Just think of the photographs snapped of Muhammad Ali and the Beatles. Put together they would reach the moon and back. Muhammad Ali was probably the most famous person in the world in the 20th century. Kids on remote islands in the middle of nowhere knew about Ali. The two were truly the greatest in their fields.
Muhammad Ali played with the idea of reuniting the Beatles in the 1970s.
The two culture icons would meet on February 18, 1964 right after the Beatles broke through America. The Beatles wanted to meet Sonny Liston because he was favored 7-1 to win the match between him and Ali but Sonny declined to meet them.
By all accounts, Ali had no idea who The Beatles were. But he welcomed the opportunity for some extra publicity with them. Although The Beatles fumed because the soon-to-be-new champ was late and kept them waiting, when he arrived he quickly broke the ice with his opening line, which has since been reported as either: “Hey, Beatles, let’s go make some money!”; or the equally memorable: “Hello there, Beatles! We oughta do some roadshows together. We’ll get rich!”
At one point, Ali used one of his favorite lines at the time, telling the Beatles: “You ain’t as dumb as you look!”
Lennon… but of course… shot back: “No. But you are!”
After a nervous silence…everyone started to laugh. Ali made up one of his rhymes. “When Liston reads about The Beatles visiting me / He’ll get so mad, I’ll knock him out in three!” It actually took 6 rounds for Ali to win on February 25, 1964…Sonny wouldn’t return for the 7th.
Joel Sacher was attending the inauguration gala for President Jimmy Carter. He was there as a personal guest of Muhammad Ali, maybe the most recognizable man on the planet at the time. Ali and Sacher were meeting with one of the few men who was almost as recognizable Ali. They were talking to John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono, and while the conversation included plenty of nostalgia about meeting the Beatles in Miami long ago.
Ali was armed with a proposal, one that was the brainchild of Sacher and a business associate that had the potential to stun the world. They wanted to reunite The Beatles.
In 1976 inventor Alan Amron and businessman Joel Sacher partnered with Ali to promote The International Committee to Reunite the Beatles. They asked fans worldwide to contribute a dollar each. Ali said the idea was to use the proceeds to establish an international agency to help poor children. “This is money to help people all over the world”, he said. He added, “I love the music. I used to train to their music.” He said a reunion of the Beatles “would make a lot of people happy.” The Beatles were indifferent to the plan. No reunion happened.
Here is a PDF of a newspaper article describing Ali’s plan. It was a nice gesture. Ali and the Beatles.pdf
The International Committee to Reunite the Beatles released a single called “Get Back Beatles” and it was released by singer-songwriter Gerald Kenny.
The Beatles turned down big-time money in the seventies and didn’t reunite. Personally, I’m happy they didn’t…no way could they have lived up to people’s expectations.
After Muhammad Ali died
Paul McCartney:
“I loved that man. He was great from the first day we met him in Miami, and on the numerous occasions when I ran into him over the years. Besides being the greatest boxer, he was a beautiful, gentle man with a great sense of humor who would often pull a pack of cards out of his pocket, no matter how posh the occasion, and do a card trick for you.
Ringo Starr:
“I taught (Ali) everything he knew!” Starr said, before growing more – and less – serious. “That was a thrill, of course, and I was putting my money on Liston, so I really knew what was happening!”
Great album cut by The James Gang. Val brought this one to my attention a few weeks ago and I’ve been listening ever since.
Bill Szymczyk produced the second album for the James Gang called Rides Again which was released in 1970.
A big space was filled with “The Bomber,” which took up more than seven minutes of Rides Again‘s 35-minute running time, and ended up spawning a couple of classic James Gang stories in the process…while triggering a decades-long copyright battle and paving the way for the invention of industry-standard speakers in the bargain.
The Record Plant had just installed new expensive monitors, and Bill Szymczyk was the first guy to use them, which was a real mistake. During playback of “The Bomber” the speaker just physically blew out of the wall.
Bill Szymczyk: “We blew eight of those speakers up,” “The next day, [Record Plant co-founder] Gary Kellgren went to his maintenance guy, his head tech, who was Tom Hidley, and he said to Tom, ‘Make me a monitor that Szymczyk can’t blow up!’ That was the birth of the Hidley monitor, which is in hundreds of studios around the world at this point.”
“The Bomber” also included a passage from Ravel’s “Boléro,” which ended up costing the James Gang a fair bit of legal drama. “Ravel was French, and French copyright law and French law, in general, is insane. The French copyright, Ravel’s heirs and Ravel’s estate stipulated in the French copyright law that the piece had to be played in its entirety, top to bottom,” recalls Walsh. “You could never play little parts of it. And it had to be played by the full orchestra that it was written for. Well, we didn’t know that!”
The band was forced to remove the Boléro part but it was restored when the CD was released.
The Bomber
When I became of age my mama sat me down Said “Son, you’re growin’ up, it’s time you looked around” So I began to notice some things I hadn’t seen before That’s what brought me here knockin’ on your back door Oh, yeah
A closet queen, the busstop’s dream, she wants to shake my hand I don’t want to be there, she decides she can It’s Apple Dan, he’s just the man to pick fruit off your branches I can’t sleep, and we can’t keep this cattle on my ranches Oh, yeah
It’s too strong, something’s wrong and I guess I lost the feelin’ I don’t mind the games you play, but I don’t like your dealin’ God looked bad, the luck’s been had and there’s nothin’ left to smoke Will I be back tomorrow for the punchline of the joke?
Slade was very successful in the UK with 6 number ones, 16 top ten, and 24 top 40 singles. They could not duplicate their success in America where they only had two top forty singles…Run, Runaway, and My, Oh My both in the 80s.
Jim Lea and Noddy Holder of Slade wrote this song, and it was produced by Chas Chandler, who managed Jimi Hendrix before working with Slade. The song entered the UK charts at #1, becoming the first to do so since The Beatles “Get Back” in 1969. It was Slade’s fourth UK #1.
This song peaked at #98 in the Billboard 100 and #1 in the UK in 1973.
Americans know this song and Slade’s Mama Weer All Crazee Now more by Quiet Riot in the 80s. I’ve grown to appreciate Slade’s glam rock and wonder why they weren’t more successful in America.
From Songfacts
This is a glam rock classic. Slade performed loud, anthemic songs in flamboyant costumes, often with lots of makeup and plenty of energy. Glam rock was big in the UK in the mid-’70s, and this was one of the genre’s first hits. Slade also hit #1 with similarly misspelled songs “Coz I Love You” and “Mama Weer All Crazee Now.”
Most Americans know this song from the Quiet Riot cover, which went to #5 in 1983 and helped their album Metal Health become the first metal album to hit #1 on the Billboard 200. It was the band’s producer, Spencer Proffer, who asked them to cover the song; lead singer Kevin DuBrow wanted nothing to do with it, since he wanted the band to write every song on the album. He and the band cooked up a plan to sabotage the song, but it failed.
In a Songfacts interview with Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali, he told the story: “We were supposed to rehearse the song and go in and record it. The producer kept calling the rehearsal studio, ‘Are you working on ‘Cum On Feel the Noize’?’ And we’d say, ‘Yeah. It sounds great.’ But we never played it.
So the day came when it was time to record the song, and I came in early and told the engineer what was going on. I was honest with him. I said, ‘You might just want to record this for laughs and giggles.’
We went in, there was no intro, no nothing at all. There was a little bit of arguing as to how it was going to start, and finally, when I knew the engineer was rolling tape, I just started playing what became the intro. Rudy [Sarzo, bass] joined in, and then Carlos [Cavazo, guitar] joined in. Kevin was sitting at the corner of the studio, just giggling, waiting for this massive train wreck, and the train wreck never happened.
I had already done so many sessions in LA – even before the Metal Health record – that I knew, ‘Vamp long, there’s no click track on it,’ and all of that. And then when we were done, the producer says, ‘That sounded great. I wish we had recorded it.’ And the engineer said, ‘Come on in.’
He went in to listen, and Kevin grabbed me by the arm and almost dislocated my shoulder. He says, ‘What the hell was that?’ And I said, ‘I don’t know man. I just started playing it!’ He says, ‘Well, what am I supposed to do now?’ And I said, ‘Well, you can always sing it s–tty, can’t you?’ He smiled a little, but he was really pissed off.
The thing is, when you listen to the original Slade version and you listen to our version, Slade begins at a different part of the song. Slade did not have an intro – it just goes right in. And because we weren’t familiar with the song – and I definitely wasn’t familiar with the song – I think I either left out a verse or a chorus in our arrangement. So if you play them side-by-side, they’re not going to match.
I will say that there is a lot of similarities between Kevin’s voice and Noddy Holder’s. It was good call on the producer’s part to do that. And I understand why he did it: Quiet Riot was a new band, doing music that nobody else was doing, and he just wanted to have a ‘safety song’ that was a hit everywhere except for the United States. I get it. And the reality is, if we had not done that song, you’d probably be interviewing the drummer from another band right now.”
Quiet Riot had been recording since 1975 without a hit. After finding success with “Cum On Feel The Noize,” they had a minor hit with their next single “Bang Your Head (Metal Health)” and recorded another Slade song, “Mama Weer All Crazee Now.” After Metal Health, they never caught on and failed to enjoy the success of similar bands like Mötley Crüe and Poison.
In 2007, Quiet Riot lead singer Kevin DuBrow died of a drug overdose at age 52. The band re-formed in 2010 with a number of vocalists going through the ranks. James Durbin, the fourth place finisher on American Idol in 2011, took over in 2017.
The Quiet Riot version took off thanks to a video that got lots of airplay on MTV. At the time, pop radio was dominated by Michael Jackson, The Police, Madonna and other acts that were chasms away from metal, but MTV had plenty of wiggle room in their playlist and was looking for American rock bands in particular. The “Cum On Feel The Noize” video was sweet nectar to the young male audience they were trying to attract; one of this species stars in the clip, undergoing a metal assault in his bedroom. Mark Rezyka, who did all of Quiet Riot’s early videos, was the director.
Though little known Stateside, Slade was enormously popular in the UK, where they had 18 songs reach the Top 5, seven of them #1s.
Much of their musical output was produced by Chas Chandler, famous for managing Jimi Hendrix and a talented rocker in his own right, playing bass as a founding member of the seminal British rock band The Animals. But Glam Rock was buried in Britain by the late 1970s and Slade slid into semi-obscurity in the US until the release of Quiet Riot’s cover, which helped boost their own sales a bit.
Cum On Feel The Noize
Baby baby baby!
Yow!
So you think I got an evil mind, well I’ll tell you honey And I don’t know why And I don’t know why So you think my singing’s out of time, well it makes me money And I don’t know why And I don’t know why Anymore Oh no
So come on, feel the noise Girls, grab your boys We get wild, wild, wild We get wild, wild, wild So come on, feel the noise Girls, grab your boys We get wild, wild, wild At your door
So you say I got a funny face, I ain’t got no worries And I don’t know why And I don’t know why Say I’m a scruff bag well it’s no disgrace, I ain’t in no hurry And I don’t know why I just don’t know why Anymore Oh no
So come on, feel the noise Girls, grab your boys We get wild, wild, wild We get wild, wild, wild So come on, feel the noise Girls, grab your boys We get wild, wild, wild At your door
Yow! So you think we have a lazy time, well you should know better And I don’t know why I just don’t know why And you say I got a dirty mind, well I’m a mean go-getter And I don’t know why And I don’t know why Anymore Oh no
So come on, feel the noise Girls, grab your boys We get wild, wild, wild We get wild, wild, wild So come on, feel the noise Girls, grab your boys We get wild, wild, wild At your door
So come on, feel the noise (come on, come on) Girls, grab your boys (grab your boys) We get wild, wild, wild (we get wild) We get wild, wild, wild (yeah) So come on, feel the noise (feel it, feel it) Girls, grab your boys (grab ’em, grab ’em) We get wild, wild, wild (we get wild) We get wild, wild, wild (we get wild)
Come on, feel the noise (can you feel it, can you feel it?) Girls, grab your boys (feel the noise) We get wild, wild, wild (come on, get wild) We get wild, wild, wild (get wild) So come on, feel the noise (come on, come on, come on) Girls, grab your boys (feel the noise) We get wild, wild, wild We get wild, wild, wild
This song was an anthem for teenagers when it was released in 1971 . It remains one today.
Eighteen peaked at #21 in the Billboard 100 and #7 in Canada in 1971.
Most of the band’s support was in the midwest, and they often toured with Detroit groups like the Stooges, the MC5, and Bob Seger. They were usually very low on the bill, but when this song came out, they moved up a few rungs.
Neal Smith (drummer in the Alice Cooper Band) said: “The first show we did after they started playing ‘I’m Eighteen’ was the Detroit Auto Show. It was the big teen event of the year. It was the very first time we played a song where the crowd went crazy. That’s what we were trying for the whole time.”
John Lydon auditioned for The Sex Pistols by singing along to this song for the group’s manager, Malcolm McLaren. This took place in a pub, when Lydon was hanging out after closing and McLaren asked him to mime some songs. Lydon said that the jukebox was filled with “that awful ’60s mod music,” and that “I’m Eighteen” was the only song on it he could tolerate. McLaren gave him the job and renamed him Johnny Rotten.
From Songfacts
This song is about the feelings of a frustrated teenager, which described many of Alice Cooper’s fans. 18 was an interesting age in America at the time, as in many states, you had to be older to vote or drink alcohol, but you could be drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. The group’s drummer, Neal Smith, told us: “It was a song about growing up in the ’60s, with lines in it like you could go to war but you couldn’t vote. We had no idea it would become an anthem; we were just thinking it would be a cool song.”The band (“Alice Cooper” was the name of both the lead singer and the group at the time) wrote the song in the summer of 1970 when they were living in a dorm house in Cincinnati. Their drummer, Neil Smith, told us how the song came together: “We were getting a lot of work in Ohio and Michigan; we were working and writing all the time. We had access to a club and we rehearsed there if we weren’t playing a show. Mike Bruce (guitarist) had this idea for a song called ‘I’m Eighteen.’ At first it was almost like a Pink Floyd kind of thing. We’d always been two guitars, bass, drums and the lead singer. Michael was well versed as a keyboard player. So we got a Farfisa organ and he wrote the song on that. The intro was kind of a melodic, haunting tune that built and built.”“I’m Eighteen” was eight minutes long in it’s original form. The group had an elaborate stage show with lots of gore and histrionics, so they wrote longer songs that would give them time to build a story with their visuals.
An 8-minute freakout was fine for a live performance, but the group needed a hit: their first album had made #199 on the charts, and their next one didn’t chart at all. They were signed to Frank Zappa’s Straight Records label, but when Zappa’s interest waned, the Straight’s parent company, Warner, took over the band and made them produce a 4-song demo to prove their worth. They went to the producer Jack Richardson, who had worked with the Guess Who, looking for help. Richardson wanted nothing to do with them, but he dispatched a young producer working at his Nimbus 9 studios named Bob Ezrin to see the band perform. Ezrin went to New York and saw them perform this song at a club called Max’s Kansas City. The band was so raw that Ezrin thought Cooper was singing “I’m Edgy,” but he saw lots of potential in the group and in the song.
Alice Cooper recorded their four-song demo with Ezrin at RCA Studios in Chicago, and “I’m Eighteen” was the standout track. With Ezrin at the controls, they polished the song down to 2:56. The label was impressed, the song became a hit, and Ezrin continued to work with the band, helping them craft radio-friendly rock songs without compromising their caliginous image. Neal Smith told us, “We were playing every night on stage. We knew how to get a crowd excited. We were like a pot ready to boil over. But the heat wasn’t hot enough yet. We always worked with a total group effort, everybody collaborating, everybody making suggestions. But Bob became like the 6th member of the band. He was the one person who had the final word.”Cooper was not really 18 at the time. He was 23 when they recorded it.This song was released in November 1970 as the first single from Love It To Death, which came out in January 1971. The song got a lot of early support on the Windsor, Ontario radio station CKLW, whose signal went into Cleveland.
Lydon, who was always a huge fan of Alice Cooper, narrated a 2000 BBC documentary on Cooper and wrote liner notes for his 1999 boxed set. Creed covered this on the soundtrack to the 1998 movie The Faculty.In 1998, the publishing company that owned the copyright of this song sued Kiss, claiming that “Dreamin’,” from their Psycho Circus album, resembled this too closely. The case was settled a year later.Alice told Mojo magazine December 2010 how producer Bob Ezrin contributed to this song: “Eighteen was a jam that we’d warm up with, it wasn’t even a song, and Bob said, ‘That’s a hit.’ ‘How?’ we said. He kept saying, ‘Dumb it down. Make it simpler.’ He’d add a piano on the bassline, and we’d go, ‘You can’t put a piano on an Alice Cooper song.’ But he was absolutely correct. When we got done listening to Eighteen, we just could not believe it.”The single was issued with the title “Eighteen.” On the album, it’s listed as “I’m Eighteen,” which is how it’s most commonly known.Anthrax recorded this song for their first album, Fistful of Metal (1984). It was the only album Dan Lilker played on with the band, and his performance on the song was sometimes cited by Anthrax members as a reason for his departure, since it took him a long time to get it right.
In our interview with Lilker, he explained that the producer, Carl Canedy, made lots of little changes during overdubs, which caused problems. “After a while I would get confused and play a note the wrong way,” he said. “It took 25 or 30 takes for me to play that right because he kept changing the part – which was about a good 20 of them – and then I would f–k up, because all the tiny little changes that would mess me up. So a song that sounds relatively easy was actually very difficult.”
Eighteen
Lines form on my face and hands Lines form from the ups and downs I’m in the middle without any plans I’m a boy and I’m a man
I’m eighteen And I don’t know what I want Eighteen I just don’t know what I want Eighteen I gotta get away I gotta get out of this place I’ll go runnin in outer space Oh yeah
I got a Baby’s brain and an old man’s heart Took eighteen years to get this far Don’t always know what I’m talkin’ about Feels like I’m livin in the middle of doubt Cause I’m
Eighteen I get confused every day Eighteen I just don’t know what to say Eighteen I gotta get away
Lines form on my face and my hands Lines form on the left and right I’m in the middle The middle of life I’m a boy and I’m a man I’m eighteen and I LIKE IT Yes I like it Oh I like it Love it Like it Love it
Eighteen! Eighteen! Eighteen! Eighteen and I LIKE IT
I remember this show in the late seventies and early eighties. The performers included The Who, Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, AC/DC, Elton John, Tom Petty, and more. You could tune in on the radio and hear concerts and interviews.
It all started on Feb. 18, 1973, when the King Biscuit Flower Hour debuted on the D.I.R. Radio Network…on FM stations across the U.S. The innovative Sunday night series featured recorded concerts and interviews with rock’s biggest stars. King Biscuit would expand its reach to more than 300 stations before it ceased the weekly production of new shows in 1993. Reruns continued until 2005.
The first KBFH show was broadcast on February 18, 1973 and featured Blood, Sweat & Tears, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Bruce Springsteen. Columbia Records was one of the sponsors of the first shows, along with Pioneer High Fidelity and Scotch recording tape.
The concerts were usually recorded with a mobile multi-track recording truck, then mixed and edited for broadcast on the show within a few weeks. In the 1970s, the show was sent to participating radio stations on reel-to-reel tape. They soon switched from tape to album and then to CDs.
Although closely associated with classic rock in its later years, the King Biscuit Flower Hour dedicated much air time to new and emerging artists, including new wave and modern rock artists in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
In 1982, a three-alarm fire damaged the Manhattan office tower that housed D.I.R. Broadcasting. Reportedly, many of the King Biscuit Flower Hour recordings were lost in the fire.
By the end of the KBFH series and the sale of its assets to Wolfgang’s Vault, DIR had impressively amassed over 850 rock concerts, approximately 200 live interviews, and almost 400 country music concerts, which the company recorded on its separate Silver Eagle brand, along with 150 comedy shows.
In 2006, the King Biscuit tape archives were acquired by Wolfgang’s Vault which began streaming concerts online and has made some available for download.
There weren’t many options back then to see or hear rock performers…Don Kirshner Rock Concert, Midnight Special, and some on SNL..and maybe a few specials.
I love the Clavinet in this song and it is what plays the opening riff. This song has been played a lot but it still sounds just as fresh as the day it was released.
This was recorded at Electric Lady Studios, which is where Jimi Hendrix recorded. The studios stayed active after Hendrix’s death, with artists like Miles Davis and Deep Purple also recording there.
Superstition was written for Jeff Beck, as part of an agreement between Beck and Wonder. The deal was for Jeff Beck to play on the recording sessions of his upcoming album Talking Book in return for Wonder writing him a song. Beck came up with the opening drum beat which inspired Wonder to improvise along with it, resulting in Superstition. After the recording of the album, Wonder went ahead and allowed Beck to record his own version of the song and release it
Berry Gordy released Stevie Wonder’s version of the song months ahead of Jeff Beck’s version and resulted in one of his best selling singles.
The song peaked at #1 in the Billboard 100, #6 in Canada, and #11 in the UK in 1973
This was Wonder’s second #1 hit in the US. His first was with “Fingertips (Part 2)” in 1963, which he recorded as “Little” Stevie Wonder.
From Songfacts
Wonder wrote this about the dangers of believing in superstitions. Some of the bad luck superstitions he alludes to include walking under a ladder, breaking a mirror (said to bring seven years of bad luck), and the number 13.
This was intended for Jeff Beck, who was brought in to play some guitar parts on the album in exchange for a song. At one of the sessions, Stevie came up with the riff and wrote some lyrics, and they recorded a rough version of the song that day for Beck. It took Beck a while to record the song, and by the time he released it, Wonder’s version had been out for a month and was a huge hit. Beck felt shortchanged, and made some statements in the press that Wonder didn’t appreciate. In 1975, Beck released an instrumental version of Wonder’s “Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers” on his album Blow By Blow. The album was a hit and helped solidify Beck’s reputation as an elite guitarist.
When Wonder turned 21, he was no longer obligated to Motown Records, and used his clout to sign a deal with the label giving him unprecedented control of his music. He got a large share of royalties and publishing rights, and Motown was not allowed to alter the albums once they were delivered. One thing Motown did control, however, were what songs they released as singles. Knowing Jeff Beck was about to record his version, Motown head Berry Gordy made sure this was the first single and released it before Beck could get his out.
Taking a cue from Marvin Gaye, who put musician credits on his album What’s Going On, Wonder included credits on Talking Book. On this track, Stevie played Hohner clavinet, drums, and Moog bass. Two of his band members also contributed: Steve Madaio played trumpet and Trevor Lawrence played tenor saxophone.
Jeff Beck finally recorded his own version of this song in December 1972 with bass player Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice. They recorded as Beck, Bogert and Appice, and while their album did well, their version of this song was hardly noticed.
At the time, Wonder would keep the studio booked so he could record when inspiration hit. Stevie’s bass player at the time, Scott Edwards, told Songfacts this was not always convenient for his band. “Because he does not have sight, he’s not controlled by daylight,” said Edwards. “So he may begin his night at midnight. Which is bad, because if they want you to come do an overdub or something, he may call you at 4 a.m. and say, ‘Come on in.'”
Several artists besides Jeff Beck have covered this. None made much of an impact until Stevie Ray Vaughan released a live version as a single in 1986 on his album Live Alive. His version is still played on Classic Rock radio, and has grown even more popular since Vaughan’s death in 1990.
This song incorporates many elements of rock music, which helped Wonder extend his appeal to a white audience. Before Talking Book was released, Stevie went on tour with The Rolling Stones, which boosted his credibility in the world of rock. When “Superstition” was released, it was warmly welcomed on the same radio stations that played The Stones, earning Wonder many new fans. It also helped Wonder move past his image as a child star.
Wonder performed this song on Sesame Street in 1973 during the show’s fourth season. It was recorded at the show’s New York studios at a time when Wonder and his band were playing lots of gigs, and they treated the Sesame Street performance just like any other, extending it to nearly 7 minutes, complete with intricate musical shifts directed by Wonder. Video of the performance shows kids and puppets having a blast on the set, but the band remained focused, since getting distracted by a monster would not be a valid excuse for missing a change.
Wonder was the biggest musical act to appear on the show to this point, and other top talent followed: Johnny Cash appeared the next year and Paul Simon showed up in Season 8. In later years, just about anyone who grew up watching the show was thrilled to appear, so they had no trouble attracting musical guests. Rather than straight performances, the songs were typically re-written to fit the theme of the show or teach a lesson: R.E.M. did “Shiny Happy People” as “Furry Happy Monsters”; The Goo Goo Dolls turned “Slide” into “Pride.”
The album was called Talking Book because wonder considered the songs akin to chapters in a book that tell a whole story. On the cover is a rare photo of Wonder without his sunglasses on.
Raven-Symoné of The Cosby Show and Disney Channel’s That’s So Raven fame, recorded this for the 2003 Disney movie The Haunted Mansion, starring Eddie Murphy. >>
Wonder appeared in Bud Light commercials that debuted during the Super Bowl in 2013 as part of the “it’s only weird if it doesn’t work” campaign, which showed superstitious fans acting compulsively in an effort to steer their teams to victory. Wonder appeared as some kind of witch doctor in New Orleans (where the game took place), asking, “are you looking for a little mojo?” He then transports our hero to the big game, where he has a voodoo doll to help his cause. The song “Superstition” plays throughout.
The song also appears in the 2018 “Trick. Treat. Win!” campaign for McDonald’s, which sell the idea that you don’t need luck to win.
Superstition
Very superstitious, writings on the wall Very superstitious, ladders bout’ to fall Thirteen month old baby, broke the lookin’ glass Seven years of bad luck, the good things in your past
When you believe in things that you don’t understand Then you suffer Superstition ain’t the way
Very superstitious, wash your face and hands Rid me of the problem, do all that you can Keep me in a daydream, keep me goin’ strong You don’t want to save me, sad is my song
When you believe in things that you don’t understand Then you suffer Superstition ain’t the way, yeh, yeh
Very superstitious, nothin’ more to say Very superstitious, the devil’s on his way Thirteen month old baby, broke the lookin’ glass Seven years of bad luck, good things in your past
When you believe in things that you don’t understand Then you suffer Superstition ain’t the way, no, no, no
This song was the title song for the movie The Ramones made in 1980. I got a VHS copy of this movie in the early 80s and loved it.
The Ramones first recorded this song with producer Ed Stasium, who produced their previous album Road to Ruin. The band started working with Phil Spector soon after, and Spector remixed this song for the film. This is the version that was released as a single and included on the film’s soundtrack.
This song has a fifties sound to it and it does sound commercial for the Ramones but it never made it into the Billboard 100 but it did manage to get to #67 in the UK in 1979. It was not the hit they were hoping to have.
The song clocked in at a little over 2 minutes…true Ramones fashion. This is one band I regret never getting to see live.
From Songfacts
The Ramones wrote this song for the movie Rock ‘N’ Roll High School, which is about a student who leads a rock rebellion against the school administration. In the film, the student, Riff Randell (played by P. J. Soles), writes the song in her songwriting class (somehow this school she found so stifling offered a songwriting class and a means for her to work up a professional demo) and plays it to her classmates during gym class.
Determined to get the song to her favorite band, the Ramones, she is thwarted by the principal and stages a protest in retaliation, taking over the school with her fellow students. In the final scene, she leads the students out of the school in apparent surrender, but then introduces the Ramones, who have joined them to perform the song. While they play, Riff hits the plunger and blows up the building as the horrified teachers look on.
The film is campy in the tradition of Animal House, and it captured the punk attitude of rebellion with a heaping of humor. It was released independently, so it was never big at the box office, but Rock ‘N’ Roll High School earned an excellent review from the influential movie critics Siskel & Ebert, and quickly gained a cult following.
Rock ‘N’ Roll High School director Allan Arkush was a big Ramones fan, and pushed to make them the band in the movie. When he met with the band’s manager, Danny Fields, Arkush pitched him the story of the band playing while the school blows up. Fields was sold.
Much of the Ramones brand of punk rock was influenced by early rock and roll.
When Spector produced the Ramones End of the Century album, he had them record a new version, employing his “wall of sound” technique. While the original begins with eight seconds of drums, this rendition opens with the sounds of students mulling about at school, a class bell, and a sustained guitar note played by Johnny Ramone.
This guitar note became the stuff of legend when tales were told of Specter making Johnny play it over and over for eight hours. When Johnny walked out, Spector ordered him back in, and Johnny retorted, “What you going to do, shoot me?” (this exchange is captured on tape).
Spector is often said to have brandished a gun either at this point or at another point in the session, but Marky Ramone tells us that this is overblown – Spector carried a gun but never threatened them with it.
The album took about six months to make, which was an eternity by Ramones standards, although most of that time was Spector working without the band. The album was a modest success, going to #44 US and outselling previous Ramones efforts, but it left the band divided – Joey and Marky loved it, but Dee Dee and Johnny felt traumatized by the experience.
If the Ramones were ever going to score a hit single, this would have been it. The song was the title track to a movie, and the renown hitmaker Phil Spector had his hands on it. It was not to be: the song didn’t crack the American charts and the Ramones never did have a commercial breakthrough.
A video was made for this song using the 1980 End of the Century release. The video is based on the movie, with most of the band in detention and Marky dressed like a woman, playing the role of the principal in the film, Miss Togar. When MTV launched in 1981, it got some spins, but the Ramones never became video stars.
The version sung in the movie by P.J. Soles was also included on the soundtrack album.
According to Joey Ramone, the movie was going to be called Disco High School, since disco was big at the time. Director Allan Arkush managed to make it a rock movie starring the Ramones.
Joey says that when they blew up the high school at the end, they were really destroying the school and the explosions were frightening. The band was under strict instructions not to turn around until cameras stopped rolling. When they did, they saw the school up in flames.
Imploding the set did more than just create a great visual: it made it impossible to do re-shoots, ensuring that it couldn’t be reverted to Disco High.
The End Of The Century album cover was shot by Mick Rock, whose famous clients include David Bowie, Lou Reed and Iggy Pop. He was warned before the shoot that the Ramones did not like photographers, but the session went well and resulted in one of the more memorable images of the band, with them wearing colorful T-shirts and no leather.
“It only took about an hour,” Rock told Songfacts. “They came, I did some Polaroids. They didn’t really comment much, but at least they liked them enough for one to appear on the album cover.”
Rock ‘n’ Roll High School
Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll high school
Well I don’t care about history Rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll high school ‘Cause that’s not where I wanna be Rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll high school I just wanna have some kicks I just wanna get some chicks Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll high school
Well, the girls out there knock me out, you know Rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll high school Cruisin’ around in my GTO Rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll high school I hate the teachers and the principal Don’t wanna be taught to be no fool Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll high school Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll high school
Fun fun, rock ‘n’ roll high school Fun fun, rock ‘n’ roll high school Fun fun, rock ‘n’ roll high school Fun fun, oh baby Fun fun, oh baby Fun, fun, fun, fun Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll high school Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll high school Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll high school
I don’t care about history Rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll high school ‘Cause that’s not where I wanna be Rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll high school I just wanna have some kicks I just wanna get some chicks Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll high school Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll high school
Fun fun, rock ‘n’ roll high school Fun fun, rock ‘n’ roll high school Fun fun, rock ‘n’ roll high school Fun fun, oh baby Fun fun, oh baby Fun, fun, fun, fun Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll high school Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll high school Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll high school Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll high school
This song was on the Out of the Blue album. It edges toward disco a little but everything was at this time.
The song was originally called “Dead End Street” before Jeff Lynne decided he wasn’t happy, so he erased the vocal track and re-wrote the lyrics. Some words that survived from that version can be heard in the opening of the third verse, “I’ve been livin’ on a dead-end street.”
This song peaked at #17 in the Billboard 100, #16 in Canada and #6 in the UK in 1978.
Jeff Lynn: “It was a song called Dead End Street. I’d done all the words and everything, finished it. And I came down the next day in the studio and I went, ‘I hate that. Let’s rub all the vocals off.’ And so, he goes, ‘Really?’ Y’know, me engineer. And I said, ‘Yup. Get rid off everything off there. Whatever to do with the vocals.’ And he did. He rubbed ’em all off. And I’d been sitting up in the hotel, which is above the studio, working at night just trying to think of a new tune and new words, which I did. And tried it the next day and there they worked. So, it was a good job I did, but it also meant changing the arrangement slightly. So a lot of pairs of scissors were used that day.”
From Songfacts
This was a hit single from British pop rock band Electric Light Orchestra’s double album, Out of the Blue, recorded at Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany during the summer of 1977. The song finds ELO leader Jeff Lynne searching for the elusive sweet talkin’ woman. He asks everyone he knows where he can find her, and even calls the operator to ask about her whereabouts, but his search is fruitless. Seems she doesn’t want to be found.
The USA single release was ten seconds shorter than its British counterpart due to a slightly faster mix. It is not known whether it was purposely edited to help the song to get more airplay or a simple error due to the tape machine being run at the wrong speed.
Like several songs on Out of the Blue, this song made use of the Vocoder 2000. ELO were one of the first music acts to make extensive use of the vocoder, which could synthesize voice into a robotic sound.
Robert John “Mutt” Lange inadvertently ripped off this track when he wrote the Huey Lewis & the News song “Do You Believe In Love?,” for their 1982 Picture This album. The verses have the same melody and the lyrics of the opening verse are remarkably similar. “I was walking down a one way street; Just a looking for someone to meet; One woman who was looking for a man.”
Sweet Talkin’ Woman
I was searchin’ (searchin’) on a one-way street I was hopin’ (hopin’) for a chance to meet I was waitin’ for the operator on the line (She’s gone so long) What can I do? (Where could she be?) Don’t know what I’m gonna do I gotta get back to you
You gotta slow down (slow down), sweet talkin’ woman You got me runnin’, you got me searchin’ Hold on (hold on), sweet talkin’ lover It’s so sad if that’s the way it’s over
I was (walkin’), many days go by I was thinkin’ (thinkin’) ’bout the lonely nights Communication break down all around (She’s gone so long) What can I do? (Where could she be now?) No no no, don’t know what I’m gonna do I gotta get back to you
You gotta slow down (slow down), sweet talkin’ woman You got me runnin’, you got me searchin’ Hold on (hold on), sweet talkin’ lover (hold on) It’s so sad if that’s the way it’s over
I’ve been livin’ on a dead-end street I’ve been askin’ ev’rybody I meet Insufficient data coming through (She’s gone so long) What can I do? (Where could she be?) No no no, don’t know what I’m gonna do I gotta get back to you
Slow down (slow down), sweet talkin’ woman You got me runnin’, you got me searchin’ Hold on (hold on), sweet talkin’ lover (hold on) It’s so sad if that’s the way it’s over
Slow down (slow down), sweet talkin’ woman You got me runnin’, you got me searchin’ Hold on (hold on), sweet talkin’ lover (hold on) It’s so sad if that’s the way it’s over
Slow down (slow down), sweet talkin’ woman You got me runnin’, you got me searchin’ Hold on (hold on), sweet talkin’ lover (hold on) It’s so sad if that’s the way it’s over
Slow down (slow down), sweet talkin’ woman You got me runnin’, you got me searchin’ Hold on (hold on), sweet talkin’ lover (hold on) It’s so sad if that’s the way it’s over
Slow down (slow down), sweet talkin’ woman You got me runnin’, you got me searchin’
This song was from Fleetwood Mac…the 60’s version of the band with the great guitar player Peter Green. The song peaked at #55 in the Billboard 100 in 1970.
Fleetwood Mac was six years away from their Stevie Nicks/Lindsey Buckingham era when this song was released. The lineup on this track was Peter Green (vocals, guitar), John McVie (bass), Danny Kirwan (guitar), Mick Fleetwood (drums), and Jeremy Spencer (piano).
This is the only song that has been played in every decade of Fleetwood Mac, starting in the ’60s. When Mike Campbell of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers joined the band in 2018, the song became a feature for him, and his only lead vocal in their set.
The single was released in two parts. Radio stations usually play the A-side, “Oh Well (part 1).” The B-side is “Oh Well (part 2),” an orchestral piece that sounds completely different. Both parts were written by Peter Green and go together on the album, but Green always thought the best part wasn’t played.
Peter Green: “The best bit was Part 2 on the other side of the record,” “You miss the best bit, the Spanish guitar break. The first side was what we played on stage. I didn’t think it would be a hit and I used to hate playing that one because we played the part that wasn’t as good. I wanted a bit of moody guitar playing. They wanted the bit that was easy to do, that everyone knew.”
From Songfacts
At the time, Fleetwood Mac was a successful blues band known for their raucous stage shows. Their albums consistently sold about 300,000 copies and they were known as outstanding musicians. When Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined the band in 1974, they changed their sound and became one of the best-selling bands ever. Until then, “Oh Well” was the only Fleetwood Mac song that made the Hot 100 in America; they did have several UK hits in this era, including the #1 “Albatross.”
This was one of Peter Green’s last contributions to Fleetwood Mac. He was revered as one of the greatest guitarists and songwriters of the time, having replaced Eric Clapton in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers before forming Fleetwood Mac in 1967. He became a high profile acid casualty in 1970 when he suffered a mental breakdown and left the band, devoting himself to religious practice and proclaiming money as evil. An oft-repeated tale has him entering his manager’s office with a shotgun, demanding that his royalty checks be discontinued.
Mick Fleetwood was sure this song would go nowhere. He bet Green that it would tank.
The stop and start technique inspired Led Zeppelin to do the same thing on “Black Dog.”
Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes released a version on their 2000 album Live At The Greek.
Oh Well – Part 2
The original with Peter Green
Oh Well
I can’t help about the shape I’m in I can’t sing, I ain’t pretty and my legs are thin But don’t ask me what I think of you I might not give the answer that you want me to
Now, when I talked to God, I knew He’d understand He said, “Stick by my side and I’ll be your guiding hand But don’t ask me what I think of you I might not give the answer that you want me to” Ooh, well
Now they call you Prince Charming, Can’t speak a word when you’re full of ‘ludes
If you see ludes…you know you are in the seventies or in that vicinity.
This song is about Skynyrd guitarist Gary Rossington, who bought a new car (a Ford Torino), got drunk, and took some Quaaludes, and crashed it into a tree, and then into a house. The band was supposed to start a tour in a few days but had to postpone it because of Rossington’s injuries. I always wonder what Gary thinks when he plays this song. He is the only original member left in the touring band.
Lead singer Ronnie Van Zant and guitarist Allen Collins wrote this song. They were not pleased with Rossington, whose drug and alcohol problems were affecting the band.
A couple of years ago I read a book by their tour manager and this band was a handful on the road. They were tutored by the master… Keith Moon on the fine art of destruction but Lynryd Skynrd loved to fight…mostly each other. Ronnie Van Zant was said to be a nice guy until drunk…after that, the band members would tend to go the opposite way from their tough lead singer and undisputed leader.
The song didn’t chart but remains a classic rock staple and a good song of that era. It was on their last album Street Survivors released in 1977…3 days before the plane they were in crashed killing Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, and backup singer Cassie Gaines.
That Smell
Whiskey bottles, and brand new cars Oak tree you’re in my way There’s too much coke and too much smoke Look what’s going on inside you Ooooh that smell Can’t you smell that smell Ooooh that smell The smell of death surrounds you
Angel of darkness is upon you Stuck a needle in your arm So take another toke, have a blow for your nose One more drink fool, will drown you Ooooh that smell Can’t you smell that smell Ooooh that smell The smell of death surrounds you
Now they call you Prince Charming Can’t speak a word when you’re full of ‘ludes Say you’ll be all right come tomorrow But tomorrow might not be here for you Ooooh that smell Can’t you smell that smell Ooooh that smell The smell of death surrounds you
Hey, you’re a fool you Stick them needles in your arm I know I been there before
One little problem that confronts you Got a monkey on your back Just one more fix, Lord might do the trick One hell of a price for you to get your kicks Ooooh that smell Can’t you smell that smell Ooooh that smell The smell of death surrounds you Ooooh that smell Can’t you smell that smell Ooooh that smell The smell of death surrounds you
A long song but I will say the chorus is very catchy. A southern rock band who had a few hits but this one didn’t chart…but it did catch on FM radio after it was released in 1975.
Outlaws founding member Henry Paul says this song is not about marijuana, but about rock and roll luminaries, and the title, he says, was taken from the 1966 “Best Of” collection by the Rolling Stones called High Tides and Green Grass.
The song was on the Outlaws debut album called “Outlaws” and it peaked at #13 in the Billboard album charts.
Hughie Thomasson: I wrote that song in Saint Augustine, Florida. We went to a cookout on the beach and everybody forgot to bring their guitars. I was standing by the ocean and there was a breeze and the words kept coming to me. It’s about all the rock stars I liked that died had come back and were playing a show just for me. Like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison. And eventually more of course.
Henry Paul:“From what I gather, there was an album out, the best of the Rolling Stones, called ‘High Tides and Green Grass.’ That was the name of the Rolling Stones’ greatest hits – this is like 1966 – and I think it was a manifestation of that title turned in reverse, ‘Green Grass and High Tides.’ I know that much. And I know that it was a song written for rock and roll illuminaries, from Janis Joplin to Jimi Hendrix, and it had nothing to do with marijuana. But it had to do with, I think, a specific person’s lyrical look at rock and roll legends. ‘As kings and queens bow and play for you.’ It’s about Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. ‘Castles of stone, soul and glory.’ A lot of it is just sort of a collage of words that really don’t have all that much to do with anything, they just fit and sounded right. But I have to say it’s one of my favorite lyrics. My songwriting is more Steinbeck, really rooted in accuracy and reality; this is definitely Alice In Wonderland. It’s the whole ‘White Rabbit.’ It’s sort of like one of those magic lyrical moments that will forever be mysteriously unclearly conceived.”
In most of the Outlaws albums’ liner notes, Hughie Thomasson signed off with the line “green grass and high tides forever.”
The song is the final encore of Solo Tour in the video game Rock Band. Because the game only has four tracks (guitar, bass guitar, drums, and vocals), the song’s three guitar parts are combined into one track.
Green Grass and High Tides
In a place you only dream of Where your soul is always free Silver stages, golden curtains Filled my head, plain as can be As a rainbow grew around the sun All my stars of love who died Came from somewhere beyond the scene you see These lovely people played just for me
Now if I let you see this place Where stories all ring true Will you let me past your face To see what’s really you It’s not for me I ask these questions As though I were a king For you have to love, believe and feel Before the burst of tambourines take you there
Green grass and high tides forever Castles of stone souls and glory Lost faces say we adore you As kings and queens bow and play for you
Those who don’t believe me Find your souls and set them free Those who do, believe and love This time will be your key Time and time again I’ve thanked them For a piece of mind They helped me find myself Amongst the music and the rhyme That enchants you there
Green grass and high tides forever Castles of stone souls and glory Lost faces say we adore you As kings and queens bow and play for you Yeah, they play just for you
I usually feature originals but I found this video of John covering Slippin and a Slidin’ that I never have seen before and I had to include it. My son listened to John Lennon’s Rock and Roll album (made up of entirely covers of mostly 50s Rock and Roll) and he flipped over it. Afterward, he played it so much I relistened to it and John’s love of that music really came through.
The song was on the Rock and Roll album released in 1975. I could listen to John sing the phone book.
The album made it to #6 in the Billboard 200, #6 in the UK, and #5 in Canada. Stand By Me made it to #20 in the Billboard 100. John Lennon did not make another album until Double Fantasy in 1980.
Slippin’ and Slidin’
Slippin’ and a slidin’, peepin’ and a hidin’, been told long time ago, Slippin’ and a slidin’, peepin’ and a hidin’, been told long time ago, I been told, baby, you been bold, I won’t be your fool no more.
Oh, big conniver, nothing but a jiver, done got hip to your jive, Oh, big conniver, nothing but a jiver, done got hip to your jive, Slippin’ and a slidin’, peepin’ and a hidin’, won’t be your fool no more.
Oh Malinda, she’s a solid sender, you know you better surrender, Oh Malinda, she’s a solid sender, you know you better surrender, Slippin’ and a slidin’, peepin’ and a hidin’, won’t be your fool no more.
I had a lot of comedy albums growing up and these were my favorites.
10: Steve Martin – His Wild and Crazy album, Let’s Get Small, and Comedy is Not Pretty stayed on my turntable forever.
9: Sam Kinison – His routine of Are You Lonesome Tonight is worthy enough to have him on this list.
8: Chris Rock – I followed him from SNL on.
7: Eddie Murphy – His eighties standup videos are still staples of the era.
6: Bob Newhart – If you like dry humor…this is your man.
5: George Carlin – Carlin was just so cool. His routines are well known now. He was topical and many of the things he expressed are true today. He was also on the first SNL episode.
4: Woody Allen – He had a wit as quick as you could get. His stand up from the sixties is outstanding. I had a friend with a lot of his standup routines that we listened to in the 80s.
3: Robin Williams/Jonathan Winters – Williams and Winters were very similar because Winters was a huge influence on Robin Williams. They could pick any subject and make it funny.
2: Bill Hicks –NOT family-friendly. Bill was as dark as they come but he made you think whether you agreed with him or not. He will offend EVERYONE… I like Denis Leary but Leary got a lot of his material from Hicks and cleaned it up. It can get uncomfortable listening to Bill…maybe that is the reason I liked him.
1: Richard Pryor – Richard was a game-changer…I had his albums growing up and he changed stand up comedy. He can make me laugh at any time.
Honorable Mention: Albert Brooks, Lily Tomlin, Rodney Dangerfield, Robert Klein, Joan Rivers, and Denis Leary.
***One comedian, I never understood…maybe it’s because I didn’t grow up in his time. He had an interesting story but I just never got Lenny Bruce. I find his material once in a while funny but many lists have him as number 1 or 2. Yes, he did make a huge impact on his profession like few others but I just don’t get him like some do.
When I posted a Rockpile song last week… I heard from Sharon E. Cathcart talking about this concert. A few days later Val mentioned this concert on a Little Richard post. I haven’t thought of this concert in years so I thought it would be a great subject.
I did see a copy of this in the 80s at some point. I’ve watched it the last few nights and it is really good. A few facts about the show…The Pretenders debut album was released the day before they played, this was John Bonham’s last appearance on stage in England, and the Wings last concert appearance.
Concert for the People of Kampuchea was a series of concerts in 1979 featuring Queen, The Clash, The Pretenders, Rockpile, The Who, Elvis Costello, Wings, and many more artists. I’ll post the entire lineup at the bottom. These concerts had a great amount of British talent that would not be rivaled until Live Aid in 1985. The proceeds would be directed to the emergency relief work of the U.N. agencies for the civilians in Kampuchea.
The concerts were held at the Hammersmith Odeon in London over 4 days from 26-29 December 1979 to raise money for the victims of war-torn Cambodia (then called Kampuchea). The event was organized by former Beatle Paul McCartney and Kurt Waldheim (who was then Secretary-General of the UN, later Austrian president).
Waldheim initially approached McCartney, hoping his current band Wings would participate. But he also discussed a performance with George Harrison, and then the gossip wheel started turning. The Beatle reunion rumors started to overtake the press for the show itself. Paul had to completely deny it of course. He was quoted saying: “The Beatles are over and finished with,” “None of us is even interested in doing it. There’s lots of reasons. Imagine if we came back and did a big show that wasn’t good. What a drag.” None of the ex Beatles showed…except Paul
An album and EP were released in 1981, and the best of the concerts was released as a film, Concert for Kampuchea in 1980. The album wasn’t released until 1981 and it peaked at #36 and the song Little Sister by Rockpile and Robert Plant peaked at #8.
When Wings’ main set was complete on the last night, McCartney invited a Who’s Who assemblage of British rockers to the stage to play four songs as an encore as the “Rockestra”. The list included three members of Led Zeppelin (Plant, John Bonham and John Paul Jones), Townshend, former Small Faces/Faces bandmates Ronnie Lane and Kenney Jones, Procol Harum’s Gary Brooker, Wings, plus members of Rockpile and the Pretenders, among others.
Here is a complete list.
Piano: Paul McCartney
Keyboards: Linda McCartney, Tony Ashton, Gary Brooker
Guitars: Denny Laine, Laurence Juber, James Honeyman-Scott, Dave Edmunds, Billy Bremner, Pete Townshend, Robert Plant
Bass: Paul McCartney, Bruce Thomas, Ronnie Lane, John Paul Jones
Drums, Percussion: Steve Holley, Kenney Jones, Tony Carr, Morris Pert, Speedy Acquaye, John Bonham
Horns: Howie Casey, Steve Howard, Thaddeus Richard, Tony Dorsey
Vocals: Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, John Paul Jones, Ronnie Lane, Bruce Thomas, Robert Plant
That is a talented bunch.
McCartney did assemble the above musicians with some more like David Gilmour to record a couple of songs on the Wings Back To The Egg album…So Glad to See You Here and Rockestra Theme.
Here is the complete list of acts who played during the concerts.
The Blockheads
The Clash
Elvis Costello
Ian Dury
The Pretenders
Matumbi
Robert Plant
Queen
Rockpile
The Specials
Wings
The Who
December 26
Queen
December 27
Ian Dury and the Blockheads (with guest Mick Jones on “Sweet Gene Vincent”)
Matumbi
The Clash
December 28
The Pretenders
The Specials
The Who
December 29
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Rockpile (with guest Robert Plant on “Little Sister”)
I remember I had the album this was on…Let Me Up (I’ve Had Enough) and I was disappointed. I always liked this song though. The album did not live up to Southern Accents the previous album.
Although this is a 1980s song…Steve Jobs, Eddie Murphy, Joe Piscopo, and Vanessa Redgrave are singled out…as well as events in the world…the idea behind it is more relevant today than 1987.
I’ve always thought this song was about information overload on our senses…being overwhelmed in the disinformation age…and this was 1987! How about now?
Mike Campbell, the guitarist for The Heartbreakers, wrote the music for this and gave Petty the demo. Tom held it for a while and didn’t do anything with it until one day when he was working with Bob Dylan. They came up with some lyrics by picking words out of a newspaper and off the television. Tom pulled out Mike’s demo, and they inserted those words over the track. The song is about the deluge of information and marketing messages that can prove overwhelming.
This song peaked at #18 in the Billboard 100, #41 in Canada, and #38 in New Zealand in 1987. It was written by Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, and Mike Campbell.
From Songfacts
Many of Petty’s songs start as demos written by Campbell. Mike also wrote the tracks for Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer” and “The Heart Of The Matter,” and helped Petty produce this album.
In 1986, the band toured with Bob Dylan in Australia, New Zealand and Japan, which led to Dylan’s contribution on this song. In 1988, Petty and Dylan played together in The Traveling Wilburys, a band whose other members were Jeff Lynne, George Harrison and Roy Orbison.
In the lyrics, Petty mentions various places and events that were in the news and getting constant media exposure. Actors Vanessa Redgrave, Joe Piscopo and Eddie Murphy also show up.
Jammin’ Me
You got me in a corner You got me against the wall I got nowhere to go I got nowhere to fall
Take back your insurance Baby nothin’s guaranteed Take back your acid rain Baby let your T.V. bleed
You’re jammin’ me, you’re jammin’ me, Quit jammin’ me Baby you can keep me painted in a corner You can look away, but it’s not over
Take back your angry slander Take back your pension plan Take back your ups and downs of your life In raisin-land
Take back Vanessa Redgrave Take back Joe Piscopo Take back Eddie Murphy Give ’em all some place to go
You’re jammin’ me, you’re jammin’ me Quit jammin’ me Baby you can keep me painted in a corner You can walk away but it’s not over
Take back your Iranian torture And the apple in young Steve’s eye Yeah take back your losing streak Check your front wheel drive
Take back Pasadena Take back El Salvador Take back that country club They’re tr yin’ to build outside my door
PowerPop... An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture 