Thursday, June 19, 2014

And Speaking of Gorgeous...

...from 2006, please enjoy the great Graham Gouldman and his beyond transplendent remake of "Bus Stop." Which he wrote, obviously.




You know, there are some days -- and this is one of them -- when I think this is the single most magnificent song of the original British Invasion that wasn't written or performed by The Beatles.

Incidentally, there really isn't a CD called The Graham Gouldman EP. That version of "Bus Stop" (along with equally wonderful remakes of Gouldman's "Heart Full of Soul," "No Milk Today" and "For Your Love") were actually done for a 10cc Greatest Hits collection.

You can download all of them over HERE, you're welcome very much.

[h/t Willard's Wormholes]

8 comments:

buzzbabyjesus said...

Nice reading of the tune.


Brooklyn Girl said...

More romantic and poignant than the Hollies' version. I love all the songs mentioned here.

Anonymous said...

Graham Gouldman introduced this song to the Hollies by playing it to them in a smelly bathroom at a gig in Stoke. His band, the Mockingbirds were on the support bill. The Hollies immediately recorded it.

It was a leap up from his earlier Look Through Any Window, which certainly wasn't a bad tune.

I prefer Steve's posted version to the one he cut in 1968 with John Paul Jones. Very nice.

And never forget that he was capable of such wondrous tortured stuff as Evil Hearted You, one that's power is near and dear to me for eternity.

Smiling, beguiling

Vickie Rock

steve simels said...

What I particularly like about this version is that you can hear the guy's ethnic roots.

I mean, like so many of Gouldman's tunes, it sounds like a Russian Jewish folk melody.

Anonymous said...

He's fond of using minor chords. The guitar bits may as well be balalaika.

I've played some of his hits on accordion and its fuckin' groovy. I'm serious.

Vickie Rock

steve simels said...

"More romantic and poignant than the Hollies' version"

Exactly right. Great as the Hollies version is, it's a little show-offy; it practically jumps out of the speakers (which is why its great) but there's a sense that the guy singing it is kind of proud of himself for scoring.

This one, however, just drips desperate romantic longing...

Anonymous said...

Thanks for pointing this track out. I skipped over it on Willards's site. Great performance & recording.

Think I'll play it on the show next week in Willard's and your honor. Hey Vickie, yours too.

Allan R.

Dave said...

Wow, this is spectacular, Steve. Never heard it before. Thanks!

Dave F.