Author: chimesfreedom

Editor-in-chief, New York.

World Series Songs: San Francisco Bay Blues

San Francisco Giants hat In honor of a big win by the San Francisco Giants, in this year’s edition of World Series Songs featuring songs related to the championship team’s name or locale, we get the opportunity to look at the timeless song “San Francisco Bay Blues.” Also, check out our past Super Bowl Songs.

“San Francisco Bay Blues” was written by Jesse Fuller in 1954. Fuller was a type of musician we do not see much of anymore, the one-person band. While it is true today one might find a one-person band using computers and electronics, there was a time before that when a musician would play multiple instruments all at once. I have been lucky a few times to find a one-person band playing at a street fair and found the performances very entertaining. It has been a long while since I have encountered such a performer, making me wonder if these musicians are a thing of the past. But I guess they are still around, and they also have taken on different forms with the advent of technology.

Jesse Fuller was born in Georgia in 1896 and passed away in 1976 in Oakland, California. After working for a railroad and in a shipyard, he turned to music, playing around the San Francisco bay area where he lived. His most-famous song, “San Francisco Bay Blues” immortalizes his stomping ground as the singer tells about his “best girl” who no longer loves him. In the video below, watch Fuller and his one-man band perform “San Francisco Bay Blues” in 1968.

“San Francisco Bay Blues” has been covered by a number of artists, ensuring its lasting fame. Eric Clapton performed the song on MTV Unplugged in 1992 during the taping in England. The live album earned six Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.

Another performer who helped make the song familiar to us is Ramblin’ Jack Elliott. Below is one of his performances of the song.

Finally, one knows one wrote a great song when one of the greatest songwriters of the century decides to cover your song. Here is Paul McCartney singing “San Francisco Bay Blues.”

In the song, the singer wonders about the woman returning and creating a “brand new day.” For those whose teams did not make the playoffs, we will have to wait until spring for our brand new day. And that’s the story behind the song.

What is your favorite song about San Francisco? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    In case you missed it on Conan, our funny video of the week is Triumph the Insult Comic Dog’s appearance at the final presidential debate in Florida. Check it out.


    What’s your favorite part of the video? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    World Series Songs: “One Piece at a Time”

    Detroit Tigers hat The success of the Detroit Tigers in making it to the World Series gives us several options for this year’s edition of World Series Songs featuring songs related to the championship team’s name or locale. There are several famous songs with Detroit in their title, such as “Detroit Rock City” by Kiss. Other songs mention the city, like Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” (“Just a small town boy, livin’ in South Detroit”). For today’s feature, we go with another song set in Detroit about the city’s most famous industry: “One Piece at a Time,” made famous by Johnny Cash’s 1976 recording.

    In “One Piece at a Time,” the singer tells us he left Kentucky in 1949 “An’ went to Detroit workin’ on an assembly line.” The product, of course, is cars, and since the worker is making Cadillac cars, we know that the employer is General Motors. Realizing that he could never afford the cars he was making, the singer decides to take parts home “one piece at a time” in his lunchbox and a friend’s motor home to assemble his own car. Eventually he begins assembling his car from the stolen parts, realizing that all of the pieces are from different models. But he perseveres and assembles his odd car (“Well, it’s a ’49, ’50, ’51, ’52, ’53, ’54, ’55, ’56 ’57, ’58’ 59′ automobile. It’s a ’60, ’61, ’62, ’63, ’64, ’65, ’66, ’67 ’68, ’69, ’70 automobile”).

    “One Piece at a Time,” which was Johnny Cash’s last number one song on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, was written by performer and songwriter Wayne Kemp. Kemp’s other songs include “I’m The Only Hell (My Mama Ever Raised)” and “Love Bug.” But his “One Piece at a Time” may be the only song that has inspired a new type of car.

    Although it is not unusual, Detroit Tigers owner Mike Ilitch put together the 2012 team from different sources, keeping some players, getting some players in trades, getting some through free agency, etc. For example, in the winter he signed Prince Fielder to a nine-year, $214-million contract. You might say the Tigers were put together one piece at a time. And while you may be surprised to see them in the World Series, the combination of the random pieces may be enough to take them down the road to the world championship.

    What is your favorite song about Detroit? Leave your two cents in the comments. Also, check out our past Super Bowl Songs.

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    Don’t Forget Who’s Taking You Home

    You can dance every dance with the guy
    Who gives you the eye, let him hold you tight;
    . . .
    But don’t forget who’s taking you home,
    And in whose arms you’re gonna be;
    So darlin’, save the last dance for me.
    — Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman, “Save the Last Dance for Me”

    CBS Sunday Morning recently featured a story about divorce attorney Raoul Felder, which surprisingly revealed a touching story about the co-writer of the song, “Save the Last Dance for Me.” The song became a number one recording by The Drifters with Ben E. King on October 17, 1960.  Later, it would be covered by others, including Michael Bublé and Dolly Parton.

    Doc Pomus

    Doc Pomus

    Raoul Felder’s brother was Jerome Solon Felder, who became better known as a songwriter under the name Doc Pomus. Pomus, who was born in 1925, developed polio when he was 7 years old so had to walk on crutches and later rely on a wheelchair. Starting in the 1950s, Pomus wrote several hit songs with pianist Mort Shuman.

    Pomus’s Wedding

    Pomus wrote the lyrics to “Save the Last Dance for Me” as he looked back on the day he married Broadway actress and dancer Willi Burke in 1957.  The song recounts a memory from their wedding reception at the Waldorf Astoria.

    The wheelchair-bound Pomus wrote the from the bittersweet perspective of a man who cannot dance with his new bride, so he can only look on as she dances with other men. But he reminds her that they are going home together at the end of the night.

    Someone today may try to say the song sounds a little sexist.  But the story behind the song gives it a deeper context. Also, some different sources disagree slightly on whether Pomus wrote “Save the Last Dance” on the wedding day, looking back on that day, or after another dance. But the most reliable ones connect it to the wedding reception. And all agree that the song was influenced by a real event as Pomus watched other men dance with the woman he loved.

    Ben E. King’s Emotional Recording

    A related story may explain the great vocal by Ben E. King on the song. As The Drifters prepared to record “Save the Last Dance for Me,” Atlantic owner Ahmet Ertegun told King how Pomus came to write the song.

    After hearing the story, King fought back tears as he prepared to lay down his vocals on the song.  And then he gave one of his most moving performances that captures the joy and sadness in the lyrics. (Hear an interview with King about the song on WNYC.)

    Below is the wonderful recording of “Save the Last Dance for Me” by Ben E. King and The Drifters.

    Life After “Save the Last Dance for Me”

    Pomus and Shuman wrote several other classics, although it is hard to imagine one as personal as “Save the Last Dance for Me.” The team’s hits include “A Teenager in Love,” “This Magic Moment,” “Turn Me Loose,” “Little Sister,” “Surrender,” “Viva, Las Vegas,” and “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame.”

    Pomus also wrote songs with Phil Spector, Dr. John, Willy DeVille, and others. Others, like Bob Dylan and Pomus’s friend Lou Reed, wanted to write with Pomus.

    I could not find any details, but it appears it was not true that the singer in the song “Never, never” let the dancer go.  Unfortunately, Pomus’s marriage to Burke did not last. Although it is too bad for them, the rest of us got a great song from the relationship.

    Pomus died of cancer in 1991. In 1992, Pomus was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

    And that is the story behind the song.

    What is your favorite Doc Pomus song? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    More Online Timekillers IV: Abbey Road Edition

    Chimesfreedom's Pocket Watch

    We return to our periodic “Online Time Killers” feature of providing links to websites to occupy your time so you do not get any work done. Today’s online time killers feature a Beatles-related webcam and a fun game. Check them out.

    Abbey Road Beatles (1) Watch the Abbey Road webcam, which features the famous street crossing from the cover of the Beatles Abbey Road album. If you are lucky, you will catch some people trying to recreate the famous photo. From my time looking at the webcam, it appears that happens quite often.

    (2) In the Impasse online puzzle, you have to navigate the plus sign (+) to the check mark using your arrow keys. Once you see how it works, it seems easy at first, but the screens get more complicated and you have to figure out new ways to achieve your goal, such as realizing you can go off screen. Check it out.

    How far did you get in Impasse? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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