🎃Played near Halloween '23, Andrew and I plunder the vaults for Stones n' Roses, ska-tellites The Specials, and Harry's Style, as we try to make sense of our Neurosis.
Loved this dramatic/fatalistic vibe. I didn’t know Sam Cooke (one of my favourite singers of all time) had done for production work for the Stones! Amazing discovery (for me, at least!).
My revelation was that Cooke was also a producer! He produced the Womacks' recording, and fought to have Bobby Womack relent to have The Stones cover "It's All Over Now"! Amazing rock'n'roll history, and an extraordinary peek into a couple soul legends' careers!
Cooke owned his own label, SAR, for which he produced many soul and gospel recordings for artists he hoped to break. Bobby Womack and his family were particular favorites.
And, for all of what we heard about racism throughout the '60s record biz (and, we've heard the stories), God bless all those involved who gave Sam his due, the loans, the access, and the opportunity! I just haven't read any stories about Sam Cooke, record exec!
And, this I just found: "In 1973, Womack released another hit album, Facts of Life, and had a top 40 hit with "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out," an older song Sam Cooke had done years before."
If you don't know about the '60s relationship the two had, that just becomes yet another staid product release factoid! But, Bobby recording that song had to have an emotional-memory component to it! Amazing.
I also jsut recently learned this (from wikipedia)
Bobby Womack was also a member of Cooke's band, touring and recording with him from 1961. The Valentinos' career was left shaky after Sam Cooke was shot and killed in a Los Angeles motel. Devastated by the news, the brothers disbanded and SAR Records folded. Womack attempted to start his solo career in 1965, first recording for Him Records and later the Chess Records subsidiary, Checker Records. Womack faced backlash after his marriage to Cooke's widow Barbara Cooke. He would go to radio stations and disc jockeys would throw away his records.
...
On February 26, 1965, 77 days after Sam Cooke's death, 20-year-old Womack and Cooke's widow Barbara Cooke, who was 10 years his senior, attempted to marry at the Los Angeles county courthouse. Womack wore one of Cooke's suits to the courthouse and the media was present to record the event, but their application was rejected. According to the Los Angeles Sentinel, it was denied because Womack was under 21 years old and did not have his parents' permission to marry. They were finally married on March 5, the day after his 21st birthday. Their marriage was considered a scandal by some in the music business and Womack found himself ostracized in the soul music world.... Womack later claimed he initially went to Barbara's side to console her following Cooke's death for fear that if she were left alone, she would "do something crazy."
Wow, thanks, Nick! Never knew any of that! The good news: My reference point for most of Womack's career is his signing to United Artists Records in '71 for 7 albums, and, ultimately, by Columbia Records in 1977 for 2 albums, and one album for Clive Davis's Arista in '79! So, thankfully, however ostracized he may have been in the '60s, he re-emerged, and the industry deserves a hand for that (and Bobby for the fortitude)!
For my previous Tune Tag I had strongly considered opening with Bobby Womack's "Daylight" ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCyqt-QvFoU ) before deciding on the Peter Tosh. I first heard of Bobby Womack after watching _Jackie Brown_ which highlighted "Across 110th St" in the soundtrack.
Another excellent edition of tune tag! The passing from “I used to love her” to, “but it’s all over now” made me think that a fun tune tag would be having to find songs where the song titles create continued sentences, or even the exact lyrics to a song
A logical extension, I guess, but it would certainly ramp up the challenge quotient! In my karaoke days, I used to try to bribe singers to go up and sing the song with the lyrics changed....to something funny, of course.
Nobody ever took me up on my challenge to sing the Journey song like this: "So, I come to you with broken arms!" I guess no one found it humerus.
It was interesting to see how closely aligned in theme you two were in this one. It was like you were chasing each other’s tail essentially the whole time.
You're right, Michael.....this one was interesting to be a part of just for that reason! Other TTs seem to follow genre threads or personnel links; I was surprised to find so many thematic "it's over" songs, and Andrew made it fun by keeping a running commentary on that theme, as he noticed it!
It's always my (sometimes guilty) pleasure, Andrew! I'm always challenged with your selections, as you seem to run into musical traffic Mama warned me about! But, it's always a gas, and I love learning about new artists and songs (to me)! As you know, our music reveals as much about us as chatting over coffee for an hour ever could!
Ha! That MC5 one had gotten past me! I wonder if Rob Tyner was once a Delta pilot and wrote this after flying across Massachusetts and over Andover. Prolly not!😊You'll not hear THIS song quite the same ever again!
Good Lord, Nick! How long have you been sitting on this diamond?! Except for Jimmy Webb, of course, all these words are brand new to me! Zumpano (new to me)....early '90s power pop, "Rosecrans Boulevard," a song I've never heard or heard of, but it smacks of mid-'60s sunshine pop/psych pop (chord changes), which makes sense, as that's when it was written!
What made you come up with this? Don't answer that here. Write all you know and have experienced about this song and/or performance. I'll add it to a new "Inside Tracks" I hope to completely compose today! Thanks!
The short version is that my brother gave me the CD and I loved it. I suspect he learned about it because it was on Sub Pop and, when he lived in Seattle he was well acquainted with the label.
I can write a little more than that but you might also check whether Matt C would write something. I mentioned Zumpano in a request for Canadian music ( https://substack.com/@whatamimaking/note/c-45413171 ) and he was familiar with Zumpano.
E-mail would be great, and I'd appreciate anything you've got! Matt's interviewing me tomorrow (Thur) for his podcast, but I might see if he's got anything about the song now.
I highly recommend the 2CD set "Sam Cooke's SAR Records Story", which covers the label's tale in exacting detail. (It's also been recently put out on vinyl).
Dang....I'll check it out! I have such a knowledge-hole when it comes to early- to mid-'60s soul music, save for Spector's productions (of course, far more pop than soul, but it was there) and early Motown. Thanks, David! Would love to have you Tune Tag, if you're game! Just send me a song (any genre, any artist, any era) to bradc318@gmail.com! I'll send back brief info and my tagged song!
I know.....I'd never heard that before, but along with the revelation (to me) of Sam Cooke adding "producer" to his legend, Womack comes off as nothing short of human. I'd like to think I, too, would go from "Let the limeys get their own song" to "Dang, that's quite a check! Tell him he can order off the menu!" as he did! I'm also not sure I knew Womack's family was musically gifted and recording!
Loved this dramatic/fatalistic vibe. I didn’t know Sam Cooke (one of my favourite singers of all time) had done for production work for the Stones! Amazing discovery (for me, at least!).
My revelation was that Cooke was also a producer! He produced the Womacks' recording, and fought to have Bobby Womack relent to have The Stones cover "It's All Over Now"! Amazing rock'n'roll history, and an extraordinary peek into a couple soul legends' careers!
Absolutely! And we heard it here on FR&B first!
Cooke owned his own label, SAR, for which he produced many soul and gospel recordings for artists he hoped to break. Bobby Womack and his family were particular favorites.
And, for all of what we heard about racism throughout the '60s record biz (and, we've heard the stories), God bless all those involved who gave Sam his due, the loans, the access, and the opportunity! I just haven't read any stories about Sam Cooke, record exec!
And, this I just found: "In 1973, Womack released another hit album, Facts of Life, and had a top 40 hit with "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out," an older song Sam Cooke had done years before."
If you don't know about the '60s relationship the two had, that just becomes yet another staid product release factoid! But, Bobby recording that song had to have an emotional-memory component to it! Amazing.
I also jsut recently learned this (from wikipedia)
Bobby Womack was also a member of Cooke's band, touring and recording with him from 1961. The Valentinos' career was left shaky after Sam Cooke was shot and killed in a Los Angeles motel. Devastated by the news, the brothers disbanded and SAR Records folded. Womack attempted to start his solo career in 1965, first recording for Him Records and later the Chess Records subsidiary, Checker Records. Womack faced backlash after his marriage to Cooke's widow Barbara Cooke. He would go to radio stations and disc jockeys would throw away his records.
...
On February 26, 1965, 77 days after Sam Cooke's death, 20-year-old Womack and Cooke's widow Barbara Cooke, who was 10 years his senior, attempted to marry at the Los Angeles county courthouse. Womack wore one of Cooke's suits to the courthouse and the media was present to record the event, but their application was rejected. According to the Los Angeles Sentinel, it was denied because Womack was under 21 years old and did not have his parents' permission to marry. They were finally married on March 5, the day after his 21st birthday. Their marriage was considered a scandal by some in the music business and Womack found himself ostracized in the soul music world.... Womack later claimed he initially went to Barbara's side to console her following Cooke's death for fear that if she were left alone, she would "do something crazy."
Wow, thanks, Nick! Never knew any of that! The good news: My reference point for most of Womack's career is his signing to United Artists Records in '71 for 7 albums, and, ultimately, by Columbia Records in 1977 for 2 albums, and one album for Clive Davis's Arista in '79! So, thankfully, however ostracized he may have been in the '60s, he re-emerged, and the industry deserves a hand for that (and Bobby for the fortitude)!
Check this out....Paul Carrack's "How Long" that Paul sang with Ace for a hit in '74....Bobby sings and produced on his '77 debut Columbia album, "Home is Where the Heart Is": https://open.spotify.com/track/2rofoGkluJeF1VFChtC4vo?si=e68bcfcbec5647c9
He also does Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come" on the album!
For my previous Tune Tag I had strongly considered opening with Bobby Womack's "Daylight" ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCyqt-QvFoU ) before deciding on the Peter Tosh. I first heard of Bobby Womack after watching _Jackie Brown_ which highlighted "Across 110th St" in the soundtrack.
Another excellent edition of tune tag! The passing from “I used to love her” to, “but it’s all over now” made me think that a fun tune tag would be having to find songs where the song titles create continued sentences, or even the exact lyrics to a song
A logical extension, I guess, but it would certainly ramp up the challenge quotient! In my karaoke days, I used to try to bribe singers to go up and sing the song with the lyrics changed....to something funny, of course.
Nobody ever took me up on my challenge to sing the Journey song like this: "So, I come to you with broken arms!" I guess no one found it humerus.
It was interesting to see how closely aligned in theme you two were in this one. It was like you were chasing each other’s tail essentially the whole time.
You're right, Michael.....this one was interesting to be a part of just for that reason! Other TTs seem to follow genre threads or personnel links; I was surprised to find so many thematic "it's over" songs, and Andrew made it fun by keeping a running commentary on that theme, as he noticed it!
Thanks, Brad! This was a ton of fun, once again. Hopefully we gave everyone out there something interesting to think about today.
It's always my (sometimes guilty) pleasure, Andrew! I'm always challenged with your selections, as you seem to run into musical traffic Mama warned me about! But, it's always a gas, and I love learning about new artists and songs (to me)! As you know, our music reveals as much about us as chatting over coffee for an hour ever could!
Same, my friend. <3
Nice one! Couldn't resist: https://youtu.be/VMGOg8vB4Dc?si=pScZp1Gm96ceauXh
Ha! That MC5 one had gotten past me! I wonder if Rob Tyner was once a Delta pilot and wrote this after flying across Massachusetts and over Andover. Prolly not!😊You'll not hear THIS song quite the same ever again!
Oof...dad joke - incoming!
I def should-a sent up a flare, or at least a warning sign!⚠
"Rosecrans Boulevard stop your calling me
You know I never loved her anyway
I just used her over and over"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCjo3PdcOucto
That cover is a highlight of their (great) debut album. I hadn't paid attention, until now, to the fact that it's a Jimmy Webb song!
Good Lord, Nick! How long have you been sitting on this diamond?! Except for Jimmy Webb, of course, all these words are brand new to me! Zumpano (new to me)....early '90s power pop, "Rosecrans Boulevard," a song I've never heard or heard of, but it smacks of mid-'60s sunshine pop/psych pop (chord changes), which makes sense, as that's when it was written!
What made you come up with this? Don't answer that here. Write all you know and have experienced about this song and/or performance. I'll add it to a new "Inside Tracks" I hope to completely compose today! Thanks!
The short version is that my brother gave me the CD and I loved it. I suspect he learned about it because it was on Sub Pop and, when he lived in Seattle he was well acquainted with the label.
I can write a little more than that but you might also check whether Matt C would write something. I mentioned Zumpano in a request for Canadian music ( https://substack.com/@whatamimaking/note/c-45413171 ) and he was familiar with Zumpano.
E-mail would be great, and I'd appreciate anything you've got! Matt's interviewing me tomorrow (Thur) for his podcast, but I might see if he's got anything about the song now.
Will do.
More on why you love the song (you know how I roll)! Thanks, Nick!
I highly recommend the 2CD set "Sam Cooke's SAR Records Story", which covers the label's tale in exacting detail. (It's also been recently put out on vinyl).
Dang....I'll check it out! I have such a knowledge-hole when it comes to early- to mid-'60s soul music, save for Spector's productions (of course, far more pop than soul, but it was there) and early Motown. Thanks, David! Would love to have you Tune Tag, if you're game! Just send me a song (any genre, any artist, any era) to bradc318@gmail.com! I'll send back brief info and my tagged song!
I love that Bobby Womack story
I know.....I'd never heard that before, but along with the revelation (to me) of Sam Cooke adding "producer" to his legend, Womack comes off as nothing short of human. I'd like to think I, too, would go from "Let the limeys get their own song" to "Dang, that's quite a check! Tell him he can order off the menu!" as he did! I'm also not sure I knew Womack's family was musically gifted and recording!