Anyway, if you were here yesterday, when I posted that kinda goofy rocked up version of J.S. Bach's "Air" by Dutch band Ekseption, you probably saw the subject of today's esssay question coming down Broadway, as they say.
So without any further ado, let's get right to it. To wit:
...and your favorite (or least favorite) post-Elvis pop/rock/folk/r&b record by a group or solo artist demonstrating either an overt or implied influence of European classical music in the writing or performing or both, is...?
Discuss.
No arbitrary rules, but just to be a little more specific, what we're talking about doesn't have to be some kind of obvious borrowing from a particular classical composition; some of my favorites aren't, as you will see shortly. And when I say post-Elvis, that's to make sure none of you bastid kids nominates one of those godawful 1940s hits like "Full Moon and Empty Arms," which actually appended sappy lyrics to a melody from Rachmaninov's 2nd Piano Concerto. And yes, you're allowed to put up prog shit if applicable, as distasteful as I might find that personally. 😎
And my nominees? It's a tie. Between this...
...and this.
That's the late Alan Civil playing French horn on the Beatles track, BTW; in case you're unfamiliar with him, he was considered to be perhaps the greatest exponent of his instrument in the second half of the 20th Century. You should hear him do the Mozart horn concertos with Otto Klemperer, is what I'm saying. 😎😎
Alrighty then -- what would YOUR choices be?
And have a fabulous weekend, everybody!!!
73 comments:
Steve:
You have to know this would be my nominee:
Repent Walpurgis - Procol Harum
Captain Al
I had my suspicions, yes. 😎
Two, both by the same band - ELP
Pictures At An Exhibition
Tarkus (Aaron Copeland)
Regarding Otto Klemperer his son,
Werner was Capt.Klink on Hogans Heros 😉
As the sequel opens today...
Lick My Love Pump by Nigel Tufnel
i'll say a word in favor of ian anderson of jethro tull - not such a nice guy personally, it seems, but as songwriter, musician and showman, he's one my favorites from my generation
Speaking of Anderson,
Jethro Tull - Bouree
chatgpt tells me -
Movie Quote (fictional, comedic)
In The Seven Year Itch (1952), there’s this line:
“This is what they call classical music, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“I could tell because there’s no vocal.”
Tom Ewell - still a highly enjoy able movie
"Good old Rachmaninoff, the 2nd Piano Concerto Never Misses" 😉
And Dana Carvey (a la Dennis DeYoung) doing "Choppin' Broccoli."
Damnit, you guys beat me to it. Still, from "Flower People" to "Hell Hole," the best band is Spinal Pap, er, Tap.
I did a phone interview with him once (about his lox farm business) and I thought he couldn't have been nicer.
Don't get me started on ELP. 😎
AI strikes again! Seriously, thanks for clearing that up!!!
The Who - "Underture" from Tommy
A whiter shade of pale. ...or is that just too obvious?
Coincidentally, just yesterday I heard an interview with Randy Bachman who said BTO's "Let it Ride" was inspired by Dvorak's Piano Concerto. O-kay.....
Re Alan Civil: I've always assumed that he was paid just once for his part on "For No One." Same with Bud Shank's flute solo on "California Dreamin." Any experts out there on this subject?
Bob in IL
Sorry Steve, no AI. I'm 74. I'll give you that I googled quotes for a film I will probably watched 10 times (lol)
There is a video of Steve Morse, ex dregs, performing JS Bachs - Jesus Of Man's Desire - beautiful rendition
Interesting. The Dvorak piano concerto is a relatively obscure, i.e. not so often performed, entry in Antonin's ouevre. My respect for Bachman just increased precipitously. 😎
Rob - Werner K played COLONEL Klink, you dummkopf :-) :-)
Duh...COLONEL, got it.
I Know Nothing. 😉
Hey Rob, sorry to hijack. Posted this on the recent The Beths thread but thought you might miss it... very interesting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksUCuMIwwik
Nut Rocker by B. Bumble and the Stingers
A Lovers Concerto by The Toys
and something I only found out this week: Hook by Blues Traveler is based on the hook from Pachelbel’s Canon!
Coincidentally, "Tarkus' was the first thing I listened to this morning. Side One is epic!
Dennis, I the "old guy" here.
Rather than having to type all that give me something to Google. I am a wicked researcher 🧐
Electric Prunes - Mass In F Minor ⛪
Very interesting call. 😎
Here's one more Steve from our era -
Blood, Sweat & Tears - 1st album.
Variations On A Theme By Erik Satie First & 2nd Movements
and one more
Pink Floyd Meddle
Fearless/You'll Never Walk Alone - Oscar & Hammerstein
The Move's 'Cherry Blossom Clinic' breaks into Bach's 'Joy...'
ELO, of course, built their early career on this approach with '10538 Overture,' 'In the Hall of the Mountain King' and their intro to 'Roll Over Beethoven.' Roy Wood would answer that later with the more jazzy 'Bend Over Beethoven.'
As for the worst, it doesn't get lower than Walter Murphy's 'A Fifth of Beethoven.' Gott in Himmel!
At 11:40 of In-a-Gadda-Da-Vidda, they use the melody of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIVe-rZBcm4
Several ELO songs, of course; agree with Alzo there. I saw them live twice (the real band, not “Jeff Lynne’s ELO” that is without powerhouse drummer Bev Bevan) and in addition to being fabulous, they did cello and violin solo spots that were classically inspired. Great stuff. And they rocked like mofos too.
But my favorite is the James Gang featuring Joe Walsh, “The Bomber”, on their “Rides Again” album. During the long instrumental middle section of the seven-minute song, they play the main theme from Ravel’s “Bolero” as a three piece rock band, very cool, and finish the instrumental section with Vince Guraldi’s “Cast Your Fate to the Wind”, also very cool. And the song begins and closes with some of the most badass cowboy chord riffage in existence.
(The Bolero part has a strange side story: apparently Ravel’s French estate specified that Bolero could never be played except by a symphony orchestra and as a complete piece, so the label - ABC/Dunhill - got nastygrams about the James Gang’s usage; the label of course folded like a cheap suit and had the song and album remastered with the Bolero section cut out. The band and later solo Walsh kept playing the full version in concert though, and “The Bomber” was restored to its full glory when the CD of “Rides Again” was released, with zero Frenchified legal action. The song remains a fixture of Walsh solo concerts.)
You mean somebody actually stayed awake 11:40 into In-a-Gadda-Da-Vidda?
Speaking of which -
Jeff Beck's Bolaro with parts of Maurice Ravell's Bolero ..
I guess Beck had a little more clout 😉
That's about where it kicks in on the soundtrack for "Manhunter".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFqPMzFV5fM&list=RDVFqPMzFV5fM&start_radio=1
LOL at 9:00 when Ritchie Blackmore unveils 'Swedish Rhapsody" before tearing it up.
Lots of people played Joy of Man's Desiring, including Leo Kottke. And the Roches did Handel's Hallelujah Chorus. I've also heard more than one bluegrass band quote Gershwin's Rhapsody. And didn't McCartney compose an Oratorio, which I haven't heard. Could someone enlighten me?
How come I didn't nominate "Beck's Bolero"?
Not to nitpick Steve, but doesn't precipitously generally mean downward?
Highway Star - Deep Purple (purrrrfect for haulin' ass down the freeway at three in the morning - wired, top down and topless) (sunglasses optional) (at their best Lord and Blackmore were motherfuckers)
VR
You basically laid out my daily drive.
Exile on Main Street
Top down, Vw convertible, turbo 200, fender system. At 11 it shakes people off their walkers 😉
Steve Morse playing Jesus will make you find the Lord😉
YES!!!!!
Dave Edmunds does Sabre Dance and Classical Gas which would qualify imo.
rs
also Symphony #40 Allegro in G Minor. rs
Yngwie Malmsteen
Concerto Suite for Electric Guitar and
Orchestra in E flat Minor, Op1
Our neighbor in the next town over (Clinton) sold his drum kit to the drummer of the band I roadied for (Buddha Records)
Should have mentioned it was Ron Bushy's kit.
It took 50 comments for someone to finally nominate
"Pretty Ballerina"
even with Left Banke in the article?? Great googly moogly!
I couldn't agree with you more. 😎
Michael Quatro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmnjtiVm2Xk&list=RDzmnjtiVm2Xk&start_radio=1
"Pretty Ballerina" is by far my favorite The Left Banke track. One of my all-time favorite tracks by anyone.
Great call M_Sharp!
Captain Al
A couple more faves in the baroque vein:
A Rose for Emily - Zombies (Eleanor Rigby meets For No One)
Though You Are Far Away - Colin Blunstone (from One Year)
In My Life - Beatles
Jimmy Page - Chopin's Prelude N.4 E Minor, ARMS Royal Albert Hall
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5-me5ND8mw
Every Sound I Heard - Colin Blunstone (from Ennismore)
Honorable Mention:
Dave Edmunds did a frenetic version of Bizet - L'Arlésienne, Suite No. 2, Farandole with Love Sculpture on Forms and Feelings.
VR
Also Bizet’s “Farandole” on Love Sculpture’s Forms & Feelings
- Paul in DK
Toccata and just about anything else by the band Sky, featuring John Williams on guitar.
Curved Air - Vivaldi
- Paul in DK
Garth Hudson - Chest Fever
The opening organ melody is that of
Johann Sebastion Bach
Toccata and Fugue in D Minor
Aaaaahhh. Pretty Ballerina. That song was playing on the radio at a key moment the first time Sandy and I made girl love. My parents had gone out to dinner and Sandy was on a sleepover. We used to practice kissing guys with each other often. This time we took it all the way. We crossed that line and the cat's been out of the bag ever since. Don't get me wrong, we're not gay. Barely bi. Just special friends that like to share.
That first time was very special. Girls remember that kind of stuff. Vividly and indelibly. Especially me with my hyperthymesia. I had a huge bedroom with a queen-size bed, a sound system and a grand piano. It had its own full bath. It was like a second master bedroom. We lit strawberry scented candles, killed the lights and fired up a joint. The radio was on and the DJ, John Ravenscroft, was playing 30-minute commercial free sets. KMEN came in really good at my parents' house. It may have been AM but it was really clean with a lot of punch. They must have had a top-notch audio processor. Sandy always told me that my radio was magic. We joked about how we were able to will certain songs on the air, aspiring witches that we were. In fact, while lighting the candles and downing the lights, I said "You know, a little "Season of the Witch," would sound real good right about now." Damn if it wasn't the first song in the set. It was playing when we made out in the shower soaping each other up.
When we made it to the bed, we got on our knees and I prayed out loud. "Dear Lord, swim in our flesh. Dear Lord, inflame the passion. Dear Lord, enchant our senses. Dear Lord, satisfy our souls. Dear Lord, fill our cups till they run over. Dear Lord, make us one.”
Our prayer was answered forthwith. Our baptism was our consummate immersion in the pleasures of the flesh. The warm feeling of closeness was never so deep or gratifying. We experienced transcendence and unity as the boundaries between us became less defined. Our egos dissolved and we were one. We stepped out of our concrete sense of self and radiated joy from our newfound freedom. Rapturous release.
That's the G version, anyway.
Even though we were locked into a sex trance, I remember every song in that early evening set like it was yesterday. After Donovan's "Season of the Witch," Laura Nyro's "Wedding Bell Blues,' came forth. It was a Top Five hit in Berdoo. While embracing, we took turns singing and acting out the lines to each other between kisses, it was a fun lead up.
The Mojo Men's version of "Sit Down I Think I Love You," was next. Followed by the Stones' "Ruby Tuesday," Lesley Gore's "California Nights," Nancy Sinatra's "Sugar Town," the Merry-Go-Round's "Live" the Airplane's "My Best Friend," Love's "She Comes In Colors," the Left Banke's "Pretty Ballerina," and the Misunderstood's "I Can Take You to the Sun."
It was a religious experience.
VR
Is it warm in here or is it just me? 😎
🚨. 🌈
Dear Penthouse Forum, my best friend VR (not her real name)...
Eric Carmen - All By Myself (album version) should be on the list.
Cause when we kiss Mmmmmm Fire
, 🔥
The grand piano had its own bath? I've heard of getting an organ wet, but that's another level.....
C in California
Was this a Kathy Bates hot tub moment?
TMI, TMI
Captain Al
I know that this is a complete 180° degrees off topic - Steve I under stand if you delete but I ask those among us to Google Todd Snyder's song - Conservative Christia...
It's especially relevant to the turmoil we are experiencing
I'm a fan of his, but I don't know that song. Gonna go check it out right now....
And may I just say, and for the record, that unless I am very much mistaken, this is now the all-time record for number of comments on any blog post in PowerPop history. 😎
I wonder if anyone else counted the comments to see if I was right.....
Let's add one more 😉 Steve
were you able to find Todd's song on YouTube - he performed it at Farm Aid
Back in the day he was often a guest of "Imus in the morning" on your local WNBeeeC"
Bitter Way - New York Rock 'N Roll Ensemble (their Reflections album is pretty solid)
Began To Burn - New York Rock 'N Roll Ensemble
and these Bach numbers by the same band
Bach's "Trio Sonata No. 2 in G Major." & "Trio Sonata No. 1 In C Major 2nd Movement - Alla Breve Fugue"
Did anyone mention the Byrds' "She Don't Care About Time" which quotes "Jesu ...." That's a favorite of mine, as I testified to previously on one of these blogs
Just for the hell of it, here is the Pretty Ballerina "magical girl love" Ravenscroft KMEN setlist with an addition and a correction. It blew our tweenage minds. I'll testify to that. Time frame: January 1967. Right before Penny Lane & Strawberry Fields. Right before Ravenscroft peeled out for Radio Caroline amid rumors of a pot bust with underage girls. KMEN was the only station in the USA which played the import only single of I Can Take You To the Sun by the Misunderstood. Despite being unable to chart, it was in regular rotation as long as Peel was there and the listeners demanded to hear their local heroes. You really had to be there to fully appreciate this but a little imagination goes a long way.
Here's the link:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1vmPLhErspwasvMg8q2nwlQBDZPIa0GcU?dmr=1&ec=wgc-drive-hero-goto
VR
The following are not my faves but more examples-
Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Joybringer (Holst The Planets Jupiter The Bringer of Jollity influence)
Led Zeppelin - Dazed and Confused (live version) (Holst The Planets Mars The Bringer of War quotes)
Rainbow - Difficult to Cure (Beethoven's 9th) (pretty cheezy)
`
One more: Cozy Powell - Over The Top which includes a Tchaikovsky finale.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKRGjKOj46M
- Paul in DK
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