'Six of The Best'
These six songs, for whatever reasons, are the songs that go beyond the thousands upon thousands of others that are in the Muirsical collection, or that I know well, or am aware of, and they simply transcend all others to the degree that I’m moved by them musically like no other pieces.
A number of them (one highly significantly) also help to lyrically define me.
If it was expanded to a Top 100, or similarly large list, it would include an eclectic range of pieces that went beyond the 'rock' music primarily featured in this sextet, and would include the likes of 'Goodbye to Love' by the Carpenters, Metallica's metal classic 'Enter Sandman', and the 'modern' classical masterpiece 'Rhapsody in Blue' by George Gershwin.
Now there's a triple-play you won't hear in many households or radio stations...
Other more muirsically expected appearances would feature too, such as Journey and Steve Perry (including 'Easy to Fall' and 'One More Time' respectively).
But six it is, and for the curious ‘six of the best’ refers to the good old days of teachers being allowed to discipline wayward school pupils with a strap, or belt, smacked six times over the hands, and the day it was outlawed was the day anti-social youth culture took one giant leap for mankind’s decline.
However I digress…
These songs are presented in the order I sequence them on my personal '6 of the Best' CD, but are interchangeable as regards favourites - excepting my second favourite song (track 5) and favourite piece of music (track 6).
A little about each song and the artist is summarised here, but to hear the story you really have to listen to the music (there’s another great song).
Copies of the self compiled CD are available on request (don’t all rush…)
Please Note: The audio samples are provided for interest and to accompany this specific article - no infringement of copyright is intended.
Please also not that two of the songs (tracks 2 & 4) are long pieces of music, and buffering of the audio may take longer depending on the users connection speed, and computer hardware.
Track 1 - For the Want of a Nail - Todd Rundgren (1989)
These six songs, for whatever reasons, are the songs that go beyond the thousands upon thousands of others that are in the Muirsical collection, or that I know well, or am aware of, and they simply transcend all others to the degree that I’m moved by them musically like no other pieces.
A number of them (one highly significantly) also help to lyrically define me.
If it was expanded to a Top 100, or similarly large list, it would include an eclectic range of pieces that went beyond the 'rock' music primarily featured in this sextet, and would include the likes of 'Goodbye to Love' by the Carpenters, Metallica's metal classic 'Enter Sandman', and the 'modern' classical masterpiece 'Rhapsody in Blue' by George Gershwin.
Now there's a triple-play you won't hear in many households or radio stations...
Other more muirsically expected appearances would feature too, such as Journey and Steve Perry (including 'Easy to Fall' and 'One More Time' respectively).
But six it is, and for the curious ‘six of the best’ refers to the good old days of teachers being allowed to discipline wayward school pupils with a strap, or belt, smacked six times over the hands, and the day it was outlawed was the day anti-social youth culture took one giant leap for mankind’s decline.
However I digress…
These songs are presented in the order I sequence them on my personal '6 of the Best' CD, but are interchangeable as regards favourites - excepting my second favourite song (track 5) and favourite piece of music (track 6).
A little about each song and the artist is summarised here, but to hear the story you really have to listen to the music (there’s another great song).
Copies of the self compiled CD are available on request (don’t all rush…)
Please Note: The audio samples are provided for interest and to accompany this specific article - no infringement of copyright is intended.
Please also not that two of the songs (tracks 2 & 4) are long pieces of music, and buffering of the audio may take longer depending on the users connection speed, and computer hardware.
Track 1 - For the Want of a Nail - Todd Rundgren (1989)
“I’ve been wrong, I had plans so big...
But the devil’s in the details, I left out one thing…
No one to love me…(no one to love me)…No one to love me...no one to - love”
My favourite artist is Todd Rundgren, so it’s no surprise he’s represented here or the fact that we’ll be looking at Mr Rundgren again and his form of democratic rock (band) in action later.
This is not his best song, not by a long stretch, but then this is a list of favourite songs, and therein lies the difference.
As an opening statement it’s hard to beat, and from the very first emotive vocalisations (backed by the powerful voice of Bobby Womack in ‘guest vocalist’ spot) I’m hooked, and the song then hits its uplifting tempo before swinging towards its ‘singalong’ finale.
The premise of the song is the old adage of the message being lost because something first seen as inconsequential was ignored - but ignore ‘the details’ at your peril, because you will miss out on the prize.
Never sweat the small stuff – but never forget its importance.
Track 2 - Pirates - Emerson Lake & Palmer (1977)
But the devil’s in the details, I left out one thing…
No one to love me…(no one to love me)…No one to love me...no one to - love”
My favourite artist is Todd Rundgren, so it’s no surprise he’s represented here or the fact that we’ll be looking at Mr Rundgren again and his form of democratic rock (band) in action later.
This is not his best song, not by a long stretch, but then this is a list of favourite songs, and therein lies the difference.
As an opening statement it’s hard to beat, and from the very first emotive vocalisations (backed by the powerful voice of Bobby Womack in ‘guest vocalist’ spot) I’m hooked, and the song then hits its uplifting tempo before swinging towards its ‘singalong’ finale.
The premise of the song is the old adage of the message being lost because something first seen as inconsequential was ignored - but ignore ‘the details’ at your peril, because you will miss out on the prize.
Never sweat the small stuff – but never forget its importance.
Track 2 - Pirates - Emerson Lake & Palmer (1977)
This is the first of two songs featured on Six of The Best that are best described as seventies 'Orchestrated Rock' and on Pirates we have the Paris Opera Orchestra, no less.
The title says it all - this is, in effect, a musical version of all the swashbuckling tales you have read, or perhaps watched in the old 'skull & crossbones' classic movies starring the likes of Errol Flynn, because musically and lyrically we are transported to the days of Pirate flags and Spanish gold.
It’s emotive, it’s pulsating, it’s adrenalin surging, it's...probably a guy thing, admittedly, but it's still a stunning piece that many music fans – male and female alike - can appreciate.
E.L.P. were coming off of a two and a half year break and were taking their time with what would become their classic ‘Works Volume 1’ album and Greg Lake and co-lyricist Peter Sinfield took an inordinate amount of time on the lyrics for this number as they wanted Pirates to be a 'musical screenplay'.
They didn't just take hours, or days…but weeks on the lyrical phrasing and interpretation, and to this day it’s the one song I know so well lyrically I could probably sing over the song and get every nuance and inflection so on the mark as to ‘hide’ Greg Lake’s vocal underneath.
"Who'll drink a toast with me...to the Devil, and the deep blue sea...
Gold drives a man...to Dream!"
Track 3 - Dust in the Wind - Kansas (1998 Orchestrated version)
The title says it all - this is, in effect, a musical version of all the swashbuckling tales you have read, or perhaps watched in the old 'skull & crossbones' classic movies starring the likes of Errol Flynn, because musically and lyrically we are transported to the days of Pirate flags and Spanish gold.
It’s emotive, it’s pulsating, it’s adrenalin surging, it's...probably a guy thing, admittedly, but it's still a stunning piece that many music fans – male and female alike - can appreciate.
E.L.P. were coming off of a two and a half year break and were taking their time with what would become their classic ‘Works Volume 1’ album and Greg Lake and co-lyricist Peter Sinfield took an inordinate amount of time on the lyrics for this number as they wanted Pirates to be a 'musical screenplay'.
They didn't just take hours, or days…but weeks on the lyrical phrasing and interpretation, and to this day it’s the one song I know so well lyrically I could probably sing over the song and get every nuance and inflection so on the mark as to ‘hide’ Greg Lake’s vocal underneath.
"Who'll drink a toast with me...to the Devil, and the deep blue sea...
Gold drives a man...to Dream!"
Track 3 - Dust in the Wind - Kansas (1998 Orchestrated version)
'Yesterday' by the Beatles (more correctly Paul McCartney) is a timeless classic, rightly described as one of the most beautiful, poignant and emotive songs of the 20th Century – or any century for that matter – and one of the greatest songs ever written, full stop.
For me, and possibly others of the generation that were just a little too young to ‘get’ Yesterday and The Beatles phenomenon first time around, Dust in the Wind steps up to the plate as a song that matches Yesterday and, personally, surpasses it.
Written by the original power behind Kansas, Kerry Livgren, and originally released in 1977, this re-recorded version with the London Symphony Orchestra is possibly even more beautiful and poignant and manages to have that incredible ability of being deeply profound, sad, and uplifting at the same time.
This is one of the songs that lyrically defines a part of me, or part of my ‘life philosophy’. Simple enough in premise, but too often taken for granted…
“Now, don’t hang on - nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky...
When it slips away - all your money won’t another minute buy…”
Not everyone will have the same belief or life perspective, but one absolute fact remains - we are on this ball of rock “only for a moment, and the moment’s gone”, and for that reason live your life for every one of those moments.
“Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind…”
Track 4 - Salisbury - Uriah Heep (1971)
For me, and possibly others of the generation that were just a little too young to ‘get’ Yesterday and The Beatles phenomenon first time around, Dust in the Wind steps up to the plate as a song that matches Yesterday and, personally, surpasses it.
Written by the original power behind Kansas, Kerry Livgren, and originally released in 1977, this re-recorded version with the London Symphony Orchestra is possibly even more beautiful and poignant and manages to have that incredible ability of being deeply profound, sad, and uplifting at the same time.
This is one of the songs that lyrically defines a part of me, or part of my ‘life philosophy’. Simple enough in premise, but too often taken for granted…
“Now, don’t hang on - nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky...
When it slips away - all your money won’t another minute buy…”
Not everyone will have the same belief or life perspective, but one absolute fact remains - we are on this ball of rock “only for a moment, and the moment’s gone”, and for that reason live your life for every one of those moments.
“Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind…”
Track 4 - Salisbury - Uriah Heep (1971)
The second of the two Orchestrated Rock songs featured here, Salisbury has the band taking equal billing with a Brass & Woodwind ensemble, and although this track would seem to be, on the face of it, a similar beast to 'Pirates', there are more differences than similarities...
Uriiah Heep’s take on the ‘orchestrated epic’ is far more base in concept than the musical theatrics of Pirates – emotions of union, and the reality that what might seem like ‘forever’ is more akin to the ‘moment’.
Lust plays its part – musically more than lyrically, whilst the late great David Byron takes a more understated vocal role than his usual high octane performances, but still produces an emotive interpretation into the lyric.
Another difference from the big production and craft behind Pirates is that Uriah Heep recorded Salisbury in a relatively short time span, and were in the throws of the album-tour-album-tour scenario that was so common in that era for these bands.
Ken Hensley, who would become the architect of the band in its ‘classic’ era has since commented that he wasn’t fully happy with Salisbury as there were flubs in the orchestrated pieces and it’s a little loose in arrangement – for me though, that’s part of the charm.
However the real difference between the bands' and their respective creations can be gleaned from the following anecdote...
Guitarist Mick Box wasn’t getting the feel or inspiration he wanted for his big solo moment on Salisbury, so retired to the local pub for a couple of pints and upon return asked for the lights to be dimmed, cranked the Marshall stack and wah-wah pedal to full, and nailed it in one take.
Sounds like a rock-myth, but Box swears this is how it occurred, the band has never contradicted the story, and Engineer Peter Gallen has also recalled the incident.
Compare that to the earlier story of the eternity that was taken over the lyrics for Pirates - a song that probably took as long to write and record as Heep took to do the entire Salisbury album. Gotta love 'em both.
Track 5 - Just One Victory (live version/s) - Utopia
Uriiah Heep’s take on the ‘orchestrated epic’ is far more base in concept than the musical theatrics of Pirates – emotions of union, and the reality that what might seem like ‘forever’ is more akin to the ‘moment’.
Lust plays its part – musically more than lyrically, whilst the late great David Byron takes a more understated vocal role than his usual high octane performances, but still produces an emotive interpretation into the lyric.
Another difference from the big production and craft behind Pirates is that Uriah Heep recorded Salisbury in a relatively short time span, and were in the throws of the album-tour-album-tour scenario that was so common in that era for these bands.
Ken Hensley, who would become the architect of the band in its ‘classic’ era has since commented that he wasn’t fully happy with Salisbury as there were flubs in the orchestrated pieces and it’s a little loose in arrangement – for me though, that’s part of the charm.
However the real difference between the bands' and their respective creations can be gleaned from the following anecdote...
Guitarist Mick Box wasn’t getting the feel or inspiration he wanted for his big solo moment on Salisbury, so retired to the local pub for a couple of pints and upon return asked for the lights to be dimmed, cranked the Marshall stack and wah-wah pedal to full, and nailed it in one take.
Sounds like a rock-myth, but Box swears this is how it occurred, the band has never contradicted the story, and Engineer Peter Gallen has also recalled the incident.
Compare that to the earlier story of the eternity that was taken over the lyrics for Pirates - a song that probably took as long to write and record as Heep took to do the entire Salisbury album. Gotta love 'em both.
Track 5 - Just One Victory (live version/s) - Utopia
“We've been waiting so long, we’ve been waiting...so long
We've been waiting for the sun to rise and shine, shining still, to give us the will”
It may be the land of Utopia, but we are in fact back with Todd Rundgren, as this was the closing statement on his seminal and critically acclaimed 1973 work ‘A Wizard, A True Star’.
Arguably more message than musical, it became a live staple of ‘Todd Rundgren’s Utopia’ by the next year, and the official live version as presented here is from the 1975 ‘Another Live’ album.
It became the Utopian (fans) ‘National Anthem’, and by the time the band were streamlined to a democratic four-piece rock band in 1976 it had taken on a life of its own, adored by the fans who took the message to heart and sang their voices and lungs out on the Utopia tours up until the bands demise in 1985.
A song of hope, a song of comradeship, a song for all those looking for ‘just one victory’, and a song that in retrospect (particularly the live renditions circa 1976-85) is personally only beaten by the song that will follow.
My favourite version of this song is however is a rendition from 1985 in Milwaukee, and is also particularly poignant for Utopia fans as it was recorded towards the end of their final tour. Although I have many versions of this song, it's that Milwaukee performance that hits the spot. There’s another reason, but that will be revealed towards the end of this six-song summary.
With JOV seemingly a thing of the past live (it was not performed on Utopia’s reunion tour of 1992), it was a highlight moment for the audiences of Todd Rundgren’s 2004 live shows (I was at the London concert) when JOV, after nearly twenty years retirement, was performed again to close the shows, including obligatory ‘burn out’ guitar solo (Todd would go on to reinstate it in the set lists of later tours).
There was an extraordinary vibe during JOV at that London concert, and quite a sight to see fans of all ages (particularly the ‘veterans’), singing, grinning, and hugging like loons, still in search of Just One Victory.
“Hold that line, baby hold that line - get up boys, and hit ‘em one more time
We may be losing now but we can’t stop trying,
So hold that line, baby hold that line”
Not a dry eye in the house, as they say.
Track 6 - Dedication - Pat Travers (1977)
We've been waiting for the sun to rise and shine, shining still, to give us the will”
It may be the land of Utopia, but we are in fact back with Todd Rundgren, as this was the closing statement on his seminal and critically acclaimed 1973 work ‘A Wizard, A True Star’.
Arguably more message than musical, it became a live staple of ‘Todd Rundgren’s Utopia’ by the next year, and the official live version as presented here is from the 1975 ‘Another Live’ album.
It became the Utopian (fans) ‘National Anthem’, and by the time the band were streamlined to a democratic four-piece rock band in 1976 it had taken on a life of its own, adored by the fans who took the message to heart and sang their voices and lungs out on the Utopia tours up until the bands demise in 1985.
A song of hope, a song of comradeship, a song for all those looking for ‘just one victory’, and a song that in retrospect (particularly the live renditions circa 1976-85) is personally only beaten by the song that will follow.
My favourite version of this song is however is a rendition from 1985 in Milwaukee, and is also particularly poignant for Utopia fans as it was recorded towards the end of their final tour. Although I have many versions of this song, it's that Milwaukee performance that hits the spot. There’s another reason, but that will be revealed towards the end of this six-song summary.
With JOV seemingly a thing of the past live (it was not performed on Utopia’s reunion tour of 1992), it was a highlight moment for the audiences of Todd Rundgren’s 2004 live shows (I was at the London concert) when JOV, after nearly twenty years retirement, was performed again to close the shows, including obligatory ‘burn out’ guitar solo (Todd would go on to reinstate it in the set lists of later tours).
There was an extraordinary vibe during JOV at that London concert, and quite a sight to see fans of all ages (particularly the ‘veterans’), singing, grinning, and hugging like loons, still in search of Just One Victory.
“Hold that line, baby hold that line - get up boys, and hit ‘em one more time
We may be losing now but we can’t stop trying,
So hold that line, baby hold that line”
Not a dry eye in the house, as they say.
Track 6 - Dedication - Pat Travers (1977)
“And this one’s dedicated to the people who…
Who help you make a stand, who help you make it through”
My favourite piece of music of all time, and always will be.
Doesn’t need too much summary as it’s self-explanatory lyrically, but what it isn't is the style usually associated with the rock and blues of Patrick Henry Travers.
This eight-minute piece starts life as an extensive instrumental section before going into a more traditional ‘rock ballad’ piece and, lyrically, it’s the very words I would write, and indeed do express, when discussing one of the most important things to me in life - friendship, trust, and the bond that can be struck between people who may be next door neighbours or at opposite ends of the world.
The people who can be relied upon to ‘be there’ when called upon.
I wouldn’t have to change one single line, or one word, from the lyrics.
Musically, the opening section is a jazz-esque groove with a big Hammond Organ sound swirling up front, before the second half of the song featuring the lyric settles in. The latter half of the song also includes a saxophone solo. Perfect.
In a bizarre set of circumstances it actually took twenty seven years for me to finally get a chance to say thanks to PT for that song when I had the opportunity to spend some time with him after a gig in 2004, and it was one of those ridiculously comfortable exchanges where it was evident that this was two guys talking, as opposed to ‘ingratiating fan’ and ‘rock star’ (neither of us can play those respective roles I’m pleased to say).
The song itself was simply a studio number, conceived for the ‘Puttin’ it Straight’ sessions and inspired by a good friend of Pat’s who had helped him back in 1975 when he received his first publishing deal (before he had written as much as one song). The song itself then morphed into a statement seemingly aimed towards one person, but reaching to all of a like mind.
"...Teach yourself to be a kind person, when a friend is really down,
You can send them back up to the top...now I hope you understand..."
Having shot the breeze on many a subject and confused those around us backstage by singing a Todd Rundgren song or two (another connection, and Pat has performed with Todd), it was only well after the event that it was brought to my attention that something many would see as quite a ‘coincidence’ was actually, to my mind, not even a surprise - we share the same birth date, April 12th.
And to complete the musical links, the 1985 live version of Just One Victory (as summarised earlier) that is far and away my favourite recording of the song?
Turns out it was performed on April 12th.
I didn’t know that at the time, either.
"And everybody, everybody, understand me now?"
Now stop reading this drivel, and go listen to some of your favourite music...
Ross Muir
April 12th (of course) 2010
(updated & expanded from the original 1990 text document)
Who help you make a stand, who help you make it through”
My favourite piece of music of all time, and always will be.
Doesn’t need too much summary as it’s self-explanatory lyrically, but what it isn't is the style usually associated with the rock and blues of Patrick Henry Travers.
This eight-minute piece starts life as an extensive instrumental section before going into a more traditional ‘rock ballad’ piece and, lyrically, it’s the very words I would write, and indeed do express, when discussing one of the most important things to me in life - friendship, trust, and the bond that can be struck between people who may be next door neighbours or at opposite ends of the world.
The people who can be relied upon to ‘be there’ when called upon.
I wouldn’t have to change one single line, or one word, from the lyrics.
Musically, the opening section is a jazz-esque groove with a big Hammond Organ sound swirling up front, before the second half of the song featuring the lyric settles in. The latter half of the song also includes a saxophone solo. Perfect.
In a bizarre set of circumstances it actually took twenty seven years for me to finally get a chance to say thanks to PT for that song when I had the opportunity to spend some time with him after a gig in 2004, and it was one of those ridiculously comfortable exchanges where it was evident that this was two guys talking, as opposed to ‘ingratiating fan’ and ‘rock star’ (neither of us can play those respective roles I’m pleased to say).
The song itself was simply a studio number, conceived for the ‘Puttin’ it Straight’ sessions and inspired by a good friend of Pat’s who had helped him back in 1975 when he received his first publishing deal (before he had written as much as one song). The song itself then morphed into a statement seemingly aimed towards one person, but reaching to all of a like mind.
"...Teach yourself to be a kind person, when a friend is really down,
You can send them back up to the top...now I hope you understand..."
Having shot the breeze on many a subject and confused those around us backstage by singing a Todd Rundgren song or two (another connection, and Pat has performed with Todd), it was only well after the event that it was brought to my attention that something many would see as quite a ‘coincidence’ was actually, to my mind, not even a surprise - we share the same birth date, April 12th.
And to complete the musical links, the 1985 live version of Just One Victory (as summarised earlier) that is far and away my favourite recording of the song?
Turns out it was performed on April 12th.
I didn’t know that at the time, either.
"And everybody, everybody, understand me now?"
Now stop reading this drivel, and go listen to some of your favourite music...
Ross Muir
April 12th (of course) 2010
(updated & expanded from the original 1990 text document)