Freedom – Sometimes I feel like a Motherless Child – A look back at Day 1 of Woodstock. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers

Today is the anniversary of Day 1 of Woodstock.

My initial plan was to share an old Ted Tocks feature discussing an artist and a Woodstock performance from 54 years ago.

But then…

I thought I would go all in and spend the next three days celebrating the festival that changed music history.

In taking you back over five decades I will do everything I can to keep the words to a minimum and the music to a maximum. I will walk you through each day’s performing artists in order, while sharing their set lists for reference.

From here I will link any Ted Tocks features that have offered a song performed at the festival.

If I have not featured the artist on Ted Tocks Covers, I will grab a set highlight and share that song in order to give you a taste.

Hopefully it will be a fun trip. No brown acid here. Just a ton of amazing music that will take us back to a time where ‘FREEDOM’ was not just another word co-opted by a bunch of people who have forgotten what it really means.

Speaking of ‘Freedom’, Richie Havens famously opened Woodstock with an epic set of music that included a cover of The Beatles ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ and a version of this signature song that brought the ever-expanding Woodstock crowd to their feet.

1. From the Prison/Get Together/From the Prison
2. I’m a Stranger Here
3. High Flyin’ Bird
4. I Can’t Make It Anymore
5. With a Little Help from My Friends
6. Handsome Johnny
7. Medley: Strawberry Fields Forever/Hey Jude

Strawberry Fields Forever – Psychoanalysis set to music. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #TheBeatles #JohnLennon #Odetta #RichieHavens #PeterGabriel #ToddRundgren #TheRunaways #LosFabulososCadillacs #DebbieHarry #BenHarper #CyndiLauper #HayseedDixie #RickWakeman

8. Freedom (incl. Motherless Child)

This quote from his autobiography, ‘They Can’t Hide Us Anymore’ tells the story of how he adopted his unique playing style.

Instead of placing my fingers in the right places on the right strings to make traditional chords, I changed the tuning of a few strings to make a complete chord without pressing down on the fret board at all. By tuning the guitar in this way—to an “open chord”—and by strumming all six strings together, it took me all of ten seconds to realize I could slide my thumb along the neck of the guitar to make different chords at every fret stop. …When I learned a song, I automatically felt the tempo to sing it; the strumming was there to fill in the gaps between lines and to emphasize anticipations, pickups, and turnarounds. The other odd thing was that my left foot became my body metronome. I tapped it heel to toe, which gave me a rhythm to play the guitar against.”

Richie Havens

What a way to start off a three-day festival.

Next on the bill was Sweetwater. Interestingly they were supposed to kick off the festival but they were stuck in traffic. A common refrain for thousands on this weekend.

Sweetwater kicked off their set with ‘Motherless Child’. If this song seems familiar it is because Richie Havens used it as he improvised ‘Freedom’ to kill time before leaving the stage.

Before I move on to Sweetwater’s setlist, please note that their original version of what became known as ‘Motherless Child’ was improvised too.

Here is vocalist Nancy Nevins recalling the chance encounter that brought her together with Sweetwater.

They were strangers to me. One night, I was 17 and…on my way home from West Hollywood. I was talking to my car, and the car and I agreed I’d better stop somewhere on my way home…. I wandered into this coffeehouse on Melrose near L.A. City College. The small coffeehouse is long gone, but it was called “The Scarab.” Alex, Albert (flute), and Elpidio (percussion) were jamming with a couple other strangers. It was a 2 chord riff. I loved the sounds and I just stood up and started to jam the lyric, “sometimes I feel like a motherless child,” over their chords. It worked great. We performed spontaneously like that for almost an hour, I think. Then I just left. I had no idea who they were and I didn’t care. I felt able to drive then, I felt shy, too, and I just wanted to go home. It was a rainy school night and I still had to make it back to my mom’s house in Glendale. As far as I knew then, no one anywhere was making these sounds. The Sweetwater guys were spectacular when everyone else played guitars and drums. These guys rocked on a flute and an old Fender Rhodes keyboard, a violin, and percussion. No one did that.”

Nancy Nevins

Here is Sweetwater’s setlist.

1. Motherless Child
2.  Look Out
3.  For Pete’s Sake
4.  Day Song
5.  What’s Wrong
6.  My Crystal Spider
7.  Two Worlds
8.  Why Oh Why/Let the Sunshine/Oh Happy Day

After Sweetwater was done, Bert Sommer took the stage and led the crowd through an ambitious ten song set. The highlight was a stunning version of ‘America’ by Simon and Garfunkel.

It took me four days to hitchhike from Saginaw”

Paul Simon

Bert Sommer is credited with inspiring the first standing ovation at Woodstock with this rousing cover.

Here is his setlist.

1. Jennifer
2. The Road to Travel
3. I Wondered Where You’d Be
4. She’s Gone
5. Things Are Going My Way
6. And When It’s Over
7. Jeanette
8. America

America – A look back at the five day adventure that inspired a classic song. Happy birthday to #PaulSimon. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #Yes #BrettSommer #Sting #FirstAidKit

9. A Note That Read

10. Smile

Bert Sommer is one name from Woodstock that exists as a foot note. Another is Tim Hardin. Fate dealt him some horrible blows. From a musical perspective he is best perhaps best known as the man who brought us ‘If I Were a Carpenter’.

Just a beautiful song, appreciated by many. Check out the Robert Plant version. Wow!

1. How Can We Hang On to a Dream?
2. Susan
3. If I Were a Carpenter

If I Were a Carpenter – Reflections on the creation of #TedTocksCovers. #MusicisLife #TimHardin #BobbyDarin #FourTops #BobSeger #JohnHolt #RobertPlant

4. Reason To Believe

5. You Upset the Grace of Living When You Lie

6. Speak Like a Child

7. Snow White Lady

8.Blues on the Ceilin’

9. Simple Song of Freedom

10. Misty Roses

Hardin’s set went over very well, but it could have been even more memorable. Festival organizer Michael Lang actually begged Hardin to lead off the Woodstock when he discovered Sweetwater was stuck in traffic. Hardin refused. He insisted that his contract stated his spot in the lineup and he was sticking to it. Instead, he calmed himself by drinking heavily. His nerves calmed, he delivered his solid set by motor memory and bathed in the growing crowd’s appreciation.

Unfortunately Tim Hardin’s performance was left out of the movie and off of the soundtrack album.  

Next up at Woodstock was Ravi Shankar who blew the audience away at the Monterey Pop Festival in June of 1967. In many ways, Monterey began the Peace and Love Festival scene and Woodstock signified its end, before it all came crashing down at Altamont a few months later.

Ravi Shankar’s music was instrumental in inspiring George Harrison among many others.

Here is ‘Evening Raga’ which has an appropriate vibe. It set the stage for the entire festival. Shankar even played through a bit of rain, which looking back, was a fine example of foreshadowing.

1. Rāga Puriya-Dhanashri (Gat In Sawarital)
2. Tabla Solo In Jhaptal
3. Rāga Manj Kmahaj: Alap Jor, Dhun In Kaharwa Tal, Medium & Fast Gat In Teental

Here is a concise quote from Shankar that speaks to his spiritual vision and how music has the ability to be transcendental.

The music to us is religion. The quickest way to reach godliness is through music.”

Ravi Shankar

Ravi Shankar was joined on stage by Maya Kulkarni on tamboura and Allah Rakha on tabla. The audience was enraptured.

Truth be told, I did not know much about Melanie until I saw her perform at the ‘20^th Anniversary of Woodstock’ concert presentation at Molson Park in Barrie, in 1989. She played a fun set. Heather and I enjoyed it so much we went out and bought a ‘Greatest Hits’ package. Melanie Safka’s name has come up a few times in Ted Tocks Covers over the years.

Her Woodstock set consisted of seven songs including this version of ‘Beautiful People’ which definitely captured the scene.

If I weren’t afraid you’d laugh at me
I would run and take all your hands
And I’d gather everyone together for a day
And when we gathered
I’ll pass buttons out that say

Beautiful people
Then you’d never have to be alone
‘Cause there’ll always be someone
With the same button on as you
Include him in everything you do”

Melanie Safka

Here is Melanie’s setlist.

1. Close to it All
2. Momma Momma
3. Beautiful People

4. Animal Crackers

5. Mr. Tambourine Man

6. Tuning My Guitar

7. Birthday of the Sun

Ted Tocks Covers is a big Arlo Guthrie fan. From the time I was introduced to his hilarious Woodstock monologue and the hippie generation anthem ‘Coming into Los Angeles’.

Here is his set list:

1. Coming Into Los Angeles

Here is a Ted Tocks Covers post from four years ago that celebrates Arlo Guthrie while offering a tip of the hat to his father Woody.

Coming into Los Angeles – A classic moment to commemorate the 50th anniversary of #Woodstock and a couple of personal reflections. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #ArloGuthrie #SarahLeeGuthrie

Something I did not know, is that the version of ‘Coming into Los Angeles’ presented on the ‘Woodstock Soundtrack’ is clearly not from the actual performance. It is a much more hard-driving version from a show at The Troubadour in Los Angeles a short time later.

2. Wheel of Fortune

3. Walking Down the Line

4. Arlo Speech: Exodus

5. Oh Mary, Don’t You Weep

6. Every Hand in the Land

7. Amazing Grace

Enjoy Arlo Guthrie’s entire 45-minute set. It’s fun to listen to, because he captures the spirit of the scene. His set was delayed. Guthrie admits to drinking a fair bit before taking the stage. It’s like a campfire for half a million people. The numbers grow as his set carries on pass midnight. His Moses monologue is priceless. It is all just classic Arlo.

It was 1:30 in the morning when Joan Baez took the stage. Day one was set aside for folk and traditional music. As one listens and reflects you get a sense that it was setting the table for the iconic performances that were on the horizon.

1. Oh Happy Day
2. The Last Thing on My Mind
3. I Shall Be Released
4. Joe Hill

5. Sweet Sir Galahad
6. Hickory Wind
7. Drug Store Truck Drivin’ Man

Considering the late hour Joan Baez delivered a candid set. She was joined Jeffrey Shurtleff on the stage. Their stage banter was very reflective of the political overtones that would paint the Woodstock experience. Listen to Shurtleff’s introduction to Gram Parson’s ‘Drug Store Truck Drivin’ Man’. This was a prescient message.

Drug Store Truck Driving Man – The life and death of #GramParsons. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #EmmylouHarris #JoanBaez

8. I Live One Day at a Time
9. Take Me Back to the Sweet Sunny South
10. Warm and Tender Love
11. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
12. We Shall Overcome

Baez closed her set with a powerful version of Pete Seeger’s ‘We Shall Overcome’. This is a song she sang in 1963, on the steps of Washington Monument just a few feet away from where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his immortal ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.

Oh, deep in my heart,
I do believe
We shall overcome, some day.”

Pete Seeger

How appropriate this folk anthem would be as half a million people banded together to enjoy the music, the message and each other’s company.

A small city united by love and music and just enough drugs to take the edge off any inconvenience the lack of amenities presented.

Ol’ ‘55 – Riding with Lady Luck #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #TomWaits #TheEagles #IainMatthews #EricAndersen #RichieHavens #ShawnColvin #SarahMcLachlan #ShelbyLynne #AllisonMoorer

One, two, three, four…

And with that count in Tom Waits served notice to the music world that he was a force to be reckoned with.

‘Ol’ ‘55’ is the opening track on Waits’ debut album ‘Closing Time’ which was released fifty years ago today. Yet another classic album from David Geffen, Elliot Roberts and the team at Asylum Records.

For Tom Waits, ‘Ol’ ‘55’ is an intriguing offering. It exists as one of his most mainstream presentations with a more standard vocal delivery than his later songs, that are renowned for his more throaty pleas.

It has been pretty much accepted that ’Ol ‘55’ was Waits’ ode to his beloved 1955 Cadillac.

Through the years ‘Ol’ ‘55’ has been covered by a long list of interesting artists which lends credence to Ted Tocks Covers premise that the best way to understand the importance of a musicians’ impact is to measure the regard to which they are held by other performers.

In this space Tom Waits is certainly revered. Both his lyrical style which often captures the seedy underbelly of society, and his lowly, dive bar at ‘Closing Time’ style. This is Tom Waits and his carefully cultivated craft.

All of this leads to a bit of a battle of words regarding what is perhaps the best-known cover of ‘Ol ‘55’ by Asylum stable-mates the Eagles. This version appeared on their 1974 ‘On the Border’ album which was the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame acts’ third album. Take a listen.

It’s a very thoughtful track, and it definitely inspires a strong appeal. The thing is, Tom Waits hated it.

I don’t like the Eagles. They’re about as exciting as watching paint dry.”

Tom Waits

Waits could not even be swayed by the fact the royalties from the Eagles success began pouring in from the time of the Eagles release and continue to the present day.

Their albums are good for keeping the dust off your turntable and that’s about all.” 

Tom Waits

In many ways, Tom Waits is like The Big Lebowski of the music industry.

The taxi driver represents millions of AM radio listeners in the ‘70s and Jeff Bridges plays the role of Tom Waits.

Okay, I am rolling with the fun here, but speaking to this point, in what is truly ironic, if you are a Tom Waits fan and are joining the unique piano player in kicking sand on the Eagles, you might dial it back a little because despite the fact ‘Closing Time’ is a great album, it received only a lukewarm reception. An argument could be made that the Eagles bankrolled Waits’ career while his releases gathered traction as time went on. Many artists were never that fortunate.

If you want to read a good article that breaks down the significance of this sugar vs. saccharine music analogy read this piece by Tom Taylor.

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/tom-waits-didnt-like-the-eagles-cover-ol-55/

Two quotes really drew me to his theory.

First, Taylor speaks to the deeper meaning of the song.

The song is, for my money, a tale about Waits or some other disenfranchised character leaving his new lover’s place in the morning. He drives through a promising new dawn with just the vague hint that he’d still rather be in bed shading his bright poetic view of early morning traffic. Each additional car piling behind his post-coital precession further invigorating his love for his new romantic partner; such is the way amid the rose-tinted throes of the morning after a blossoming encounter.”

Tom Taylor

Taylor follows with this accurate assessment of the Eagles cover.

The issue with The Eagles’ cover is that it offers up the buoyant transition of sleepy verse to the windows-down triumph of the chorus, but it arrives at this windfall without any of the depth as to why. The creaking crescendo of Waits’ instrumentation, as he stretches out his creases and yawns his way towards a key change in the early exchanges is lost, resulting in a pleasant but ultimately sanitised AM radio version by the classic American commercial rock band.”

Tom Taylor

Go through this interpretation again while listening to the song and reading the lyrics.

Well my time went so quickly, I went lickety-splickly out to my old ’55
As I drove away slowly, feeling so holy, God knows, I was feeling alive.

Now the sun’s coming up, I’m riding with Lady Luck, freeway cars and trucks,
Stars beginning to fade, and I lead the parade
Just a-wishing I’d stayed a little longer,
Oh, Lord, let me tell you that the feeling’s getting stronger.

And it’s six in the morning, gave me no warning; I had to be on my way.
Well there’s trucks all a-passing me, and the lights are all flashing,
I’m on my way home from your place.

And now the sun’s coming up, I’m riding with Lady Luck, freeway cars and trucks,
Stars beginning to fade, and I lead the parade
Just a-wishing I’d stayed a little longer,
Oh, Lord, let me tell you that the feeling’s getting stronger.

And my time went so quickly, I went lickety-splickly out to my old ’55
As I pulled away slowly, feeling so holy, God knows, I was feeling alive.

Now the sun’s coming up, I’m riding with Lady Luck,
Freeway cars and trucks, freeway cars and trucks, freeway cars and trucks…”

Tom Waits

Ted Tocks Covers could not have said it any better. Therefore, I share Taylor’s quotes and his article.

Now, let’s wade deeper into the cover versions of ‘Ol’ ‘55’. It is here that we find the real gold.

Here is a perfect example. Listen to Iain Matthews, formerly of Fairport Convention. This is from his 1974 album ‘Some Days You Eat the Bear’. It features the great David Lindley on lap steel guitar. Lindley is an absolute gem. The evening I sat and researched this post, news came over the wire that David Lindley had passed away at the age of 78. It’s almost like the universe was pushing me toward this cover. It’s so good.

The Matthews/Eagles connection does go a little deeper. The previous year Iain was working with former Monkees great Michael Nesmith on the album ‘Valley Hi’ which featured a quality cover of Steve Young’s ‘Seven Bridges Road’. Guess who turned that song into gold while employing the style of Iain Matthews.

All I am saying is artists like Tom Waits, Iain Matthews and the Eagles were all breathing in the same California air during this period.

Seven Bridges Road – In harmony with your surroundings. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #SteveYoung #IainMatthews #JoanBaez #RitaCoolidge #TheCarterFamily #DollyParton #BillyStrings #TheEagles

One year later in 1975, Eric Andersen released this country/folk cover on his album ‘Be True to You’. This captures a little more of the melancholy of the track which contrasts the triumphant style of the Eagles. This features Emory Gordy Jr. on bass guitar and Richard Bennett with some quality steel guitar.

Ted Tocks Covers loves Richie Havens. Here is his 1980 cover from his album ‘Connections’. I like the honky-tonk style, but I am not sure the delivery captures the intended mood.  

Heading into the ‘90s, enjoy Shawn Colvin who issued ‘Ol’ ‘55’ on her 1995 album, ‘Cover Girl’. My YouTube quest led me to this live recording from 2017. Colvin is an interesting story that I urge you to explore. She has overcome many personal battles. Check out ‘Diamond in the Rough’ which is both a quality song and the title of her 2012 memoir.

The covers just keep coming, and this one is spectacular. Enjoy the beautiful voice of Sarah McLachlan. Once again, the intended spirit of this track is captured here. There is a longing to this that makes it an essential recording in McLachlan’s impressive catalogue. The acoustic slide work you hear is none other than Luke Doucet of the great Canadian act Whitehorse. Yet another immense talent.

Once again, let’s celebrate the women who seem to have an innate ability to present Waits’ masterpiece. It has clearly aged like fine wine as another new generation of artists add it to their repertoire. Here is Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer on the Tom Waits tribute album ‘Come on Up to the House: Women Sing Waits’.

The essence of today’s post lies in the fact that the most popular version of a song is not always the best. An intrinsic beauty does occur though. Like in all great music, it opens up an avenue to explore the roots of a song and follow them through the years.

As always, the influence becomes the story and the interpretations branch out. The reach creates a broader appeal.

From here, the fascination continues. This is why I write.

Strawberry Fields Forever – Psychoanalysis set to music. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #TheBeatles #JohnLennon #Odetta #RichieHavens #PeterGabriel #ToddRundgren #TheRunaways #LosFabulososCadillacs #DebbieHarry #BenHarper #CyndiLauper #HayseedDixie #RickWakeman

Just two weeks ago, Ted Tocks Covers featured ‘Penny Lane’. Today, I share what is commonly considered the companion piece, ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’. It was John Lennon’s ‘ying’ to Paul McCartney’s ‘yang’. John Lennon wrote ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ in the fall of 1966 during the down time he had while hanging out on the set of ‘How I Won the War’. Here is a quote from David Sheff’s book ‘All We Are Saying’.

Dick Lester offered me the part in this movie, which gave me time to think without going home. We were in Almerí­a, and it took me six weeks to write the song. I was writing it all the time I was making the film. And as anybody knows about film work, there’s a lot of hanging around.”

John Lennon

Similar to ‘Penny Lane’, it was a fond recollection of growing up in Liverpool. The building known as Strawberry Field was a rather drab structure that housed underprivileged children, but in the neighbourhood of Woolton the overgrown garden was a favourite hiding place for the local kids.

I’ve seen Strawberry Field described as a dull, grimy place next door to him that John imagined to be a beautiful place, but in the summer it wasn’t dull and grimy at all: it was a secret garden. John’s memory of it wasn’t to do with the fact that it was a Salvation Army home; that was up at the house. There was a wall you could bunk over and it was a rather wild garden, it wasn’t manicured at all, so it was easy to hide in.”

John Lennon

Perhaps the most powerful childhood memory speaks to the annual garden party hosted by the Salvation Army, who were the proprietors of the facility. It featured the entertainment of the local Salvation Army band. Here is a great quote from John’s Aunt Mimi.

As soon as we could hear the Salvation Army band starting, John would jump up and down shouting, ‘Mimi, come on. We’re going to be late.’”

Aunt Mimi

Fast forward about twenty years and the perspective is altered significantly by LSD. The lyrics become an outpouring of introspection that in many ways harkens back to a child hiding in an unkempt, but majestic garden. Looking out, he is unsure how to interpret everything he is experiencing.

Here is John Lennon’s analysis of how the song presented.

The second line [sic] goes, ‘No one I think is in my tree.’ Well, what I was trying to say in that line is ‘Nobody seems to be as hip as me, therefore I must be crazy or a genius.’ It’s the same problem as I had when I was five: ‘There is something wrong with me because I seem to see things other people don’t see. Am I crazy, or am I a genius?’ … What I’m saying, in my insecure way, is ‘Nobody seems to understand where I’m coming from. I seem to see things in a different way from most people.’

John Lennon

Here is another excellent quote from the famous ‘Playboy’ interview in 1980.

Strawberry Fields is a real place. After I stopped living at Penny Lane, I moved in with my auntie who lived in the suburbs in a nice semidetached place with a small garden and doctors and lawyers and that ilk living around… not the poor slummy kind of image that was projected in all the Beatles stories. In the class system, it was about half a class higher than Paul, George and Ringo, who lived in government-subsidized housing. We owned our house and had a garden. They didn’t have anything like that. Near that home was Strawberry Fields, a house near a boys’ reformatory where I used to go to garden parties as a kid with my friends Nigel and Pete we would go there and hang out and sell lemonade bottles for a penny. We always had fun at Strawberry Fields. So that’s where I got the name. But I used it as an image. Strawberry Fields forever.”

John Lennon

As you read the lyrics and match the words to these reflective quotes by John Lennon you begin to understand the depth of the psychological purpose of ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’.

Let me take you down, ’cause I’m going to Strawberry Fields
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about
Strawberry Fields forever

Living is easy with eyes closed
Misunderstanding all you see
It’s getting hard to be someone but it all works out
It doesn’t matter much to me
Let me take you down, cause I’m going to Strawberry Fields
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about
Strawberry Fields forever

No one I think is in my tree
I mean it must be high or low
That is you can’t you know tune in but it’s all right
That is I think it’s not too bad
Let me take you down, cause I’m going to Strawberry Fields
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about
Strawberry Fields forever

Always know, sometimes think it’s me
But you know, I know when it’s a dream
I think a “No,” I mean a “Yes”
But it’s all wrong
That is, I think I disagree

Let me take you down, cause I’m going to Strawberry Fields
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about
Strawberry Fields forever
Strawberry Fields forever
Strawberry Fields forever”

John Lennon

The composition of ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’, much like ‘Penny Lane’ and the whole period that saw the creation of ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ and ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ spoke to The Beatles commitment to experiment more in the studio. They had declared in 1966, that they would no longer tour.

Specific to ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’, John Lennon recorded solo demos at his home in Weybridge, Surrey. Note the order of the lyrics.

Initially, the introduction to the song was a declaration of Lennon’s perceived isolation. By the time the song was complete, he had modified the beginning to more of an invitation to listeners to join him on a trip through his past.

Note the addition of the Mellotron, which adds a psychedelic sound to the dreamy lyrics. The Beatles have given credit for this instrumentation to their friend Mike Pinder of The Moody Blues.

I got to know John, Paul, George and Ringo over the years and I introduced them to the ‘tron… Within a week all four of them had a Fab-Tron. I knew that I would be rewarded, and the first time I heard ‘Strawberry Fields’ I was in bliss. It was the closest thing to recording with them, other than my visits to Abbey Road during their recording sessions.”

Mike Pinder

Paul McCartney lends his musical virtuosity by playing the Mellotron. George Harrison added the swarmandal as part of his contribution. This Indian instrument creates the harp like sound. Presently, that same Mellotron is owned by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails fame.

The ultimate recording of ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ was one of the most epic processes of The Beatles recording career. It tested the patience and studio capabilities of everyone. From late November through December there were at least 29 takes featuring the band and guests. This does not include partial tracks created by other invitees, which included a group of three cellists and four trumpeters. George Martin was tasked with scoring the imperative contributions of trumpeters Tony Fisher, Greg Bowen, Derek Watkins and Stanley Roderick, and cellists John Hall, Derek Simpson and Norman Jones.

Essentially what happened was John Lennon created a puzzle and George Martin and Geoff Emerick were charged with putting everything together. Here is George Martin’s brief account.

He said, ‘Why don’t you join the beginning of the first one to the end of the second one?’

‘There are two things against it,’ I replied. ‘They are in different keys and different tempos. Apart from that, fine.’

‘Well,’ he said, ‘you can fix it!’”

George Martin

Through the years, John Lennon’s reliance on the mastery of George Martin became somewhat legendary, but in truth Martin and Emerick always came through. In the case of ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ the preferred recordings were found to be a tone apart, but the pair of studio technicians sped up one version and slowed down the other, to such a degree that they created a suitable match. Splicing together additional takes and portions of the song saw similar treatments working to match for tempo and key. In the end, the recording took over a month.

To fans of The Beatles, it was all worthwhile.

Neither Martin or Lennon were ever completely satisfied.

Bringing everything back to the significance of this date as it relates to ‘Strawberry Fields Forever; it was on this day in 1967 that The Beatles filmed the promotional video at Knole Park, Sevenoaks, Kent, England.

As an interesting sidenote; it was during a break in filming that John Lennon headed into Surrey and visited an antique shop. It was here that he discovered a poster from 1843 which advertised a carnival or circus that was coming to town. This poster became the inspiration for ‘Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite’.

Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite – A splendid time is guaranteed for all. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #TheBeatles #GeorgeMartin #JohnLennon #BeeGees #PeterFrampton #GeorgeBurns #BillyConnolly #CheapTrick #PaulMcCartney

Just another tidbit of information that takes us along the path of timeless creativity. Read on past the covers portion for a handful of other interesting facts related to ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’.

Whenever The Beatles are featured the cover versions come in droves which makes for a fascinating listening experience before settling on a reasonable number to share. Today’s feature is no different. I managed to reduce it to nine covers from a list that numbered well into the hundreds.

The first cover on the list is recognized as the first officially recorded and released reproduction. Odetta released it in June of 1967. Somehow this reflective piece seems perfect for this ‘60s icon who really deserves more attention. This is from her self-titled album. Go to 3:28 or do yourself a favour and listen to it all. So good.

Regular readers of Ted Tocks Covers know that Richie Havens is a favourite. While sifting through the research for this post it was I was reminded that he featured ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ as part of his acclaimed Woodstock set.

Somehow it feels like Richie played every song ever during that heralded performance, but in reality, he played ten songs, three of which were by The Beatles. The other two were ‘With a Little Help from My Friends’ and ‘Hey Jude’. The ‘Hey Jude’/’With a Little Help from My Friends’ combo fed into his epic version of ‘Freedom’ which still sends chills nearly 54 years later.

This is special. Here is the great Peter Gabriel from the 1976 documentary ‘All this and World War II’ which chronicled tracks by the Beatles in association with newsreel footage of World War II. Gabriel’s performance was accentuated by the line;

Living is easy with eyes closed.”

John Lennon

This passage was associated with British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s “Peace for our time” declaration following his meeting with Adolf Hitler. History does not look back kindly on that gathering.

Later in 1976, Todd Rundgren released this cover. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame songwriter/producer and musician extraordinaire never does anything half way. This is from his album ‘Faithful’.

In an effort to capture a combination of big names and unique covers, I gravitated to this 1980 version from The Runaways, featuring Cherie Currie on vocals. This release exists in stark contrast from much of their catalogue. Let it be stated here that it resides in the upper echelon of several amazing covers. A must listen.

My vote for the most unique cover goes to Los Fabulosos Cadillacs and Debbie Harry of Blondie fame. This ska style cover is so good and completely out of the realm initially visualised by John Lennon and The Beatles.

Moving into the 21^st century, here is Ben Harper from the ‘I Am Sam’ soundtrack. This makes me want to watch that provocative Sean Penn movie again.

On to 2002, this is a sentimental presentation from Cyndi Lauper. It was part of ‘Come Together: A Night for John Lennon’s Words and Music’. Proceeds went to families of victims of September 11 attacks…Imagine!

This is sensational. She lives this performance and the musical accompaniment is incredible.

Five years later in 2007, Hayseed Dixie released another one of their many brilliant cover versions. Ted Tocks Covers will tell anyone who listens to check these guys out.

The photos from Ron DeSantis family reunions through the years is a really nice touch. Is my tongue planted firmly in cheek? You decide.

Disney Forever Ron DeFascist!

The covers portion of today’s feature will conclude with the keyboard prowess of the great Rick Wakeman. This is from his 2018 album ‘Piano Odyssey’.

There is definitely a wide degree of cultural significance to ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ because like so many Beatles tracks it took on its own story. Here is a rapid fire of just a few more examples of its interesting evolution.

• The facility itself opened in 1936
• John’s Aunt Mimi wasn’t a big fan of ‘Strawberry Field, but John liked going there. He felt a connection because he had no father and his mother died when he was young. He alluded to his kinship to the children there in several interviews.
• The engineering/production brilliance of the ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ outro featured the famous “I Buried Paul” line uttered by John Lennon. This became part of the infamous Paul is dead rumours…John Lennon insists he said, ”Cranberry Sauce”. Studio fun.
• ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ is thought to be the first song to fade to silence before re-emerging. The dead air drove DJs crazy.
• In 1984 Yoko Ono donated $375,000 to the orphanage. One of the buildings is named Lennon Hall in John Lennon’s honour.
• There is a memorial in Central Park across from The Dakota dedicated to John Lennon. It is called ‘Strawberry Fields’.
• ‘Strawberry Field’ closed in 2005. At the time, only three children remained. Britain’s Salvation Army felt children were better off in foster care or a small group home.

As always with Ted Tocks Covers features that include the Beatles, there was a fine line between what to include and what to leave out. Virtually every Beatles song is a story unto itself; in some cases a book.

Hopefully today’s post captured your imagination to some degree.

Maybe it even took you back to your favourite childhood hideaway. We all need to go there sometimes.

Like John Lennon said…

Nothing is real, and in the grand scheme of things, there really is nothing to get hung about.

Have a great day!

Band on the Run – Running from the oppression of cannabis crazed bureaucrats. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #PaulMcCartneyandWings #RichieHavens #DennyLaine #FooFighters #DaveGrohl #Heart #TaylorHawkins

To say Paul McCartney is always in tune with his surroundings as a lyricist may be both obvious, and an understatement, but for the sake of today’s Ted Tocks feature, that will serve as the thesis. The best part is, it will not be difficult to prove my stance. Let’s escape with the music and enjoy ‘Band on the Run’ by Paul McCartney and Wings.

The ‘Band on the Run’ album was released on this day in 1973. The record had a general concept of breaking free from the shackles created by over a decade in the music business. Inspiration for the title came from a statement made by George Harrison during one in a long line of epic meetings between Apple lawyers and the Beatles. Harrison was implying that he and his bandmates were being held prisoner by the endless legalities that emanated from the Beatles profound success and the resulting financial implications of every decision. George just wanted to get back to the music. Paul McCartney agreed. He stored that statement in his vault of lyric ideas.

A few years later the seed had germinated. By 1973, one of the major factors that split up the Beatles as a band, and fractured their friendships was resolved. George, John and Ringo severed their business partnership with Allen Klein. This triggered McCartney’s vision that a song referencing the theme of prisoners and escape would be a strong notion.

I thought it would be a nice way to start an album. It’s a million things … all put together. Band on the run – escaping, freedom, criminals. You name it, it’s there.”

Paul McCartney

There was definitely some symbolism at play as the lyrics to ‘Band on the Run’ flowed from Paul McCartney’s creative mind to the page. He drew from his days as a Beatle, and the continued pressure to produce quality music as his career continued to soar. This became the catalyst that propelled Paul McCartney and Wings.

It was symbolic: “If we ever get out of here … All I need is a pint a day” … [In the Beatles] we’d started off as just kids really, who loved our music and wanted to earn a bob or two so we could get a guitar and get a nice car. It was very simple ambitions at first. But then, you know, as it went on it became business meetings and all of that … So, there was a feeling of “if we ever get out of here”, yeah. And I did.”

Paul McCartney

Nevertheless, McCartney is on record as stating that ‘Band on the Run is not a concept album.

The basic idea about the band on the run is a kind of prison escape. At the beginning of the album the guy is stuck inside four walls, and eventually breaks out. There is a thread, but it’s not a concept album.”

Paul McCartney

One other observation that served as an inspiration for Paul was the continued perception that musicians who had been busted for marijuana possession were criminals who needed to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. The prevailing attitude in the conservative society back in this era frustrated McCartney to no end. He found himself gravitating to what has been referred to as the ‘desperado’ image of bands like the Byrds, thanks to Gram Parsons’ influence, and by extension the Eagles, who took the country rock genre to unprecedented commercial success.

We’re not criminals. We just would rather do this than hit the booze – which had been a traditional way to do it. We felt that this was a better move.”

Paul McCartney

Debates related to why alcohol is promoted as a socially acceptable drug to the masses, while the naturally occurring marijuana and all its derivatives is still seen as taboo, rage on. Perhaps the message contained within ‘Band on the Run’ was best expressed by music critic Robert Christgau, who offered this summary.

…(It is) about the oppression of rock musicians by cannabis-crazed bureaucrats”.

Robert Christgau

Clearly, McCartney’s mind was swirling with ideas when he wrote ‘Band on the Run’. As snippets of lyrical passages emerged, he opted to combine parts of three pieces he was working on, in order to create one song. This is represented in the ballad introduction, then the shuffling rock suite, and then the country influenced close.

Within the lyrics of ‘Band on the Run’ one can see the combination of influences that Paul McCartney drew from to create yet another musical masterpiece.

Stuck inside these four walls
Sent inside forever
Never seeing no one nice again,
Like you, mama
You, mama…
You…

If I ever get out of here
Thought of giving it all away
To a registered charity.
All I need is a pint a day
If I ever get out of here
(if we ever get out of here)

Well, the rain exploded with a mighty crash
As we fell into the sun
And the first one said to the second one there,
“I hope you’re having fun.”

Band on the run, band on the run
And the jailer man,
And sailor Sam
Were searching everyone
For the band on the run, band on the run.
For the band on the run, band on the run.

Well, the undertaker drew a heavy sigh
Seeing no one else had come
And a bell was ringing in the village square
For the rabbits on the run.

Band on the run, band on the run
And the jailer man,
And sailor Sam
Were searching everyone
For the band on the run, band on the run.

Yeah, the band on the run
The band on the run
Band on the run
Band on the run

Well, the night was falling
As the desert world began to settle down
In the town they’re searching for us everywhere
But we never will be found

Band on the run, band on the run
And the county judge, who held a grudge
Will search for ever more.
For the band on the run
Band on the run
Band on the run
Band on the run

Paul and Linda McCartney

Speaking of a ‘Band on the Run’, things were not easy for the songwriter and his team that included his wife Linda and the great Denny Laine, when they set to recording in in the fall of 1973. They headed for Lagos, Nigeria. In August, guitarist Jimmy McCullough and drummer Denny Seiwell had both left the band due to musical differences and concerns related to Linda’s increased role in the band. Wings were clipped to a trio, but in true Paul McCartney fashion, he just contributed musical parts wherever his talent was required.

I was on drums and guitar a lot, mainly because the drummer decided to leave the group the night before and one of the guitar players decided not to come! So, we got that solo element into an otherwise ‘produced’ album.”

Paul McCartney

Personnel issues were not the only problem. While visiting Nigeria, Paul and Linda were robbed at knifepoint by muggers, who evidently had no idea who their victim was or what their thievery had yielded. They made off with the demos of ‘Band on the Run’.

It was stuff that would be worth a bit on eBay these days, you know? But no, we figured the guys who mugged us wouldn’t even be remotely interested. If they’d have known, they could have just held on to them and made themselves a little fortune. But they didn’t know, and we reckoned they’d probably record over them.”

Paul McCartney

This meant heading back to the studio and recording everything from memory. The first two parts were completed in Lagos, while the third part was done at AIR studios in London where they enlisted the services of Tony Visconti. McCartney was enamoured with his work doing arrangements for T. Rex, so he was brought on to write music for the 60-piece orchestra on the title track and a handful of other songs on the album. Oddly, Visconti was not credited for his contributions until the 25^th anniversary package was released in 1998.

By the time ‘Band on the Run’ was released in December, McCartney was content with letting word of mouth sell the album but Capitol Records promoter Al Coury convinced him to release a couple of singles to accelerate the process. The result of this decision became immediately evident  as both the singles and the album, became immensely popular worldwide. McCartney gives full credit for this decision to Al Coury.

Al Coury, promotion man for Capitol Records, released ‘Jet,’ which I wasn’t even thinking of releasing as a single, and ‘Band on the Run’ too. He single-handedly turned ‘Band on the Run’ around.”

Paul McCartney

How popular is ‘Band on the Run’ in the lexicon of the Paul McCartney catalogue of music?

Well, a Rolling Stone poll of his legion of fans determined it resides at #4, behind only ‘Maybe, I’m Amazed’, ‘Hey Jude’ and ‘Yesterday’.

Maybe I’m Amazed – Today’s feature song is a classic ballad and a fantastic cover by an influential band. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #PaulMcCartney #Wings #TheFaces

Hey Jude – A classic Beatles song and a stunning cover by an R&B legend with one of the best guitarists ever. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #TheBeatles #WilsonPickett #DuaneAllman

Yesterday – One of the most covered songs in music history. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #PaulMcCartney #GeorgeMartin #TheBeatles #RayCharles

Part of the timelessness of ‘Band on the Run’ is evident in how well it translates to the live experience.

I wrote it as a story to sum up the transition from captivity to freedom. When the tempo changes at (sings), ‘The rain exploded with a mighty crash,’ I do that in my concert and that always feels like a freeing moment.”

Paul McCartney

Watch this video and you can sense how much Paul McCartney enjoys performing. This is Paul McCartney and Wings in 1976.

It should come as a surprise to no one that ‘Band on the Run’ has been covered by numerous artists over the years. This is common for virtually every hit by the Beatles and any ex-Beatle. The treat at the bottom of the Cracker Jack box for music fans is the quality of these covers, along with the range of artists that choose to take a shot at recording Sir Paul.

For one of the first looks at ‘Band on the Run’ we go back to Richie Havens in 1974 who does a cool job with the arrangement. Richie is a treasure. When he sings this, it is a plea for ‘Freedom’.

Over the years Denny Laine became inextricably linked to Paul McCartney. One can argue whether this is a positive or negative perception, but the truth is, their work together resulted in some great recordings. This is from Laine’s 1996 album ‘Denny Laine Performs the Hits of Wings’.

The number of musicians that Paul McCartney has influenced over his sixty-year career likely numbers into the millions. Somewhere near the top would be the Foo Fighters, who recorded ‘Band on the Run’ for the 2007 album ‘Radio 1 – Established 1967’ which was a collection of cover songs commemorating 40 years of BBC Radio 1. The goal was to focus on one song from every year between 1967 and 2007. Some quality listening here.

But wait…There’s more. Here is Dave Grohl, in 2010, playing the Whitehouse. He stands on stage before a couple of his heroes. This is why music matters.

The story behind this performance is as follows.

In June of 2010, Paul McCartney was honoured with the third Gershwin Prize for Popular Song from the Library of Congress. The award is offered in the name of George and Ira Gershwin, who in some ways set the standard for song writing, perhaps only exceeded by Paul McCartney and his partner John Lennon. The Gershwin’s manuscript collection resides in the Library of Congress.

Four years later Heart opted to cover ‘Band on the Run’ on the tribute album cleverly titled ‘The Art of McCartney’. Somehow, whenever Ann and Nancy Wilson cover a song, they manage to put their own stamp on the piece. That is a compliment to their excellence.

The best way to conclude this post is with some additional Paul McCartney presentations. First, here he is on the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theatre in New York City. This was the brainchild of David Letterman and his team in an effort to commemorate the Beatles famous rooftop concert. This is a ton of fun and had to be shared.

At the age of 80 Paul McCartney is still going strong. Earlier this year he performed at the Glastonbury Festival. When ‘Band on the Run’ came around he was joined on stage by, who else, but Dave Grohl. This was extremely significant because it marked Grohl’s first public performance following the tragic and untimely loss of his friend Taylor Hawkins.

A couple of months later Paul McCartney joined Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters on the stage at Wembley Stadium to pay tribute to Hawkins. He played the Beatles classics ‘Oh Darling’ and ‘Helter Skelter’. Between songs he told this story.

So, Dave rang me up one day and he said, Taylor has written this song called ‘Summer (Sunday) Rain’ and he said ‘we’d like you to drum on it’. This group has got like two of the best drummers in the world, and they wanted me to drum on it. So, I did. Quite a memory.”

Paul McCartney

Here is ‘Sunday Rain’. Note the Beatles influence.

It is here where music represents an unbreakable bond between friends.

When friends are close at hand there is no need to run.

Streets of Philadelphia – I walked a thousand miles just to slip this skin. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #BruceSpringsteen #NeilYoung #RichieHavens #MelissaEtheridge #MollyJohnson #EltonJohn #ToriAmos

It was Jackson Browne who most accurately assessed what Bruce Springsteen accomplished when he composed ‘Streets of Philadelphia’. 

To write from the perspective of someone who is emaciated, with AIDS, is to forsake all of the strength Springsteen had staked his career on. It is quite a feat.”

Jackson Browne

For two decades, Bruce Springsteen wrote in a passionate way about the working man and the day to day experience we call life. He channeled the hard working, salt of the Earth individual who busted their ass every day, but seemed to always be one step away from catching a break. He became a champion for the downtrodden. As a hard-working and honest artist he was the perfect reflection of his fan base. 

In the early ‘90s, at the invitation of director Jonathan Demme, Springsteen took the challenge of writing a song for the movie ‘Philadelphia’. This was a different Bruce Springsteen. This time, he was not necessarily writing to mirror his audience, he was writing to convey a social atrocity that was becoming a rampant, cross- cultural theme; fear based discrimination due to one’s sexuality in relation to the AIDS epidemic and the ultimate social stigmas. The truth is, people needed to be educated. The question was, would his fans be ready, and on a broader level, would the world be ready for such an education?

As we all know, the song is very concise. It delivers a powerful soliloquy aimed to project the theme of the movie through Springsteen’s eyes. ”Philadelphia’ tells the story of a Philadelphia lawyer, played by Tom Hanks, who is fired from his firm after contracting AIDS. As a result of this action the lawyer seeks restitution from his employer, and he is supported in this fight by another lawyer played by Denzel Washington. 

It becomes a powerful presentation expressed through empathy and compassion. Music and theatre combined.

In case the lyrics don’t tell the story, the video serves as an evocative demonstration of the deeper message, and it truly is what Bruce Springsteen has always represented. 

I was bruised and battered, I couldn’t tell what I felt
I was unrecognizable to myself
I saw my reflection in a window, I didn’t know my own face
Oh brother are you gonna leave me wastin’ away
On the Streets of Philadelphia

I walked the avenue, ’til my legs felt like stone
I heard the voices of friends vanished and gone
At night I could hear the blood in my veins
It was just as black and whispering as the rain
On the Streets of Philadelphia

Ain’t no angel gonna greet me
It’s just you and I, my friend
My clothes don’t fit me no more
I walked a thousand miles
Just to slip this skin

The night has fallen, I’m lyin’ awake
I can feel myself fading away
So receive me brother with your faithless kiss
Or will we leave each other alone like this
On the Streets of Philadelphia

Bruce Springsteen

Once again, through his ability as a masterful songwriter he presents a degree of empathy that millions of listeners could identify with. He humanizes a horribly marginalized community and creates a wider sense of understanding.

This is the power of songwriting and to his credit Bruce Springsteen manages to get his point across in a different medium. The effectiveness of this galvanizing message is captured in this review by William Ruhlman of AllMusic.com. 

The song might have been written from the point of view of the suddenly ill and unemployed lawyer, now walking the streets. But it is also a more general statement of alienation and dispossession that is made all the more powerful by the calm, repetitive musical pattern and Springsteen’s sad, resigned vocal.”

William Ruhlman

The result, as we all know nearly 30 years later is ‘Streets of Philadelphia’ became a #1 hit in nine countries worldwide. It also enjoyed top 10 success in at least 11 other countries. It went on to win an Academy Award and four Grammys. Here is the performance from the 1994 Oscars. After his performance the award is presented by Whitney Houston. 

True to his character, and not forgetting the inspiration for the song, Bruce dedicated the award to those;

…who have lost their lovers and friends and sons.” 

Bruce Springsteen

 He was touched that the song meant something to so many who had lost so much.

Springsteen’s adaptability is also noted in this passage from an article by Robert Hilburn of the Los Angeles Times.

Springsteen sings in a voice that expresses the helplessness and heartache of someone dying of AIDS as convincingly as Springsteen once conveyed the dreams and aspirations of youth.”

Robert Hilburn

While rightfully, it could be argued that it took way too long, the message needed to be delivered. Bruce Springsteen became an important vehicle. 

While we are discussing the movie ‘Philadelphia’, Ted Tocks would be remiss if the song of the same title by Neil Young was not mentioned. Young’s ‘Philadelphia’ was presented along with the closing credits. It offers a very candid message of love and acceptance as he pleads for people not to turn their backs on loved ones in their time of need, while emphasizing no one should ever have to be ashamed for being who they are. This song does not get enough attention for its importance. 

Here are the lyrics

Sometimes I think that I know
What love’s all about
And when I see the light
I know I’ll be all right.

I’ve got my friends in the world,
I had my friends
When we were boys and girls
And the secrets came unfurled.

City of brotherly love
Place I call home
Don’t turn your back on me
I don’t want to be alone
Love lasts forever.

Someone is talking to me,
Calling my name
Tell me I’m not to blame
I won’t be ashamed of love.

Philadelphia,
City of brotherly love.
Brotherly love.

Sometimes I think that I know
What love’s all about
And when I see the light
I know I’ll be all right.
Philadelphia.

Neil Young

Here is the closing scene of ‘Philadelphia’ which puts the lyrics in context. 

Getting back to today’s feature song; through the years, several artists have covered ‘Streets of Philadelphia’ very effectively and evocatively. Let’s go right back to the beginning in 1993. Rhino Records embarked on a project that explored sixty years of Academy Award winning songs called ‘Academy Award Winning Songs (1934-1993)’ but they were unable to get the licensing rights to use Bruce Springsteen’s version so they commissioned Richie Havens who does a phenomenal job. 

Whenever Ted Tocks Covers gets an opportunity to include Melissa Etheridge, we are all over it. Here she is doing a vocal track over some background accompaniment at the American Film Institute’s (AFI) Lifetime Achievement Award tribute to Tom Hanks. Watch the video and you not only see the passionate performance by this amazing artist, but the appreciation of Tom Hanks while she sings. Melissa Etheridge moves the audience to tears as she not only sings, but acts out the powerful Springsteen lyrics. This is art in its purest form. 

This performance by Canadian jazz talent Molly Johnson is extremely strong. She released it in 2007 as a bonus track on her 2007 album ‘Messin’ Around’. The beauty of this cover exists in its emphasis on the vocals. The backing music is strong but not overstated, in favour of Johnson’s plaintive delivery. Just the way it should be. 

As this post unfolds it becomes increasingly apparent that every version of ‘Streets of Philadelphia’ is important. Here is Sir Elton John in 2013 performing the song at MusiCares tribute to Bruce Springsteen. The perfect song to pay respect to The Boss, and the perfect artist to cover this song. Elton John’s philanthropic work in advocating for LGBTQIA2S+ rights through the years is virtually unrivalled. 

Another artist Ted Tocks Covers has grown to love through years of writing this blog is Tori Amos. Here she is in 2014, at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia doing a wonderful presentation. The audience loves every note and Tori literally feels every word she sings.

From this perch, almost three decades removed from the original creation one continues to marvel at the fact Bruce Springsteen was able to communicate so much in three verses and a bridge. It all goes much further though. As he stated in his acceptance speech, he was hoping that ‘Streets of Philadelphia’ would allow people to recognize their differences, and respect each other instead of succumbing to the ‘veil of fear’ that seems bent on tearing us apart. 

The people most impacted by this crisis ‘walked a thousand miles to shed their skin’. For a period of time, it seemed we were getting somewhere, but every time a new issue arises the same players err on the side of marginalization and separation.

It’s sad to me that out of so much promise, destructive forces continue to do their best to increase the divide. As always, the motivations are greed, a desire for power and suppression of a minority voice. 

Will we ever learn?

In Canada we have the CONservative Party who exist as exhibit A. In the fall of 2021, the CONs lost a very winnable election largely due to the fact their only path to being a united party seems to be a movement toward radical right-wing lunacy. Yet again, they find themselves in search of a leader, after jettisoning the leaf in the wind known as Erin O’Toole. This occurred in part after the CONservative Party of Canada became irreparably divided. One major crisis existed in the form of C-6 which was an act to amend the Criminal Code as it relates to Conversion Therapy in Canada. It seems to the majority of the CPC, this was a bridge too far. Rather than work with the LGBTQIA2S+ community, they would rather contribute to their marginalization. During the third reading of the bill in June a total of 62 of these MPs voted against the amendment to the Bill. Here is the legislation as it was introduced. 

https://www.canada.ca/en/department-justice/news/2021/11/government-introduces-legislation-to-ban-conversion-therapy-practices-in-canada.html

Fortunately some degree of sanity prevailed and by the time December came around the Conservative Party initiated a motion to fast-track the legislation. While this seems like a victory on the surface, there was an ulterior motive. The CPC was clamouring for self preservation and they were concerned that open debate about this Bill would reveal the fact that within the CPC there was no true consensus on this seemingly straight-forward issue.

It seems about 1/3 of the country agrees with the regressive doctrine that guides the CPC.  It is so sad, that such people walk among us. Sadder still, is the fact that divisive opportunists like Candice Bergen, who is presently the interim leader, voted NO to C-6, and Pierre Poilievre would exploit this divide if it means taking control of the party that seems to value nothing more than the power that fortunately for the majority of Canadians, continues to be so elusive. 

It seems to me, the answer to the party’s problems reside within their own core. They are continually exposed for who they are and incredibly, a portion of our population still look to them for leadership. It reminds me of this quote.

When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”

Maya Angelou

Sadly, while this time-honoured advice from Maya Angelou is a notion I respect, so far I have failed to heed her wisdom. Instead, I cling to the hope that those who are so lost, may miraculously change. 

Would casting them adrift only serve to continue the divisiveness or would it be beneficial to my own mental health? 

I continue to struggle with this internal debate. I tell myself,

Sometimes I think that I know
What love’s all about
And when I see the light
I know I’ll be all right.”

Neil Young

While I weigh the options I will listen to the music and do my best to understand the message.

Life becomes much more clear in this space.

Maggie’s Farm – #BobDylan goes electric with #TheBand. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #SolomonBurke #RichieHavens #RageAgainsttheMachine #U2

It has happened…

I have written today’s post only to discover that I featured this very song just over a year ago in a totally different context. Rather than completely scrap it I am going to link it here for your reference. I find it intriguing that the same song can inspire two completely different features within the presentation of my Ted Tocks platform. I am not sure whether I am going crazy or Bob Dylan’s range of influence is just so vast, a writer can explore his musical contributions in many ways. For the purpose of today’s post, I am going with the latter explanation.

‘Maggie’s Farm’

When you consider the significance of today’s song in music history you need to understand the context. It is mostly about time and place. The lyrics by Bob Dylan paint a picture of a disgruntled artist who refused to be pigeon holed as just a folk singer. When Dylan wrote ‘Maggie’s Farm’ he was clearly making a statement. When he performed it live for the first time, he was reinforcing the point with an absolute defiance. The end result is one of music’s more legendary moments that is accompanied with several interpretations.

‘Maggie’s Farm’ was first recorded in January, 1965 and released in March of that year. It followed an electric blues template in terms of musical and lyrical structure. This format allowed Dylan to hammer away at the theme. The opening line of each verse begins with “I ain’t gonna work on Maggie’s Farm no more” sung twice. The third to fifth lines illustrate his complaint and then each verse closes with him repeating his stance, that he ain’t gonna work on Maggie’s Farm no more.

Typical of so many Bob Dylan songs, it is clearly open to analysis, but the general consensus is he was dissatisfied with his current situation. This included his record company and the idea that he was being treated as a commodity, forced to regurgitate the same style over and over. Bob Dylan wanted to evolve as an artist, and what you get with ‘Maggie’s Farm’ and the entire Bringing it All Back Home album was an artist taking a giant leap toward this metamorphosis. In retrospect it was all in the first verse. The rest just unfolds in this significant moment in Bob Dylan’s illustrious career.

“I ain’t gonna work on Maggie’s farm no more
No, I ain’t gonna work on Maggie’s farm no more
Well, I wake in the morning
Fold my hands and pray for rain
I got a head full of ideas
That are drivin’ me insane
It’s a shame the way she makes me scrub the floor
I ain’t gonna work on Maggie’s farm no more.”

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan’s brain was full of new ways of presenting his ideas through his provocative lyrics and music, but he felt ‘she’ (his record company) was making him stick to a formulaic routine. Even though it was relatively early in his career Dylan made a stance and won. Getting the idea on vinyl was only half the battle. Enter the world of live music and the fickle public.

A pivotal moment occurred later in 1965 when Bob Dylan brought the ‘Bringing it All Back Home’ material to the Newport Folk Festival. The operative word here is ‘folk’. The audience was expecting the more traditional folk sound and what they got was Dylan lashing out at his inner circle and the so called fans who were unwilling to embrace change. It was a bit of an eye-opening experience for the audience. Interpretations of this set vary depending on the source. The root of the concern ranges from everyone being angry about the loud, electrified versions of the material to some simply being upset about the sound being very poor. The backing band consisted of guitarist Mike Bloomfield and keyboard player Al Kooper. Kooper is on record as saying that it wasn’t the style that raised concern, but more the fact that Dylan reeled off five songs in fifteen minutes before leaving the stage. Seeing as he was the headliner, this did not go down well.

“The reason they booed is because he only played for 15 minutes and everybody else played for 45 minutes to an hour, and he was the headliner of the festival. […] The fact that he was playing electric…I don’t know. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band (who had played earlier) had played electric and the crowd didn’t seem too incensed.”

Al Kooper

For the record, Bloomfield was the guitarist for The Paul Butterfield Blues Band as well as part of Bob Dylan’s ensemble for this show. In retrospect…what a band!

Most accounts seem to stem back to the fact the sound was horrible. The festival organizers simply weren’t prepared to mix an electric presentation. The result was a series of misunderstood reactions. Here is MC Pete Seeger’s recollection.

“There are reports of me being anti-him going electric at the ’65 Newport Folk festival, but that’s wrong. I was the MC that night. He was singing ‘Maggie’s Farm’ and you couldn’t understand a word because the mic was distorting his voice. I ran to the mixing desk and said, ‘Fix the sound, it’s terrible!’ The guy said ‘No, this is what the young people want.’ And I did say that if I had an axe I’d cut the cable! But I wanted to hear the words. I didn’t mind him going electric.”

Pete Seeger

It is 53 years later and fans are still talking about this performance.  

I bring this up today because later in 1965, Bob Dylan appeared on the stage of Carnegie Hall with a new back up band. This was the first live appearance of a group of musicians that would soon become known as The Band. Their role in music history is significant. Their diversity and range of influence is never ending.

On that night in New York City, Bob Dylan opened the evening with a seven song acoustic set and then for set 2 he unveiled Robbie Robertson, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, Rick Danko and Levon Helm to his fans. The set opened with ‘Maggie’s Farm’.

Here is a live version of Bob Dylan and the Band doing ‘Maggie’s Farm’ in 1974.

Typical of any Bob Dylan offering there are numerous examples of cover versions to draw from. Each represent varying degrees of significance. I am going to feature four such renditions with brief explanations of why they matter in the grand musical spectrum.

The first cover is actually the first release of ‘Maggie’s Farm’. Solomon Burke released ‘Maggie’s Farm’ just ahead of Dylan in 1965. He was one of the first black singers to cover Bob Dylan. This release went to #2 on the R&B charts.

Three years later Richie Havens released a version on his Something Else Again album. Here he is presenting it with his distinct style during a June, 1969 concert at Hyde Park in London, England.

In 2000, Rage Against the Machine released a much heavier version of ‘Maggie’s Farm. It captured the protestation Dylan was going for 35 years earlier. It is interesting that the lyrical rendition ‘Rage’ covers is the same as the version presented by Dylan at his landmark Newport performance.

Finally, when it comes to artists that like to present a clear message to their audience, few have done it better and longer than U2. Their ability to present ‘Maggie’s Farm’ is a natural step. Here they are performing the song at Self Aid in May of 1986. This is so good.

“Well, I try my best
To be just like I am
But everybody wants you
To be just like them
They sing while you slave and I just get bored
I ain’t gonna work on Maggie’s farm no more.”

Bob Dylan

What a way to end this post. Have a great day!

Here Comes the Sun – It seems like years since it’s been here. #MusicisLife #TedTocksCovers #GeorgeHarrison #RichieHavens

What happens when a meteorological occurrence coincides with an unscheduled day off for a disgruntled employee? You get today’s feature song ‘Here Comes the Sun.’ It was on this day in 1969 that George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr recorded this classic Beatles song for Abbey Road. John Lennon was not at the session because he was recovering from a car accident. ‘Here Comes the Sun’ emerged from a songwriting session in April of 1969. The year had gotten off to a rocky start for Harrison; who had temporarily quit the band over creative differences and was arrested for marijuana possession. He even had his tonsils removed. It didn’t help that the majority of his days were consumed with legal meetings and signing accounting reports. Here is his summary of the time as written in his autobiography, ‘I, Me, Mine.’

Here Comes the Sun” was written at the time when Apple was getting like school, where we had to go and be businessmen: ‘Sign this’ and ‘sign that.’ Anyway, it seems as if winter in England goes on forever, by the time spring comes you really deserve it. So one day I decided I was going to sag off Apple and I went over to Eric Clapton’s house. The relief of not having to go see all those dopey accountants was wonderful, and I walked around the garden with one of Eric’s acoustic guitars and wrote “Here Comes the Sun

George Harrison

The meteorological reports from London in April, 1969 indicated a record number of hours of sunlight and the two months previous were much colder. When Harrison was referring to a ‘long cold, lonely winter’, he was being factual and the hopeful tone of the classic song was truly autobiographical. 

When ‘Here Comes the Sun’ was released it appeared as the first track on side two of Abbey Road. If I was asked to list my top 10 album sides I am pretty sure side two of Abbey Road would be there. Not only did Harrison contribute ‘Here Comes the Sun’ to this album, but also the masterpiece ‘Something’. George Harrison’s ascent as a songwriter gained notice by The Beatles producer George Martin who later expressed regret at underestimating Harrison in this area. He called ‘Here Comes the Sun’ one of the best songs ever written. 

Since 1969 ‘Here Comes the Sun’ has held a place in pop culture and is often used as a reference point for anything progressive or positive. Sometimes the message falls into dubious hands. In 2016 Ivanka Trump used ‘Here Comes the Sun’ as her entrance song during the Republican National Convention. George Harrison’s estate was not comfortable with the song being used to support the Trump campaign in any way. They declared it “offensive and against the wishes of the George Harrison estate. Just to emphasize their point they later tweeted:

If it had been Beware of Darkness, then we may have approved it! #TrumpYourself.”

George Harrison Estate

How prophetic? It’s a good thing Robert DeNiro didn’t respond to the Harrison estate. The hashtag may have been a little different. 

Back in the late ’60’s an artistic movement was growing out of the Greenwich Village folk scene in New York. Out of this scene a singer, songwriter and guitarist named Richie Havens emerged and he was signed by Bob Dylan’s manager, Albert Grossman. Richie Havens is perhaps most famous for his live performance at Woodstock. His three hour set to open the three day concert was legendary. Havens’ set was supposed to be 45 minutes to an hour but organizers asked him to keep playing because the artists slated to follow his performance were delayed in arriving. Over two and a half hours later he was still playing but he was running out of material. For his final piece he began to improvise an old spiritual song called ‘Motherless Child’ and the song that surfaced became known as his signature tune; ‘Freedom’. After his post Woodstock success he recorded a version of ‘Here Comes the Sun’ that I have always enjoyed. 

I was fortunate enough to see Richie Havens live in 1989 at a concert known as the 20th Anniversary of Woodstock at Molson Park in Barrie. It was a fun day and I got to see several acts that appeared at the original concert including: Country Joe McDonald, Iron Butterfly, Sha Na Na, John Sebastian and Melanie. They even added Steppenwolf and Randy Bachman for good measure. Good times!