Vampires – Clap Trap 1959
Robin Sarstedt – My Resistance Is Low 1976
Electric Light Orchestra – Strange Magic 1975
Cat Stevens – My Lady D’Arbanville 1970
John Sebastian – Welcome Back 1976
Pilot – January 1975
Beatles – I Saw Her Standing There 1963
Dave Davies – Death Of A Clown 1967
Beach Boys – God Only Knows 1966
Harpo – Horoscope 1976
Maureen McGovern – The Continental 1975
David Bowie – TVC15 1976
Paul McCartney & Wings – Silly Love Songs 1976
Beach Boys – You're So Good To Me 1965
Jay & The Americans – She Cried 1962
R. Dean Tayler – I Gotta See Jane 1968
Pilot – Running Water 1976
Congregations – Softly Whispering I Love You 1971
Napoleon XIV - They’re Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haa 1966
The first one in here, I was sure, was a Sandy Nelson tune. The Vampires, never heard of them before. Robin Sarstedt I remember very well. He was, of course, the brother of Peter who had an even bigger hit with Where do you go to. But Resistance is cute.
Strange Magic is from the best phase of ELO. You could argue that it was going too far in the direction of Trying-To-Please-The-Crowd. But I was okay with it so far.
Cat Stevens is a strange artist. And I am not talking about his conversion. He made beautiful songs. Sometimes a little bit too beautiful as in this case. Too much of a girl’s song if I am allowed to say so.
Welcome back is so relaxed. Certainly, they are not really enthusiastic about him coming back. But he did the right thing in returning.
Pilot is another near forgotten group. I loved them and I wish they had stayed longer and made more records like those two. January a big hit. Running waters in a non-hit-way just as good.
I do not hesitate in calling myself a Beatles fan. But I must admit, their early ones do not really convince me.
Death of a Clown is a masterpiece, no wonder Dave thought he could make it on his own. Luckily he remained a kink.
Out of the many brilliant songs by the Beach Boys God only knows is probably the best. (Unless it is Johnny Carson and certainly not You’re so good.)
Harpo was very popular in Germany. I liked him at the time. But this is one of the few songs on these cassettes that I would certainly not tape today.
The Continental is a great song and even better when immediately followed by TVC15. Strangely, she was not even in BEA. With so many great songs. Next, we have a silly song by Paul. It is meant to be ironic and it is good enough for me.
Another song dear to my heart is this one by R. Dean Tayler (what a name!). Windstill wipers splishing splashing. Calling up her name, I gotta see Jane.
And finally another novelty song. At the end of the song, I still have the DJ saying: "I personally can’t stand this record." I can sympathise but it made me love the song even more. And the name is even better than Taylor’s. Also, I had no idea it was about a dog.
Best song: They’re Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haa
Link _________________ When the stewardess is near do not show any fear.
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Mike Batt – Insh’Allah 1977
[unknown] – Nothing takes the place of you
XTC – Neon Shuffle 1978
Kevin Coyne – Rainbow Curve 1977
Kevin Coyne – Fool, Fool, Fool 1977
[Unknown] – Schleier Fahndung
XTC – I Am Bugged 1978
Tomorrow – Revolution 1968
John Lennon – Nobody Loves You (When You’re Down And Out) 1974
John Lennon – Ya Ya 1974
Yannis Markopoulos – Who Pays the Ferryman? 1978
Scott Fitzgerald & Yvonne Keeley – If I Had Words 1978
Rod Stewart – Hot Legs 1977
Anita Garbo – The Devils Race
[Unknown] – Yes, Sir, I Can Boogie
John Williams – Star Wars (Main Title)
Wishful Thinking - Hiroshima 1971
Everly Brothers – Bird Dog 1958
Smokie – For a Few Dollars More 1978
It still amazes me from time to time what is popular on BEA and what is not. Mike Batt was huge at a time and now (and here) he is all but ignored?
I admit, he is responsible for Bright Eyes, a horrible song, but he made some pretty good records too. And this is a great song.
The next is a truly beautiful version of Nothing takes the place of you. Hopefully, Siri will be able to tell me someday the name of the artist.
Same for the incredible version (more or less a spoof) of Yes, Sir.
The third unknown is a spooky tune with original German radio broadcasting, probably during the Schleier kidnapping. Maybe someone can help me with these.
The sound in 1978 began to change quite drastically with XTC and Kevin Coyne. The beginning of a new era. Rather short-lived in retrospect. Unfortunately.
I probably taped this of a John Peel show. He was likely to follow XTC with a magnificent song from the "olden days" like Revolution. I like the Beatles Revolution but this is much better. But did I listen to John Peel in 1978? I do not know.
Talking of Beatles we have two nice entries from John. Nobody loves you when you’re down and out. As if I had not known! Ya Ya the best (and only good, to be honest) from his Rock’n’Roll album.
Next, we have a TV series instrumental. Never saw the show. If it as good as the tune then it is a loss.
If I Had Words is a beautiful example of the kind of song that would make the charts in these days. A touch of reggae, very simple, very sweet. I loved it. With Hot Legs I’m not so sure. This has aged badly, I think.
I am probably one of the few people of my generation who could not find any virtue in Star Wars. Except for the theme song. It is such an overrated film... (And let me not start talking about Matrix.)
Anita Garbo, I said it before somewhere, the woman who should have been a huge star. And did not even manage to make one LP. Three singles are all the world got from her. I, for one, am thankful.
Hiroshima, I could not stand. Do not know how it made it to this cassette. Now, I do not find it as annoying as I used to. Funny.
And finally, a classic by the Everly Brothers and a mediocre song by Smokie. Smokie and XTC? Surely XTC.
Best song: Rainbow Curve
Link _________________ When the stewardess is near do not show any fear.
Ringo Starr – Hey Baby 1976
Them – Alright Now 1970
Ricky Nelson – Poor Little Fool 1958
Jay & The Americans – Caramia Mine 1965
David Bowie – Rebel, Rebel 1974
Herman’s Hermits – Years May Come Years May Go 1968
Lemon Pipers – Green Tambourine 1968
[unknown] instrumental
Louis Armstrong – What A Wonderful World 1967
[unknown]
Electric Light Orchestra – Rockaria 1976
Electric Light Orchestra – Tightrope 1976
Electric Light Orchestra – Above The Clouds 1976
Little Stevie Wonder – Fingertips Pt. 2 1963
National Philharmonic Orchestra – Saraband Main Title (Barry Lyndon) 1975
David Bowie – Starman 1972
Procol Harum – A Whiter Shade Of Pale 1967
Hollies – Sorry Suzanne 1969
I like the way Ringo sings. Hey Baby is not one of his stronger songs. But good enough for me.
Alright Now. Poor Little Fool was written by a 15 years old girl I just learned, and then she decided Ricky should sing it. Amazing. You do not need to accomplish anything else in life after that.
The two David Bowie entries could not be more different. I love them both. I prefer his softer side, but Rebel, Rebel is maybe the best of his uptempo songs.
Green Tambourine Wikipedia calls a bubblegum song. Really? And psychedelic which is okay.
What A Wonderful World is a song everybody likes. And I am not an exception. A universal message by a man who seems to know what he is talking about. (But I like the 4-Skins better).
Next, we have three songs in a row from one LP. I liked ELO very much at the time, as you can see.
The Barry Lyndon piece is the odd man out in this collection. Quite good, though.
A Whiter Shade Of Pale is maybe one of those songs that I have heard to often in my life to really love.
Which leaves another fine song by the Hollies.
Not one of my better cassettes. The best song should be one of the Bowies. But since I cannot make up my mind:
Best Song: Green Tambourine
Link _________________ When the stewardess is near do not show any fear.
Marty Wilde – Teenager In Love 1959
Adam Faith – What Do You Want 1959
La Düsseldorf – Düsseldorf 1976
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich – Hold Tight 1966
Jethro Tull – The Whistler 1977
Peter Gabriel – Solsbury Hill 1977
Peter & Gordon – World Without Love 1964
Sandy Shaw – (There's) Always Something There to Remind Me 1964
Herman’s Hermits – I’m Into Something Good 1964
The Seekers – I’ll Never Find Another You 1965
Brenda Lee – Rock On (Your Steel Guitar, Little Jonah) 1958
Electric Light Orchestra – Shangri-La 1976
Stealers Wheel – Stuck In The Middle 1973
Joan Baez – Here’s To You 1971
Can – I Want More 1976
Michael Nesmith – Rio 1977
Eddie Cochran – Sitting On The Balcony 1957
The Champs – Tequila 1958
Beatles – Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da 1968
We start with a good song in a pretty lame interpretation. What do you want, sounds like a Buddy Holly song. Very good but a little disturbing. La Düsseldorf is maybe not as well known as they deserve. Düsseldorf is the best song they made. "Gehn wir in die alte Stadt" - Lets go to the old town. When I hear the song I seem to hear them chanting it all along. While actually they really start singing it late in the song. Amazing effect.
Dave Dee and his companions I think are just as good as the Monkees. And the Monkees just as good as the Beach Boys. In other words one of the best groups ever. Sadly there are not many who would agree. Hold tight, an excellent song and one of their weaker ones.
I know I said I don’t like Jethro Tull, and yet here they are again. You cannot trust your own taste.
Solsbury Hill, and here we can all agree, I think, is the nearest to a perfect quality pop song with we got in the 70s.
I never understood why Paul McCartney considered World Without Love to be not good enough for the Beatles. He wrote the song when he was 16. To my ears and mind it is much better then all the covers they would play for years.
Always, I have to admit I thought was by Cilla Black. Well, I am not that much of an expert, as you can see. Great tune.
The Seekers I do not really like. Nice song, but the singing has something annoying that I cannot really describe.
And to end side A a rock number by Brenda. Her singing impeccable.
And another song by the Electric Light Orchestra. A bit bombastic. I tell myself don’t let yourself being cheated into liking this. But I can’t help it. And I certainly could not at the time.
Stuck in the Middle is a great honest Rock song. Funny how you sometimes think there is a quality in a song that goes above your head, barely graspable, out of your league, but somehow still belonging to you.
The Joan Baez song was written by Ennio Morricone I learned today. That is interesting. Almost makes me like the guy.
The next song I had forgotten. Thanks for identifying it, Siri. Not a bad one. On the other hand, I very distinctly remember hearing Rio for the first time on the Radio. And I knew it would be one of my favourite songs for the rest of my life. So relaxed. And I love the way the song ends. I will probably not fly to Rio, and then again I just might.
Balcony is sung in a way that makes you think Eddie had too much Tequila. I had no idea who made Tequila. Hopefully, I will remember now. And for reasons unknown to me, I have the Beatles song that I really detest here on cassette. Well, I tell myself, it is really not that bad. Is it? Ah, no. It is.
Best song: Rio
Link _________________ When the stewardess is near do not show any fear.
Glenn Miller Band – In The Mood 1939
Bob Dylan – How Many Roads 1963
Mud – Hula Love 1975
Ringo Starr – It Don’t Come Easy 1973
Beatles – I Want To Hold Your Hand 1963
John Denver – Thank God I am Country Boy 1974
Del Shannon – Hey Little Girl 1962
Status Quo – Roll Over, Lay Down 1975
Elton John – Rocket Man 1972
Dickey Lee – I Saw Linda Yesterday 1963
Maureen McGovern – We May Never Love Like This Again 1974
Beatles – Honey Pie 1968
Sonny & Cher – Baby, Don‘t Go 1964
Milli Small – By Boy Lollipop 1964
George Harrison – This Guitar (Can't Keep from Crying) 1975
[unknown]
Detroit Spinners – Living A Little Laughing A Little 1974
Terry Jacks – Seasons In The Sun 1974
Beatles – Eight Days A Week
Kraftwerk – Autobahn 1975
[unknown]
Mungo Jerry – Wild Love 1973
One of the oldest recordings in my collection is Glenn Miller’s In the Mood. And it sounds still fresh. Something that cannot be said of How many Roads. Even I played it very, very badly on the guitar. Which means everybody played it. It is not a bad song but I think I would like Dylan better if he had never made it.
Hula Love is silly but if I liked a group I would tolerate their silly stuff.
It Don’t come Easy is maybe the best of Ringo’s songs. I remember I had a colleague at my first job who would complain about the bad grammar in pop songs. And this was his prime example. I tried to defend Ringo and creative freedom in general but not with much success.
I Want to hold your hand is maybe the first song of the Beatles where you can sense some sparks of genius. The two other ones here nearly as good.
I said it before, I love John Denver, especially his live stuff. And this is easily his best. So I fiddle when I can, work when I should – Thank God, I'm a country boy.
Hey Little Girl - one of the many great songs of the incomparable Del Shannon.
Status Quo are a bit like John Denver. Their live versions are much better than their studio recordings. And Roll over lay down is my favorite.
For many years Elton John was unable to do bad songs. This is one of his best. Sort of a companion song to Bowie’s Major Tom. (And you should check Kate Bush’s version.)
My favorite pop sub-genre: the lost love song and one of the best is by Dickey Lee. Just when I thought I was really okay I saw Linda yesterday. As so often it is also one of the ultimate feel-good-songs. And how does this work?
I mentioned Maureen before. A great lady.
I did not know Baby don’t go was by Sonny & Cher. The singing is even better than on I got you.
Probably not too many people would agree but I think This Guitar is George’s best song (unless it is "You").
The next one is probably by the Detroit Spinners (known to Americans as The Spinners), but I am not sure. Living A Little surely is. Another Pop sub-genre, the meaning of life song. And I try to follow their advice.
Now, Seasons in the Sun was my first ultimate favorite song. I would listen to it ten times in a row every day for weeks. But not on this cassette. I had another one. So more on this song later.
Vor uns zieht ein weißes Band... Autobahn was the first song, I think, that made me proud to be a German.
Most people know only In the Summertime but Mungo Jerry had quite a few good songs. Listen to it.
Best song: Autobahn
Link _________________ When the stewardess is near do not show any fear.
Duane Eddy – Peter Gunn 1959
Beach Boys – I Get Around 1964
Chubby Checker – Let’s Twist Again 1961
Electric Light Orchestra – Evil Woman 1975
Donovan – Universal Soldier 1965
Queen - Death On Two Legs 1975
Queen - Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon 1975
Everly Brothers – Bye, Bye Love 1958
Laurie London - He’s Got The Whole World 1957
Lloyd Price – Personality 1959
Ray Peterson – Tell Laura I love Her 1961
Bay City Rollers – Bye, Bye Baby 1975
John Lennon – Be My Baby 1973
Tommy James & The Shondells – Crimson & Clover 1968
Alice Cooper – Shools’s Out 1972
Alice Cooper – Luney Tune 1972
Alice Cooper – Gutter Cat vs. the Jets 1972
Alice Cooper – Street Fight 1972
Alice Cooper – Blue Turk 1972
Alice Cooper – Alma Mater 1972
We start with the most famous song by Duane Eddy. Never saw the show, but it should be excellent. One of the quintessential instrumentals.
I Get Around is a weaker Beach Boys song, but surely nice enough.
The twist is a phenomenon that I cannot quite understand. So when did they first started to twist?
Another entry from Electric Light Orchestra from the could-do-no-wrong-period.
Universal Soldier was the companion song to Bob Dylan’s Blowing in the Wind. The other song I could play on guitar. And it is also quite corny but I like it better.
A Night at the Opera made me for a time very nearly a Queen fan. I went to Düsseldorf to see them live in 1976. My first Rock concert. And even bought a scarf.
Next we have a couple of classics, young Laurie with his gospel, Lloyd Price praising the personality of some girl and one of the greatest tearjerkers of all time: No one knows what happened that day how his car overturned in flames But as they pulled him from the twisted wreck with his dying breath they heard him say
Tell Laura I love her...
With 15 I was too old at the time to fall for the Bay City Rollers. But this one I could not help liking. There’s a wedding ring on my finger. Hm, and she did not see it? Quite a difference to the way the Everly Brothers handled this. But okay.
When Rock’n’Roll was released they thankfully played Be My Baby on the radio. Why this was not included on the album is one of the great mysteries in the history of pop music. It would have easily been the best track on the album. One of Lennon’s best performances, I think.
Over and over, Crimson and Clover. You can do no better rhyming.
Finally, I have nearly the complete brilliant School’s out album.
Best song: School’s out
Link _________________ When the stewardess is near do not show any fear.
Mason Williams – Classical Gas 1968
Procol Harum – Conquistador (live) 1967
John Denver – Annie’s Song (live) 1974
Drifters – Up On The Roof 1962
Bee Gees – Nights On Broadway 1975
Eddie Cochran – Summertime Blues 1958
Buddy Holly – Rave On 1958
Slik – Requiem 1976
Beatles – Paperback Writer 1966
Beatles – All You Need Is Love 1967
Paper Lace – The Night Chicago Died 1974
Adriano Celentano – Una Festa Sui Prati 1967
Millie Small – My Boy Lollypop 1964
Lovin’ Spoonful - Summer In The City 1966
Olivia Newton-John – I Honestly Love You 1974
Stevie Wonder – Boogie On Reggae Woman 1974
Paul McCartney – Band On The Run 1974
Melanie – Beautiful People 1969
Invaders Theme
Mason Williams? Seems like I have never heard the name before. But the tune is instantly recognizable. Another great instrumental. The live version of Conquistador is the best example (and one of the few good, to be honest) of rock meets classic. I love the intro. When the conductor makes these little beatings with his baton.
Annie’s song is a bit on the corny side, I admit. But the introduction alone is so sweet... Through the next song, I have the pleasure of sharing with you people the love that I feel for my lovely wife Annie... This is her song.
Just before they became insanely successful with their Saturday night stuff they released their best album. (There is a lesson in this, I am sure.) Nights on Broadway has some disco elements in it, of course, but is meant for adults and works beautifully.
Drifters, Buddy and Eddie with some of their best-known records. And in contrast to the Bee Gees, it means that their most successful records are also their best. This might be a prejudice but I think that this is the difference between 50s and 60s music to what happened later.
Now I remember very well the moment I decided to tape Requiem. It was embarrassing and I knew I would regret it. But here it is for all the world to see. A sin of youth. Actually, it is not that bad.
One can't go wrong with the Beatles.
If I should name one typical song from the year 1974 it would be the one by Paper Lace. As so often, I had no idea what they were singing about, but it just seemed right.
The best Italian song ever made is Una Festa sui Prati. Obviously, the lyrics were even less comprehensible. But it was a song about a party, what else. The party of life. Another instantly-feel-good song.
Summer in the City was at least 10 years ahead of its time. The best song about summer and the best song about cities. Not a mean achievement.
A Song like I honestly love you, was not what I would normally listen to. But I did like the song a lot and still do. Can’t really explain why.
Boogie on I had all but forgotten. The song is famous for not being boogie and certainly not Reggae. But it is groovy.
I was a John Lennon guy at the time. So, everything done by Paul I was determined to dislike. But I did make exceptions. (Although it seems that my musical taste has not changed one jota in the last 45 years it is not entirely true, I tend to like Paul more than John these days.)
Melanie is underrated in my opinion. And this is such a great song. Even if I could not understand the lyrics at the time I knew exactly what she was singing about. What makes this song especially dear to my heart is the follow up though... The theme from the Invaders taped with a microphone. And the appalling quality adds to the eerie feeling. A highlight of my cassettes anthology.
Best song: Beautiful People
Link _________________ When the stewardess is near do not show any fear.
Brenda Lee - I’m Sorry 1963
Elvis Presley – T-R-O-U-B-L-E 1975
Walker Brothers - The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore 1966
Wizzard – See My Baby Jive 1973
Platters – Only You 1955
10cc – I am not in Love 1975
Kraftwerk - Kometenmelodie 2 1974
Electric Light Orchestra – Poor Boy (The Greenwood) 1974
Roger Miller – King of The Road 1965
Guy Mitchell – Heartaches By The Number 1959
Sandy Nelson – Let There Be Drums 1961
Roy Orbison – Lana 1961
Johnny Preston – Cradle Of Love 1960
Raindrops – He’s The Kind Of Boy I Can’t Forget 1963
Randy & the Rainbows – Denise, Denise 1963
Marty Robbins – A White Sports Coat And A Pink Carnation 1957
The Tokens – The Lion Sleeps Tonight 1961
This cassette starts with a version of House of the rising sun. As played on guitar by either my brother or me. Probably my brother. Bad as it is, it dinosaur than I could play. Funny though, that I can’t be sure.
Well, after the amateur follows a truly professional singer. Brenda Lee with her most famous song.
Elvis was a dinasaur in 1975 for me. And it came to a big surprise that all of a sudden the old man had a hit. It is not one of his best-known songs but Trouble is the only of his songs that really belongs to me. I would not go so far as saying that it is his best song. It certainly is not. To me, everything released in 1975 has a touch of genius in it.
I did not know that Franki Valli wrote The sun ain’t gonna shine anymore. Interesting. The Walker Brother made a monster version. The definition of Wall of sound. Not many songs could follow this. See my Baby jive is certainly one of them.
And next, we can relax a little bit with the true classic by the Platters. (Actually, I prefer Ringo’s version.)
If 1975 was the year in which Rock music reached its peak (to quote Homer Simpson again), I’m not in love was the flag of top of it. How I loved this song. Don’t tell your friends about the two of us. It’s just a silly phase I’m going through. And one of my favorite lines in all of literature: I keep your picture upon the wall - it hides a nasty stain that's lying there. 10cc made such clever lyrics. A magnificent song.
And Kometenmelodie 2 is not so bad either. And last on side one the incredible Electric Light Orchestra with a song from my favorite album.
The second side contains a very nice collection of oldies. (Many of the artists unknown to BEA, btw.) I learned only years later that King of the Road is about a truck driver. Makes sense. But for me it completely changed the song. Heartaches by a number was sung in German by Peter Alexander, I think: Ich zähle täglich meine Sorgen. One of the few cases were I find the German version better than the original.
I know only two drummers. One is Ringo, the other Sandy Nelson. Let there be drums. Yes, especially when played by Sandy.
Oh, beautiful Lana. Roy in top form with this one.
I took pride in taping these songs without any talking of DJs. This one is a kind of exception. A couple of them are introduced by a guy called Gerd Alsner (or something like that.) The show was called Memory Hits im Deutschlandfunk. And I know all the introductions by heart. "Marty Robbins aus Glendale, Arizona... Marty Robbins". And I could understand that he was singing about a car nation. But why pink? One of the mysteries for a non-native listener to English music.
And I mentioned the other day that I do not care much for Blondie. Probably because they crippled this wonderful song of Randy and the Rainbows.
Best song: I’m not in love
Link _________________ When the stewardess is near do not show any fear.
Hank The Knife And The Jets – Stan The Gunman 1975
Janis Ian – Between The Lines 1975
Nilsson – Without You 1971
Harry Belafonte – Banana Boat Song (Day O) 1956
Mark Dinning – Teen Angel 1960
[unknown] – When My Little Girl is Smiling
Beach Boys – Heroes And Villains 1967
Dickie Goodman – Mr. Jaws 1975
Franki Valli & Four Seasons – Who Loves You? 1975
Wombles – Wombling White Tie And Tails 1975
[unknown] – Dear Prudence
Mud – Tiger Feet 1974
Duane Eddy – Rebel Rouser 1958
Trini Lopez - If I Had A Hammer (live) 1963
[unknown]
Bob Luman - Let’s Think About Living 1965
George Harrison – You 1975
Beatles – Dear Prudence 1968
Bay City Rollers – Saturday Night 1975
Procol Harum – Eight Days A Week 1975
Hank The Knife were a Dutch Band. Guitar King, as far as I know, their only other hit.
Janis Ian is very popular in the Netherlands. I once saw her in Rotterdam filling a big concert hall.
Funny how tastes can differ when you cross a border.
Without you is quite untypical of Nilsson. His other songs, although sometimes excellent, do not come close to this one.
When I did a Programmer’s course once the question came up what "tally" means. No one had a clue, except one old guy. And he knew because he knew this song: "Come, Mister tally man, tally me banana".
Teen Angel belongs to the sub-genre of love-just-died songs. It is so sad. You can cry along. Just like Tell Laura. The best about these songs is Bob Luman’s response: "In every other song that I've heard lately
Some fellow gets shot - And his baby and his best friend both die with him - As likely as not."
Next is a wonderful version of "When My Little Girl is Smiling". Shazam thinks it is by the Drifters. But it is not.
Heroes and Villains is surely one of the top 5 songs the Beach Boys made.
The Four Seasons suddenly reappeared in 1975 and had their biggest hit with Who loves you. Franki Valli’s voice was not as dominating as in their famous 60s songs. But I love this song. And the follow up single would be even better.
Mr. Jaws is one of my favorite novelty songs. "Wouldn’t you give a hand to a friend?" See, how many songs you recognize. The Wombles were silly but fun.
Normally I do not care much for Beatles covers. They rarely come close to the original and by and large should be avoided. Procol Harum did a nice job. But the best exception is Dear Prudence. There is the great version by Siouxsie, of course. But this one is even better, and I have no idea who is responsible. Will have to wait for a better Shazam... Talking of Shazam, it offers me Jon Mark for a very strong instrumental cembalo piece. Pathetic.
I did mention that 1975 was the best year in Pop music? Just listen to George Harrison’s You. For me, he reached his peak with this one (and This Guitar).
Do I have to apologize for including the Bay City Rollers? S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y. I love songs with titles spelt. Should do a useful list one day with the best ones. T-R-O-U-B-L-E or D-I-V-O-R-C-E.
Best song: Let’s Think About Living
Link _________________ When the stewardess is near do not show any fear.
Marty Wilde – Teenager In Love 1959
Adam Faith – What Do You Want 1959
La Düsseldorf – Düsseldorf 1976
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich – Hold Tight 1966
Jethro Tull – The Whistler 1977
Peter Gabriel – Solsbury Hill 1977
Peter & Gordon – World Without Love 1964
Sandy Shaw – (There's) Always Something There to Remind Me 1964
Herman’s Hermits – I’m Into Something Good 1964
The Seekers – I’ll Never Find Another You 1965
Brenda Lee – Rock On (Your Steel Guitar, Little Jonah) 1958
Electric Light Orchestra – Shangri-La 1976
Stealers Wheel – Stuck In The Middle 1973
Joan Baez – Here’s To You 1971
Can – I Want More 1976
Michael Nesmith – Rio 1977
Eddie Cochran – Sitting On The Balcony 1957
The Champs – Tequila 1958
Beatles – Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da 1968
We start with a good song in a pretty lame interpretation. What do you want, sounds like a Buddy Holly song. Very good but a little disturbing. La Düsseldorf is maybe not as well known as they deserve. Düsseldorf is the best song they made. "Gehn wir in die alte Stadt" - Lets go to the old town. When I hear the song I seem to hear them chanting it all along. While actually they really start singing it late in the song. Amazing effect.
Dave Dee and his companions I think are just as good as the Monkees. And the Monkees just as good as the Beach Boys. In other words one of the best groups ever. Sadly there are not many who would agree. Hold tight, an excellent song and one of their weaker ones.
I know I said I don’t like Jethro Tull, and yet here they are again. You cannot trust your own taste.
Solsbury Hill, and here we can all agree, I think, is the nearest to a perfect quality pop song with we got in the 70s.
I never understood why Paul McCartney considered World Without Love to be not good enough for the Beatles. He wrote the song when he was 16. To my ears and mind it is much better then all the covers they would play for years.
Always, I have to admit I thought was by Cilla Black. Well, I am not that much of an expert, as you can see. Great tune.
The Seekers I do not really like. Nice song, but the singing has something annoying that I cannot really describe.
And to end side A a rock number by Brenda. Her singing impeccable.
And another song by the Electric Light Orchestra. A bit bombastic. I tell myself don’t let yourself being cheated into liking this. But I can’t help it. And I certainly could not at the time.
Stuck in the Middle is a great honest Rock song. Funny how you sometimes think there is a quality in a song that goes above your head, barely graspable, out of your league, but somehow still belonging to you.
The Joan Baez song was written by Ennio Morricone I learned today. That is interesting. Almost makes me like the guy.
The next song I had forgotten. Thanks for identifying it, Siri. Not a bad one. On the other hand, I very distinctly remember hearing Rio for the first time on the Radio. And I knew it would be one of my favourite songs for the rest of my life. So relaxed. And I love the way the song ends. I will probably not fly to Rio, and then again I just might.
Balcony is sung in a way that makes you think Eddie had too much Tequila. I had no idea who made Tequila. Hopefully, I will remember now. And for reasons unknown to me, I have the Beatles song that I really detest here on cassette. Well, I tell myself, it is really not that bad. Is it? Ah, no. It is.
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