Thursday, May 18, 2023

Tales From the Vaults: Special "Jackie? OHHHHH!!!" Edition

From 1965, please enjoy criminally underrated singer/songwriter Jackie DeShannon and the original solo demo of her folk-rock classic "Don't Doubt Yourself, Babe."

The song, of course, is better known from the inspired re-imagining by The Byrds on their debut album (released that same year)...

,,,but the DeShannon version -- which I was alas unaware of until two days ago -- has really gotten under my skin. Yes, as a friend observed, I kinda miss the Bo Diddley beat. guitar tremelo and "oh-oh" vocals the Byrds decorated the song with, but there's something quite haunting, in a minimalist way, going on with that demo.

I should add it occurred to me I've never heard anybody else do the Byrds' take, which seems a bit weird. In any case, if there's a jangly young band out there reading these words I can only say -- get off your tushies and work up a cover of the damn thing already.

Thank you.

[h/t Bill Lloyd]

10 comments:

Gummo said...

It's a new song to me and while it's not a great song, I prefer the demo, frankly. It's too slight to support the big Byrds arrangement and the simplicity and sincerity of the demo adds more substance to it.

Anonymous said...

Ive had some time to think about Jackies song.
It sounds over produced to me.
I would have engineered it with a Joni Mitchell / Judy Collins touch.
Jackie was/is under appreciated singer

rob

JB said...

Haunting, is the right word for her demo. Jackie, I think was just a bit ahead of her time. If she'd arrived on the music scene at the time of the singer/songwriter explosion she'd have been a much bigger star.

Anonymous said...

I really dig Jackie DeShannon.

This demo is from a bootleg called "Girl of Yesterday." It features 12 demos including the demo for "Splendor In the Grass."

You can download it with a couple of bonus trax here:

https://mega.nz/file/fEZVDSzJ#FqnUeDiQ4hxW6ffEiLhkbRA9g-FRrTuBqW4r0CkAyEA

But the definitive version for me is from her RockBeat label album "When You Walk In the Room."

Listen here, it's definitely worth it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baMbK2s1bL4

Oh and check out Jackie & Ry Cooder at the Troubadour 1963-09-03

https://www.wolfgangs.com/music/jackie-deshannon-and-ry-cooder/audio/20053849-3737852.html?tid=4857273

VR

Anonymous said...

Jackie's career was all over the place because she never had full artistic control til Y2K.

To quote Jackie: “In the past, people only saw little tiny glimpses of me through a kaleidoscope, and not really the whole shootin’ match.”

And she does a damn fine version of Blind Faith's "Can't Find My Way Home."

Plus, she was engaged to Jimmy Page.

Also, the previous post of Jackie & Cooder in 1963 is from the Ash Grove, not the Troubadour. They were both teens. Cooder was barely legal to drive.

VR

steve simels said...

Thanks for all those links, VR.

Have I mentioned that DeShannon married a guy I went to high school with?

Anonymous said...

No. But forgive her for that. She's still a multi-dimensional doll.

Re: Byrds version - C-

Byrds / Bo Diddley / Tremelo - Nice try but ... falls on it's white butt.

VR

da nada

Anonymous said...

Hi VR — Where can I find Jackie’s recording of “Can’t Find My Way Home”? I’ve searched without success.

Thanks,

Another Steve

Anonymous said...

Another Steve:

Jackie's "I Can't Find My Way Home," is on live tapes of her Bottom Line and McCabe's shows. Both shows are 2001. McCabe's tapes most acts who play there and Jackie was one of them. I would contact them for availability. Don't see any youtube entries or downloads online, unfortunately. And the tech dude that uploads my shit online is in fuckin' Spain right now.

She also gives a nod to Bruce Springteen, who performed her "When You Walk In the Room" at his legendary Roxy & Bottom Line shows, by doing a cover of "Hungry Heart."

And how many girls can say they dated Elvis. And had a thing with Bryan MacLean.

Or played Monopoly with this guy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyPHSsw7tiQ

And there's this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfYjMF0WSEo

and another set from the Ash Grove 1963-09-03

https://www.wolfgangs.com/music/jackie-deshannon-and-ry-cooder/audio/20053733-3737852.html?tid=4840054

The other day, Steve posted a Monkees-Mosquitoes comparison. This led to comments relating to trivia about a Gilligan's Island episode, "Don't Bug the Mosquitoes."

In said episode, the voice of Jackie DeShannon is used to dub in Dawn Wells faux vox in the Honey Bees.

More shit you already know.

VR

P.S. The professor is sexy.


Anonymous said...

or played monopoly with this guy (link corrected)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP0imgTfYZk