G is for Dobie Gray

Lines of Inspiration

 Melodious expressions, Enduring Truisms

G

Dobie Gray

“When my mind is free, you know a melody can move me…”

Song Title: Drift Away

Songwriter:  Mentor R. Williams

Singer:  Dobie Gray

For a guy who was born somewhere near Houston, Texas, had upwards of three AKA names, and whose birth name was most likely Lawrence Darrow Brown, this son of humble sharecroppers sure made quite the name for himself ;-)  Beginning with Gospel, his smooth and soothing voice flawlessly flowed throughout Soul, R&B, Country (“From Where I Stand”), Pop (“The ‘In’ Crowd”), and theater musicals. Dobie Gray worked just about every music scene; associating with such mentors as Sonny Bono, Max Bear (Jethro, from the Beverly Hillbillies), and Paul and Mentor Williams -  in addition to his 2 ½ year acting stint in the Las Angeles production of “Hair”, before becoming a record producer.  Oh! And in his free time, Dobie Gray did quite a bit of songwriting as well; for the likes of Ray Charles, Johnny Mathis and Charley Pride.

But I digress. What I’m sharing today is Dobie Grays’ signature single “Drift Away”, which sold over a million copies; earning a Gold Disc by the RIAA before rekindling the hit song some thirty years later with Uncle Kracker ;-)

So, how about that line? Does it call to mind a memory? Instill a sense of wonder? Are you familiar with Dobie Gray or Mentor Williams?

There’s a whole lotta blogging going on right here!

Have a great weekend!

C is for Crosby, Stills and Nash

Lines of Inspiration

 Melodious expressions, Enduring Truism

C  

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young

“Now everything is easy ‘cause of you”

Song Title:  Our House  

Songwriter:  Graham Nash

Before co-founding the Hollies  in the early 60’s, British rocker, Graham Nash was already known for his light tenor voice, songwriting gift, and as a collector of photography; whose own photography would later be published as well (San Francisco Art exchange). Having met the band Crosby and Stills while on tour with the Hollies, Nash met up with them again (alone) in the United States and by 1968 the band was called Crosby, Stills and Nash.

Written in under an hour, this sweet musical tribute to an actual event, an “ordinary moment” (Nash later recalled) in Graham Nash’s life has been called a “trite ditty”, though most often praised for its “innocent elegance”.  It sounds to me like a moment one might want to “Carry a torch” for.

So, how about those lines? Does either one call to mind a memory? Instill a sense of wonder? Are you familiar with the phrase, song, or bands?

There’s a whole lotta blogging going on right here!

B is for Bad Company

Lines of Inspiration

Melodious expressions, Enduring Truisms

B

Bad Company

“Seagull you fly across the horizon, into the misty morning sun…”

Song Title:  Seagull   

                                                 

Songwriter:  Paul Rodgers

The Band:

Established in 1973 and comprised of members from the likes of Free, Mott the Hoople, and King Crimson, the British bred supergroup, Bad Company staked their claim to fame and never let go.

Soon after one of their first public warm up performances (in Germany), when the band was asked what they called themselves Paul Rodgers (founder and lead vocalist) reportedly replied “Bad Company” – after a film starring Jeff Bridges; which he had seen just prior to their show. Though in a later interview, Rodgers explained the idea came from a picture in a book on Victorian morals depicting a young boy looking up at an unsavory man leaning against a lamppost. The caption read “beware of bad company”.

The Bad Company band was still going strong in 2013 when they announced a 40^th Anniversary tour with the southern rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd.

The Film:

Described as an “ironic western”, the undiscovered gem of a movie: Bad Company, portrays a group of young renegades heeding the irresistible call of the outlaw west, only to find it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. According to Jeff Bridges, the gunfight in the forest had to be completely re-shot (by none other than DP Gordon Willis of the Godfather movies fame) as it had been ruined in the lab.

So, how about that line? Does it call to mind a memory? Instill a sense of wonder? Are you familiar with the song, band, or film?

There’s a whole lotta blogging going on right here!  

A is for America

Lines of Inspiration

 Melodious expressions, Enduring Truisms

A

America – the band

“Chewing on a piece of grass, walking down the road…”

Song Title: “Ventura Highway” 

Songwriter: Dewey Bunnell

The band:

1969 -What are the chances that three highly talented American music artists would meet in a London High School as sons of US Air Force personnel, and (in short order) become an internationally recognized band called America? With British-American Dewey Bunnell at the penning helm and the remarkable harmony produced by the founding three, the band soon enjoyed worldwide acclaim as preeminent pop-rock, folk jazz artists which continued well after returning to their American roots. 

By 2006, Dewey’s often illusory, seemingly random lyrics, accompanied by the band’s soft rock style, got them inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. Six years later, they had a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Yet, according to Dewey, there are no random lines; each one has a meaning. “Alligator lizards in the air”, for instance, is a description of cloud formations one might see while “chewing on a piece of grass, walking down the road.” Curiously, the line “Sorry boy, but I’ve been hit by purple rain,” has not been explained by America the band, or the Artist Known As – Prince ;-)

However, when they were asked to play at (then) Gov. Jesse Ventura’s inaugural celebration, two songs were specifically requested: The first (of course) being “Ventura Highway”, and the second, “Horse with no Name”, for Ventura’s wife; who was a ‘horse lady’.

So, how about that line? Does it call to mind a memory? Instill a sense of wonder? Are you familiar with the song or band?

 There's a whole lotta blogging going on right here!