Song Lyric Sunday – April 5 2020 –Party time

Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs. This week we have the choices of Birthday /Cake /Gift /Party /Surprise. I wonder if that is because Jim is missing all the parties he normally attends now that most of the world is in lockdown? If so, then I’m happy to invite him, and you, to my garden party,  and thanks Jim for continuing to host SLS.

If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.

With the fairly decent weather in the UK at the moment it seems the perfect time to have a garden party but, unfortunately, we cannot,  so instead I’ve asked Rick Nelson, and Smokie to sing for you.

The song was written by Rick Nelson and was a hit in 1972. It is a story about him being booed at a concert in Madison Square Garden in October 1971 and you can read about that here.

Without further ado, please enjoy Garden Party, first by Rick Nelson, followed by Smokie.

Garden Party

Ricky Nelson

Went to a garden party to reminisce with my old friends
A chance to share old memories and play our songs again
When I got to the garden party, they all knew my name
No one recognized me, I didn’t look the same

But it’s all right now, I learned my lesson well.
You see, ya can’t please everyone, so ya got to please yourself

People came from miles around, everyone was there
Yoko brought her walrus, there was magic in the air
And over in the corner, much to my surprise
Mr. Hughes hid in Dylan’s shoes wearing his disguise

But it’s all right now, I learned my lesson well.
You see, ya can’t please everyone, so ya got to please yourself

Played them all the old songs, thought that’s why they came
No one heard the music, we didn’t look the same
I said hello to “Mary Lou”, she belongs to me
When I sang a song about a honky-tonk, it was time to leave

But it’s all right now, I learned my lesson well.
You see, ya can’t please everyone, so ya got to please yourself

Someone opened up a closet door and out stepped Johnny B. Goode
Playing guitar like a-ringin’ a bell and lookin’ like he should
If you gotta play at garden parties, I wish you a lotta luck
But if memories were all I sang, I rather drive a truck

And it’s all right now, learned my lesson well
You see, ya can’t please everyone, so you got to please yourself

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Ricky Nelson

Garden Party lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Song Lyric Sunday – March 22 2020 – Promised Land

Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs. This week we’re asked to go with Promise, Vow, or Oath and I’ve chosen to link to the word Promise.

If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.

The song I’ve chosen is Promised Land originally recorded by  Chuck Berry to the melody of “Wabash Cannonball“, an American folk song.

In the lyrics, the singer (who refers to himself as “the poor boy”) tells of his journey from Norfolk, Virginia, to the “Promised Land”, Los Angeles, California, mentioning various cities in Southern states that he passes through on his journey. It has subsequently been performed by numerous other artists, including the Grateful Dead which should please Jim!!!

However, I reckon that the best cover of this song was provided by Johnnie Allan

He was Born in Rayne, Louisiana, and grew up in a musical family. At age six he obtained his first guitar and  by age thirteen he was playing with Walter Mouton and the Scott Playboys, a traditional Cajun music band. About two years later he switched to Lawrence Walker and the Wandering Aces, another traditional Cajun band.

Throughout the 1960s he pursued his music career while developing a distinguished career in education and would often use the school PA system to advertise his latest records!

He combined his love and expertise in music and education as the author of two books on Cajun culture.

Just look at this album cover. What a fantastic head of hair!

I’m including two versions of the song. The original recording and a later supposedly live performance where they were miming!

Now that is accordion playing at its best!

Promised Land

Johnnie Allan

I left my home in Norfolk Virginia
California on my mind
I straddled that Greyhound
And rode into Raleigh
And on across Caroline

We had motor trouble that turn into a struggle
Halfway across Alabam’
And that hound broke down and left us all stranded
In downtown Birmingham

Right away I brought me a through train ticket
Ridin’ across Mississippi clean
And I was on that midnight flyer out of Birmingham
Smoking into New Orleans

Somebody help me get out of Louisiana
Just to help me get to Houston Town
There are people there who care a little about me
And they won’t let the poor boy down

Sure as you’re born brought me a silk suit
Put luggage in my hand
And I woke up high over Alburquerque
On a jet to the promised land

Working on a T-bone steak a la carte
Flying over to the golden state
Ah when the pilot told us in thirteen minutes
He would set us at the terminal gate

Swing low chariot come down easy
Taxi to the terminal zone
Cut your engines and cool your wings
And let me make it to the telephone

Los Angeles give me Norfolk Virginia
Tidewater four ten o nine
Tell the folks back home this is the promised land calling
And the poor boy is on the line

Working on a T-bone steak a la carte
Flying over to the golden state
Ah when the pilot told us in thirteen minutes
He would set us at the terminal gate

Swing low chariot come down easy
Taxi to the terminal zone
Cut your engines and cool your wings
And let me make it to the telephone

Los Angeles give me Norfolk Virginia
Tidewater four ten o nine
Tell the folks back home this is the promised land calling
And the poor boy is on the line

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Andreas Behle / Christian Kundschaft / Mike Rejchel

Promised Land lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc, Universal Music Publishing Group

 

Rapid Rhyme #21

On hearing the wonderful Blackbird song at twilight tonight:

 

It really is delightful

It really is sublime

I cannot do it justice

in just a simple rhyme

Song Lyric Sunday 26/01/2020 – Duets

Thanks again to Jim Adams, who hosts Song Lyric Sunday and gives us the chance to share lots of familiar, and some not so familiar, songs. This week he’s asked us to share Duets.

If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.

What I’m sharing with you this week is SEX!

Every time I see this couple singing together it’s almost as though they are making love on the stage. OK, they don’t really make love, but their body language, their eye contact, their mannerisms, all make me imagine lascivious speech bubbles and thoughts drifting between them.

The couple that I’m describing are Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham and it’s only natural that they should have a very close bond because they attended the same school, but a year apart. They started a relationship in 1966, and moved to Los Angeles in 1971. They recorded an album together before joining Fleetwood Mac in 1975 after Mick Fleetwood called Buckingham, inviting him to join the band. Buckingham refused, insisting that Nicks and he were “a package deal” and he would not join without her. The group decided that incorporating the pair would improve Fleetwood Mac, making the British band into an Anglo-American one. The first rehearsals confirmed this feeling, with the harmonies of the newcomers adding a pop accessibility to the hard rock. Their intimate relationship had broken down by 1977. The break up was chronicled in a number of songs written by the two, such as “Silver Springs” and “Dreams” by Nicks and “Go Your Own Way” and “Second Hand News” by Buckingham.

I suppose that most of their work together does not constitute a duet as they are singing accompanied by other band members, however, the first offering is definitely a duet, and shows off Lindsey’s consummate skills as a guitarist. He is one of my favourites.

This week I am kicking against the traces and am not giving you any lyrics. I am, instead, offering you a few choices of fantastic singing, with SEX!

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Never Going Back Again

Bleed to love her

Landslide

I could go on and on because I do so love these two singing together, but I’d better go and get some sleep!

 

Song Lyric Sunday 19/01/2020 – Written or sung by Tom/Dick/Harry or including one of these names in the lyrics

Just how does Jim Adams keep up his prodigious posting and yet he still manages to keep on hosting Song Lyric Sunday?

Frankly, I don’t care. I’m just thankful that he gives us the chance to share lots of familiar, and some not so familiar, songs.

If you fancy joining in you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.

This week I’m offering you a song that I love. Without You sung by Harry Nilsson. Originally a BadFinger song.

I can’t do better than to quote the words of James Cooper (I have no idea who James is, but his words sum up the song so well)

“What makes this so incredible? It is not the song. It is not the lyrics. It’s Harry’s mind bending, heart rending, vocal. I can’t think of another vocal that so powerfully and authentically conveys anguish while never coming close to being over wrought. The vocal is also incredibly nuanced. The first few lines are sadly reflective. He then sounds increasingly ominous. He then becomes desperate, then pleading, then hopeless, then resigned—a shifting kaleidoscope of pain. I really think this brief little song contains one of the most powerful vocal performances ever recorded. All other covers are simply embarrassments.”

Thank you James Cooper, and thank you Harry Nilsson.

 

And here is the original Badfinger version:

 

Without You

Harry Nilsson

No, I can’t forget this evening
Or your face as you were leaving
But I guess that’s just the way the story goes
You always smile but in your eyes your sorrow shows
Yes, it shows

No, I can’t forget tomorrow
When I think of all my sorrows
When I had you there but then I let you go
And now it’s only fair that I should let you know
What you should know

I can’t live, if living is without you
I can’t live, I can’t give any more
Can’t live, if living is without you
I can’t give, I can’t give any more

Well, I can’t forget this evening
Or your face as you were leaving
But I guess that’s just the way the story goes
You always smile but in your eyes your sorrow shows
Yes, it shows

Can’t live, if living is without you
I can’t live, I can’t give anymore
I can’t live, if living is without you
I can’t live, I can’t give anymore
(Living is without you)

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Peter William Ham / Thomas Evans

Without You lyrics © Songtrust Ave, BMG Rights Management

Song Lyric Sunday 17/11/2019 – Are Friends Electric? – Don’t ask

Thank you to Jim Adams, who hosts Song Lyric Sunday and gives us the chance to share lots of familiar, and some not so familiar, songs.

If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.

I have missed three weeks but have still managed to listen to the entries. However, since “There are two means of refuge from the misery of life — music and cats.” (Albert Schweitzer) I thought I’d better make an effort to find the time to offer my choice for this week, and stroke my cat, Daisy!

The song I’m offering has a very tenuous link to the prompts this week (Did/Didn’t/Do/Don’t/Does/Doesn’t) in that the lyrics contain the word DON’T twice. That’s it! The real reason is I like this song and I hope you do too. It is the first hit of a group who only existed from 1975 to 1979.

Tubeway Army were a London-based new wave and electronic band led by lead singer Gary Numan. They were the first band of the electronic era to have a synthesiser-based number-one hit, with their single “Are ‘Friends’ Electric?” and its parent album Replicas both topping the UK charts in mid-1979. After its release, Numan opted to drop the Tubeway Army name and release music under his own name as he was the sole songwriter, producer and public face of the band, but he retained the musicians from Tubeway Army as his backing band. (Wikipedia)

And here is a later, live performance, at the Brixton Academy.

Are ‘Friends’ Electric?

Gary Numan

It’s cold outside
And the paint’s peeling off of my walls
There’s a man outside
In a long coat, gray hat, smoking a cigarette

Now the light fades out
And I’m only wondering what I’m doing in a room like this
There’s a knock on the door
And just for a second I thought I remembered you

So now I’m alone
Now I can think for myself
About little deals and S.U.’s
And things that I just don’t understand

Like a white lie that night
Or a slight touch at times
I don’t think it meant anything to you

So I open the door
It’s the friend that I’d left in the hallway
“Please sit down”
A candle lit a shadow on a wall near the bed

You know I hate to ask
(But are friends electric?)
[Incomprehensible] mine’s broke down
And now I’ve no one to love

So I find out your reason
For the phone calls and smiles
And it hurts and I’m lonely
And I should never have tried

And I missed you tonight
So it’s time to leave
You see this means everything to me

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Gary Numan

Are ‘Friends’ Electric? lyrics © Universal/Momentum Music 3 Ltd., Numan Music Usa LLC, UNIVERSAL – POLYGRAM INTERNATIONAL PUB INC, UNIVERSAL-MCA MUSIC PUB OBO UNIVERSAL MUSIC PUB. LTD., GARY NUMAN USA UNIVERSE

Song Lyric Sunday 13/10/2019 – Drifter /Loner /Vagabond

Thank you to Jim Adams, who hosts Song Lyric Sunday and gives us the chance to share lots of familiar, and some not so familiar, songs. This week we have a brand new badge, designed at great expense by Jim, who has sweated day and night to bring it to us. So, this week, it is a double thank you Jim.

If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.

I would not be at all surprised if Jim chooses Iron Maiden this week, although I could be totally wrong, and, having seen his latest post, I find that I AM WRONG!

I am not a great expert on this group and would not even attempt to enlighten you about their history, their many successes, or their 39 albums. You can read all about this HERE if you wish.

All of the group members are very talented but Paul Dickinson, the lead singer, is talented in so many ways outside his career in music.  Most notably, he undertook a career as a commercial pilot for Astraeus Airlines, which led to a number of media-reported ventures such as captaining Iron Maiden’s converted charter aeroplane, Ed Force One, during their world tours. Following Astraeus’ closure, he created his own aircraft maintenance and pilot training company in 2012, Cardiff Aviation. Dickinson presented his own radio show on BBC Radio 6 Music from 2002 to 2010, and has also hosted television documentaries, authored novels and film scripts, created a successful beer with Robinsons Brewery and competed at fencing internationally.

I’m including 2 versions of “Drifter” from the “Killers” album released in 1981. The first is  recorded live at a pre release concert at the Marquee in April 1980. This shows just why small venue concerts were so good to be able to experience, before money making moguls took over, and the venues, and audiences, expanded to silly sizes.

FOR SOME OBSCURE REASON YOU WILL NEED TO CLICK ON THIS LINK TO VIEW

Drifter

Iron Maiden

Rock away!

Look out now, baby won’t you take me away
Sittin’ here sayin’ its gonna be a new day
Gotta get my song and I can’t go wrong
Gotta keep on roaming, gotta sing my song

What you feeling when you hold me tight?
I’m gonna cuddle up with you tonight
Gonna get you feeling so secure
Listen child, don’t you see there’s a cure?
Anywhere, got to get you away
Feels so good, think it’s gonna be a new day
I’m gonna get my song and I can’t go wrong
I’m gonna keep on roaming gonna sing my song

What you feeling when you hold me tight?
I’m gonna cuddle up with you tonight
Gonna get you feeling so secure
Listen child, don’t you see there’s a cure?, ooh yea
Anywhere, got to get you away
Feels so good, think it’s gonna be a new day
I’m gonna get my song and I can’t go wrong
I’m gonna keep on roaming gonna sing my song
I wanna Rock n’ Roll, yeah!

Gonna sing my song, yeah, and it won’t take long
Gonna sing my song, yeah, I want you to sing
I want you to sing it, sing it, sing it, sing it along
I want you to sing it, sing it, sing it, sing it along
I want you to sing it, sing it, sing it, sing it along
I want you to sing it, sing it, sing it, sing it along

‘Cause I’m a drifter!
Drifting alon-o-o-o-o-ong…
Yeah!

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Smith

Drifter lyrics © Imagem London Ltd., Nu Shooz Orchestra LLC, Imagem London Limited, UNIVERSAL MUSIC-Z TUNES OBO IMAGEM LONDON LTD.

The second version is from 2005 recorded Live At a stadium concert in Ullevi, Sweden

https://youtu.be/KdxnrLrnz0M

 

Song Lyric Sunday 15/09/2019 – House of Four Doors – The Moody Blues

Facebook has just reminded me that it is 55 years to the day since I left home to start my army career. It has nothing to do with SLS, apart from the fact that a lot of my musical influences stem from that time.

Thank you to Jim Adams, who hosts Song Lyric Sunday and gives us the chance to share lots of familiar, and some not so familiar, songs.

If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.

This week Jim has given us the following to work with: Floor/House/Roof/Walls.

My immediate thoughts turned to:

Another Brick in The Wall by Pink Floyd

House of the Rising Sun by The Animals

Up on the roof by dozens of singers,

and then I thought of “Madness” who seemed to make a habit of singing about houses, for example House of Fun, Our House, and, although the title doesn’t fit in with the theme, Kitchen Floor. Whatever can they be singing about here?

I’m not going for any of these. Instead I have chosen a Moody Blues song from In Search of the Lost Chord, their 1968 concept album based around a broad theme of quest and discovery.

On this album they played all instruments themselves (approximately 33). Indian instruments such as the sitar (played by guitarist Justin Hayward), the tambura (played by keyboardist Mike Pinder) and the tabla (played by drummer and percussionist Graeme Edge) can be heard on several tracks (notably “Departure”, “Visions of Paradise” and “Om”). Other unconventional (for the Moodies) instruments were also used, notably the oboe (played by percussionist/flute player Ray Thomas) and the cello (played by bassist John Lodge, who tuned it as a bass guitar). The mellotron, played by Pinder, produced many string and horn embellishments. (Thank you wikipedia)

I think that this album shows off their amazing musical talents more than any of their other work does. The video is also typical of all their performances in front of a camera. They always seem very awkward, as if they would much prefer to be unseen, but just get on making music.

See what you think.

House of Four Doors

The Moody Blues

Mystery spread it’s cloak
Across the sky
We’d lost our way
Shadows fell from trees
They knew why
Then through the leaves a light broke through
A path lost for years lead us through

House of four doors
I could live there forever
House of four doors
Would it be there forever?

Loneliness, the face of pilgrims eyes was known
As the door opened wide

Beauty they had found before my eyes to see
To the next door we came

Love of music showed in everything we heard
Through the third door where are we?

Enter in all ye who seek to find within
As the plaque said on the last door

Walking through that door
Outside we came nowhere at all
Perhaps the answers here
Not there anymore

Then in our hearts the light broke through
A path lost for years is there in view

House of four doors
You’ll be lost now forever
House of four doors
Rest of life’s life forever

House of four doors
You’ll be lost now forever
House of four doors

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: John Lodge

House of Four Doors lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc

 

Song Lyric Sunday 08/09/2019 – Blackbird on the wire?

Thank you to Jim Adams, who hosts Song Lyric Sunday and gives us the chance to share lots of familiar, and some not so familiar, songs.

If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.

This week Jim has given us the word prompts of Bird /Fly /Sky /Wing and my immediate thought was to go for Leonard Cohen singing “Bird on the Wire”. (click on the link if you wish to hear it), but then I thought it’s yet another chance to turn to my all time favourites The Beatles, and another fabulous song from the White Album.

This song is performed by Paul McCartney alone, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar.

McCartney explained on Chaos and Creation at Abbey Road, aired in 2005, that the guitar accompaniment for “Blackbird” was inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach‘s Bourrée in E minor, a well-known lute piece, often played on the classical guitar. As teenagers, he and George Harrison tried to learn Bourrée as a “show off” piece. The Bourrée is distinguished by melody and bass notes played simultaneously on the upper and lower strings. McCartney adapted a segment of the Bourrée (reharmonised into the original’s relative major key of G) as the opening of “Blackbird”, and carried the musical idea throughout the song.

The first night his future wife Linda Eastman stayed at his home, McCartney played “Blackbird” for the fans camped outside his house. The fingerpicking technique that McCartney uses in the song was taught to him by folk singer Donovan. (wikipedia)

Here, for your, and my, enjoyment, is Blackbird. This is the 2009 remastered version which I consider to be the best available.

Blackbird

The Beatles

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be free

Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Into the light of a dark black night

Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Into the light of a dark black night

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: John Lennon / Paul McCartney

Blackbird lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Tratore

Other versions that you may like are below – just click on the link to listen:

1968 original White Album

Glastonbury 2004 version

Crosby Stills and Nash version

 

 

Rapid rhyme #13 – Unlucky for some!

Does my bum look big in this?

Of course it bloomin’ does!

But I will never say as much

Because – oh, just because

 

I learned to hold my tongue way back

In 1974

Like every married fella does

I got to know the score!