Tag Archives: The Hollies

Song of the Week – Why D’ya Do It, Marianne Faithfull & Carrie Anne, The Hollies

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Ignored             Obscured              Restored

WARNING:  Today’s first SotW contains explicit language that you may find to be offensive.

Marianne Faithfull tragically passed away on January 30th at the age of 78, leaving behind a legacy marked by striking contradictions.  Born into a highly educated family with notable ties to aristocracy, she was educated at the prestigious St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Convent School.  As a teenager, she was famously “discovered” by Rolling Stones’ manager Andrew Loog Oldham, who infamously described her as “an angel with big tits.”

Faithfull’s debut recording, the timeless hit “As Tears Go By,” was penned by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards after Oldham locked them in a room, declaring they could not leave until they had composed a song for her.

Throughout the late 60s and early 70s, Faithfull succumbed to the turbulent haze of drug addiction, yet remarkably, she managed to survive. During this tumultuous period, she became the muse for several iconic Rolling Stones tracks — “She Smiled Sweetly,” “Let’s Spend the Night Together,” “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” “Live With Me,” and “Wild Horses.”  Faithfull also channeled her own painful experiences into writing the raw and unforgettable lyrics of “Sister Morphine” (though the band denied her credit for many years).

In the late 70s, she staged a monumental and defiant comeback with her groundbreaking album Broken English (1979).  Inspired by the explosive punk rock movement that was sweeping the music scene, Faithfull boldly embraced a new, rebellious sound.

The album’s final track, “Why D’Ya Do It,” is a searing, intense confession.

Over a gripping quasi-reggae rhythm, Faithfull recites the dark, biting words of a poem by Heathcote Williams. As MOJO writes:

“… ‘sing’ barely describes the haunting, raw, ravaged keen that characterises her delivery throughout, and which contrasts so startlingly with the folky warble of her 60s recordings.”

And,

[The song] “is a torrent of foul-mouthed abuse aimed fairly obviously at inconstant lover Ben Brierley, which makes that turmoil all-too plain…”

In stark contrast, another song inspired by Faithfull is The Hollies’ cheerful pop tune “Carrie Ann.”

This lighthearted, upbeat track seems to reflect the many layers of Faithfull’s multifaceted life and public persona — a portrait of a woman whose experiences, both soaring and heartbreaking, shaped her extraordinary journey.

Enjoy… until next week.

Song of the Week – I Can’t Let Go, Evie Sands; The Hollies; Linda Ronstadt

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IGNORED OBSCURED RESTORED

Today’s SotW is another installment of the “evolution series.” The featured song is “I Can’t Let Go” that was written by Al Gorgoni and Chip Taylor. (Not to be confused with the great Lucinda Williams tune with a similar title.) Gorgoni was a NY based session guitarist that played on hits for everyone from the Four Seasons to The Shangri-Las to The Monkees and Van Morrison (and more). Taylor is most famous for also writing “Wild Thing” and “Angel of the Morning,” an odd combination, I know! He’s also lesser known as the brother of Jon Voight (and uncle to Angelina Jolie).

The original version was released in 1965 by a 19 year old Evie Sands but didn’t receive much airplay outside of her home base of NYC. It was a bigger hit by the artists that recorded and released it after her.

Poor Evie Sands was star-crossed. She released a cut of “Angel of the Morning” as a follow up to “I Can’t Let Go.” It was initially popular but sunk like the Titanic when her record company (Cameo-Parkway) filed for bankruptcy. Merrilee Rush “rushed” out her own version a few months later that made it into the Top 10!

The Hollies released their 1966 recording that topped off at #46 on the charts in the US.

The Hollies always had the uncanny ability to recognize a good song and put their own twist onto it by giving it a British beat feel with soaring harmonies. This is the best version and one of my favorite tracks by the Hollies.

Linda Ronstadt reached #31 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1980 with the rendition she released on her Mad Love album.

A few weeks ago I took a mild swipe at Ronstadt, so I’m making amends today. This is a fine recording – well sung, well played and well produced. My only gripe would be that it so closely follows the Hollies arrangement.

All in all, it’s a strong cup of blue eyed soul in all three styles.

Enjoy… until next week.