(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher – Rita Coolidge – 1977

Part Scots, part Cherokee Indian, Rita Coolidge’s greatest hit was 1977’s, (Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher.

rita coolidge fax

• Born in Tennessee in 1945, Rita Coolidge continues to perform today.
• Rita’s singing career began in bars around Memphis and in recording advertising jingles, before she was discovered by Delaney and Bonnie.
• After moving to Los Angeles with Delaney and Bonnie, Rita sang background vocals for many popular artists of the time, including: Delaney & Bonnie, Leon Russell, Joe Cocker, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Graham Nash, and Stephen Stills.  Rita features in Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs and Englishmen album, singing Leon Russell’s Superstar.
• Rita was nicknamed, The Delta Lady and inspired Leon Russell to write a song of the same name for her.
• In 1973, Rita married Kris Kristofferson.  Together they recorded several duet albums, which sold well and earned them two Grammy Awards for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal; From the Bottle to the Bottom (1974) and Lover Please (1976).
• As a soloist, Rita scored four consecutive top 25 hits in 1977-78.  Coincidentally, they were all covers: Jackie Wilson’s (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher, Boz Scaggs’ We’re All Alone, The Temptations’ The Way You Do The Things You Do, and Marcia Hines’ You.

the layla connection

• Having recorded the initial version of Layla in 1970, Eric Clapton heard drummer Jim Gordon playing a piano piece he had allegedly composed himself.  Eric was impressed by the piece and convinced his drummer Gordon to allow it to be used as the song’s coda section. Jim Gordon has been officially credited with this part but keyboardist Bobby Whitlock claims,

Jim took that piano melody from his ex-girlfriend Rita Coolidge. I know because in the Delaney & Bonnie days, I lived in John Garfield’s old house in the Hollywood Hills and there was a guest house with an upright piano in it. Rita and Jim were up there in the guest house and invited me to join in on writing this song with them called Time.  Her sister Priscilla wound up recording it with her husband, Booker T. Jones (of Booker T. & the M.G.’s). Jim took the melody from Rita’s song and didn’t give her credit for writing it. Her boyfriend ripped her off.

• Time ended up on the 1973 album Chronicles by Booker T. and Priscilla.

(your love has lifted me) higher and higher fax

• (Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher was originally recorded by Jackie Wilson.  It was released in August 1967 and peaked at #6 on both the US and UK singles charts.
• The song was covered by The Move in 1968 and Bette Midler in 1973 – that was before Rita Coolidge’s hit.
• Rita recorded the song in 1977 and included it on her album, Anytime…Anywhere.
• Rita and her sister Priscilla Jones had sung background on a version of the song for a prospective album by Priscilla’s husband Booker T. Jones; when that album was shelved Coolidge asked him if she could cut the song using his arrangement.
• (Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher was Rita’s first major hit despite nine years of recording.  Her version peaked at #2 on the US charts – it earned Rita her first gold record.
• Rolling Stone magazine once ranked the song as #246 on their list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.  In 1999, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
• (Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher lyrics.

(your love has lifted me) higher and higher – Rita Coolidge – 1977 – video

follow seventiesmusic on facebook.

You’ll find out when the latest blog is posted (usually about once a week).” Click the Facebook logo to go to the seventiesmusic Facebook page and click “Like.”

 

Who’ll Stop the Rain – Creedence Clearwater Revival – 1970

Six Top Five US hits and never a #1 – little more than five years together – one of the great bands of the 70s; CCR or Creedence Clearwater Revival; in 1970 they had a double-sided hit single; Who’ll Stop the Rain and Travellin’ Band.

creedence clearwater revival fax

• John Fogerty, Stu Cook, and Doug Clifford formed The Blue Velvets (sometimes called, The Golliwogs) way back in 1959.  They played gigs and sometimes backed John’s big brother Thomas.  Eventually Tom joined the band.
• In 1967, the boys were offered a recording contract but it came with one proviso – they had to change the name of the band!  The boys went away with a challenge; to each come up with ten possible names.
• That’s how, in January, 1968, they came to be known as Creedence Clearwater Revival.  According to the boys, the name came from three sources:

1. Tom’s mate Credence Newball, whose name they changed to form the word Creedence,
2. A television commercial for Olympia beer (“clear water”); and
3. The four members’ renewed commitment to their band.

• Over the coming years the band produced eight studio albums including the four times platinum, Cosmo’s Factory; and had at least 23 hit singles.  Never a #1 but six of them made the top five.
• Creedence Clearwater Revival was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 and, in its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time, Rolling Stone magazine ranked CCR at #82.
• The band members went their separate ways in 1972 – all continue to be involved in the music industry.

who’ll stop the rain fax

• Who’ll Stop the Rain was written by John Fogerty and recorded by Creedence Clearwater Revival for their 4xPlatinum 1970 album Cosmo’s Factory.
• Who’ll Stop the Rain was one of three double-sided hits released by Creedence Clearwater Revival from Cosmo’s Factory.  In this case, the single was backed with Travelin’ Band.
• Who’ll Stop the Rain peaked at #2 on the US singles charts and #8 on the UK charts.
• In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Who’ll Stop the Rain at #188 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
• The meaning of the song has been long debated, some claiming it was a call to end the war in Vietnam.  Here’s what John said about his song;

Well, this next song has a bit of a fable surrounding it. A lot of folks seem to think I sang this song at Woodstock way back then. No. I was at Woodstock 1969… I think. It was a nice event. I’m a California kid. I went up there and saw a whole bunch of really nice young people. Hairy. Colorful. It started to rain, and got really muddy, and then (yelling) half a million people took their clothes off!!! (Normal voice again) Boomer generation making its presence known I guess. Anyway, then I went home and wrote this song.

• Artists to have covered Who’ll Stop the Rain include: Bruce Springsteen, The Stereophonics, Engelbert Humperdinck, Bob Seger (as a duet with John Fogerty), Garth Brooks, Dwight Yoakam, and Bill Haley and the Comets.
• John Fogerty signed away legal control of his old recordings to Fantasy Records, a move he may have come to regret as they have allowed his songs to be used in all manner of commercials.  John once said;

Folks will remember Forrest Gump and that was a great movie, but they don’t remember all the really poor movies that Fantasy Records stuck Creedence music into: car commercials, tire commercials. I’m remembering a paint thinner ad at one point,(actually, it was Thompson’s Water Seal) the song “Who’ll Stop the Rain”. Oh, boy. That’s clever, isn’t it?

• Who’ll Stop the Rain lyrics.

who’ll stop the rain – creedence clearwater revival – 1970 – video

travellin’ band – creedeance clearwater revival – 1970 – video

follow seventiesmusic on facebook.

You’ll find out when the latest blog is posted (usually about once a week).” Click the Facebook logo to go to the seventiesmusic Facebook page and click “Like.”

Heart of the Night – Poco – 1979

Perhaps the first of the family of West Coast country-rock bands, Poco began life as an offshoot of Buffalo Springfield.  In 1979 they had a hit with Heart of the Night.

poco fax

• Poco formed in California in the late 60s – original members including Richie Furay, Jim Messina and Rusty Young.
• It was during the recording of Buffalo Springfield’s final album that the band’s three lead singers Stephen Stills, Neil Young and Richie Furay each recorded songs without the other members present. Richie’s (Kind Woman) featured Jim Messina and Rusty Young. Buffalo Springfield split and Poco was formed.
• Many place Poco at the forefront of the West Coast country-rock genre that was later headlined by The Eagles.
• Poco has performed in various line-ups over the years and is still (just) active.
• Amongst musicians to make up Poco have been Randy Meisner and Timothy B. Schmit who both went on the play as part of The Eagles.
• Of all members, Rusty Young had been, until recently, the ever-present force; he left the band in 2013 after 45 years playing and touring with Poco.
• Not high-fliers on the singles charts, Poco released 19 albums – the last in 2013.

heart of the night fax

• Released as a single in May 1979, Heart of the Night is lifted from Poco’s 1978 album, Legend.
• The lead vocal features Heart of the Night’s composer, Paul Cotton.
• The song was not originally intended to be released by Poco – it was recorded by Paul and Rusty Young and was to be credited to the Cotton-Young band.  Their record company had other ideas; the song and others recorded were released as Legend, Poco’s eleventh album.
• Heart of the Night peaked at #20 on the US charts.
• Heart of the Night features a saxophone solo by Phil Kenzie whose talents can be heard on Al Stewart’s Year of the Cat.
• Heart of the Night lyrics.

heart of the night – poco – 1979 – video

follow seventiesmusic on facebook.

You’ll find out when the latest blog is posted (usually about once a week).” Click the Facebook logo to go to the seventiesmusic Facebook page and click “Like.”

Baby, Don’t Get Hooked on Me – Mac Davis – 1972

In 1972, the man who wrote one of Elvis’ greatest hits had a hit of his own; Mac Davis – Baby, Don’t Get Hooked on Me.

mac davis fax

• Hailing from Lubbock, Texas and known as a country singer, Mac Davis also made quite a name for himself as an actor and songwriter.
• Mac wrote and produced three hit records for Elvis Presley; In the Ghetto, A Little Less Conversation and Memories.
• In the 70s Mac launched his solo career and had a handful of charting songs including, Baby, Don’t Get Hooked on Me, Stop and Smell the Roses, One Hell of a Woman and Lord, It’s Hard to be Humble.
• In 1974, Mac was awarded the Academy of Country Music’s Entertainer of the Year award.
• As an actor Mac had his own television variety show for three years.  He then appeared in a number of movies including, North Dallas Forty (1979), Cheaper To Keep Her (1981), The Sting II, and The Dukes of Hazzard movie.
• Mac was listed as one of 12 Promising New Actors of 1979 by Screen World magazine.
• In 2000, Mac was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.  He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contribution to the recording industry.

baby, don’t get hooked on me fax

• Baby, Don’t Get Hooked on Me was written and sung by Mac Davis.
• It is the title track of Mac’s third album.
• Baby, Don’t Get Hooked on Me reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1972.
• Baby, Don’t Get Hooked on Me was covered by Liza Minnelli.
• Baby, Don’t Get Hooked on Me lyrics.

baby, don’t get hooked on me – mac davis – 1972 – video

follow seventiesmusic on facebook.

You’ll find out when the latest blog is posted (usually about once a week).” Click the Facebook logo to go to the seventiesmusic Facebook page and click “Like.”

Little Sister – Ry Cooder – 1979

Supremely talented but not overly commercially successful, Ry Cooder’s biggest hit was in 1979, an Elvis cover called Little Sister.

ry cooder fax

• From Santa Monica, California, Ryland “Ry” Cooder is an American musician, songwriter, film score composer, and record producer.
• Known for his slide guitar work, Ry is a multi-instrumentalist and an exponent of most stringed instruments.
• Ry has tended to leap between genres and embraced many different ethnic styles.
• Ry has worked with a number of musicians, including: Captain Beefheart, Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, Neil Young, Randy Newman, David Lindley, The Chieftains, and The Doobie Brothers.
• As a producer he was responsible for the Buena Vista Social Club album (1997), which became a worldwide hit.
• In 2003, Ry was ranked 8^th on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of “The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”.
• Ry has won six Grammy awards including one for Best Recording for Children, and a couple in the Latin American genre.
• Ry’s 8^th album, Bop Till You Drop, was the first major-label digitally recorded album of Pop music.
• Ry has been playing the guitar when he was three years old, and has had a glass eye since he was four, when he accidentally stuck a knife in his left eye.

little sister fax

• Little Sister was written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman.
• Little Sister was originally released as a single in 1961 by Elvis Presley.
• Ry Cooder’s version is the first track on his 1979 album, Bop Till You Drop.
• Little Sister lyrics.

little sister – ry cooder – 1979 – video

follow seventiesmusic on facebook.

You’ll find out when the latest blog is posted (usually about once a week).” Click the Facebook logo to go to the seventiesmusic Facebook page and click “Like.”

Hocus Pocus – Focus – 1973

Remember the days of prog. rock with bands like Yes, Pink Floyd, Genesis and Rush? Well, stuck in the middle there somewhere was Dutch band, Focus, who had a 1973 hit with Hocus Pocus.

focus fax

• Focus formed in The Netherlands in 1969.
• Founding member Thijs van Leer was a classically trained organist and flautist.
• With four breaks and reunions along the way, Focus continues to tour today.
• Past line ups have included, guitarist Jan Akkerman (a founding member) and American singer, PJ Proby.

hocus pocus fax

• Hocus Pocus was recorded in 1971, released on the band Focus’s second album, Focus II (aka Moving Waves), in 1972 and hit the charts in 1973.
• Hocus Pocus was written by Focus guitarist Jan Akkerman and flautist-keyboardist Thijs van Leer.
• Hocus Pocus peaked at #9 on the US singles charts and #20 on the UK singles charts. In 2010 it was featured in a Nike ad shown during the FIFA World Cup causing it to again enter the UK charts where it peaked at #57.
• The original recording of Hocus Pocus was slower than the faster radio version which was, in turn, slower than the live version.
• The song is often heard at sporting events, was featured in the 2014 remake of the movie Robocop, and has featured in television shows, Top Gear and My Name is Earl.
• Hocus Pocus lyrics.

hocus pocus – focus – 1973

follow seventiesmusic on facebook.

You’ll find out when the latest blog is posted (usually about once a week).” Click the Facebook logo to go to the seventiesmusic Facebook page and click “Like.”

I Can See Clearly Now – Johnny Nash – 1972

74 years old and still performing – Johnny Nash’s biggest hit was back in 1972 – I Can See Clearly Now.

johnny nash fax

• Johnny Nash was only 18 years old when his first album – self-titled – was released.  Stardom came quickly; over the next six years he released four albums and 16 singles and had something of an acting career.
• In 1965, Johnny joined with Danny Sims to form their own label – JODA Records. One of their first signings was The Cowsills – four brothers from Rhode Island.
• In early 1968, Johnny travelled to Jamaica and met a struggling local band, Bob Marley & The Wailing Wailers.  Johnny produced a number of songs for them but none were successful.
• Throughout the 70s Johnny released a string of reggae styled singles, many of them recorded in Kingston, Jamaica.
• Johnny’s first top ten US hit was Hold Me Tight, which peaked at #5 in 1968.  In 1972 he made it to #12 with the Bob Marley song, Stir It Up (later to become a hit for Bob).  Then came his biggest US hit; 1972’s I Can See Clearly Now which made it to #1.
• Johnny’s biggest UK hit was Tears On My Pillow which made it all the way to #1 in 1975.
• Johnny is in his 70s now but still performs.  His last hit was Rock Me Baby in 1986.

i can see clearly now fax

• I Can See Clearly Now was written and recorded by Johnny Nash.
• The title track of Johnny’s eleventh album, it was released in July 1972 and rose to #1 in the US and #5 in the UK.
• I Can See Clearly Now is one of the most covered tracks in music.  Artists to have recorded it include: Anne Murray, Bobby Goldsboro, Dobie Gray, Donny Osmond, Dusty Springfield, Eagle-Eye Cherry, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Hothouse Flowers, James Last, Liza Minnelli, Neil Finn, Petula Clark, Procol Harum (in concert), Ray Charles, Richie Havens, Sonny and Cher, The Mamas & the Papas, Toots & the Maytals, and Willie Nelson.
• It was also covered by Jimmy Cliff whose version was included in the movie, Cool Runnings, and reached #18 on the US singles chart.
• I Can See Clearly Now has featured in a number of movies, including: The song also appears in various other films, such as Grosse Pointe Blank, The Break-up, Thelma & Louise, Antz, Hitch, Shrek 2, and Up in Smoke.
• I Can See Clearly Now lyrics.

i can see clearly now – johnny nash – 1972 – video

follow seventiesmusic on facebook.

You’ll find out when the latest blog is posted (usually about once a week).” Click the Facebook logo to go to the seventiesmusic Facebook page and click “Like.”

I Go To Rio – Peter Allen – 1976

On hearing the name Peter Allen many people would ask, Who?  Peter Allen was a prodigious songwriter and flamboyant cabaret performer most widely known for his signature song, the 1976 hit, I Go To Rio.

peter allen fax

• Born in Tenterfield, Australia, Peter Allen (real name: Peter Richard Woolnough) was performing in Hong Kong when Mark Herron, the husband of Judy Garland, discovered him.  Mark invited Peter to join him and Judy in the United States.  Peter went on to perform with Garland.
• That was in the early 70s.  Peter began a solo recording career but found his greatest success in writing songs for others.
• Perhaps Peter’s greatest song writing successes were, Olivia Newton John’s, I Honestly Love You – which hit #1 in the US and won two Grammy Awards – and Allen Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do) which he co-wrote with Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, and Christopher Cross.  It hit #1 in the US also and won the 1981 Best Song Academy Award.
• Peter was Liza Minnelli’s first husband.  After seven years of marriage they divorced and Peter later declared that he was gay.
• Peter died in 1992 of an AIDS-related throat cancer.
• A musical, The Boy from Oz, was written about his life.  It ran on Broadway for some time and earned Hugh Jackman a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.
• Peter’s songs were recorded by some of the best known showbiz names including:

Bobby Sherman (Jennifer, Just Ask Me I’ve Been There)

Carole Bayer Sager (I’d Rather Leave While I’m In Love, Don’t Cry Out Loud, You’re Interesting, You and Me, etc.)

Anne Murray (Everything Old is New Again)

Peggy Lee (I Go to Rio)

Dusty Springfield (Quiet Please There’s a Lady on Stage, I’d Rather Leave While I’m In Love, (But It’s A) Nice Dream)

Carly Simon (Someone Waits For You)

Pablo Cruise (I Go to Rio)

Frank Sinatra (You and Me, We Wanted It All)

Dionne Warwick and Sarah Dash (Somebody’s Angel)

Patti LaBelle (I Don’t Go Shopping)

Maureen McGovern (I Could Have Been A Sailor)

Olivia Newton-John (I Honestly Love You)

Melissa Manchester (Don’t Cry Out Loud, You and Me)

Judy Collins (I Could Really Show You Around)

Rita Coolidge (I’d Rather Leave While I’m In Love)

i go to rio – peter allen – fax

• I Go to Rio was written by Peter Allen and Adrienne Anderson.
• I Go to Rio was released on Peter’s 1976 album, Taught By Experts – it became Peter’s signature song.
• I Go to Rio was covered by Peggy Lee and Pablo Cruise (peaking at #46 on the US charts).
• While never charting in the US or UK, Peter’s version hit the #1 spot in Australia and sat there for five weeks.
• As well as featuring in The Muppets, I Go To Rio has featured in a number of movie soundtracks including: One Crazy Summer, The Fabulous Baker Boys, Muriel’s Wedding and Strange Bedfellows
• Coldplay used the song’s opening piano riff in their song, Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall.
• I Go To Rio lyrics.

i go to rio – peter allen – video

follow seventiesmusic on facebook.

You’ll find out when the latest blog is posted (usually about once a week).” Click the Facebook logo to go to the seventiesmusic Facebook page and click “Like.”

Garden Party – Rick Nelson – 1972

An autobiographical song by a man who just wanted to make the music he loved but was rejected by his fans – Rick Nelson’s 1972 hit, Garden Party.

But it’s all right now, I’ve learned my lesson well You see,

you can’t please everyone, so you’ve got to please yourself

rick nelson fax

• Rick Nelson’s real name was Eric.  A child prodigy, he began his celebrity life as an actor in the television series, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952–66).  As a 19 year old, he starred alongside John Wayne and Dean Martin the 1959 western, Rio Bravo.
• As a singer-songwriter he made 53 visits to the US singles charts between 1957 and 1973.
• Rick’s 1958 hit, Poor Little Fool was the very first #1 song on Billboard magazine’s then-new Hot 100 chart.
• Of Rick’s 53 top 100 hits, 19 made it into the top 10.
• Rick was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
• By the time his 17th birthday rolled around, Rick had had his first hit record.  Recorded under the name Ricky Nelson, it was a cover of Fats Domino’s, I’m Walkin’.
• On his 21st birthday, Ricky changed his name to Rick.  He also began to change his music style from rockabilly/rock ‘n’ roll to country/folk – a fact that is important when considering the story behind his hit song, Garden Party.
• Rick died on December 31, 1985 when the cabin of the plane he was on caught fire.  It endeavoured to land but crashed.

garden party fax

• Garden Party was written by Rick Nelson in 1972 – it was recorded by Rick Nelson and The Stone Canyon Band.
• Garden Party is autobiographical – Rick had been a clean cut rock ‘n’ roll singer.  At a Madison Square Garden concert he appeared with long hair and contemporary clothes, nothing like the 1950s/60s rock ‘n’ roll crooner people wanted him to be. He sang his old songs but when he started on some more county-genre songs, was booed by the audience – Rick left the stage and refused to return.  Garden Party talks about the concert and mentions a number of those who were there or who were on the bill.
• Garden Party was Rick’s last top ten US hit, peaking at #6.
• Among the few artists to cover Garden Party are John Fogerty and Owl City.
• Garden Party lyrics.

references within garden party

• A garden party – October 15, 1971’s Rock ‘n Roll Revival concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City
• My old friends – fellow performers at the concert Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and Bobby Rydell
• Yoko – Yoko Ono
• Yoko’s walrus – John Lennon
• Mr. Hughes – George Harrison
• (Mr. Hughes) hid in Dylan’s shoes – Harrison’s planned (but later abandoned) album of Bob Dylan covers
• I said hello to Mary Lou, she belongs to me – Nelson’s song “Hello Mary Lou”, which he played at the concert; also a reference to “She Belongs to Me”, a Bob Dylan song covered by Nelson
• I sang a song about a Honky-Tonk – The Rolling Stones song “Country Honk”, the song that allegedly caused the booing
• And it was time to leave – Nelson’s subsequent departure
• Out stepped Johnny B. Goode – Chuck Berry’s song “Johnny B. Goode”
• Playing guitar like a-ringing a bell – the line in “Johnny B. Goode”, “he could play guitar just like a-ringing a bell”

garden party – rick nelson – 1972 – video

follow seventiesmusic on facebook.

You’ll find out when the latest blog is posted (usually about once a week).” Click the Facebook logo to go to the seventiesmusic Facebook page and click “Like.”

Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town – Kenny Rogers and the First Edition – 1969

Okay, so technically this isn’t a 70s song.  However, it was released in 1969 and sat on the charts into 1970 – that’s near enough for me.  Plus the fact that I have fond memories of Kenny Rogers and the First Edition and their television show.  Oh, and also because I love this song, Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town (along with Something’s Burning, Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In, But You Know I Love You and the numerous other songs they produced).

kenny rogers and the first edition fax

• The First Edition were a rock ‘n’ roll band formed in 1967 from the remnants of The New Christy Minstrels.*
• Amazingly, they only had two US hits; Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In) peaking at #5, and But You Know I Love You, peaking at #19.
• In 1969, the band added the name of their lead singer and bassist to their name and became Kenny Rogers and the First Edition.  In their new form they only hit the top ten only once with Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town which made it to #6 in the US and #2 in the UK.
• The band’s highest peaking US hit, Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In), features no other than Glen Campbell playing the backward guitar intro.  The song’s guitar solo was played by Terry Williams.  Jimi Hendrix liked it so much that he told Kenny it was his favourite song.
• Kenny’s post-First Edition exploits are well-known.  Drummer Mickey Jones also had an interesting musical career.  Prior to The First Edition he was drumming for Trini Lopez’s band before being asked to join Bob Dylan.  These were the days when The Band were backing Bob.  Mickey took Levon Helm’s place.  Mickey toured with Bob and was on stage on May 17, 1966, when Bob was jeered (one audience member calling him Judas) for playing an electric guitar.  After The First Edition, Mickey became an actor and appeared in a number of American sit-coms including Home Improvement.
• In the early 70s, The First Edition hosted their own TV variety show, Rollin’ on the River (later shortened to “Rollin'”).

* The New Christy Minstrels performed from 1961 – 1971 before reforming in 1976.  They still perform today and are run by The New Christy Minstrels Foundation, a charitable organisation dedicated to preserving the group’s music.  Past members include Barry McGuire, Gene Clark (of The Byrds), and Kim Carnes.

ruby, don’t take your love to town fax

• Surprisingly, Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town was not a Kenny Rogers and the First Edition original.  Written by Mel Tillis, it was released in 1967 by Johnny Darrell who took it to #9 on the US singles chart.
• Kenny Rogers and the First Edition recorded their version in one take in August 1969.
• It reached #2 on the UK single charts, stayed in the UK Top 20 for 15 weeks and sold over 1 million copies.  It peaked at #6 in the US where it was also a million-seller.
• Several other artists have covered the song including, The Statler Brothers, Waylon Jennings, Roger Miller, and The Killers.  Nana Mouskouri recorded a French version, Ruby, garde ton cœur ici.
• A response song was released in 1969.  Billy, I’ve Got to Go to Town was released by Geraldine Stevens. With an arrangement quite similar to the First Edition’s version, the song peaked at #117 in the US charts.  In the song, the singer affirms her love for her disabled husband and pleads for him to have faith in her fidelity and her commitment to him, even in his crippled condition.
• In 1972, Bobby Womack’s album Understanding, included a song titled, Ruby Dean, telling the story from the perspective of Ruby’s son. In this song, Ruby’s son urges Ruby to respect his father and stop seeing other men.
• Mel Tillis is recorded to have said of the song:

The song is based on a couple who lived near our family in Florida. In real life, the man was wounded in Germany in World War II and sent to recuperate in England. There he married a nurse who took care of him at the hospital. The two of them moved to Florida shortly afterward but he had periodic return trips to the hospital as problems with his wounds kept flaring up. His wife saw another man as the veteran lay in the hospital.

• Mel changed the war in the song to the Korean War and left out the real life ending in which the man killed Ruby in a murder-suicide. In the song, the man says he would kill her if he could move to get his gun.
• Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town lyrics.

ruby, don’t take your love to town – kenny rogers and the first edition – 1969 – video

billy, i’ve got to go to town – geraldine stevens (aka dodie stevens)

ruby dean – bobby Womack – 1972 – video

follow seventiesmusic on facebook.

You’ll find out when the latest blog is posted (usually about once a week).” Click the Facebook logo to go to the seventiesmusic Facebook page and click “Like.”