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The Songfactor's Choice Top Ten Facts


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That sounds feasible Dappled ! I've also heard Sunny Afternoon is about a man who's been declared bankrupt. I don't know if the Taxation Department/ Inland Revenue would be involved in such case though (not forgetting this was 40 years ago)? Maybe one of our English friends may know. Where's a Diggs or a Blind-Fitter when you need one ?

It's from the Kinks' 1966 Album "Face To Face".

:)

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Here's what I've got for Sunny Afternoon:

This was the first song Ray wrote after suffering a nervous breakdown in February of '66.

From a Rolling Stone interview with Ray Davies Nov. 10th, 1969:

"Sunny Afternoon" was made very quickly, in the morning, it was one of our most atmospheric sessions. I still like to keep tapes of the few minutes before the final take, things that happen before the session. Maybe it's superstitious, but I believe if I had done things differently - if I had walked around the studio or gone out - it wouldn't have turned out that way.

The bass player went off and started playing funny little classical things on the bass, more like a lead guitar: and Nicky Hopkins, who was playing piano on that session, was playing "Liza" - we always used to play that song - little things like that helped us get into the feeling of the song.

At one time I wrote "Sunny Afternoon" I couldn't listen to anything. I was only playing "The Greatest Hits of Frank Sinatra" and Dylan's "Maggies Farm" - I just liked it's whole presence, I was playing the "Bringing It All Back Home" LP along with my Frank Sinatra and Glenn Miller and Bach - it was a strange time. I thought they all helped one another, they went into the chromatic part that's in the back of the song.

I once made a drawing of my voice on "Sunny Afternoon". It was a leaf with a very thick outline - a big blob in the background - the leaf just cutting through it.

The B-side to the single was "I'm not like everybody else".

The song peaked at #14 on the Billboard US charts.

In the UK it hit number 1 on the Record Retailer, New Musical Express, and Disc charts, but only made it to #2 on the Melody Maker charts.

In Austria it hit #8, and was on the charts for 16 weeks.

In Australia it entered the charts at #29, climbed to #12, and was on the charts for 12 weeks.

In New Zealand it peaked at #2, and was on the charts for 7 weeks.

In Holland it reached #1, and was on the charts for 12 weeks.

In Germany it reached #7, was on the charts for 16 weeks.

In Belgium it peaked at #14.

In Canada it reached #1, was on the charts for 8 weeks. It's their only number 1 in Canada.

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Here's something for the 59th street bridge song:

“The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy†was a Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel hit from the album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (1966).

The song has no New York City details in it besides the title. Simon & Garfunkel came from New York and performed many New York-themed songs, such as “Sounds of Silence.â€

It was covered by Pizzicato Five, the Seekers, and Brenda Lee with Pete Fountain.

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Though written and recorded as an album track by Simon & Garfunkel, as listed in the Top Ten, most folks were first introduced to "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)" by the short-lived group, Harpers Bizarre, who later had a lesser known chart entry with "Anything Goes." The band (formerly known locally in California as The Tikis prior to renaming itself with a wordplay on a popular lady's magazine, Harpers Bazaar) disbanded in 1969. The group's frontman, Ted Templeman, went on to become a successful album producer, collaborating with acts such as: Carly Simon, Sammy Hagar, Van Morrison and Eric Clapton. Templeton is credited with "discovering" The Doobie Brothers and producing their first album; later doing the same for Van Halen.

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Thanks to Farin, Old55, Malakin, Dappled and S2V for those brilliant songfacts :bow:

The Songfactor's Choice Top Ten #13

You'll be delighted to know that ALL of the songs in our current top ten are on the Songfacts database!!

Songs from previous top tens that we are currently seeking information on are:

Long Train Runnin' - The Doobie Brothers (1973)

If you have any info on any of the songs mentioned above, please feel free to post your knowledge in this thread. Submissions on songs will be collated and sent to the main site and you will receive credit for your contribution :)

The Songfish hugs you :D

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Long Train Runnin'

Released on the Doobie Brothers third album "The Captain and Me" in 1973. Written by Tom Johnston. Reached #8 in the Billboard charts.

Tom Johnston said in a recent interview: "We got the name from a guy named Keith Rosen. We called him Dyno. He was living in the house on 285 South 12th Street where the band got its start. He came up with the name. We didn’t have a name. We were just playing and he said, ‘Why don’t you call yourselves the Doobie Brothers?’ and we said, ‘What the hell, we don’t have a name,’ and we’d heard of worse, so we did."

A recently released box set of their music from 1970-2000 was titled "Long Train Runnin'"

In 1993, a remixed version of "Long Train Running' put the Doobie Brothers back in the charts, although to many 70s fans the Ben Liebrand production added little to the original classic.

Originally an instrumental they often played live, Johnston was persuaded by producer Ted Templeman to write lyrics and record it.

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Thankyou very much Malakin! :bow:

The Songfactor's Choice Top Ten #14

I know that everyone will be overjoyed to know that ALL of the songs in our current top ten are on the Songfacts database!!

Songs from previous top tens that we are currently seeking information on are:

Long Train Runnin' - The Doobie Brothers (1973)

If you have any info on any of the songs mentioned above, please feel free to post your knowledge in this thread. Submissions on songs will be collated and sent to the main site and you will receive credit for your contribution

The Songfish bows to you :D

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The Songfactor's Choice Top Ten #15

I know that everyone will be elated to know that ALL of the songs in our current top ten excepting one are presently part of the Songfacts database. That missing song is:

RED HOUSE - JIMI HENDRIX (1967)

If you have any info on any of the song mentioned above, please feel free to post your knowledge in this thread. Submissions on songs will be collated and sent to the main site and you will receive credit for your contribution

The Songfish wishes you well :D

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I'm a little slow on the uptake. Believe it or not this is the first time I've seen this thread... I think this is great! You guys are wonderful for doing this...

Don't forget to submit those lyrics after the songfacts are posted on the Main Page! :)

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Red House - Jimi Hendrix

Hendrix himself did many versions of the song. The first available version of the song was on the U.K. version of his debut album, "Are You Experienced?". The original studio version of the song is 3 minutes, 49 seconds. The "long" version of the song is generally about 6-10 minutes, however the longest recorded version of the song is thought to be the version found on Hendrix in the West, a live album sampling three different shows. He did almost a thirteen minute long version at the San Diego Sports Arena that can be found on that album.
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From allmusic.com:

Despite Jimi Hendrix's revolutionary approach to guitar playing and songwriting in his early career, he didn't neglect his blues roots. The B-side of his U.K. debut 45, "Red House" is an exercise in fabulous modernist blues playing. A simple, 12-bar chord progression, the song's lyrics are about a simple blues theme: the unexpected departure of a lover. Filled with classic imagery (such as "the key won't unlock this door," among others), it's Hendrix own devastating guitar playing that rightfully dominates the track, and his solos are easily on par with his own new English blues instrumental rivals, Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck. An excellent live version is now available on The Jimi Hendrix Experience box set.

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3 studio versions:

RED HOUSE version 1:

recorded 13th December 1966, includes studio chat by Chas Chandler and Jimi,

released on original UK version of ARE YOU EXPERIENCED and on 1997 30th Anniversary CD re-issue,

released on BLUES CD in 1994, but without studio chatter.

RED HOUSE version 2:

same basic recording as version 1 but with a different vocal take by Jimi recorded 29th March 1967 and a different mix with more guitar echo,

studio chat introduction mixed out,

released on US version of SMASH HITS in 1969, on the 1993 CD re-issue of ARE YOU EXPERIENCED and on THE ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE CD in 1993.

RED HOUSE version 3:

recorded 29th October 1968 and introduced by Jimi as played by the Electric Church,

released on VARIATIONS ON A THEME: RED HOUSE CD in US only in 1989,

released on BLUES CD in 1994 and retitled ELECTRIC CHURCH RED HOUSE.

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Thankyou very much to Dappled, Farin, edna, Malakin and Bluesboy for your valued contributions!

The Songfactor's Choice Top Ten #16

I know that everyone will be very excited to know that ALL of the songs in our current top ten are featured in the Songfacts database!

The Songfish congratulates you! :D

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