Artist: Howlin' Wolf
Song: Smokestack Lightning
Year: 1956
Album: Smokestack Lightning single
One of the earliest songs I remember hearing was "Smokestack Lightning". It seemed to have been born of ease and hardship. The song sounds so casual, but the lyrics sound so intense, like Howlin' Wolf was passing a kidney stone.
Many other artists must have thought this was an easy song to do, since it was covered by countless. Included in that are Muddy Waters, CCR, Soundgarden and the Yardbirds. I think I was familiar with all of those versions before I stumbled upon the original. CCR used the riff to form the song "Susie Q".
This song has been called the essence of the blues. I think that's a correct assumption. Many artists who dabble in the blues have been inspired by this song. It has the raw power of the blues to guide many a struggling artist to its beckon call.
The band that I'm in hasn't done a cover of this song, but I'm sure we will one of these days. We unwittingly have taken parts of it and distributed them into other cover songs. That's the trouble with a classic lick. It always creeps into other thing when you least expect it to.
Lyrics:
Lightnin'
Shinin', just like gold
Why don't ya hear me cryin'?
A-whoo-hooo, oooo
Whooo
Whoa-oh, tell me, baby,
What's the, matter with you?
Why don't ya hear me cryin'?
Whoo-hooo, whoo-hooo
Whooo
Whoa-oh, tell me, baby,
Where did ya, stay last night?
A-why don't ya hear me cryin'?
Whoo-hooo, whoo-hooo
Whooo
Whoa-oh, stop your train,
Let her, go for a ride
Why don't ya hear me cryin'?
Whoo-hooo, whoo-hooo
Whooo
Whoa-oh, fare ya well
Never see, a you no more
A-why don't ya hear me cryin'?
Oooo, whoo-hooo, whoo-hooo
Whooo
Whoa-oh, who been here baby since,
I-I been gone, a little, bitty boy?
Girl, be on
A-whoo-hooo, whoo-hooo
Whooo
Showing posts with label 1956. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1956. Show all posts
Friday, January 23, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
Blueberry Hill - Fats Domino
Artist: Fats Domino
Song: Blueberry Hill
Year: 1956
Album: This Is Fats Domino
Being born in the mid seventies, my first encounter with "Blueberry Hill" would be from Ron Howard's fifties teenager from Happy Days. I didn't think much of it at that time. Mainly because he would only utter the first line when he would get excited about a girl. I always thought it was a catchphrase and a throwaway line.
Then an oldies station popped up in Chicago. I heard this song and many others like it. They repeated the same songs over and over again, so I got to know the songs pretty well. I liked them enough to purchase a twelve cassette series from a local grocery store of early rock n' roll classics.
I really got to know the songs and was able to match them to their artists. I usually didn't find out who sang what because radio stations rarely gave the playlists over the air. They were oldies and it was assumed that you already knew who the artists were or didn't care enough to want to know. That was always a pet peeve of mine, which is why I try to find out who sang what today.
While I always thought of this as a fifties song, I learned that it was a cover of a song from 1940. It just goes to show that everything old is new again. These songs will undoubtedly be discovered by a new generation with no interest in the past and pass it off as one of their own to the young masses. There's just something a little rock n' roll about that.
Lyrics:
I found my thrill on Blueberry Hill
On Blueberry Hill, when I found you
The moon stood still on Blueberry Hill
And lingered until my dreams came true
The wind in the willow played
Love's sweet melody
But all of those vows you made
Were never to be
Though we're apart, you're part of me still
For you were my thrill on Blueberry Hill
The wind in the willow played
Love's sweet melody
But all of those vows we made
Were never to be
Though we're apart, you're part of me still
For you were my thrill on Blueberry Hill
Song: Blueberry Hill
Year: 1956
Album: This Is Fats Domino
Being born in the mid seventies, my first encounter with "Blueberry Hill" would be from Ron Howard's fifties teenager from Happy Days. I didn't think much of it at that time. Mainly because he would only utter the first line when he would get excited about a girl. I always thought it was a catchphrase and a throwaway line.
Then an oldies station popped up in Chicago. I heard this song and many others like it. They repeated the same songs over and over again, so I got to know the songs pretty well. I liked them enough to purchase a twelve cassette series from a local grocery store of early rock n' roll classics.
I really got to know the songs and was able to match them to their artists. I usually didn't find out who sang what because radio stations rarely gave the playlists over the air. They were oldies and it was assumed that you already knew who the artists were or didn't care enough to want to know. That was always a pet peeve of mine, which is why I try to find out who sang what today.
While I always thought of this as a fifties song, I learned that it was a cover of a song from 1940. It just goes to show that everything old is new again. These songs will undoubtedly be discovered by a new generation with no interest in the past and pass it off as one of their own to the young masses. There's just something a little rock n' roll about that.
Lyrics:
I found my thrill on Blueberry Hill
On Blueberry Hill, when I found you
The moon stood still on Blueberry Hill
And lingered until my dreams came true
The wind in the willow played
Love's sweet melody
But all of those vows you made
Were never to be
Though we're apart, you're part of me still
For you were my thrill on Blueberry Hill
The wind in the willow played
Love's sweet melody
But all of those vows we made
Were never to be
Though we're apart, you're part of me still
For you were my thrill on Blueberry Hill
Friday, November 7, 2008
Paralyzed - Elvis Presley
Artist: Elvis Presley
Song: Paralyzed
Year: 1956
Album: Elvis
I should like Elvis more than I do. I'm not one for overexposed artists. If an artist is shoved down my throat, I tend not to like them until they can prove otherwise. Elvis fans can get a little weird. When people start seeing him working at a donut shop in Akron, Ohio, those fans are taking it a little too far.
The loss of any artist that is beloved is especially hard for the public to grasp. The public knows every little detail of their lives, but they still don't know the artist. It's a strange situation. One that causes overexposure and sometimes death. Like I said, I should like Elvis a lot more than I do, but his overexposure really turns me off.
That's not to say that I don't like anything from him. Far from it. I like a handful of select songs from various points in his career. I appreciate these songs. Most of them are rarely played anymore. The ones that are still played are powerful enough to stand above the legend of Elvis.
"Paralyzed" is a song that doesn't get a lot of play anymore. Truthfully, I almost passed it up because of that. When I did give it a closer listen, I found a great tune that should get more respect. I will always champion the good songs that fall off the face of the Earth. This is as close to that as any Elvis song can get.
Lyrics:
When you looked into my eyes
I stood there like I was hyp-notised
You sent a feeling to my spine
A feeling warm and smooth and fine
But all I could do were stand there paralyzed
When we kissed, ooh what a thrill
You took my hand and, ooh baby, what a chill
I felt like grabbin' you real tight
Squeeze and squeeze with all my might
But all I could do were stand there paralyzed
Oh yeah lucky me, I'm singing ev'ry day
Ever since that day you came my way
You made my life for me just one big happy game
I'm gay ev'ry morning
At night I'm still the same
Do you remember that wonderful time
You held my hand and swore that you'll be mine
In front of preacher you said
"I do" I couldn't say a word for thinking of you
All I could do was stand there paralyzed
Song: Paralyzed
Year: 1956
Album: Elvis
I should like Elvis more than I do. I'm not one for overexposed artists. If an artist is shoved down my throat, I tend not to like them until they can prove otherwise. Elvis fans can get a little weird. When people start seeing him working at a donut shop in Akron, Ohio, those fans are taking it a little too far.
The loss of any artist that is beloved is especially hard for the public to grasp. The public knows every little detail of their lives, but they still don't know the artist. It's a strange situation. One that causes overexposure and sometimes death. Like I said, I should like Elvis a lot more than I do, but his overexposure really turns me off.
That's not to say that I don't like anything from him. Far from it. I like a handful of select songs from various points in his career. I appreciate these songs. Most of them are rarely played anymore. The ones that are still played are powerful enough to stand above the legend of Elvis.
"Paralyzed" is a song that doesn't get a lot of play anymore. Truthfully, I almost passed it up because of that. When I did give it a closer listen, I found a great tune that should get more respect. I will always champion the good songs that fall off the face of the Earth. This is as close to that as any Elvis song can get.
Lyrics:
When you looked into my eyes
I stood there like I was hyp-notised
You sent a feeling to my spine
A feeling warm and smooth and fine
But all I could do were stand there paralyzed
When we kissed, ooh what a thrill
You took my hand and, ooh baby, what a chill
I felt like grabbin' you real tight
Squeeze and squeeze with all my might
But all I could do were stand there paralyzed
Oh yeah lucky me, I'm singing ev'ry day
Ever since that day you came my way
You made my life for me just one big happy game
I'm gay ev'ry morning
At night I'm still the same
Do you remember that wonderful time
You held my hand and swore that you'll be mine
In front of preacher you said
"I do" I couldn't say a word for thinking of you
All I could do was stand there paralyzed
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