Monthly Archives: August 2018

Music, Retro Rock

Hey Jude: Best Single of 1968?

“Hey Jude, don’t make it bad

Take a sad song and make it better

Remember to let her into your heart

Then you can start to make it better”

If you asked music historians what they felt was the greatest single record from 1968, many would select “Hey Jude” by the Beatles as being the best individual song from 50 years ago.

“Hey Jude” has the distinction of being not only the top selling single from 1968 but also the biggest song for the entire decade of the 60’s according to Billboard magazine. The tune was also the first number one song to be over seven minutes long.

So I wonder: Is “Hey Jude” the best single of 1968? Although I have great respect for the Beatles and their mega hit, I feel there are some other songs that I place higher than the Fab Four’s biggest song during their career. Side note: If the Beatles had released “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” as a single in 1968, that song would be my choice as greatest song for that year.

Besides “Hey Jude”, here are some of the other top selling songs of 1968 according to Billboard:   “Love is Blue” Paul Mauriat, “Honey” Bobby Goldsboro, “(Sittin’ On) The Dock on the Bay” Otis Redding, “Mrs. Robinson” Simon and Garfunkel and “Tighten Up” Archie Bell and the Drells. However, none of those songs are on my top ten listing of best singles from 1968.

Here is the criterion am I using to determine the best single songs of 1968:

  1. Are the lyrics meaningful and have substance?
  2. Does the song have historical significance?
  3. Is the song still relevant in 2018?
  4. Has the song received honors and awards from music Hall of Fames?
  5. Does the song still sound good in the 21st Century?
  6. Did the song reach number 20 or higher on either Billboard or Cashbox?

From reading my list above, you may guess that that there are some excellent songs from 1968 that don’t make my listing as they were not hits in America. Example: “The Weight” by The Band. This song ranks number 41 on the Rolling Stone “500 Greatest Songs of all Time” listing and is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame but only reached number 62 on the Billboard Hot 100 during 1968. It’s a great song, but not a hit in the U.S.

Here are the songs that I consider to be the best 10 singles from 1968. There are no rankings with my listing and the songs are placed in a random order. I deem the 10 songs to be culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.

  1. Born To Be Wild—Steppenwolf

“I like smoke and lightning, heavy metal thunder, racin’ with the wind and the feelin’ that I’m under. Like a true nature’s child, we were born, born to be wild, we can climb so high, I never wanna die.”

“Born To Be Wild” musically and lyrically has become a motorcycle rock anthem and is associated with the 1969 classic cult motorcycle movie, “Easy Rider.” The lyrics of “heavy metal thunder” are credited with the naming of “heavy metal” as a genre of rock music and the song was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Fame earlier this year. Steppenwolf’s signature song is “Born To Be Wild.”

“Born To Be Wild” peaked at number 2 on Billboard Hot 100 August 1968.

  1. Scarborough Fair—Simon and Garfunkel

“Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, remember me to one who lives there, she once was a true love of mine.”

Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel took an old traditional English folk ballad, “Scarborough Fair” and combined the song with Simon’s song “Canticle” which came from rewriting a 1963 Simon song, “The Side of a Hill.”   The beauty of this tune is that “Scarborough Fair” and “Canticle” are actually two songs that are sung simultaneously with alternately verses from both songs interweaved together.

This melodic anti-war song was featured in, “The Graduate” movie and is absolutely brilliant.

“Scarborough Fair” peaked at number 11 on Billboard Hot 100 April 1968.

  1. Hurdy Gurdy Man—Donavan

“Histories of ages past, unenlightened shadows cast, down through all eternity, the crying of humanity. It is then when the Hurdy Gurdy Man, comes singing songs of love, then when the Hurdy Gurdy Man, comes singing songs of love.”

Donovan wrote “Hurdy Gurdy Man” when he was with the Beatles in India while studying Transcendental Meditation during early 1968. The music on this tune is considered psychedelic rock and features three session musicians who became famous just after recording this song. Those musicians: Jimmy Page on electric guitar, John Bonham on drums and John Paul Jones on bass. These three guys, along with vocalist Robert Plant formed Led Zeppelin right after laying down the track for “Hurdy Gurdy Man.”

“Hurdy Gurdy Man” peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 August 1968.

  1. Jumpin’ Jack Flash—Rolling Stones

“I was born in a crossfire hurricane and I howled at the maw in the drivin’ rain. But it’s all right now, in fact, it’s a gas, but it’s all right, I’m Jumpin’ Jack Flash, It’s a gas, gas, gas.”

After going through a psychedelic pop phase during 1967, the Rolling Stones returned to a more blues-rock sound and this song is known for its signature guitar riffs by Keith Richards. The distinctive guitar sound on the tune places it in the top ten of the “greatest guitar tracks” in rock music history. The Rolling Stones have also played “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” during every concert the band has performed since the song was released 50 years ago.

“Jumpin’ Jack Flash” peaked at number 1 on the Cashbox Top 100 July 1968.

  1. Do It Again—Beach Boys

“It’s automatic when I talk with old friends, the conversation turns to girls we knew, when their hair was soft and long and the beach was the place to go. Suntanned bodies and waves of sunshine the California girls and a beautiful coastline, warmed up weather, let’s get together and do it again.”

After Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys recorded the landmark “Pet Sounds” album in 1966, Wilson had health issues and the group quit having hits on Top 40 radio. The band then recorded and released, “Do It Again” during July 1968 with much success. The highlight of this tune is the five-part harmony that is sung throughout the song. Once again the Beach Boys had created the magic of the “Pet Sounds” album with this summer of 1968 hit.

“Do It Again” peaked at number 8 on the Cashbox Top 100 September 1968.

  1. Sunshine of Your Love—Cream

“It’s getting near dawn and lights close their tired eyes, I’ll soon be with you, my love, to give you my dawn surprise, I’ll be with you, darling, soon, I’ll be with you when the stars start falling. I’ve been waiting so long, to be where I’m going, in the sunshine of your love.”

The hard driving drums of Ginger Baker, the guitar playing of Eric Clapton and the excellent bass riffs and vocals on “Sunshine of Your Love” make this tune the signature song by the trio Cream. The song continues to rank as one of the greatest rock songs of all time, was voted as one of the best rock guitar riffs of all time and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

“Sunshine of Your Love” peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 August 1968.

  1. Wichita Lineman—Glen Campbell

“I am a lineman for the county and I drive the main road, searchin’ in the sun for another overload. I hear you singing in the wire, I can hear you thru the whine and the Wichita lineman, is still on the line.”

Glen Campbell soared to great heights with the Jimmy Webb-written song “Wichita Lineman” on both country and Top 40 radio during 1968. Campbell employed members of “The Wrecking Crew” to play on this tune that some have called “one of the greatest pop songs ever composed.” Carol Kaye’s guitar playing on this tune is outstanding. A truly quintessential crossover hit almost 50 years ago.

“Wichita Lineman” peaked at number 3 on Billboard Hot 100 December 1968/January 1969.

  1. Pictures of Matchstick Men—Status Quo

“When I look up to the sky, I see your eyes a funny kind of yellow, I rush home to bed, I soak my head, I see your face underneath my pillow, I wake next morning, tired, still yawning, see your face come peeping through my window. Pictures of matchstick men and you, mirages of matchstick men and you, all I ever see is them and you.”

Status Quo’s only hit in America was inspired by matchstick men paintings of L.S. Lowry that depicted industrial areas of England during the 20th century. This tune features a phasing audio effect with wah-wah guitars. The record is said to be one of the first to use this technique. The distinctive four-note guitar riff throughout the song makes this a memorable song from the summer of 1968.

“Pictures of Matchstick Men” peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 July 1968.

  1. All Along the Watchtower—Jimi Hendrix

“All along the watchtower, princes kept the view, while all the women came and went, barefoot servants too, outside in the cold distance, a wildcat did growl, two riders were approaching and the wind began to howl.” 

Bob Dylan wrote the lyrics to “All Along the Watchtower” in 1967 but it was Jimi Hendrix’s cover version of the song that put this tune on music map. Obviously with Hendrix being one of the greatest guitar players of his generation, he does an outstanding job laying the riffs down on this masterpiece. Rolling Stone magazine ranks Hendrix’s cover at number 47 on their “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” list.

“All Along the Watchtower” peaked at number 18 on the Cashbox Top 100 October 1968.

  1. People Got To Be Free—Rascals

“All the world over, so easy to see, people everywhere just wanna be free, listen, please listen, that’s the way it should be, peace in the valley, people got to be free.” 

50 years ago this week, the Rascals had the number 1 song in America with “People Got To Be Free.” The song spent five weeks at the number one position and was a popular song of healing for our country after the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy earlier in 1968. The Rascals message of freedom was much needed for all the turmoil that America witnessed during that time period.

“People Got To Be Free” peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 August 1968.

There you have my top ten songs from 1968. I do not proclaim that my selections are the absolute ten best tunes from 50 years ago. Now that you know my top ten songs, I would love for you to post your thoughts. What songs do you consider to be the best songs from 1968? I value your opinion on this topic. Rock on!

To subscribe to my blog via email, please click the “Follow” button in the menu above. I am looking forward reading your comments on my latest blog message.

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Artist Profiles

Kayla Woodson: Up & Coming Country Rock Singer

The definition of “up-and-coming” in the Merriam-Webster dictionary says: Gaining prominence and likely to advance or succeed.   That is exactly how I would describe country rock singer Kayla Woodson. Originally from Waggaman, Louisiana, she now calls Nashville, Tennessee her home and is a rising star in the music industry.

So those of you who are astute may be thinking: DJ Dave Woodson must be promoting his daughter, niece, cousin or some other close relative with this latest blog? Obviously, I share the same last name as Kayla but we are not close relatives. Most likely we are 10th cousins, just about like all other people with the Woodson surname in America.

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Kayla via phone for the first time and got to learn of her music career. Among the things I learned: Kayla was a child music prodigy at a young age and started singing publicly at age 4 as a hobby. When Kayla was 7 years old, she performed regularly with Opry shows in Texas and Louisiana.

By age 10, Kayla fronted her own band for the first time and played at various locations throughout the South. Her musical performances continued during her early teen years and at age 15, Kayla wrote her own music and recorded an album called “I’m Moving On.”

After graduation from high school, Kayla moved to Nashville to attend Belmont University in 2012. Kayla received her BS degree from Belmont in 2016, with a major in Entertainment Industry Studies and a minor in Music Business. She continues to make Nashville her home since graduation from college.

In 2014, Kayla was at a Hard Rock Café in the Dominican Republic when she unexpectedly got called up on stage while country music trio Lady Antebellum was performing the song “American Honey.” Kayla then sang the song with the country group through the ending of the former number one country tune. After the song ended, Lady Antebellum lead singer Hillary Scott briefly interviewed Kayla before she left the stage.

While Kayla was getting her college degree during 2015, she performed on the Hard Rock stage at the CMA Music fest and released her first single, “Fan for the Flame ” to country music radio stations in America. The song is about a woman who has been scorned once but is refusing to play the fool multiple times. Kayla’s vocals are sassy on this catchy tune.

At the end of Kayla’s senior year at Belmont, she released her self-titled 5-song EP “Kayla Woodson” during April 2016. Every song was either written or co-written by Kayla and the EP shows a wide range of music styles along with powerful vocals by the Louisiana native.

During the past year Kayla has been busy writing new songs, playing with her own band and performing with other artists like Emma Place and Annie Lawrence around the Nashville area and around the South.

One of the current 24-year old singer’s latest projects is the recording of a new song, “Unfixable” which was written by Kayla along with co-writer Andrew Peebles. It is a powerful song but don’t just take my word about Kayla’s newest song and video for “Unfixable.” Here is what Kayla says about her new tune:

“I wrote ‘Unfixable’ with my co-writer Andrew Peebles, and by the time we were done writing the song I knew that I had to release it as my next single. It’s more of an emotional song that shows way more vulnerability than I have ever shown through my music. It’s about that moment when you love someone so much that you can’t walk away from them even though you know the relationship is not good for you. You’re essentially begging this person to cause you pain and in turn make your connection unfixable, so that it gives you enough reason to walk away from them. I’m so excited for the world to hear this song and I hope you all love it as much as I do!”

Up to this point you may think Kayla is just a country singer. However, she doesn’t limit herself to that genre of music: Kayla also rocks! Her dynamic voice is also well suited to sing rock music. From power ballads and straight up classic rock tunes, Kayla delivers the goods when singing rock songs during her concerts.

When I spoke with Kayla, I was curious what kind of set list that she and her band perform when out on the concert trail. While she sings much of her own material, Kayla also performs selected cover version of popular songs in rock and country plus occasionally singing Motown classic songs.

Two rock song covers that Kayla keeps in her set list are The Outlaw’s “Your Love” and “Guns N Roses’ “Sweet Child of Mine.”   With the country covers, she regularly sings Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” and Shania Twain’s “Any Man of Mine.” When Kayla goes Motown, she performs either Stevie Wonder’s “Signed Sealed Delivered I’m Yours” or Aretha Franklin’s “Chain of Fools.”

So what kind of music does Kayla listen to on a regular basis? She described her music favorites as a “Louisiana Gumbo Pot” meaning lots of variety all mixed together into one bowl. I asked Kayla some questions about her favorite music and here are the answers:

  • Favorite Rock Groups: Journey and Gun N Roses
  • Favorite Motown Artists: Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin
  • Favorite Country Artists: Dolly Parton and Carrie Underwood
  • Favorite Journey Song: “Wheel in the Sky”
  • Last Album Played: “Golden Hour” Kasey Musgraves

For the rest of the summer and into the fall, Kayla is taking time to write new songs and will be touring with her band in Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisiana and Alabama. You can always get Kayla’s up to date concert information here.

You can listen or purchase Kayla’s music at either iTunes or Spotify.

You can also access Kayla’s Facebook here and her official website here

“Ooh, the wheel in the sky keeps on turning

I don’t know where I’ll be tomorrow

Wheel in the sky keeps on turning.”

The chorus to Journey’s song “Wheel in the Sky” that I quoted above accurately describes Kayla upcoming musical journey. Her path is yet to be written. As I see things, Kayla Woodson has a bright future as a country/rock singer. I am confident that bigger and better things will be happening in the future during Kayla’s career. Rock on!

To subscribe to my blog via email, please click the “Follow” button in the menu above. I am looking forward reading your comments on my latest blog message.

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