Today in Music (1969): Crosby, Stills & Nash “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes”

Suite: Judy Blue Eyes Crosby, Stills & Nash

Writer(s): Stephen Stills (see lyrics here) Released: September 1969 First Charted: October 4, 1969 Peak: 21 US, 15 CB, 18 HR, 1 CL, 11 CN, 50 AU, 2 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 25.50 video, 114.51 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash already had an impressive pedigree before they united as one force. Crosby had been with the Byrds, Stills with Buffalo Springfield, and Nash in the Hollies. For their new folk-rock trio, they brought “together their prodigious songwriting skills and amazingly complimentary voices” UCR that truly deserved the supergroup label. The collective reportedly first sang together at – depending on which band member you talk to – either the home of Joni Mitchell or Mama Cass Elliott. They started harmonizing, most likely on “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” TM a tune Stills penned about the demise of his relationship with singer Judy Collins. And yes, she does have blue eyes. Collins said that he came to her hotel one night when she was on the West Coast and sang the song for her. She said, “Oh, Stephen, it’s such a beautiful song. But it’s not winning me back.” WK The title was a play on words referencing the song’s four-part medley. “The roughly three-minute-long first movement could be a self-sufficient pop song in its own right. But it keeps building for close to seven minutes – first to a section of Stills’ vocal solos and finally to the ‘doo doo doo’ coda and tight three-part harmonies that have come to define CSN (and sometimes Y).” TM “The epic track…came together very quickly, with Stills recording the basic guitar track not long after arriving at the studio.” UCR Engineer Bill Halverson said, “It still gives me goose bumps when I listen to that recording, aware that he blew through seven-and-a-half minutes with all the time changes, all the pauses, all the everything in just one take…No edits, no nothing.’” UCR He “thought he had ruined Stills’ magic by over-brightening the guitar sound, leaving no low end. ‘I had totally overdone the sound, but Stephen was totally into what he was playing,’ Halverson said, ‘and just when it looked like he was going to stop, he started another section and played some more. By now, my whole life was flashing in front of me, and certain that my career was over, I began to sweat.’” UCR “Luckily, Stephen liked what he heard. Millions of fans agreed.” UCR Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Crosby, Stills & Nash TM Time magazine (10/24/2011). “All Time 100 Songs” UCR UltimateClassicRock.com (6/20/2013). “Top 100 Classic Rock Songs” WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 8/1/2022; last updated 4/25/2024.

 

50 years ago: Blind Faith “Can’t Find My Way Home” released on debut album

Can’t Find My Way Home Blind Faith

Writer(s): Steve Winwood (see lyrics here) Released: August 9, 1969 (album cut) First Charted: -- Peak: 4 CL, 1 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 30.76 video, 49.31 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: In 1969, Eric Clapton had already established himself as one of the world’s premiere guitarists via his work with John Mayall, the Yardbirds, and Cream. Steve Winwood had developed similar credentials with stints in the Spencer Davis Group and Traffic. When they united forces as Blind Faith – along with drummer Ginger Baker of Cream and bassist Ric Grech of Family – it made for “an unprecedented and arguably unmatched collection of talent and rock stardom.” UCR The collective made for one of rock history’s greatest supergroups, but they only recorded one album and ventured out for a one summer tour before splitting. Nonetheless, the album topped the UK and American charts and “the strength of its songs and performances have made it a lasting favorite for rock fans.” UCR Like British contemporaries such as Led Zeppelin, Van Morrison, and the Rolling Stones, Blind Faith “seemed to discover a similarity between American blues and soul music and the folk traditions of their own United Kingdom.” AMG While Clapton, Winwood, and Baker all contributed to Blind Faith, the “striking, dreamy piece” AMG “Can’t Find My Way Home” “stands out as the definitive statement.” UCR Winwood, “in a dreamy falsetto, sings a lyric that on first glance seems to be a simple love song, but in actuality might be intended to reflect a spiritual journey of some kind.” AMG He was also “blessed with amazingly soulful vocal abilities and an innate sense of American roots music.” AMG The song showcases his “sweet vocal floating atop the intricate acoustic guitar work,” UCR an uncommon role for Clapton, SF “while bassist Grech and drummer Baker provide subtle but effective rhythms to drive it along. Jimmy Miller’s warm and inviting production helps make the song all the more essential.” UCR Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Blind Faith DMDB encyclopedia entry for Eric Clapton DMDB encyclopedia entry for Steve Winwood AMG All Music Guide SF Songfacts UCR UltimateClassicRock.com (6/20/2013). “Top 100 Classic Rock Songs” WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 7/16/2022; last updated 7/22/2022.

50 years ago: Cream “Sunshine of Your Love” charted

Sunshine of Your Love Cream

Writer(s): Peter Brown, Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton (see lyrics here) Released: December 1967 First Charted: January 6, 1968 Peak: 5 US, 6 CB, 4 HR, 1 CL, 25 UK, 3 CN, 18 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): 1.0 US Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 33.0 video, 300.94 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: In 1966, Eric Clapton had established himself as the premiere blues guitarist in Britain, thanks to stints in the Yardbirds and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. Feeling confined by the latter group, he and fellow Bluesbreaker Jack Bruce formed a power trio with drummer Ginger Baker, who’d worked with Bruce in the Graham Bond Organisation. The resulting supergroup, Cream, only lasted two years but had a lasting impact on rock music. “No song illustrates this better than “Sunshine of Your Love,” which mixed hard rock with aspects of psychedelia to wonderful effect. The song centers around what is perhaps one of the most simplistic guitar riffs of all time, courtesy of ‘Slowhand’ himself, Eric Clapton. In many ways though, restraint is what propels “Sunshine of Your Love” forward, although Clapton’s remarkable skill with the guitar are on prominent display throughout the solo section.” UCR “Vocal duties are shared between Clapton and Jack Bruce, as the latter’s menacing bass gives the song it’s hefty low end. Drummer Ginger Baker cuts slightly loose during the song’s chorus, but otherwise keeps time as if he were in a military band.” UCR The lyrics were written by Peter Brown, a beat poet who was friends with Baker and Bruce. He also wrote the words for Cream’s songs “I Feel Free” and “White Room.” SF Bruce based the song a distinctive bass riff he developed after seeing Jimi Hendrix in concert on January 29, 1967, at the Saville Theatre in London. WK As Clapton said, “it was strictly a dedication to Jimi.” WK After Cream released “Sunshine of Your Love,” “the guitar legend began adding the song to his concert setlists,” UCR Unaware that he’d inspired the song. SF According to Bruce, Booker T. Jones and Otis Redding heard the song before its release and both said it would be a smash. SF Atlantic Record’s Ahmet Ertegun initially dismissed it as “psychedelic hogwash,” SFSF Resources: SF Songfacts UCR UltimateClassicRock.com (6/20/2013). “Top 100 Classic Rock Songs” WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 8/1/2022.

Today in Music (1967): The Beatles “A Day in the Life” released on Sgt. Pepper’s

A Day in the Life The Beatles

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Ultimate Classic Rock Hall of Fame: 2013-2015

According to the Ultimate Classic Rock, their Hall of Fame “is 100 percent fan-voted. Every artist who makes it into our hallowed hall has earned his or her spot there. We started this in March 2013. Since then, many of rock’s biggest names have been voted to victory. Take a look at some of the legends who have made it into the Ultimate Classic Rock Hall of Fame.” The Hall appears to have been discontinued in 2015. See other Hall of Fames. The Beatles (2013) Bon Jovi (2014) Alice Cooper (2015) Def Leppard (2014) Dio (2014) The Doobie Brothers (2014) The Doors (2015) The Faces (2013) Fleetwood Mac (2013) Foreigner (2014) George Harrison (2013) Heart (2014) The Kinks (2013) Lynyrd Skynyrd (2014) The Moody Blues (2014) Pink Floyd (2013) Rush (2014) Rod Stewart (2013) Styx (2014) T-Rex (2013) Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Hall of Fames” Ultimate Classic Rock Hall of Fame First posted 3/4/2015; last updated 7/12/2025.

On This Day (1964): The Kinks hit #1 in the UK with “You Really Got Me”

You Really Got Me The Kinks

Writer(s): Ray Davies (see lyrics here) Released: August 4, 1964 First Charted: September 26, 1964 Peak: 7 US, 5 CB, 4 GR, 8 HR, 1 CL, 12 UK, 4 CN, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- US, 1.0 UK, 1.0 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 4.0 radio, 42.71 video, 290.18 streaming

You Really Got Me Van Halen

First Charted: January 21, 1978 Peak: 36 US, 44 CN, 45 HR, 1 CL, 49 CN, 12 AU, 5 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 8.0 radio, 37.5 video, 99.97 streaming

Awards (The Kinks): Click on award for more details.

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Awards (Van Halen): Click on award for more details.

About the Song: “You Really Got Me” is “one of the landmark hits of the British invasion.” TB With its “simple two-chord riff and snarling vocal” TB it became “a cornerstone of garage rock and punk.” TC By introducing distorted guitarist into rock music TC it has also been attributed as the song which “more or less invented heavy metal.” DT As “noisy and ‘anti-beautiful’ as this crude recording may sound to unreceptive ears, it is in fact music as good as it gets.” PW Lead singer Ray Davies’ “rewrite of the Kingsmen’s ‘Louie Louie’” SS was originally conceived as a blues piece inspired by the central riff from jazzman Jimmy Giuffre’s “Train and the River.” SS It evolved into “a crunching hard rocker when [his brother] Dave began playing his guitar part.” SS Sadly, he isn’t always credited with what is considered “one of the great riffs of rock ’n’ roll.” KL Legendary axeman Jimmy Page was an active session man in the ‘60s before gaining fame with the Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin. His appearance on rhythm guitar on some of the tracks on the You Really Got Me album SJ has led to a common misconception that it is he, and not Davies, who played the song’s guitar solo. The band was convinced that their first two singles pristine sound was responsible for their failure. RS500 When they headed into the studio in the summer of 1964, the group wanted a rawer sound RS500 which captured the energy of their live shows. SF Dave was inspired to create “the world’s trashiest riff” DM by the “cracked and dirty” sound of his broken hi-fi system. TC He took a razor to his amplifier’s speaker cone, resulting in an effect known as “fuzz” in which the vibration of the fabric distorted the sound. SF The approach worked, giving the group a British chart-topper and their first hit in the U.S. More than a decade later, the song launched another classic rock band. In 1978, Van Halen’s debut hit was a cover of “You Really Got Me.” Interestingly, Van Halen went on to mine the classics of August 1964 for two more charting cover songs – Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman” and Martha & the Vandellas’ “Dancing in the Street.” Resources: TC Toby Creswell (2005). 1001 Songs: The Great Songs of All Time. Thunder’s Mouth Press: New York, NY. Page 684. KL Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh (2005). 1000 UK Number One Hits: The Stories Behind Every Number One Single Since 1952. London, Great Britain: Omnibus Press. Page 103. DM Dave Marsh (1989). The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. New American Library: New York, NY. Page 391. RS500 Rolling Stone (4/7/2011). “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” SJ Bob Shannon and John Javna (1986). Behind the Hits: Inside Stories of Classic Pop and Rock and Roll. Warner Brothers, Inc.: New York, NY. Page 223. SF Songfacts SS Steve Sullivan (2013). Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings (Volumes I & II). Scarecrow Press: Lanham, Maryland. Pages 858-9. DT Dave Thompson (2011). 1000 Songs That Rock Your World. Krause Publications: Iola, WI. Page 100. TB Thunder Bay Press (2006). Singles: Six Decades of Hot Hits & Classic Cuts. Outline Press Ltd.: San Diego, CA. Pages 64-5. PW Paul Williams (1993). Rock and Roll: The Best 100 Singles. Carroll & Graf Publishers, Inc.: New York, NY Pages 69-70. WK Wikipedia Related Links: Last updated 9/28/2023.