Summertime Blues - The Who
- Album: Live at Leeds
- Information: The Who originally covered the classic by Eddie Cochran since at least 1967, both in a recorded version they chose to not release as well as a performance in their live shows. Though included in live sets at many of their major festival performances, including ones at Monterey Pop, Woodstock and the Isle of Wight, it was their performance at the University of Leeds on February 14, 1970 that was recorded and released as a single. The song stopped being performed by the Who after the death of John Entwistle in 2002.
- Personal Thoughts: The lick is one of the most memorable in rock history, with simple lyrics and guitar that can be done rather easily. But when the Who get their hands on this song, it just gets amped up from a mere rockabilly classic to pure rock. It's tough sometimes for me to hear Rodger Daltrey's vocals on the song due to the reverberation, but the guitarwork makes the whole thing with a bit of a surf-vibe occasionally in the strumming and Keith Moon's drumwork makes you stand up and pay attention. And then...there's Cookie Monster...er, Entwistle. Yeah, it does sound a bit like Cookie Monster the way he does that "really deep decenting voice" during the "answer" parts to Daltrey's comments, but in a way it makes the song special. Not much to complain about here...but then I love the Who so it would be tough for me to say as such.
- Album: Sex Machine
- Information: Backed by a new back-up band he called The J.B's, which took emphasis away from horns and emphasized the guitarwork of the Collins brothers (Bootsy and Catfish), Jabo Starks on drums and the assisting vocals of Bobby Byrd, the Godfather of Soul had reinvented himself again laying the groundwork of a new period which would further evolve soul and funk music.
- Personal Thoughts: First of all, I decided to go with the 5 minute single version instead of the full 11 version, since they were two different versions between the single and Brown's album and techically this is the released version that was on the chart. Secondly, let me just say this: I'm not really a James Brown fan...I get his major importance and influence on music but sometimes I think it was more because he had great accompaniment and not because of himself. And this song further emphasizes it: I really like the guitarwork of the Collins (and yeah, Bootsy is a class act but his brother's guitarwork is just as good) and the beat of the drumwork and the occasional play of piano, but sometimes I think Brown is a bit of a ham, overrepeating his words, repeating a lot of what he does to his band and sometimes just always re-emphasizing his older songs. But I guess with James Brown, it's all about getting down than what's going on...in some ways it sort of is a prologue to a lot of modern music: just stick with the beat, who cares what they're saying during the song.
- Album: Patches
- Information: Although originally recorded by Chairman of the Board (and used as a B-side by them a tad later on), it was when the blind Alabama R 'n B singer took hold of the song that it ignited, becoming a major single and even awarding him the Grammy for Best R 'n B singer of 1970 for it's release.
- Personal Thoughts: Oh boy...this song's going to be a doozy. First of all, I sort of didn't know how big Clarence Carter was in the 60s, since I sort of only knew of him from this song. I actually heard a Christmas song by him about a month ago...something that really sounded dirty called "Back Door Santa", just look for it but be warned. Getting back to the topic at hand, this song is...well, it has great performance quality, but this is just one of those story songs that just feels like it's about how terrible everything was, but from how it's performened and how it's told...it just has this bizarre over-melodramatic sound to it. I mean, what he's talking about is just not a laughing matter: this kid pretty much was dirt-poor in poverty, lost his dad, had to become the main breadwinner of the household, kept going to school when he wanted to quit, nearly lost his entire crop...and this was all when he was a kid! The way Carter delivers it just further emphasizes the melodrama: his mellow voice of nothing but sorrow even though it's supposed to make it more inspirational just adds more comedy to it. There is still great guitarwork and I like the nice touch of the harmonica when Carter speaks but...well, it's probably taken us forever, but I think this song is probably one of the first that I can properly declare as "unintentionally hilarious". I mean maybe it isn't a terrible song, but the way it's done from the background to the singer to the lyrics just seem to make me laugh hysterically as opposed to give me the intended feelings. And it's not against Clarence Carter at all...it's just that...well, it's just "Patches".
- Album: The Assembled Multitude
- Information: A group of studio musicians gathered together by Tom Sellers in Philadelphia, these musicians released an album that interpreted many of the most notable songs of the late 60s and '70, with this being their greatest success. Most of the studio musicians were regulars in the Philly Soul sound, working with the likes of Gamble & Huff and Thom Bell and backing bands including The O'Jays, The Stylistics and Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes.
- Personal Thoughts: Sometimes studio musicians don't get the respect they deserve: they pour through a lot of hard work and yet get none of the rewards of the stars. Saying that, I have to admit that this version of Tommy's overture released by a group of Philly musicians isn't just a matter of local pride but actually is pretty good. Yeah it's hard to say how they are compared to the Who, but there is a majesticness of having what sounds like a greater, more orchestral sound with a bit of funk and even a few bells and horns amidst what was mostly written for a regular old rock band like The Who. In some ways it sort of feels like build-up towards the eventual (and slightly) infamous movie that would come along a few years later...
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