Step right up and enter the recap for April of 2024.
While quite sadly, the world around us seems like a dumpster fire, from this perch things are looking okay. April was the best month ever for Ted Tocks Covers.
Over 5900 page views
Over 5000 visitors
Once again in April, Ted Tocks Covers was enjoyed by people in over 80 countries worldwide. The highest engagement by far comes from residents of the United States. The U.S. represented over 70 percent of Ted Tocks Covers readership during the past month. Keeping it in North America, Canada resides at #2, followed by the United Kingdom, Australia and Germany.
When I began this project in 2018 it was meant as a pastime. It remains a way to keep myself sane. At the outset, I was okay with the fact that perhaps no one will ever read it, but it would serve a purpose for me at least. It could help me make sense of things while sharing my passion for music.
And here I am, almost half way into my seventh year, and over that time many others have joined me. Little by little, the audience has grown.
Through music we have the ability to unite by embracing the spirit of song and the message contained within the lyrics. Once again, I state that frequently it is the artists that bring this reality to light. One need not look too far in order to understand the value of music and the qualities that the best songwriters bring to their creativity. So often, the lyrics reflect a degree of compassion, and empathy toward some aspect of the human condition. Many times, this portrayal of humanity presents itself in a passionate way. On other occasions they appeal to our conscience in order to help us to recognize the dire state we occupy, or the dangerous road we are heading down. When filtered, the thoughts shared come through in angry or defiant tones, because in order to inspire change some form of powerful emotion needs to be sparked.
Music has this ability and through the magic of song, words do inspire.
This is a timeless reality.
This is all important to me, because by sharing Ted Tocks Covers, I am aiming to tell a story. It begins with the music I discuss, and on occasion it flows into what is happening in my life. Here, I must repeat myself by saying that your support provides validation, because some days the readership this project enjoys is the fuel that motivates me as I enter the day…The real world, so to speak.
So often in my life music is the engine that drives the vehicle I call Ted Tocks Covers, and I continue to maintain that you, the reader, are the passenger. Thank you for coming along for the ride.
Ted Tocks Covers is ME sharing myself with YOU.
Quite often, it is music that serves to soften the most hardened among us. It definitely gives us a place to land softly.
Frequently, patterns develop when it comes to the posts Ted Tocks Covers shares. Sadly, this month pointed to the fact that as music fans all too often we find ourselves in a place where we need to say good-bye to an artist that has contributed immensely to the music we love. Here is a thought I read recently on a social media stream.
We don’t mourn artists we’ve never met because we know them, we mourn them because they help us know ourselves.”
This is so true, and it speaks to a trend that inspires those who love music, to seek out what their fellow music fans are thinking when it comes to their adoration of music, or an artist who has departed.
Speaking to this point, a good portion of the readership of Ted Tocks Covers in April can be traced to the legacy of musicians who left us. As always, before I move on to the top three Ted Tocks Covers features for April, I would like to give a nod to two features from the past that achieved milestones this past month.
This feature shares the story behind one of the most sentimental songs Warren Zevon ever wrote. In April this beautiful ode to those Zevon loved the most, became just the second Ted Tocks Covers feature to surpass 5000 page views. I will boldly predict here that it won’t be long before ‘Keep Me in Your Heart becomes the #1 Ted Tocks Covers post of all time.
During the month of April, the music world lost one of the finest guitar players to ever grace a stage. Dickey Betts who was the driving force behind the Allman Brothers Band for over three decades, died on April 18. From that day on, page views for Ted Tocks Covers featuring the Allman Brothers Band rose, and the one that received the most was Betts’ epic piece ‘Blue Sky.
Early in April, The Rolling Stones celebrated a significant milestone. It seems to me this band marks a milestone pretty much daily. Sixty years ago, this past month the Stones celebrated the release of their debut album. ‘Tell Me’ exists as the groups’ first original hit song. Looking back at a career that has lasted over six decades, this becomes quite an important marker along that incredible journey.
During April, yet another beloved artist who left us way too soon was featured. Every time I share a Tom Petty song, I make sure to share it to his intensely devoted audience on Facebook, and I am proud to say that once again they took some time to read this post which celebrates the anniversary of Petty’s acclaimed ‘Full Moon Fever’ album. More specifically. ‘Yer So Bad’ discussed an appreciation for the Tom Petty sense of humour and how it shone through so positively in his song writing. Hopefully it made at least a few people smile.
#1 – Come Back to Us Barbara Lewis Hare Krishna Beauregard
Every April, Ted Tocks Covers sets aside a day to share John Prine with his still growing audience. It’s a personal mission aimed to make people smile, and think, and hopefully look at life through a different lens. This song represents what some might consider to be a deeper track in John Prine’s catalogue, but the lyrical quality brings out John Prine at his humorous best and most importantly, his most astute as a social observer. There are two observations when it comes to John Prine, that Ted Tocks Covers has emphasized over and over again. First, the best people on social media are Prine fans, and the world would be a better place if everyone took some time to listen to John Prine.
Happy listening as we move deeper into 2024. As you listen, take some time and explore the deeper meaning of the songs you enjoy. Understand what the artist is telling you, and then explore a little bit more.
Or
Grab a book. Take time to read. Educate yourself.
We have no way of knowing where we are going if we don’t understand where we have been. Many of the leaders who are orchestrating some of the disastrous decisions that are being made presently are literally counting on the fact that most people are literally paying no attention, and have no concept of the future implications.
As a society, we need to wake up.
If you missed the features listed above the first time around, by all means enjoy them now. If you think a friend might like to spend a few minutes with some good music, please share because…
#MusicisLife
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Thank you for continuing to read Ted Tocks Covers. I will be in touch. You can count on that. There are many great stories to come in the days ahead.
The Rolling Stones debut album was released in the United Kingdom on this day sixty years ago.
Interestingly, the album was released on the Decca label in the U.K., and six weeks later it was released in North America on London Records, with a subtitle that labeled them as ‘England’s Newest Hitmakers’. This tag demonstrates the effort to follow up the unprecedented success of The Beatles. Was this a marketing strategy? An unintended result of this approach saw the immediate rivalry between fan bases develop.
The album spent 12 weeks at #1 in the U.K. in 1964, while in the United States it managed to make its way to #11. Remarkably, ‘England’s Newest Hit Makers’ remains the only Rolling Stones American studio album release not to make the top five on the Billboard album charts.
Think about that?
There is a significance to this because, incredibly, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are still active all these years later. In fact, The Rolling Stones re-released ‘England’s Newest Hit Makers’ in August of 2022 and this re- issue coincided with the band’s 60th anniversary tour.
Looking back sixty years this month, it is clear that The Rolling Stones and The Beatles took very different routes to success, and their ultimate status as legendary musical acts. On this date in 1964 The Beatles were celebrating 14 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, the Stones charted a more traditional course. It was all about the blues. Here is a review by Sean Egan of BBC Music that was shared in a 2010 book called ‘1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die’.
It’s a testament to the group’s brilliance that the result was still the best album to emerge from the early 1960s British blues boom … the ensemble lovingly delivered some of their favourite shots of rhythm ‘n’ blues.”
Sean Egan
In fact, although the album was called ‘England’s Newest Hit Makers’ it contained exactly one original Rolling Stones song. That is today’s feature, ‘Tell Me (You’re Coming Back’) which offered a glimpse of what Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were destined to become as a song writing team. While the rhythm and blues tributes served as a launching pad, the ultimate goal was to create a musical evolution.
[‘Tell Me’] is very different from doing those R&B covers or Marvin Gaye covers and all that. There’s a definite feel about it. It’s a very pop song, as opposed to all the blues songs and the Motown covers, which everyone did at the time.”
Mick Jagger
First Mick, Keith, Brian, Bill and Charlie needed to get the listeners attention, and then through the years they would come back…again and again and again…
For The Rolling Stones, ‘Tell Me’, which dropped the ‘You’re Coming Back’ on subsequent pressings, followed their two previous singles which famously offered the John Lennon/Paul McCartney song ‘I Wanna Be Your Man’
Yes folks, there was a time when The Rolling Stones needed an introduction. The delivery of ‘Not Fade Away’ in this clip served notice to the world.
The Rolling Stones were not just another band from England.
As much as The Rolling Stones had a dream about where they wanted to head as an act, much of what they were producing was being orchestrated by their management and production team. ‘Tell Me’exists as a prime example. The song was recorded during a couple of sessions at Regent Sound in West London. The recordings included tracks both with and without Ian Stewart on piano. In the end, it was revealed by Keith Richards that the entire song was literally a series of spliced overdubs.
‘Tell Me’ … was a dub. Half those records were dubs on that first album, that Mick and I and Charlie and I’d put a bass on or maybe Bill was there and he’d put a bass on. ‘Let’s put it down while we remember it,’ and the next thing we know is, ‘Oh look, track 8 is that dub we did a couple months ago.’ That’s how little control we had.”
Keith Richards
The recording shared at the outset of this post is the ‘long version’. It clocks in at 4:06. It does offer the Ian Stewart piano track, however the first pressing of ‘The Rolling Stones’ offered the piano-less track. The longer version that includes Ian Stewart is by far the superior piece of music. By the time ‘Tell Me’ managed to make its way to the United States on ‘England’s Newest Hit Makers’ it had been slightly edited to 3:48. The manipulation continued. When ‘Tell Me’ was determined to be the U.S. single, it was once again edited down to under three minutes to increase the likelihood of radio play. With Willie Dixon’s ‘I Just Wanna Make Love to You’ as the B-side, ‘Tell Me’ rose to #24 on the Billboard Hot 100. Not quite the level attained by The Beatles, but The Rolling Stones got just enough of a taste of success to determine what needed to be done to get to the next level.
By the time their second record, ’12 x 5’ rolled around in November the band had recorded three originals among their collection of R&B tributes. From that time forward the Stones committed to creating just a little bit of their own material on each album, while always sticking to their roots. For Mick and Keith, the song writing talent did not come quite as easy as it seemed to be for John Lennon and Paul McCartney, but in time they clearly got the hang of it. Famously, manager/producer Andrew ‘Loog’ Oldham is said to have confined them to a kitchen and to not come out until they had written something of merit. According to Keith Richards;
So, what Andrew Oldham did was lock us up in the kitchen for a night and say, “Don’t come out without a song.” We sat around and came up with ‘As Tears Go By’ It was unlike most Rolling Stones material, but that’s what happens when you write songs, you immediately fly to some other realm. The weird thing is that Andrew found Marianne Faithfull at the same time, bunged it to her and it was a fuckin’ hit for her – we were songwriters already! But it took the rest of that year to dare to write anything for the Stones.”
Keith Richards
Mick Jagger tells a slightly different story.
Keith likes to tell the story about the kitchen, God bless him. I think Andrew may have said something at some point along the lines of “I should lock you in a room until you’ve written a song” and in that way he did mentally lock us in a room, but he didn’t literally lock us in. One of the first songs we came out with was that tune for George Bean, the very memorable ‘It Should Be You’.
Mick Jagger
Here is ‘It Should Be You’ by George Bean.
And then The Rolling Stones and what goes down as their first true original. This dates back to 1963.
Just one more thing. Listen to ‘One Mint Julep’ by Ray Charles, which was produced by Quincy Jones, and note the similarities in the music.
Nevertheless, Mick and Keith had a template and they just kept right on going. It was a little sluggish at first, but once they got the hang of it…Once again, the significance of ‘I Wanna Be Your Man’ is recalled. This time by John Lennon. This speaks to how Mick and Keith observed John and Paul put the song together.
We were taken down to meet them at the club where they were playing in Richmond by Brian Epstein and some other guy. They wanted a song and we went to see what kind of stuff they did. Mick and Keith heard we had an unfinished song – Paul just had this bit and we needed another verse or something. We sort of played it roughly to them and they said, “Yeah, OK, that’s our style.” But it was only really a lick, so Paul and I went off in the corner of the room and finished the song off while they were all still sitting there talking. We came back, and that’s how Mick and Keith got inspired to write … because, “Jesus, look at that. They just went in the corner and wrote it and came back!” You know, right in front of their eyes we did it. So, we gave it to them.”
Keith Richards
It took a while for the Jagger/Richards style to emerge. Here is a case in point. Somehow, ‘Tell Me’ was initially offered as a Saturday afternoon dance routine.
This is a clip from a BBC show called ‘Take 7’ which was a variation on American Bandstand.
Compare this tame presentation to the greasy, garage band style portrayed in this footage from 1978. Style can either be emulated or cultivated. In the case of The Rolling Stones; they invented rock and roll raunch. Some would object to the suggestion that they are innovative, but when an act establishes trends and travels six decades of rock and roll terrain, there will always be paths that needed to be forged. The Rolling Stones reside at the cutting edge of originality and the authenticity is accented by the fact they have always taken time to thank their music mentors.
Professors of the School of Rock.
This may be their best quality.
As I moved ‘through the past darkly’ in search of cover versions of ‘Tell Me’ it was interesting to note that this song has fewer covers than most every other Rolling Stones feature I have written. The good news is what ‘Tell Me’ lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality.
Here is The Grass Roots from their 1966 album ‘Where Were You When I Needed You’. Evolving out of The Wrecking Crew, The Grass Roots are best known for songs like ‘Midnight Confessions’ and ‘Live for Today’. This is just a solid, straight forward nod to the Stones original.
Ted Tocks Covers always make time for The Andrew Oldham Orchestra. It’s important to understand how Oldham perceived the songs he produced, and then applied to an orchestral style. Elements of this are obvious in the Rolling Stones original. The importance of Andrew ‘Loog’ Oldham in the success of The Rolling Stones success cannot be understated.
Once again, a Ted Tocks Covers exploration has delivered me to former Cheap Trick drummer, Bun E Carlos. This is from his 2016 album ‘Greetings from Bunezuela’. The vocals are courtesy of Alejandro Escovedo.
When writing about The Rolling Stones it all becomes about perspective. Everything is seen through a lens that looks back through sixty years of music history. When you compound the analysis with the R&B artists who inspired them, the retrospective can take a listener back nearly a century. The reason ‘Tell Me (You’re Coming Back)’ is such a fascinating focal point stems from its significance as the band’s first original single. At the time there was an element of mystery. Were they just another band. Were they really ‘England’s Newest Hit Makers’. Would the fickle buying public gravitate to the message, and less refined style. Where The Beatles were seen as the boy next door type, The Rolling Stones were more like they undesirables from the wrong side of the tracks.
Whenever Ted Tocks Covers features a Bob Dylan song it turns into a party where some of the greatest musicians to ever grace a stage or press their creative talents to vinyl share in the festivities. Today’s feature is no exception as we briefly reflect on ‘It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry’ from 1965’s ‘Highway 61 Revisited’. From there, we will explore several quality versions before celebrating one of the most important background musicians of the past 60 years.
Let’s hop on the train that will take us back through the years. Prepare for a fun conclusion that pays homage to a key figure in Bob Dylan’s long and storied career.
With the advantage of nearly sixty years of track to look back on ‘It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry’ offers a glimpse into Bob Dylan’s relationships. If Facebook was around back in August of 1965, his relationship status may have read ‘It’s complicated’. In this song Dylan takes the listener through a series of thoughts as he assesses his standing with a present romantic interest.
Right from the opening line Dylan appears to be frustrated, when from his rail car perch, he declares that he ‘can’t buy a thrill’. With that opening line, he captures the attention of the listener; a line so rife with meaning that Steely Dan borrowed it for their debut album title. As the verse moves on, he comes across as somewhat fatalistic. If he should succumb to his burden, his baby will survive; like he is some type of martyr in the eternal battle of the sexes.
As the song moves on, Bob Dylan takes some element of control as he directs the conversation in the form of a series of questions. This passage ends with him surmising that his baby recognizes the value he brings to her life. This appears to all be in his imagination. As the song concludes the lovelorn songwriter gazes out a frosty window; which symbolically speaking is never a positive image.
The parting shot is ‘don’t say I never warned you, when your train gets lost.’ She seems to have made her decision, and he is left alone trying in vain to claim the upper hand.
By Bob Dylan standards ‘It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry’ is a very brief exploration into his thoughts, but it reflects a timeless story in music and life. Just one of so many brilliant Bob Dylan compositions.
Ted Tocks Covers wish is to hear what could be perceived as the response from the romantic counterpart in this poem. If that presentation is out there, please point me in the right direction.
When contemplating the true satisfaction of exploring the work of Bob Dylan, right up there with the many positives is the fact that many times there are several alternate takes and live versions. I was especially taken by the rough and rowdy feel of this alternate take.
Where the version on ‘Highway 61 Revisited’ depicts a relatively smooth and uneventful journey, this one is a rollicking ride; like Casey Jones was the engineer, and he was definitely not concerned with his speed.
As you listen to any and all of the versions leading up to here and following, read along to these thought-provoking lyrics, and consider the depth that such a brief bit of prose can convey.
Well, I ride on a mailtrain, baby Can’t buy a thrill Well, I’ve been up all night, baby Leanin’ on the windowsill Well, if I die On top of the hill And if I don’t make it You know my baby will
Don’t the moon look good, mama Shinin’ through the trees? Don’t the brakeman look good, mama Flagging down the “Double E?” Don’t the sun look good Goin’ down over the sea? Don’t my gal look fine When she’s comin’ after me?
Now the wintertime is coming The windows are filled with frost I went to tell everybody But I could not get across Well, I wanna be your lover, baby I don’t wanna be your boss Don’t say I never warned you When your train gets lost”
Bob Dylan
As a hobbyist ‘writer’, I have no illusions of ever understanding the mind of someone as lyrically complex as Bob Dylan, so I will get off that train and retreat to my own space and just listen to several outstanding versions of ‘It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry’.
Come on in and join me.
Before moving on to what amounts to sixteen cover versions, lets join Bob Dylan on stage with his friend George Harrison on August 1, 1971 during the Concert for Bangladesh. Bob and George are joined by Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton in a junkie haze, Billy Preston, Leon Russell and Badfinger. Remember, this is before benefit concerts were really a thing. What a moment in music history.
Think about it.
The Concert for Bangladesh, USA for Africa, Live Aid and Farm Aid; Bob Dylan was there for it all.
…When it came time to let ‘We Are the World’ fade out with the chorus, it was Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan taking the lead.
There’s a choice we’re making We’re saving our own lives It’s true we’ll make a better day, just you and me.”
Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie
Bob didn’t need to sing it. This is a statement and he delivers it like an orator.
Speaking of moments in music history that become somewhat obscured by the bigger story that was to follow let’s listen to this 1968 super session that featured former Bob Dylan bandmates Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper. Bloomfield left the session before day 2. This left Kooper scrambling and the cover of ‘It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry’ featured the guitar prowess of Stephen Stills who had left Buffalo Springfield and was entertaining options. This is a triangle of greatness which also features former Dylan bassist, Harvey Brooks and Eddie Hoh on drums. If you ever wondered what planted the seed of possibility for Stephen Stills in terms of the vision that created Crosby Stills Nash and Young, you need look no further than this precursor.
Now in rapid succession, let’s enjoy some more covers of ‘It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry’. Here is Blue Cheer from 1969. This appeared on their album ‘New! Improved! Blue Cheer’.
Here is the great Leon Russell from his 1971 album, ‘Leon Russell and the Shelter People’.
Two years later in 1973 a fascinating collective of musicians got together and presented ‘It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry’. This is Merl Saunders, Jerry Garcia, John Kahn and Bill Vitt doing yet another quality rendition. This is so good. Each player brings their own distinct sound. In terms of contemplation, this version may offer the closest to what Dylan was going for. Jerry sounds defeated…until he plays his first solo.
Through the years the Grateful Dead displayed their love for Bob Dylan by offering a plethora of wonderful cover versions of Dylan tracks. Truth be told, my love for Bob Dylan and his ‘deep tracks’ can be attributed to the seeing the Grateful Dead live on many occasions and learning so many times that “Yep…that’s a Dylan cover.” I dug deeper and never came back. Here is the Dead in 1973.
Now let’s have a look at Bob Dylan while he is interpreted in a bluegrass style. This is the Earl Scruggs Revue from their 1973 self-titled album.
Jumping ahead over a decade to 1985, here is Marianne Faithful from her album ‘Rich Kid’. Every time I sit back and listen to Marianne, I come away more and more impressed. There is a ton of depth to her talent. For better or worse, she is forever linked to Mick Jagger, and ‘Wild Horses’… but that is another story.
Another intriguing story in music history is Iain Matthews. Iain is a talent who deserves a lot more attention in this writer’s humble opinion (See ‘Ol’ ‘55’, ‘Seven Bridges Road’ and ‘I Believe in You’). This Bob Dylan cover is from his essential 1991 album ‘Orphans and Outcasts’.
As the century came to a close Henry St. Claire Fredericks Jr., otherwise known as Taj Mahal recorded a quality version of ‘It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry’. This is a brilliant blues rendition of an essential Dylan track. It was featured on his album ‘Tangled Up in Blues’.
Still in 1999 we get this rare treat. Here is Bob Dylan with Susan Tedeschi, who at the time was a rising star in the music world. Enjoy this cover, and pay attention as Tedeschi’s work inspires a boatload of emotion from the usually very stoic, Dylan.
As we enter the 2000s, we get this incredible cover by Little Feat. This was part of their album ‘Chinese Work Songs’. Listening to Shaun Murphy deliver this version makes me want to get back on the train and ride the rails forever.
A couple of years later in 2002, Toto released an album called ‘Through the Looking Glass’ which consisted of eleven songs that inspired members of this band in their early days. Toto is absolutely loaded with talent. This cover includes Monet on backing vocals, and it turns into an emotional storm. When this song is over, I suspect you will want to hit replay.
Another intriguing cover is offered by the incredibly versatile and endlessly fascinating David Bromberg. This is live from 2007. Just David and his guitar. It comes across as contemplative, which is likely what Bob Dylan originally intended. Definitely a lament.
While sifting through many covers of ‘It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry’, I found this familiar family name. Here are The Tuttles with A.J. Lee, live in 2010. Molly would have been about 17 years old here. If one traces the lineage of influence they would find Bob Dylan, obviously, but you can also look back on the Earl Scruggs Revue cover shared earlier. The ride between the folk and bluegrass train stops is relatively short and the view is breathtaking.
Yet another name that jumped out as I was exploring covers was Bun E. Carlos, the drummer for Cheap Trick. This 2016 cover is from his album ‘Greetings from Bunezuela’ featuring Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum on vocals.
We are almost done.
Here is Lucinda Williams in 2020. This version takes it all to another level. This all flowed out of a session known as ‘Bob’s Back Pages: A Night of Bob Dylan Songs’.
To conclude the cover portions of today’s feature, here is the ever present Nitty Gritty Dirt Band from their 2022 Bob Dylan tribute album, ‘Dirt Does Dylan’. These guys never disappoint.
Admittedly, I left several amazing covers in their record sleeves. I urge you to explore on your own because I wanted to save a good portion of this post for a special guest.
Al Kooper entered the Bob Dylan story back in 1965.
He is a story unto himself, and today he turns 80, so here is a very brief look at one of the most accomplished background players and producers in music history.
To begin, who knew that Al Kooper co-wrote ‘This Diamond Ring’ which was made famous by Gary Lewis and the Playboys’?
This song went to #1 in February of 1965. Al Kooper hated it. More on this point further down.
Al Kooper was part of the Greenwich Village folk scene in New York. He used to hang out with producer Tom Wilson at the famous Brill Building. His most salient contribution to the sound of the ‘60s was the Hammond organ track on Bob Dylan’s ‘Like a Rolling Stone’. Kooper was invited to the recording sessions by Wilson who was Dylan’s producer. Bob Dylan referred to ‘Like a Rolling Stone as “a piece of vomit 20 pages long” and in the studio it wasn’t really coming together until fate took over. Here is the story.
Listen to ‘Highway 61 Revisited’ and Al Kooper’s fingerprints are all over this album. It was while recording with Bob Dylan that he met the legendary guitarist, Mike Bloomfield. Kooper admits that Bloomfield’s talents on the guitar over-shadowed his own. It was an ear for what Dylan was saying, and how his own vision could enhance Dylan’s message that propelled Kooper’s status. Al Kooper sat behind the Hammond B3 organ and played his accompanying track which was recorded on one of several takes. During the mixing, this exchange took place between Tom Wilson and Bob Dylan.
“That guys’s not an organ player?
I don’t care. Turn the organ up.”
Exchange between Tom Wilson and Bob Dylan
It was on this day that Al Kooper became an organ player, but he was capable of so much more.
The next time you listen to this iconic song, focus on Al Kooper’s contribution and understand that it was totally spontaneous.
A couple of years later, Al Kooper was handling the sound at the Monterey Pop Festival. He took a moment to introduce himself to Jimi Hendrix. He was very familiar with Hendrix’s work because they all resided in the same Greenwich Village orbit. Jimi Hendrix was intrigued because he was very familiar with Kooper’s contribution to ‘Like a Rolling Stone’. He invited Kooper to sit in on the iconic Dylan song during his set, but when Kooper asked permission from Monterey Pop organizer, Lou Adler, his request was declined.
It all ended well. Hendrix and Kooper became friends. Kooper plays piano on ‘Long Hot Summer Night’ on the ‘Electric Ladyland’ album.
The story goes on.
Kooper and Bloomfield were on stage with Bob Dylan during his controversial Newport Festival gig. Accounts of this transformative moment that helped folk enter the rock and roll realm are plentiful, but Al Kooper was there. Here you go.
In conversation Al Kooper has noted that accounts of that day may be somewhat skewed. He acknowledges that the Newport Folk crowd was agitated by the electric performance to some degree but much of the audience’s discontent stemmed for the poor mix from the Newport sound engineers. They were not at all prepared for this presentation and the crowd couldn’t hear properly. Secondly, Bob Dylan who was the headliner, only played for 25 minutes. This led to a barrage of booing and unrest until Peter Yarrow talked Dylan into going back out and playing some more.
Dylan responded by performing veiled statement.
Whatever you wish to keep you better grab it fast.”
Bob Dylan
Anyone who doesn’t understand the essence of Bob Dylan need look no further.
If you have read this far, understand that I realize I am likely preaching to the converted, but life goes on and so too, does this story.
Following Newport and his work with Bob Dylan through 1966, Al Kooper was instrumental in forming Blood, Sweat and Tears in 1967. This collaboration was short-lived due to creative differences, and it was soon after that experience that Kooper joined forces with Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills on the ‘Super Sessions’ recording shared above. This significant recording also included ‘Season of the Witch’.
Al Kooper’s musical versatility placed him in high demand. The list of his remarkable contributions is seemingly endless. This feature will focus on just a handful.
In 1969, Kooper was invited by Glyn Johns to join The Rolling Stones while they recorded ‘Let it Bleed’. You can hear his work on ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’ where he is credited with contributing piano, organ and French horn parts. Al Kooper’s subtle contributions are all over this timeless track.
Still in England and Glyn Johns, here is Al Kooper offering his talents on an alternate version of The Who’s ‘Behind Blue Eyes’. This track didn’t make the final cut, but Kooper’s Hammond organ part provides a unique take on a classic rock staple.
Looking back on Al Kooper’s incredible journey, it is arguable, but perhaps, the most significant contribution to music over his sixty-year career may reside in his role in discovering Lynyrd Skynyrd; playing on, and producing their first three albums.
Kooper first heard of Lynyrd Skynyrd as word of their strong reputation came out of Jacksonville, Florida. Once they caught on there they headed north into Georgia and Al Kooper caught their act at a club called Funocchio’s in Atlanta. Kooper knew the owner. He was captured by the band’s energy and sound, but most of all he couldn’t get over how tight Lynyrd Skynyrd was as they belted out a series of original songs so flawlessly. He asked if he could sit in with the band and their leader Ronnie Van Zant agreed. They played ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ in C-sharp. An odd choice of songs and keys.
It was a test. The band was interviewing Al Kooper and Kooper was sizing up the band.
It was only a matter of time before Al Kooper signed Lynyrd Skynyrd to his Sounds of the South label which was a division of MCA Records.
The story is told to some degree in ‘Working for MCA’.
Along come Mr. Yankee slicker, sayin’ “Maybe you’re what I want”
Want you to sign your contract Want you to sign today Gonna give you lots of money Workin’ for MCA”
Ed King and Ronnie Van Zany
…I am getting ahead of myself…
The result of this early encounter was ‘Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd’.
If you look on the sleeve, the album credits list one ‘Roosevelt Gook’ on bass guitar, backing vocals and mellotron. “Roosevelt Gook’ was an alias for one Al Kooper.
Take a listen.
Here is Tuesday’s Gone. Listen to the mournful bass line that drops almost immediately. You can also hear Al Kooper on backing vocals and to top it all off, through his production genius, he added the dreamy mellotron. It was Al Koper that took ‘Tuesday’s Gone’ from a great song to an instant classic, and this is just the first example of his role in building the Lynyrd Skynyrd legend.
As side one concludes Al Kooper lends his brilliance to ‘Simple Man’ with this subtle organ track. He turns this song into a gospel creation that has appeal through the generations. How many cool mothers have shared these words with their sons? I wonder…
Remember, these are just two songs from the first side of a freakin’ debut album. Flip the album over and the Kooper effect continues.
What would ‘Mississippi Kid’ be without the mandolin? As Ronnie Van Zant delivers the narrative Al Kooper plays the mandolin that accents the words perfectly. Songs of the South indeed. But, that’s not all. One more added touch is the understated bass drum. It is nestled under the vocals and the guitar/mandolin combination. It becomes captivating. Play it once, and inevitably you will just want to play it again. Lynyrd Skynyrd had arrived.
Once again, Kooper added an organ track to Poison Whiskey. This band was never shy about portraying the dangers of the vices that faced society. Their status as a party band was also legendary, but this was tempered by a commitment to being the best
As ‘Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd’ drew to a close the sound of ‘Freebird’ emanated from the grooves. Once again, it is the mood that drives the song. Before Gary Rossington plays his slide guitar tribute to Duane Allman, it is Al Kooper’s cathedral like organ that rings from the heavens. Just like in Tuesday’s Gone’ he adds a touch of mellotron. Some say the ‘Freebird’ jam goes on too long. I say it doesn’t go on long enough. The fact of the matter is, Al Kooper just gave the boys in the band the room to play.
This statement is not unique in any way, but it must be shared here. ‘Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd’ is one of the best debut albums ever and Al Kooper played a prominent role.
To say Lynyrd Skynyrd left an impression is an understatement. When it came time to do a North American tour to promote the album it was Al Kooper’s connection that got them an opening spot on The Who’s ‘Quadrophenia’ tour.
The promise of the first album led to people asking for more and this is where ‘Second Helping’ soon followed. It was every bit as good.
This time Al Kooper was a little bit more forthright with his contribution. Again, he produced the album, and he also lent his talent on bass and backing vocals to a couple of songs. This time his name was listed in the credits. Here is the defiant ‘Don’t Ask Me No Questions’
The opening track on side two is ‘The Ballad of Curtis Loew’ which offers a glimpse into the people that inspired the band. The old pickers that a racist society marginalized. From the perspective of a young boy not filled with any preconceived notions, a talented man like Curtis Loew held the key to a future in music. Once again, Al Kooper added a subtle piano track and backing vocals.
One other interesting note that speaks to Al Kooper’s connections. Remembering the fact that he played a role on The Rolling Stones ‘Let it Bleed’? It was here that he spent some time with Bobby Keys. A few years later Keys added his horn talent on ‘Don’t Ask Me No Questions’.
Al Kooper’s time with Lynyrd Skynyrd ended after he produced ‘Nuthin’ Fancy’ in 1975. The band had lost their focus and by the time they entered the studio to record they were not prepared to lay down their material in the same way that they presented it in the early days. It was time to move on.
Jumping back a little, remember ‘This Diamond Ring’ by Gary Lewis and the Playboys? Well, Al Kooper wasn’t happy with the pop style this band presented. While it became a hit, Al Kooper had written it with a more funky – soul oriented inspiration. In 1976, he recorded it on his album ‘Act Like Nothing’s Wrong’. Here you go.
Admittedly, I have left a lot out, and I urge you to explore more on your own.
Half a decade later Al Kooper was asked to blend some keyboards and synthesizers to George Harrison’s ‘Somewhere in England’ album. Here is Al Kooper playing electric piano on ‘All those Years Ago’
Through the years Bob Dylan never forgot Al Kooper’s contribution to ‘Like a Rolling Stone’. He was also the music director for ‘Blonde on Blonde’ later in 1965 where he worked closely with the legendary Robbie Robertson. By 1970 he added his versatility to ‘Self Portrait’ and ‘New Morning’. Two decades later Dylan invited him back to play on ‘Empire Burlesque’ and ‘Knocked Out Loaded’ in 1985 and 1986 respectively. Here is ‘When the Night Comes Falling from the Sky’ from ‘Empire Burlesque. This features Al Kooper on rhythm guitar along with Sly Dunbar on drums and Robbie Shakespeare on bass.
Through it all, Al Kooper resisted the urge to record his own version of ‘It Takes a Lot to Laugh It Takes a Train to Cry’, until 2008 when he added this track to his ‘White Chocolate’ album.
Much of this is captured in a series of interviews, articles, videos, podcasts and a couple of books including an original memoir called ‘Backstage Passes: Rock ‘n’ Roll Life in the Sixties’ in 1977 and an updated book called ‘Backstage Passes and Backstabbing Bastards: Memoirs of a Rock ‘n’ Roll Survivor’ in 1998.
In 2023, Al Kooper was finally recognized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He received the Award for Musical Excellence which while a nice recognition does not fully recognize the part he played in the soundtrack of our lives.
As the train moves on down the line, all I can do is give a nod to Al Kooper. While the credits roll they conclude with a single statement.
In Ted Tocks Covers’ world everything is trending upward.
This is a satisfying feeling. Late in November, Ted Tocks posted feature #1700 which is the result of over 70 months of writing and listening in order to share this passion. Focusing on the music and the magic and the stories behind what brought these songs to our ears is endlessly fascinating, and I am happy to say the reader engagement continues to grow. This past month over 430 Ted Tocks features generated page views.
Once again, in November Ted Tocks continued the trend of surpassing the number of views from the month before, and it became the second-best month ever in terms of readership statistics, capturing over 5200 page view. In addition to this, the site received over 4300 visitors. The numbers are steadily trending upwards since adding Instagram, and a LinkTree that gathers all of the mediums that share my content.
A shout out to my son, Sebastian for helping me navigate this process. It all means just a couple more steps to my morning routine. I just wake up fifteen minutes earlier and start typing.
I continue to share this information during my monthly recaps, because it serves as a positive preamble to the songs that drove the engagement. I will conclude with the features that made the top 3 for the month, but most importantly it all serves as a way to express my thanks to those who follow.
Ted Tocks Covers helps me tell a story. It begins with the music I discuss, and on occasion it flows into what is happening in my life. Here, I must repeat myself in saying that your support provides validation, because some days the readership this project enjoys is the fuel that motivates me as I enter the day…The real world, so to speak.
So often in my life music is the engine that drives the vehicle I call Ted Tocks Covers, and I continue to maintain that you, the reader, are the passenger. Thank you for coming along for the ride.
As part of my effort to make sense of things I tap into a variety of inspirational sites that share elements of wisdom. Here is one passage that served to keep me moving in a positive direction.
Today and over the next few days, the theme is about positivity and sharing yourself with others. There’s an influence expanding feelings of security, comfort, and joy. It’s a moment for you to tap into whatever abundance is available to you right now. The intention is to increase feelings of gratitude and living in the moment – to savour what makes you feel alive and connected.”
Words of Inspiration
Writing Ted Tocks Covers makes me feel alive and knowing that it is being enjoyed by YOU definitely gives me a feeling of connection.
Ted Tocks Covers IS ME sharing myself with others.
In November, Ted Tocks Covers was enjoyed by people in 83 countries worldwide. The highest engagement by far comes from residents of the United States. In fact, the U.S. represents over 80 percent of the readership. Keeping it in North America, Canada resides at #2, followed by the United Kingdom, Australia and Ireland (A shout out to our distant relative Hilary and her family).
As we crawl toward the conclusion of 2023, Ted Tocks continues to average nearly 120 page views a day on the year. The readership is up 58% over last year. While this is nothing huge by blogging standards, for a hobby it is quite validating. I continue to be pleased that my love of music is relatable to so many, and gradually…slowly, more and more people seem to be coming on board. As I near the end of my sixth year, I am happy to share that Ted Tocks Covers has managed to build an audience of over 600 followers. This is a fact that continues to blow my mind. From a modest hobby, to something that others seem to enjoy. It all makes me smile.
Quite often, it is music that serves to soften the most hardened among us. It definitely gives us a place to land smoothly.
As always, before I move on to the top three Ted Tocks Covers features for November, I would like to give a nod to an important post from the past that has achieved a significant milestone or received a noteworthy volume of readers in the past month.
‘Mess Around’ by Ray Charles goes back 70 years, but the influence that allowed him to create this seminal recording has roots that are approaching a century. This post was a lot of fun to write because it took me through some family memories of watching ‘Family Guy’, ‘Ted’ and who can forget the classic scene with John Candy in ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’? This movie has been a U.S. Thanksgiving tradition for this Canadian family for at least 20 years. We all sit down and watch it, and still laugh at all the classic scenes. What a movie! What a scene! It personifies John Candy, and it is an homage to Ray Charles and the greats that inspired his legend. Hopefully you can enjoy this post if you haven’t read it, or if you have, it is worth looking at again because the history of music is important. The best way to understand the present is by knowing how strongly it is connected to the past. This post surpassed the 500 page-view mark in November. This makes me happy because Ray Charles is an artist who has always bridged the past and the present.
#3. You Can Leave Your Hat On – This feature celebrated the occasion of Randy Newman’s 80th birthday. It tells the story of a song that Newman had written off as somewhat of a joke. Fortunately, several prominent artists saw a whole lot of merit in what Randy Newman had created. It began with Etta James and then in time we were blessed with the brilliance of Joe Cocker and Tom Jones. Mix in some huge pop culture connections and ‘You Can Leave Your Hat On’ has become a phenomenon. Randy Newman has a friend in Ted Tocks Covers and it seems any time Tom Jones and Joe Cocker enter the story the numbers rise.
#2. Now and Then – Spending time with The Beatles is always a wonderful way to begin the day. When Ted Tocks Covers is able to mix The Rolling Stones into the same post, it becomes a daily double. That is exactly what happened when these two music legends unveiled their latest releases in October. It began with the Stones first new album since ‘Bigger Bang’ in 2005. They called it ‘Hackney Diamonds’. A short time later The Beatles blew the entertainment world away with their AI and studio technique aided masterpiece ‘Now and Then’. What we ended up with is a musical celebration that may never be matched. Hearing John Lennon’s voice on record all these years later is special to say the least, but, this is a true collaboration. When you tie in The Rolling Stones effort the magic of the moment becomes even more significant because it was almost exactly 60 years ago that John Lennon and Paul McCartney gave ‘I Wanna Be Your Man’ to their London friends. These two bands may forever be connected. People tried to present them as rivals but they were friends on a similar trip. In this post, I spoke to this nostalgic connection. We are lucky to experience this moment six decades later.
#1. First We Take Manhattan – Speaking of legends, how about the great Leonard Cohen? The top post for November was the 1988 gem ‘First We Take Manhattan’. There is a definite intrigue when looking into how this song made its way into the public conscience. For that we have Roscoe Beck and Jennifer Warnes to thank. This pair had a long-time connection to Cohen, and together they worked to revive the song writing legend’s career. It definitely worked. Released on the 1987 tribute album ‘Famous Blue Raincoat’ Warnes’s version was technically the original but she was working from a promising Cohen demo. Like so many Leonard Cohen songs, his lyrics appear as prophetic. All these year later it remains chilling. Mix in cover versions by R.E.M. and Joe Cocker and you get one more cool post for the Ted Tocks’ archives.
Anyway, happy listening. As you listen, take some time and explore the deeper meaning. Understand what the artist is telling you, and then explore a little bit more.
If you missed the features listed above the first time around, by all means enjoy them now. If you think a friend might like to spend a few minutes with some good music, please share because…
#MusicisLife
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Thank you for continuing to read Ted Tocks Covers. I will be in touch. You can count on that. There are many great stories to come in the days ahead.
‘Now and Then’ has been called the last Beatles song.
I have watched the twelve-minute video that captures the making of ‘Now and Then’ several times. I have listened to ‘Now and Then’ on a bit of a loop since Thursday.
John Lennon wrote and recorded the skeleton of ‘Now and Then’ in 1977. It was during the period where he was ostensibly raising his young son, Sean. Footage in the video, taken by Yoko shows John playing the piano and spending time with Sean and Yoko. Hanging out at the Dakota. Just being ‘Dad’.
I do remember living at the Dakota with Dad and Mum. There’s this impression that my Dad stopped doing music for a while to raise me, which I think is partially true in terms of him not touring and not fulfilling any major record label obligations. But he was always playing music around the house. He was always making demos and I do remember him recording into these tape cassette recorders. Mom had these handful of songs that my Dad hadn’t finished and she gave them to the other Beatles.”
Sean Ono Lennon
This exchange occurred at the Beatles’ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 1994. Yoko had mentioned to George Harrison that the tapes existed, and on that special evening she handed the recordings over to Paul.
Imagine!
I mean, just think what this tape represented at the time and fast forward to what it means today.
One of the most recognized musicians of the 20th century. The moments have now been shared with all of us, to enjoy. Preserved. For millions of Beatles fans the world over they will become as cherished as the many reels we have etched in our mind.
As the video moves on we are treated to George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr working on ‘Now and Then’ with producer Jeff Lynne. The recording session that was captured occurred in one day back in March of 1995. According to Lynne it all happened in;
One day – one afternoon, really – messing with it. The song had a chorus but is almost totally lacking in verses. We did the backing track, a rough go that we really didn’t finish.”
Jeff Lynne
It is interesting to note that the early impressions of the Beatles, was that the recording was “fucking rubbish”. These were George’s words and Paul and Ringo had to agree. It was a reference to the quality of the actual recording; definitely not the content.
Based on this sentiment and the Beatle democracy, work on ‘Now and Then’ was set aside.
When George died in 2001, discussion about this project subsided, but in the years following Paul and Ringo would occasionally tease the possibility of new material. Paul suggested that he was writing new verses to a track and Ringo had laid down some of his trademark drum parts.
This quote from a Jeff Lynne documentary on BBC Four interview really got people talking. Paul McCartney is interviewed and he casually mentioned;
And there was another one that we started working on, but George went off it… that one’s still lingering around, so I’m going to nick in with Jeff and do it. Finish it, one of these days.”
Paul McCartney
But it was not until over a decade later that McCartney created a real buzz when he told the world that work was finished on a new song where they had extracted John Lennon’s voice from an old demo and through the assistance of AI they managed to enhance the recording to acceptable standards.
In order to dispel any cynicism McCartney clarified the authenticity by stating;
Nothing has been artificially or synthetically created. It’s all real and we all play on it. We cleaned up some existing recordings – a process which has gone on for years.”
Paul McCartney
And the world waited.
This is what we received.
The documentary video was written and directed by Oliver Murray
The music video shared at the outset was directed by Peter Jackson and to add to this musical gift to the world if includes some never-before-seen footage of the Beatles. Some is provided by Pete Best, and of course excerpts of George, Paul and Ringo in the studio in 1995.
I don’t know about you but when I saw images of George, I got a lump in my throat and then seconds later John’s voice breaks through and I was a blubbering mess.
And then Paul McCartney unleashes a slide solo that he has openly stated is a tribute to George…
…and the strings.
McCartney brilliance, the likes we will never see or hear again.
Man!
This is what I mean. At a time where the world is a complete and utter shit show The Beatles come around on this little Mystery Tour of Magic and say pause awhile and listen to this…
Maybe we can imagine all the people living life in peace?
For at least 4:35 anyway.
In less than 24 hours ‘Now and Then’ had over 10 million page views.
From an analytical standpoint ‘Now and Then’ exists as a conflicted love song in the same vein as several others John wrote in his post Beatles career. True to the Lennon/McCartney song writing style, additional lyrics were added by Paul that helped to enhance the sentiment John was hoping to share.
Lend me your ears and I’ll sing you a song…”
John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Here you go…
I know it’s true, it’s all because of you And if I make it through, it’s all because of you And now and then, if we must start again Well we will know for sure, that I love you
I don’t want to lose you – oh no, no, no Lose you or abuse you – oh no, no, no, sweet doll But if you have to go, away If you have to go Nda-da-doo, doo-doo-doo
Now and then, I miss you Oh now and then, I want you to return on me And now return to me…
I know it’s true, it’s all because of you And if you go away, I know you you’ll nev’… stay
I don’t want to lose you – oh no, no, no Abuse you or confuse you – oh no, no, no, sweet darl’ But if you had to go, Well I won’t stop you babe And if you had to go, well you believe in that love”
John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Not to take anything away from ‘Free as a Bird’ and ‘Real Love’ which were extracted from the same tapes, but they just didn’t hit me in the same way.
Not even close.
Cherish this gift. We need it.
Now for part two…
My friend Brian shared a fantastic comic by Graeme Keyes that shows a couple of friends hanging out in front of a record store. The display in the window says;
Out Now! Rolling Stones #1 ALBUM – NEW Beatles SINGLE!”
Graeme Keyes
One of the pair remarks;
WOW! Just how far did the clocks go back to?”
Graeme Keyes
Right then an idea struck me.
From Liverpool we head to London and visit Mick, Keith, Ronnie and friends and their homage to the man who gave The Rolling Stones their name.
First, here is the original Muddy Waters song known as Rolling Stone Blues, or ‘Catfish Blues’ (see ‘Voodoo Child’ (Slight Return)’)
On October 20, The Rolling Stones released ‘Hackney Diamonds’; their first album since ‘Bigger Bang’ In 2005.
As a band, The Rolling Stones have never forgotten where they came from. Case in point; the closing track is ‘Rolling Stone Blues’.
Tell me again…How old are these guys? This is fantastic. Listen to Mick and the guitar work? Stupendous! Just incredible!
The recording was deliberately handled in a way that harkened back to their early days. It was the only recording on the album recorded straight to tape. As you listen you can almost picture a couple of scraggly adolescents on a train.
One notices the other is carrying a record.
It is ‘The Best of Muddy Waters’.
They begin a conversation. Well over 60 years later they are still talking. ‘Through the past darkly’ we know this friendship has endured the worst of everything two people can take, but even when things seemed to be irrecoverable the music held them together. It was the glue. An eternal bond.
It all started with Muddy Waters.
They were going to be Rolling Stones, and a Rolling Stone they would forever remain.
Since this album was released just two weeks ago it has done some noteworthy things.
The Rolling Stones are the first act with Billboard 200 Top 10 Albums each decade since the 1960s.
For context, the only artist who can match this feat in the near future is Barbra Streisand.
‘Hackney Diamonds’ debuted at #3. Ironically ‘Bigger Bang’ also debuted at #3, eighteen years ago. The album includes several of their good friends. Here is just a sample of the guest list:
Elton John, Steve Jordan, Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder, Bill Wyman, Benmont Tench and yes…Sir Paul McCartney.
To further emphasize the eternal greatness of the names I have brought up here, the artists with the most Top 10s overall are The Rolling Stones with 38, followed by Barbra Streisand with 34, then Frank Sinatra and the Beatles at 32.
Among this list of Top 10s are nine #1 albums.
This includes: ‘Out of Our Heads’, ‘Sticky Fingers’, ‘Exile on Main Street’, ‘Goats Head Soup’, ‘It’s Only Rock and Roll’, ‘Black and Blue’, ‘Some Girls’, ‘Emotional Rescue’ and ‘Tattoo You’
All of this brings me back to the eternal question famously raised in song, as part of a 2009 hit by Metric.
From where I sit, just sitting around contemplating the question is a pleasant distraction.
Over sixty years have passed since The Beatles first hit the charts and set a course for what became famously known as the British invasion. It has been exactly sixty years since The Beatles gave The Rolling Stones their first U.K. Top 20 hit.
As legend has it, the song was written by Paul McCartney in a London pub, with John Lennon’s input, while the pair were hanging out with their new friends Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.
In this passage Mick Jagger remembers the scene.
We knew [The Beatles] by then and we were rehearsing and Andrew brought Paul and John down to the rehearsal. They said they had this tune, they were really hustlers then. I mean the way they used to hustle tunes was great; ‘Hey Mick, we’ve got this great song’. So they played it and we thought it sounded pretty commercial, which is what we were looking for, so we did it like Elmore James or something. I haven’t heard it for ages but it must be pretty freaky ’cause nobody really produced it. It was completely crackers, but it was a hit and sounded great onstage.”
It’s been forty years since Billy Idol released ‘Rebel Yell’.
Take a moment and reflect on this fact while Ted Tocks Covers brings the song’s roots back to a frequently discussed band on these pages.
Forty years…?
Billy Idol is on record as saying that the inspiration for ‘Rebel Yell’ came to him while attending a party at Ronnie Wood’s ‘brownstone’ in New York City. Wood and his Rolling Stone’s bandmates Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were drinking Rebel Yell bourbon whiskey straight from the bottle and the scene registered with Idol to the point that he used it as the foundation for the song’s concept.
Listen as Billy Idol tells the story.
This brings to mind an interesting parallel with a classic Rolling Stones song from a decade earlier.
As Billy Idol notes, he was infatuated by the brand name and the image of a Confederate soldier. This got him thinking about a potential song. Idol knew that Rebel Yell was also a Confederate battle cry during the U.S. Civil War but upon reflection, Billy Idol changed the theme to focus on ‘a little dancer’ who joins him in the wee hours.
Here is the well-known chorus Billy Idol came up with:
In the midnight hour she cried more, more, more, more With a rebel yell she cried more, more, more In the midnight hour, babe, more, more, more With a rebel yell more, more, more More, more, more!”
Drums beating, cold English blood runs hot Lady of the house wond’ring where it’s gonna stop House boy knows that he’s doing alright You shoulda heard him just around midnight
Brown sugar, how come you taste so good, now? Brown sugar, just like a young girl should, now”
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards
Both songs speak to a night of passion and within the lyrics the imagery conjures references to the United States slave era.
She don’t like slavery, she won’t sit and beg But when I’m tired and lonely, yeah, she gives me head I said, “What set you free and brought you to me, babe?” “What set you free? I need you here by me” Because
In the midnight hour she cried more, more, more With a rebel yell more, more, more, yow! In the midnight hour, babe, more, more, more With a rebel yell More”
Billy Idol and Steve Stevens
In 1971, The Rolling Stones released this brash opening verse like only they could.
Gold Coast slave ship bound for cotton fields Sold in a market down in New Orleans Scarred old slaver, know he’s doing alright Hear him whip the women just around midnight
Brown sugar, how come you taste so good? Brown sugar, just like a young girl should, uh huh
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards
Please understand, that I am not implying anything nefarious here. These two songs have no immediate connection. I am simply pointing out an interesting theme that arose out of a birthday celebration in the early ‘80s.
Once again, artists have an ability to be acutely aware of their surroundings. When they are in tune with every detail, anything and everything can arouse a potential song topic.
‘Rebel Yell’ was inspired by a combination of a bad boy image, a well-known brand of bourbon, imagery related to the U.S. Civil War and sexual desire.
This is what set Billy Idol’s mind free and he has been sharing the story ever since.
Enjoy this acoustic version of ‘Rebel Yell’ which puts the talents of Steve Stevens on full display. Stevens enjoys co-writing credit on this memorable track. As you will see, it is a true collaboration.
I think it is one of the best songs we did.”
Billy Idol
Let it be said here, that if you have not heard this version of ‘Rebel Yell’ then you haven’t really ‘heard’ this song. Before playing the song, pay close attention to the style of Stevens. In the studio version he combines a guitar/keyboard sound which he has attributed to the influence of the extraordinary guitarist, Leo Kottke. This influence really shines in the acoustic setting. If you think the first two and a half minutes are good, wait until you hit 2:50. Wow!
Before I move on to the cover versions of ‘Rebel Yell’ here is a version of the song from an ‘iHeart’ concert in 2012 where Idol shares the stage with Miley Cyrus. This became a bit of a divisive performance, because many Idol fans were not big on Miley’s image. Let it be said here that the Miley of 2012 is much different than the Miley of 2023. She has grown up to be a strong advocate for justice and right. I stand beside her.
Now for the cover versions.
When I saw that Ted Tocks Covers favourite Tiny Tim released a cover of ‘Rebel Yell’ in 1993, I was intrigued. When I saw that this cover was 23 minutes long, I not only had to add it to this post I had to immerse myself in what exists as the anti-‘Tiptoe Through the Tulips’.
This is from his album ‘Tiny Tim Rock’. Full points if you make it all the way to the end, but I for one love it.
That was a fun way to lead off, but by no means are we done. Let’s enjoy five more phenomenal covers that are outstanding, but not quite so self-indulgent.
In 2007, a Dallas based band called Drowning Pool released this heavy version of ‘Rebel Yell’ on their third album called, ‘Full Circle’. It was the closing track.
Let’s try an acapella version. Once again Ted Tocks looks to the Beelzebubs out of Tufts University. This is the 2007 incarnation of this acclaimed vocal group.
Four years later we get The Molly Ringwalds. Once again, I was captured by the band name. This band has committed themselves to taking music fans on a musical tour that explores the hits of the ‘80s.
Here is Hayseed Dixie from 2013. Ted Tocks Covers loves this group and it has pretty much become an unwritten rule that if I feature a song, and Hayseed Dixie covers it, this bluegrass act will become part of the post. This is from their album ‘Grasswhooping Party Pack: Volume 1’.
How about a big finish? Enjoy the power of Queensryche from about a year ago.
Let it be said that I am not someone that could be considered a Billy Idol fan per se. During the ‘80s and pretty much through to the present day I have been focused on many other artists. This is not to say, I don’t like him. I will listen to him if he comes on my playlist. Consider me familiar with his hits, and not a whole lot more. In many ways, this reflects my slow awakening to the acts of this decade, and another regular theme in Ted Tocks Covers.
Oftentimes, as I research a song and gather the information that becomes a Ted Tock, I become a fan.
Today’s feature is one of those times.
Its roots caught my attention. The acoustic version sold me.
Sit back and enjoy a sixty-year trip back in time. This Ted Tocks Covers feature will tie some interesting names together and the relevance will bring us right to the present day.
All of this will demonstrate that the musical timeline is not a fragmented list of occurrences, but more of a continuum.
Most listeners will recognize ‘Time is on My Side’ as The Rolling Stones first hit song in the United States. The Stones version was released in late September of 1964, almost a year to the day from the time jazz trombonist Kai Winding and his orchestra released ‘Time is on My Side’. The original recording was offered on this day exactly sixty years ago.
The lyrics they are singing are courtesy of Jerry Ragovoy, who was using the pseudonym, Norman Reade. This is where the interesting connections to music history really begin. Kai Winding was born in Denmark, and moved to the New York City area when he was 12. Among an impressive list of accomplishments, his musical resume consists of a stint as part of Benny Goodman’s orchestra during the post war period as well as many collaborations with J.J. Johnson. By the early ‘60s, Winding suggested to his session arranger Garry Sherman that he would like to experiment with a more commercial style. This is where Ragovoy’s early lyrics enter the equation.
Truth be told, the lyrics consist of two lines.
“Time is on my side” and “You’ll come running back to me”, on repeat in between Winding’s instrumentation which ultimately spoke to the lyricist who wrote the full set of lyrics.
Read on
The song is credited to Kai Winding. Song writing credits went to Norman Meade, ak.a. Jerry Ragovoy, and production credit went to Creed Taylor. It was released on the Verve label.
Take a listen, and pay special attention to the backing vocals. You will note that on the 45 the song is credited to Kai Winding with Vocal Group.
This stunning ensemble consists of Cissy Houston, Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick.
If you recognize the name Jerry Ragovoy, it is likely due to his collaboration with Bert Berns on the Janis Joplin hit ‘Piece of My Heart’ and Miriam Makeba’s classic ‘Pata Pata’ which gave way to the Jain hit ‘Makeba’ in 2015. More recently, this became a Tik Tok craze and brought Miriam Makeba’s legacy of advocacy to a whole new generation.
Are you with me so far? Because we have only got through the original version.
We have miles to go…
In the early part of 1964, Irma Thomas who was known as the ‘Soul Queen of New Orleans’ recorded an updated version of ‘Time is on My Side’. It was the B-side of her song ‘Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand). Arranger H.B. Barnum, who has links to The Coasters and the renowned song writing team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, employed the services of lyricist Jimmy Norman to create additional lyrics. According to stories related to Irma Thomas’s studio session, Norman completed the lyrics just moments before she arrived.
It is this version that captured the attention of The Rolling Stones. In fact, it was while Irma Thomas was touring the U.K. that Mick and Keith saw her perform. They were so impressed with ‘Time is on My Side’ that during a brief encounter they let her know that they intended to record the song. Check it out.
As one listens, they will recognize that The Rolling Stones borrowed from both of the recordings that preceded them.
Here is their original version. Notice that it includes a Vox Continental organ intro by Ian Stewart, instead of Keith Richards’s distinct lead guitar.
The version shared at the outset of today’s post was recorded in Chicago in November of 1964. It became the most famous version of ‘Time is on My Side’.
If you fast forward to The Rolling Stones 1981 American Tour in support of ‘Tattoo You’, you will hear a rendition that pays tribute to the Irma Thomas recording. This version was included as part of the live album ‘Still Life’ in 1982.
It must be reiterated that although somewhere along the way The Rolling Stones were labelled the “greatest rock and roll band of all time”, this is a term that the band has never accepted comfortably. Here is a quote from Mick Jagger during a 2022 interview with ‘Far Out Magazine’.
It’s just a stupid epithet. It just seems too Barnum and Bailey to me – like it’s some sort of circus act. The first time we heard it said was to introduce us every night. So, I used to say, ‘Will you please not use that as your announcement? It’s so embarrassing. And what does that mean? Does it mean the best, the biggest, the most long-lasting?’”
Mick Jagger
This protest from Mick Jagger feeds nicely into this recent interview with Tom Powers’ on the CBC Radio show Q.
If anything, The Rolling Stones are a showcase for everything that came before. Their greatest attribute is the ability to capture so much of what is good about music and then present it to their devoted audience for sixty years.
Because they are truly exceptional, they have managed to dominate the charts for over six decades. They are a living, breathing, cavalcade of everything good about many genres of music and what happens when we take the best of what’s around.
Going way back, Keith Richards offered this much more concise response to the simplistic label that has followed the Stones around.
(O]n any given night, it’s a different band that’s the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band in the world,”
Keith Richards
In many ways this defines what music really is for people who can truly live in the moment. If we can compartmentalize our listening experience, the greatest rock and roll band could be the one we are all listening to right now.
Sometimes life is better when we focus on the here and now instead of dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.
This is when time really is on our side.
Part of Ted Tocks Covers mission is to share original songs and then offer up cover versions that were inspired as a result of the initial creativity. So often, the original only presents a stepping stone to the song that ultimately takes the spotlight.
Let it be stated here that if I stopped at The Rolling Stones 1964 offerings I would have done ‘Time is on My Side’ a huge injustice.
Not only were there some fantastic versions recorded, but the names associated with these covers provide a unique trip through music history. This reality lends credence to the contention shared by both Mick and Keith in the quotes above.
Music truly is a journey through time.
Enjoy this 1965 orchestral performance by George Martin from his album ‘George Martin Scores Instrumental Versions of the Hits’. To no one’s surprise, Sir George had his eyes and ears on the greatest hits of the day.
Here is a fascinating cover. Check out The Moody Blues just a couple of years ahead of their breakthrough. It’s always interesting to hear legendary bands in their formative days.
Here is one more example of an act on the edge of stardom. This time it is The O’Jays who went on to record ‘Love Train’ among many other classics. This ride took them to a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2005. The O’Jays version of ‘Time is on My Side’ was on their debut album called ‘Comin’ Through’.
In 1966, Andrew ‘Loog’ Oldham who was a crucial figure in the early days of The Rolling Stones recorded an orchestral version of ‘Time is on My Side’ with The Andrew Oldham Orchestra. This is different, but it bridges the musical generations.
That same year, the great Wilson Pickett lent his soulful voice to ‘Time is on My Side’ on his album ‘The Wicked Pickett’. The guitar work on this track is by Chips Moman who wrote ‘Luchenbach Texas’ along with Bobby Eamons.
Now we take a giant leap ahead to 1991 with a fascinating cover by The Pretty Things & Yardbirds Blues Band from their album ‘The Chicago Blues Tapes 1991’. The core of this group consisted of Phil May and Dick Taylor; long-time friends of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards; they went to Sidcup Art College together. May and Taylor were joined by former Yardbirds drummer Jim McCarty. This all-star ensemble was joined by former Canned Heat bassist Richard Hite. This cover is also enhanced by the amazing backing vocals from Annette Frank and Diane Madison. This is a must listen.
Meanwhile, Keith Richards and his side project The X-Pensive Winos were working on their own version of ‘Time is On My Side. This had to be shared. Once again, the lady steals the show. Listen to Sarah Dash on vocals
Lost in all of this so far are the thoughts of Irma Thomas on the song she sang, and what it became. Clearly, ‘Time is on My Side’ became recognized as a Rolling Stones song. What did she think?
Well, early on she grew a little disenchanted with telling people who complimented her performance that she was not covering “that Rolling Stones song”. She eventually removed it from her set…for the better part of three decades…Until…
…This special New Year’s Eve broadcast from New Orleans, in 1992 where Irma Thomas was invited to share the stage with the magnificent Bonnie Raitt. Here is that performance.
In a later interview with a Dutch music series, Irma Thomas summed up Mick Jagger’s vocals in this way.
Vocally you have to be able to carry a note for more than a couple seconds. Melodically, he’s there. But they did it the way they did and I did it the way I did it and, you know, there’s an interpretation of singing. I tell people, ‘Mick can’t sing but he’s laughing all the way to the bank.'”
Irma Thomas
You have got to love the honesty.
Irma steals the show.
Now we must invoke the Tom Petty rule. If Tom Petty covers it, Ted Tocks Covers must share it. Here is Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers live from The Fillmore in 1997. They put their stamp on this timeless classic. Priceless.
Two years later we get a fun version by Blondie. This is on New Year’s Eve 1999 as Debbie Harry and friends help their audience ring in the new millennium.
Just two more, because they also have to be shared. Please take a moment to listen to this recording because it takes us right back to the studio where Irma Thomas delivered her original. This is lyricist Jimmy Norman from his 2004 album ‘Little Pieces’. Forty years later, he took the opportunity to share his own sermon. It resides as the closing track on this album. For the purposes of today’s feature Jimmy Norman will be considered the co-MVP. Shockingly, somewhere along the way Jimmy actually lost the writing credit to this song, because The Rolling Stones’ publisher deemed Norman’s credit was not ‘legally binding’. Sadly, Norman died in 2011.
Listen…This is a beautiful version.
Finally, this recording by 2007 by Beverley Knight is so good I just had to include it. This is from her album ‘Music City Soul’. It should be known that Ronnie Wood contributed his guitar work to this album, but left this role on ‘Time is on My Side’ to James Long and Duane Denison.
Before I leave you, just know that Irma Thomas, the co-star of ‘Time is on My Side’, is still revered within the New Orleans music scene.
I love what I do and will till I close my eyes,”
Irma Thomas
Whenever you hear this song spare a thought for the ‘Soul Queen of New Orleans’ and while you’re at it give a nod to Jimmy Norman.
If you are a big fan of the Stones this song will need no introduction. ‘Can’t You Hear Me Knocking’ has been described as two songs. It began as a riff created in the studio by Keith Richards. To Charlie Watts’ credit, he picked up on it right away
The jam at the end wasn’t inspired by Carlos Santana. We didn’t even know they were still taping. We thought we’d finished. We were just rambling and they kept the tape rolling. I figured we’d just fade it off. It was only when we heard the playback that we realised, Oh, they kept it going. Basically, we realised we had two bits of music. There’s the song and there’s the jam.”
Keith Richards
The song portion comes in at just under three minutes before giving way to the improvisational jam. The jam portion was a blessing because while Keith and Charlie led the charge, Jimmy Miller opted to keep recording.
So, which part do you like best? The song or the jam?
Count me in on the jam.
Bill Wyman agrees. Here is his brief assessment from an interview with Mojo magazine.
After the basic song ended, the continuation by the band into almost a jam, is magic, and only happens by chance on a few lucky occasions when the recording tape is left to run.”
Bill Wyman
Continuing with this sentiment, most Stones fans agree that this is yet another example of Mick Taylor at his finest. Taylor was definitely all in on this track. Here is his assessment.
‘Can’t You Hear Me Knocking’ … is one of my favourites … [The jam at the end] just happened by accident; that was never planned. Towards the end of the song, I just felt like carrying on playing. Everybody was putting their instruments down, but the tape was still rolling and it sounded good, so everybody quickly picked up their instruments again and carried on playing. It just happened, and it was a one-take thing. A lot of people seem to really like that part.”
Mick Taylor
If you go back and listen again, you will hear Taylor take the reins from Keith Richards at the 4:40 mark, along with Rock Dijon on congas. Billy Preston plays the organ, and the legendary Bobby Keys provides his distinctive tenor sax. The brilliance of this solo is difficult to describe in words. Just listen, and imagine being there in the moment. It rendered Keith Richards speechless. When he discovered the tape kept rolling, he knew they had something special. The personal connection between Richards and Keys goes above and beyond. The pair had a remarkable kinship which reaches cosmic proportions when you realize they actually shared a birthday.
Moving on, for all you guitar enthusiasts, Mick’s axe of choice is his Gibson ES -345. He says he used the same guitar on ‘Dead Flowers’ during the recording of ‘Sticky Fingers’. Here is ‘Dead Flowers’ for your listening pleasure.
That’s Mick Taylor on the guitar solo that is offered instead of a third verse.
Another thing you will note with ‘Can’t You Hear Me Knocking’ is the catch line. Mick Jagger was not comfortable with it because it was in a key that was too high for his voice.
I [did] lots of vocals, harmonies to sort of hide the fact that I didn’t really hit the notes that great in the chorus bits.”
Mick Jagger
If you feel like doing a little time travelling, let’s head back to the Olympic Studio in London, and listen to this early demo, where Mick Jagger improvises the lyrics before handing it all over to the band.
This is perfect, because the studio is where it all began.
What you get is a front row seat as to how the lyrics evolved. There is a fascinating side story to this presentation. According to Robert Greenfield in his book ‘Ain’t it Time We Said Goodbye’, when the band was preparing to release ‘Sticky Fingers’ they realized that the lyrics to a few songs including ‘Can’t You Hear Me Knocking’ had not been written down, seeing as it was mostly improvised. In order to copyright the song, they had to submit something plausible so members of the band’s studio entourage worked through Mick’s tomcat prowl and came up with what you will read below. The line “I’ve got flatted feet, now” has become a matter of contention. It seems Mick has no idea what the line actually was, but he is certain, these are not the words he belted out
Sex and drugs and pure unadulterated Rolling Stones rock and roll.
Yeah, you got satin shoes Yeah, you got plastic boots Y’all got cocaine eyes Yeah, you got speed-freak jive now
Can’t you hear me knockin’ on your window? Can’t you hear me knockin’ on your door? Can’t you hear me knockin’ down your dirty street, yeah?
Help me baby, ain’t no stranger Help me baby, ain’t no stranger Help me baby, ain’t no stranger
Can’t you hear me knockin’, ah, are you safe asleep? Can’t you hear me knockin’, yeah, down the gas light street, now Can’t you hear me knockin’, yeah, throw me down the keys Alright now
Hear me ringing big bell tolls Hear me singing soft and low I’ve been begging on my knees I’ve been kickin’, help me please
Hear me prowlin’ I’m gonna take you down Hear me growlin’ Yeah, I’ve got flatted feet now, now, now, now
Hear me howlin’ And all, all around your street now Hear me knockin’ And all, all around your town”
Mick Taylor
With Keith at the helm, the raunch is unapologetic, and this is when The Rolling Stones were at their best.
‘Sticky Fingers’ was #1 on the charts on this day back in 1971. Since its release ‘Sticky Fingers’ has been widely regarded as one of the best albums in The Rolling Stones vast catalogue.
Nearly thirty years later, The Rolling Stones brought ‘Can’t You Hear Me Knocking’ back to their live set. Here they are rehearsing the song for their ‘Licks Tour’ which was put together to support their compilation album ‘Forty Licks’. This footage captures the band preparing for their opening night at Palais Royale in Toronto. The Toronto landmark hosted the Stones and an intimate audience which unveiled their 40th anniversary tour.
Here they are live in 2003. This is from Madison Square Garden in New York City. Everyone takes a turn here and to his credit, Ronnie Wood really shines as he brings the band home. As always, Charlie lays down the groove that pushed Keith three decades earlier.
One decade later The Rolling Stones were celebrating their 50th anniversary and this special scene was captured live at Glastonbury. Mick Taylor and Bobby Keys turn this performance into something unforgettable.
Speaking of Mick Taylor, here he is with his own band in 2013. This is from The Iridium in New York City. Taylor enjoys a candid moment with an engaged audience.
Mick Jagger is better at singing this than anybody. I don’t even try to attempt this one. You don’t wanna hear that.”
Mick Taylor
Then, he and his group let the music do the talking.
Now let’s just run through a series of phenomenal cover versions that pump up the jam anywhere up to 12 minutes. Just sit back and enjoy eight covers with a heavy emphasis on the music. Lots of good listening here.
Let’s go back to 2010 and enjoy the Black Crowes who celebrate Keith’s birthday with ‘Can’t You Hear Me Knocking’.
Earlier that same year we get a somewhat abbreviated version featuring the guitar prowess of Carlos Santana and a solid vocal contribution from Scott Weiland. This is from ‘Guitar Heaven – The Greatest Guitar Classics of All Time’. Strange to say but, it isn’t long enough. This is an important cover because back in the time of the ‘Sticky Fingers’ release people suggested that ‘Can’t You Hear Me Knocking’ was inspired by Carlos Santana’s smooth guitar style. While Keith Richards is an admirer of Santana’s work, he denies this suggestion, holding to the fact that it was a spontaneous studio jam.
Any time Ted Tocks Covers can bring Jason Isbell into the fold is special. Here he is with the 400 Unit in 2013.
Moving on to 2016, here is Gov’t Mule. Wherever Warren Haynes is involved, quality is sure to follow.
Yet another great jam band. Check out Umphrey’s McGee.
Here is a bit of a side story. Back in August of 2005, I took my two older sons, Sebastian and Jeremy to the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto to see the Allman Brothers Band. We were joined by my friend Aaron. It was a beautiful August night. As an added bonus, the opening act was renowned jam band, Moe.
Here is Moe doing an epic 12-minute version of ‘Can’t You Hear Me Knocking’ back in 2017. Sit back and soak it in. This is the best of all the covers.
I was pleased to see that Blackberry Smoke had offered up a cover of today’s feature. Here they are in 2018 with Magpie Salute. The vocals lack cohesion but true to the Blackberry Smoke mission the jam outro is excellent.
To conclude the cover portion of today’s feature, here is Marcus King earlier in 2023. This is a rocking guitar track from ‘Stoned Cold Country’ which exists as a wicked salute to The Rolling Stones. Check out Christopher Spies sax solo. A nice little homage to the great Bobby Keys. Again…Not long enough…but exceptional. Check out the entire album.
Once again, for Ted Tocks Covers, discussion related to a Rolling Stones track offers a gold mine of talking points.
So much has been shared, and no doubt the conversation will continue.
Sixty years of music tends to open the door to endless possibility and when I hear the music ‘knocking’ Ted Tocks Covers will always motion for it to come on in.
When the Ramones wrote ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ their primary purpose was to create a chant song.
‘S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y NIGHT’ turned into “Hey ho! Let’s Go” and they were off.
Here is Joey Ramone (John Cummings).
I hate to blow the mystique, but at the time we really liked bubble gum music, and we really liked the Bay City Rollers. Their song ‘Saturday Night’ had a great chant in it, so we wanted a song with a chant in it: ‘Hey! Ho! Let’s Go!’. ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ was our ‘Saturday Night’.”
Joey Ramone
The lyrics were written by Tommy Ramone (Thomas Erdelyi). They all flowed from a benign thought he had while (now get this), walking home from the grocery store. This is straight from Tommy Ramone’s mouth.
I came up with the chant walking home from the grocery store carrying a bag of groceries.”
Tommy Ramone
Of course, the line of influence goes much deeper. No one reading would be surprised that Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones offered a degree of inspiration. But, hands up if you are familiar with Rufus Thomas and his song ‘Walking the Dog’. Another beauty from Stax Records.
It was the line “High, low, tipsy toe” that evolved into the famous Ramones call and response. The Rolling Stones loved the Rufus Thomas song and it was a part of their earliest sets. It also appeared on their debut album which famously consisted of nine cover songs and just three Stones originals.
When Dee Dee Ramone (Douglas Colvin) was singing “Hey Ho. Let’s Go! It was in a somewhat mocking reverence toward Mick’s classic English delivery. Tommy thought when Mick sang “High, low”, it sounded like “Hey Ho” and this is what took form as the root of the ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ walking through the streets of Queens.
It’s hard to believe something so ordinary could become a punk anthem.
But, that’s the beauty of the punk genre. Never pretentious, and always full of accessible attitude.
Hey ho, let’s go Hey ho, let’s go Hey ho, let’s go Hey ho, let’s go
They’re forming in a straight line They’re going through a tight wind The kids are losing their minds The Blitzkrieg Bop
They’re piling in the back seat They’re generating steam heat Pulsating to the back beat The Blitzkrieg Bop
Hey ho, let’s go Shoot ’em in the back now What they want, I don’t know They’re all revved up and ready to go
They’re forming in a straight line They’re going through a tight wind The kids are losing their minds The Blitzkrieg Bop
They’re piling in the back seat They’re generating steam heat Pulsating to the back beat The Blitzkrieg Bop
Hey ho, let’s go Shoot ’em in the back now What they want, I don’t know They’re all revved up and ready to go
They’re forming in a straight line They’re going through a tight wind The kids are losing their minds The Blitzkrieg Bop
They’re piling in the back seat They’re generating steam heat Pulsating to the back beat The Blitzkrieg Bop
Hey ho, let’s go Hey ho, let’s go Hey ho, let’s go Hey ho, let’s go
Tommy Ramone and Dee Dee Ramone
The songwriting credit goes to Tommy Ramone and Dee Dee Ramone. The latter contributed the line “Shoot him in the back now” which was changed from “They’re shouting in the back now.”
For the Ramones it was nothing more than a salute to their devoted audience. More appropriately, it was an invitation to a good time.
Because of the use of the word ‘Blitzkrieg’ a German connotation was added to the message. ‘Blitzkrieg’ literally translates to ‘Lighting War’ and it was interpreted as Hitler’s army, and the ‘Bop’ was seen as their compliant march to war.
While this is intriguing, it seems a stretch that Tommy Ramone was equating such depth to a one-line stage command in a three-chord delivery. He was bringing home some bread and a carton of milk, imagining how he might emulate Mick Jagger before his gradually increasing audience.
The album was released on this day in 1976. ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ remains a fan favourite, not only in music venues, but as a rally cry at sporting events.
With the benefit of hindsight, it is easy to refer to ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ as a song that defined an era, or even a genre. It’s always difficult to pinpoint exactly when punk arrived or when glam rock morphed into what became known as the punk scene. It is however, much easier to indicate on a timeline, key moments that speak to the evolution. What is clear is that punk took the most rebellious elements of what came before while firmly rejecting the glitz of glam rock.
One thing for sure, is that punk was an overt statement against a music scene that was beginning to take itself way too seriously and, horror of horrors becoming grossly commercialized. Mix in overproduction, and the advent of the antithesis of punk; prog rock and disco, take your pick. The bottom line is punk offered to tear everything down and reflect societal angst in a two-minute diatribe. Audiences who eschewed polish, dove into the mosh pit.
Bands like the Ramones spoke to an audience who felt society at large had nothing to offer.
Perhaps most importantly, it was delivered in a fast and furious musical explosion. Punk was a catalyst for change within society’s structure. Usually, marginalized people felt as though they had a voice. Here is a quote from Ryan Davey at Ceremonymusic.ca.
Punk was also sociological and political, also rejecting the societal forces and government policies that had rendered large segments of the working class and poor as disadvantaged, disenfranchised, and with diminished prospects for success. The music was angry and aggressive because its players were angry and wanted people to know it. Punk was a clarion call for change not just in music but in how society was structured. “
Ryan Davey
It was Seymour Stein who recognized that this unlikely band of Queens ‘brothers’ had something to offer the world at large. The fact that they were from Forest Hill didn’t matter. They had a concept that Stein knew could be sold. The Ramones put a face on the tried, and true spirit of rock and roll rebellion. Stein took them from the stages of CBGBs and Max’s Kansas City and introduced them to the world in 1976.
Here is a live recording from CBGBs in 1977. This was released as part of a live retrospective of the Ramones career called ‘It’s Alive 1974 -1996’.
You would like to think it happened as quick as 1-2-3-4, but it took some time to catch on. When it did, every band with a modicum of success pointed back to the Ramones and said thanks for the lift.
This assessment of the Ramones significance is summarized in a quote from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame when the Ramones were inducted in 2002.
When the [Ramones] hit the street in 1976 with their self-titled first album, the rock scene, in general, had become somewhat bloated and narcissistic. The Ramones got back to basics: simple, speedy, stripped-down rock and roll songs. Voice, guitar, bass, drums. No makeup, no egos, no light shows, no nonsense. And though the subject matter was sometimes dark, emanating from a sullen adolescent basement of the mind, the group also brought cartoonish fun and high-energy excitement back to rock and roll.”
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
During the Ramones 2002 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction, Green Day was invited to perform.
Green Day is one of many bands heavily influenced by the Ramones.
One of the remarkable things about ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ is it sounds as genuine today as it did when it was released in 1976. Take a listen to significant shows through the years and decide for yourself.
Here is one more example. This is from their final show at the Palace in Hollywood in August of 1996. Famously, the farewell event included such prominent names as Lemmy, Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell. This performance featured the return of Dee Dee.
The list of musicians and bands who consider the Ramones as a pivotal act in their development is seemingly endless and as diverse as it is long. Not only did they lead the charge for the punk movement, their rapid-fire guitar style has been credited as the dawn of punk-metal and the evolving thrash-metal style.
Here is a walk through the years, featuring just a handful of interesting names and styles.
Here is Hanoi Rocks in 1983. This speaks to the Ramones influence on the glam metal genre. Check out the audience.
Now enjoy The Misfits with special guest Dee Dee Ramone in 1998, along with a bonus of ‘I Wanna Be Sedated’
There is no doubt that you can draw a straight line from the Ramones to the Clash. Here is the great Joe Strummer along with the Mescaleros in 2003. This is a bonus track from the album ‘Streetcore’ which was released after Joe Strummer’s death in December of 2002.
That same year Rob Zombie covered ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ on the Ramones tribute album ‘We’re a Happy Family – A Tribute to the Ramones’. It also appeared on his album ‘Past, Present & Future’. I admire this for a completely different approach. It’s heavy and scowling. A scathing indictment of society.
Moving deep into the 21st century here are Foo Fighters from a 2018 show in Brazil. This features the guitar work of Pat Smear, who is introduced by his long-time friend, Dave Grohl.
Come on Pat! Give it to me.”
Dave Grohl
Pat just takes it all in stride.
Right on cue, Ted Tocks Covers favourite and cover artist extraordinaire Leo Moracchioli released his version of ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ on April 14. Leo plays the part before a New York City backdrop. This is an homage to a band he clearly loves. Here you go.
With all of this renown one would think the Ramones had a litany of #1 songs and diamond albums. Picture an act that was filling stadiums the world over.
Right?
Not at all.
They had one gold record to their name.
Over the years the Ramones played clubs, and concert halls. A total of 2,263 shows are credited to their name. From 1974 through 1996 they played pretty much non-stop. The in fighting within the band was legendary.
In this quote Gene Simmons of KISS summarizes their extraordinary run.
We think of the Ramones as a classic, iconic band. They have one gold record to their name. They never played arenas; couldn’t sell them out. It was a failed band. It doesn’t mean they weren’t great. It means the masses didn’t care.”
Gene Simmons
But their fans were wholly devoted and the legend grew over generations.
I recently saw this quote from Iggy Pop. He was assessing his career but it speaks to the story of the Ramones quite accurately.
You make records that punks discover five or 10 years after the fact. You earn the respect of scores of mainstream hard rockers. You spend quality time with rock’s royalty. And you trawl through the rock ‘n’ roll gutter. Simultaneously.”
Iggy Pop
Soaring with the eagles while trawling through the gutter.
Music frequently offers these extremes. The best, capture the experience in song.
And generations just sing along, pulsating to the back beat. Fists held high, because they know the band they are listening to is speaking on their behalf.
When Mick Jagger begged for humanity to ‘Gimme Shelter’ at least a portion of that plea spoke to our ability to take refuge in music.
In that case you can gimme the late ‘60s and early ‘70s era of The Rolling Stones any time.
It was right around this time in 1969 that the band hunkered down with producer Jimmy Miller to create the album that would become known as ‘Let it Bleed’. Today’s feature song is the album’s title track. If any Stones song points to their image as the keepers of the ‘Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll’ throne, this would serve well. It is bedraggled raunch in a country, rock and blues package.
Everything about it speaks to perfection. If you don’t like it, you need to check for a pulse, or perhaps a vein.
It’s time to tap, and ‘Let it Bleed’.
Until then you can listen and sing along to this, over and over. Do yourself a favour and focus on a different element of the song each time. Every player is at their best. Mick Jaggers’ vocals put an accent on the lyrics. Few can deliver in such a convincing way. Keith Richards’ acoustic and slide guitar work is a perfect blend of his primary influences. A little bit country, a dash of blues with a rock and roll punctuation mark. Bill Wyman adds a solid bass-line, but doubles down with a track featuring the autoharp. This is noteworthy because the autoharp had been one of Brian Jones’ many instrumental roles. Finally dependable Charlie Watts brings it all home with a perfectly timed drum contribution.
But, no mention of ‘Let it Bleed would be complete without discussing Ian Stewart’s piano part. This would be Stewart’s only contribution to the ‘Let it Bleed’ album, but is pure quality on every level.
The only thing missing is a contribution from Mick Taylor. This is simply a matter of timing. At the time of recording, he was not yet a member of the band. Sadly, Brian Jones was missing in action. His decline is well documented.
Clearly, the lyrics to ‘Let it Bleed’ are not for the faint of heart. The song lays out a series of hard core drug and sex references before Mick invites the his audience to dream, cream, bleed and cum all over him.
But hey…That’s just Mick. In his defence, the way he portrays the lyrics, the overtly sexualized and drug oriented phrases are a cleverly disguised message to us all to be available to each other in these troubled times.
It is a call out to us all to be someone’s emotional crutch.
The use of double entendres are employed in fine form here.
Classically unique, or were they playing a little cat and mouse with their friendly rivals?
The similarities between the song titles of this Rolling Stones offering and The Beatles ‘Let it Be’ gave rise to the idea that the two groups were responding to each other in some way. The Beatles recorded the song ‘Let it Be’ just a few months before the Stones hit the studio. Conversely, The Rolling Stones album hit the streets in late November of 1969, which was a few months ahead of The Beatles single, which began to fly up the charts in March of 1970 amid rumours that the group was in disarray.
Keith Richards is quite duplicitous on the subject. He begins by acknowledging The Beatles song which they were aware of long before its release.
We dug that song so . . . maybe there was some influence because Let It Be had been kicked around for years for their movie, for that album. Let it . . . be something. Let it out. Let it loose.”
Keith Richards
Then he contrasts this statement to some degree by saying it was all just a weird example of synchronicity in the following passage
Just a coincidence because you’re working along the same lines at the same time at the same age as a lot of other cats. All trying to do the same thing basically, turn themselves and other people on. ‘Let It Bleed’ was just one line in that song Mick [Jagger] wrote. It became the title . . . we just kicked a line out. We didn’t know what to call that song. We’d gone through ‘Take my arm, take my leg’ and we’d done the track.”
Keith Richards
One version related to the origin of the song title suggests that Keith worked so hard on perfecting his parts that his fingers began to bleed.
All this being said it is just interesting to note that despite the fact that the lyrical content couldn’t be more different, the two songs became the title tracks for the respective albums.
All a startling coincidence? Maybe!
Whatever the case may be…
“Bleed it alright.”
Here you go.
Well, we all need someone we can lean on And if you want it, well, you can lean on me Yeah, we all need someone we can lean on And if you want it, well, you can lean on me
She said, “My breasts, they will always be open Baby, you can rest your weary head right on me And there will always be a space in my parking lot When you need a little coke and sympathy”
Yeah, we all need someone we can dream on And if you want it, baby, well you can dream on me Yeah, we all need someone we can cream on And if you want to, well you can cream on me
I was dreaming of a steel guitar engagement When you drunk my health in scented jasmine tea But you knifed me in my dirty filthy basement With that jaded, faded, junky nurse Oh what pleasant company Come on
We all need someone we can feed on And if you want it, well you can feed on me
Take my arm, take my leg, oh baby don’t you take my head
Yeah, we all need someone we can bleed on Yeah, and if you want it, baby, well you can bleed on me Yeah, we all need someone we can bleed on Yeah, yeah, and if you want it, baby, why don’t you bleed on me
All over
Come on, babe
Ah, bleed it alright, bleed it alright, bleed it alright You can bleed all over me Bleed it alright, bleed it alright, you can be my rider You can cum all over me
Bleed it alright, baby, bleed it alright, bleed it alright You can cum all over me
Bleed it alright, baby cum all over me Bleed it alright Bleed it alright”
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards
Typical to everything The Rolling Stones did during this period they managed to capture a sense of turmoil that may have emanated from their inner sanctum, but they projected outward onto the political landscape both locally and globally. Ultimately, everyone who connected felt an affinity to every song on ‘Let it Bleed’. Here is a perfectly brilliant quote from Gavin Edwards of Rolling Stone.
Whether it was spiritual, menstrual or visceral, the Stones made sure you went home covered in blood.”
Gavin Edwards
Edwards’ statement captures the notion that any time spent listening to this era of the greatest rock and roll band left you feeling just rebellious enough to be subversive enough to exact at least some positive change.
Just one more astute opinion about this era of The Stones from Steven Van Zandt is offered below. This prominent guitarist, songwriter and radio host agrees with my sentiment that the four albums by The Rolling Stones including ‘Beggars Banquet’ in 1968, ‘Let it Bleed’ in 1969, ‘Sticky Fingers’ in 1971 and ‘Exile on Main Street’ in 1972 exist as “the greatest run of albums in rock and roll history”.
It is here that every Rolling Stones fan should raise a glass to Jimmy Miller.
Just one more interesting anecdote related to the ‘Let it Bleed’ album speaks to the cover art, because album covers used to really matter. For a certain generation of music fans, they are etched in our minds.
So, what’s the deal with the cake?
The ‘Let it Bleed’ album cover shows a gaudy cake with layers made of a tire, a clock face, a film canister, a pizza and a frosting adorned with candy. Figures portraying Rolling Stones members sit on top of the cake which is set on a record player. One side of the cover features a cracked Stones album on the turntable. Keith is the only band member left standing, although he is knee deep in frosting.
This was all designed by Keith Richards’ friend Robert Brownjohn. The concept began when the working title for ‘Let it Bleed’ was ‘Automatic Changer’.
And this is how fate changed the life of a home economist, baker and cookery writer for the Daily Mirror named Delia Smith. Brownjohn turned to Smith to bake the cake to his odd specifications. She complied and it was only as she delivered it to the studio that she realized it was intended to be a part of a shoot that would be connected to The Rolling Stones.
I was working then as a jobbing home economist with a food photographer who shot for commercials and magazines. I’d cook anything they needed. One day they said they wanted a cake for a Rolling Stones record cover, it was just another job at the time. They wanted it to be very over-the-top and as gaudy as I could make it.”
Delia Smith
One year later, she wrote a best-selling book called ‘How to Cheat at Cooking’.
Delia Smith went on to become one of the most popular celebrity chefs in Great Britain. She took on various journalistic roles as a columnist, and layered this outreach with appearances on the BBC where she became their resident cook. Over 50 years, Smith’s ability to present the most basic of ingredients and turn them into something palatable became her trademark. Ultimately her captivating influence became known as the ‘Delia Effect’.
At the age of 81 she is still revered and known simply as ‘Delia’.
She and her husband Michael Wynn-Jones, who was her first editor back in 1969 when the call came to bake the famous cake, are part owners of the Norwich City Football Club.
To get a sense of the type of person ‘Delia’ is, read this excellent article by Rachel Cooke of The Guardian.
The cake I baked for her was delicious, and can she please have the recipe?”
Delia Smith as told by Rachel Cooke
Everything comes back to the cake it seems.
Before we move to the cover versions of today’s feature let’s have a look at a couple of quality live versions that feature The Rolling Stones with some gifted musicians.
Here they are in 1995 during their ‘Totally Stripped’ show at L’Olympia in Paris, France. This is Ronnie Wood’s opportunity to shine on the slide guitar and Chuck Leavell’s piano work is outer-worldly.
This is fun. Watch as special guest Dave Matthews strolls out of the darkness to join Mick on the vocals. Just a neat moment from a guy who oozes cool.
Alright, let’s have a look at a run of five cover versions of ‘Let it Bleed’.
To begin we will head back to 1973 and this raw version from the great Johnny Winter. This is from his album ‘Still Alive and Well’. Nothing but straight-forward rock and roll with Johnny’s trademark slide. So good.
Here is another one I really enjoyed. Joan Jett professed that she loved rock and roll a decade earlier, and on this cover, she puts a stamp on that proclamation. Jett released this version of ‘Let it Bleed’ on her 1990 album ‘The Hit List’.
Moving on to the mid ‘90s here is Sheryl Crow at the 1995 Concert for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This was the year the Stones were inducted. Remarkably Mick, Keith, Ronnie and company are still touring about 28 years later. Listen for yourself, but if it wasn’t for the slide player this version would be nothing more than a bar band cover. I put it in the underwhelming category.
Speaking of ‘Crowes’ here is a quality cover from 2011 featuring the Black Crowes. This is from their album ‘Crowing Stones’. Yes! Now we are back on track.
Here we have the evolution of the ‘murder of Crowes’ motif. This is a stellar cover by the Chris Robinson Brotherhood. Gimme that piano/slide guitar combination any day. This is live from The Shed in 2018. Mic drop.
Through the years, Ted Tocks Covers features have developed into somewhat of a formulaic pattern. Lead with the original song then tell a bit of a back story. If I find the lyrics particularly interesting, I share them because when I distill my love of music down to the foundation, I am a word guy. Once I get through that portion, I may share some personal reflections if they are at least moderately relevant or relatable. From there, I introduce any number of cover versions before offering some form of conclusion.
The order of all of these components may vary somewhat but this has become the format. It was never by design; it just flowed in this way, and to some degree it works, at least in terms of helping me organize my thoughts.
So today, I sit at somewhat of a loss as to what more I can say. Unofficially, I can say that my features that include a Rolling Stones song likely number in the neighbourhood of fifty. Every time I begin, I think I may have run out of things to say, yet on each occasion I find just a bit more. All of this being said, you might think the Stones are my favourite band.
Nope
If I sat down and did a John Cusack, Jack Black ‘High Fidelity’ style exchange and hammered out my personal top 10 ranking, I concede they would likely exist in the bottom half of that list.
The thing is, when the Rolling Stones were at their best, there were few better in the entire history of music. That’s what this post is all about. So here is the full album for your listening pleasure.
Here are two other Ted Tocks Covers posts that featured songs from ‘Let it Bleed’.
Ted Tocks Covers 
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