1970s – Page 60 – PowerPop… An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture

Ozark Mountain Daredevils – If You Wanna Get To Heaven

My mom overheard me sing this to myself when I was around 7…I had just heard it on the radio. I then heard my first.middle.last name being called. Whenever I heard all three names…it usually wasn’t a good thing. She wasn’t strict on me at all but she didn’t exactly like her 7-year-old kid sing about raising hell.

The song was written by band members Steve Cash and John Dillon and released on their first album. Ozark Mountain Daredevils were from Springfield, Missouri, and sported some of the same attitude of the song.

“If You Wanna Get To Heaven” peaked at #25 on the Billboard 100 and #23 in Canada in 1973; two years later Jackie Blue peaked at #3 on the Billboard 100.

Their two big hits sound like two different bands. You have the rough-edged If You Want To Get To Heaven and the very pop Jackie Blue.

During their peak years, few bands could draw a bigger crowd in Kansas City. The Daredevils were seen by Glyn Johns at Kansas City’s Cowtown Ballroom and then produced them. Glyn worked with about every big name in the business including The Beatles, Stones, Who, Led Zeppelin, and many others.

The band still tours and released an album in 2018.

If You Want To Get To Heaven

I never read it in a book
I never saw it on a show
but I heard it in the alley
on a weird radio
if you want a drink of water
you got to get it from a well
if you want to get to heaven
you got to raise a little hell

I never felt it in my feet
I never felt it in my soul
but I heard it the alley
now it’s in my rock and roll
if you want to know a secret
you got to promise not to tell
if you want to get to heaven
you got to raise a little hell

I never thought it’d be so easy
I never thought it’d be so fun
but I heard it in the alley
now I got it on the run
if you want to see an angel
you got to find it where it fell
if you want to get to heaven
you got to raise a little hell

if you want to get to heaven
if you want to get to heaven
if you want to get to heaven
if you want to get to heaven

Rolling Stones – Criss Cross

A new old song from the Stones. This song has been in the vault…it will be included with the reissued “Goats Head Soup,” out Sept. 4. Two more unheard tracks will be on the reissue. Thanks to Deke for pointing this song out last week.

It’s a cool funky track produced by Jimmy Miller.

“The remastered “Goats Head Soup” box set and deluxe editions will all feature 10 bonus tracks, including “Criss Cross,” the previously unheard “Scarlet,” featuring guitar by Jimmy Page, and a third newly unearthed song, “All The Rage.” All three songs were recorded more than 40 years ago but were never officially released until now. ”

https://www.loudersound.com/news/the-rolling-stones-launch-video-for-previously-unreleased-track-criss-cross

Criss Cross

Baby. Ooh!
Baby
Save me. Ooh!
Save me. Ah!
Yeah, here come a woman
Givin’ me a criss cross mind
Save me
Save me. Ooh!
Yeah, here come a woman
Giving me a criss cross mind
Oh I got a lotta knots in my hair
I can’t seem to straighten out
Ah, I think I need a blood transfusion
Yeah, here come a lady
Giving’me a criss cross mind

Darling
Darling
Ooh!
Touch me
Ooh, yeah!
Kiss me
Ooh, yeah! Ooh, yeah!
Lip to lip
Fingertip
Skin to skin
Ring to ring
Tongue to tongue
Thigh to thigh
Oh baby
Yeah
All the time
Baby
Save me
Yeah here come a lady
Giving’ me a criss cross mind
Mama walkin’ around in the rain
She want you every night
An’ think I need a blood transfusion
Yeah here come a woman
Givin’ me a criss cross mind
Yeah, yeah
Darling
Darling
Baby
Save me. Save me. Save me. Save me
And feed me, yeah
Baby. Baby. Baby
Save me
Cheek to cheek
Ohh yeah
Tounge to tounge

Queen – Somebody To Love

This may be my favorite Queen song. I loved to play this in my car when I was a teen with a stereo that could blow your hair back.

This song is sung with a gospel feel, with the voices of Freddie Mercury, Brian May, and Roger Taylor multitracked to sound like a choir. According to Brian May, the gospel sound was inspired by the music of Aretha Franklin.

Freddie Mercury wrote Somebody To Love. In interviews Freddie has said the lyrics reflect a man calling out to God, asking why he works so hard, but can’t find love. At the end of the song, he finds hope and decides he will not accept defeat

The song peaked at #13 in the Billboard 100, #2 in the UK, and #5 in Canada in 1977. The song was on the album A Day At The Races.

The band was super talented and it wasn’t just Freddie’s voice that made it… All the members contributed. Brian May’s guitar playing and sound was just as much part of Queen. John Deacon’s bass playing and songwriting that produced some of their big hits. Roger Taylor who is an excellent drummer also wrote some of their bigger songs.

From Songfacts

.Peter Hince, the head of Queen’s road crew, recalled to Mojo magazine September 2009 that “among the road crew there were songs you liked and songs you didn’t like.” He added that this was, “always one of Queen’s best. The studio version was very polished, but on-stage there was so much more guts to it.”

Hince recalled to Mojo the video was “filmed at Wessex Studios while they were making the A Day at the Races album.” He added: “Aesthetically, you had to have all four around the microphone, but John (Deacon) didn’t sing on the records. By his own admission he didn’t have the voice. He did sing on-stage but the crew always knew to keep the fader very low.”

Several bootleg recordings and live videos exist where evidently John’s mic was not turned down, and it becomes painfully obvious that the above statement is true – one particular live performance of “In The Lap Of The Gods” is wince-inducing!

In October 2009 a remake by the cast of the Fox TV musical comedy Glee returned this song to #28 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #26 on the UK singles chart. Their version was featured in the episode “The Rhodes Not Taken.”

Frank Turner covered this for the B-side to his vinyl release of “I Still Believe” in 2011.

The Voice contestant Jordan Smith’s rendition took the song back into the upper reaches of the Hot 100. The week after his performance of the song on the December 7, 2015 episode of the singing competition, Smith’s version debuted at #21 on the chart.

This was used in a commercial for the Honda Ridgeline that debuted during the 2016 Super Bowl. In the spot, a flock of sheep sing this song, having heard it when they were transported in a Ridgeline with a truck-bed audio system, which we’re sure is quite handy for teaching songs to sheep.

Somebody To Love

Each morning I get up I die a little
Can barely stand on my feet (take a look at yourself)
Take a look in the mirror and cry
Lord, what you’re doing to me
I have spent all my years in believing you
But I just can’t get no relief, Lord
Somebody uh (somebody) somebody (somebody)
Can anybody find me somebody to love?

I work (he works hard) hard every day of my life
I work ’til I ache my bones
At the end (at the end of the day) I take home my hard earned pay all on my own
I go down on my knees
And I start to pray (praise the Lord)
‘Til the tears run down from my eyes
Lord, somebody uh (somebody) somebody (somebody)
Can anybody find me somebody to love?

(He works hard) everyday (everyday)
I try and I try and I try
But everybody wants to put me down
They say I’m goin’ crazy
They say I got a lot of water in my brain
I got no common sense
I got nobody left to believe
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Oh, Lord
Somebody uh (somebody) somebody (somebody)
Can anybody find me somebody to love?

(Can anybody find me somebody to love?)
Got no feel, I got no rhythm
I just keep losing my beat
I’m alright, I’m alright (he’s alright)
I ain’t gonna face no defeat
I just gotta get out of this prison cell
Someday I’m gonna be free, Lord

Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
Somebody (somebody) somebody (somebody)
Somebody find me, somebody find me somebody to love
Can anybody find me
Somebody to come on, love, yeah

Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody, somebody, somebody to love (find me somebody to love)
Find me, find me, find me, find me uh somebody to love
Find me somebody to love
Find me somebody to love (anybody, anywhere)
Somebody, somebody to love yeah yeah oh (find me somebody to love)

41 years ago… Skylab was Falling!!!

On July 12, 1979, Skylab was falling back to the earth. I blogged this a couple of years ago…but today is the anniversary.

In 1979 I was twelve and hearing the news that a space workstation named Skylab was falling to earth. It was exciting for me…I was hoping that a piece of it would fall near so I could touch something that had been flying through space.

That didn’t happen because unless I was Australian I was not going to see any debris. In school, our science teacher went over the event and I do remember people wearing Skylab t-shirts, hats, and buttons.

Watching the news…there were some people panicking and…some people partying. This is from Newsweek in 1979

In various parts of the country, wags painted X’s on their neighbors’ roofs or sported T-shirts with targets on the back. Entrepreneurs sold plastic helmets and Skylab survival kits compete with bags for collecting stray parts of the spacecraft and letters suing NASA for damages. “I don’t know how much we’re making, but we’re having fun,” said Steven Danzig, 25, of Bloomington, Ind., who sold more than 20,000 such kits. In Washington, a bar called Mr. Smith’s sold a concoction dubbed the Chicken Little Special.

Around the U.S., there were Skylab parties to coincide with the crash, and betting pools on precisely when or where the debris would come streaking back to earth.

Skylab was designed to go up but not come back down. It was launched in 1973 and was occupied for almost 24 weeks. There was a lot of time and money spent on how to get it up there but not much time on how to get it down. It only had a 9-year life span, to begin with. In 1979 it was clear that Skylab was rapidly descending orbit.

On July 12, 1979, Skylab came back to earth in the Indian Ocean and in Western Australia. No one was injured by the falling debris.

The San Francisco Examiner offered a $10,000 reward for anyone bringing a part of Skylab to their office. They knew it wasn’t going to hit America so it was a safe bet they would not have to pay…but Stan Thornton…an Australian truck driver heard about the reward, grabbed a piece of debris, and jumped on a plane to San Francisco and got the reward.

Stan Thornton collecting his $10.000

Iggy Pop – Lust For Life

This song is a pure joy to listen to although the song is about Iggy Pop’s life as a heroin addict. He was trying to get clean around this time and was somewhat sober.

David Bowie co-wrote this song with Pop, with Bowie composing the music on a ukulele. It was inspired by the opening to the American Forces Network News, which they listened to in Berlin.

The song was released in 1977 but didn’t chart. The song was re-released as a single in 1996, featured on the soundtrack for the British film Trainspotting.

While the song didn’t chart when it was first released, this reissue peaked at #26 in the UK in 1996.

Iggy Pop: “Once a week the Armed Forces Network would play Starsky & Hutch and that was our little ritual. AFN would broadcast an ID when they came on the air, a representation of a radio tower, and it made a signal sound, ‘beep-beep-beep, beep-beep-ba-beep.’ And we went, ‘Aha we’ll take that!’. David grabbed his ukulele, worked out the chords, and away we went.”

Lust For Life

Here comes johnny yen again
With the liquor and drugs
And the flesh machine
He’s gonna do another strip tease.
Hey man, where’d ya get that lotion?

I’ve been hurting since I’ve bought the gimmick
About something called love
Yeah, something called love.
Well, that’s like hypnotizing chickens.

Well, I’m just a modern guy
Of course, I’ve had it in the ear before.
I have a lust for life
‘Cause of a lust for life.

I’m worth a million in prizes
With my torture film
Drive a g.t.o
Wear a uniform

All on a government loan.
I’m worth a million in prizes
Yeah, I’m through with sleeping on the sidewalk
No more beating my brains

No more beating my brains
With liquor and drugs
With liquor and drugs.

Well, I’m just a modern guy
Of course, I’ve had it in my ear before
Well, I’ve a lust for life (lust for life)
‘Cause of a lust for life (lust for life, oooo)

I got a lust for life (oooo)
Got a lust for life (oooo)
Oh, a lust for life (oooo)
Oh, a lust for life (oooo)

A lust for life (oooo)
I got a lust for life (oooo)
Got a lust for life.

Well, I’m just a modern guy
Of course, I’ve had it in my ear before
Well, I’ve a lust for life
’cause I’ve a lust for life.

Here comes johnny yen again
With the liquor and drugs
And the flesh machine
He’s gonna do another strip tease.

Hey man, where’d ya get that lotion?
Your skin starts itching once you buy the gimmick
About something called love
Love, love, love
Well, that’s like hypnotizing chickens.

Well, I’m just a modern guy
Of course, I’ve had it in the ear before
And I’ve a lust for life (lust for life)
‘Cause I’ve a lust for life (lust for life)

Got a lust for life
Yeah, a lust for life
I got a lust for life
A lust for life
Got a lust for life
Yeah a lust for life
I got a lust for life

Lust for life
Lust for life
Lust for life
Lust for life
Lust for life

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lust_for_Life_(Iggy_Pop_song)

https://www.songfacts.com/facts/iggy-pop/lust-for-life

Bob Dylan – Gotta Serve Somebody

This single won the Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Male in 1979. Dylan performed the song at that same ceremony.

Slow Train Coming was Bob Dylan’s first release since becoming a born-again Christian. What a way to start it out…

I’ve always liked this song and this part of his career. It didn’t matter to me if it was a Christian song …it’s a good song.

The song peaked at #24 in the Billboard 100 in 1979.

Much of the album thus deals with Dylan’s faith and Christian teachings. While some of his older fans were not happy…he did gain some new fans because of it.

This was one of three songs Dylan played when he was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live in 1979. It was the only time he appeared on the show.

You Gotta Serve Somebody

You may be an ambassador to England or France
You may like to gamble, you might like to dance
You may be the heavyweight champion of the world
You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls

But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes
Indeed you’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody

You might be a rock ‘n’ roll addict prancing on the stage
You might have drugs at your command, women in a cage
You may be a business man or some high-degree thief
They may call you doctor or they may call you chief

But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes you are
You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody

You may be a state trooper, you might be a young Turk
You may be the head of some big TV network
You may be rich or poor, you may be blind or lame
You may be living in another country under another name

But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes you are
You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody

You may be a construction worker working on a home
You may be living in a mansion or you might live in a dome
You might own guns and you might even own tanks
You might be somebody’s landlord, you might even own banks

But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes
You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody

You may be a preacher with your spiritual pride
You may be a city councilman taking bribes on the side
You may be workin’ in a barbershop, you may know how to cut hair
You may be somebody’s mistress, may be somebody’s heir

But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes
You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody

Might like to wear cotton, might like to wear silk
Might like to drink whiskey, might like to drink milk
You might like to eat caviar, you might like to eat bread
You may be sleeping on the floor, sleeping in a king-sized bed

But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes
Indeed you’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody

You may call me Terry, you may call me Timmy
You may call me Bobby, you may call me Zimmy
You may call me R.J., you may call me Ray
You may call me anything but no matter what you say

Still, you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes
You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody

Van Halen – Dance The Night Away

Alex’s drum intro and the opening guitar riff is great. The song was a natural hit and opened doors for them.

This was the first top twenty song Van Halen released. They would have more after this… The record company wanted to release this song first against the band’s wishes. Van Halen didn’t think it represented their overall sound but.. the record company released it anyway…and it was a hit.

The original title was “Dance, Lolita, Dance” but Eddie talked Dave into renaming the chorus to Dance The Night Away to make it more accessible.

Van Halen’s tour for this album was the first one that they headlined. It was delayed when David Lee Roth hurt his foot performing a jump at the photoshoot for the album. Needless to say, this song helped them gain more fans by the wide spread airplay they got.

The song peaked at #15 in the Billboard 100 and #28 in Canada. The album Van Halen II and it peaked at #6 in the Billboard Album Charts, #15 in Canada, and #23 in the UK in 1979.

Dance The Night Away

Have you seen her?
So fine and pretty
Fooled me with her style and ease
And I feel her from across the room
Yes, it’s love in the third degree

Oh, baby baby
Won’t-cha turn your head my way?
Oh, baby baby
Ah come on take a chance
You’re old enough to

Dance the night away
Whoa-oh (ah) come on g-girl, dance the night away

A live wire, barely a beginner
But just watch that lady go
She’s on fire, ’cause dancin’ gets her higher than-uh
Anything else she knows

Oh, baby baby
Won’t-cha turn your head my way?
Oh, baby baby
Well don’t skip romance ’cause
You’re old enough to

Dance the night away
Oh oh oh (ah) come on g-girl, dance the night away

Oh, oh oh oh oh yeah

Dance the night away hey, hey, yeah
Dance, dance, dance the night away
Ah come on baby (dance the night away) hey, hey yeah
Dance, dance, dance the night away
Uh, come on baby, baby, dance the night away oh, ooh, yeah
Dance, dance, dance the night away ah, ha ow

Rock and Roll Escapades – #1 The Who in Montreal

In the next few weeks, I’m going to hunt for some rock star stories. Fair warning…Keith Moon will be involved more than once.

On December 2, 1973, the Who were nearing the end of their Quadrophenia tour in Montreal Canada at the Bonaventure Hotel.

This scene started when Keith Moon smashed a ketchup bottle on the hotel wall. Pete Townshend said: I thought it looked aesthetically pleasing. Someone should frame it,…Pete had cut his hand with a steak knife so he added his blood to the ketchup “art” on the wall.

Keith Moon then grabbed a hotel painting and kicked it out of its frame and used the frame to frame his and Pete’s masterpiece. Ok…not good but funny…not a big deal so far.

Then Pete and Keith pitched a TV in the pool in the old rock and roll fashion. The two then pitched a sofa through the window to the nice courtyard below. Not finished yet they used a large marble table as a battering ram and went through a wall.

The Hotel staff looked at them and they looked at the hotel staff…both sides had a look of horror at the damage. One witness described the scene with one word: “Hiroshima”

Now the fun had begun…The police… or mounties came and rounded all the boys up. 14 of the Who crew including Mike Shaw a paraplegic that worked for the Who…they were arrested and went to jail. They woke Roger Daltrey who was sleeping in his bed when this went on and took him also.

When the police took the band to jail. Keith Moon declared to the officer in charge when they got there… “I believe I booked a suite.”

They ended up spending 7 hours in jail and missed their scheduled flight to Boston for a concert. They did end up getting there just on time that night to play the show.

Keith Moon would sometimes alter one of the songs he sang called “Bellboy” to say “Remember the place in Canada that we smashed?”

John Entwistle later wrote a song called “Cell Number Seven” about the event.

Cell Number 7

Six thirty in the morning, I’d just got to sleep
I felt so tired didn’t even count sheep
I woke up with six policemen standing by the bed
The voice of doom was ringing in my head
Get up fella, and don’t make no fuss
Put your clothes on, you gotta come with us.

To cell number seven
Cell number seven
Cell number seven
Cell number seven ain’t exactly Heaven.

Bill the con said, I think it appears
I’ve only been dreaming the last four years
Wiggy said, I’m having so much fun
Cell number one has something for everyone
Meanwhile in Boston the kids were queuing
Back in Montreal we were just stewing.

In cell number seven
Cell number seven
Cell number seven
Cell number seven’s a long way from Heaven.

Micky boy was busy banging his cell
While the admiral was trying to talk his way outta Hell
Well Bobby needs a change of seed and sand
The promoter’s tearing out his hair screaming where’s the band?

(Guitar Solo)

The chicks were in the chicken shack eating bread and honey
The hotel manager was adding up the money
Come on froggies let us pay
We got a show to do
We gotta get away.

In cell number two was the singer of The Who
Pacing up and down like a tiger in a zoo
Cousin Graham didn’t even know what he’d done
To make them take away his, Nikon
Meanwhile in Boston the kids were waiting
While back in Montreal we were just speculating.

In cell number seven
Cell number seven
Cell number seven
Cell number seven ain’t nothing like Heaven.

The Birdman was sleeping in cage number three
Waiting for the sound of a turning key
While Dougal the Dane leant against the wall
Frightened to sleep in case he should fall
And meanwhile in Boston the kids never knew
That in cell numbers two, three, and seven were The Who.

Cell number seven
Me and Moonie were in cell number seven
He dribbled on my jacket in cell number seven
Oo hoo
Snored like a goat
Ruined my coat.

Grand Funk – Bad Time

I always liked the intro vocal and then it kicks into what sounds like an old Goffin and King sixties type of rhythm…but to my surprise Mark Farner wrote this.

Farner wrote this while going through a bad divorce…well none are probably any good…but while he was writing this song she was throwing pots and pans in the kitchen.

The Jayhawks also covered this song in 1995.

The song was on the album All the Girls in the World Beware!!! (Really subtle huh?).

The song was very successful peaking at #4 in the Billboard 100, #3 in Canada, and #19 in New Zealand in 1975.

Bad Time

I’m in love with the girl that I’m talking about
I’m in love with the girl I can’t live without
I’m in love but I sure picked a bad time
To be in love
To be in love

Well, let her be somebody else’s queen
I don’t want to know about it
There’s too many others that know what I mean
And that’s why I got to live without it

I’m in love with the girl I’m talking about
I’m in love with the girl I can’t live without
I’m in love but I feel like I’m wearin’ it out
I’m in love but I must have picked a bad time to be in love
A bad time to be in love
A bad time to be in love
A bad time to be in love

All the stories coming back to me
From my friends and the people I don’t want to see
The things they say I know just couldn’t be true
At least not until I hear it from you

‘Cause I still love the little girl I’m talking about
I’m in love with the girl I can’t live without
I’m in love but I feel like I’m wearin’ it out
I’m in love but I must have picked a bad time to be in love
A bad time to be in love
A bad time to be in love
A bad time to be in love

You know that I love the little girl I’m talking about
I’m in love with the girl I can’t live without
I’m in love but it feels like I’m wearin’ it out
I’m in love but I must have picked a bad time to be in love
A bad time to be in love
A bad time to be in love
A bad time to be in love

Alice Cooper – Be My Lover

This song has some of my favorite vocals by Alice Cooper. It was released in 1971 on the album Killer. The album contained this song, Under My Wheels, and Desperado.

Be My Lover peaked at #49 in the Billboard 100 in 1972. I thought this was more successful than that. I first heard it on my Alice Coopers Greatest Hits that I had at one time.

The album peaked at #21 on the Billboard Album Chart and two singles from the album made the Hot 100 chart.

On a side note…Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols called Killer the greatest rock album of all time.

Be My Lover

She struts into the room
Well I don’t know her
But with a magnifying glance
I just sort of looked her over, hmm
We have a drink or two
Well, maybe three
And then suddenly she starts telling me
Her life story
She says

Baby, if you wanna be my lover
You better take me home
‘Cause it’s a long long way to paradise
And I’m still on my own

Told her that I came
From Detroit City
And I played guitar
In a long-haired rock and roll band
She asked me why
The singer’s name was Alice
I said listen, baby
You really wouldn’t understand

And I said

Oh baby, if you wanna
Be my lover
You better take me home
‘Cause it’s a long long way to paradise
And I’m still on my own

Oh baby, if you wanna
Be my lover
You better take me hoooooome
‘Cause it’s a long long way to paradise
And I’m still on my oooooown

Ooooooh

Eric Clapton – Cocaine

This song has been covered by so many bar bands that the smell of beer comes with the song.

This was written and originally recorded by no other than J.J. Cale. Clapton gave Cale a huge boost he recorded Cale’s song “After Midnight” in 1970 and released it as his first solo single. This helped earn Cale a record deal.

This was on Clapton’s album Slowhand. The version that was a hit was the live version from Just One Night.

In his autobiography Clapton, Clapton said when he recorded this song he had kicked a serious heroin habit but was filling his body with cocaine and alcohol. His attitude at the time was that he could manage his addiction and quit at any time…he just didn’t want to; that’s why he could sing so objectively about a drug that was consuming him.

After he cleaned up, Clapton removed this song from his setlist because he thought it gave the wrong message about cocaine use. He started playing it again after he rearranged the song to include the line, “That dirty cocaine” into the choruses.

The song peaked at #30 in the Billboard 100 and #3 in Canada in 1980.

From Songfacts

When Clapton was looking for songs for his Slowhand album, he once again looked to Cale, and chose “Cocaine,” which became the first song on the set. Clapton would later cover Cale’s song “Travelin’ Light,” and in 2006, the pair teamed up to record an album together called The Road To Escondido.

The lyrics are about drug addiction, something Clapton knew quite well. As he When he finally did get off drugs and alcohol, he had to learn how to make music while sober, which was a big transition as everything sounded very rough to him. He also realized how damaging his addiction was to himself and others on a personal level, and became active in helping others get through their addictions; in 1998 he opened the Crossroads rehab center in Antigua, where clients go through a 29 day wellness-centered approach to treatment.

During the Slowhand sessions, Clapton and his band got to see a J.J. Cale concert, and Cale brought Clapton on stage to duet on this song.

This is one of Clapton’s most famous songs, but the studio version was never released as a single. Clapton included the song on his 1980 live album Just One Night (Live At Budokhan), and the version from this show was released as the B-side of “Tulsa Time,” which was also taken from the concert. This single charted at #30 in the US.

When J.J. Cale wrote this song, he envisioned it as a jazz number. His producer, Audie Ashworth, convinced him to make it a rocker, which required some overdubbing by Cale, since he played very simple guitar parts. Cale did three single-string overdubs of the riff. He played the bass himself, but had session pro Reggie Young play the guitar solo. Clapton’s version has a much more complex guitar line and vocals that are more prominent in the mix.

After Clapton recorded this song, J.J. Cale saw many new faces at his concerts, but many of them expected him to sound like Clapton. Cale didn’t conform, and took a more laid-back approach to his next album, 5, which was released in 1979. There were no hits on that one, although a Santana cover of one of the cuts, “The Sensitive Kind,” made #56 in 1981.

Cocaine

If you want to hang out, you’ve gotta take her out, cocaine
If you want to get down, get down on the ground, cocaine

She don’t lie, she don’t lie, she don’t lie,
Cocaine

If you got that lose, you want to kick them blues, cocaine
When your day is done, and you want to ride on cocaine

She don’t lie, she don’t lie, she don’t lie,
Cocaine

If your day is gone, and you want to ride on, cocaine
Don’t forget this fact, you can’t get it back, cocaine

She don’t lie, she don’t lie, she don’t lie,
Cocaine

Rolling Stones – I’ve Got The Blues—–Sunday Album Cut

This is a perfect song for a slow Sunday…kick back and enjoy this 1971 classic song by the Stones.

Mick Jagger wrote the lyrics about his breakup with Marianne Faithfull.

Bobby Keys played the saxophone on this track and Jim Price, who also came up with the horn arrangements, played the trumpet. They both joined The Stones for their 1970 European tour. Billy Preston also played the gospel organ on this track.

Sticky Fingers was the first album The Stones recorded on their own label and the first in which Mick Taylor played guitar on nearly all the tracks. The album peaked at #1 in the Billboard Album Charts, and #1 in Canada, and the UK.

Many consider this and Exile on Mainstreet their best albums.

I’ve Got The Blues

As I stand by your flame
I get burned once again
Feelin’ low down, I’m blue

As I sit by the fire
Of your warm desire
I’ve got the blues for you, yeah

Every night you’ve been away
I’ve sat down and I have prayed
That you’re safe in the arms of a guy
Who will bring you alive
Won’t drag you down with abuse

In the silk sheet of time
I will find peace of mind
Love is a bed full of blues

And I’ve got the blues for you
And I’ve got the blues for you
And I’ll bust my brains out for you
And I’ll tear my hair out
I’m gonna tear my hair out just for you
If you don’t believe what I’m singing
At three o’clock in the morning, babe, well
I’m singing my song for you

Lynyrd Skynyrd – The Ballad of Curtis Loew

Curtis Loew is not the name of an actual person from Ronnie Van Zant’s life. Curtis Loew is a composite of different people, including Skynyrd lead guitarist Ricky Medlocke’s grandfather, Shorty Medlocke. Despite the song’s lyrics, Shorty was not black.

When Ed King was writing the liner notes for the Second Helping album, he decided to name the character after Loew’s Theater thus giving an old bluesman a Jewish name.

Personally, I think it’s one of their best songs. It has an old feel about it and the slide is perfect.

Many bands go into the studio without complete songs written and work on them in there. The two bands I’ve read about that were ready when they walked into a studio were this band and Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Ronnie Van Zant ran the band with an iron fist and they were rehearsed like crazy. If someone missed a note on stage…it would not be a happy time afterward.

This song was on their second album Second Helping. Their first two albums were great and the next few dipped a bit but they came back strong with their last studio album Street Survivors.

Since the song mentions a dobro…A dobro is a resonator guitar with a mechanical amplifier. It was originally released in 1927. Gibson now owns the rights to the dobro guitar.

They had many great album cuts and this is one of them. It never was released as a single but remains on the playlist of classic rock stations.

The Ballad of Curtis Loew

Well, I used to wake the mornin’
Before the rooster crowed
Searchin’ for soda bottles
To get myself some dough
Brought ’em down to the corner
Down to the country store
Cash ’em in, and give my money
To a man named Curtis Loew

Old Curt was a black man
With white curly hair
When he had a fifth of wine
He did not have a care
He used to own an old Dobro
Used to play it ‘cross his knee
I’d give old Curt my money
He’d play all day for me

Play me a song
Curtis Loew, Curtis Loew
Well, I got your drinkin’ money
Tune up your Dobro
People said he was useless
Them people all were fools
‘Cause Curtis Loew was the finest picker
To ever play the blues

He looked to be sixty
And maybe I was ten
Mama used to whoop me
But I’d go see him again
I’d clap my hands, stomp my feet
Try to stay in time
He’d play me a song or two
Then take another drink of wine

Yes, sir

On the day old Curtis died
Nobody came to pray
Ol’ preacher said some words
And they chunked him in the clay
Well, he lived a lifetime
Playin’ the black man’s blues
And on the day he lost his life
That’s all he had to lose

Play me a song
Curtis Loew, hey Curtis Loew
I wish that you was here so
Everyone would know
People said he was useless
Them people all were fools
‘Cause Curtis you’re the finest picker
To ever play the blues

Kinks – (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman

I hope everyone had a great July 4th!

I liked every era of The Kinks but I first bought their current records in the late half of the 70s and early eighties. This song was on the album Low Budget released in 1978.

This song was written by Kinks singer/songwriter Ray Davies, he called this “a very political song about people going on strike.”

Clive Davis who ran Arista Records wanted the Kinks to do a club-friendly song.

The Kinks didn’t love disco but it was huge at the time. They found a groove they liked and infused it with their sound. Davies sings about how an ordinary person has to be Superman to survive in these difficult times…kinda applies today also.

Ray Davies: “It was kind of a joke, taking the piss out of Clive wanting us to do a club-friendly record.”

The song peaked at #41 in the Billboard 100 and #43 in Canada in 1978.

Dave Davies: “I think that one [‘Superman’] was, not the biggest mistake, but it could’ve been one of the biggest mistakes we made. I remember I had quite a difficult time with Ray while we were making the record, because I didn’t like the direction it was going. It was a strange time for music in general, anyway. The fact that it’s funny, that it was a humorous song, saved it. I don’t feel bad about that song at all, but it could have been a big mistake.”

The live version is a little more guitar based than the studio version.

(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman

Woke up this morning, started to sneeze
I had a cigarette and a cup of tea
I looked in the mirror what did I see
A nine stone weakling with knobbly knees
I did my knees bend press ups touch my toes
I had another sneeze and I blew my nose
I looked in the mirror at my pigeon chest
I had to put on my clothes because it made me depressed
Surely there must be a way
For me to change the shape I’m in
Dissatisfied is what I am
I want to be a better man

Superman superman wish I could fly like superman
Superman superman I want to be like superman
I want to be like superman
Superman superman wish I could fly like superman

Woke up this morning, what did I see
A big black cloud hanging over me
I switched on the radio and nearly dropped dead
The news was so bad that I fell out of bed
There was a gas strike, oil strike, lorry strike, bread strike
Got to be a superman to survive
Gas bills, rent bills, tax bills, phone bills
I’m such a wreck but I’m staying alive

(Look in the paper, what do I see,
Robbery, violence, insanity.)

Hey girl we’ve got to get out of this place
There’s got to be something better than this
I need you, but I hate to see you this way
If I were superman then we’d fly away
I’d really like to change the world
And save it from the mess it’s in
I’m too weak, I’m so thin
I’d like to fly but I can’t even swim

Superman superman I want to fly like superman
Superman superman wish I could fly like superman
Superman superman wish I could fly like superman
Superman superman I want to be like superman
Superman superman I want to fly like superman

Van Morrison – Almost Independence Day

The intro to this song is worth the price of admission. Van Morrison and guitar player Ron Elliot are trading guitar licks and then Lee Charlton joins with some great jazz-influenced drums. Van has said it was written in a stream of consciousness style. The recording was more of a jam than a thought out rehearsed process. It’s easy to get lost in this song.

Morrison released this song and album Saint Dominic’s Preview in 1972. I “found” Van in the 80s. I had heard Domino, Blue Money, and Wavelength (on SNL) when I was a kid but first heard “Brown Eyed Girl” when I was 18 years old. Why it took me so long I don’t know but after that, I had to know everything about him.

I was lucky to see him in concert in 2006 at the Ryman. If you ever get the chance to see him…don’t pass it up. His voice is even better in concert than on record and that is saying something.

Van Morrison: I picked up the phone and the operator said, “You have a phone call from Oregon. It’s Mister So-and-So.” It was a guy from the group Them. And then there was nobody on the other end. So out of that I started writing, “I can hear Them calling, ‘way from Oregon.” That’s where that came from.

Almost Independence Day

I can hear them calling way from Oregon
I can hear them calling way from Oregon
And it’s almost Independence Day

Me and my lady, we go steppin’ (we go steppin’)
We go steppin’ way out on China town
All to buy some Hong Kong silver
And the wadin’ rushing river (we go steppin’)
We go out on the, out on the town tonight

I can hear the fireworks
I can hear the fireworks
I can hear the fireworks
Up and down the, up and down the San Francisco bay
Up and down the, up and down the San Francisco bay
I can hear them echoing
I can hear, I can hear them echoing
Up and down the, up and down the San Francisco bay

I can see the boats in the harbor (way across the harbor)
Lights shining out (lights shining out)
And a cool, cool night
And a cool, cool night across the harbor
I can hear the fireworks
I can hear the people, people shouting out
I can hear the people shouting out (up and down the line)
And it’s almost Independence Day

I can see the lights way out in the harbor
And the cool, and the cool, and the cool night
And the cool, and the cool, and the cool night breeze
And I feel the cool night breeze
And I feel, feel, feel the cool night breeze
And the boats go by
And it’s almost Independence Day
And it’s almost, and it’s almost Independence Day

Way up and down the line
Way up and down the line…