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Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly With His Song

Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly With His Song Lyrics and Youtube Music Videos

Album: Killing Me Softly
Released: 1973

Killing Me Softly With His Song Lyrics

Strumming my pain with his fingers
Singing my life with his words
Killing Me Softly With His Song
Killing me softly with his song
Telling my whole life with his words
Killing me softly with his song

I heard he sang a good song, I heard he had a style
And so I came to see him to listen for a while
And there he was this young boy, a stranger to my eyes

Strumming my pain with his fingers
Singing my life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
Killing me softly with his song
Telling my whole life with his words
Killing me softly with his song

I felt all flushed with fever, embarrassed by the crowd
I felt he found my letters and read each one out loud
I prayed that he would finish but he just kept right on
Strumming my pain with his fingers

Singing my life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
Killing me softly with his song
Telling my whole life with his words
Killing me softly with his song

He sang as if he knew me in all my dark despair
And then he looked right through me as if I wasn't there
But he just came to singing, singing clear and strong

Strumming my pain with his fingers
Singing my life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
Killing me softly with his song
Telling my whole life with his words
Killing me softly with his song

Writer/s: FOX, CHARLES / GIMBEL, NORMAN
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Killing Me Softly With His Song Song Chart

This was written by the songwriting team of Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel, and first recorded by Lori Lieberman in 1972. The story goes that the song was inspired by Don McLean, a singer/songwriter famous for his hit "American Pie." After being mesmerized by one of his concerts at the Troubadour theater in Los Angeles - and in particular McLean's song "Empty Chairs" - Lieberman described what she saw of McLean's performance to Norman Gimbel and Charles Fox, who were writing songs for her new album, and they wrote the song for her.

The story is wrong. When we spoke with Charles Fox, he explained: "I think it's called an urban legend. It really didn't happen that way. Norman Gimbel and I wrote that song for a young artist whose name was Lori Lieberman. Norman had a book that he would put titles of songs, song ideas and lyrics or something that struck him at different times. And he pulled out the book and he was looking through it, and he says, 'Hey, what about a song title, 'Killing Me Softly With His Blues'?' Well, the 'killing me softly' part sounded very interesting, 'with his blues' sounded old fashioned in 1972 when we wrote it. So he thought for a while and he said, 'What about 'killing me softly with his song'? That has a unique twist to it.' So we discussed what it could be, and obviously it's about a song - listening to the song and being moved by the words. It's like the words are speaking to what that person's life is. Anyway, Norman went home and wrote an extraordinary lyric and called me later in the afternoon. I jotted it down over the phone. I sat down and the music just flowed right along with the words. And we got together the next morning and made a couple of adjustments with it and we played it for Lori, and she loved it, she said it reminds her of being at a Don McLean concert. So in her act, when she would appear, she would say that. And somehow the words got changed around so that we wrote it based on Don McLean, and even Don McLean I think has it on his Web site. But he doesn't know. You know, he only knows what the legend is."

Gimbel and Fox also wrote the theme songs to the TV shows Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley . They are the only credited songwriters on "Killing Me Softly With His Song," but Lori Leiberman has claimed authorship. A press release put out on Lieberman's behalf states: "Lieberman to this day is never given credit for lyrics and her version. McLean said he had no idea the song was about him. 'Someone called me and said a song had been written about me and it was #1,' McLean recalled. 'It was an honor and a delight, and I give Lieberman the credit. My songs have always come from my personal thoughts and experiences, so it's overwhelming when someone is moved and touched by them like Lori was.'"

Flack heard Lieberman's version on an in-flight tape recorder while flying from Los Angeles to New York. She loved the title and lyrics and decided to record it herself. In an interview with The New Musical Express, Flack said: "I was flicking through the in-flight magazine to see if they'd done an article on me. After realizing they hadn't, I saw this picture of a little girl called Lori Lieberman. I'd never heard of her before so I read it with interest to see what she had that I didn't." Flack decided to record the song but felt it wasn't complete, so on arriving in New York she went into the studio and started experimenting. She changed the chord structure and ended the song with a major rather than minor chord. Flack worked on the song in the studio for 3 months, playing around with various chord structures until she got it just right.

Talking about the first time he heard from Roberta Flack, Charles Fox told us: "Quincy (Jones) gave her my number. I was at Paramount Pictures one day walking through the music library, and someone handed me a telephone and said, 'This is for you.' And the voice on the other end of the line said, 'Hi, this is Roberta Flack. We haven't met, but I'm going to sing your songs.' So it was kind of magical at that - that thing just doesn't happen to people. She had just won the Grammy Award for 'First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.' Beautiful record. So it's kind of remarkable to get a call from her in the first place. And she did go on to sing other songs. And actually, she sang on the main title for me of a show that was called Valerie after Valerie Harper."

This won Grammys in 1974 for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal. Flack's "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" won Record of the Year the previous year, making her the first artist to win the award 2 consecutive years. (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France)

This was a US and UK #1 hit for Fugees in 1996. They did a Hip-hop version featuring the vocals of Lauryn Hill. The Fugees wanted to change the lyrics and make it a song about poverty and drug abuse in the inner city with the title "Killing Him Softly," but Gimbel and Fox refused.

Toni Collette, Hugh Grant and Nicholas Hoult performed this in the film About A Boy. (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France)

The singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat was first inspired to start singing when she heard the Fugees version of "Killing Me Softly" at the age of 11.

The Fugees version is a popular Karaoke choice, but usually not a good one. Kimberly Starling of The Karaoke Informer says: "With a minimal background track virtually every girl loses the melody. They all think they sound great on this one, yet they do not."

The song was covered by Leah McFall on the UK edition of The Voice in 2013. Her version landed at #36 on the British singles chart after she sung it in the semi-finals.

The Beatles - Help!

The Beatles - Help! Lyrics and Youtube Music Videos

Album: Help!
Released: 1965

Help! Lyrics

Help! Song Chart

This was used as the title song to Beatles' second movie . The original title to the song and the movie was "Eight Arms To Hold You." The first copies of the single said it was from the movie "Eight Arms to Hold You."

John Lennon has described this time of his life as his "fat Elvis period." In a 1971 interview with Rolling Stone, Lennon said this is one of his favorite Beatles records, because, "I meant it - it's real." He added: "The lyric is as good now as it was then. It is no different, and it makes me feel secure to know that I was that aware of myself then. It was just me singing 'Help' and I meant it."

Paul McCartney helped Lennon write the song, but did not realize it was actually Lennon calling for help until years later.

Along with "Yesterday," this is one of two Beatles US #1 hits with just one word in the title.

The Beatles sped up the tempo to make it more commercial, Lennon intended it as a slow song.

In 1985, this became the first Beatles song ever used in a commercial when it was used in an ad for Ford cars. Ford paid $100,000 for it, and the version in the commercial was performed by a sound-alike group.

The Beatles banged out a music video for this song (four others were shot the same day) so they could distribute it to television stations in lieu of personal appearances. In typical Beatles fashion, it is an irreverent clip, with Ringo Starr using an umbrella to protect from fake snow.

George Harrison played a 12-string guitar on this track.

The Help! movie was used by The Monkees to prepare for their TV series. The Beatles showed off their individual personalities in their movies, which The Monkees made sure to emulate. By not presenting all members of the band as identical, it made the Beatles even more popular, as many of their fans picked a favorite.

There are different lyrics on the album and single versions.

The lyrics appear to be addressed to another person, but they could also be seen as being addressed to a mind-altering substance. There are lots of clues in the lyrics but the major ones are, "I've changed my mind" and "I've opened up the doors" as in "The Doors Of Perception" which is the title of a book by Aldous Huxley about his mind altering experiences with mescaline. The title is taken from a quote of William Blake's, "If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, infinite." (thanks, Ed - Perth, Australia)

Originally, the album cover showed The Beatles spelling out the word "Help" using the semaphore system of communicating with flags, which was usually used by ships. The photographer didn't like the pose, so he had them hold the flags in a way that looked good, but didn't spell anything.

Artists who covered this include Bananarama, Count Basie, the Carpenters, Tommy Castro, The Charles River Valley Boys, The Crusaders, The Damned, Howie Day, DC Talk, Deep Purple, Extreme, Jad Fair, John Farnham, Jose Feliciano, The Four Tops, Henry Gross, John's Children, R. Stevie Moore, The Newbeats, Dolly Parton, David Porter, Isaac Scott, Peter Sellers, Michael Stanley, The Tremeloes, Tina Turner, U2 and Caetano Veloso. (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France, for above 2)

Deep Purple recorded this on a demo that helped them get a record deal in 1968.

The Beatles - I'm Down

The Beatles - I'm Down Lyrics and Youtube Music Videos

Album: Past Masters, Vol. 1
Released: 1965

I'm Down Lyrics

You tell lies thinking I can't see
You can't cry 'cause you're laughing at me
I'm Down, I'm down, I''m down
How can you laugh when you know I'm down
How can you laugh when you know I'm down

Man buys ring, woman throws it away
Same old thing happen every day
I'm down, I'm down, I''m down
How can you laugh when you know I'm down
How can you laugh when you know I'm down

We're all alone and there's nobody else
She'll still moan "Keep your hands to yourself"
I'm down, I'm down, I''m down
How can you laugh when you know I'm down
How can you laugh when you know I'm down, woo

A baby you know I'm down
I guess I'm down
I'm down on the ground
I'm down
Ah, baby I'm upside down
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
I'm down

Writer/s: LENNON, JOHN WINSTON / MCCARTNEY, PAUL JAMES
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

I'm Down Song Chart

Paul McCartney wrote this in the style of Little Richard. American R&B singers like Richard were a big influence on The Beatles.

The Beatles used this as their closing number on 1965 North American and UK tours, and 1966 World tour.

The Beatles performed this on their third live Ed Sullivan Show appearance - September 12, 1965. Before The Beatles broke through in America, Sullivan was in the London airport when The Beatles returned from a tour of Sweden. When he saw the massive crowd there to greet them, he thought The Queen was arriving. When he found out the throngs were there for The Beatles, he made sure to book them on his show. He became a big fan and had them on whenever he could.

This was the first song ever recorded by Aerosmith. They used it as a demo which eventually got them a record deal. They used it in 1987 on their album Permanent Vacation.

This was used as the B-side of "Help!" McCartney was hoping it would be the A-side, as he and John Lennon (who wrote "Help!") had a rivalry over whose songs would be the A-sides. (thanks, Tommy - Flower Mound, TX)

John Lennon played the Hammond organ. It was the first time Lennon played any kind of keyboard on a record. When The Beatles played this live, he often played an electric piano instead.

This was recorded at the same session with "Yesterday" and "I've Just Seen a Face." (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France, for above 2)

The Beastie Boys recorded a version of this in 1986. Michael Jackson, who owns the publishing rights to this and many other Beatles songs, would not allow them to release it.

Paul McCartney played this at the "Concert For New York," a benefit show he helped organize in 2001 to help victims of the World Trade Center disaster. It was the first song of his set.

The Who - I Can't Explain

The Who - I Can't Explain Lyrics and Youtube Music Videos

Album: Meaty, Beaty, Big And Bouncy
Released: 1965

I Can't Explain Lyrics

Got a feeling inside (Can't explain)
It's a certain kind (Can't explain)
I feel hot and cold (Can't explain)
Yeah, down in my soul, yeah (Can't explain)

I said (Can't explain)
I'm feeling good now, yeah, but (Can't explain)

Dizzy in the head and I'm feeling blue
The things you've said, well, maybe they're true
I'm gettin' funny dreams again and again
I know what it means, but

Can't explain
I think it's love
Try to say it to you
When I feel blue

But I Can't Explain (Can't explain)
Yeah, hear what I'm saying, girl (Can't explain)

Dizzy in the head and I'm feeling bad
The things you've said have got me real mad
I'm gettin' funny dreams again and again
I know what it means but

Can't explain
I think it's love
Try to say it to you
When I feel blue

But I can't explain (Can't explain)
Forgive me one more time, now (Can't explain)

I said I can't explain, yeah
You drive me out of my mind
Yeah, I'm the worrying kind, babe
I said I can't explain

Writer/s: TOWNSHEND, PETER DENNIS BLANDFOR
Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

I Can't Explain Song Chart

The Who guitarist Pete Townshend wrote this song when he was 18 years old. He described it as being about a guy who "can't tell his girlfriend he loves her because he's taken too many Dexedrine tablets."

Dexedrine is an amphetamine, which explains why the guy is "dizzy in the head" and "hot and cold." It's not just love that he's feeling.

This was the first single from The Who, which had recently changed their name from The High Numbers. It was one of the first original songs The Who performed; they played mostly covers of American R&B songs to that point.

This song is about what it is like to be young and unable to express your feelings. The guy in the song can't find a way to tell his girlfriend he loves her. Roger Daltrey told Uncut magazine: "Well, it's that thing – 'I got a feeling inside, I can't explain' – it's rock'n'roll. The more we try to explain it, the more we crawl up our own arses and disappear! I was very proud of that record. That was us, y'know – it was an original song by Pete and it captured that energy and that testosterone that we had in those days."

The Who performed this on the popular British TV show Ready, Steady, Go! Their manager, Kit Lambert, invited all of their friends to the performance, ensuring a hip, young audience for the cameras.

This was the song that introduced audiences to the powerful drumming of Keith Moon. He became one of the first high-profile drummers in rock, and quickly earned a reputation as a wild man. After many incidents involving drugs, alcohol and mangled hotel rooms, Moon died in 1978 of an overdose.

This was not released on an album until 1971. It is the first song on their popular compilation album, Meaty, Beaty, Big And Bouncy.

This was produced by an American named Shel Talmy. He was famous for putting loud, powerful guitar on the songs he produced, and had recently worked with The Kinks on their first hit, "You Really Got Me." Talmy produced this in a similar style.

Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin fame was a session musician at the time and was brought in to play guitar on this track. The Who producer Shel Talmy knew the guitar would be very prominent on this song and had Page ready in case Townshend couldn't handle it. Pete did just fine, and quickly established himself as a premier rock guitarist.

Roger Daltrey recalled to Uncut: "When we turned up to record it there was this other guitarist in the studio – Jimmy Page. And he'd brought in three backing vocalists, which was another shock. He must have discussed it with our management, but not with us, so we were thrown at first, thinking, 'What the f--k's going on here?' But it was his way of recording."

As for Page's contribution to the song, he says he's on it, but barely. Page says he played the riff in the background.

John Carter, Perry Ford and Ken Lewis provided the background vocals. The trio were popular session singers in England, where they were known for their harmony vocals. For session work, they called themselves The Ivy League, but they went on to have a hit called "Let's Go To San Francisco" as The Flower Pot Men. Perry Ford also played piano on this track.

The Who made their first US television appearance performing this on the ABC show Shindig. The program aired from 1964-1966 and featured many popular musicians performing their hits. The Everly Brothers, Glen Campbell, and Sonny and Cher were all frequent guests on the show.

Meaty, Beaty, Big And Bouncy was a 1971 compilation of The Who's early hits, many of which did not appear on albums and could only be purchased as singles. In 1966, The Who broke their contract with manager and producer Shel Talmy. As part of the deal, Talmy got royalties from Who records over the next five years. By 1971, the band was able to release the compilation album without giving the royalties to Talmy.

The Who played this at the Woodstock festival in 1969. It was the second of 24 songs in their set, which ended with a performance of all the songs from their rock opera Tommy. The Who went on at 3 a.m. the second night of Woodstock and played until the sun came up the next day.

The Kinks song "You Really Got Me" was released the previous year and was also produced by Shel Talmy. If you hear similarities in the guitar riffs, you're not along. Dave Davies of The Kinks says that when he heard "I Can't Explain," he thought those "cheeky buggers" from The Who were copying them.

This was a staple of the band's setlists throughout their career. When The Who toured in 2015 for their 50th anniversary, it was the opening number. Promoting (sort of) the tour in a Rolling Stone interview, Pete Townshend said that he didn't like performing, partly because songs like this one have no meaning for him anymore. "The first chord of 'I Can't Explain' for me kind of sets the tone for the evening," he said. "Is this going to be an evening in which I spend the whole evening pretending to be the Pete Townshend I used to be? Or do I pretend to be a grown-up? In both cases, I think I'm pretending."

Marc Cohn - Walking In Memphis

Marc Cohn - Walking In Memphis Lyrics and Youtube Music Videos

Album: Marc Cohn
Released: 1991

Walking In Memphis Lyrics

Put on my blue suede shoes
And I boarded the plane
Touched down in the land of the Delta Blues
In the middle of the pouring rain
W.C. Handy, won't you look down over me
Yeah I got a first class ticket
But I'm as blue as a boy can be

[Chorus]
Then I'm Walking In Memphis
Walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale
Walking in Memphis
But do I really feel the way I feel

Saw the ghost of Elvis
On Union Avenue
Followed him up to the gates of Graceland
Then I watched him walk right through
Now security they did not see him
They just hovered 'round his tomb
But there's a pretty little thing
Waiting for the King
Down in the Jungle Room

[Chorus]

They've got catfish on the table
They've got gospel in the air
And Reverend Green be glad to see you
When you haven't got a prayer
But boy you've got a prayer in Memphis

Now Muriel plays piano
Every Friday at the Hollywood
And they brought me down to see her
And they asked me if I would
Do a little number
And I sang with all my might
And she said
"Tell me are you a Christian child?"
And I said "Ma'am I am tonight"

[Chorus]

Put on my blue suede shoes
And I boarded the plane
Touched down in the land of the Delta Blues
In the middle of the pouring rain
Touched down in the land of the Delta Blues
In the middle of the pouring rain

Writer/s: COHN, MARC
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Walking In Memphis Song Chart

Cohn wrote this song after traveling to Memphis to check out Graceland, which is Elvis Presley's mansion and a kitschy tourist destination. He made sure to see an Al Green sermon when he was there, but it was a trip out of Memphis along Highway 61 where the meaty part of his journey took place. In the desolate Delta, he saw a sign that said "Hollywood," which turned out to be the Hollywood Cafe, which is a small diner/music joint in Tunica County, Mississippi. This is where Cohn smelled the catfish and encountered a black woman in her 70s named Murial who was at the piano. After watching Murial play a variety of spirituals and Hoagy Carmichael songs for about 90 minutes, he spoke with her when she took a break.

Cohn's mother died when he was just 2 years old, and he lost his father at age 12. He spent a lot of time reconciling his childhood, which often comes out in his songs. Speaking with Murial, he got maybe the best therapy of his life. Cohn described this conversation in his 1992 interview with Q magazine, saying: "She was real curious, she seemed to have some kind of intuition about me, and I ended up telling her about my family, my parents, how I was a musician looking for a record deal, the whole thing. Then, it must have been about two in the morning, she asks me up to sing with her and we do about an hour, me and this lady I'd never met before, hardly a song I knew so she's yelling the words at me. Then at the end, as the applause is rising up, she leans over and whispers in my ear, she's whispering, You've got to let go of your mother, child, she didn't mean to die, she's where she's got to be and you're where you have to be, child, it's time to move on."

The Hollywood Cafe is still there - you drive right past it to go to several of the casinos now located in Tunica. Murial and Cohn kept in touch, and she attended his wedding in New York. Cohn saw her again when he took another trip down south and played her some of his new songs, but Murial died in 1990. (thanks, Paul - Memphis, TN)

This was the first single for Cohn, who was discovered by Carly Simon in the mid-'80s when he was with a 14-piece band called The Supreme Court. Atlantic Records signed him in 1989, but the first attempts to record his debut album with Tracy Chapman's producer David Kerschenbaum failed. Ten months later, he tried again, producing the set himself with help from the little-known Ben Wisch, who had helped him with his demos. Finally released in 1991 when Cohn was 31 years old, his self-titled debut album was a huge hit, thanks to the massive success of "Walking In Memphis." Cohn won the 1991 Grammy for Best New Artist award, beating out both Boyz II Men and Seal. Cohn never matched the chart success of this song, but like his musical heroes Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell and Jackson Browne, he remained a critical and artistic success as a songwriter and performer.

Cohn has explained that this song is a journey to be baptized in the world of blues music. He said it is about "Spiritual Awakening."

The lyrics, "Walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale" refers to Beale Street, an actual street in Memphis. Riley B. King became known as the "Beale Street Blues Boy" shortly after he first arrived in Memphis. Later, the nickname was shortened to B.B., and the rest is history.

W.C. Handy, who Cohn refers to in the first verse, is a blues legend. His most famous recording is "St. Louis Blues," but he also recorded "Beale Street Blues" and "Memphis Blues." There is a statue in his honor in Memphis.

Handy was born in Florence, Alabama. Florence, along with Tuscumbia, Sheffield, and Muscle Shoals, is part of this quad cities group usually referred to as "The Shoals" (as immortalized in Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama"... 'the Shoals have got the Swampers'). There is a huge festival that takes place every August in the Shoals that honors WC Handy. It is aptly named The WC Handy Festival, and almost everybody, from churches to bars, and even the public library, hosts programs containing jazz, blues, gospel, funk, and rock and roll.

The sounds at the beginning of the song are meant to indicate falling rain.

The reference to "Blue Suede Shoes" is not about Elvis Presley, but about Carl Perkins, who recorded the song in Memphis for Sam Phillips at Sun Records. Perkins' ill-luck in a car wreck stopped him from touring to promote the record, allowing Elvis' cover version to become a massive hit. Presley's copy was recorded at RCA studios in Nashville.

The narrator tells of seeing "The ghost of Elvis up on Union Avenue and followed him up to gates of Graceland." Sam Phillips' studios were called "Memphis Recording Service" and were at 706 Union Avenue. Elvis' start on the journey to fame and fortune (i.e. Graceland) is usually attributed to the success of "Blues Suede Shoes" - and that of "Heartbreak Hotel."

The lyrics, "Security didn't see him" is probably a comment on the story that Bruce Springsteen once successfully scaled the wall at Graceland, trying to deliver a song he wrote. Apparently, Elvis wasn't there.

"There's catfish on table and gospel in the air" marks the dichotomy between secular and sacred. Catfish is the standard blues metaphor for sexual intercourse. (The word is also interchangeable with the slang expression for the female sex zones). "Catfish" thus would appeal to the bodily instincts, whereas "gospel" would be to the intellect. The metaphor gains more credence since Al Green supposedly renounced secular music after being scalded with grits by a jealous girlfriend.

The lyrics refer to the girl waiting in the Jungle Room. This was the name of the play area at Elvis' Graceland mansion where he and the crew would take care of business (TCB). (thanks, Gary - Thetford, England, for above 5)

Cher recorded this for her 1995 album It's a Man's World, and released it as a single in the UK, where it hit #11. In her version, Gabriel plays the piano instead of Muriel. It was used in the season 5 episode of The X Files called "The Post-Modern Prometheus," which was the only black and white episode of the show.

The Beatles - Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby

The Beatles - Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby Lyrics and Youtube Music Videos

Album: Beatles For Sale
Released: 1964

Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby Lyrics

Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby Song Chart

Carl Perkins was the first to record this. The Beatles also covered Perkins' "Matchbox" and "Honey Don't."

So, to track down the pedigree of this song: It was written by Carl Perkins, a Memphis, Tennessee rockabilly artist, but it's also very similar to another song by the same title by Alabama country singer Rex Griffon - while using music more keeping with "Blue Suede Shoes." Meanwhile the melody was also borrowed back to country by Hank Williams in the songs "Move It On Over" and "Mind Your Own Business." The melody was also re-borrowed for "Rock Around The Clock." Confused now?

George Harrison sang lead - he was a huge fan of Perkins. It was his showcase song on early tours. The technique used for George Harrison's vocals, in which they are both double-tracked and echoed to create a fuller sound, goes by the acronym STEED, for "Single Tape Echo + Echo Delay." For that 1950s "rocker from outer space" effect.

This was the last Beatles album to which George Harrison did not offer any lyrical contribution. After Beatles For Sale, he became more prominent as a songwriter in the group - he wrote 2 songs for Help and 2 for Rubber Soul. (thanks, Adrian - Wilmington, DE)

Ironically considering the album title, Beatles For Sale was not for sale in the United States until the 1980s. The album Beatles '65 contained mostly the same tracks, and was the US version of the UK Beatles For Sale.

Neil Young - Powderfinger

Neil Young - Powderfinger Lyrics and Youtube Music Videos

Album: Rust Never Sleeps
Released: 1978

Powderfinger Lyrics

Powderfinger Song Chart

There's no small controversy over the meaning of this song. Some think it is set during the Civil War, with the attackers being Union soldiers. Others say that the "White Boat" is actually a Coast Guard Cutter, and the family being attacked are involved in drug running or operating an illegal distillation business. (thanks, David - Lilburn, GA)

Young offered this to Lynyrd Skynyrd, but 3 members of the band died in a plane crash before they could record it.

Young recorded this with Crazy Horse. It was the first time since 1975 that he had recorded with the band.

This starts the electric side of Rust Never Sleeps. The first side of the album (or first 5 songs on the CD), are acoustic.

Powderfinger are an Australian rock band, originally from the city of Brisbane in the state of Queensland. They started out playing music from other bands like The Doors and Led Zeppelin. They also played Neil Young songs, and got their name from this song. Double Allergic (1996) was their breakthrough album in Australia, particularly because of the singles "Pick You Up" and "D.A.F" (which was named because of the first 3 guitar chords of the song).

When they were dating, Australian Mary Donaldson gave Prince Frederick of Denmark some of Powderfinger's music because it was her favourite Australian music, and he hadn't heard it before. Now they are married, and she is Australia's first princess. (thanks, Eliza - Sydney, Australia, for above 2)

The song's title is directly referenced in the line "Shelter me from the powder and the finger." This can be read as a critique of the prevalence of violence in American society.

Jimmy Ruffin - What Becomes of the Brokenhearted

Jimmy Ruffin - What Becomes of the Brokenhearted Lyrics and Youtube Music Videos

Album: Greatest 64 Motown Hits
Released: 1966

What Becomes of the Brokenhearted Lyrics

A world filled with love is a wonderful sight
Being in love is what's heart's delight
But that look of love isn't on my face
That enchanted feeling has been replaced
As I walk this land of broken dreams
I have visions of many things
But happiness is just an illusion
Filled with sadness and confusion
What becomes of the broken-hearted
Who had love that's now departed?
I know I've got to find
Some kind of peace of mind
Maybe,
The fruits of love grow all around
But for me they come a tumblin' down
Everyday heartaches grow a little stronger
I can't stand this pain much longer
I walk in shadows, searching for light
Cold and alone, no comfort in sight
Hoping and prayin' for someone who care
Always movin' and goin' nowhere
What becomes of the broken-hearted
Who had love that's now departed?
I know I've got to find
Some kind of peace of mind
Help me, please
I'm searching though I don't succeed
But someone look
There's a growing need
Oh, he is lost, there's no place for beginning
All that's left is an unhappy ending
Now what becomes of the broken-hearted
Who had love that's now departed?
I know I've got to find
Some kind of peace of mind
I'll be searching everywhere
Just to find someone to care
I'll be looking everyday
I know I've got to find a way
Nothing's gonna stop me now
I'll find a way somehow
I'll be searching everywhere

Writer/s: WEATHERSPOON, WILLIAM / DEAN, JAMES / RISER, PAUL
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

What Becomes of the Brokenhearted Song Chart

This was written by Motown writers Jimmy Dean, Paul Riser, and William Witherspoon. They wrote it for The Detroit Spinners, but Ruffin convinced the Motown writers to let him try it, and they liked what they heard. Ruffin is the brother of The Temptations' David Ruffin.

Many Motown songs deal with heartbreak, but this one is especially bleak. The poor guy has recently joined the ranks of the brokenhearted, and he's not sure what happens next. He knows he can't take the pain much longer, but keeps coming up empty in his search.

Originally, this contained a spoken intro:

A world filled with love is a wonderful sight
Being in love is one's heart's delight
But that look of love isn't on my face
That enchanted feeling has been replaced

It was cut out before the song was released, but the version with the intro did appear on a British compilation which also included Ruffin's version of the song in Italian ("Se Decidi Cosi").

Smokey Robinson produced this track. He worked on many Motown classics as an artist, writer and producer.

Other Motown acts to record this song include Diana Ross and The Supremes, who did a cover of this for their album Let the Sunshine In, and The Contours, who did it at a faster tempo. Both of these versions contains the spoken intro.

In the UK, this charted at #10 when it was first released in 1966, but make #4 when it was re-released in 1974.

Dave Stewart (not the one from Eurythmics) released a keyboard-driven version of this song in 1980 with Colin Blunstone of The Zombies on vocals. This rendition, which had Amanda Parsons and Jakko on backing vocals, made #13 UK.

The British duo Robson & Jerome took this song to #1 in the UK when they released it as a single along with covers of "Saturday Night At The Movies" and "You'll Never Walk Alone."

Vonda Shepard recorded this for an episode of the TV series Ally McBeal.

The Isley Brothers recorded a version entitled "Smile" that is the same exact backing track with different lyrics and phrasing. It can be found on the Motown Sings Motown Treasures album. (thanks, David - Haverford, PA, for above 2)

Paul Young recorded this for the 1991 movie Fried Green Tomatoes. His version went to #1 on the US Adult Contemporary charts and made #22 on the Hot 100 (the only version besides Ruffin's to make this chart).

On an episode of the TV series JAG, Col. MacKenzie plays the song on a jukebox in a bar, lamenting her breakup with Mick, the Australian naval officer. Mac, Bud (who was having romantic issues with Harriet) and Lt. Rabb (who just broke up with girl friend) are all sitting at the bar singing along with the song unaware of the others' romantic issues.

The theme song from the 1992 Whitney Houston film The Bodyguard was Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You," but according to her leading man Kevin Costner speaking at her funeral in February 2012, the first choice was this song, which ended up being used in Fried Green Tomatoes (the Paul Young version). (thanks, Alexander Baron - London, England)

Stevie Wonder - Superstition

Stevie Wonder - Superstition Lyrics and Youtube Music Videos
Album: Talking Book
Released: 1973

Superstition Lyrics

Very superstitious, writing on the wall
Very superstitious, ladders bout' to fall
Thirteen month old baby, broke the lookin' glass
Seven years of bad luck, the good things in your past
When you believe in things that you don't understand
Then you suffer
Superstition ain't the way

Very superstitious, wash your face and hands
Rid me of the problem, do all that you can
Keep me in a daydream, keep me goin' strong
You don't wanna save me, sad is my song
When you believe in things that you don't understand
Then you suffer
Superstition ain't the way, yeh, yeh

Very superstitious, nothin' more to say
Very superstitious, the devil's on his way
Thirteen month old baby, broke the lookin' glass
Seven years of bad luck, good things in your past
When you believe in things that you don't understand
Then you suffer, superstition ain't the way, no, no, no

Writer/s: WONDER, STEVIE
Publisher: EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Superstition Song Chart

Wonder wrote this about the dangers of believing in superstitions. Some of the bad luck superstitions he alludes to include walking under a ladder, breaking a mirror (said to bring seven years of bad luck), and the number 13.

This was intended for Jeff Beck, who was brought in to play some guitar parts on the album in exchange for a song. At one of the sessions, Stevie came up with the riff and wrote some lyrics, and they recorded a rough version of the song that day for Beck. It took Beck a while to record the song, and by the time he released it, Wonder's version had been out for a month and was a huge hit. Beck felt shortchanged, and made some statements in the press that Wonder didn't appreciate. In 1975, Beck released an instrumental version of Wonder's "Cause We've Ended As Lovers" on his album Blow By Blow. The album was a hit and helped solidify Beck's reputation as an elite guitarist.

When Wonder turned 21, he was no longer obligated to Motown Records, and used his clout to sign a deal with the label giving him unprecedented control of his music. He got a large share of royalties and publishing rights, and Motown was not allowed to alter the albums once they were delivered. One thing Motown did control, however, were what songs they released as singles. Knowing Jeff Beck was about to record his version, Motown head Berry Gordy made sure this was the first single and released it before Beck could get his out.

Taking a cue from Marvin Gaye, who put musician credits on his album What's Going On, Wonder included credits on Talking Book. On this track, Stevie played Hohner clavinet, drums, and Moog bass. Two of his band members also contributed: Steve Madaio played trumpet and Trevor Lawrence played tenor saxophone.

Jeff Beck finally recorded his own version of this song in December, 1972 with bass player Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice. They recorded as Beck, Bogert and Appice, and while their album did well, their version of this song was hardly noticed.

This was recorded at Electric Lady Studios, which is where Jimi Hendrix recorded. The studios stayed active after his death, with artists like Miles Davis and Deep Purple also recording there.

At the time, Wonder would keep the studio booked so he could record when inspiration hit. Stevie's bass player at the time, Scott Edwards, told us that this was not always convenient for his band. "Because he does not have sight, he's not controlled by daylight," said Scott. "So he may begin his night at midnight. Which is bad, because if they want you to come do an overdub or something, he may call you at 4 a.m. and say, 'Come on in.'"

Several artists besides Jeff Beck have covered this. None made much of an impact until Stevie Ray Vaughan released a live version as a single in 1986 on his album Live Alive. His version is still played on Classic Rock radio, and has grown even more popular since Vaughan's death in 1990.

This song contained many elements of rock music, which helped Wonder extend his appeal to a white audience. Before Talking Book was released, Stevie went on tour with The Rolling Stones, which boosted his credibility in the world of rock. When "Superstition" was released, it was warmly welcomed on the same radio stations that played The Stones, earning Wonder many new fans. It also helped Wonder move past his image as a child star.

This was Wonder's second #1 hit in the US. His first was with "Fingertips (pt.2)" in 1963, which he recorded as "Little" Stevie Wonder.

The album was called Talking Book because wonder considered the songs akin to chapters in a book that tell a whole story. On the cover is a rare photo of Wonder without his sunglasses on.

Raven-Symoné of The Cosby Show and Disney Channel's That's So Raven fame, recorded this for the 2003 Disney movie The Haunted Mansion, starring Eddie Murphy. (thanks, Patrick - Conyers, GA)

Wonder appeared in Bud Light commercials that debuted during the Super Bowl in 2013. As part of the "It's only weird if it doesn't work" campaign, which showed superstitious fans acting compulsively in an effort to steer their teams to victory, Wonder appeared as some kind of witch doctor in New Orleans (where the game took place). Asking, "are you looking for a little mojo?," Wonder then transports our hero to the big game, where he has a voodoo doll to help his cause. The song "Superstition" plays throughout.

Carl Perkins - Honey Don't

Carl Perkins - Honey Don't Lyrics and Youtube Music Videos
Album: Carl Perkins
Released: 1956

Honey Don't Lyrics

Honey Don't Song Chart

You've probably heard of a "Honeydew" list, where a wife creates a list of tasks for her husband to take care of around the house: Honey Do this, Honey Do that. Perkins flips the saying into "Honey Don't," as he asks his girl to be faithful.

Perkins originally released this as the B-side of his hit "Blue Suede Shoes." It was listed as "Honey, Don't!"

The Beatles recorded this in 1964 after Perkins visited them on the last day of recording for their fourth album, Beatles For Sale. The Beatles were big fans of Perkins, and didn't change much about the song at all, which was rare for a Beatles cover.

This is the only officially released Beatles song that was covered by each member individually: Lennon recorded it for the soundtrack of his homemade film Clock; McCartney recorded it with Carl Perkins during sessions for Paul's Tug Of War album; Ringo performed it with Perkins for the 1986 TV special Blue Suede Shoes: A Rockabilly Session With Carl Perkins And Friends, and Harrison played it in 1987 when he took the stage at a Taj Mahal concert. (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France, for above 2)

The Kinks - You Really Got Me

The Kinks - You Really Got Me Lyrics and Youtube Music Videos
Album: The Kinks
Released: 1964

You Really Got Me Lyrics

Girl, You Really Got Me goin'
You got me so I don't know what I'm doin' now
Yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I can't sleep at night

Yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I don't know what I'm doin' now
Oh yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I can't sleep at night

You really got me
You really got me
You really got me

See, don't ever set me free
I always want to be by your side
Girl, you really got me now
You got me so I can't sleep at night

Yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I don't know what I'm doin' now
Oh yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I can't sleep at night

You really got me
You really got me
You really got me
Oh no

See, don't ever set me free
I always want to be by your side
Girl, you really got me now
You got me so I can't sleep at night

Yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I don't know what I'm doin' now
Oh yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I can't sleep at night

You really got me
You really got me
You really got me

Writer/s: DAVIES, RAY
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

You Really Got Me Song Chart

Ray Davies wrote this with the help of his brother (and Kinks guitarist) Dave. Ray played it for Dave on piano, and Dave tried it on guitar. Their first version was six-minutes long, but the final single release came in at just 2:20.

Dave Davies got the dirty guitar sound by slashing the speaker cone on his amp with a razor blade. The vibration of the fabric produced an effect known as "fuzz," which became common as various electronic devices were invented to distort the sound. At the time, none of these devices existed, so Davies would mistreat his amp to get the desired sound, often kicking it. The amp was a cheap unit called an Elpico.

In 2015, Ray Davies told Rolling Stone that the lyric was inspired by a night out when he was watching girls dancing in a club. "I just remembered this one girl dancing," he said. "Sometimes you're so overwhelmed by the presence of another person and you can't put two words together."

Before they released this, The Kinks put out two singles that flopped: a cover of "Long Tall Sally" and a Ray Davis composition called "You Still Want Me." If "You Really Got Me" didn't sell, there was a good chance their record label would have dropped them.

When The Kinks heard the first version they recorded of this song, they hated the results. It was produced by Shel Talmy, their manager at the time, and Ray Davies thought it came out clean and sterile, when he wanted it to capture the energy of their live shows.

Dave Davies' girlfriend backed them up, saying it didn't make her want to "drop her knickers." The Kinks' record company had no interest in letting them re-record the song, but due to a technicality in their contract, The Kinks were able to withhold the song until they could do it again. At the second session, Dave Davies slashed his amp and Talmy produced it to get the desired live sound. This is the version that was released.

Talmy thought the first version was good, and that it also would have been a hit if it was released. This first version was slower and had more of a blues sound.

The song was recorded on September 26, 1964 with Ray Davies on lead vocals, Dave Davies on guitar and Pete Quaife on bass.

The Kinks didn't have a drummer when they first recorded the song, so producer Shel Talmy brought in a session musician named Bobby Graham to play. When they recorded this the second time, Mick Avory had joined the band as their drummer, but Talmy didn't trust him and made him play tambourine while Graham played drums. One other session musician was used - Arthur Greenslade played piano.

Just before Dave Davies started his guitar solo at the second recording session, his brother yelled to encourage him. Dave got a little confused, but they had only three hours of studio time so he kept playing. He pulled off the solo despite the distraction.

The first line was originally "You, you really got me going." Ray Davies changed it to "Girl, you really got me going" at the suggestion of one of their advisers. The idea was to appeal to the teenage girls in their audience.

Dave Davies got the idea for the guitar riff from "Tequila" by The Champs.

This was the first hit for The Kinks. It gave them a lot of publicity and led to TV appearances, magazine covers, and two gigs opening for The Beatles. They didn't have an album out yet, so they rushed one out to capitalize on the demand. This first album contained only five originals, with the rest being R&B covers.

Ray Davies wrote this with the intention of making it big crowd-pleaser for their live shows. He was trying to write something similar to "Louie Louie," which was a big hit for The Kingsmen.

It was rumored that Jimmy Page, who was a session musician at the time, played guitar on this track, which the band stridently denied. According to a 2012 interview on Finding Zoso with producer Shel Talmy, Jimmy Page did not play the lead guitar on the song. However he did play rhythm as Ray Davies didn't want to sing and play guitar at the same time.

Ray Davies: "I made a conscious effort to make my voice sound pure and I sang the words as clearly as the music would allow."

Ray Davies was 22 when they recorded this; Dave Davies was 17.

A cover of this song was the first single for Van Halen in 1978. Eddie Van Halen would spend the next several years developing new guitar riffs, and like Davies, was known to manipulate his equipment to get just the right sound.

The powerful rhythm guitar riff was very influential on other British groups. The Rolling Stones recorded "Satisfaction," which was driven by the rhythm guitar, a year later.

According to Ray Davies, there was a great deal of jealousy among their peers when The Kinks came up with this song. He said in a 1981 interview with Creem: "There were a lot of groups going around at the time – the Yardbirds, the Kinks, the Rolling Stones – and nobody had really cracked with a sort of R&B #1 record. The songs were always sort of like The Beatles. When we first wanted to do a record, we couldn't get a recording gig. We were turned down by Decca, Parlophone, EMI and even Brian Epstein came to see us play and turned us down. So I started writing songs like 'You Really Got Me,' and I think there was a sheer jealousy that we did it first. Because we weren't a great group – untidy – and we were considered maybe a bit of a joke. But for some reason, I'd just had dinner, shepherd's pie, at my sister's house, and I sat down at the piano and played da, da, da, da, da. The funny thing is it was influenced by Mose Allison more than anybody else. And I think there was a lot of bad feeling. I remember we went to clubs like the Marquee, and those bands wouldn't talk to us because we did it first."

The Kinks' next single was "All Day And All Of The Night," which was basically a re-write of this song, but was also a hit.

This was used in the 2004 video game Battlefield Vietnam. (thanks, Agustin - Barcelona, Spain)

Jon Lord played the keyboard part on this track years before he became a member of Deep Purple. He recalled with a laugh to The Leicester Mercury in 2000: "All I did was plink, plink, plink. It wasn't hard."

Ray Davies recalled in an interview with NME how his brother Dave created the distortion effect on this song. Said Ray: "We stuck knitting needles in the speakers, or in Dave's case, he slit the speakers with a razor blade. In those days we played records on a radiogram so loudly that they all sounded fuzzy. We thought, 'That's a great sound,' without realizing the speakers were buggered. Everyone else was using really clean guitar sounds, so for 'You Really Got Me' we hooked a little speaker up to a clean amp and came up with thunderous, unaffected, pure power."

In a Rolling Stone interview, Ray said that they "evolved" the sound by putting knitting needles in the speakers when recording this song. That statement prompted a rebuttal from his brother Dave, who wrote in to explain: "I alone created the guitar sound for the song with my Elipico amp that I bought. I slashed the speaker with a razor blade, which resulted in the 'You Really Got Me' tone. There were no knitting needles used in making my guitar sound."

Ray Davies told The NME that the Van Halen version of this tune is his favorite Kinks cover. He explained: "It was a big hit for them and put them on a career of excess and sent them on the road. So I enjoyed that one."

Dave Davies is not a fan of the Van Halen cover. He told Rolling Stone: "Our song was working-class people trying to fight back. Their version sounds too easy."

The Who played this at many of their early concerts. Their first single was "I Can't Explain" and was also produced by Shel Talmy. The sound borrowed heavily from this, as Pete Townshend played a dirty guitar riff similar to what Dave Davies' recording.

The Beatles - Eight Days a Week

The Beatles - Eight Days a Week Lyrics and Youtube Music Videos
Album: Beatles For Sale
Released: 1964

Eight Days a Week Lyrics

Oh, I need your love, babe
Guess you know it's true
Hope you need my love babe
Just like I need you

Hold me, love me, hold me, love me
I ain't got nothing but love, babe
Eight Days a Week

Love you every day, girl
Always on my mind
One thing I can say, girl
Love you all the time

Hold me, love me, hold me, love me
I ain't got nothing but love, girl
Eight days a week

Eight days a week
I love you
Eight days a week
Is not enough to show I care

Ooh I need your love, babe
Guess you know it's true
Hope you need my love babe
Just like I need you

Hold me, love me, hold me, love me
I ain't got nothing but love, babe
Eight days a week

Eight days a week
I love you
Eight days a week
is not enough to show I care

Love you every day, girl
Always on my mind
One thing I can say girl
Love you all the time

Hold me, love me, hold me, love me
I ain't got nothing but love, babe
Eight days a week
Eight days a week
Eight days a week

Writer/s: LENNON, JOHN / MCCARTNEY, PAUL
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Eight Days a Week Song Chart

This fades up from silence. It was the first pop song to do so.

There are two possibilities on where the title came from. In Bob Spitz' The Beatles: The Biography , Paul McCartney claims that he asked his chauffeur (while being driven to John's house in Weybridge) if he was busy, and got the answer "Busy? I've been working eight days a week." In a later interview, Paul says that it was Ringo who coined the phrase: "He said it as though he were an overworked chauffeur. When we heard it we said 'Really?' Bing! Got it"! John Lennon also claimed it was one of Ringo's malapropisms.

The Beatles wrote this for the movie Help, which was at one point titled "Eight arms to hold you."

McCartney wrote most of this song, while Lennon added the middle eight and a few other lines. Usually John and Paul sang lead on songs that they wrote or principally wrote. This is an exception to that, with Paul writing the song but John singing lead. (thanks, Carl - Eugene, OR)

In the first few takes of this song, the John Lennon and Paul McCartney harmonized an opening rather than having the song begin with the guitar. (thanks, Adrian - Wilmington, DE)

John Lennon claimed not to like the song. In his 1980 interview with Playboy magazine, he stated, "'Eight Days A Week' was never a good song. We struggled to record it and struggled to make it into a song. It was [Paul's] initial effort, but I think we both worked on it. I'm not sure. But, it was lousy anyway."

This was not released as a single in the UK. It was scheduled for release there until Lennon wrote "I Feel Fine." It was immediately changed to the new song.

Artists to cover this song include The Dandy Warhols, Joan Jett, Lorrie Morgan, The Persuasions, Billy Preston and Procol Harum. (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France)

Both this song and "You Won't See Me" lift the chord sequence from The Four Tops' "It's the Same Old Song." McCartney later admitted, "we were the biggest nickers in town."

This song was used in the movie My Best Friend's Wedding, and also in an episode of the TV show Scrubs.