Back in 1987, Terence Trent D’Arby
released an album of organic, neo-soul tracks that stood out from the other
R&B of the day due to its lack of artificial sounding instruments and his
warm vocal style that reminded listeners of classic soul voices like Sam Cooke
and Marvin Gaye.
The album – Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D’Arby – was a
huge commercial success internationally and in the US. It was an exceptional album that touched on
soul, funk and even a little rock, but it was also hampered by D’Arby’s hubris
and conceit. In interviews he called
himself a genius (though not a stable genius) and claimed his album was the
most important record since The Beatles’ Sgt.
Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
The album contained “Wishing Well” that went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 as well as their Soul Singles chart, and is today’s SotW.
When I was a club DJ in Boston in the
mid/late ‘80s, I always enjoyed spinning this number. It was a sure fire crowd pleaser, guaranteed
to fill the dance floor… and something the DJ could also appreciate.
I’m always feel badly when I learn way too late about a songwriter who wrote a song I really like. Donnie Fritts wrote Breakfast in Bed, which was recorded by Dusty Springfield, with Eddie Hinton.
He also wrote, with Hinton, the Box Tops’ Choo Choo Train.
There is an obit here, an interesting guy who led an interesting life, never finding the fame but being famous all over.
This is one weird song. Kind of jug band, kind of pop.
Between the Buttons is an odd elpee that merges Brian’s interests with Andrew’s obsessions, and somehow Mick and Keith still win.
Plus their producer, Jimmy Miller. All in all, a collaboration well worth exploring.
I’m writing to you today from southern
California, so I thought I’d feature a recording that conveys the SoCal vibe.
I’ve selected “Gold” by John Stewart.
Stewart was born and died in San
Diego. In between, he was a key member of
the Kingston Trio – replacing original member Dave Guard. Stewart was hired by the group to write
songs, sing, and play banjo and guitar.
After six years with the Kingston Trio,
he wrote “Daydream Believer” which became a #1 hit for the Monkees in 1967.
Next, he began a career with his singing
partner, Buffy Ford, who became his wife in 1975. They remained together for the rest of his
life. After one album together he was
off on a solo career, launched with the release of his critically acclaimed
album, California Bloodlines (1969).
Stewart continued to record at a pace of
about an album a year, but most of them languished in obscurity – until the
release of 1979’s Bombs Away Dream Babies.
Bombs Away… was co-produced by
Lindsey Buckingham, who was hot off the success of Fleetwood Mac’s classic Rumours.
Buckingham also sang and played guitar on the recording; Stevie Nicks
sang too.
Bombs
Away…
featured “Gold;” the song that anchored the disc and reached #5 on the pop
charts. The cut has a mysteriously dark
feel. The bass gallops along, punctuated
with electric piano, guitar and, sparse drumming.
The lyrics tell the cynical, satirical tale
of an LA musician trying to make it in “the Biz.” The refrain “Drivin’ over Kanan, singin’ to
my soul / There’s people out there turnin’ music into gold” captures the
desperation of the singer.
Stewart deserved more commercial success
than he attained. He had many influential
and more successful friends in the music industry that held him in very high
regard. For instance, his 1970 album, Willard, featured James Taylor on guitar
and Carole King contributed vocals and keys.
This was at the height of their success leading the early ‘70s singer/songwriter
movement.
Roseanne Cash thought of Stewart as a
mentor and recorded his “Runaway Train” on her 1988 album King’s Record Shop. It was a
#1 hit on the country charts.
So today I salute John Stewart and his
contributions to the musical history of southern California.
This song helped soften up America for punk. It was a juke box smash at Bumpers, a college bar I frequented in the late 70’s. It reached #47 on the American Billboard chart, higher maybe than any other punk single until the 1990’s. It almost became the actual hit it was in Britain (#8) and especially in the French-speaking countries. The Beach Boys meet Chuck Berry at a construction site.
I am the king of the divan.
One of my favorite, obscure albums is Asylum Choir II, by Leon Russell and
Marc Benno. The duo released their first
album, Look Inside the Asylum Choir,
in 1968. Russell and Benno played
essentially all the instruments on the songs.
That album was released on the Smash record label that didn’t have the
marketing heft to get it played or heard, despite decent reviews by rock
critics.
For Asylum
Choir II, Russell and Benno recruited added help from some great session
musicians – Jesse Ed Davis (guitars), Carl Radle (bass) and Donald “Duck” Dunn
(bass). II was recorded as an immediate follow up to Look Inside but didn’t see the light of day until 1971! This time the disc was released on Shelter Records,
another bad choice (though this time Leon could only blame himself since
Shelter was a company he co-founded with Denny Cordell).
My choice for SotW is “Trying to Stay Live.”
The lyrics may be a little dated; how’s
a guy supposed to make a living if he wants to be a musician “and keep his
sideburns too?”
Many of the other songs on the record
are period pieces. “Down on the Base”
and “Ballad of a Soldier” are anti-Viet Nam war songs and “Sweet Home Chicago”
refers to the riots there at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Another track, “Hello, Little Friend,” became
pretty well known in a version by Joe Cocker on his second album, Joe Cocker!. (That album also had Cocker’s outstanding
take on Russell’s “Delta Lady.”)
But don’t let the time capsule aspect of
Asylum Choir II steer you away from listening to the whole thing. The music and arrangements are tremendous!
This terrific song sounds like it might have fit on the the Stones Between the Buttons. The Groovies are known by the knowing, but are not known by too many. Especially in all their weirdly antagonistic formations. But let’s get over that and let them play!
The great New Orleans R&B artist,
songwriter and record producer, Dave Bartholomew, died on June 23rd. I’m totally embarrassed that I missed it but
that was right around the time that I was in Sonoma for 3 days and on the east
coast for the following 10.
Even if you don’t know him by name, I’m certain that you’ve heard his work. He wrote or co-wrote many Fats Domino hits, like “The Fat Man”, I’m Walkin’”, “Blue Monday”, and “Ain’t That a Shame” – a pop #1 in 1955. And there’s more — “I Hear You Knocking” (Smiley Lewis) and “My Ding-a-Ling” (Chuck Berry).
He produced Lloyd Price’s “Lawdy Miss
Clawdy” that was an R&B #1 in 1952, and Domino’s “Blueberry Hill.”
Today’s first SotW is Bartholomew’s own “The Monkey.”
“The Monkey” is a social commentary
about the way humans have descended from “the monkey” but doesn’t always behave
like the superior species. (Unfortunately,
a very apropos sentiment in today’s divisive political climate.)
Here’s another thing a monkey won’t do
Go out on a night and get all in a stew
Or use a gun or a club or a knife
And take another monkey’s life
Yes, man descended, the worthless bum
But, brothers, from us he did not come
In 2004, Elvis Costello released a song called “Monkey to Man.”
The opening lyric is “A long time ago, our point of view was broadcast by Mr. Bartholomew.” I would venture to say the significance of that reference was missed on all but a few. (Now you’re in the know!) There’s a YouTube video of Costello and Bartholomew doing a live performance of “The Monkey” together with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
Costello’s song picks up where
Bartholomew’s left off.
And now the world is full of sorrow and pain
And it’s time for us to speak up again
You’re slack and sorry, such an arrogant brood
The only purpose you serve is to bring us our
food
Sit here staring at your pomp and pout
Outside the bars we use for keeping you out
You’ve taken everything that you wanted
Broke it up and plundered it and hunted
Ever since we said it you went and took the
credit
It’s been headed this way since the world began
When a vicious creature took the jump from
monkey to man
XTC also recorded a track with another variation on the theme.
“The Smartest Monkeys” was on their 1992
album, Nonsuch and tackles the
subject of homelessness.
Well man created the cardboard box to sleep in
it
And man converted the newspaper to a blanket
Well you have to admit that he’s come a long way
Since swinging about in the trees
We’re the smartest monkeys
Thank you, Dave Bartholomew, for the
legacy you left us and the inspiration you paid forward. RIP.
