Happy birthday Dr. John! This one is for you!
It was 1973 when Dr. John, the great ambassador of New Orleans funk, released the album In the Right Place. It was produced by Allen Toussaint and vocal backup included The Meters. He had already cornered the market with previous albums that featured voodoo stylings and New Orleans standards, but this was funk!
The album made it to #24 on the album charts and "Right Place, Wrong Time" would reach #9 as a single. It is still in heavy rotation on whatever AOR radio stations that are left.
According to Wiki: "Artists such as Bob Dylan, Bette Midler, and Doug Sahm contributed single lines to the lyrics, which lists several instances of ironic bad luck and failure." True that. This is ironic and iconic bad luck! But who is this guy really?
John "Mac" Rebennack was born in New Orleans on November 21, 1940 and is most widely known as Dr. John. He has also been called Dr. John Creaux and "The Night Tripper" as her refers to himself.
He remains a monster tour player even today. He has been prolific in recording having 118 releases not counting EP's or singles. He would go on to win six Grammy's and was introduced into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by John Legend.
Despite all this attention, "Right Place, Wrong Time" has endured as his most popular song. He was quoted in an interview with Dr. John via Songfacts stating this about the song: " That was my life for a long time. At the same time I was in the wrong place at the right time, and the right place in the wrong time, too. That was the problem. We're always shifting those gears."
The "brain salad surgery" line in this song provided the title for the Emerson, Lake & Palmer album which was released later in 1973.
I been in the right place but it must have been the wrong time
I'd have said the right thing but I must have used the wrong line
I been in the right trip but I must have used the wrong car
My head was in a bad place and I'm wondering what it's good for
I been the right place but it must have been the wrong time
My head was in a bad place but I'm having such a good time
The staff at Monahan's Song of the Week wish you a very happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy this song!
"Moondance" was the big hit on the identically titled album by Van Morrison in 1970. Looking back on that album, Moondance got all the airplay and one would think that "Glad Tidings" was an afterthought as it was the tenth and last cut on the album.
According to Van, he received a letter while he was in New York from a friend in London. The friend had written glad tidings on the back of the envelope and that gave him the idea for the song.
We read a number of old reviews and they were dead on in that it sounds like something coming right out of an old R & B studio. Vans vocals are sincere, smooth and soulful. The horn arrangements are classic and don't step on the vocals at all.
The song was featured throughout the final episode of The Soprano's fifth season and went so far as to let us her van sing "We send you glad tidings from New York" as Tony Blundetto (Steve Buscemi) is blown away by Tony Soprano (John Gandolfini) wielding a shotgun. The show gave this song another life.
And they'll lay you down low in the easy
And the lips that you kiss will say Christmas.
And the miles that you traveled the distance
So believe no lies, dry your eyes and realize
That surprise
La, la, la, la la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la...
And the businessmen will shake hands and talk in numbers
And the princess will wake up from her slumber
Then all the knights will step forth with their arm bands
And ev'ry stranger you meet in the street will make demands
So believe no lies, then dry your eyes and realize
That surprise
La, la, la...
[Bridge:]
And we'll send you glad tidings from New York
Open up your eyes so you may see
Ask you not to read between the lines
Hope that you will come in right on time
And they'll talk to you while you're in trances
And you'll visualize not taking any chances
But meet them halfway with love, peace and persuasion
And expect them to rise for the occasion
Don't it gratify when you see it materialize
Right in front of your eyes
That surprise
And they'll lay you down low and easy
As for Morrison, there is not enough room on this blog to do his work justice.
George Ivan Morrison was born in Northern Ireland in 1945. He played several instruments and sang with traditional Irish show bands before becoming lead vocalist for Them, an R & B band from the area. They were most identified by the song "Gloria"
Van would strike out on his own in 1967 as the smash "Brown Eyed Girl" was coming out. He has been recording and performing ever since. He has 30 + albums to his credit, six Grammys, and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He has numerous foreign awards as well and got his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010.
