Help Me Make it Through the Night

Posted by Dave Zobrist on

 Download Instrumental   In the latter part of 1969, a young lad named Kris Kristofferson went about his work at Columbia Records in Nashville. His primary job description included sweeping floors and emptying ashtrays.  Kris was a Rhodes Scholar.   He was a Golden Gloves boxer.  He was a commercial helicopter pilot.  He had recently turned down a teaching position at West Point to take this job in Nashville.  Why?  His first love was country music song-writing and he intended to make a go of it.  And make a go of it he did!

Songs like “For the Good Times”, “Me and Bobby McGee” and “Sunday Mornin’ Comin” Down” were all Kristofferson hits (for other artists).  But “Help Me Make it Through the Night” was what launched his career and made him a legend in the music business.  His inspiration for this classic came from, of all people, Frank Sinatra.  He had read a magazine interview where Sinatra was asked what he believed in.  Frank’s answer:  “Booze, broads, or a Bible – whatever helps me make it through the night”.  “Ol’ Blue Eyes” had a way with words, didn’t he?

This piece was covered by Sammi Smith in 1970 and it became her signature tune.  She was one of the few women in the outlaw country movement of the 70’s.  She was a gutsy little lady who didn’t care if the song was a bit risqué for a woman to sing at the time – “Take the ribbon from my hair/shake it loose and let it fall”.  Then there’s “Come and lay down by my side/till the early mornin’ light”.  Well, now.  Kristofferson won a Grammy in ’71 for this one, as did Sammi.  You just have to know a good country song when you hear one.

Michael Buble (love his arrangements, if not him) covered this piece as a duet with Loren Allred.  I used a French horn for Buble’s part and a flute for Loren’s.  These two instruments blend well, but of course you’ll have two actual human voices (always sounds better that way).  This is how we do it – with a decidedly “south of the border” feel.  Mariachi, anyone?

Hitchin’ a Ride

Posted by Dave Zobrist on

 Download Instrumental   The first sound you hear in this tune is a “recorder”.  As far as I know, this is the first rock song to feature this flute-like instrument.  It introduces the first four bars of “Hitchin’ a Ride” and then pops in and out throughout the whole piece.  I think it sets the proper mood for a guy who’s setting out on the road with no money – hitch hiking his way home to his “baby”.  The lyrics say it all:  “A thumb goes up, a car goes by/it’s nearly one A.M. and here am I/ hitchin’ a ride”.  What fun… right?

We used to do a dance called the “hitch hike” – inspired by the song of the same name by Marvin Gaye.  You extended your thumbs and skated across the floor like a drunken hippo.  If you’ve ever seen a hippo on skates, you know what I mean.  Anyway, it was a really dumb dance but oh, so popular… for awhile.  I was pretty glad when it went away about a year after Gaye released the song, but then the dance came back with a vengeance when a British group called Vanity Fare had a hit with “Hitchin’ a Ride” in 1969.  It was one of those things that just wouldn’t go away…. much like Hip-Hop.

I took some liberties with the original arrangement – adding more piano and a little brass – just to make it slightly more palatable to today’s audience.  However, if you’ve always liked this song,  I’m about to ruin it forever for you.  While working through the instrumentation, I realized that this could be a (groan) polka.  I’m sorry, but if you listen to it with that rhythm in mind  – it works.  Soooo… if you get a request for (groan again) a polka, maybe you can trot this out there just for fun.  It beats “Beer Barrel” every time.

 

Gypsy

Posted by Dave Zobrist on

  Download Instrumental    Oh, sure… she’s got that sultry “I just got outta bed’ voice that defines so many of Fleetwood Mac’s songs, but I don’t much care for Stevie Nicks. There, I said it…. and social media will rip me a new one.   I have my reasons and they certainly don’t have anything to do with her voice – she can sing anything, any style, anytime.  If your voice doesn’t come close to sounding like Stevie, don’t even think about using these backup tracks.  It won’t go well for you.

“Gypsy” pretty much defines who Stevie Nicks is as a person and as a performer.  She wrote the tune as a tribute to the time she shared with Lindsey Buckingham in the early days of their career.  They were a duo – Buckingham Nicks – they were lovers, and they were each other’s greatest enemy.  Their relationship eventually turned toxic, but Stevie longed for the days when they had nothing – living in a one room apartment, sleeping on a mattress on the floor and taking any crappy gig they could get and releasing a horrible album.  She fancies herself a “gypsy” – living carefree and cavalier, not answering to anyone or making excuses for her lifestyle.  She was happier then, she knows, but she also knows she can never go back there.  Fame and Fortune have changed all that forever.  But that doesn’t stop her from holding on to that “gypsy” persona that started her on this journey in the first place.  That’s what this song is all about – harking back to what once was but knowing it will never be again.  I think we’ve all got a little gypsy in us.

So why don’t I like this woman?  Well, she does something that drives me crazy.  She dances… constantly.  I’ve seen Fleetwood Mac in concert on three different occasions – once even springing for front row seats.  Her gyrating onstage made it difficult to appreciate the music.  I like to watch lead guitar players – I’m envious.  But every time Lindsey would go into a solo, there’s Ms. Nicks buzzing around him like a bewildered bird – arms flailing, tambourine raised high, and spinning like a top – blocking any view of fingers moving swiftly over a guitar neck.  She dances like – there’s no other way to describe it – a crazed GYPSY.  And Lindsey Buckingham doesn’t talk about his long-ago relationship with Nicks (poor guy has his own major issues now, bless his soul).  But Stevie talks about it incessantly.  It’s the classic “poor, pitiful me” routine.  That gets tiresome after awhile, Stevie.  Give it a break.  You’re rich and famous and oh, so talented.  Let it go.  Go back to being a gypsy – just tone down the dancing… please.

Call Me Irresponsible

Posted by Dave Zobrist on

  Download Instrumental    Is being irresponsible so bad?  Not when it comes to the clever lyrics in this catchy little tune from 1963,  written by the illustrious Sammy Cahn.  You might, or might not, remember a few of Cahn’s other masterpieces like “Three Coins in a Fountain”, “All The Way”, “High Hopes” and “Let It Snow”.  But “Call Me Irresponsible” was by far the most popular and most recorded piece of its time.  Most of the superstars who recorded this one were men (Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Mel Torme and many more).  Women, I think, are just naturally reluctant to call themselves irresponsible, even in a song.  Men?  We don’t care…

My favorite rendition is off the 2007 album titled “Call Me Irresponsible” by Michael Buble.  So, of course, I channeled Buble while hammering this arrangement together.  I really, really like the way he arranges his music.  As far as really liking the man himself – not so much.  He comes off as a bit smarmy to me.  A woman once argued with me that Michael Buble was the sexiest man alive, so I took a second look.  Nope…. still smarmy.

Anyway, as in almost all big band arrangements, the piano and guitar get lost in all the horns.  I hate that.  So I kept piano and jazz guitar as out front as possible, while keeping the horns “subtle but still there”.  This will work better onstage for you singers out there if you use these backup tracks.  Your audience comes to hear you sing and the last thing you need at a club performance is a wall of brass blasting away behind you.

Ironically, this tune was first performed by someone who really didn’t sing well – Jackie Gleason.  Mr. Gleason was given the honor of introducing it to the world in the film Papa’s Delicate Condition.  Gleason played Papa, who was a lovable but crusty family guy whose “delicate condition” kept him inebriated a great deal of the time.  He was careless (irresponsible) with money – once buying an entire circus because his daughter wanted a pony.  See?  Lovable.  His wife eventually leaves him, which prompts this song and a very poignant scene between Papa and a dress mannequin.  Watch below if you don’t believe me.  It’s poignant, I tell you!!

Here, There and Everywhere

Posted by Dave Zobrist on

  Download Instrumental    Paul McCartney wrote this lovely little ditty while lounging by John Lennon’s pool one morning in 1966, waiting for John to drag himself out of bed (he was a notorious late sleeper). This half of The Beatles had attended a party the night before celebrating the release of a new Beach Boys album.  Paul was especially taken with the vocal harmonies on the song “God Only Knows’ by Brian Wilson.  Those backup “ooohs” were on his mind as he strummed a few chords on his guitar and by the time John got up Paul had a song for their own new album they were calling Revolver.

To me, this song represents a much different era of both music and life.  After “Here, There, and Everywhere” was released, things pretty much went downhill from there – except for The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac in the seventies.  Back then, life wasn’t “edgy” and we weren’t waiting around for the next awful thing to happen.  Music was mostly sweet and loving and innocent – with an actual melody that you could hum or whistle while you work.  Have you noticed nobody whistles or hums anymore?  Sad…

This is one of those tunes that allows me to show off the almost life-like vocal sounds on this Yamaha keyboard of mine.  You might appreciate the “ooohs” behind the lead track – very much like the original recording.  If you are performing solo, leave the backup vocal track on.  It’s an integral part of the song and will help your own vocals flow smoothly.  I’m begging singers to bring this one back to the stage so it doesn’t get lost in the madness we all live in today.

This is probably my favorite love song.  The lyrics are sweet and kind – so rare these days.  And, happily, the melody is something you can hum while you take out the trash… imagine that.

Sweetest Taboo

Posted by Dave Zobrist on

  Download Instrumental  This song is an acquired taste – much like 12-year-old Scotch and pickled pigs feet.  This particular tune is what I call a “three S’er” – subtle, sultry and sexy.  In this case you could also add sophisticated, which would put it in the very rare category of “four S’er”.  Are you following this?  Doesn’t matter.  This Latin-flavored masterpiece just oozes steamy romance (there’s another S) and it’s a beautiful thing when all those emotions are put to music.

“Sweetest Taboo” was recorded in 1985 by the British-Nigerian singer Helen Folasade Adu – better known by her professional name Sade.  She thought it would be a good idea to name her band “Sade” as well, which I think is just a bit narcissistic. (that would be like me forming another band and calling it “David”… hmmm).  I just noticed that there are three S’s in the word narcissistic – coincidence?

There are a variety of rumors that seek to explain the meaning of “Sweetest Taboo”.  What is this taboo that she finds so sweet?  Some say it’s an addiction to heroin (seems like drugs are always lurking somewhere in the background).  Others maintain it was a lesbian relationship – certainly taboo back in the day.  But these people would be wrong.  In the music video, she lusts after a man who is obviously involved with another woman – most likely his wife – and that’s certainly frowned upon, even today. That’s my interpretation and I’m sticking to it.

If you’ve got the Sophistication to pull this one off onstage, you need to be performing this jazz crossover hit.  Three repetitive chords on a midi grand piano pretty much carry the song and the rhythm track is oh, so interesting.  The backup vocals are Subtle and the lead line is best described as Sultry.  The lady is certainly Sexy – so you have all the components you need to “Wow” your audience.  Go for it!

Heartache Tonight

Posted by Dave Zobrist on

  Download Instrumental    The lyrics say it all in this rock classic by The Eagles:  “Everybody wants to touch somebody, if it takes all night/Everybody wants to take a little chance, make it come out right”.  Remember those high expectations you had when you walked into that rowdy bar just knowing the love of your life was in there somewhere?  Actually, you’re more likely to find that “perfect match” at your local Walmart, because everyone in that bar was as desperate as you.  So you sit around and drink and flirt and eat spicy snacks (maybe the name of this tune should have been “Heartburn Tonight”), but more often than not you left the place alone at 2 A.M. and poured your lonely heart out to your Uber driver.  But at least you tried – there’s always tomorrow night… right?

So the scene here is everyone is having a great time but, sooner or later, “somebody’s gonna hurt someone before the night is through”.   Isn’t this a fun song?  Well, actually it is.  It’s that great rock shuffle beat that moves your audience to the dance floor every time.  And the vocal harmonies are tremendous – if you have backup singers.  If you’re working alone, I’ve got vocal backups on track 5, or at least what can pass for vocals (this ain’t karaoke, folks).  The guitars are classic 1970’s style – overdriven and growly.  You can’t go wrong with this one, singers… add it to your set list.

“Heartache Tonight” doesn’t have any deep philosophical messages or lessons to be learned.  It’s just a romp – have fun with it!

Heartbreak Hotel

Posted by Dave Zobrist on

  Download Instrumental    Yes, at one point early in his career, Elvis tried to play the accordion… but just couldn’t master the thing.  He finally just gave it up.  The man really wasn’t all that enthused about having any kind of keyboard instrument in his backup band anyway.  He was more interested in accompanying himself with a keyboard, which he eventually did fairly well on piano.  The accordion?  Not so much.  Just as well.

However, when Mr. Presley recorded Heartbreak Hotel in January of 1956, one of the studio musicians was none other than Floyd Cramer, one of the best piano players on the planet.  I thought the piano should have been a little more out front (Cramer’s was way too subtle as to be almost non-existent), so I redid the keyboard track in this arrangement to make it a bit more interesting.  Some “purists” might find it presumptuous to change anything “The King” did, but I think more piano helps to fill in a lot of holes in the original arrangement.  I also added some “claps” to help emphasize the rhythm.  Elvis would probably hate it, but this adaptation might play better for today’s audience.  People tend to get bored when only bass and drums are playing.

The inspiration for this song came from a newspaper article about a guy who committed suicide and left a haunting note that read “I walk a lonely street”.  I wonder how a man in the 1950’s could find a reason to commit suicide.  Probably trying to learn to play the accordion.

Silence is Golden

Posted by Dave Zobrist on

  Download Instrumental    Well, we all know silence is golden, don’t we?  An old Swiss adage assures us that “speech is silver, but silence is golden”.  How many times in your life have you wished that you’d just kept your mouth shut?  There is also a 16th century proverb that maintains “silence is a woman’s best garment”.  Well, I don’t think present-day feminists would much appreciate that, so I’m not gonna go there.  But someone should really write a song about the virtues of silence, don’t you think?  Oh, wait… they have!

“Silence is Golden” was first recorded by The Four Seasons in 1964 as the B-side to a song called “Rag Doll”.  But then a little-known band called The Tremeloes covered it to show off their guitar player’s great falsetto voice.  They were touring with The Hollies as an opening act and repeatedly received standing ovations for this tune.  So, why not record it and see what happens.  Next thing you know – big hit for a “cover band” from Merry Ol’ England.  They followed it up with “Here Comes My Baby” and cinched their rightful place in the annals of  rock’n’roll.

In 1962, Decca Records was looking for a “beat group” to sign for a recording contract and held an audition for two bands on January 1st.  The Decca producers chose The Tremeloes as they thought they had much more potential than the other group that auditioned.  Who was that other band, you might ask?  Wouldn’t ya know – it was The Beatles!  Ouch… biggest mistake in music history.

Rock Around the Clock

Posted by Dave Zobrist on

  Download Instrumental    What was the very first rock’n’roll song ever recorded?  Many music historians will tell you that a tune called “Rocket 88” was what started it all.  It was recorded at Sun Studios in Memphis (1951) by Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm.  Yes, the same Ike Turner who spent a great deal of his leisure time beating up on Tina in later years.  What a swell guy…

However, I think a little ditty called “Rock Around the Clock” defined the beginning of the “rock era”  when Bill Haley and His Comets topped the charts with it in 1956.  Music publishers at the time didn’t have a clue what to call this new genre of music, so they settled on “Novelty Foxtrot”.  Now, you would think they could have come up with something better than that… like maybe…rock’n’roll?  Actually a disc jocky in Cleveland named Alan Freed first coined the term “rock and roll” to describe this new style which he considered to be a mixture of rhythm & blues and country.  I suppose that aptly describes it, but I would throw a little “boogie-woogie” influence into the mix too.

Bill Haley also had a hit called “See You Later, Alligator” – another fun song.    You see, back then, music was fun and “frolicky”, not even close to being serious or political until we got to the mid-sixties.  After that, it all went to hell (sigh).   But our Mr. Haley had another claim to fame – the kiss curl.   What’s a kiss curl, you might ask.  It’s a lock of hair curling down over the forehead usually plastered down with hair lotion.  It could also be plastered down with spit, but then it’s a spit curl.  Yuck!  At the age of four, Bill Haley had an operation on his inner ear, but the optic nerve to his left eye was accidently cut, leaving him blind in that eye for the rest of his life.  He wore “the curl” over his right eye to divert attention away from his blind left eye.  Superman also had a “kiss curl”.  Always wondered what that was all about…

Watch the video below and you’ll see an accordion player in the band.  Go figure. But the boy can’t keep from looking down at his keyboard – bad form.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=rock+around+the+clock+videos&docid=608053976127507806&mid=F83C98AC5130316BA59CF83C98AC5130316BA59C&view=detail&FORM=VIRE