock festival in 1969. It was the second of 24 songs in their set, which ended with a performance of all the songs from their rock opera Tommy. The Who went on at 3 a.m. the second night of Woodstock and played until the sun came up the next day.
The Kinks song “You Really Got Me” was released the previous year and was also produced by Shel Talmy. If you hear similarities in the guitar riffs, you’re not along. Dave Davies of The Kinks says that when he heard “I Can’t Explain,” he thought those “cheeky buggers” from The Who were copying them.
This was a staple of the band’s setlists throughout their career. When The Who toured in 2015 for their 50th anniversary, it was the opening number. Promoting (sort of) the tour in a Rolling Stone interview, Pete Townshend said that he didn’t like performing, partly because songs like this one have no meaning for him anymore. “The first chord of ‘I Can’t Explain’ for me kind of sets the tone for the evening,” he said. “Is this going to be an evening in which I spend the whole evening pretending to be the Pete Townshend I used to be? Or do I pretend to be a grown-up? In both cases, I think I’m pretending.”
Roger Daltrey admitted to Mojo May 2018 that he thought “I Can’t Explain” was a bit namby-pamby. He explained: “It was the backing vocals. ‘Cos Shel Talmy got the Ivy League in. They did these kind of girly high (sings in comedy falsetto) ‘I caaan’t expaaaaain (laughs)’. But you know, it was commercial and it worked, and I was grateful for that.”
I Can’t Explain
Got a feeling inside (can’t explain) It’s a certain kind (can’t explain) I feel hot and cold (can’t explain) Yeah, down in my soul, yeah (can’t explain)
I said (can’t explain) I’m feeling good now, yeah, but (can’t explain)
Dizzy in the head and I’m feeling blue The things you’ve said, well, maybe they’re true I’m gettin’ funny dreams again and again I know what it means, but
Can’t explain I think it’s love Try to say it to you When I feel blue
But I can’t explain (can’t explain) Yeah, hear what I’m saying, girl (can’t explain)
Dizzy in the head and I’m feeling bad The things you’ve said have got me real mad I’m gettin’ funny dreams again and again I know what it means but
Can’t explain I think it’s love Try to say it to you When I feel blue
But I can’t explain (can’t explain) Forgive me one more time, now (can’t explain)
(Ooh) I said I can’t explain, yeah (Ooh) you drive me out of my mind (Ooh) yeah, I’m the worrying kind, babe (Ooh) I said I can’t explain
You won’t find this song on a greatest hits package or hear it on the radio. The Beatles never performed the song live throughout their career and it’s a shame but it was an embarrassment of riches for them. It was one of my first favorite songs from them.
This song was written by John Lennon but of course, credited to Lennon-McCartney. This is where John’s voice cuts through everything and when the harmonies kick in on “All I Got To Do” I’m hooked. The song acted as filler on the album but it is way above a filler song. Any other group would have pushed this song.
John Lennon said: “I had the image of walking down the street and seeing her silhouetted in the window and not answering the ‘phone, although I have never called a girl on the ‘phone in my life! Because ‘phones weren’t part of the English child’s life.”
He also said, “That’s me trying to do Smokey Robinson again.”
All I’ve Got To Do
Whenever I want you around, yeah All I gotta do Is call you on the phone And you’ll come running home, yeah That’s all I gotta do.
And when I, I wanna kiss you, yeah All I gotta do Is whisper in your ear The words you long to hear And I’ll be kissing you
And the same goes for me Whenever you want me at all I’ll be here yes I will Whenever you call You just gotta call on me, yeah You just gotta call on me
And when I, I wanna kiss you, yeah All I got to do Is call you on the phone And you’ll come running home, yeah That’s all I gotta do.
And the same goes for me Whenever you want me at all I’ll be here, yes I will Whenever you call You just gotta call on me You just gotta call on me.
Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney, Miles Davis, and jazz drummer Tony Williams.
This one would have been interesting. Jimi had sent a telegram to Paul in 1969. The telegram said:
“We are recording and LP together this weekend in NewYork [sic],” “How about coming in to play bass stop call Alvan Douglas 212-5812212. Peace Jimi Hendrix Miles Davis Tony Williams.”
Beatles aide Peter Brown responded the next day say that McCartney was on Holiday and was not expected back until 2 weeks.
Of the ones on this post…this would have been the most musically interesting to me.
Elvis Presley album produced by David Bowie
Dwight Yokum said in an interview that David Bowie told him that in 1977 Elvis heard “Golden Years” on the radio and he called Bowie and asked him to produce his next album. This is a “he said he said” but it would have been a unique combination…but Bowie was no stranger to that.
A Bob Dylan/Beatles/Rolling Stones Super Album
In 1969 Producer Glyn Johns met Bob Dylan and Dylan told Johns that he would like to make an album with the Beatles and Stones. Glyn went back to England very excited and told Keith Richards and George Harrison and they were all for it. Ringo, Charlie, and Bill said they would do it. John didn’t say no but Mick and Paul said absolutely not…leaves you to wonder what it would have sounded like…
Glyn also said “I had it all figured out. We would pool the best material from Mick and Keith, Paul and John, Bob and George, and then select the best rhythm section from the two bands to suit whichever songs we were cutting. Paul and Mick were probably, right, however, I would have given anything to have given it a go.”
XYZ Band
It would have been comprised of ex-Yes bassist and drummer, Chris Squire and Alan White, along with Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin. XYZ was said to have stood for eX–Yes-&-Zeppelin. They had rehearsals and Robert Plant came to one to give it a try in 1981 but found the music too complex for his liking…he was also getting over the death of their drummer and his friend John Bonham.
This one didn’t excite me as much…now Chris Squire and Page does sound interesting and with Robert’s comment it looks like it was going to be a more Yes progressive path.
I usually post single releases but this song is one of my favorites of Bob Dylan. I can just read the lyrics of this song and enjoy it. Bob Dylan is the king of song imagery. It was written about his future wife Sara Lownds. It was released in 1965 on the “Bringing It All Back Home” album.
The lyric that hooked me was She knows there’s no success like failure, And that failure’s no success at all. That line is hard to beat.
The song was included on the album Bringing It All Back Home released in 1965. The song was not released as a single but the album peaked at #6 in the Billboard Album Charts.
The title of the song is one of a kind. It’s fun to read people’s interpretations of Dylan’s songs. His songs mean so many different things to people and he is never too open about revealing what they are about.
I found this of someone attempting to mathematically break down the song.
It’s a strange way to title a song, with a slash in the middle. Until you realize that this is not a normal title per se. It’s an equation, like 4/2=2. In mathematics, the forward slash represents “divided by. Four divided by two equals two.
So what’s Love minus zero divided by no limit? Well, no limit equals infinity. It is infinite. Ten divided by infinity would be an infinitely small number. In fact, any finite number divided by infinity would be an infinitely small number.
However, if one’s love is infinite, and you subtract zero from that, the equation now reads “Infinity divided by infinity.” Which equals One. If each human heart is an infinity, it is through love that the two become one.
Love Minus Zero/No Limit
My love she speaks like silence Without ideals or violence She doesn’t have to say she’s faithful Yet she’s true, like ice, like fire People carry roses Make promises by the hours My love she laughs like the flowers Valentines can’t buy her
In the dime stores and bus stations People talk of situations Read books, repeat quotations Draw conclusions on the wall Some speak of the future My love she speaks softly She knows there’s no success like failure And that failure’s no success at all
The cloak and dagger dangles Madams light the candles In ceremonies of the horsemen Even the pawn must hold a grudge Statues made of matchsticks Crumble into one another My love winks, she does not bother She knows too much to argue or to judge
The bridge at midnight trembles The country doctor rambles Bankers’ nieces seek perfection Expecting all the gifts that wise men bring The wind howls like a hammer The night blows cold and rainy My love she’s like some raven At my window with a broken wing
I always think of Goodfellas when I hear this. It is the scene where Ray Liotta takes Lorraine Bracco out to the Copacabana. The song peaked at #6 in the Billboard 100 in 1964.
Dolores “La La” Brooks is the only Crystal to perform on this song. Spector recorded the group’s first recordings in New York City, where they were from. When he relocated to Los Angeles, he had a group called The Blossoms (with Darlene Love singing lead) record the songs “He’s A Rebel” and “He’s Sure the Boy I Love,” which he issued as The Crystals.
On all following Crystals recordings, Spector flew Brooks from New York to Los Angeles to perform the lead vocals, but the other Crystals never made the trip, as Spector preferred to use local backup singers.
From Songfacts
By July 1963, Phil Spector had already made the Hot 100 with seven chart hits that he produced. He successfully ended his partnership with Lester Sill and began his marriage to Annette Merar. Shortly after his marriage, Spector traveled to New York looking for a song to follow up on The Crystals success with “Da Doo Ron Ron.” “Then He Kissed Me” was the perfect song for the group and Phil put together one of his most extravagant productions for the record. (Thanks to Kent at Forgotten Hits.)
This was also around the time when the group shrunk from five members to four, losing Mary Thomas, who left to get married.
Phil Spector produced this using his “Wall Of Sound” technique, which meant long hours in the studio for the musicians, as Spector was notoriously stingy allowing breaks. His engineer Larry Levine recalled: “He didn’t want to give them a bathroom break. Not because he wanted to work them to death, but because he didn’t want them to move microphones or bodies or anything. He wanted everything to stay as it was in the studio. But he would work for three hours or more before we ever put anything on tape. And I think the reason was he wanted to tire these great musicians so that they weren’t playing individualistic; they were too tired. And so they just melded into this wall of sound.”
This was written by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich. Phil Spector also received a songwriting credit.
Crystals lead singer La La Brooks was just 15 when she recorded this song. Had she ever been kissed? “Yeah,” she replied when we asked her. “My little boyfriend at 13 years kissed me on my mouth at the door. But not kiss kiss – you know what I’m saying?”
To coax the vocal performance out of La La Brooks, Phil Spector dimmed the lights in the studio and gave her specific instructions. “He said, ‘Think of somebody kissing you,'” Brooks told us. “I was a kid, so I’m not going to think like that. So he would turn off the lights, I would have a little light on my music, on my words, and then he said, ‘Now, concentrate.’ And I said (singing), ‘Well, he walked up to me and he asked me if I wanted to dance.’ He said, ‘That’s the way you do it!’
So I guess he had to train my mind to think that I was talking about a boy. He knew how to get things out of you.”
This was The Crystals’ last US Top 40 hit, as Phil Spector soon lost interest in them and turned his attention to another girl-group called The Ronettes. The song’s first appearance on an album was on a various-artists compilation of Phil Spector’s artists entitled Today’s Hits.
In 1965, the Beach Boys recorded a version titled “Then I Kissed Her,” which reached UK #4.
The flip side of the record was an instrumental called “Brother Julius,” which was named after a hamburger stand near the Gold Star studio where the recording sessions took place. Spector usually put throwaway songs on the B-sides of his singles so the DJs wouldn’t play them instead of the A-sides.
This song opens the 1987 movie Adventures in Babysitting, where Elisabeth Shue dances to it while getting ready for a date. The song was also used in a 2006 episode of The Simpsons called “Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play.”
Then He Kissed Me
Well, he walked up to me and he asked me if I wanted to dance He looked kinda nice and so I said I might take a chance When he danced he held me tight And when he walked me home that night All the stars were shining bright And then he kissed me
Each time I saw him I couldn’t wait to see him again I wanted to let him know that he was more than a friend I didn’t know just what to do So I whispered I love you He said that he loved me too And then he kissed me
He kissed me in a way that I’ve never been kissed before, He kissed me in a way that I want to be kissed forever more
I knew that he was mine so I gave him all the love that I had And one day he took me home to meet his mon and his dad Then he asked me to be his bride And always be right by his side I felt so happy I almost cried And then he kissed me
Then he asked me to be his bride And always be right by his side I felt so happy I almost cried And then he kissed me And then he kissed me And then he kissed me
How I love this song but…no matter how hard I try I cannot get the movie Blue Velvet out of my head while listening to it. The song helped revive Roy’s career when it appeared in the movie. Here is what Roy said:
Oh God! I was aghast, truly shocked! I remember sneaking into a little cinema in Malibu, where I live, to see it, Some people behind me evidently recognised me because they started laughing when the “In Dreams” sequence came on. But I was shocked, almost mortified, because they were talking about ‘the candy coloured clown’ in relation to doing a dope deal, then Dean Stockwell did that weird miming thing with that lamp. Then they were beating up that young kid! I thought, ‘What in the world? But later, when I was touring, we got the video out and I really got to appreciate not only what David Lynch gave to the song, and what the song in turn gave to the film, but how innovative the movie was, how it really achieved this otherworldy quality that added a whole new dimension to “In Dreams”. I find it hard to verbalise why, but Blue Velvet really succeeded in making my music contemporary again.
Roy Orbison claimed in interviews that the lyrics for this song came to him in a dream he wrote the music once he woke up. The song peaked #7 in the Billboard 100 in 1963. While the song was in the charts Orbison toured Britain with a new unknown group, named the Beatles.
From Songfacts
This song is featured in a key scene in the 1986 film Blue Velvet where Dean Stockwell’s character lip-synchs to the song. Orbison initially rejected director David Lynch’s request to use this song, but later made a video for the track with scenes from the film.
The use of this song in Blue Velvet sparked a career resurgence for Orbison. Because of legal entanglements, he didn’t have access to the master recordings of many of his hits, so after the movie drummed up interest in his work, he set about re-recording his songs for a compilation called In Dreams: The Greatest Hits. When Orbison asked Lynch if he could use footage of the film in a video for the re-recorded “In Dreams,” Lynch not only agreed, but offered to help with the song. With T Bone Burnett producing, Lynch directed Orbison in his performance as he would an actor in a film, and it worked, allowing Orbison to be faithful to the original recording by doing it with no overdubs.
Shortly before he died, Roy Orbison recorded a follow-up to this song called “In The Real World” on his 1989 album Mystery Girl.
In Dreams
A candy-colored clown they call the sandman Tiptoes to my room every night Just to sprinkle star dust and to whisper “Go to sleep, everything is alright”
I close my eyes then I drift away Into the magic night, I softly say A silent prayer like dreamers do Then I fall asleep to dream my dreams of you
In dreams I walk with you In dreams I talk to you In dreams you’re mine all the time We’re together in dreams, in dreams
But just before the dawn I awake and find you gone I can’t help it, I can’t help it if I cry I remember that you said goodbye
Too bad it only seems It only happens in my dreams Only in dreams In beautiful dreams.
Whenever I start reading about someone (In this case Elvis Presley) I usually dive deep into them. I’ve watched a few documentaries on youtube and the Comeback Special.
Last week Slightly Charming (I highly recommend checking out her blog) recommended this documentary on Elvis and it is the best one I’ve watched about him. It’s an HBO production with commentary by Priscilla Presley, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Robbie Robertson, and many others.
It is a two-part documentary around 3 hours long both combined. Much like the Peter Guralnick books I’ve been reading it is very even-handed but it doesn’t pull any punches.
Elvis was an interesting person. A poor southern boy who gained fame and fortune quickly and handled it well considering what he was going through until his mother passed away. After that came the Army stint in Germany and from there while his fortune and fame grew his artistic credibility went down. In the mid-sixties, while The Beatles, Dylan, and the Stones dominated the charts…Elvis, a big influence to all three was stuck in a cycle of bad movies and bad soundtracks that he didn’t want to do.
The documentary goes over Colonel Tom Parker his manager, The infamous Memphis Mafia, Las Vegas, and the failed marriage to Priscilla.
The one thing this film does is concentrate on his music and not the parody he turned into at the end of his life. I found myself rooting for him during the 1968 Comeback Special. He had the spark back again and his voice was the Elvis we heard in the fifties. After the dismal movie soundtracks, he made this great comeback special but then it slowly started to go down. There was still good music to come but the end was in sight.
This great documentary is worth the time to check out.
A fun song with a sense of humor. It stays with me on one listen. Apparently, it stayed with others because it peaked at #1 in the Billboard 100 in 1961. Unfortunately, this was Ernie’s only top 40 hit.
This song was written by Allen Toussaint, who was Ernie K-Doe’s producer. Toussaint came up with the song when he was playing piano in his family’s living room, messing around with bits of a song he had heard from the gospel group the Harmonizing Four. Trying to think up lyrics, he came up with the title and quickly fabricated the story about a guy who is put through hell by his mother-in-law.
After researching this song…I found a picture of Ernie and Led Zeppelin in New Orleans.
From Songfacts
K-Doe’s real name: Ernest Kador. Born in 1936, he remained a popular singer and radio personality in New Orleans until his death in 2001. While best known as a singer, K-Doe was also an accomplished drummer.
The song plays on the stereotype of the meddling mother-in-law who feels the man who married her daughter isn’t good enough for her. Most songs of this nature would be labeled “novelty” records, but K-Doe’s sincere delivery kept that tag off the song in most publications.
Toussaint didn’t have a mother-in-law at the time – he was single – but he kept hearing comedians making mother-in-law jokes on TV, so he knew it would get a reaction. Toussaint says that his grandmother was horrified when she heard it, but forgave him later.
The bass singer on this track who repeats the “mother-in-law” refrain was Benny Spellman. The success of this song caused a running argument between K-Doe and bass singer Spellman as to who was responsible for the hit. Spellman prevailed upon Toussaint to write a song for him to record, “Lipstick Traces (on a Cigarette).” When Spellman recorded it, K-Doe sang backup vocals.
Allen Toussaint thought Ernie K-Doe would be a good fit for this song, since Ernie was known as a showman, and for making outrageous self-promotional statements. K-Doe claimed that this song “will last to the end of the Earth, because someone is always going to get married.”
This was by far the biggest hit for K-Doe, whose other chart entries were “Te-Ta-Te-Ta-Ta” (#53, 1961), “I Cried My Last Tear” (#69, 1961), “A Certain Girl” (#71, 1961) and “Popeye Joe” (#99, 1962). His 1970 song “Here Come The Girls!” was sampled by the Sugababes for their 2008 UK hit “Girls.”
In 1994, K-Doe opened a bar and music venue in New Orleans called “The Mother-in-Law Lounge” with his wife Antionette. After Ernie died in 2001, Antionette kept the venue alive, preserving Ernie’s memory with a fully costumed, look-alike mannequin of the singer. The lounge was completely destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but reopened a year later. Antionette K-Doe died of a heart attack on February 24, 2009, which was the day of Mardi Gras.
K-Doe claimed that he fished the song out of Allen Toussaint’s trash can and recorded it because he related strongly to its sentiments: his mother-in-law was living in his house at a time of marital turmoil. In our interview with Toussaint, he explained what happened: “I wrote four songs for him to do, because we always recorded four songs at a time, and ‘Mother-In-Law’ was one of them. When I tried it out on him the first time, he began to shout and preach at it and I really didn’t like his approach to it. I thought it was a waste of time to try to get him to do it, so I balled it up and put it in the trash can, like I did with other songs. One of the backup singers, Willie Harper, thought it was just a wonderful song, so he took it out of the trash can and said, ‘K-Doe, why don’t you calm down and listen closer to the way Allen is doing it and try to do it like that? This is a good song.’ So he calmed down and didn’t preach at it, but did it like it finally came out.”
This song was recorded in New Orleans at J&M Studios, which was also where Little Richard and Fats Domino recorded. Allen Toussaint was a regular at the studio, sometimes recording his own material, but usually doing session work.
Mother-In-Law
Mother-in-law (mother-in law), mother-in-law (mother-in-law) The worst person I know, mother-in-law, mother-in-law She worries me so, mother-in-law, mother-in-law If she leaves us alone, we would have a happy home Sent from down below (Mother-in-law) mother-in-law, (mother-in-law), mother-in-law
Sin should be her name, mother-in-law, mother-in-law To me, they’re about the same, mother-in-law, mother-in-law Every time I open my mouth, she steps in, tries to put me out How could she stoop so low? (Mother-in-law), mother-in-law, (mother-in-law), mother-in-law
I come home with my pay, mother-in-law, mother-in-law She asks me what I make, mother-in-law, mother-in-law She thinks her advice is a contribution But if she will leave that will be a solution And don’t come back no more (Mother-in-law), mother-in-law, (mother-in-law), mother-in-law
Merle Haggard had 38 number one hits, 71 top ten hits, and 101 songs in the top 100 in the country charts. I don’t listen to many country artists but Merle I do… Haggard wrote the song as a tribute to his working-class fan base. When the guitar riff starts up…I am hooked. Workin’ Man Blues” was a track on Haggard’s 1969 album A Portrait of Merle Haggard.
Haggard took the lead guitar lines himself, augmented by the great session player James Burton, who had made his reputation playing on all Ricky Nelson‘s great early hits and also played for Elvis Presley.
Lewis Talley added a third guitar on the track, with bass by Chuck Berghofer; the drummer was Jim Gordon, known for his work with Delaney & Bonnie and as a member of Derek and the Dominos.
The song peaked at #1 in the Hot 100 Country Charts and #1 in the Canadian RPM Country Tracks in 1969.
From Songfacts
“Working Man Blues” is about as obviously aimed as you can get, at the core audience of his fans, being blue-collar workers. Even at that, Haggard poses for the cover of the single in full business suit, tie, watch, and all. It’s sort of a cool solidarity with the audience, and a sympathetic bit of self-deprecating humor – “Don’t I look ridiculous like this?” The suit even seems to be tailored in a just-this-side-of-dandy fashion, just to make the point.
“Working Man Blues” is an excellent example of the country music sub-genre known as the “Bakersfield Sound.” Bakersfield, California was the locus of a back-to-basics breed of Country music in the ’60s and ’70s, popularized by Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, and the Buckaroos. It was kind of a “punking” of Country music, removing the slick studio production to focus on the bare essentials.
You can’t believe it thanks to the urban sprawl and metropolitan development today, but Bakersfield was once just as rural as the name suggests. As recently as 1970, it was just ranches and farms, from the freeway to the horizon, with a few “wide places in the road” for buildings. Today it’s the same smoggy concrete jungle that the rest of California is.
Haggard had an amazing work ethic, firing off an average of three albums in the space of a year. Critics noted that the prolific pace didn’t hurt the quality; music critic Mark Deming noted that a performer would be lucky to have the hits spanning a career that Haggard could pack into one album.
Working Man Blues
It’s a big job just gettin’ by with nine kids and a wife I been a workin’ man dang near all my life I’ll be working long as my two hands are fit to use I’ll drink my beer in a tavern, Sing a little bit of these working man blues
I keep my nose on the grindstone, I work hard every day Might get a little tired on the weekend, after I draw my pay But I’ll go back workin, come Monday morning I’m right back with the crew I’ll drink a little beer that evening, Sing a little bit of these working man blues
Hey hey, the working man, the working man like me I ain’t never been on welfare, that’s one place I won’t be Cause I’ll be working long as my two hands are fit to use I drink a little beer in a tavern Sing a little bit of these working man blues
Sometimes I think about leaving, do a little bummin’ around I wanna throw my bills out the window catch a train to another town But I go back working I gotta buy my kids a brand new pair of shoes Yeah drink a little beer in a tavern, Cry a little bit of these working man blues
Hey hey, the working man, the working man like me I ain’t never been on welfare, that’s one place I won’t be Cause I’ll be working long as my two hands are fit to use I drink a little beer in a tavern Sing a little bit of these working man blues Yeah drink a little beer in a tavern, Cry a little bit of these working man blues
This song has an excellent melody and John’s voice is great. It’s always been a favorite of mine. When I first got the White Album I zeroed in on Dear Prudence, Helter Skelter and this one at first.
John wrote this song about the Maharishi after John decided he wasn’t going to be the spiritual leader John thought. The song was called “Maharishi” but George convinced him to change the name of the song to Sexy Sadie. Personally, I think the Maharishi was good for them at the time. They cut down on the drugs and wrote some great songs without being pestered by the public or reporters.
George said this about John’s disillusionment of the Maharishi: “Someone started the nasty rumor about Maharishi, a rumor that swept the media for years…This whole piece of bullsh*t was invented. It’s probably even in the history books that Maharishi ‘tried to attack Mai Farrow‘ – but it’s bullsh*t, total bullsh*t. Just go ask Mia Farrow. There were a lot of flakes there; the whole place was full of flaky people. Some of them were us.”
“The story stirred up a situation. John had wanted to leave anyway, so that forced him into the position of thinking: ‘OK, now we’ve got a good reason to get out of here.’ We went to Maharishi, and I said, ‘Look, I told you I was going’…He couldn’t really accept that we were leaving, and he said, ‘What’s wrong?’ That’s when John said something like: ‘Well, you’re supposed to be the mystic, you should know.’ We took some cars that had been driven up there…We drove for hours. John had a song he had started to write which he was singing: ‘Maharishi, what have you done?’ and I said, ‘You can’t say that it’s ridiculous.’ I came up with the title of ‘Sexy Sadie’ and John changed ‘Maharishi’ to ‘Sexy Sadie.’
From Songfacts
John Lennon wrote this about the Maharishi while he was leaving India in 1968. After attending his Transcendental Meditation camp with the other Beatles, Lennon thought The Maharishi was a crock.
The song describes Lennon’s total dissatisfaction with the Maharishi. While at his retreat, it has been said that the Maharishi attempted to rape Mia Farrow. Once The Beatles learned of this, they immediately went to the Maharishi, and Lennon announced they were all leaving. The Maharishi asked why? Lennon said, “If you’re so cosmic, you’ll know why.” As originally written, some of its lyrics were considered obscene and had to be refined. Lennon had used the Maharishi’s name but had to change it for fear of being sued. But, Sexy Sadie is the Maharishi. Needless to say, that was the end of the Maharishi and The Beatles relationship.
Lennon dubbed the Maharishi “sexy” after he hit on Mia Farrow. Farrow’s sister, Prudence, was also there, and her experience led Lennon to write “Dear Prudence.”
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was born on January 12, 1917. The founder of the Transcendental Meditation Movement, the Beatles spent time with the Maharishi in 1967-68; they were visiting him when they learned of the death of their manager Brian Epstein. John was disenchanted with the Maharishi and thought he was a hoax, and left abruptly convincing the others he was using the girls The Beatles had brought him.
This song required 52 takes and a full day-and-a-half of studio time. Lennon spent much of time cussing his way through the sessions, deeply hurt after coming to the conclusion that the Maharishi was not as holy as he’d hoped.
The song confirmed Charles Manson’s belief that the Beatles were talking directly to him, by virtue of one of his followers, Susan Atkins, having already been nicknamed Sadie Mae Glutz. Many of the tracks from The White Album (“Piggies” for example) were interpreted by Manson as messages directed to him.
In the Anthology book when The Beatles were talking about Manson, John Lennon was quoted as saying, “All the other fellows had some ‘influence’ on Manson, but not me I didn’t do nothing,” but Sadie was the nickname for Susan Atkins (Sadie Mae Glutz) which did contribute to Manson’s belief that the Beatles were singing about him and his “Family.”
Sexy Sadie
Sexy Sadie, what have you done You made a fool of everyone You made a fool of everyone Sexy Sadie, ooh, what have you done
Sexy Sadie, you broke the rules You laid it down for all to see You laid it down for all to see Sexy Sadie, ooh, you broke the rules
One sunny day the world was waiting for a lover She came along and turned on everyone Sexy Sadie, the greatest of them all
Sexy Sadie, how did you know The world was waiting just for you The world was waiting just for you Sexy Sadie, ooh, how did you know
Sexy Sadie, you’ll get yours yet However big you think you are However big you think you are Sexy Sadie, ooh, you’ll get yours yet
We gave her everything we owned just to sit at her table Just a smile would lighten everything Sexy Sadie, she’s the latest and the greatest of them all
The Four Tops had 45 songs in the Billboard 100, 7 top ten hits, and 2 number one singles. This song peaked at #1 in the Billboard 100, #1 in the UK, #6 in Canada in 1966.
The Motown songwriting team of Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland (Holland-Dozier-Holland) wrote this. Dozier explained: “Brian, Eddie and I often had discussions about what women really want most of all from a man, and after talking about some of our experiences with women, we all three agreed that they wanted someone to be there for them, through thick or thin, and be there at their beck and call! Thus this song was born.”
The Four Tops recorded this in just two takes and had practically forgotten about the song until it was released, assuming it was a throwaway album track. Motown boss Berry Gordy had other ideas and released it as a single. Gordy thought he heard a hit song and got this one right.
From Songfacts
Holland-Dozier-Holland team also produced the songs they wrote. For this one, they told lead singer Levi Stubbs to sing like Bob Dylan on “Like a Rolling Stone,” which explains the urgency in his lyrics. Phil Spector once described it as “black Dylan.”
This was one of many hits the Holland-Dozier-Holland team wrote for The Four Tops. Some of these songs sounded remarkably similar, but the Motown writers didn’t have time to start from scratch with every song, since they were expected to crank out lots of songs in a hurry. H-D-H averaged two or three songs a day and literally had to clock in to work. Lamont Dozier said in a 1984 interview with NME: “If we didn’t complete them at least we would start them. We would have parts of the songs, like hooks, or maybe parts of verse, so that at the end of the day we would have something accomplished. I guess that was primarily the reason for the success we had in such a short time. We were there eight or nine years and out of those years we racked up some 50 or 60 Top 20 records, 66 Top Ten… something like that.”
The line, “happiness is just an illusion” appeared in another Motown song that was on the charts at the same time: “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” by Jimmy Ruffin. That one also rhymed “illusion” with “confusion.”
Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent sang backup. They later went on to form the successful vocal trio Dawn along with Tony Orlando.
This is a very difficult song to sing, something BeBe Winans learned when he performed it at a 2003 ceremony where Holland-Dozier-Holland were given a BMI Icon Award. “He had the hardest time singing it because it was switching keys and going to different places,” Lamont Dozier recalled to Songfacts. “But he finally got it. Some of those songs are awkward to sing and you have to be a great singer to sell it.”
Diana Ross recorded this for her 1971 album Surrender, taking the song to #29 in the US. Her version, which was produced by Ashford & Simpson, is drastically different from the Four Tops original. Ross sang it in a similar style to her 1970 hit, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” >>
This song has an interesting chart history in the UK: The original hit #1 in 1966, Gloria Gaynor took a disco version to #14 in 1975, a remix of the Four Tops version by the production team Stock, Aitken & Waterman went to #11 in 1988, and Michael Bolton’s version hit #37 in 1993.
It was just the second Motown song to hit #1 in the UK, following “Baby Love” by The Supremes, which reached the summit in 1964.
Reach Out (I’ll Be There)
Now if you feel that you can’t go on Because all of your hope is gone, And your life is filled with much confusion Until happiness is just an illusion, And your world around is crumblin’ down; Darling, reach out (come on girl, reach on out for me) Reach out (reach out for me.) I’ll be there, with a love that will shelter you. I’ll be there, with a love that will see you through. I’ll be there to always see you through.
When you feel lost and about to give up ‘Cause your best just ain’t good enough And you feel the world has grown cold, And you’re drifting out all on your own, And you need a hand to hold: Darling, reach out (come on girl, reach out for me) Reach out (reach out for me.) I’ll be there, to love and comfort you, And I’ll be there, to cherish and care for you. I’ll be there to love and comfort you.
I can tell the way you hang your head, You’re without love and now you’re afraid And through your tears you look around, But there’s no peace of mind to be found. I know what you’re thinkin’, You’re alone now, no love of your own, But darling, reach out (come on girl, reach out for me) Reach out (reach out for me.) Just look over your shoulder I’ll be there, to give you all the love you need, And I’ll be there, you can always depend on me.
A great song that sounds like a giant statement. It still rings true today and it’s just an incredible piece of work. Dylan sings this song as if every word has a purpose to it and it does. I’ve seen Bob eight times and he has played this song twice and it was one of the highlights when he did perform it.
The song was included on the album Bringing It All Back Home released in 1965. The song was not released as a single but the album peaked at #6 in the Billboard Album Charts. The song on the album to make it into the top 40 was “Subterranean Homesick Blues” which peaked at #39.
I haven’t posted many Bob Dylan songs because the original songs on youtube were almost impossible to find but observationblogger posted Tuesday that Dylan has released his songs on youtube. You can find almost everything now.
From Songfacts
Dylan vents about subjects such as commercialism, hypocrisy and warmongering in this song. In the book, Bob Dylan, Performing Artist, author Paul Williams states this song sees Dylan acknowledge “the possibility that the most important (and least articulated) political issue of our times is that we are all being fed a false picture of reality, and it’s coming at us from every direction.”
Williams adds that Dylan portrays an “alienated individual identifying the characteristics of the world around him and thus declaring his freedom from its ‘rules’.”
This song is one of Dylan’s personal favorites. In 1980, he stated: “I don’t think I could sit down now and write ‘It’s Alright, Ma’ again. I wouldn’t even know where to begin, but I can still sing it.”
The opening line, “Darkness at the break of noon,” is referring to a nuclear explosion. After a nuclear explosion, the sky turns black and the sun disappears. >>
The line, “He who is not busy being born in busy dying” is popular with politicians. Jimmy Carter used the line in his acceptance speech at the 1976 Democratic National convention, and while campaigning for President in 2000, Al Gore told talk show host, Oprah Winfrey, that it was his favorite quote. Ironically, the song also contains the line, “But even the President of the United States sometimes must have to stand naked,” which is Dylan alluding to the fact even the most powerful people will be ultimately judged.
The album cover shows a woman lounging by a fireplace with Dylan in the foreground holding a cat. She is Sally Grossman, the wife of Dylan’s manager Albert Grossman. The photo was taken in Grossman’s house, and the cat belonged to Sally.
Bob Dylan – It’s Alright Ma I’m Only Bleeding
Darkness at the break of noon Shadows even the silver spoon The handmade blade, the child’s balloon Eclipses both the sun and moon To understand you know too soon There is no sense in trying
Pointed threats, they bluff with scorn Suicide remarks are torn From the fool’s gold mouthpiece The hollow horn plays wasted words Proves to warn that he’s not busy being born Is busy dying
Temptation’s page flies out the door You follow, find yourself at war Watch waterfalls of pity roar You feel to moan but unlike before You discover that you’d just be One more person crying
So don’t fear if you hear A foreign sound to your ear It’s alright ma, I’m only sighing
As some warn victory, some downfall Private reasons great or small Can be seen in the eyes of those that call To make all that should be killed to crawl While others say don’t hate nothing at all Except hatred
Disillusioned words like bullets bark As human gods aim for their mark Made everything from toy guns that spark To flesh-colored Christs that glow in the dark It’s easy to see without looking too far That not much is really sacred
While preachers preach of evil fates Teachers teach that knowledge waits Can lead to hundred-dollar plates Goodness hides behind its gates But even the president of the United States Sometimes must have to stand naked
An’ though the rules of the road have been lodged It’s only people’s games that you got to dodge And it’s alright ma, I can make it
Advertising signs that con you Into thinking you’re the one That can do what’s never been done That can win what’s never been won Meantime life outside goes on All around you
You lose yourself, you reappear You suddenly find you got nothing to fear Alone you stand with nobody near When a trembling distant voice, unclear Startles your sleeping ears to hear That somebody thinks they really found you
A question in your nerves is lit Yet you know there is no answer fit to satisfy Insure you not to quit To keep it in your mind and not forget That it is not he or she or them or it That you belong to
Although the masters make the rules For the wise men and the fools I got nothing ma, to live up to
For them that must obey authority That they do not respect in any degree Who despise their jobs, their destinies Speak jealously of them that are free Do what they do just to be nothing more than something they invest in
While some on principles baptized To strict party platform ties Social clubs in drag disguise Outsiders they can freely criticize Tell nothing except who to idolize And then say “God bless him”
While one who sings with his tongue on fire Gargles in the rat race choir Bent out of shape from society’s pliers Cares not to come up any higher But rather get you down in the hole that he’s in
But I mean no harm nor put fault On anyone that lives in a vault But it’s alright ma, if I can’t please him
Old lady judges watch people in pairs Limited in sex, they dare To push fake morals, insult and stare While money doesn’t talk, it swears Obscenity, who really cares Propaganda, all is phony
While them that defend what they cannot see With a killer’s pride, security It blows the minds most bitterly For them that think death’s honesty Won’t fall upon them naturally Life sometimes must get lonely
My eyes collide head-on with stuffed graveyards False gods, I scuff At pettiness which plays so rough Walk upside-down inside handcuffs Kick my legs to crash it off Say okay, I have had enough What else can you show me?
And if my thought-dreams could be seen They’d probably put my head in a guillotine But it’s alright ma, it’s life, and life only
Buffalo Springfield is a band that never quite reached its true potential but still made a big impression in the late sixties. This song comes in with a bang. “Mr. Soul” It was written by Young after experiencing an epilepsy attack after an early show with Buffalo Springfield in San Francisco. Many people in the audience were questioning if it was part of the act.
The lyrics had reflected Young’s experience, feeling as though he was about to die. Thereupon, he was advised by his doctor to never take LSD or any other hallucinogenic drugs.
The song was the first track of their second album Buffalo Springfield Again. The song did not chart.
From Songfacts
One hardly knows where to begin with this song’s lyrics. In just three short verses with no chorus, Young practically flaunts his lyrical prowess at this early stage in his career. He invokes both Beatles and early proto-punk, in verses that manage to be both angry and whimsical at the same time. Like the team of Lennon-McCartney, Young and Stills experienced friendly rivalry with their equally matched talents that also inspired each of them to top the other, bringing their work to an edginess that drove them to brilliance.
At the time of “Mr. Soul,” Young was wavering on leaving the band. His first departure was on the eve of Buffalo Springfield’s booking to appear on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, which he was vehemently opposed to. Young later told British music magazine Mojo, “I thought it was belittling what the Buffalo Springfield was doing. That audience wouldn’t have understood us. We’d have been just a f–kin’ curiosity to them.”
Along with missing The Tonight Show, Young’s sudden departure also cast a cold shadow over Buffalo Springfield’s appearance at the now-legendary 1967 Monterey International Pop Festival. Buffalo Springfield brought in Doug Hastings to substitute on guitar and had Stephen Stills’ friend David Crosby drop by to assist with the Festival appearance, but even so, the group’s performance suffered so much that they were dropped from the Pennebaker documentary.
The book Neil Young: Long May You Run: The Illustrated History says that this song “was likely more indicative of where his [Young’s] head truly was. Much like the songs from the Springfield’s debut, ‘Mr. Soul’ suggests that Young’s work was still razor-sharp, even when it was coming from a very unhappy place.”
While we’re book-hopping, there are some ties between Buffalo Springfield members and Al Kooper (of Blues Project / Blood Sweat & Tears fame). In Kooper’s memoir Backstage Passes and Backstabbing Bastards, Kooper consulted with David Crosby when the idea of Blood Sweat & Tears was forming in his mind, and also recruited Jim Fielder (Frank Zappa and the Mothers alumni), who also part of Buffalo Springfield when they were seeking a replacement for Bruce Palmer’s continuous absences. And then Stephen Stills himself popped by to fill in for Mike Bloomfield when Kooper, in a panic, called him to help complete the album Super Session. There, is that enough threads weaving everything together?
Robin Lane ran in Young’s circle in the late ’60s. She also lived with him for some time and sang on “Round and Round (It Won’t Be Long).” Lane told Songfacts that the song “Mr. Soul” was inspired in some way by the death of Lenny Bruce, who died less a year before the song was recorded. In Shakey, Jimmy McDonough writes that Young himself had no recollection of the Bruce connection.
Mr. Soul
Oh, hello Mr. Soul, I dropped by to pick up a reason For the thought that I caught that my head is the event of the season Why in crowds just a trace of my face could seem so pleasin’ I’ll cop out to the change, but a stranger is putting the tease on.
I was down on a frown when the messenger brought me a letter I was raised by the praise of a fan who said I upset her Any girl in the world could have easily known me better She said, You’re strange, but don’t change, and I let her.
In a while will the smile on my face turn to plaster? Stick around while the clown who is sick does the trick of disaster For the race of my head and my face is moving much faster Is it strange I should change? I don’t know, why don’t you ask her?
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