The Shirelles: "Baby It's You" (1961), Smith: "Baby It's You" (1969)

Bert Bacharach is back. We featured his first song ever "The Blob" by The Five Blobs in an October 2012 post.

"Baby It's You" was written by Bert in 1961and was performed originally by The Shirelles, who hailed from Passaic, New Jersey. The Shirelles, via Wiki: " have been described as having a "naive schoolgirl sound" that contrasted with the sexual themes of many of their songs. Several of their hits used strings and baião-style music. They have been credited with launching the girl group genre, with much of their music reflecting the genre's essence."

They were credited as being the first African-American girl group to top the Billboard Hot 100, or the first girl group overall, with the song "Will You Love Me Tomorrow".

" Baby It's You" would make it to number eight on the U. S. Pop charts and number three on the R & B charts that year.

The song owes a lot of it's popularity to the vocal arrangements and key changes. In this version, the lilting organ provides a melancholy touch complementing the vocals.

Is it true what they say about you?
They say you'll never, ever, never be true.
It doesn't matter what they say.
I know I'm gonna love you any old way.
What can I do?
What 'bout you?
Don't want nobody, nobody.
Baby, it's you.
Baby, it's you.

The Sha-la-la's are a factor as well and play right into The Shirelle's vocal wheelhouse.

The Beatles would immediately cover the song at their live stage performances and record it in 1963 for their first album, Please Please Me. One could easily see John Lennon being taken with The Shirelles version and wanting to make it his own. The Beatles used the same vocal arrangements as the original and is a very good song so we have included their version in this post.

No less than 28 other acts covered this song over the years including Pia Zadora, Elvis Costello & Nick Lowe, and Chrissie Hynde.

But the staff at Monahan's Song must pay homage to the 1969 version by Smith. Here we have a different vocal arrangement with a bluesy shouter taking center stage. The vocal performance by Gayle McCormick makes the song stick. Their version went gold in short order and would reach number five on the charts out selling both prior versions mentioned previously.

Smith was "discovered" by Del Shannon, and he arranged the song to feature McCormick, who had recently joined the band. It is no surprise to us that Del would keep an organ in the arrangement.

Enjoy all three version of this great classic rock tune.
   







The Marshall Tucker Band: This Ol' Cowboy (1974)

We remember Spring days in the north when you were finally able to open the windows in your dorm because the sun had arrived and the snow was gone. Parties erupted on the sunny dry lawns and music blared from those dorm windows.

This Ol' Cowboy was one of those songs. While it will no doubt come across to you as country, it was considered mainstream Southern Rock and The Marshall Tucker Band was in the forefront of that movement. Their infusion of jazz elements is obvious and this set them apart in our opinion. The flute playing by Jerry Eubanks takes the song to another level and the guest fiddle playing by Charlie Daniels and Andy Stein (Commander Cody), makes this an irresistible tune.

This song is the story of a guy who has been around the block, and one more ended relationship is not going to devastate him:

Well I'm sittin' down in San Antone
Waiting on an eight o'clock train
My woman left me here last night
Things ain't been quite the same
I gotta get back to Dallas
And tie up a few loose ends
I'm gonna work a week make a hundred dollars
Aw and hit the road again
So I don't want you to think
That you're the first one
To leave me out here on my own
Cause this ain't gonna be the first time
This ol' cowboy spent the night alone

The Marshall Tucker Band traces its origins to South Carolina and was centered around the Caldwell brothers Toy and Tommy. Toy wrote most of their songs (including this one) and Tommy played bass. The band still exists today but really peaked in the late 70's. 

As per Wiki: The original lineup of the Marshall Tucker Band, formed in 1972, included lead guitarist, vocalist, and primary songwriter Toy Caldwell (1947–1993), vocalist Doug Gray (born 1948), keyboard player, saxophone player, and flutist Jerry Eubanks (born 1950), rhythm guitarist George McCorkle (1946–2007), drummer Paul Riddle (born 1953), and bassist Tommy Caldwell (1949–1980). They signed with Capricorn Records and in 1973 released their first LP, The Marshall Tucker Band.

Where We All Belong, which contains This Ol' Cowboy, was the third album by The Marshall Tucker Band. It is a double album; album one is a studio album (on which This Ol' Cowboy appears) and album two is a live album, featuring extensive jamming by the band and guests.. Album one was recorded in 1974 in Macon, Georgia at Capricorn Studios.

As a vinyl double album, disc one is side one and four, and disc two is side two and three. If you ever had a phonograph and stacked records, you will understand why.

The band would have many gold and also a platinum album run during the 70's.

Sadly, things did not go well for the Caldwells. Tommy died in a car accident in 1980 only a month after another brother, Tim, was killed in a car wreck as well. Toy would battle addiction and succumb to a cocaine induced heart attack in 1993.

 

Monahan's Song: Our Interview With Savanna Leigh Bassett

Some of or staff were cruising along Bay Street during the One Spark Crowdfunding Festival last month, and came upon the creator booth for Savanna Leigh Bassett. Every time we stopped by she was standing and playing. Considering how long the five day festival was, we were already impressed. She is right in that her music does have a Beaches flavor to her country material, but it would be a mistake to end it there. She has a great range and depth of material. We suggest you check her out. 

What was the first song you ever learned?

-On guitar, it was the intro lick to "Sweet Home Alabama". Jacksonville, represent!

What was the first song you ever performed live?

-Once again, on guitar/voice, it was for a hospice event around Christmas-time, commemorating people who had passed that year. I sang the song "Breathe" by Taylor Swift and Colbie Caillat. 

-I played violin and piano before I pursued singing/songwriting, so I had performed other pieces before, but I'm just answering these questions in reference to my songwriting/singing career.

What was the coolest venue you ever played?

-I really enjoy performing outside. There isn't one venue that comes to mind, but I've gotten to play at the Florida Folk Festival and in Central Park (NY) and at the Chain of Parks Festival in Tallahassee. Outdoor concerts really stick with me.

What advice would you give someone who is just now starting to write and perform in North Florida?

-Only do it as long as the fun outweighs the work. As soon as you start making yourself miserable, you gotta get out. Life's too short!

What famous musicians do you admire? Why?

-Chris Thile is a killer mandolin player and great bluegrass songwriter. I'm really impressed with all the different projects he's been involved in (Nickel Creek and Punch Brothers, to name a few). I really admire any musician who is doing what I want to be doing -- touring and writing and performing. It takes hard work to get there so I think people who do that work are pretty great.

Who is your biggest local influence?

-Career-wise, a woman named Lyndie Burris. She is a great singer and good business woman and she is always really encouraging. Character-wise, my dad. He has always instilled a strong sense of integrity in me.

How do you balance your music with other life obligations?

-I don't. Haha, that's my answer in short. I spend a lot of time on music and unfortunately tend to neglect other things. I'm getting better at it, but it's so hard when I don't really have any deadlines. Everything in my music has a sense of urgency. I try to manage my time and do non-musicy things too, though.

Where can we see you play?

-Everywhere! I play around Jacksonville a lot but other places too. My show schedule can be found at www.savannaleighbassett.com. I play at Northstar the Pizza Bar downtown at 119 E Bay St every Thursday from 8-10pm.

Links:

www.savannaleighbassett.com

www.reverbnation.com/savannaleighbassett

www.facebook.com/SavannaLeighBassett

Contact:

savannabassett@gmail.com