Some Songs Considered - Posts Tagged '1970'

November 21, 2009

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“Layla” – Derek and the Dominos
(Words/music: Eric Clapton and Jim Gordon, available on Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, Polydor 1970)

I’m not going to question Eric Clapton’s guitar chops; I can only dream of one day being half as good at something as Eric Clapton is at playing the guitar. He’s a pretty good vocalist, and a decent songwriter too. That being said, “Layla” doesn’t become an immortal song without Jim Gordon’s piano coda. The opening song runs on a killer riff and his desperate declaration of love for George Harrison’s wife. It would be a solid song on its own – Clapton delivers an impassioned vocal performance (clearly drawing on his real-life inspiration) over Duane Alman’s lead riff, but it’s the piano coda that cement’s the song’s legacy. Gordon’s section of the song puts on the breaks, shifting the tone away from desperation to melancholy. Producer Tom Dowd spliced together the two movements, but both parts seemingly needed each other. Clapton’s desperation benefits from the slowed tempo, and Gordon’s piano riff feels more heartfelt after Clapton’s overt declaration of (what seemed like) unrequited love. On their own, each part could do well (and Gordon’s piano solo worked exceptionally well as a montage piece in Goodfellas), but together each part takes what it needs from the other.

November 9, 2009

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“Hey Hey What Can I Do” – Led Zeppelin
(Words/music: John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page, and Robert Plant, available on “Immigrant Song” Single (Atlantic 1970), Led Zeppelin: The Complete Collection (Atlantic 1990))

Like many American males, I went through a Led Zeppelin phase as a teenager. I remember buying the Remasters CD set as an introduction to the band and playing “Communication Breakdown” to break in the first subwoofer I ever owned. For a variety of reasons, I went a long time after this phase ended without actively listening to the band. Whether it was from overdosing on them at age fifteen, never getting into the mystical lyrics (never been a Lord of the Rings devotee), or just becoming preoccupied with other bands, my time in the cult of Zeppelin gave way to a begrudging respect from afar. I still worshiped John Bonham’s quick hands and feet, but again I felt myself pulled toward other drummers. This seemed emblematic of my relationship with the band in general – they seemed so far out of my league that I never felt a strong connection.

Now, when I think of Led Zeppelin, I’m drawn toward the less canonical songs – perhaps because of the seemingly millions of times I’ve heard “Black Dog” on the radio, or maybe because I still harbor contrarian tendencies. Regardless, these are the songs that pique my interest, in part because something like “Hey Hey What Can I Do” still manage to sound like Led Zeppelin songs without the aggressive guitar riffs. Instead, it draws on the blues more for subject (in this case, heartbreak) than style, relying on the less-heralded arranging skills. Specifically, the lively mandolin dances around the acoustic guitar chords in a playful way, and the backing vocals (a relative rarity in the Zeppelin catalog) build on the song’s campfire feeling. Of course, it still gives Robert Plant’s caterwaul an opportunity, particularly in the song’s outro, but it also features the rare experience where Plant’s narrator isn’t in control. Perhaps I’m letting the strength of his voice influence my memory, but Plant’s characters generally have a sense of control or power (or, if nothing else, at least a sense of action). In this song, his protagonist has little else to do but leave behind a wild woman.

More on Led Zeppelin: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

November 8, 2009

[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

“Move On Up” – Curtis Mayfield
(Words/music: Curtis Mayfield, available on Curtis, Rhino 1970)

On its own, the first four minutes of “Move On Up” accomplishes everything it needs to accomplish. Mayfield threads together his inspirational lyrics, stone-cold groove, and shouting horns for a three minute celebratory burst that makes even the most bashful singers break out their best falsetto. In many ways, it’s the epitome of the “secular gospel” sound Mayfield cultivated (Buffalo Tom’s Bill Janovitz quotes Mayfield as calling his music “church songs” without the word “God” in his Allmusic writeup). Yes, Mayfield’s lyrics sound like an emotional pep talk, but it’s the sheer joy that permeates every note of the song that makes it great, from the crispest snare drum to the loudest horn.

It’s this sense of joy and celebration that gives the song a second act. After essentially ending the song with a closing fanfare, the drummer brings the band back in. One by one, Mayfield’s band starts back in and builds on the groove. While there’s an excellent saxophone solo during the first half of this vamp, the focus remains on the groove, as the drummer and conga players furiously lay down the beat and the horn section hits their figures. In some cases, such an extended coda might feel self-indulgent. Here, it’s a celebration of the perfect groove and jubilant horn phrase. Even as it approaches the nine minute mark, “Move On Up” never overstays its welcome. Instead, it takes its good ideas and gives them the space to play themselves out. Whether listening to just the first half of the song (or something like The Jam’s accelerated take on it) or the entire extended version, it’s impossible to resist Mayfield’s electric charm.

More on Curtis Mayfield: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

January 10, 2009

[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

“What Is Life” – George Harrison
(Words/music: George Harrison, available on All Things Must Pass, Apple/EMI 1970)

Sure, George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass was a tremendous success, but I’m always fascinated by the amount of attention paid to Harrison’s collaborators and friends than to his own skills as a songwriter. Far too often, George Harrison’s name comes in tandem with his former band mates or Eric Clapton or even the performers he culled for his massively successful Concert for Bangladesh, but very rarely (or, perhaps more accurately – not enough) will Harrison’s songs receive the respect they deserve. His compositions for The Beatles include some of their best songs – “Something,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” and “Here Comes the Sun” – but they tend to be afterthoughts behind the Lennon/McCartney compositions. Perhaps it’s natural that Harrison’s songs fit his personality – in general, Lennon wrote the moody, charismatic songs, McCartney wrote the carefully arranged pop songs, while Harrison wrote the contemplative and spiritual songs (Ringo, who occasionally co-wrote, was far more than the punch line that some try to make him into – but more on him tomorrow).

While “My Sweet Lord” was massively successful as a single (and rightfully so, as it’s one of the most beautiful songs of its era), “What Is Life” reflects more of Harrison’s strengths as a songwriter. The opening guitar riff rivals any in his catalog, but the song’s true strength lies in the different ways that Harrison plays with the riff. Each time through this introductory riff, a new element joins his electric guitar; whether it’s an echo in the bass line, a chugging rhythm guitar, or a closely related horn line, the riff’s firmly entrenched in our brains before the verse even begins. Like “My Sweet Lord,” “What Is Life” draws upon Harrison’s beliefs in Hinduism, specifically in the idea of personal submission to the Higher Power. While the song fits this idea, it also works well as a simple devotion to love. By the time the final verse rolls along (including Eric Clapton’s slinky slide guitar lines in the background of that final verse), I can’t help but sing along to the chorus. It might not get as much radio play as a Lennon solo cut or a Wings track, but “What Is Life” is one I always turn up when I hear it.

PS - I learned today that Olivia Newton-John had a UK top 20 hit with this song. Thanks, YouTube!

More on George Harrison: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

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