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Stevie Wonder & Clarence Paul -- Blowin’ In The Wind (1966) #1 R&B; #9 Pop
The teenager Stevie Wonder began producing and composing songs with his album releases in 1966. The first release “Up-Tight” included this cover of the great Bob Dylan classic “Blowin’ In The Wind.” The Up-Tight LP charted #2 R&B and #33 on the Billboard Top 200 lists in 1966.
The anectote goes that Clarence Paul had introduced the socially aware Wonder to this folk song and that he liked it so much that he performed it in his concerts. Stevie forgot the lyrics to the second verse during a performance and Paul coached him along. From that day forward Steveland always sang the song with Paul as a duet and it is Paul’s voice you hear on the single that was made after fans insisted it be put on wax after two years of performing it on stage.
To this day I can recall the Tuesday after school that I bought the 45 rpm and played it on the relatively new record player that grandmother had purchased for the living room. I loved Stevie’s spin on the song and actually listened to it and understood the meaning. You gotta admit that Dylan’s voice wasn’t a crowd-pleaser — so being a youngster I never really stopped to listen to what Dylan had written about until Stevie’s rockin’ re-make. Then I understood every word and I took Paul’s harmony parts when I sang it aloud ion the sofa in front of the stereo.
Covered by folk artists, rock artists, country artists, pop artists and soul artists alike, the song even inspired Sam Cooke to write another classic of the rock era on the same subject matter, “A Change Is Gonna Come.” Cooke loved “Blowin’” so very much and said he should have written that song! He covered it in concert and on wax.
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Bob Dylan -- Blowin’ In The Wind (1963)
Bob Dylan wrote this classic masterpiece and first performed in 1962. It finally appeared on a Dylan album in 1963 titled “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, that establish this man as an iconic songwriter. The LP peaked at #22 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart.
This song has been written about ad-finitum so you can probably Google it until your heart is content -- so there is not much more I can say other than giving you a link to the lyrics and letting you listen and enjoy!
For as long as it lasts on YouTube here is a piece of history -- Dylan, Peter, Paul and Mary and Stevie Wonder performing “Blowin’ In The Wind!”
And this YouTube gem is an awesome clip from the “Glen Campell Goodtime Show” that I mentioned in my previous post. Stevie Wonder guests in this episode and he and Glen duet on “Blowin’ In The Wind.”
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Kyu Sakamoto – Sukiyaki aka Japanese Love Song (1963) #1 Adult Contemporary, #18 R&B, #1 Pop
This wonderful, much covered song, composed by Hachidal Nakamura, was the first Japanese song to ever reach the top of the American music charts. I recall singing it as a child having no clue as to what the song was about … I just made up my own words to the marvelously jaunty and catchy melody!
Kyu Sakamoto was born Hisashi Oshima in 12/10/41. This well respected Japanese actor and singer died in the 8/12/85 crash of Japan Airlines Flight 123 leaving behind his wife and two children.
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Taste of Honey - Sukiyaki aka Japanese Love Song (1981) #1 Adult Contemporary, #1 R&B Singles, #3 Pop Singles
It wasn’t until the 1981 cover version, by the disco era R&B “Two-Hit Wonder” group “Taste of Honey,” topped the charts again that I recalled the original Japanese version of my youth. This version was slowed down in tempo and given English lyrics and then I knew it was meant to be a love song: but the lyrics that were used were not a translation of the original Japanese song.
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Selena – Sukiyaki aka Japanese Love Song (1989)
This beautiful Spanish language cover of “Sukiyaki” performed by Selena Quintanilla-Pérez (b.4/16/71 d.3/31/95) appeared on her 1989 release “Selena.”
Selena is by no means a “One Hit Wonder” but I just included her version here because it is truly beautiful and I like it and it’s my blog
I hope you enjoy all three versions as much as I do.
TRIVIA: After “Sukiyaki” was a hit for “Taste of Honey, the duo went to Japan and toured with Kyu Sakamoto!
The lyrics were written by Rokusuke Ei and the melody was composed by Hachidai Nakamura. The lyrics tell the story of a man who looks up and whistles while he is walking so that his tears won’t fall. The verses of the song describe him doing this through each season of the year. The original Japanese title was considered too difficult for American audiences to remember and pronounce, therefore a well-known word that people would associate with Japan was used – Sukiyaki, even though the word has nothing to do with the song. A Newsweek columnist noted that the re-titling was like issuing “Moon River” in Japan under the title “Beef Stew.”
[audio http://www.hotlinkfiles.com/files/2400857_fpkk3/17-SoeurSourire-Dominique.MP3] Soeur Sourire – Dominique (1963) #1 Adult Contemporary, #1 Pop Single
Born Jeanne-Paule Marie Deckers, the woman who became known in America as the “Singing Nun”, entered a religious order in 1959 and became Sister Luc-Gabrielle.
Sister Luc-Gabrielle enjoyed composing songs as gifts for her friends. Eventually the Phillips Record Company signed her seeing her potential and renamed her Soeur Sourire (Smiling Sister).
Her song “Dominique” topped the U.S. charts and her first LP, entitled “The Singing Nun,” also zoomed to #1 and is the only Belgium song to do so here in the states.
Sister was a reluctant sensation who did not care for performing concerts nor was her Mother Superior pleased – especially after Soeur’s Ed Sullivan appearance in 1964 and the MGM Autobiography starring Debbie Reynolds was released.
Eventually Sister left the Order and released an unsuccessful second LP. She and Annie Pesher then ran a school for autistic children until the government demanded $600,000. from her in back taxes. (And yet Sister had given all of her musical earnings to her order.) Unable to pay the money Sister and Annie committed suicide.
Such a sad ending for this talented and dedicated one hit wonder. There are many Web Pages dedicated to the Singing Nun’s story. Here are some interesting ones for additional reading.
TRIVIA: Deckers’ made a disco version of her 1963 sole hit in 1982 — almost twenty years later. Check out the video below. -’) I prefer the original though. Don’t you?
[audio http://boxstr.com/files/4204571_r1vfn/10.%20A%20Holly%20Jolly%20Christmas.mp3|bg=0x008000|righticon=0xff0000|lefticon=0xff0000] Burle Ives – A Holly Jolly Christmas (Charted 1964 #13 Pop Single & 2005 #32 Hot Digital Song)
Next to “Goober Peas” (goodness how delicious – eatin’ goober peas) this is one of my favorite Burl Ives’ songs — but that’s another blog post for another time (LOL).
This, of course, is the original version of the second beloved holiday classic to be written by Songwriters Hall of Famer Johnny Marks. Of course the first he wrote was “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reinderr” and he also composed “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “When Santa Claus Gets Your Letter,” and “Silver and Gold”.
In addition to the single release charting twice — almost forty decades apart – the song also appeared on the 1965 LP of the same name (pictured above). On the MCA label, the LP charted #32 Pop.
Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives (1909–1995) Academy Award winning American actor, writer and acclaimed folk music singer.
A Holly Jolly Christmas Composed by Johnny Marks
Have a holly jolly Christmas
It’s the best time of the year
Well I don’t know if there’ll be snow
But have a cup of cheer
Have a holly jolly Christmas
And when you walk down the street
Say hello to friends you know
And everyone you meet
Ho ho the mistletoe
Hung where you can see
Somebody waits for you
Kiss her once for me
Have a holly jolly Christmas
And in case you didn’t hear
Oh bygolly have a holly jolly Christmas
This year
Have a holly jolly Christmas
And when you walk down the street
Say hello to friends you know
And everyone you meet
Have a holly jolly Christmas
And in case you didn’t hear
Oh by golly have a holly jolly Christmas
This year
[audio http://boxstr.com/files/4073283_ehqga/02%20Fred%20Neil%20-%20Everybody%5C%27s%20Talkin%5C%27.mp3] Fred Neil – Everybody’s Talkin’ (1966 & 1969).
This is the original folk rock song release by the composer on Capitol Records.
“Fred Neil” is the 1966 2nd album from Fred Neil, a pioneer Folk rock musician. The album has a more laid-back sound than his debut, and contains his legendary songs “Everybody’s Talkin” and “The Dolphins”. It was re-released in 1969 under the title “Everybody’s Talkin’” to capitalize on the international success of the new title track as performed by Harry Nilsson on the soundtrack of the movie Midnight Cowboy. (SOURCE)
Harry Nilsson (1941-1994) at 1969 Grammy Awards
[audio http://boxstr.com/files/4073282_zecum/02%20Harry%20Nilson%20-%20Everybodys%20Talking%20At%20Me.mp3] Nilsson – Everybody’s Talkin’; 1968 release US #113 Pop, Canada Pop #35; 1969 re-release US Pop #6, US Adult Contemporary #2, Canada Pop #1, Canada A/C #1, UK #23; 1969 Grammy – Pop/Rock&Roll/ Contemporary Awards or Instrumental
New York born and NY and CA bred songwriter, singer, pianist, and guitarist Harry Nilsson used only his last name for most of his recording career, which peaked in the Sixties and Seventies.
“Everybody’s Talkin’” appeared on Nilsson’s fourth lp (his 2nd for RCA) released in 1968 entitled “Aerial Ballet.” “ET” was only a minor hit in the US when released and and a top 40 hit in Canada. It wasn’t until the following year that the song would become the popular award winner it was after when if was featured as the theme of the film Midnight Cowboy. Nilsson was finally on the music map in a big way and won his first Grammy!
[audio http://boxstr.com/files/4051063_ubcsp/4%20Tops%20-%20Everybody%5C%27s%20Talking%5C%27.mp3] Four Tops – Everybody’s Talkin’ (1970)
You have now heard the original and the most famous/popular cover and now you must hear my favorite version of all time!
“ET” was covered by many great artists both before and after The Four Tops ( Levi Stubbs, Renaldo “Obie” Benson, Lawrence Payton and Abdul “Duke” Fakir) did their version on the Motown label, but IMHO this one stands above them all thanks to the late great singing chops of Mr. Levi Stubbs. “Everybody’s Talkin’” appeared on the Tops’ classic 1970 “Still Waters Run Deep” LP that charted #3 R&B & #24 Pop.
BTW, this LP is what I consider to be one of the best albums of all time! If you have never heard it I suggest that you seek it out and give it a listen to. You will not be sorry.
[audio http://www.hotlinkfiles.com/files/1643470_xfwlb/heSpringfileds-SilverThreads.mp3] The Springfields – Silver Threads & Golden Needles (1962)
The trio formed in 1960, when Mary “Dusty” O’Brien joined her brother Dion O’Brien and Tim Feild, who had been working as a duo, “The Kensington Squares”. Dion became Tom Springfield, and Mary became Dusty Springfield. Feild was later replaced by Mike Hurst.
Tom Springfield was a songwriter and arranger with a wide knowledge of folk music, and the group had strong vocal harmonies and Dusty’s powerful lead. They were signed to Philips Records and released their first single, “Dear John,” in 1961, followed by two UK chart hits with “Breakaway” and “Bambino” – like their other records, produced by Johnny Franz. (SOURCE)
In 1962 after this chart success in the U.K. the group released “Silver Threads and Golden Needles” in the US (but not the UK) and it zoomed to #16 Country and #20 Pop. It also went to #1 in Australia. Composed by Dick Reynolds and Jack Rhodes, this much covered tune, featured lead guitar by Judd Proctor.
“Silver Threads” also had the honor of being the first ever song by a British group to reach the US Top 20: this was 15 months before the Beatles came along to get the British Invasion underway at full speed ahead!
Dusty Springfield felt increasingly hemmed in by the group’s image as a folk act and Tom’s lead role within the trio, and towards the end of 1963 decided to leave for a solo career.
[audio http://www.hotlinkfiles.com/files/1620491_r1pmz/01.CatStevens-WildWorld.mp3] Cat Stevens – Wild World (1971)
“Yusuf Islam, (born Steven Demetre Georgiou on 21 July 1948 in London, UK), best known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is a British musician of Greek Cypriot and Swedish ancestry. He is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist and prominent convert to Islam.
As ‘Cat Stevens’, he has sold over 60 million albums around the world since the late 1960s. His albums Tea for the Tillerman and Teaser and the Firecat were both certified as Triple Platinum by the RIAA in the United States (three million sales each); his album Catch Bull at Four sold half a million copies in the first two weeks of release and was Billboard’s number-one LP for three consecutive weeks. His songwriting has also earned him two ASCAP songwriting awards for “The First Cut Is the Deepest,” which has been a hit single for five different artists.
Stevens converted to Islam at the height of his fame in 1977. The following year, he adopted his Muslim name Yusuf Islam and left his music career to devote himself to educational and philanthropic causes in the Muslim community. In 2006, he returned to pop music, with his first album of new pop songs in 28 years, entitled An Other Cup.
He has been given several awards for his work in promoting peace in the world, including 2003’s World Award,[2] the 2004 Man for Peace award, and the 2007 Mediterranean Prize for Peace. He lives with his wife and children in London. Yusuf Islam spends part of each year in Dubai.” (SOURCE)
Cat Stevens became interested in folk rock music while in college and in 1965 he began performing as “Steve Adams”. He was soon signed to Decca records and by 1966 he had his first hit record in the U.K. as “Cat Stevens” entitled “I Love My Dog”. He continued to be successful on the British charts until he was stricken with tuberculosis in 1968.
After his recovery from his illness and signing to a new record label, Island, his second Island album, “Tea for the Tillerman”, made both the U.K. Top 20 and #8 in the U.S. where his Island recordings were licensed to A&M Records. Stevens had composed all the songs and this is the LP from which today’s featured song “Wild World” appeared. The single went to #11 Pop in the U.S.
Please enjoy this live performance of “Wild World”. “WW”, “Peace Train” and “Moonshadow” are my three favorites from Cat.
Also check out more of Cat’s quite interesting life events on his WIKI page at the source link in the introductory summary quoted above.
