Tag: All Mine

Fanny – Charity Ball

Bonnie Raitt: Fanny was the first all woman rock band that could really play and get some credibility within the musician community. 

When people think of female rock bands, this band doesn’t come up much but should. The usual suspects are the Go-Go’s, Bangles, and Runaways because they had more commercial success. The Runaways had more after they broke up.

Out of those three bands, The Runaways resembled more of a “rock band” but the talent level wasn’t up to these ladies. The other two had their moments but were mostly top-40 pop-rock bands…nothing wrong with that. There have been a few all-female rock bands (not enough) but this one…to me is the most talented one I’ve heard. They were not a “girl group”…they were a full-fledged rock band.

Fanny was formed in the late sixties in Sacramento by two Filipina sisters, Jean and June Millington. Fanny would be the first all-female band to release an album on a major label (their self-titled debut, on Reprise, 1970) and land four singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and two in the top 40. The band played blues, rock, and some pop.

David Bowie, who wrote the band a fan letter in the early 1970s – and two decades later in a Rolling Stone interview was still talking about how criminally overlooked they were. Bowie said: “They’re as important as anybody else who’s ever been, ever; it just wasn’t their time, revivify Fanny. And I will feel that my work is done.”

They never got that one big hit single to break them to the masses. They had a few songs with a pop flavor that really should have made it such as All Mine… that would get my vote. Fanny broke up in 1975, reunited in 2018, and released an album titled Fanny Walked the Earth. I simply adore these women because they could rock.

The album Charity Ball peaked at #150 on the Billboard Album Charts. The title cut peaked at #40 on the Billboard Album Charts in 1971.

They have a documentary out called Fanny: The Right To Rock. 

Joe Elliott: “I had no idea who they were, but this four minutes of music, and I was hooked.”

Kathy Valentine: They made 5 records.  The Go Gos get a lot of attention for what we did and we only made 3 records. 

Earl Slick: It’s always the ones that start it gets f**ked

Charity Ball

Dance, ooh, stand, oohMove to charity ballDance, ooh, stand, oohMove to charity ball

Get the musicians readyGet them good and hot, good and hot, wooStand and deliverGive ’em everything you’ve gotYou got my number

Charity ballOoh, stand, oohMove to charity ballDance, ooh, stand, oohMove to charity ball

Come on and grab a partnerWe’re gonna roll ’till the break of dawnAnd I need youI need youI need youOh, charity ball

Oh yeah, now I’m ready (I wanna be there)Yes, I’m ready (I wanna be there)Oh, I’m ready (I wanna be there)Charity ball

Oh, I’m ready (I wanna be there)(I wanna be there)(I wanna be there)

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Fanny – All Mine

This song has a pop sound that is really catchy. Al Mine would have fit the top 40 at the time perfectly. The more I’ve listened to this band the more I’ve become a fan. This song was the B side to the single with Summer Song as the A side.

Fanny played hard rock, soul, some Motown-ish music (like this one), and just rock and roll. I did get a comment from someone who saw them live in the 1970s. The comment was LOUD and very good as they opened for bands such Procol Harum, Humble Pie, Deep Purple, and David Bowie.

When you are an all female band opening up for these bands…you are not a novelty…you are the real deal. They were more successful in the UK and Europe, where audiences appreciated their music and respected their work.

Did the public ignore them because they were all female? If so, the public missed out.

They fit in with different genres and they deserved more attention. This song was written by the sisters June and Jean Millington. It was on their Mother’s Pride album.

Fanny released a studio album in 2018 called Fanny Walked the Earth. Their last  album before that one was Rock and Roll Survivors released in 1974.

Fanny – Mothers Pride (1973, Vinyl) - Discogs

June Millington:  “We knew we had to prove we could play and deliver live. Otherwise, no one would believe it.” 

All Mine

Oh, when you’re looking for someone to love
It isn’t easy to live without love
And when you’re lonely, it’s harder to laugh
You made it easy, that’s all in the past

Oh baby, I love when you give to me; you’re all mine, all mine

It’s hard live when you’re by yourself
We need to give to somebody else
You need a lover to rock you to sleep
And lend a shoulder when you’re dead on your feet

Oh baby, I love when you give to me; you’re all mine, all mine
Oh baby, I love when you give to me; you’re all mine, all mine

It’s hard live when you’re by yourself (by yourself)
We need to give to somebody else (somebody else)
You need a lover to rock you to sleep (rock you to sleep)
And lend a shoulder when you’re dead on your feet

Oh baby, I love when you give to me; you’re all mine, all mine
All mine (mine, all mine)
I’m in love with you, say you love me, too etc

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