Bad – And the whole world has to answer now…Who’s bad? #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #MichaelJackson #WestSideStory #RayStevens #WeirdAlYankovic #LeoMoracchioli #BillieEilish

It’s hard to believe that thirty-five years have gone by since Michael Jackson released the album ‘Bad’. Where does the time go?

At the time, ‘Bad’ was noteworthy for several reasons, but on this day in 1987, the release generated massive attention. ‘Bad’ represented the largest pre-order in the history of CBS Records. Over 2.25 million copies of ‘Bad’ were distributed to record stores throughout North America. It went on to sell over 13 million copies.

Today’s feature will focus on the title track from the album, which was made famous by the feature length video that was directed by Martin Scorsese, and included Wesley Snipes as one of the main characters. More on that later, because there are layers to this song that makes it even more fascinating.

It is probably best to begin with the main theme and story line. Lost in the Michael Jackson mystique and controversy over the years was the fact that ‘Bad’ was actually written in response to a true story.

‘Bad’ is a song about the street. It’s about this kid from a bad neighborhood who gets to go away to a private school. He comes back to the old neighborhood when he’s on a break from school and the kids from the neighborhood start giving him trouble. He sings, “I’m bad, you’re bad, who’s bad, who’s the best?” He’s saying when you’re strong and good, then you’re bad.”

Michael Jackson

Jackson is thought to have read about an incident that took place in the Manhattan, New York ghetto known as Morningside Park, in June of 1985. It was about a 17-year-old student named Edmund Perry who in an effort to make a better life for himself, opted to go to a private school in New Hampshire. Upon his return, it has been suggested that he was treated with derision by those who stayed behind. The story takes a bizarre twist though, because Perry was not killed by jealous gang members. He was killed by an off-duty police officer named Lee Van Houten, who alleged that Perry and his brother, Jonah, were trying to mug him. Van Houten maintained that he acted in self defense. The incident resulted in this New York Post headline.

“COP KILLS HARLEM HONOR STUDENT”

New York Post

Not to be outdone, the Village Voice suggested that Edmund Perry was “too black for his own good.”

When all the dust settled Van Houten was cleared of any wrong-doing, Jonah Perry was found not guilty after being put on trial for allegedly assaulting Van Houten, and the NYPD settled a wrongful death claim for $75,000 in 1989.

Based on this information you can draw your own conclusions.

Or

Look into it for yourself, because the story of Edmund Perry became a best-selling book by Robert Sam Anson called ‘The Education and Killing of Edmund Perry’. It also inspired a made for TV movie called ‘Murder Without Motive’, which aired on NBC. Spike Lee dedicated his movie ‘Do the Right Thing’ to Edmund Perry, and other victims of police on Black crime. In addition to these examples, the first season of the long running TV show ‘Law and Order’ produced an episode called ‘Poison Ivy’ which was inspired by the Edmund Perry story.

For Michael Jackson, the very loose connection to Perry was depicted in the moral behind ‘Bad’. In his portrayal, the character was seen to be confronted by a group of old friends. The resulting peer-pressure shows the protagonist fighting back against the bullies; standing for his honour; suggesting that those who oppose evil forces are truly the brave ones. Using the popular expression of the day, Daryl, the character portrayed by Jackson, suggests doing so makes him ‘Bad’.

Further to the ‘bad’ theme; in this video and throughout this era of Michael Jackson’s career, the singer opted for a new look that featured leather and chains. Because it was all an ‘in style’ Jackson managed to take on a rebellious persona while not being perceived as too controversial. Many writers still took time to poke fun at the eccentric artist. Here is a quote from Barney Hoskyns who stated;

With his gossamer-delicate, surgically sculpted features, he looks like a beautiful Latin girl trapped inside an outfit from Mad Max II.”

Barney Hoskyns

Another interesting point related to ‘Bad’ was the fact that producer Quincy Jones initially suggested that the song be offered in the form of a duet between Prince and Michael Jackson. While it would have been fascinating, the whole idea was very contrived and Prince saw through the whole notion right from the start. This is funny.

The first line of that song is ‘your butt is mine’. Then I said ‘Who’s going to sing that to who?’ … because you sure aren’t singing that to me, and I sure ain’t singing it to you.”

Prince

With his rejection of the Jackson demo, Prince did send back his suggestion as to how he thought the song should be presented. As we all know, it was duly noted, but rejected.

Anyone who was paying attention in the late ‘80s would be familiar with the ground-breaking video that promoted ‘Bad’. In an effort to drive anticipation to stratospheric heights, Quincy Jones hired Martin Scorsese as director. Asking the legendary director to switch mediums was a bit of a gamble, but the Oscar winning Hollywood icon adapted to the challenge. Scorsese marvelled at Jackson’s fluidity.

It was a different form for me. The big issue really was the temptation to do this really major dance piece with camera moves and cutting which we had planned on page based on his choreography. And working with Michael Chapman, who choreographed the fight scenes in Raging Bull. Shooting the big dance scene was the allure of it. Michael was never a person who was overly enthusiastic. He was quiet. Accepting. How should I put it? He was very precise about what he wanted in the choreography. He was concerned, like with any great dancer, they like to be seen full figure. But that wasn’t the case because I’d planned other things. The use of close-ups, and tracking him. Eventually he understood that. There was never any resistance, but questions. He was open to everything.”

Martin Scorsese

Part of Marin Scorsese’s strategy was to create a level of authenticity for the video’s setting. This took the crew to a poverty-stricken area of Harlem. According to Scorsese, Michael Jackson was visibly moved by the scene. This was a world he had never encountered.

He was in the place and it worked for him. It worked for him as a performance, but his compassion for the people came through. It was very moving.”

Martin Scorsese

Elements of the video are noteworthy because of the cleverly choreographed similarity to scenes from the movie ‘West Side Story’. In a book called ‘MTV Ruled the World’ singer Toni Basil, of ‘Mickey’ fame made this declaration which prompted people to take notice.

If you look at ‘Bad,’ that’s taken straight out of ‘West Side Story’. If you interview any of those choreographers, you’ll see that Michael looked at ‘West Side Story’ over and over and over again. If you put the song ‘Cool’ from ‘West Side Story’ up against that, you’ll see hunks taken. Not that it wasn’t great, but Michael would never say where he was inspired from.”

Toni Basil

‘Cool’ or ‘Bad’? This inspiration was never denied, by any one of the cast and crew who participated in the production. It was a pretty eclectic group, with impressive resumes. In addition to Martin Scorsese the list of people involved included cinematographer Michael Chapman of ‘Raging Bull’ and ‘Taxi Driver’ fame, writer Richard Price from ‘The Colour of Money’, producer Barbara De Fina, also from ‘The Colour of Money’, as well as Scorsese’s trusted editor Thelma Schoonmaker.

Just one more interesting cast member to mention.

The woman who played the role of Daryl’s (Michael Jackson) mother, was none other than Roberta Flack (see ‘Killing Me Softly with His Song’ and ‘The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face’)

The video premiered 35 years ago today on the CBS show ‘Primetime’ as part of a special called ‘Michael Jackson: The Magic Returns’.

One other interesting side note in relation to the video shoot and related stories, is the fact that New York City Council member Letitia James aimed to rename the train station where the video was shot (at Hoyt-Schermerhorn Streets station), or at least have a plaque to commemorate the location in Jackson’s honour. This motion was brought forth in 2009 following Michael Jackson’s sudden death. New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority declined both motions in September of 2009 because they determined that the City does not name stations after individuals, and any deviation from the practice may confuse riders. The plaque was refused due to M.T.A. guidelines that restrict such public displays in their facilities.

Letitia James’s reasoning was well meaning, but I guess you can’t fight City Hall…even if you are a Councillor.

Having Michael Jackson visit and moonwalk at this station was a huge deal not only for Brooklyn, but all of New York in the ’80s … And renaming this station in his honor would put it on the map and help ensure that people don’t forget.”

Letitia James

Since that time, Ms. James has moved on to bigger things. Presently, she is New York’s Attorney General and among her many endeavours is her effort to take civil action against a former, twice impeached ‘President’ and his eternally corrupt business enterprises, based in New York City. In a recent deposition the Liar-in-Chief pleaded the fifth more than 400 times. Tell us you’re guilty without telling us you’re guilty, Lord Farquaad. The case goes to trial in October. Lord Farquaad’s former chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg recently pleaded guilty to 15 felonies, and as part of that plea, he will testify against the ‘(criminal) organization’ but not Lord Farquaad himself.

The never-ending saga continues with Letitia James at the helm. She’s ‘bad’ in the best way.

Back to the song and speaking of ‘Bad’, in addition to the feature length version of ‘Bad’ there was a more radio friendly shortened version that clocked in at just over four minutes. Here it is.

Here is a quality live version of ‘Bad’ live from Wembley Stadium in London, in 1988. Watch at 5:50 when Michael Jackson introduces his back-up singers. He then prominently features rising star Sheryl Crow.

Due to Michael Jackson’s extreme popularity, cover versions of his work often came fast and furious. This often resulted in some interesting portrayals. Here is a bluegrass style rendition complete with a hillbilly drawl. It is by Ray Stevens, as part of his 1988 album ‘Awful’. For those of you who think that name is familiar, you are right. Stevens was famous for his 1974 novelty song ‘The Streak’.

Perhaps more famously, and also from 1988, legendary parody artist Weird Al Yankovic recorded his song ‘Fat’. True to his style, Weird Al manages to emulate the Jackson/Scorsese production perfectly.

Now let’s move on to a heavy metal rendition of ‘Bad’ by Ted Tocks Covers favourite Leo Moracchioli. I love everything Leo does, and this is no exception. Absolutely fantastic.

Here is a special cover from Billie Eilish. This phenomenal artist is seen here with her equally talented brother Finneas O’Connell. At the time of this recording Billie was only 16. This was a segment from an Australian youth radio show known as Triple J, and the show is called ‘Like a Version’. Clever concept, and a cool cover.

Thirteen years have gone by since Michael Jackson died suddenly, the victim of a drug overdose. The official cause of death was listed as acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication. Admittedly, throughout his reign of popularity when he was known as the ‘King of Pop’, I was not what you would call a huge fan. I respected his talent, and watched with a curious eye as the greatness unfolded. I also gazed warily when so many of the negative stories came across the wire. Michael Jackson lived his entire life in the spotlight. Clearly, he had issues, and some of these character flaws are unforgivable. But, on the day he died, and over the days following I can still recall being deeply affected. It reminded me of how fleeting life is, and that we are all mortal beings. I began to do a lot of soul searching. In some ways, I made some improvements, and in others I still have a lot of work to do.

In ‘Bad’, Michael Jackson is imploring people to make good decisions and stand for what is right, even if it means defying the current trend.

This is a sentiment I can get behind.

Be good to each other.

The Pretender – He was not like the others. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #FooFighters #TaylorHawkins #DaveGrohl #SesameStreet #StevenSeagulls

When I heard about the death of Taylor Hawkins, like many I attempted to make sense of the circumstances while lamenting how someone so full of life could have passed at such a relatively young age. As I so often am, I was drawn to the writing of Alan Cross, who contributes regularly to his website ‘A Journal of Musical Things’. He referred to Taylor Hawkins as a “joyous presence”.

What more can be said about someone when the desire is to remember them in fond terms?

While reflecting on an interview that took place at the Foo Fighters’ Studio 606 in Van Nuys, California, he went on to say;

I was struck by how normal he was. Hospitable. Kind. No rock star pretensions whatsoever. Instead, he was consumed by the good fortune the universe had bestowed on him.”

Alan Cross

The thing is, this type of tribute was universal. To the person, Taylor Hawkins was seen as a genuine soul, who considered himself fortunate to do what he loved every day, for millions of fans who appreciated every drum roll, double kick and crash cymbal stroke. When the time came each evening for Taylor Hawkins to take the spotlight, he did so with a degree of humility.

Can anybody find me ‘Somebody to Love’?”

Freddie Mercury

He was loved.

Today’s feature song is the 2007 hit single ‘The Pretender’. The song opened up the Foo Fighters 2007 album ‘Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace’.

In its initial incarnation ‘The Pretender’ was a ballad with the working title ‘Silver Heart’, but as the song progressed and the band was taking inventory of the material on the album, they modified it to a more up-tempo piece. Once it was modified, ‘The Pretender’ came together quickly. According to Dave Grohl;

That song didn’t happen until later on in the session. We didn’t go into making the record with that song and it happened after we recorded a lot of stuff. Up until that point, I didn’t know if we had a good opening song or not. So, after we recorded it, I thought, “oh this is perfect, we have the song to open the record,” and it just became everybody’s favorite song. … It’s the type of song that I look forward to opening shows with and it came together really easily. We put that song together in, I don’t know, a day, whereas a lot of the other songs we worked on for weeks.”

Dave Grohl

The unsung hero for this track is mixing engineer Rich Costey.

The guitars on ‘The Pretender’ are quite full on, with countermelodies and so forth, and they all tend to be in the same range, so it gets quite dense. The challenge of this type of mix is to retain the power of the track, yet define a space for everything. Handling the guitar balance was a slight chore, and in comparison, the drums and vocals were quite easy.”

Rich Costey

To this listener, it is all about the melancholy acoustic guitar opening. The compliment of a string section, arranged by Audrey Riley, takes it to another level.

When Dave Grohl wrote ‘The Pretender’, he was dialing into the political unrest that was simmering at the time, but he has always let his listeners draw their own conclusions.

That’s the thing with lyrics, you never want to give away specifics, because it’s nice for people to have their own idea or interpretation of the song. But, you know, everyone’s been fucked over before and I think a lot of people feel fucked over right now and they’re not getting what they were promised, and so something to do with that.”

Dave Grohl

Here they are for your consideration.

Keep you in the dark
You know they all pretend
Keep you in the dark
And so it all began

Send in your skeletons
Sing as their bones go marching in again
They need you buried deep
The secrets that you keep are at the ready
Are you ready?
I’m finished making sense
Done pleading ignorance, that whole defense
Spinning infinity, boy
The wheel is spinning me
It’s never-ending, never-ending
Same old story

What if I say I’m not like the others?
What if I say I’m not just another one of your plays?
You’re the pretender
What if I say I will never surrender?
What if I say I’m not like the others?
What if I say I’m not just another one of your plays?
You’re the pretender
What if I say that I’ll never surrender?

In time or so I’m told
I’m just another soul for sale, oh well
The page is out of print
We are not permanent, we’re
Temporary, temporary
Same old story

What if I say I’m not like the others?
What if I say I’m not just another one of your plays?
You’re the pretender
What if I say I will never surrender?
What if I say I’m not like the others?
What if I say I’m not just another one of your plays?
You’re the pretender
What if I say I will never surrender?

I’m the voice inside your head
You refuse to hear
I’m the face that you have to face
Mirroring your stare
I’m what’s left
I’m what’s right
I’m the enemy
I’m the hand that’ll take you down
Bring you to your knees
So who are you?
Yeah, who are you?
Yeah, who are you?
Yeah, who are you?

Keep you in the dark
You know they all pretend

What if I say I’m not like the others?
What if I say I’m not just another one of your plays?
You’re the pretender
What if I say I will never surrender?
What if I say I’m not like the others?
What if I say I’m not just another one of your plays?
You’re the pretender
What if I say I will never surrender?

What if I say I’m not like the others?
(Keep you in the dark)
What if I say I’m not just another one of your plays?
(You know they all)
You’re the pretender
(Pretend)
What if I say I will never surrender?
What if I say I’m not like the others?
(Keep you in the dark)
What if I say I’m not just another one of your plays?
(You know they all)
You’re the pretender
(Pretend)
What if I say I will never surrender?
So who are you?
Yeah, who are you?
Yeah, who are you?

Dave Grohl

To many, the video for ‘The Pretender’ gives many clues to the song’s meaning. Judging by the fact there have been over half a billion views of this video on Youtube, the song has been the source of some degree of discussion. The band is seen playing before a red screen. As the song progresses, they are confronted by riot police officers lined up along a black line. Each officer is assigned a number and as the camera flashes across the line the officer’s numbers are seen to decline. This implies the imminent order to charge. The charge occurs during the bridge portion of the song, and as the chorus begins the wall behind the band explodes, producing mass quantities of red liquid. The symbol of people standing up against government oppression are pretty clear. Be my guest for deeper analysis.

To lighten the mood a little, here is a clip from our preschool days that speaks to the often-misheard lyrics. Remember ‘Sesame Street’?

One of these things is not like the other”

Sesame Street

Dave Grohl has admitted that he did watch this as a young child so the popular children’s show may have been channeled subconsciously when he wrote ‘The Pretender’.

Before moving on to the cover versions of today’s feature, let’s look at a couple of interesting performances. Here are the Foo Fighters performing on ‘Late Night with David Letterman’. Letterman’s fondness for the Foo Fighters is well documented (see ‘Everlong’)

Here is a more recent live version of ‘The Pretender’ from Madison Square Garden in 2021. This captures the excitement behind the song as Dave Grohl leads the sold-out venue in a raucous sing-along. No one needs convincing.

The popularity of ‘The Pretender’ was immediate. Here are the Foo Fighters live at Wembley Stadium in 2008, a short time after ‘Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace’ was released.

This performance leads into what is sure to be the concert of the year. It will take place at Wembley Stadium on Saturday September 3, 2022, when Foo Fighters & The Hawkins Family Present ‘Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert’ a new chapter will be written in the legacy of Taylor Hawkins.

My deepest thanks and admiration go out to the global Foo Fighters community and Taylor’s fans far and wide for the outpouring of love each and every one of you have shown our beloved Taylor. Your kindness has been an invaluable comfort for my family and me during this time of unimaginable grief.”

Alison Hawkins

The concert will be both a memorial and a celebration.

The lineup will include, but not be limited to the following list of guests and performers:

Travis Barker, Nandi Bushell, Martin Chambers, Chris Chaney, Chevy Metal, Stewart Copeland, Josh Freese, Liam Gallagher, Violet Grohl, Omar Hakim, Justin Hawkins, Shane Hawkins, Joshua Homme, Chrissie Hynde, James Gang, Alain Johannes, Brian Johnson, John Paul Jones, Kesha, Greg Kurstin, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Brian May, Krist Novoselic, Nile Rodgers, Mark Ronson, Luke Spiller, Supergrass, Roger Taylor, Rufus Taylor, Lars Ulrich, Wolfgang Van Halen, Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock.

For the Los Angeles show on September 27^, you can add:

Sebastian Bach, Geezer Butler, Phil Collen, Miley Cyrus, Joe Elliott, Joan Jett, Alanis Morissette, Pink, Leann Rimes, Gene Simmons, Mikki Sixx, Chad Smith, Jon Theodore, Brad Wilk, Nancy Wilson and Patrick Wilson.

Believe it or not there may be more performers to be announced.

Two global events celebrating the memory and music of a rock legend

From this writer’s standpoint, there has not been a memorial concert of this magnitude since April 20, 1992 where many artists performed the music of Queen at the ‘Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert’. At a glance I can see at least six artists that performed at Freddie Mercury’s tribute thirty years ago, who will be performing at the Taylor Hawkins tribute. They are Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen, Phil Collen and Joe Elliott of Def Leppard, Lars Ulrich of Metallica, and Slash from Guns N’ Roses.

I am looking forward to tuning in to as much of these shows as possible.

In 2016, one of Ted Tocks Covers absolute favourite acts created an entertaining cover version of ‘The Pretender’. Here are the Steve ‘n’ Seagulls with a witty and self-deprecating introduction that adds even more depth to their unique bluegrass interpretation.

This band has crept in, whose schtick has no equal for audacity. Steve ‘n’ Seagulls. Five hillbillies from Finland, who make a living off of other people’s songs. But sure, he who doesn’t get anywhere as a moose breeder, or a cross country skier in Finland, inevitably has to take refuge in heavy metal. When the cool guys got it on with Finnish girls, the guys perched in their barn and made music. And when that failed to lure anyone out of the sauna, they tried warming up old rock and metal tomes. The idea was simple but cheap. Five Finnish farm workers butcher AC/DC, Metallica and Co. And lo and behold, their long-thatched target audience is in raptures. Well, music is entirely a matter of taste and, and as we all know, metal fans don’t have too much of that. The latest mischief of the Scandinavian Cotton-Eyed Joes: The Foo Fighters’ – ‘The Pretender’. If Dave Grohl had already passed away, he would now be turning in his grave. Ladies and gentlemen, this is not art, this is blasphemy. Raise your voice against the blatant recycling of a classy treasury of songs, and x out now…”

Steve ‘n’ Seagulls

I will close today’s feature with the invitation as posted by the Foo Fighters on their website.

Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear and Rami Jaffee will come together with the Hawkins family to celebrate the life, music and love of their husband, father, brother and bandmate with The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts.

As one of the most respected and beloved figures in modern music, Taylor’s monolithic talent and magnetic personality endeared him to millions of fans, peers, friends and fellow musical legends the world over. Millions mourned his untimely passing on March 25, with passionate and sincere tributes coming from fans as well as musicians Taylor idolized. The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts will unite several of those artists, the Hawkins family and of course his Foo Fighters brothers in celebration of Taylor’s memory and his legacy as a global rock icon—his bandmates and his inspirations playing the songs that he fell in love with, and the ones he brought to life.

Taylor Hawkins joined Foo Fighters in 1997, first appearing with the band on the tour supporting sophomore album ‘The Colour & The Shape’. He made his recorded debut with Foo Fighters with 1999’s ‘There Is Nothing Left To Lose’, playing on every subsequent FF album, including ‘One By One’, ‘In Your Honor’ (the first FF album to feature him assuming lead vocal duties on his song ‘Cold Day In The Sun’), ‘Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace’, ‘Wasting Light’, ‘Sonic Highways’, ‘Concrete & Gold’ (also featuring him as lead singer on ‘Sunday Rain’) and ‘Medicine at Midnight’. As a member of Foo Fighters, Taylor was a 15-time GRAMMY Award winner and member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He lived and loved music to an insatiable degree, with Foo Fighters as well as his numerous solo and side projects and collaborations.

Foo Fighters

Here’s to you Taylor Hawkins…A “joyous presence” indeed.

We are not permanent…We’re temporary.”

Dave Grohl

Life By the Drop – It’s good to be here walking together my friend. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #StevieRayVaughan #DoyleBramhall #JimmieVaughan

Today’s feature is a song about friendship.

‘Life By the Drop’ is just Stevie Ray Vaughan and his 12-string acoustic guitar recording a song written by his long-time friend Doyle Bramhall. Fittingly, it appears on ‘The Sky is Crying’ as the closing track. This posthumous release came our way in November of 1991, about 14 months after Stevie Ray Vaughan’s tragic death. This excerpt from ‘Texas Flood: The Inside Story of Stevie Ray Vaughan’ speaks to Doyle Bramhall’s reverence for his long-time friend.

To me, Stevie stood alone. There was no one like him. He left room in his music for his honesty and his soul to come through and I think that’s what people picked up on. He was just completely dedicated and loved what he was doing. I had great admiration for him as a musician and a person because he always lived life to the fullest. Every time you were around him was a constant reminder that today is all we have.”

Doyle Bramhall

The friendship went way back to when Stevie Ray was just 12 years old. Bramhall was five years his senior. Several years later, Doyle Bramhall joined Stevie’s older brother Jimmie Vaughan in a local band called The Chessman. Their claim to fame in the early days was opening for Jimi Hendrix at a Dallas/Fort Worth hometown show, in 1969. As legend has it, Jimmie Vaughan lent Jimi Hendrix his Vox wah-wah pedal. Hendrix managed to break it, so to make amends the guitar legend gave the elder Vaughan, his touring wah-wah pedal. Just a cool anecdote.

By 1973, Doyle Bramhall had moved on to become a member of the Nightcrawlers along with Marc Benno. Benno had an impressive association with such artists as Leon Russell, The Doors, Eric Clapton, Clarence White and Rita Coolidge. In March of 1973, Benno and Bramhall convinced an 18-year-old Stevie Ray Vaughan to join the band. While the Nightcrawlers had a ton of potential with their impressive pedigree, the union did not enjoy any long-term success. According to Bramhall;

My main focus was somewhere else. Music took a back seat to drinking and drugging. We played some good music, but it was pretty much a mess.”

Doyle Bramhall

Stay tuned because the Vaughan/Bramhall connection will return.

For Stevie Ray Vaughan, the experience in the Nightcrawlers served as one of several stepping stones. By 1975 Vaughan joined a six-piece band known as Paul Ray and the Cobras. This act was renowned in the highly regarded Austin blues scene. It was here that Stevie Ray Vaughan really began to catch the eye of blues greats. On stage at Antone’s, Stevie jammed with such artists as Buddy Guy, Hubert Sumlin, Jimmy Rogers, Lightnin’ Hopkins and Albert King.  

As much as his time with the Cobras was productive, the internal politics of the band became an issue when they opted for a more commercial direction. This clashed with Stevie Ray’s blues integrity, so he decided to leave and create a new blues act called Triple Threat Revue. This act wrote the song ‘I’m Cryin’ which would appear on Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble’s debut album.

As the personnel changed in Triple Threat, Stevie Ray Vaughan modified the name to reflect the numbers. Double Trouble was a tribute to a song by Otis Rush. By 1980, the trio known as Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble was formed. The band consisted of Chris Layton on drums and Tommy Shannon on bass guitar.

Music lovers can thank four major names in the industry for the rise of Stevie Ray Vaughan.

As much as Vaughan was incredibly popular in Austin, and all over Texas, he was struggling to gain any semblance of national attention. People were talking though. Upon the recommendation of famous record producer Jerry Wexler, Claude Nobs who organized the Montreux Jazz Festival agreed to book Stevie Ray Vaughan for the festival’s blues night. Wexler described the rising blues star as;

…a jewel, one of those rarities who comes along once in a lifetime”

Jerry Wexler

This appearance in the summer of 1982 drew mixed reviews, but those who liked Stevie Ray Vaughan, were passionate in their praise. Here is a quote from James McBride of People;

He seemed to come out of nowhere, a Zorro-type figure in a riverboat gambler’s hat, roaring into the ’82 Montreux festival with a ’59 Stratocaster at his hip and two flame-throwing sidekicks he called Double Trouble. He had no album, no record contract, no name, but he reduced the stage to a pile of smoking cinders and, afterward, everyone wanted to know who he was.”

James McBride

The following night, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble was booked to play a lounge at the Montreux Casino. It just so happened that Jackson Browne was in attendance. Browne was so impressed by what he had witnessed that he stayed around after the set and jammed with them long after midnight. His parting comment was an invitation for Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble to record at his personal recording studio in downtown Los Angeles. In November of 1982, the band took Jackson Browne up on his invitation. They recorded ten songs over a productive two-day period. Read on for more on the result of this creative outburst.

Jumping back to the Montreux gig, one more significant person in attendance was David Bowie. After the show, Bowie went back stage and talked to Stevie Ray Vaughan and the pair discussed their future plans. It was about this time that Bowie was working on demos for what would become “Let’s Dance’. Little did Stevie know; he had just vaulted up the short-list for consideration to be the primary guitarist for the studio sessions. He explained Vaughan’s playing to producer Nile Rodgers this way;

He’s got a whole other thing going on.”

David Bowie

Coincidentally, it was while Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble were working at Jackson Browne’s studio that Stevie Ray got the call from David Bowie, asking him to play on ‘Let’s Dance’. By January of 1983, he had recorded guitar on six of the eight tracks that would make up ‘Let’s Dance’, including ‘Cat People (Putting Out Fire)’.

‘Let’s Dance’ was released in April, 1983, and became David Bowie’s best-selling album ever. People were raving about the the relatively unknown 28 year-old Texan who contributed the guitar work.

The final piece of the quartet of fortunate occurrences that took place involved renowned record producer John Hammond. It was on Hammond’s advice that Epic Records vice-president Gregg Geller opted to sign Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble in March of 1983. Remember the demo recordings from Jackson Browne’s studio? Well, they became the foundation to the debut album known as ‘Texas Flood’. Epic Records gave them an advance of $65,000 to re-master the recordings. The final result was released in June of 1983.

One of the songs that appeared on ‘Texas Flood’ was ‘Dirty Pool’, which was a collaborative project between Stevie Ray Vaughan and Doyle Bramhall.  

They say that life
life is a game of give ‘n’ take
I’m tellin’ you one thing right now little baby,
I won’t be the one to pay for your mistakes”

Doyle Bramhall and Stevie Ray Vaughan

While all of this was going on, Stevie Ray Vaughan was rehearsing for David Bowie’s ‘Serious Moonlight’ tour. Negotiations for Vaughan’s appearance fee went sideways and a deal could not be arranged, so he made the brave decision to abandon the opportunity to play stadiums the world over, in favour of touring his own material in clubs and small venues across North America.

I couldn’t gear everything on something I didn’t really care a whole lot about. It was kind of risky, but I really didn’t need all the headaches.”

Stevie Ray Vaughan

 The notoriety that Vaughan gained from quitting David Bowie’s tour was only rivalled by the steadily growing excitement surrounding the band and their material.

Similar to virtually every trail that Stevie Ray Vaughan blazed, his ultimate path to glory bucked the musical trends of the day.

Let’s fast forward seven years. In the first half of 1990 Stevie Ray Vaughan joined forces with his brother Jimmie Vaughan and their long-time friend Doyle Bramhall. Obviously, at the time they had no concept of the ultimate sentimental nature of what would become Stevie Ray’s final studio recording. ‘Family Style’ was released in September of 1990. The final line on the liner notes read;

Thanks Mama V. for letting us play.

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimmie Vaughan

Here is one of three songs on that album, co-written with Doyle Bramhall. This is ‘Long Way from Home’. Here is a great quote from Doyle Bramhall that summarized Stevie Ray Vaughan’s approach to his craft.

He was never satisfied with staying in one spot. He wanted to stretch and I think that is what made him one of a kind. He was always pushing the doors open and never wanted to stay the same. There were several times where the music seemed perfect, yet he took it to another level. It never surprised me that Stevie would surprise me.”

Doyle Bramhall

Here is a passage from the song, that reflects this approach to life.

Well, I’ve been over here… been over there

Friends all around me everywhere

But it really doesn’t matter

Which way I want to go

I’m a million miles from nowhere

And that’s a long long way from home

And that’s a long long way from home”

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Doyle Bramhall

Now let’s listen to Doyle Bramhall’s version of ‘Life By the Drop’. No matter which version of this song you listen to you are in the midst of a shared experience by two friends who had drifted apart and then come back together. One lived life to the max, and the other was left to ponder what could have been. There was success and there was regret, but when they re-connected, they recognized that the truth was, each of them were only living a series of moments, and no matter what heights one achieves, things are best when they are back together, reflecting on good times.

Here are the relatively simple, but deeply existential lyrics.

Hello there, my old friend
Not so long ago it was ‘til the end
We played outside in the pouring rain
On our way up the road we started over again

You’re living our dream oh you on top
my mind is aching,’ Lord it won’t stop
That’s how it happens living life by the drop

Up and down the road in our worn down shoes
Talking about good things and singing the blues
you went your way and I stayed behind
We both knew it was just a matter of time

You’re living our dream oh you on top
my mind is aching,’ Lord it won’t stop
That’s how it happens living life by the drop

No wasted time, we’re alive today
Churning up the past, there’s no easier way
Time’s been between us, a means to an end
God it’s good to be here walking together my friend

We’re living our dreams
my mind’s stopped aching,’
That’s how it happened living life by the drop
That’s how it happened living life by the drop
That’s how it happened living life by the drop”

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Doyle Bramhall

As much as the song is about friendship and divergent paths as life takes hold, it has also been construed as a reflection on their shared struggles with addiction. It says here, this commonality allowed for each of Doyle and Stevie Ray to channel each other’s emotions in the piece. The depth of the collaboration saw some pretty cool results.

We had both sobered up in the same period, within four months, and we knew that was something we had to deal with. It was important for Stevie and I to talk about and write about our experiences with addiction. We got together to write for In Step (in 1989) and in a couple of weeks, we wrote ‘The House Is Rocking,’ ‘Wall of Denial,’ ‘Tightrope,’ and ‘Scratch and Sniff.’”

Doyle Bramhall

‘Life By the Drop’ remains as somewhat of a swan song to a much-heralded career.

The remarkable thing about blues artists, going back about a century, is that they all manage to give credit to the artists that came before. This humility seems to drive their desire. Each player must prove themselves worthy, and then the torch is passed. Every once in a while, a player comes along that gives pause for the highest adulation. From Johnson, to Lead Belly, to Waters, to Hopkins, to James, to Hurt, to Reed, to Collins, to the Kings, to Walker, to Hooker, to Guy, to Clapton, to Allman, to Hendrix, to Winter, to Gibbons…to Stevie Ray Vaughan.

…and the list goes on…to the many that revere Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Somehow, through it all, it seems the stars who understand the significance of those who came before, seem to shine the brightest.

Here is a recollection of a moment he shared with B.B. King’s famous guitar ‘Lucille’ on a Dallas stage.

When Stevie came out for his encore at the Starplex in Dallas, B.B. King’s famous guitar ‘Lucille’, had been set up on the stage in anticipation they would play together. Stevie approached center stage, took off his trademark hat and bowed deeply to Lucille, as if he were meeting royalty. Asked if he knew that had happened, B.B. told the author, “I did not know it, but he was a very warm, caring person. He was to me like one of my sons. He was the kind of person you grow closer to every time you see him.”

Sadly, we know how it ended so tragically, early on that foggy Wisconsin morning in 1990.

Everyone who was there claims he stole the show.

On November 12, 2011, Doyle Bramhall passed away due to heart failure after a bout with pneumonia. He was only 62.

Sometimes…that’s how it happens…It never seems fair, but on some level they both lived their dreams.

Cars – A pop culture masterpiece and maybe more relevant today than the day it was written #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #GaryNuman #FrankZappa #FearFactory #TheLeisureSociety #NineInchNails #BillBailey #Sloan #FamilyGuy

Every once in a while, a song pops into my head and I immediately set out to add it to the Ted Tocks Covers library. This is exactly what happened with ‘Cars’ by Gary Numan. The timing was perfect. It was released 43 years ago this month. Better yet, in addition to the original track being a fascinating piece of post-punk, new wave synth-pop, it has inspired some incredible cover versions and some creative commercials. This is going to be fun.

For Gary Numan, ‘Cars’ was the single from his debut studio album, ‘The Pleasure Principle’. His ascent up the charts was turbo boosted and it hit #1 in the United Kingdom and Canada, and it became a Top 10 hit in Australia, Ireland and the United States.

To call ‘Cars’ a debut single would be a misnomer because Gary Numan had released material previously under the name Tubeway Army. With ‘Cars’, Numan took the off ramp and opted for something that might be more in tune with the mainstream of the day.

This was the first time I had written a song with the intention of ‘maybe it could be a hit single’; I was writing this before ‘Are “Friends” Electric?’ happened.”

Gary Numan

In this quote, Numan is referring to his #1 U.K. hit ‘Are ‘Friends’ Electric’. That’s right folks, Gary Numan was NOT a one hit wonder. Check out the many versions of ‘Are ‘Friends’ Electric’ on line. Each offers a different perspective on the same song. Every one is brilliant. Here is the scaled back version from the ‘All Saints Basement Sessions’. It just demonstrates his versatility as an artist.

All my early songs were about being alone or misunderstood. As a teenager, I’d been sent to a child psychiatrist and put on medication. I had Asperger’s and saw the world differently. I immersed myself in sci-fi writers: Philip K Dick, JG Ballard. The lyrics came from short stories I’d written about what London would be like in 30 years. These machines – “friends” – come to the door. They supply services of various kinds, but your neighbours never know what they really are since they look human. The one in the song is a prostitute, hence the inverted commas. It was released in May 1979 and sold a million copies. I had a No 1 single with a song about a robot prostitute and no one knew.”

Gary Numan

When Gary Numan produces a piece of music it becomes an all-out sensory explosion. His creations are based on social observation, but he clearly sees the world in a unique way. For well over 40 years, we have been the beneficiary of his creative vision.

 Looking at the world through a different lens was the intention with ‘Cars’ as well. As mentioned, he had been working on it for a while. Truth be told, it was inspired by an incident of road rage.

I was in traffic in London once and had a problem with some people in front. They tried to beat me up and get me out of the car. I locked the doors and eventually drove up on the pavement and got away from them. It’s kind of to do with that. It explains how you can feel safe inside a car in the modern world… When you’re in it, your whole mentality is different… It’s like your own little personal empire with four wheels on it.”

Gary Numan

These lyrics came to him as he recalled the incident. He recognized that ‘Cars’ had become the ‘tank of modern society’ and that people had begun to use their vehicles, as well as technology and material goods to withdraw from social interaction and human contact. Seeing as Gary Numan lives with Asperger syndrome, he was hyper aware of this disconnect, and society’s growing trend toward isolation.

Very short and to the point. Somehow in this simplicity, Numan creates an ocean of depth, because there is a wealth of social implications here, that have only grown through the years. This makes ‘Cars’ eternally relevant.

Here in my car
I feel safest of all
I can lock all my doors
It’s the only way to live
In cars

Here in my car
I can only receive
I can listen to you
It keeps me stable for days
In cars

Here in my car
Where the image breaks down
Will you visit me please
If I open my door
In cars

Here in my car
I know I’ve started to think
About leaving tonight
Although nothing seems right
In cars”

Gary Numan

Musically, the framework for ‘Cars’ was written in about ten minutes after purchasing a new bass guitar at a London music store.

“I have only written two songs on bass guitar and the first one was ‘Cars.’ I had just been to London to buy a bass and when I got home the first thing I played was that intro riff. I thought, ‘Hey, that’s not bad!’ In 10 minutes, I had the whole song. The quickest one I ever wrote. And the most famous one I’d ever written. More people should learn from that.”

Gary Numan

Once the basic premise had been created lyrically, Numan continued to experiment with the sound. It was all built around the distinctive riff using a MiniMoog synthesizer and the strong bass and drum track. The bridge includes a tambourine, which gives it a catchy folksy feel.

While scanning YouTube for interesting recordings of ‘Cars’ I found this early demo.

Through the years, Gary Numan has recorded and released recordings and remixes of ‘Cars’ numbering well into the double digits. He has even performed ‘Cars’ using a set of two dozen cars, and their horns. This was part of a commercial for DieHard in 2010. All of the cars were powered by one battery. The video was directed by James Frost, and Synn Labs engineered the cars. Genius.

While the DieHard commercial is an example of the creative application of the song, Nissan and Oldsmobile attempted to use ‘Cars’ in promoting their vehicles. Like many, they missed the message contained within Numan’s lyrics.

What about selling beer? In my opinion, this actually works because the copy writers understood the song.

In a world that’s losing its head, a lager that doesn’t.”

Commercial for Carling Smooth Chill Beer

Let’s get back to the music and conclude the original portion of today’s post with a live version from Brixton Academy in 2017.

Speaking of social observation, here is another artist known for that approach. While not quite a cover, this is Frank Zappa in 1980, offering a travel review after spending some time ‘In France’. Yikes!

We’re playin’ a tent
It’s payin the rent
If you pooch a civilian,
It’s a major event
In France

The girls are all salty
The guys are all sweet
The food ain’t too shabby,
An’ they piss in the street
In France

They got diseases
Like you never seen
Ed got a blow-job
And his peter turned green
In France

Their cheese is all holy

And so is their breath

The drive like they’re crazy

And they’re lazy ‘til death

In France

They got some coffee

That’ll eat through the cup,
An’ when they go ka-ka
They make you stand up
In France

If you’re not careful,
It’ll stick to your cheeks
You’ll smell like a native
For a couple of weeks
In France

If you don’t talk

The way that they do

They think you are stupid

And they’ll busk on your shoe

In France

We cannot wait
Till we go back
It gets so exciting
When the poodles ‘react’
In France

Way down in France
Way on down
Way on down
In France
Never try to get yo’ peter sucked
In France

Let’s get serious now. In 1999, Gary Numan worked with American heavy metal band, Fear Factory. This act had released ‘Cars’ as the second single on their third studio album ‘Obsolete’, but it was only included as a bonus track on a limited-edition digipak re-release of ‘Obsolete’. The cover unfolded over about a three-year period. As far back as 1996, Fear Factory performed ‘Cars’ as an encore during the European leg of their tour. Word got out to Gary Numan that the band was doing the song justice, so he opted to contact them and arrange some studio time in Vancouver in early 1998. Gary Numan was drawn to the opportunity because it offered him a chance to expose his music to a new generation of listeners. The ultimate recording is sensational and both parties came away from the experience with glowing reviews. For Fear Factory, it was a departure from their usual style, but it drove ‘Obsolete’ to become the band’s highest selling album. Numan’s enthusiasm for the collaboration extended to his participation in the video. Fear Factory frontman Burton C. Bell who shares the spotlight with Gary Numan on this track gushes with his enthusiasm when speaking of the entire experience.

“(Director, John S. Bartley) put Gary and me into harnesses, and we had to simulate floating in space. We were floating around this junked out ’79 Trans Am that he had as this car in space, and we’re coming up to it. They had another ’70 Trans Am that was turned into a spaceship, and that’s what we’re driving in. It was just wicked. It was unbelievable. It was like a dream come true.”

Burton C. Bell

This is just a cool story, all the way around. Enjoy!

Thirty years after its release ‘Cars’ was reimagined by ‘The Leisure Society’ as an acoustic piece complete with ukulele, flute, violin, cello and acoustic guitar. This is a stunning cover.

That same year Gary Numan famously joined Nine Inch Nails on stage and offered this powerful version of ‘Cars’. Again, he delivers the song to a new audience. The song is adaptable to virtually every style. There is a ton of energy here. Gary Numan knows his audience.

Remember the commercial for DieHard? Check out this fun cover by musician/comedian Bill Bailey. He brings the car horn concept to the studio, in a sense.  

Speaking of fun, here is the iconic Canadian band Sloan in 2011. This is part of the series known as A.V. Undercover. Before they break into ‘Cars’, singer Patrick Pentland tells the story of how he stole the Gary Numan album from his local library. All for the love of music. You’ve gotta love the formative days.

Putting this feature together was a blast. I was able to discover, and share so many great covers. It all reminds me of why I began Ted Tocks Covers. The story behind the original version of any song has always intrigued me, but when the original influences a wide degree of interpretation, I am often catapulted into a world of awakening. Frankly, I could go on forever.

In the case of ‘Cars’ I delved into a deep exploration and became enthralled by the Gary Numan catalogue. I couldn’t help but recognize a strong David Bowie influence. I wondered to myself if the pair had ever collaborated.

Sadly, the answer is no.

Truthfully, it seems there was somewhat of a one-sided feud. As the story goes, it seems that David Bowie at the time of ‘Cars’ popularity, was not a fan of Numan’s approach to electronic synth-pop and the experimental sound. It came to a head when the pair were invited to perform (among many others) at the Kenny Everett Christmas Show in 1980. Bowie felt that Gary Numan was copying his style and demanded that he be removed from the list of performers.

It bothered me at the time because I was a massive fan and he’d been such a big part of my life for so many years so I was pretty disappointed – and the fact I got taken off the show afterwards. But I later came to realise we all go through periods when we’re more fragile or paranoid and not sure how we fit into all of this. Although I was hurt, I never harboured any ill-feeling. It was good because it humanised him for me – he went from being an untouchable godlike figure to a human being. I never held a grudge about it. It just became a funny story to tell.”

Gary Numan

I admire Gary Numan’s restraint in this space; taking it all in stride. From David Bowie’s perspective, I suspect it was based on a degree of insecurity as he found himself in a period of transition following over a decade of massive success. Within a couple of years, he was once again at the peak of the entertainment world with ‘Let’s Dance’.

To understand what kind of person Gary Numan is, read this humble summation of the experience when asked about the possibility that, at the time Bowie may have been threatened by the literal new wave of popular acts.

I think there was an element of that. I never got to meet him afterwards and ask, but my feeling was at that moment I was the current big thing in weird make-up and I don’t think that period was the best for him. I know many people that met him and he was lovely, and I wish I’d met that version.”

Gary Numan

Many a music fan would have loved to see what such a pairing could have produced. Just an interesting side story.

It’s ironic that this post has evolved into a story that speaks to insecurity, because ‘Cars’ is partially about a desire to be safe and secure.

In today’s world there is a vast degree of trepidation. Wherever we go it seems it is a coin flip as to whether any person we encounter is a well-meaning, empathetic and positive member of society who would be willing to assist you in a time of need, or a self-centred, sociopath, only willing to focus on their own pursuits.

Gary Numan concluded that in ‘Cars’ he was ‘safest of all’.

Perhaps?

One thing for sure is that over the years, there are definitely places where it has been clearly demonstrated that people are not safe.

Churches/Synagogues/Mosques

Schools

Grocery Stores

Parades

Your own house

Shopping Malls

And regrettably, in the present day…not even ‘Cars’.

This betrays the futuristic world that Gary Numan was hoping to present. The one we would evolve to. One where people would be brought together by technology. Unfortunately, due to unending greed, the benefits of all of these advancements seem to have been diminished, and the divide has never been greater.

But, I suppose life just gets confusing when we grow up.

Time to go and get some ice cream.

Oh, What a Night – Oowatanite – Celebrating 1500 editions of Ted Tocks Covers and a friendship that checks in at 40 years and counting. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #TheFourSeasons #BenLiebrand #Clock #ClaudeFrancois #AprilWine #TheDirtyNil

Today’s edition of Ted Tocks Covers represents the 1500^th feature in a long list of songs.

Sit back and enjoy, it will be a fun reflection on two popular songs with similar titles. The approaches are quite different. To conclude, I will offer a personal reflection that speaks to this Ted Tocks milestone, and how it all connects to a special person in my life.

Part one of today’s exploration is ‘December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)’ by the Four Seasons (From this point on, I will refer to it as ‘Oh, What a Night’. While the song harkens back to the early ‘60s, it was recorded and released in the latter part of 1975. The songwriting credit goes to Four Seasons keyboard player Bob Gaudio, and his wife to be, Judy Parker. Now, there is an interesting evolution to the lyrics, and these are the kind of stories that initially inspired me to write Ted Tocks Covers.

‘Oh, What a Night’ was originally written with the title ‘December 5^th, 1933’. The significance of this date in United States history is the fact it represents the repeal of prohibition laws. Upon further consideration, and at the behest of Frankie Vali and Judy Parker, the couple opted to rewrite the lyrics to signify a young man’s remembrance of his first love affair. In this space Judy and Bob, basically wrote about the earliest days of their relationship.

Naturally, I am curious as to how the historical version of this song would have sounded, but unfortunately, that version seems to have been scrapped forever, if it ever existed at all. Apparently, even after the rewrite of ‘Oh, What a Night’ the lyrics needed to be toned down a little. They were concerned that the sexual overtones would be deemed too much for radio airplay. Frankie Vali was very blunt about what the ultimate release was all about. All of this maneuvering worked for the Four Seasons, because ‘Oh, What a Night’ became a #1 hit in the United States. It was the fifth song by the Four Seasons to achieve this status. It also hit #1 in Canada, the United Kingdom and South Africa.

Here is a fascinating bit of trivia.

The success of this song by the Four Seasons made this band the only group to have #1 hits before the Beatles ascent to glory, during the Beatles eight-year tenure as hitmakers (‘Rag Doll’), and following the Beatles ultimate breakup.

For the Four Seasons, this track features drummer Gerry Polci on lead vocals. Frankie Vali sings the bridge and bass player Don Ciccone does the trademark falsetto.

“Oh, What a Night”

I can hear you singing along.

Here is another song that features Polci on lead vocals. ‘Who Loves You’ was actually the title track of their 1975 album, and the lead single. ‘December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)’ was the follow up single.

Before I move on, please enjoy this live version from the Four Seasons 1980 reunion tour. Everyone is having so much fun. It’s contagious.

On to the cover versions, because that remains the mission of this labour of love.

In 1994, Ben Liebrand released a dance remix of ‘Oh, What a Night’. It served effectively as an introduction of the song to a new generation. It remained on the Billboard Top 40 for 20 weeks. It is intriguing to note that Frankie Vali was not a fan.

I’ll never like it better than when it was pure.”

Frankie Vali

Decide for yourself.

Two years later, a British pop-dance act named Clock released their own dance cover.

The final cover version I will share is by French singer, Claude Francois. His cover is called ‘Cette, annee-la’. It flows nicely en Francais.

Now let’s bring things back to Canada and explore the phonetically titled track by Canadian music legends, April Wine. Here is their 1975 classic ‘Oowatanite’. Similar theme, just way heavier.  

‘Oowatanite’ was the opening track on the fourth studio album by April Wine, ‘Stand Back’. The ultimate success of this album gives ‘Stand Back’ the distinction of being the first album released by a Canadian band to achieve platinum status which signifies 100,000 units sold. (I was able to confirm this by at least one source. The acknowledgement is somewhat scrambled, but take my word. it elevated April Wine and their undisputed status as one of Canada’s finest musical acts). The success of this album was fuelled by ‘I Wouldn’t Want to Lose Your Love’, ‘Tonight Is a Wonderful Time to Fall in Love’ which were written and produced by Myles Goodwyn, and ‘Oowatanite’ which was written by bass player Jim Clench. While April Wine was enjoying massive success with the ‘Stand Back’ album, there was dissension within the ranks. The writing collaboration between Clench and Goodwyn had dissolved, and as a result Jim Clench left the band. He would be replaced by Steve Lang, who once worked with April Wine drummer Jerry Mercer in the band Mashmakhan. The significance of this addition speaks to the fact that by 1977, April Wine had also included the incredibly talented Brian Greenway on guitar. Greenway also worked with Mashmakhan in the mid ‘70s. The merging of April Wine and Mashmakhan led to what became the absolute best years of April Wine. Here is a memorable live version of ‘Oowatanite’ from April Wine’s 1977 ‘Live at the El Mocambo’ show, where they famously opened for a band called ‘The Cockroaches’. Upon closer inspection, music fans on that evening quickly realized they would be seeing The Rolling Stones. This is one of the most memorable nights in Canadian music history (See ‘Around and Around’ and ‘Rip this Joint’)

Moving right along, closer to home in Hamilton, one doesn’t have to go too far to see a local group called The Dirty Nil. These guys rock. Here is their version of ‘Oowatinite’.

All of this brings me back around to what this means to me as I put the finishing touches to my 1500^th edition of Ted Tocks Covers.

In August of 1982, I was 15 years old. I went to my first concert. It was at the CNE Grandstand in Toronto. April Wine, with special guest Streetheart, as the opening act. The gig was part of their ‘Power Play’ tour. They opened with ‘Anything You Want, You Got It’, which was a song literally written for the live stage. Here is a sample from their live album ‘One for the Road’; a tour that supported their 1984 ‘Animal Grace’ release.

Forty years later, I recognize how lucky I was to see this combination of Canadian music legends. Naturally, they played ‘Oowatanite. It was their final encore.

One week later, my life really changed.

It was exactly 40 years ago that I met Darlene. It was her birthday weekend, and she was in town visiting her mother and step-father (Deanna and John) with a handful of ‘girlfriends’ to celebrate the occasion. For those of you who don’t know, back in 1982 there was only so much to do in Acton. It seems Dar and her friends got bored. Deanna was becoming concerned with the girl’s restlessness, so she reached out to her neighbour friend, Maggie (Mrs. Fryers) who had a son, Nick, who happened to be one of my best friends. The goal was to see if Nick could do anything to entertain this group of teenage girls. Nick was open to the idea, but when he realized that there were six girls he panicked and called me (of all people).

As an aside here, if anyone was to refer to a guide that spoke to reasons to visit this town of about 8000 people in 1982, I suspect I would exist at somewhere around tourist attraction 8001.

Anyway, I went over to Nick’s, and then we headed over together and knocked on the door. We were greeted by John and Deanna, Darlene and her friends. We had a great time, and evidently, we must have passed the audition because whenever Darlene visited in the days, months and years following, me and Nick and an ever-expanding group of friends were always included. Truth be told, we all became somewhat inseparable.

A month later, I had the good fortune of meeting Darlene’s younger sister, Heather. From the moment I met Heather, I recognized that she was the funniest and most genuine person I had ever met. Nine years later we were married. Darlene was her maid of honour. John and Deanna became like a second set of parents for me, and ultimately, my in-laws.

Fourteen years later Darlene married Mike and our family grew. In 2000 they brought Eric into the world, followed by Devin in 2001. Those who follow my posts, or Heather’s posts on Facebook know the significance of this family in our lives. Tight and supportive are not strong enough words. This is what we share to the outside world. Behind the scenes is where things matter even more and I can’t ever recall a time in the past four decades where Dar has not been there for me, Heather, Sebastian, Jeremy or Nathaniel as individuals or any combination of us, if she was needed. There are too many instances to count and the aid has had a monumental effect on our lives. I am talking immeasurable. I recall kind of shaking when Nick and I knocked on that door 40 years ago. The truth is sometimes when a door opens and you walk through it, your life changes. This was one of those times. I am shaking while I type this but for different reasons.

Emotional…Yes!

Happy Birthday Dar! You deserve nothing but the best. I can’t believe it has been 40 years.

Somehow, it seems appropriate that a post that celebrates the 1500^th edition of Ted Tocks Covers would also mention so many important people in my life, because in truth, without them, literally none of these reflections would be quite the same.

Stray Cat Blues – The Rolling Stones at their sleaziest best and Charlie was driving the train. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #TheRollingStones #CharlieWatts #TheVelvetUnderground #JohnnyWinter #Soundgarden

This post is an update from one written in January of 2019. At the time I was commemorating the anniversary of Charlie Watts joining The Rolling Stones.

Enjoy this slightly modified salute to a true gentleman within the Stones family.

“It was fifty-six years ago today that Charlie Watts joined the Rolling Stones. He left a position as drummer for Blues Incorporated and a side gig as a graphic designer. It seems to me that Charlie made the right career decision.

In honour of this landmark lineup decision by the Rolling Stones I am going to feature one of my favourite Rolling Stones songs and arguably the best piece of drumming by the legendary and classy performer. “Stray Cat Blues’ is the third song on side two of Beggars Banquet; my favourite Stones album.

My personal memories of the Rolling Stones and this album go back to when I was about 11 or 12 years old and visiting my grandparents in Oakville. My Uncle John left about twenty of his records behind and out of curiosity I listened to a handful of them. It was a revelation. Some of them were scratched, so they stuck or skipped but one that I was able to play right through was ‘High Tide and Green Grass’, by the Rolling Stones, which was an early to mid ‘60s Greatest Hits release. I loved this album and couldn’t stop listening to it. I asked my grandparents if I could take it home with me and they thought since my uncle had left it behind, it must not have made the cut, so they agreed. I was in my glory. A few months later I visited Uncle John and Aunt Diane in Ottawa and I told him of my carefully calculated heist. He kind of laughed and suggested if I liked those early Stones songs, I would really like some of their later stuff. He pulled out Beggars Banquet (1968) and put it on the turntable and I was mesmerized. I only knew two of the songs. The record opened with ‘Sympathy for the Devil’ and side two opened with ‘Street Fighting Man’. I knew these songs from the radio. It was the rest of the album that grabbed me. The depth of this album has always blown me away. It was a combination of rock and blues and country/folk, and it was fantastic. Over the years it has marked the beginning of my favourite era of Rolling Stones music. Sadly, it was the last album for multi-talented/multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones. Jones’ death in July of 1969 opened the door for Mick Taylor to join the band. This led to a succession of epic Stones albums that are absolute classics.

Back to today’s feature song itself ‘Stray Cat Blues’ is a driving rock ’n blues song that was produced by Jimmy Miller and features Nicky Hopkins on piano along with the original Rolling Stones cast. Beyond the strong personnel there are a couple of interesting points about this song.

There is no way to soften this stance. ‘Stray Cat Blues’ represents the Rolling Stones at the apex of their pure unadulterated sleazy best. Truthfully, if this song was released today there would be an inquiry and Mick Jagger and Keith Richards would have to appear before a press corps to explain their politically incorrect material. Can you imagine Ed Sheeran writing a song from the perspective of an old rock and roller who lusts after having sex with a fifteen year old groupie…and if she had any reservations, she could bring a friend to make it a threesome?

Nope…I don’t think so. To summarize things in a few sentences; The Rolling Stones and The Beatles were a mutual admiration society in the ‘60s but the Stones took a definite avenue to avoid being The Beatles and that road led to them being perceived as the bad guys. This song firmly established their image as Britain’s bad boys of rock and the Stones embraced it. It was marketable, and it worked. The Stones were the personification of rock and roll rebellion and they rode this role to massive superstardom. Their material was the vehicle and there was nothing candy coated about the stories they were telling. The results were timeless classics that spoke of the underbelly of society. Places where most people feared to tread but vicariously, through the Rolling Stones lyrics they visited, and they only felt a little bit dirty, but highly entertained. Fifty years later people still drop by and gaze in wild wonder. It is quite the phenomenon when you consider they will be touring again in 2019. I wonder if they will break this song out?

In past Ted Tocks I have referred to the Rolling Stones adoration of the many American blues artists and how they influenced their writing in the early days. In Keith Richards autobiography ‘Life’ the timeless guitarist spoke with a combination of reverence and disdain about how Mick Jagger had an ability to monitor the best of songwriting of the current day and channel this into creating great material. More often than not this worked. ‘Stray Cat Blues’ was a tip of the hat to ‘Heroin’ by The Velvet Underground. Here it is.

The opening of the Stone’s song is a sped up version of this riff. Richards and Jagger just take you to a place of sexual debauchery rather than a drug den. As far as song writing goes, few rival the Jagger/Richards mastery.

Richards also lamented occasions where Jagger’s propensity to be influenced by contemporary songs led to some embarrassment; like when he essentially wrote the lyrics to ‘Anybody Seen My Baby?’ to the tune of ‘Constant Craving’ by K.D. Lang. For her contribution K.D. Lang and co-writer Ben Mink received song writing credit for the 1997 Rolling Stones offering.

I appreciate the fact my Uncle John opened my eyes to the deep tracks of the Rolling Stones library. It encouraged me to look deeper into the albums of any artist I began to follow. This approach exists for me to this day wherever possible. This is where the gems are. It’s like a music mine.

Today I will share two covers. The first will speak to how much the Rolling Stones were loved by their peers at the peak of their popularity. Here is Johnny Winter doing his version in 1974. He basically turns it into ‘Stray Cat Blues’…Blues’. A true master.

In 1992 grunge pioneers Soundgarden recorded a version of ‘Stray Cat Blues’ featuring the vocal prowess of Chris Cornell. Awesome!”

Since I originally wrote this post, the music world lost Charlie Watts on this day in 2021.

At the time The Rolling Stones were preparing to embark on their 60^th anniversary tour. For his part, Charlie had managed to drive the rhythm section for 58 of those years.

Here is a line from ‘If You Can’t Rock Me’ and a live version from Madison Square Garden in 2010.

The band is on stage and it’s one of those nights

The drummer thinks that he is dynamite, oh yeah”

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards

There are many fine examples of Charlie Watts’ drumming prowess through the years, but for me the studio version of ‘Stray Cat Blues’ stands in the upper echelon.

Closer to home, I continue to acknowledge how integral my Uncle John was in introducing me to The Rolling Stones and their deep tracks.

Our family lost Uncle John earlier this year. Another victim of the insidious disease we call cancer.

Those of you who read this blog on a regular basis know that music is important to me and so often, I can draw a straight line between artists that Uncle John urged me to explore, and the music I enjoy to this day. Off the top of my head, I could list The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Who, and Crosby Stills Nash & Young. As far back as I can remember, trips to Ottawa were always looked forward to immensely, but the opportunity to hang out with Uncle John was the highlight. When I was really young, he was likely my first ‘hero’…a term I never share lightly. We would play hockey in the basement of my Grandparents’ Ottawa home. We were both Toronto Maple Leafs fans. He would tell me stories about Johnny Bower and make me laugh. Every game ended with a bottle of coke. I was not to tell my Mom and Dad because he would be accused of spoiling me. It was always our secret. As I got older, the interest turned to music, and in my formative days, it was this interest that would remain a lifelong passion. He was a driving force.

Somewhere within all of this, there is an analogy to Charlie Watts and the way he guided The Rolling Stones. It’s difficult to describe. Just know that influence is everywhere. We just need to recognize it, and when warranted offer thanks.

So today, I send my appreciation to both.

One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer – I’m gonna tell you a story about the house rent blues. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #JohnLeeHooker #AmosMilburn #RudyToombs #AlexisKorner #SonnyTerry #BrownieMcGhee #GeorgeThorogoodandtheDestroyers

True confession time.

Over four and a half years, there are some Ted Tocks features that I would like to do over. I admit, my first effort failed to tell the story. Truth be told, when I began writing, it was borne out of a personal passion, but in time I discovered people were actually reading what I was sharing. Once I realized this, I began to put a little more effort into the process. This is a short way of saying there is a major difference between the early days of what was once known as ‘Cover Your Face’ and what became known as ‘Ted Tocks Covers’.

I guess this is a long way of saying thank you for reading.

A perfect example of an early version of this feature that failed to tell the story was ‘One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer’. This was all I wrote:

“This song was written 65 years ago by a guy named Rudy Toombs. It was originally recorded by Amos Milburn as One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer. Amos Milburn died on this day in 1980. Perhaps most famously it was adjusted and performed by blues great, John Lee Hooker in 1966 and then in the ’70’s and ’80’s it was a party favourite and concert staple for George Thorogood and the Destroyers. Thorogood’s version, was released in 1977 and is actually a combination of the original Milburn song, John Lee Hooker’s version plus a lesser known Hooker song called ‘House Rent Boogie’. Thorogood received permission to create the amalgamation of the two songs and eventually cited Hooker as the original writer. This made the Milburn/Tooms rendition a little lesser known but definitely no less important because this is an interesting story about how a song evolves through various artist’s interpretations. Kind of a neat story and what a timeless cover.”

Early version of Ted Tocks Covers

This post was actually Year 1 – Day 2 of this blog. It goes back to January 2, 2018. Man! I didn’t even include John Lee Hooker’s version, which borders on inexcusable. It definitely speaks to how this little project has evolved.

So, in order to make things right, I am going to offer a bit of a do over, with a firm commitment to tell a more complete version of the story through words and music.

Let’s start with a shout out to Rudy Toombs. We have this man to thank for the original version of what became ‘One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer. In its original form the song was actually called ‘One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer. The song was released on this day 69 years ago by Amos Milburn. For Milburn, it existed as one of many drinking songs he recorded.

“Milburn excelled at good-natured, upbeat romps about booze and partying, imbued with a vibrant sense of humour and double entendre, as well as vivid, down-home imagery in his lyrics.”

Paul Du Noyer

Here is Amos Milburn and His Aladdin Chickenshackers. The reference to ‘Aladdin’ speaks to the record label that released this track and the ‘Chickenshackers’ is a nod to the group of reliable musicians who helped to lay down this timeless piece of music. One of their earliest R&B hits was ‘Chicken Shack Boogie’. The Aladdin Chickenshackers were led by Mickey Baker on guitar.

As we all know ‘One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer’ tells the story of a man who is lamenting the departure of his girlfriend. He is sharing his woes with the local bartender whose interest is divided between his customer and his desire to close up and go home.

One more nip and make it strong
I got to find my baby if it takes all night long
One scotch, one bourbon, one beer”

Rudy Tooms

As legend has it, Amos Milburn was notorious for his consumption, famously stating;

I practiced what I preached.”

Amos Milburn

Case in point. Here is Amos Milburn singing ‘Bad, Bad Whiskey’.

I share this because, Amos Milburn was just one of many blues artists who inspired the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis. You can see traces of the style to come. Within just a few years rock and roll was king, and the blues made it all possible.

Over a decade later, in 1966 the great John Lee Hooker modified the song in a couple of ways. The most obvious change was the title which became ‘One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer’.

Hooker maintained the storyline and chorus, but he adjusted the verse to the most essential wording, and then added his own narrative to fill the gaps. The end result was the classic shuffle and signature John Lee Hooker boogie. His wording has carried the song for the better part of six decades.

And then I sit there, drinkin’, gettin’ high, mellow, knocked out, feelin’ good
About that time I looked on the wall, at the old clock on the wall
About that time it was ten-thirty then, I looked down the bar at the bartender, he said
‘What do you want, Johnny?’, one bourbon, one scotch, and one beer”

John Lee Hooker

Here is the famous live version from the ‘Café Au-Go-Go’ in 1966. This features the legendary Muddy Waters.

Continuing with the cover versions, here is the influential British blues artist, Alexis Korner. Korner recorded a cover of the original song in 1972, with Snape, arranged by Peter Thorup. This is cleverly entitled ‘Accidentally Born in New Orleans’.

Here is a special cover. This is Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee doing a live cover of ‘One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer’, in 1961. This was released on a 1999 compilation called ‘Backwater Blues’. This also captures the spirit of the Amos Milburn version. Listen to the harmonica wizardry of Sonny Terry and the smooth voice of Brownie McGhee.

The entire mix of ‘One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer’ changed in 1977.  For that we can thank the vision of George Thorogood and the Destroyers. A student of the blues, Thorogood suggested that he combine two John Lee Hooker songs and make it one epic hard luck story. In order to fulfill this plan, Thorogood obtained John Lee Hooker’s permission. This is how the ‘House Rent Blues’ narrative merged with ‘One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer’. As a result of this medley, the origin of how the narrator came to be sitting in that bar made even more sense.

First, here is the studio version from George’s self-titled debut album.

The only issue was the fact that the credit for the George Thorogood version went to John Lee Hooker alone. Rudy Toombs was omitted.

Before we move on, listen to ‘House Rent Blues’ by John Lee Hooker. This is the blues. The delivery is second to none. Compare it to George Thorogood and you can detect the inspiration of his inflection. Just an amazing lineage.  

To conclude, here is a famous version of George Thorogood live in 1984 at the famous Capitol Theater in Port Chester, New York. He is joined on stage by Elvin Bishop, which takes the song to another level. Listen, as he tells the story, making sure to pack his John Lee Hooker record collection. The lively Capitol Theater audience is right there with him, singing every word of the chorus.

Through the years some of my favourite posts have been about the history of the blues. From the pioneers of the early days to the present. In every case, the song tells a story, and the artists who brought the music to our ears set the scene. Each in their own way.

I will give the last word to John Lee Hooker, who while acknowledging the work of his predecessors and peers in creating the art, gives credit to the British greats of the ’60s who brought the music to a wider audience.

“Eric Clapton, John Mayall and all those other people over in England made the blues a big thing. In the States, people didn’t want to know, and it wasn’t until the British guys made the American people listen that people like myself and Freddie King, Albert and BB King started to get people wanting to hear our music. It was our music originally, but it was those guys in England who made it big and then brought it back to the States. actually came over to England to live, because there was more work and more recognition for what I did in England than there was over here. It’s changed now, though, and all kinds of people like blues in America, too. But it’s those guys we have to thank.”

Like no other style of music, the musicians truly carry a torch, and pass it on in order for the message to be delivered to future generations.

Today, I raise a glass to their contribution both to the music we know, and to our culture.

Lovesong – Make me feel like I am whole again. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #TheCure #FrankSinatra #311 #ChrissieHynde #DeathCabforCutie #Adele #ToriAmos

One of the most important bands of the new wave/punk/post-punk era is The Cure.

Please don’t refer to the band, which is on the verge of a fall album release as ‘goth’ because founding member Robert Smith despises that term. He feels The Cure has always existed in the moment, and have soared on a plane beyond definition.

It’s so pitiful when ‘goth’ is still tagged onto the name the Cure. We’re not categorizable. I suppose we were post-punk when we came out, but in total it’s impossible … I just play Cure music, whatever that is.”

Robert Smith

But, no matter where you go, the ‘goth’ label seems to follow The Cure. They have been referred to as a ‘goth hit machine’, despite the fact that one of their biggest songs was the irresistible ‘80s classic ‘The Love Cats’.

So, I understand Smith’s dilemma.

Today’s feature song is the equally likeable love song appropriately known as ‘Lovesong’. It was written by Robert Smith as a wedding gift for his wife to be, Mary Poole in 1988. The couple met in the early ‘70s when the only continuous member of The Smiths was just 14 years old. Through everything, Mary stood by Smith, who has credited her with saving his life. Through the years, the singer has gone through what he terms as ‘self-destructive periods’ and his wife has always been there to pull him out of the abyss.

The devotion shines through in ‘Lovesong’ which was released on this day in 1989. Robert Smith was moved to write it, as a thank you, because despite his demanding schedule Mary was always his top priority and he would always love her.

Here is a perfect summation of ‘Lovesong’ from the website councilofthelost.com by Marloes Valentina Stella.

If you want to hear a song that perfectly captures the feeling of love…, it’s this one. It tells the story of love quite unlike any other. Sad and melancholic, the lyrics are brilliant in their simplicity and together with the rather distinct, more fast-paced melody make this song a very special piece of art.”

Marloes Valentina -Stella

One of the distinctive traits of ‘Lovesong’ is Smith’s placement of ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ by Frank Sinatra in the heart of the song.

Famously, the recording sessions surrounding ‘Lovesong’ and the eventual album ‘Disintegration’ were marked by Smith’s vow of silence. He literally refused to speak during the sessions, communicating only through his music, or by writing notes. He felt this created the right atmosphere, but also noted that it may have been necessitated by the fact that he subsisted on a steady supply of LSD.

Somehow it all translates to a pure and emotional tribute.

Whenever I’m alone with you
You make me feel like I am home again
Whenever I’m alone with you
You make me feel like I am whole again

Whenever I’m alone with you
You make me feel like I am young again
Whenever I’m alone with you
You make me feel like I am fun again

However far away
I will always love you
However long I stay
I will always love you
Whatever words I say
I will always love you
I will always love you

(Fly me to the moon)

Whenever I’m alone with you
You make me feel like I am free again
Whenever I’m alone with you
You make me feel like I am clean again

However far away
I will always love you
However long I stay
I will always love you
Whatever words I say
I will always love you
I will always love you

Robert Smith

Words can convey so much. Especially when you are struggling to express yourself.

Try it.

Just sit down and write. Sometimes, you will find out how you truly feel about everything, and everyone close to you.

Based on the immense popularity of ‘Lovesong’ it has been covered by artists numbering into the hundreds.

Adam Sandler fans will remember ‘Lovesong’ from the 2004 movie ’50 First Dates’. This version was recorded by the band 311. It actually outperformed The Cure on the charts, making it to #1 on the Alternative Songs list as well as the top 10 of the Adult Top 40. The video also features a cameo from Lol Tolhurst as a bartender.

This is pretty special. A 2005 cover of ‘Lovesong’ by Chrissie Hynde. Enjoy!

At the height of their popularity in 2009, Washington based rock band Death Cab for Cutie released a cover of ‘Lovesong’ on the album ‘Sweetheart – Our Favorite Artists Sing Their Favorite Love Songs’. This was a collection released by Starbucks Entertainment as part of their Valentine’s Day compilation series.

Two years later, Adele released a cover of ‘Lovesong’ on her 2011 album ‘21’. She recorded the song as an homage to her mother and her first concert experience.

My first gig was the Cure in Finsbury Park, which my mum took me to as she’s their biggest fan.”

Adele

During the recording process Adele was dealing with some vocal issues, but she managed to overcome them, stating that in the moment they actually suited her effort to pay tribute to Smith’s original delivery.

Finally, here is another Ted Tocks Covers favourite, Tori Amos who constantly delivers quality. This is from a 1993 visit to KROQ-FM in Los Angeles. Over the years Amos has been known to add ‘Lovesong’ to her live setlist on a regular basis. This is so good.

I will give the final word to Robert Smith as he summarizes the importance of ‘Lovesong’ both in his life and as a songwriter.

It’s an open show of emotion. It’s not trying to be clever. It’s taken me ten years to reach the point where I feel comfortable singing a very straightforward love song”

Robert Smith

Sometimes, the most straight-forward expression is the best way to get your true feelings across.

Tell someone how you feel today.

New Orleans is Sinking – Just doing his impression of the never ending present. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #TheTragicallyHip #GordDownie #StevePerron #CrystalShawanda

In a moment of reflection, it occurred to me that the last two times this country was truly united, can be directly attributed to Gord Downie and The Tragically Hip.

August 20, 2016 – The final concert by The Tragically Hip was performed before a sold-out audience at 1 Tragically Hip Way in their home town of Kingston, Ontario. The official crowd was 6,700 people. Unofficially, the number was upwards of 15 million.

A nation united in celebration.

October 17, 2017 – The day that Gord Downie passed away following a valiant battle with glioblastoma.

A nation united in grief.

Music brings people together.

If there has been a period of true cohesion since these dates, I don’t recall. The fact that this level of togetherness could be inspired by a singer, songwriter, poet, activist and humanitarian emphasizes how important music and the arts should be in our culture. A power that exists beyond words, but the words give it meaning. When the meaning is interpreted in song, it breathes and where there is breath, there is life.

#MusicisLife

Today’s feature is ‘New Orleans is Sinking’. It exists as one in a long line of songs by The Tragically Hip that Ted Tocks Covers has aimed to present.

‘The never-ending present’.

Steel yourself against the cold
Or look for semi-precious shade
When the bus crests that hill
Love and hate are just the same
Watching as the money drops
Every day it always does
Maybe there’s a song in here
No, and in fact there never was
Nothing but a little expression
From the never-ending present
Just me doing my impression
Of the never-ending present”

Gord Downie

So, let’s take a walk through the years and pick the highlights of the scenery, created by a band for the ages. This is ‘New Orleans is Sinking”.

All right

Bourbon blues on the street, loose and complete
Under skies all smoky blue green
I can’t forsake a dixie dead shake
So we danced the sidewalk clean

My memory is muddy, what’s this river that I’m in?
New Orleans is sinking, man, and I don’t want to swim

Colonel Tom, what’s wrong? What’s going on?
You can’t tie yourself up for a deal
He said, Hey, north, you’re south, shut your big mouth
You gotta do what you feel is real

Ain’t got no picture postcards, ain’t got no souvenirs
My baby she don’t know me when I’m thinking bout those years

Pale as a light bulb hanging on a wire
Sucking up to someone just to stoke the fire
Picking out the highlights of the scenery
Saw a little cloud that looked a little like me

I had my hands in the river, my feet back up on the banks
Looked up to the lord above and said, Hey, man, thanks

Sometimes I feel so good I got to scream
She said, Gordie, baby, I know exactly what you mean
She said, she said, I swear to god she said

My memory is muddy, what’s this river that I’m in?
New Orleans is sinking, man, and I don’t want to swim

Swim”

Gord Downie

Good times…right?

With The Tragically Hip, there is often a depth to the lyrics that challenges us to explore a broader meaning. ‘New Orleans is Sinking’ serves as a warning. On the surface it celebrates the resilience of a city that has been ravaged by natural disasters on more than one occasion. Based on its unfortunate geographical location, in the delta where the Mississippi River meets the Gulf of Mexico, New Orleans is actually built below sea level. The fact that the combination of rising tides and inevitable coastal erosion have conspired to leave inhabitants in a virtual bowl, has led astute observers to suggest that it is indeed, sinking.

By using New Orleans as a metaphor, Gord Downie may have been telling us all that the trials and tribulations life throws our way can be overcome. We will rise to the challenge and give thanks to a higher power of our choosing.

I had my hands in the river, my feet back up on the banks
Looked up to the lord above and said, Hey, man, thanks
Sometimes I feel so good I got to scream
She said, Gordie, baby, I know exactly what you mean
She said, she said, I swear to god she said
My memory is muddy, what’s this river that I’m in?
New Orleans is sinking, man, and I don’t want to swim”

Gord Downie

Notice that for Gord, the deity he praises is a ‘she’?

How appropriate. Water is a symbol of feminine power. In its purity, water serves as a source of life and eternal sustenance. It becomes transformative. This becomes the message.

‘Swim’ or in other words live…survive.

Throw in some other allusions, such as Colonel Tom Parker, who was famous for his role as Elvis Presley’s manager. Before Elvis, there was a significant affiliation with Canadian country singer Hank Snow. The verse continues with phrases that include the very topical U.S/Canada ‘Free Trade Agreement’ which was a topic of national debate at the time of writing. Gord Downie was even known to blurt out ‘NAFTA’ during some performances. Then there is a reference to ‘North’ which can be construed as Oliver North and the infamous Iran Contra deal. Clandestine U.S. duplicity in a most notorious form. Within this passage, there is also a clever nod to the unending cultural ‘north/south’ divide that goes all the way back to colonial times. In the U.S. South there remains a contention that one should ‘do what you feel is real’ which of course harkens to a perceived ‘god-given’ right to freedom.

And thirty-three years later we continue to sing along. A party tune, rife with social significance. Every fan of The Tragically Hip has their own story, as a result it can be told in millions of ways.

This connection becomes the story of the band, and how they brought a nation together on this day six years ago.

Through the years ‘New Orleans is Sinking’ presented a microcosm of how The Tragically Hip was evolving as a band. It can be detected in their live performances, because like any great band, this setting offered a glimpse of what was to come. Here they are in 1990. Note the rapport between Gord and the audience. Shamanistic…Morrison-like. Listen for the tease that suggests the earliest form of ‘Looking for a Place to Happen’ which would be two years away on ‘Fully Completely’, along with ‘Those Memories of You’ by Emmylou Harris and ‘Don’t Want to Know’ by John Martyn. No work of art was completed in a day. The live stage was this band’s true canvas and the palette was full of possibilities.

One year later, perhaps the most famous live version of ‘New Orleans is Sinking’ provided Gord’s ‘Killer Whale Tank’ monologue, at the Roxy in New York City. This is May 3, 1991. Listen as Gord goes off on a tangent and brings the band and the audience to an aquarium, of all places. Again…water…and man’s place in nature.

Moving on to 1993, here is a meaningful performance in Toronto, featuring The Tragically Hip at the first Kumbaya Festival. This event, which was initiated by Molly Johnson, raised over one million dollars for AIDS research and AIDS related charities. The Hip blew the lid off the Ontario Place Forum that night with their trademark energy. Heather and I were there, but more significantly, perhaps we introduced a new fan to their music?

In the words of our son, Sebastian.

You could say I was born into it, almost literally as my Mom was pregnant with me when she first saw The Tragically Hip perform. My parents are huge influences on me in many ways, but one of the biggest ways was fostering and encouraging my love of music, as well as my love of reading and writing.”

Sebastian Johnston-Lindsay

Sebastian was born on Christmas Day that same year. To this day, he considers The Tragically Hip one of his favourite bands. As part of his life in academia, Sebastian managed to blend his love for The Tragically Hip with his analysis of the Canadian identity.

The Hip’s music has always been in my life. When Gord Downie passed away in 2017, I was a year away from starting my PhD, but I remember thinking about how interesting it would be to work on a project that explored Canadian identity through their music.”

Sebastian Johnston-Lindsay

Presently, Sebastian is a PhD student at Trent University with a focus on Canadian Studies and Indigenous Studies. It has always been his contention that Gord Downie, through his lyrics and conversation was trying to get us to consider multiple interpretations of any topic of discussion.

I think that what Canadian Studies represents as an interdisciplinary field of study, which includes within it, the possibility of a multitude of interpretations and approaches to Canada’s past and present, has historically aimed to resist easy readings of nationalism. I understand why people would feel that way, however, the field was more or less created at a time in the mid-twentieth century when there was legitimate worry about the state of Canada. For many, higher education became the focus of their anxieties. We can debate in retrospect whether or not their concerns were justified, but we can’t discount that these were real concerns being expressed. The field that would eventually find its home at Trent, is now one which is actively resistant to singular readings of Canadian history. In my own work, especially some of the papers I’ve given on Gord Downie and The Tragically Hip, what I have demonstrated is the untenability of a unified national culture in Canada. I feel like nationalizing statements which followed The Hip around for most of their career and culminated in the CBC produced “National Celebration” is wonderful, but the sentiments tend to fall apart as soon as you begin to expose them to any level of scrutiny. I think that’s a good thing, and from all the interviews and articles I’ve read with Gord Downie, he would have been the first to agree, and resist that kind nationalizing message.”

Sebastian Johnston-Lindsay

This exploration may have begun as far back as 1993. Here is the link to the full interview with Sebastian and Derek Newman-Stille.

An Interview with Sebastian Johnston-Lindsay

Watch and listen, as the band blends ‘Nautical Disaster’ into this presentation. Yet another signature Hip song that would be released on their 1994 ‘Day for Night’ album.

One year later, here is ‘New Orleans is Sinking’ live from the PinkPop Festival in Landgraaf, Holland. This time they tease ‘Ahead by a Century’ in the jam. It is raw, but this is how some of their most memorable material emerged. This is also known as the ‘Cookie Factory/Westwind’ version.

It used to whisper come on and eat me.”

Gord Downie

I am not sure what the PinkPop crowd thought, but this is simply epic.

The surprises inside the ‘Cracker Jack box’ continue. This version from 1997 delivered an ode to David Bowie with ‘China Girl’, and Brian Wilson and his song ‘Don’t Worry Baby’. Few artists can do this with such grace. Yet somehow Gord Downie, and The Tragically Hip make it all their own.

This brings me to the final show in 2016. It seems a shame to gloss over two decades…

I think they want another song, Paul.”

Gord Downie

I wrote this for Facebook immediately after the show. I remember being moved to such an extent by this galvanizing performance, that I just had to share my thoughts. If I am ever blessed by such a powerful event again, I will be fortunate.

“He said I’m ‘Tragically Hip’, C’mon just let’s Go…”

Just reflecting on tonight’s Tragically Hip show. I was turned onto them by a university friend from Kingston (Belleville) in 1986. I have literally been able to follow them from start to finish. There are few bands who enjoy this type of longevity, and even fewer that I have been able to watch over the duration of their prolific run. Rush would be the closest example for me but I became a fan of theirs after they released their fifth studio album. Rush will always be my favourite band but The Tragically Hip will always be special because I kind of feel like I became an adult alongside them. To watch that final show tonight with my wife and three sons was pretty powerful. Heather and I saw The Hip live when we were expecting Sebastian. Other friends have told us the same type of story. They are truly a band for our generation and our country. The Hip never sold out and they never let us down. The fact that they didn’t make it big in the U.S. never mattered to me. It’s their loss. They probably just never ‘got it’. Their lyrics are purely Canadian, and Gord Downie’s delivery is so theatrical; idiosyncratic and kinda weird…but he is our weird; like the cool guy at the party who dared to be different. We never dared to step out like Gord, but tonight millions sat and watched and were literally able to say “I knew that guy back when…” How lucky we are as a country to be able to collectively say we were along for the ride with that ‘cool guy’. When Gord sang ‘Scared‘ tonight the lyrics hit me hard. The man, through his lyrics has almost been foreshadowing his life for years. There are numerous examples. We have no idea “…what tomorrow brings.” But one thing for sure “it has been a pleasure doing business with you.” Thank you Tragically Hip and Thank You Gord!”

Ted Lindsay

And yes…nearly a quarter century later, Sebastian was right there with us. Taking in the moment. I remember looking at him at one point during the concert. Words didn’t need to be exchanged. We just knew the magnitude of what we were witnessing.

So did about one third of our nation.

But most significantly, in that moment Gord Downie had us all in the palm of his hand. We were literally the feather in that trademark hat.

In looking for some cover versions, I was able to find a quality rendition from 2018 by Steve Perron. This is live from Toronto’s Roy Thompson Hall. You can feel his adulation for The Hip.

Let’s move on to 2020 and a Ted Tocks Covers favourite, Crystal Shawanda. A fantastic cover by an important artist representing the new guard of Canadian musicians. Those who say no one is making good music these days are simply not listening.

Fittingly, later this year, The Tragically Hip will once again be honoured with a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame. This time for their devotion to humanitarian efforts.

The Tragically Hip have been added to the list of inductees into Canada’s Walk of Fame for 2022. Not only are they being recognized for their music but also for their humanitarian work in the realms of social and environmental justice.”

The Canadian Walk of Fame

They had previously been recognized twenty years ago for their contribution to the country’s Arts and Entertainment scene.

Clearly, they transcended that domain, and took things to proportions the likes of which we may never see again.

We were all lucky to be along for the ride.

Your Daddy Don’t Know/What About Love – Forty years ago big things were brewing in the Toronto music scene. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #Toronto #Heart #HoneymoonSuite #NewPornographers

Back in the early ‘80s, I was a student attending Acton High School.  At the time, three radio stations were earnestly vying for the ear of the lucrative Southern Ontario market. If you favoured new wave, CFNY was the choice. Being more of a hard rock, progressive rock and British invasion guy, I gravitated to CHUM-FM and Q107. By the mid ‘80s CHUM-FM went off the rails, so I ended up at the ‘Mighty Q’ for many years. As much as Q107 opened the door to so much music of the past, at one time they also did a phenomenal job of providing exposure for up-and-coming rock bands. They offered a solid mix. Numerous Toronto area bands cite Q107 as an essential catalyst to their success.

Suitably, one such band was Toronto. This act formed in the late ‘70s and drew a significant amount of attention with their cutting-edge sound. Their ace in the hole was dynamic vocalist, Annie ‘Holly’ Woods who reminded astute listeners of Pat Benatar. Just an observation, but it  seems that what lovers of music tend to do when they hear something new, is immediately aim to create favourable comparisons to an artist they like (or don’t like), and then form an opinion. This is one example of how musical camps were formed. Forty years ago, those houses were quite rigid and people were not so open to stepping outside the walls. Fortunately for Toronto, this created an camp of devout listeners for the short period that they were active.

They are remembered fondly.

The band’s lineup was a bit of a revolving door, but the key members were Woods and guitarist Brian Allen. They were joined by guitarist/backing vocalist Sheron Alton, keyboard player Scott Kreyer, bassist Nick Costello and drummer Jimmy Fox. In 1980, Toronto released their debut album ‘Lookin’ for Trouble’ which featured ‘Even the Score’. This song generated positive exposure on Q107. It takes me back.

One year later, Toronto released their follow up album ‘Head On’. Here is the title track.

See what I mean? It is good stuff. It definitely takes any listener back to that era of music. Toronto was fresh, and they were a developing local success story.

Behind the scenes Toronto was enduring dissension within the ranks. Their rhythm section disintegrated with the departure of Costello and Fox. They were replaced with Garry Lalonde and Barry Connors. The newly formed sextet headed into the studio and recorded what would become their most popular album, ‘Get It on Credit’ in 1982. This album yielded one of today’s feature songs.

‘Your Daddy Don’t Know’ went all the way to #5 in Canada, and it even penetrated the United States market, reaching #77. The song was written by Geoff Iwamoto and Michael Roth. Holly Woods delivery was emphatic. It hit you right between the eyes.

With all this chart success, and some high-profile Juno nominations, Toronto was poised for a meteoric rise, but as mentioned, internal dissent was an issue. One of the core problems stemmed from the song selection for ‘Get It on Credit’. This becomes the big story of today’s post.

Listen to a song that we all know called ‘What About Love’.

This was written by Sheron Alton, Brian Allen and producer Jim Vallance as part of the ‘Get It on Credit’ sessions. As the story goes, Toronto recorded about fifteen solid tracks for this important third album, but only ten made the cut. This infuriated Alton and Allen, who opted to leave the band. Barry Connors was close behind. Truth be told, he didn’t even play the drums on ‘What About Love’. He offered the kit to Jim Vallance since he was an integral part in writing the song.

This set up leads to the bigger story. Here it is, in the words of Jim Vallance.

Brian and Sheron had a small studio in their basement. One night they invited me to their home for dinner. Afterwards we went downstairs and wrote a song based on a title that’d been kicking around in my head for a month or more … “What About Love”. I envisioned those three words sung on one note, like John Lennon did on “All You Need Is Love”. That’s all I had, but they liked the idea. I don’t want to say it was easy, because writing songs is never easy, but “What About Love” came together very quickly. It only took two or three hours to complete, with each of us contributing equal portions of music and lyric.  I came away thinking we’d really “clicked” as a songwriting team, and I thought the song was more than good.”

Jim Vallance

This tells the story of the creation of ‘What About Love’ and it speaks to how it was rejected by a band that were at a crossroads, but how did it end up in the hands of music legends?

Once again, here is Jim Vallance.

It took a while to connect the dots, to get the whole story.  I knew that Solid Gold, Toronto’s label, had gone bankrupt, but I didn’t know Solid Gold’s catalogue had been acquired by ATV Music. ATV’s Canadian publisher Michael McCarty took the time to listen to every song in the Solid Gold catalogue, including unreleased demo recordings. “What About Love” caught his ear and he sent a copy to Don Grierson, who in turn played the song for Heart’s producer, Ron Nevison.”

Jim Vallance

Here is Ron Nevison’s recollection of ‘What About Love’. As you read, take note of the fact that even the Wilson sisters were divided at first.

I remember specifically being up at Nancy’s house in Snohomish, Washington, rehearsing, and when I played that song, Nancy left the room.  She wasn’t happy with that song at first for Heart. They hated the treatment and production of the demo, and I think it was more the vocal they hated. Because the vocal in the demo was so wimpy, and I said, ‘Listen, here’s the way it’s gonna be: I am not going to force you to do any song.  But also, when you listen to a demo, I don’t want you to listen to someone’s wimped-out vocal, because you guys are the greatest singers in the entire fuckin’ rock world. So, I want you to think of this demo as musical notes on paper.  Pretend I handed you a lyric and music sheet, and you’re gonna play it as a band, and if you can’t make it your own, I’m not gonna make you do it’.  And suddenly it came alive, and there was a lesson there. A producer can listen through and past that.  I was only listening to melodies and notes, not to vocal performances and production.  A lot of people aren’t capable of seeing past that, but Don Grierson was and I was, and I didn’t have to make Heart do it.  They started playing it, and once Ann and Nancy heard it on tape, the went, ‘Oh … okay’.  It became much more their song by the time we’d gone from pre-production to proper recording. I’ll never forget the day that their managers came into the studio, right after I cut the basic track at the Record Plant in L.A., which was just a rhythm guitar, keyboard and vocal on it.  They flipped out over it, and the girls were almost over the moon, everybody was, at how good it had turned out.  And I hadn’t even mixed it yet.  So, the lesson there is always jump to conclusions slowly.”

Ron Nevison

As a result of Ron Nevison’s perseverance, ‘What About Love’ by Heart became a hit single on both rock and pop charts, selling over five million copies within a year of its release.

Here is Heart’s version of ‘What About Love’. This track includes Mickey Thomas and Grace Slick of Starship on backing vocals.

Twenty years after it was originally recorded, Toronto released their ‘original’ version of ‘What About Love’ as part of their compilation album ‘Toronto: The Greatest Hits’.

In 2021, ‘What About Love’ was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. Yet another fascinating footnote that speaks to the fact so much of Heart’s success has Canadian roots.

The revolving door for Toronto continued. This saw Garry Lalonde move on to the band Honeymoon Suite. You can see him playing bass on ‘Feel It Again’ which was part of the band’s acclaimed second album ‘The Big Prize’. Again, classic CanCon from the ‘80s.

Barry Connors went on to become the drummer for Coney Hatch, but by the time he arrived the band had seen their best days.

Bringing things full circle, here is ‘Your Daddy Don’t Know’ by New Pornographers. This cover was part of the soundtrack for the movie ‘FUBAR’.

Over the last forty years a lot of water has flowed beneath the bridge. The Canadian music scene is highly regarded the world over. There are so many bands and artists of renown. One can almost imagine it in tiers. Looking back, I see Toronto, firmly ensconced on the third tier of this ladder. They are not among the greats, but they definitely showed many acts to come that hard work and dedication to their craft could be a gateway to local, national and even international success. A short time after Toronto emerged as a strong act with a dynamic female lead, many other similar bands grabbed the torch. Along with a list of worthy hits and one ground-breaking international single, albeit not initially released by them; this is their legacy.

They were not quite pioneers, but they certainly helped to blaze a trail.