Tag Archives: Songfacts

♫ Sweet Baby James ♫

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music

The other night when I played another James Taylor song, David mentioned this one, Sweet Baby James, as being one of his favourites and I promised to play it, since I’m still in James Taylor mode for the moment.  I learned some interesting things while researching this song, such as that Taylor Swift was named after James Taylor!  But more interesting is the background of the song.  This is one of his most popular songs, although it did not chart anywhere, and has been played at almost every James Taylor concert since its release in 1970!  According to SongFacts …

James Taylor is not singing about himself in this song, but about the child who was named in his honor. Taylor wrote the song in 1969, when he drove on his way to Richmond, Virginia to see his older brother, the late Alex Taylor. James had recently returned to America after recording his first album in England, and he was shocked to learn that Alex had become a father for the first time in his absence.

Alex and his wife, Brent Taylor, had given birth to their first child, a baby son, which Brent wanted to name Richmond, after the city in which he was born. However, Alex wanted to name the child James, after his younger brother. So after a few arguments, the couple named the boy James Richmond Taylor. James was elated to discover that he had a new baby nephew, also named James. So the title can be a little confusing, since both the singer and his nephew are named James. The singer is James Vernon Taylor, while his nephew is James Richmond Taylor.

This song is a soft lullaby that tells the story of a young cowboy who spends his lonely nights in the canyons, with nothing to keep him company but his horse and his cattle – he occupies his long and lonely hours of darkness singing himself to sleep.

There are some ways this song associates with its writer. As a young child, James Taylor, along with his siblings, often sang each other to sleep at night. The story goes that James couldn’t stand it when his mother sang, because she only sang opera. And because James’ mother was a lyric soprano, she never sang lullabies. James’ father never sang lullabies either, because he didn’t exactly have the knack for music.

So when he was a little boy, the young James Taylor was often put in the position of having to sing himself to sleep each night, hence the line, “Singin’ works just fine for me.”

In a 2018 Songfacts interview, James’ brother, Livingston Taylor, gave his take on this song: “James is a good writer. James is not a great pop writer. Both James and I, particularly early in our careers, because of the lack of input and the lack of structure around us, tended to write with initial kernels that were great but without terribly much follow through. So, for example, ‘Sweet Baby James’ has an unbelievable first verse and chorus – it’s as good as it gets in terms of character development, in terms of setting the stage. But after that, no bridge, not terrific development in the second verse. It lacks balance. As contrasted with James’ first #1 song ‘You’ve Got A Friend,’ written by Carole King. That is an exceptionally crafted song, as are most of Carole’s songs. They’re balanced beginning to end.”

And now, let the music play …

Sweet Baby James

James Taylor

There is a young cowboy, he lives on the range
His horse and his cattle are his only companions
He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyons
Waiting for summer, his pastures to change

And as the moon rises, he sits by his fire
Thinkin’ about women and glasses of beer
Reclosing his eyes as the doggies retire
He sings out a song which is soft, but it’s clear
As if maybe someone could hear

Goodnight, you moonlight ladies
Rockabye, sweet baby James
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose
Won’t you let me go down in my dreams?
And rockabye, sweet baby James

Now, the first of December was covered with snow
So was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston
Though the Berkshires seemed dreamlike on account of that frostin’
With ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go

There’s a song that they sing when they take to the highway
A song that they sing when they take to the sea
Song that they sing of their home in the sky
Maybe you can believe it if it helps you to sleep
But singing works just fine for me

So goodnight, you moonlight ladies
Rockabye, sweet baby James
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose
Won’t you let me go down in my dreams?
And rockabye, sweet baby James

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: James Taylor

Sweet Baby James lyrics © Emi Blackwood Music Inc., Country Road Music

♫ Under The Boardwalk ♫

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music

The Drifters … carefree youth … toe-tapping tunes!

According to SongFacts …

The session to record this song was scheduled for May 20, 1964, but The Drifters lead singer Rudy Lewis was found dead that morning (the cause of death is unclear, but likely either a drug overdose or heart attack). The session was rescheduled for the next day, and Johnny Moore was called in to replace Lewis. Moore was with The Drifters in 1958 when their manager fired everyone in the band and brought in new members. He was a convenient replacement for Lewis, and stayed on as their main vocalist.

The group was distraught over Lewis’ death, and their subsequent performance added a tinge of melancholy to the song, which is about spending some time under a seaside boardwalk with a love interest, out of sight from the crowds above.

Many artists have covered this, including The Rolling Stones, John Mellencamp, The Jackson 5, and Bruce Willis, but tonight I offer up only The Drifters version, partly because I am exhausted, and partly because in my heart and mind, it is still the best.

Under the Boardwalk
The Drifters

Oh, when the sun beats down and burns the tar up on the roof
And your shoes get so hot you wish your tired feet were fire proof
Under the boardwalk, down by the sea, yeah
On a blanket with my baby is where I’ll be

Out of the sun
(Under the boardwalk) We’ll be havin’ some fun
(Under the boardwalk) People walking above
(Under the boardwalk) We’ll be fallin’ in love
(Under the boardwalk) Yeah (boardwalk)

From the park you hear the happy sound of the carousel
You can almost taste the hot dogs and french fries they sell, yes you can
Under the boardwalk, down by the sea, yeah
On a blanket with my baby is where I’ll be

Out of the sun
(Under the boardwalk) We’ll be havin’ some fun
(Under the boardwalk) People walking above
(Under the boardwalk) We’ll be fallin’ in love
(Under the boardwalk) Yeah (boardwalk)

Yeah, under the boardwalk, down by the sea, yeah
On a blanket with my baby is where I’ll be

Out of the sun
(Under the boardwalk) We’ll be havin’ some fun
(Under the boardwalk) People walking above
(Under the boardwalk) We’ll be fallin’ in love
(Under the boardwalk) Yeah (boardwalk)

Songwriters: Arthur Resnick / Kenny Young
Under the Boardwalk lyrics © Round Hill Music Big Loud Songs, BMG Rights Management, Carlin America Inc

♫ Baker Street ♫ (Redux)

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music

This is a redux, but with a bit of additional information that I either didn’t have or was too lazy to include the first time I played it!

Baker Street is a song written and recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty.

According to SongFacts …

The song was the Scottish singer’s first release after the resolution of legal problems surrounding the acrimonious breakup of his band Stealers Wheel in 1975. In the intervening three years, Rafferty had been unable to release any material due to disputes about the band’s remaining contractual recording obligations, and his friend’s Baker Street flat was a convenient place to stay as he tried to extricate himself from his Stealers Wheel contracts. Rafferty explained to Martin Chilton at the Daily Telegraph: “Everybody was suing each other, so I spent a lot of time on the overnight train from Glasgow to London for meetings with lawyers. I knew a guy who lived in a little flat off Baker Street. We’d sit and chat or play guitar there through the night.”

Raphael Ravenscroft played the sax solo. Rafferty wrote the song with an instrumental break, but didn’t have a specific instrument in mind. Hugh Murphy, who produced the track, suggested a saxophone, so they brought in Ravenscroft to play it. Ravenscroft has played on records by Pink Floyd, Marvin Gaye, Abba, Alvin Lee and many others.

The long-running financial advice radio show/podcast The Dave Ramsey Show uses “Baker Street” as its opening theme. Why? Because the song was popular when Ramsey graduated high school, and it got stuck in his head.

Released as a single in 1978, it reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it held that position for six weeks, behind Andy Gibb’s smash Shadow Dancing. Additionally, it hit #1 in Canada, #3 in the United Kingdom, #1 in Australia, #1 in South Africa, and the top 10 in the Netherlands. Rafferty received the 1978 Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically. But perhaps the best part of the song, in my tone-deaf opinion, is the saxophone riff by Raphael Ravenscroft.

According to one story, Ravenscroft received only £27, and that check bounced, while Rafferty earned £80,000 per annum until his death in 2011. However, the bouncing check story was later denied by Ravenscroft.  

Baker Street
Gerry Rafferty

Winding your way down on Baker Street
Light in your head and dead on your feet
Well, another crazy day
You’ll drink the night away
And forget about everything

This city desert makes you feel so cold
It’s got so many people, but it’s got no soul
And it’s taken you so long
To find out you were wrong
When you thought it held everything

You used to think that it was so easy
You used to say that it was so easy
But you’re trying, you’re trying now

Another year and then you’d be happy
Just one more year and then you’d be happy
But you’re crying, you’re crying now

Way down the street there’s a light in his place
He opens the door, he’s got that look on his face
And he asks you where you’ve been
You tell him who you’ve seen
And you talk about anything

He’s got this dream about buying some land
He’s gonna give up the booze and the one-night stands
And then he’ll settle down
In some quiet little town
And forget about everything

But you know he’ll always keep moving
You know he’s never gonna stop moving
‘Cause he’s rolling, he’s the rolling stone
And when you wake up, it’s a new morning
The sun is shining, it’s a new morning
And you’re going, you’re going home

Songwriters: Gerald Rafferty
Baker Street lyrics © BMG Rights Management

♫ Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Di ♫

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music

Our friend Clive mentioned this song the other night when I played another Beatles song, and it is one that I used to love, but had not heard nor thought about in ages!

According to SongFacts …

The title comes from a reggae band called Jimmy Scott and his Obla Di Obla Da Band. Says McCartney, “A fella who used to hang around the clubs used to say in a Jamaican accent, “Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on,” and he got annoyed when I did a song of it, ’cause he wanted a cut. I said, ‘Come on, Jimmy, it’s just an expression.”

When Jimmy Scott needed money for bail (he was jailed for missing alimony payments), McCartney had his friend Alistair Taylor put up the money in exchange for Scott dropping rights to the name. Taylor had to get the money from a friend, since no one in the Beatles camp carried much cash.

Paul McCartney wrote this and The Beatles spent a great deal of time recording and overdubbing it. John, George, and Ringo became very annoyed. Harrison hinted at his frustration on “Savoy Truffle,” which was recorded three months later. In the song he wrote:

But what is sweet now, turns so sour

We all know Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

But can you show me, where you are?

John Lennon hated this song. He didn’t like a lot of McCartney’s later songs with The Beatles, feeling they were trite and meaningless. Ringo and George disliked this too and all three of them vetoed Paul’s wish that this be released as a single.

This was a #1 hit in England for Marmalade in 1968. With their cover, Marmalade became the first Scottish group to top the UK charts (leaving little doubt about their origin, they performed the song on Top Of The Pops wearing kilts). It also could be considered the first UK #1 to be done in a reggae style.

As recounted by Beatles biographer Mark Lewisohn, after doing a huge number of takes (around 60), Paul continued trying to record this as a slow song. John was in the other room listening while doing drugs. After getting high, he was very frustrated to hear Paul record it slow so many times. He subsequently burst into the recording room, pushed Paul aside and got on the piano playing the song very fast and upbeat. The fast and happy recording on the infamous White Album is the result.

When it was released by the Beatles in 1969, it did not chart in the UK, Canada, or the U.S.  A few years later, 1976-1977, it did chart in Canada and the U.S., but only at #27 and #49, respectively, and not at all in the UK.  Since the Marmalade version did chart in the UK at #1, I thought it only fair to offer both versions … take your pick or listen to both!

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

The Beatles/Marmalade

Desmond has a barrow in the market place
Molly is the singer in a band
Desmond says to Molly, “Girl, I like your face”
And Molly says this as she takes him by the hand

Ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how their life goes on
Ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how their life goes on

Desmond takes a trolley to the jeweler’s stores
Buys a twenty carat golden ring (Golden ring?)
Takes it back to Molly waiting at the door
And as he gives it to her she begins to sing (Sing)

Ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how their life goes on
Ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how their life goes on, yeah (No)

In a couple of years they have built
A home sweet home
With a couple of kids running in the yard
Of Desmond and Molly Jones
(Ah ha ha ha ha ha)

Happy ever after in the market place
Desmond lets the children lend a hand (Arm! Leg!)
Molly stays at home and does her pretty face
And in the evening she still sings it with the band

Yes, ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how their life goes on (Ha ha ha)
Hey, ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how their life goes on

In a couple of years they have built
A home sweet home
With a couple of kids running in the yard
Of Desmond and Molly Jones
(Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha)

Yeah, happy ever after in the market place
Molly lets the children lend a hand (Foot!)
Desmond stays at home and does his pretty face
And in the evening she’s a singer with the band

Yeah, ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how their life goes on
Yeah, ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on bra
La-la how their life goes on

And if you want some fun
Take ob-la-di ob-la-da

(Thank you, uh, ha ha ha!)

Writer/s: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

♪ Yesterday ♪ (Redux)

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music, Social commentary

Yesterday … we were young, we trusted, we believed that somehow humans were humane, that we all wanted essentially the same things, that we could … trust.  Yesterday, we believed that love could overcome all odds, that right would somehow win out over might, that good ultimately beats evil.  We wore the rosy-coloured glasses, we believed the myths and fairy tales.  Yesterday …

According to Songfacts …

This is the most covered pop song of all time, with over 3,000 versions Say WHAT??? recorded according to The Guinness Book Of World Records. For years, it was also the song with the most radio plays, but in 1999 BMI music publishing reported that You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ had passed it. Still, at any given time, some version of “Yesterday” is probably being broadcast somewhere.

Paul McCartney wrote this song and was the only Beatle to play on it. It was the first time a Beatle recorded without the others.

McCartney claimed that while The Beatles were touring in Paris, he tumbled out of bed and this tune was in his head. He thought he had heard it somewhere before, and played the melody to different people in the music industry to make sure he wasn’t stealing it. The working title was “Scrambled Eggs” until Paul could figure out lyrics.  Scrambled Eggs???  smh.

This song caused a rift between McCartney and Yoko Ono. When The Beatles Anthology album was released, McCartney asked that the writing credit on this read “McCartney/Lennon,” since he wrote it. Yoko refused, and it was listed as “Lennon/McCartney,” which is how they usually credited songs written by either Beatle.

Some of the artists who have covered this song include Boyz II Men, Ray Charles, En Vogue, Marianne Faithfull, Marvin Gaye, Tom Jones, Nana Mouskouri, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, The Supremes, The Toys, Andy Williams, and Tammy Wynette.  Tammy Wynette???  You’ve got to be kidding me!  

Okay … my curiosity piqued, I had to go listen to Tammy Wynette’s version.  For those who may not know of Wynette, she is heavy, heavy country … twang and all!  I survived a full 17 seconds before I felt ill and exited.  So now, here’s Paul …

Yesterday
The Beatles

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they’re here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday

Suddenly, I’m not half the man I used to be
There’s a shadow hanging over me.
Oh, yesterday came suddenly

Why she had to go I don’t know she wouldn’t say
I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday

Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I believe in yesterday

Why she had to go I don’t know she wouldn’t say
I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday

Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I believe in yesterday
Mm mm mm mm mm mm mm

Songwriters: Michel Jean Pierre Colombier / John Winston Lennon / Paul James Mccartney
Yesterday lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

♫ I Can’t Stop Loving You ♫

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music

This song was written and originally recorded by a country singer named Don Gibson in 1958.  Ray Charles was known as an R&B singer, but he defied convention and decided to record an album of country and western songs. His producer, Sid Feller, put together tapes containing about 150 classic country songs so Charles could choose which ones to record. Included on the tapes was I Can’t Stop Loving You, which Charles remembered from when he would listen to The Grand Ole Opry.  Funny, but I never thought of this as a country song … I always thought of it as uniquely Ray Charles, but it turns out that some 700 others have covered this song!  The 700 includes Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Paul Anka, Jim Reeves, Duke Ellington, Ike & Tina Turner, Andy Williams, Elvis Presley, and a bunch more!

According to SongFacts …

At first, this was not released as a single, but many DJs played it from the album and it started getting popular. A white singer named Tab Hunter heard Charles’ version and recorded his own, which was rushed out as a single. This infuriated Charles, so ABC Records quickly edited down the 4-minute album version and released it as a single with lots of publicity, including a full page ad in Billboard magazine. Charles’ version became a huge hit and went to #1 on the US Pop, R&B and Easy Listening charts.

I Can’t Stop Loving You
Ray Charles

I’ve made up my mind
To live in memory of the lonesome times
(I can’t stop wanting you)
It’s useless to say
So I’ll just live my life in dreams of yesterday
(Dreams of yesterday)

Those happy hours that we once knew
Tho’ long ago, they still make me blue
They say that time heals a broken heart
But time has stood still since we’ve been apart

I’ve made up my mind
To live in memories of the lonesome times
(I can’t stop wanting you)
It’s useless to say
So I’ll just live my life in dreams of yesterday

Those happy hours
(That we once knew)
That we once knew
(Tho’ long ago)
Tho’ long ago
(Still make me blue)
Still ma-a-a-ake me blue
(They say that time)
They say that time
(Heals a broken heart)
Heals a broken heart
(But time has stood still)
Time has stood still
(Since we’ve been apart)
Since we’ve been apart

I said I made up my mind
To live in memory of the lonesome times

It’s useless to say
So I’ll just live my life of dreams of yesterday
(Of yesterday)

Songwriters: Don Gibson
I Can’t Stop Loving You lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

♫ I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) ♫

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music

I have what I think of as a bouncy mind … one thought leads to another and before you know it, I’ve completely lost the original thought and am miles away, sometimes stranded on a deserted island trying to remember what the heck I was even thinking about.  Does this ever happen to you guys?  Anyway, last night, I was looking over Keith’s list of songs, trying to get an idea for this morning’s music post, and I started out with Danny’s Song by Kenny Loggins, then jumped to Annie’s Song by John Denver, and I don’t remember the journey or how I ended up with Aretha Franklin and George Michael, but somehow I did.  This song topped the charts at #1 in both the UK and the U.S. and #4 in Canada in 1987, so I figure it’s a safe bet that at least some of you will remember and enjoy it, as well.

According to SongFacts …

When John Landis was asked how he got Aretha Franklin to appear in his 1980 film The Blues Brothers, he replied: “I asked her.” The point being that the Queen of Soul had fallen out of favor and was looking for work (many other music legends – Ray Charles, Tina Turner and Roy Orbison among them – were also at career nadirs).  Her fortunes were revived by her 1985 album Who’s Zoomin’ Who, which contained two US Top 10 hits: the title track and Freeway of Love. It took this duet with George Michael, however, to return her to the top of the chart, where she had not been for 20 years.  Michael was coming off a string of hits with his group Wham!, but had not yet released his first solo album, Faith, which came out later in 1987.

This was was written by Simon Climie and Dennis Morgan; the pair met in 1983 after Morgan attended an Everly Brothers concert. It was the third song they wrote together. Morgan explained in The Billboard Book of Number One Hits: “That was one of those songs that came out of mid air – a gift from above, if you will.”

The song was not originally written as a duet. Climie and Morgan pitched the song to Tina Turner as well to Aretha Franklin and Arista Records head Clive Davis. It was Davis’ idea to get Franklin and George Michael to record the song as a duet. It appeared on Franklin’s 1986 album Aretha.

Narada Michael Walden, who worked with Aretha on her Who’s Zoomin’ Who album, produced this track. He also produced the song this displaced at the top spot of the Hot 100: “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” by Starship.

This made him the eighth producer in the Rock Era to score back-to-back #1 hits.

George Michael usually did his own production work; before recording this song, he had only been produced by someone else on one occasion: the “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” single by Band Aid.

Michael was so used to self-producing that he had a difficult time knowing when to stop singing. Narada Michael Walden explained: “He looked at me with those innocent virgin eyes, like he’d never been told, ‘you oughta stop, kid.'”

Michael wrote about his experience recording this song in his book, Bare, saying that he and Franklin recorded the song together but did their ad-libs separately. He also went on to praise Walden for being “brilliant” at getting a good atmosphere in the studio.

Michael admitted to being nervous, but he knew there was no point in trying to copy Franklin’s style. “Nobody can emulate Aretha Franklin,” he said. “It’s stupid to try. I just tried to stay in character, keep it simple – it was very understated in comparison to what she did.”

In 1987, Franklin and Michael won the Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal Grammy for this song.

Aretha Franklin reflected on her collaboration with George Michael in Entertainment Weekly’s 2017 tribute issue. “The first time I heard George was with Wham! and I liked it then,” she said. “He had a very unique sound, very different from anything that was out there. When Clive [Davis] suggested we get together for ‘I Knew You Were Waiting,’ I was all ready. It reminded me of Jerry Wexler. We’d go in the studio and cut songs. If we were happy with what we recorded, Jerry would say, ‘Let’s wait until tomorrow. If we feel the same way that we do now, maybe we have a hit.’ ‘I Knew You Were Waiting’ had that. Musically, it does not grow old.”

Regarding the video, Franklin said, “We had a super time. He was calling most of the shots: how he wanted this, how he wanted that. My older sister, Erma, just fell for him right away. He was very friendly and personable, easy to talk to.”

Enough chatter … on to the music!

I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)

Aretha Franklin & George Michael

Like a warrior that fights and wins the battle
I know the taste of victory
Though I went through some nights consumed by the shadows
I was crippled emotionally

Somehow I made it through the heartache, yes, I did
Oh, I escaped (aha ha)
I found my way out of the darkness
I kept my faith (I know you did), kept my faith

When the river was deep, I didn’t falter
When the mountain was high, I still believed
When the valley was low, it didn’t stop me, no no
I knew you were waiting, I knew you were waiting for me
Uh huh

With an endless desire, I kept on searching
Sure in time our eyes would meet
And like a bridge that’s on fire, the hurt is over
One touch and you set me free

No, I don’t regret a single moment, no, I don’t
(I know you don’t) Looking back
When I think of all those disappointments
I just laugh (I know you do), I just laugh

When the river was deep, I didn’t falter
When the mountain was high, I still believed
When the valley was low, it didn’t stop me, oh
I knew you were waiting, hey, I knew you were waiting for me

So we were drawn together through destiny, ooh boy, ooh!
I know this love we share was meant to be, oh
(Knew you were waiting) Ooh, yeah
(Knew you were waiting) I knew you were waiting
(Knew you were waiting for me)

(I didn’t falter) I didn’t falter, no
(I still believed) When the valley was low
(It didn’t stop me) Nothing can stop me, no
(Knew you were waiting) No, I
(Knew you were waiting for me)
(I didn’t falter) When the mountain was high
(I still believed) Oh, when the valley was low
(It didn’t stop me) No, it didn’t stop me, no
(Knew you were waiting) stop me
(Knew you were waiting for me)
(I didn’t falter) Oh, oh yeah
(I still believed) Oh, I still believed
(It didn’t stop me) Do you know it couldn’t stop me now? No
(Knew you were waiting)
Someday (someway), some place (somehow)
For me
(I didn’t falter) When the valley was low
(I still believed) I still believe (I believed, I believed)
(It didn’t stop me) Yeah, it couldn’t stop me

Writer/s: Dennis Morgan, Simon Climie
Publisher: BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

♫ Hold The Line ♫

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music

dorothy-totoI was in search of a Stevie Wonder song to play tonight, but I’ve played them ALL in the past year!  Gee … one would think he was my favourite or something.  Anyway, in my search I came across this one that I have only played once before, and that was a couple of years ago.  For some reason, I forget about the band Toto, although I really like them.

According to SongFacts …

This pop nugget was the first single by Toto, a group made up of six very talented session musicians who had backed up artists like Boz Scaggs, Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand and Jackson Browne. Written by their keyboard man David Paich with lead vocals by Bobby Kimball, it deals with the mysteries of love. It proved that a slick pop song created by top players could succeed without a great deal of hype or a charismatic lead singer. Toto was a Top 40 staple in the ’80s, releasing nine hit songs, including the #1 “Africa.”

“Hold the line” is an expression meaning to maintain your existing position, which in this case is the singer telling a girl to be patient and stay with their relationship.

The saying also has a more literal meaning, however, which is how David Paich came up with the title. “Hold the line” is what you tell someone on the phone if you want to put them on hold while you’re taking another call. This is typical in workplaces, but in the days before cell phones, some households (especially ones with teenagers) also had multiple phone lines coming in and could put callers on hold. Paich lived in one such household.

In his 2015 Songfacts interview, Paich said: “When I was in high school, all of a sudden the phone started ringing off the hook, and I had a situation where I was at the dinner table and I had three girls all call at the same time, so all the lights were flashing. I was kind of juggling girlfriends, and that’s how that came about.”

By 2008, guitarist Steve Lukather was the only original member still with the band when he decided to call it quits. He made this statement on the band’s official website:

“Honestly I have just had enough. This is NOT a break. It is over. I really can’t go out and play ‘Hold the Line’ with a straight face anymore. I was 19 when we cut the record. I am 50 now.”

Hold the Line
Toto

It’s not in the way that you hold me
It’s not in the way you say you care
It’s not in the way you’ve been treating my friends
It’s not in the way that you stayed till the end
It’s not in the way you look or the things that you say that you’ll do

Hold the line, love isn’t always on time, oh oh oh
Hold the line, love isn’t always on time, oh oh oh

It’s not in the words that you told me, girl
It’s not in the way you say you’re mine, ooh
It’s not in the way that you came back to me
It’s not in the way that your love set me free
It’s not in the way you look or the things that you say that you’ll do

Hold the line, love isn’t always on time, oh oh oh
Hold the line, love isn’t always on time, oh oh oh

It’s not in the words that you told me
It’s not in the way you say you’re mine, ooh
It’s not in the way that you came back to me
It’s not in the way that your love set me free
It’s not in the way you look or the things that you say that you’ll do

Hold the line, love isn’t always on time, oh oh oh
Hold the line, love isn’t always on time (Love isn’t always on time)

Hold the line, love isn’t always on time (love isn’t always, love isn’t always on time)
Hold the line, love isn’t always on time
Love isn’t always on time
Love isn’t always on time
Love isn’t always on time, oh oh oh

Songwriters: David Paich
Hold the Line lyrics © Spirit Music Group

♫ Still ♫ (Redux)

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music, Personal, Social commentary

I’ve only played this one once, back in 2018, but it seemed to somehow fit in with my earlier morning post, On Friendship.  And who better to sing a sad song and yet bring a smile than Lionel Richie, right?

This was written by Lionel Richie for a couple who decided to end their marriage in order to save their friendship. Commodore’s member Lionel Richie got the idea for this song from the failing marriage of his childhood friend William “Smitty” Smith. After Smith’s marriage broke up the two buddies had a long conversation from 9:00 pm to sunrise in which they agreed that it’s better to divorce as friends rather than stay married and hate each other.

This song charted at #2 in Canada, #4 in the UK, and #1 in the U.S.

Still
Lionel Richie

Lady, morning’s just a moment away
And I’m without you once again
You laughed at me, you said you’ve never needed me
I wonder if you need me now
We played the games that people play
We made mistakes along the way
Somehow I know deep in my heart, you needed me
Remembering the pain, if I must say
It’s deep in my mind and locked away
But then most of all, I do love you
Still

Those memories, times I’m sure we’ll never forget
Those feelings we can’t put aside
For what we had, sometimes I try to understand
But it’s so heavy on my mind
So many dreams that flew away, so many words we didn’t say
Two people lost in a storm, where did we go, where’d we go?
Lost what we both had found, you know we let each other down
But then most of all, I do love you
Still

We played the games that people play
We made our mistakes along the way
Somehow I know deep in my heart, you needed me
‘Cause I needed you so desperately
We were too blind to see, but then
Most of all, I do love you
Still

Songwriters: Lionel Richie
Still lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

♫ Darling Be Home Soon ♫

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music

Since Clive reminded me of the other song he had requested a year or more ago, I figured I better play it now before I forget again, as I seem wont to do these days!  The song is yet another by The Lovin’ Spoonful.

Lovin’ Spoonful founder John Sebastian wrote this one for Francis Ford Coppola’s 1967 movie You’re A Big Boy Now, a coming-of-age film about an awkward young man looking for love in New York City.  Sebastian was responsible for the entire soundtrack, but this song in particular was to set the tone for a lovey-dovey scene (can you tell I’m not into romance movies?)  The movie was rather a flop, but the song did slightly better, charting at #15 in the U.S.  And then, it fell by the wayside until two years later … 1969 … Woodstock, where, according to SongFacts …

After hitching a ride with the helicopter carrying The Incredible String Band’s equipment, Sebastian arrived at the Woodstock festival thinking he’d just be a spectator. But an early afternoon downpour flooded the stage and it needed to be cleared of water before Santana’s amps could be set up. Michael Lang, the concert’s producer, asked Sebastian to fill in. He took the stage in a tie-dyed white denim outfit and sang five songs, the fourth being “Darling Be Home Soon.” He recalled: “The audience didn’t identify the song with the movie, since most probably hadn’t seen it. Instead, they sort of quieted down and took it in as a love song. My job wasn’t to incite but to mellow everyone out until the stage was swept. When I finished, the applause from so many people was loud and wide, and knocked the wind out of me. The feeling was delicious.”

Zal Yanovsky, the band’s lead guitarist, hated the song. He thought it was too sappy and accused Sebastian of losing his rock edge. During one live performance, Zal can be seen clownishly mocking the frontman as he sings the heartfelt lyrics.

The song has been covered by a number of artists including Bobby Darin, Joe Cocker, The Association, Bruce Hornsby, and the British group Slade.

Darling Be Home Soon

Lovin’ Spoonful

Come
And talk of all the things we did today
Here
And laugh about our funny little ways
While we have a few minutes to breathe
Then I know that it’s time you must leave

But, darling, be home soon
I couldn’t bear to wait an extra minute if you dawdled
My darling, be home soon
It’s not just these few hours, but I’ve been waiting since I toddled
For the great relief of having you to talk to

And now
A quarter of my life is almost past
I think I’ve come to see myself at last
And I see that the time spent confused
Was the time that I spent without you
And I feel myself in bloom

So, darling, be home soon
I couldn’t bear to wait an extra minute if you dawdled
My darling, be home soon
It’s not just these few hours, but I’ve been waiting since I toddled
For the great relief of having you to talk to

So, darling
My darling, be home soon
I couldn’t bear to wait an extra minute if you dawdled
My darling, be home soon
It’s not just these few hours, but I’ve been waiting since I toddled
For the great relief of having you to talk to

Go
And beat your crazy head against the sky
Try
And see beyond the houses and your eyes
It’s okay to shoot the moon

Darling be home soon
I couldn’t bear to wait an extra minute if you dawdled
My darling, be home soon
It’s not just these few hours, but I’ve been waiting since I toddled
For the great relief of having you to talk to

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: John Sebastian

You Baby lyrics © Carlin America Inc