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The Yardbirds: The Very Best of the Yardbirds

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Music Club Intl.
Released: 1991.07.28
Time:
 70:36
Category: Pop/Rock
Producer(s): See Artists ...
Rating: ********.. (8/10)
Media type: CD
Web address: www.theyardbirds.com
Appears with: Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page
Purchase date: 2001.11.06
Price in €: 6,99



 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] For Your Love (G.Gouldman) - 2:29
[2] Heart Full Of Soul (G.Gouldman) - 2:28
[3] Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (Demaris) - 2:46
[4] Still I'm Sad (McCarthy/Samwell) - 2:57
[5] Evil Hearted You (G.Gouldman) - 2:24
[6] Certain Girl (Neville) - 2:19
[7] Jeff's Blues (J.Beck) - 3:05
[8] I Wish You Would (Arnold) - 2:22
[9] New York City (K.Relf/Ch.Dreja) - 4:20
[10] I'm Not Talking (Trad. arr.Brown/Treadway) - 2:34
[11] You're A Better Man Than (B.Hugg/M.Hugg) - 2:26
[12] Shapes Of Things (Relf/Samwell/McCarthy) - 2:26
[13] I'm A Man (E.McDaniels) - 2:37
[14] Boom Boom (J.L.Hooker) - 2:29
[15] Smokestack Lightnin' (Ch.Burnett) - 6:53
[16] Let It Rock [Live] (Ch.Berry) - 2:21
[17] You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover (W.Dixon) - 3:00
[18] Who Do You Love [Live] (E.McDaniels) - 4:12
[19] Too Much Monkey Business [Live] (Ch.Berry) - 3:52
[20] Respectable [Live] (Isley/Isley/Isley) - 5:37
[21] Pretty Girl [Live] (E.Clapton) - 3:13
[22] Stroll On (K.Relf/J.Beck/J.Page/Ch.Dreja/J.McCarty) - 2:44

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


JEFF BECK - Lead Guitar on [4],[5],[7],[9]-[13],
JIMMY PAGE - Vocals on [22]
JIM MCCARTY - Drums
ERIC "Slowhand" CLAPTON - Lead Guitar, Vocals on [1],[2],[6],[8],[14]-[21]
CHRIS DREJA - Rhythm Guitar
KEITH RELF - Vocals
PAUL SAMWELL-SMITH - Bass
ANTHONY "Top" TOPHAM - Lead Guitar

KEN KESSLER - Liner Notes

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


2000 CD Music Club International 23



The Yardbirds are mostly known to the casual rock fan as the starting point for three of the greatest British rock guitarists — Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page. Undoubtedly these three figures did much to shape the group's sound, but throughout their career, the Yardbirds were very much a unit, albeit a rather unstable one. And they were truly one of the great rock bands — one whose contributions went far beyond the scope of their half dozen or so mid-'60s hits ("For Your Love," "Heart Full of Soul," "Shapes of Things," "I'm a Man," "Over Under Sideways Down," "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago"). Not content to limit themselves to the R&B and blues covers they concentrated upon initially, they quickly branched out into moody, increasingly experimental pop/rock. The innnovations of Clapton, Beck, and Page redefined the role of the guitar in rock music, breaking immense ground in the use of feedback, distortion, and amplification with finesse and breathtaking virtuosity. With the arguable exception of the Byrds, they did more than any other outfit to pioneer psychedelia, with an eclectic, risk-taking approach that laid the groundwork for much of the hard rock and progressive rock from the late '60s to the present.

No one could have predicted the band's metamorphosis from their humble beginnings in the early '60s in the London suburbs as the Metropolis Blues Quartet. By 1963, they were calling themselves the Yardbirds, with a lineup featuring Keith Relf (vocals), Paul Samwell-Smith (bass), Chris Dreja (rhythm guitar), Jim McCarty (drums), and Anthony "Top" Topham (lead guitar). The 16-year-old Topham was only to last for a very short time, pressured to leave by his family. His replacement was an art-college classmate of Relf's, Eric Clapton, nicknamed "Slowhand."

The Yardbirds quickly made a name for themselves in London's rapidly exploding R&B circuit, taking over the Rolling Stones' residency at the famed Crawdaddy club. The band took a similar guitar-based, frenetic approach to classic blues/R&B as the Stones, and for their first few years they were managed by Giorgio Gomelsky, a colorful figure who had acted as a mentor and infomal manager for the Rolling Stones in that band's early days.

The Yardbirds made their first recordings as a backup band for Chicago blues great Sonny Boy Williamson, and little of their future greatness is evident in these sides, in which they were still developing their basic chops. (Some tapes of these live shows were issued after the group had become international stars; the material has been reissued ad infinitum since then.) But they really didn't find their footing until 1964, when they stretched out from straight R&B rehash into extended, frantic guitar-harmonica instrumental passages. Calling these ad hoc jams "rave ups," the Yardbirds were basically making the blues their own by applying a fiercer, heavily amplified electric base. Taking some cues from improvisational jazz by inserting their own impassioned solos, they would turn their source material inside out and sideways, heightening the restless tension by building the tempo and heated exchange of instrumental riffs to a feverish climax, adroitly cooling off and switching to a lower gear just at the point where the energy seemed uncontrollable. The live 1964 album Five Live Yardbirds is the best document of their early years, consisting entirely of reckless interpretations of U.S. R&B/blues numbers, and displaying the increasing confidence and imagination of Clapton's guitar work.

As much they might have preferred to stay close to the American blues and R&B that had inspired them (at least at first), the Yardbirds made efforts to crack the pop market from the beginning. A couple of fine studio singles of R&B covers were recorded with Clapton that gave the band's sound a slight polish without sacrificing its power. The commercial impact was modest in the U.K. and non-existent in the States, however, and the group decided to change direction radically on their third single. Turning away from their blues roots entirely, "For Your Love" was penned by British pop/rock songwriter Graham Gouldman, and introduced many of the traits that would characterize the Yardbirds' work over the next two years. The melodies were strange (by pop standards) combinations of minor chords; the tempos slowed, speeded up, or ground to a halt unpredictably; the harmonies were droning, almost Gregorian; the arrangements were, by the standards of the time, downright weird, though retaining enough pop appeal to generate chart action. "For Your Love" featured a harpsichord, bongos, and a menacing Keith Relf vocal; it would reach number two in Britain, and number six in the States.

For all its brilliance, "For Your Love" precipitated a major crisis in the band. Eric Clapton wanted to stick close to the blues, and for that matter didn't like "For Your Love," barely playing on the record. Shortly afterwards, around the beginning of 1965, he left the band, opting to join John Mayall's Bluesbreakers a bit later in order to keep playing blues guitar. Clapton's spot was first offered to Jimmy Page, then one of the hottest session players in Britain; Page turned it down, figuring he could make a lot more money by staying where he was. He did, however, recommend another guitarist, Jeff Beck, then playing with an obscure band called the Tridents, as well as having worked a few sessions himself.

While Beck's stint with the band lasted only about 18 months, in this period he did more to influence the sound of '60s rock guitar than anyone except Jimi Hendrix. Clapton saw the group's decision to record adventurous pop like "For Your Love" as a sellout of their purist blues ethic. Beck, on the other hand, saw such material as a challenge that offered room for unprecedented experimentation. Not that he wasn't a capable R&B player as well — on tracks like "The Train Kept A-Rollin'" and "I'm Not Talking," he coaxed a sinister sustain from his instrument by bending the notes and using fuzz and other types of distorted amplification.The Middle Eastern influence extended to his work on all of their material, including his first single with the band, "Heart Full of Soul," which (like "For Your Love") was written by Gouldman. After initial attempts to record the song with a sitar had failed, Beck saved the day by emulating the instrument's exotic twang with fuzz riffs of his own. It became their second Transatlantic Top Ten hit; the similar "Evil-Hearted You," again penned by Gouldman, gave them another big British hit later in 1965.

The chief criticism that could be levied against the band at this point was their shortage of quality original material, a gap addressed by "Still I'm Sad," a haunting group composition based around a Gregorian chant and Beck's sinewy, wicked guitar riffs. In the United States, it was coupled with "I'm a Man," a rehaul of the Bo Diddley classic that built to an almost avant-garde climax, Beck scraping the strings of the guitar for a purely percussive effect; it became a Top 20 hit in the United States in early 1966. Beck's guitar pyrotechnics came to fruition with "Shapes of Things," which (along with the Byrds' "Eight Miles High") can justifiably be classified as the first psychedelic rock classic. The group had already moved into social comment with a superb album track, "Mr. You're a Better Man than I"; on "Shapes of Things" they did so more succinctly, with Beck's explosively warped solo and feedback propelling the single near the U.S. Top Ten. At this point the group were as innovative as any in rock & roll, building their résumé with the similar hit follow-up to "Shapes of Things," "Over Under Sideways Down."

But the Yardbirds could not claim to be nearly as consistent as peers like the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Kinks. 1966's Roger the Engineer was their first (and, in fact, only) studio album comprised entirely of original material, and highlighted the group's erratic quality, bouncing between derivative blues rockers and numbers incorporating monks-of-doom chants, Oriental dance rhythms, and good old guitar raveups, sometimes in the same track. Its highlights, however, were truly thrilling; even when the experiments weren't wholly successful, they served as proof that the band were second to none in their appetite for taking risks previously unheard of within rock.

Yet at the same time, the group's cohesiveness began to unravel when bassist Samwell-Smith — who had shouldered most of the production responsibilities as well — left the band in mid-1966. Jimmy Page, by this time fed up with session work, eagerly joined on bass. It quickly became apparent that Page had more to offer, and the group unexpectedly reorganized, Dreja switching from rhythm guitar to bass, and Page assuming dual lead guitar duties with Beck.

It was a dream lineup that was, like the best dreams, too good to be true, or at least to last long. Only one single was recorded with the Beck/Page lineup, "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago," which — with its astral guitar leads, muffled explosions, eerie harmonies, and enigmatic lyrics — was psychedelia at its pinnacle. But not at its most commercial — in comparison with previous Yardbirds singles, it fared poorly on the charts, reaching only number 30 in the States. Around this time, the group (Page and Beck in tow) made a memorable appearance in Michaelangelo Antonioni's film classic Blow Up, playing a reworked version of "The Train Kept-A-Rollin'" (retitled "Stroll On"). But in late 1966, Beck — who had become increasingly unreliable, not turning up for some shows and suffering from nervous exhaustion — left the band, emerging the following year as the leader of the Jeff Beck Group.

The remaining Yardbirds were determined to continue as a quartet, but in hindsight it was Beck's departure that began to burn out a band that had already survived the loss of a couple important original members. Also to blame was their mysterious failure to summon original material on the order of their classic 1965-66 tracks. More to blame than anyone, however, was Mickey Most (Donovan, Herman's Hermits, Lulu, the Animals), who assumed the producer's chair in 1967, and matched the group with inappopriately lightweight pop tunes. The band's unbridled experimentalism would simmer in isolated moments on some B-sides and album tracks, like "Puzzles," the psychedelic U.F.O. instrumental "Glimpses," and the acoustic "White Summer," which would serve as a blueprint for Page's acoustic excursions with Led Zeppelin. "Little Games," "Ha Ha Said the Clown," and "Ten Little Indians" were all low-charting singles for the group in 1967, but were travesties compared to the magnificence of their previous hits, trading in fury and invention for sappy singalong pop. The 1967 Little Games album (issued in the U.S. only) was little better, suffering from both hasty, anemic production and weak material.

The Yardbirds continued to be an exciting concert act, concentrating most of their energies upon the United States, having been virtually left for dead in their native Britain. The B-side of their final single, the Page-penned "Think About It," was the best track of the entire Jimmy Page era, showing they were still capable of delivering intriguing, energic psychedelia. It was too little too late — the group were truly on the wane by 1968, as an artistic rift developed within the ranks. To overgeneralize somewhat, Relf and McCarty wanted to pursue more acoustic, melodic music; Page especially wanted to rock hard and loud. A live album was recorded in New York in early 1968, but scrapped; overdubbed with unbelievably cheesy crowd noises, it was briefly released in 1971 after Page had become a superstar in Led Zeppelin, but was withdrawn in a matter of days (it has since been heavily bootlegged). By this time the group was going through the motions, leaving Page holding the bag after a final show in mid-1968. Relf and McCarty formed the first incarnation of Renaissance. Page fulfilled existing contracts by assembling a "New Yardbirds" that, as many know, would soon change their name to Led Zeppelin.

It took years for the rock community to truly comprehend the Yardbirds' significance; younger listeners were led to the recordings in search of the roots of Clapton, Beck, and Page, each of whom had become a superstar by the end of the 1960s. Their wonderful catalog, however, has been subject to more exploitation than any other group of the '60s; dozens, if not hundreds, of cheesy packages of early material are generated throughout the world on a seemingly monthly basis. Fortunately, the best of the reissues cited below (on Rhino, Sony, Edsel and EMI) are packaged with great intelligence, enabling both collectors and new listeners to acquire all of their classic output with a minimum of fuss and repetition.

Richie Unterberger - All Music Guide
© 1992 - 2001 AEC One Stop Group, Inc.



A LESS COMMERCIAL YARDBIRDS WITH ERIC CLAPTON

This is probably a less commercial Yardbirds collection of tracks from their early years. Although most of it concentrates on the Eric Clapton years but it also features a few tracks from Beck and one from Page.

Despite it's less commercial look and sound, there are some decent songs on this album including FOR YOUR LOVE, HEART FULL OF SOUL, STILL I'M SAD, I'M NOT TALKING, BOOM BOOM, I'M A MAN AND MISTER YOU'RE A BETTER MAN THAN I just to name a few. There are also some live tracks recorded with Clapton such as RESPECTABLE, PRETTY GIRL and SMOKE STACK LIGHTNING.

Overall this is classic Yardbirds and it is worth it if you are a fan. Although this was my first Yardbirds album I found it too less commercial and the sound quality is not even close to perfect for a cd. Still some great songs and awesome playing just bad recording. Still highly reccommended for a Yardbirds fan.

Jared Insell from the 1960's, March 17, 2001
 

 L y r i c s


FOR YOUR LOVE

For your love.
For your love.
For your love.
I'd give you everything and more, and that's for sure.
For your love.
I'd bring you diamond rings and things right to your door.
For your love.

To thrill you with delight,
I'll give you diamonds bright.
There'll be things that will excite,
To make you dream of me at night.

For your love.
For your love.
For your love.

For your love, for your love,
I would give the stars above.
For your love, for your love,
I would give you all I could.

For your love.
For your love.
For your love.
I'd give the moon if it were mine to give.
For your love.
I'd give the stars and the sun 'fore I live.
For your love.

To thrill you with delight,
I'll give you diamonds bright.
There'll be things that will excite,
To make you dream of me at night.

For your love.
For your love.
For your love.
For your love.


HEART FULL OF SOUL

Sick at heart and lonely,
deep in dark despair.
Thinking one thought only
where is she tell me where.
And if she says to you
she don't love me
just give her my message
tell her of my plea

And I know if she had me back again
well I would never make her sad.
I've gotta heart full of soul.

She's been gone such a long time
longer than I can bear
but if she says she wants me
tell her that I'll be there
And if she says to you
she don't love me
just give her my message
tell her of my plea.


GOOD MORNING LITTLE SCHOOLGIRL

Good morning, little schoolgirl.
Good morning, little schoolgirl.
Can I go home with you?
Won't you let me go home with you,
So I can hug, hug, squeeze, squeeze?
If you let me I can tease you baby.
Hey, hey hey hey. Hey hey hey hey. Hey, yeah.

Let's dance, little schoolgirl.
Let's dance, little schoolgirl.
Won't you let me take you to the hop, hop,
Have a party at the soda shop,
So we can do the twist, do the stroll
To the music of the rock 'n' roll.
Hey, hey hey hey. Hey hey hey hey. Hey, yeah.

(First Verse)

Good morning, little schoolgirl.
Good morning, little schoolgirl.
Can I go home with you?
Won't you let me go home with you?
Tell your mama and your papa that I love you.
Tell your sisters and your brother that I love you.
Hey, hey hey hey. Hey, hey hey hey.
Hey, hey hey hey. Hey, hey hey hey.


STILL I'M SAD

See the stars come falling down from the sky,
Gently passing, they kiss your tears when you cry.
See the wind come softly blow your hair from your face,
See the rain hide away in disgrace.

Still I'm sad.

For myself my tears just fall into dust,
Day will dry them, night will find they are lost.
Now I find the wind is blowing time into my heart,
Let the rain fall, for we are apart.

How I'm sad,
How I'm sad,
Oh, how I'm sad.


EVIL HEARTED YOU

Evil hearted you.
You always try to put me down,
With the things you do,
And words,
You spread around against me.

Evil hearted you.
You kept,
Kidding me along,
With your phoney smile,
And with,
Your siren song smiling, beguiling,
You lead me on 'til all hope's gone,
Persuading, degrading,
On my knees I try to please.

But I love you,
Just the same,
And I want you,
To remain,
By my side,
And you'll see,
Just how much you,
Mean to me.

Evil hearted you.
You always try to put me down,
With the things you do,
And words,
You spread around against me,
About me.
What would you,
Do without me?
Smiling, beguiling,
You lead me on 'til all hope has gone.


A CERTAIN GIRL

There's a certain girl I've been in love with a long, long time.
(What's her name?) I can't tell you. (No!)
I can't reveal her name until I've got her.
(What's her name?) I can't tell you. (No!)
Well, I've tried to get her time and time again.
We just end up as nothing but friends.
And there's a certain girl I've been in love with a long, long time.
(What's her name?) I can't tell you. (No!)

Well, there's a certain chick I've been sweet on since I met her.
(What's her name?) I can't tell you. (No!)
I can't repeat her name until I get her.
(What's her name?) I can't tell you. (No!)
Well one day, I'm gonna wake up and say,
"I'll do anything just to be your slave."
And there's a certain girl I've been in love with a long, long time.
(What's her name?) I can't tell you. (No!)

Well, I've tried to get her time and time again.
We just end up as nothing but friends.
And there's a certain girl I've been in love with a long, long time.
(What's her name?) I can't tell you. (No!)

There's a certain chick I've been sweet on since I found her.
(What's her name?) I can't tell you. (No!)
I can't reveal her name until I get her.
(What's her name?) I can't tell you. (No!)
Well now one day, get her time and time again.
We just end up as nothing but friends.
And there's a certain girl I've been in love with a long, long time.
(What's her name?) I can't tell you. (No!)

I can't tell you. (No!)
I can't tell you. (No!)
I can't tell you.


JEFF'S BLUES

Instrumental


I WISH YOU WOULD

Early in the morning, 'bout the break of day,
That's when my baby went away.
Come back, baby, I wish you would,
Try and love me, you won't do no good.

Walking and a-kissing late at night;
I tell you now baby, I feel just right.
Come now baby, whatcha trying to do?
Trying to love me and some other man, too.

Come now baby, give me one more chance.
You know I still love you, want to give you romance.
Yeah romance, all night long, in my arms, woah yeah.

(First Verse)

You know baby that I love you so.
You know, pretty baby, it hurts me to see you go.
Oh yeah, oh yeah.


NEW YORK CITY BLUES

If you've ever been to New York City,
You know what I'm talking about,
Yes you do.
Well, if you've ever been to New York City,
You know what I'm talking about,
They got such pretty little girls in that big town,
Make a man wanna jump around and shout.

I met a little girl there,
She was about five foot eight.
I said "I want you to love me."
She said "Why man, that'd be great."
So,
I got long hair but,
She took me back,
Back to see her pad,
But the first thing I saw when I arrived there,
Was a big black shiny shotgun,
In the hands of her dad.

Alright now, this is how it was,
Oh no!

Well alright!

I finally learned my lesson,
Such a long time ago,
Next little woman that I date,
I've got to know, I've got to know her family too.
Yes indeed, I gotta know her family too.
But if you don't want to be filled full of shotgun holes,
Mister, this song is just for you.


I'M NOT TALKING

I'm not talking,
Well that's all I got to say.
Used to think I knew it,
Man I sure outgrew it.
Things like idle chatter,
Ain't the things that matter,
That's one thing I can do without.

I'm not talking,
Well that's all I got to say.
Things I say at midnight,
I ain't gonna say 'em in daylight.
I reached the final conclusion,
And all this persecution,
Don't call me, baby, I'll call you.

I'm not talking,
Well that's all I got to say.
Things I say at midnight,
I ain't gonna say 'em in daylight.
I reached the final conclusion,
And all this persecution,
That's one thing I can do without.

I'm not talking,
Well that's all I got to say.
If I said things were awful,
It might just be unlawful.
If I said things were splendid,
You might just be offended.
That's one thing I can do without.


YOU'RE A BETTER MAN THAN I

Can you judge a man,
By the way he wears his hair?
Can you read his mind,
By the clothes that he wears?
Can you see a bad man,
By the pattern on his tie?

Well then, Mr, you're a better man than I,
Yeah, Mr, you're a better man than I,
Oh, Mr, you're a better man than I,
Yeah, Mr, you're a better man than I.

Could you tell a wise man,
By the way he speaks or spells?
Is this more important,
Than the stories that he tells?
And call a man a fool,
If for wealth he doesn't strive?

Well then, Mr, you're a better man than I,
Yeah, Mr, you're a better man than I,
Oh, Mr, you're a better man than I,
Yeah, Mr, you're a better man than I.

Can you condemn a man,
If you're faith he doesn't hold?
Say the colour of his skin,
Is the colour of his soul?
Could you say that men,
For king and country all must die?

Well, Mr, you're a better man than I,
Yeah, Mr, you're a better man than I,
Oh, Mr, you're a better man than I,
Yeah, Mr, you're a better man than I.


SHAPES OF THINGS

Shapes of things before my eyes,
Just teach me to despise.
Will time make men more wise?
Here within my lonely frame,
My eyes just hurt my brain.
But will it seem the same?

Come tomorrow, will I be older?
Come tomorrow, may be a soldier.
Come tomorrow, may I be bolder than today?

Now the trees are almost green.
But will they still be seen?
When time and tide have been.
Fall into your passing hands.
Please don't destroy these lands.
Don't make them desert sands.

Chorus, Lead.

Soon I hope that I will find,
Thoughts deep within my mind.
That won't disgrace my kind.


I'M A MAN

Now when I was a little boy,
At the age of five,
I had somethin' in my pocket,
Kept a lot of folks alive.
Now I'm a man,
I spell M-A-N...man.

All you pretty women,
Stand in line,
I can make love to you baby,
In an hour's time.
Now i'm a man
I spell M-A-N...man.

The line I shoot,
Will never miss,
Make love to you baby,
You can't resist.
Now I'm a man,
I spell M-A-N...man.

Goin back down,
To Kansas to,
Bring back a little girl,
Just like you.
Now I'm a man,
I spell M-A-N...man.

Now I'm a man,
Made twenty-one,
You know baby,
We can have a lot of fun.
I'm a man,
I spell M-A-N...man.


BOOM BOOM

Boom, boom, boom, boom.
I'm gonna shoot you right down,
Knock you off of your feet,
And take you home with me.
Put you in my house.
Boom, boom, boom, boom.

Boom, boom, boom, boom.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I love to see you strut
When you're walking to me.
When you're talking to me,
That knocks me out.

Boom, boom, boom, boom.
You know I like it like that,
With your baby-talk,
Oh and the way that you walk.
You know it knocks me right down,
Knocks me off of my feet.

Boom, boom, boom, boom.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Oh, oh, oh, oh.
How, how, how, how.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Now, now, now, now.


SMOKESTACK LIGHTNING

Yeah, smokestack lightning,
Don't you hear me callin'?
Don't you hear me callin'?

Tell me where did you go last night?
I gotta know who you been with.
Tell me where did you go last night?

Yeah, stop your train,
Let me go for a ride, pretty baby, you know,
Stop your train, I gotta ride with you.
Gotta ride with you,
Gotta ride with you.

Fare you well, goodbye, pretty baby,
Fare you well, goodbye, goodbye,
Never see you no more, pretty baby, goodbye,
Goodbye, goodbye,
Goodbye, goodbye,
Goodbye, goodbye.

Yeah, smokestack lightning,
Shining like gold,
Don't you hear me callin'?
Gotta stop your train, let me go for a ride,
Let me ride with you,
Stop your train and ride with you.


LET IT ROCK

In the evening of the day down in Mobile, Alabama,
Working on the railroad with the steel driving hammer.
Gotta get some money to buy some brand new shoes,
Gotta find somebody to lose these blues.
"She don't love me" hear me singing in the sun,
She better leave me 'til my work is all done.

In the evening of the day, when the sun is sinking low,
All day I been waiting for the whistle to blow.
Sitting in a teepee built out on the track,
Rolling bones 'til the foreman comes back.
Pick up you belongings boys and scatter about,
We've got an off-schedule train comin' two miles out.

Everybody's scrambling and running around,
Picking up their money, take the teepee down.
Foreman wants to panic, 'bout to go insane,
Trying to get the workers out the way of the train.
Engineer blown his whistle loud and long,
He can't stop the train, gotta let it roll on.


YOU CAN'T JUDGE A BOOK BY LOOKING AT THE COVER

You can't judge an apple by looking at the tree,
You can't judge honey by looking at the bee,
You can't judge a daughter by looking at the mother,
You can't judge a book by looking at the cover.

Oh can't you see,
Oh, well, you misjudge me.
I look like a farmer,
But I'm a lover,
Can't judge a book by looking at the cover.

Yeah, that's right,
That's so good.

You can't judge a fish by lookin' in the pond,
You can't judge right by looking at the wrong,
You can't judge one by looking at the other,
You can't judge a book by looking at the cover.

Oh can't you see,
Oh, well, you misjudge me.
I look like a farmer,
But I'm a Lover,
Can't judge a book by looking at the cover.

You can't judge sugar by looking at the cane,
You can't judge a woman by looking at her man,
You can't judge a sister by looking at her brother,
You can't judge a book by looking at the cover.

Oh can't you see,
Oh, well, you misjudge me.
I look like a farmer,
But I'm a lover,
Can't judge a book by looking at the cover.


WHO DO YOU LOVE

I walk 47 miles of barbed wire,
I use a cobra-snake for a necktie,
I got a brand new house by the roadside,
Made outta rattlesnake hide.
I got a brand new chimney made on top,
Made out of a human skull,
Come on take a little walk with me, baby,
And tell me, who do you love?

Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?

Got a tombstone hand and a graveyard mine,
Just 22 and I don't mind dying.

Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?

Goin' round this town, take a rattlesnake whip,
Come on baby, don't give me no lip,

Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?

Night was black, sky was blue,
Round the corner, ice-wagon flew,
Heard a bump, heard a scream,
You should have seen just what I seen.

Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?

My baby took me by the hand,
And said come on baby, I understand.

Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?

That's very nice!

Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?
Who do you love?


TOO MUCH MONKEY BUSINESS

Runnin' to-and-fro, hard workin' in the mill.
Never fail in the mail, yeah, come a rotten bill.
Too much monkey business,
Too much monkey business,
Too much monkey business,
For me to be involved in!

Salesman talkin' to me, tryin' to run me up a creek.
Says you can buy, go on try, you can pay me next week, ahh.
Too much monkey business,
Too much monkey business,
Too much monkey business,
For me to be involved in!

Blond hair, good looks, tryin' to get me hooked.
Want me to marry, get a home, settle down, write a book.
Too much monkey business,
Too much monkey business,
Too much monkey business,
For me to be involved in!

Every day, same thing, gettin' up, goin' to school.
No need for me to complain, my objection's overruled, ahh.
Too much monkey business,
Too much monkey business,
Too much monkey business,
For me to be involved in!

Telephone, something wrong, dime gone, will hold,
Oughtta sue the operator, for telling me a tale, ahh.
Too much monkey business,
Too much monkey business,
Too much monkey business,
For me to be involved in!

I been to Yokohama, been fightin' in the war.
Army bunk, army crew, army food, army car, aah.
Too much monkey business,
Too much monkey business,
Too much monkey business,
For me to be involved in!

Workin' in the fillin' station, too many tasks.
Wipe the windows, check the tyres, check the oil, a dollar gas.
Too much monkey business,
Too much monkey business,
Too much monkey business,
For me to be involved in!

Too much monkey business for me!


[SHE'S SO] RESPECTABLE

She's so respectable,
She's so respectable,
Tell me, what kind of girl is this?
- What kind of girl is this?
She's never ever been kissed.
- What kind of girl?
Rubbidy dub dub dub,
- What kind of girl is this?
She's never ever been in love,
- What kind of girl?
She's never been out in the moonlight,
Watching the stars above.

She's so respectable,
Tell me, what kind of girl is this?
- What kind of girl is this?
She's never ever been on a date.
- What kind of girl?
What kind of girl is this?
- What kind of girl is this?
She's never ever been on a date.
- What kind of girl?
Yes, I'm telling you people,
She's the kind of girl for me.

She's so respectable.

- Did you love her?
No, no, no, no, no, no!
- Did you hug her?
No, no, no, no, no, no!
- Did you squeeze her?
No, no, no, no, no, no!
- Did you kiss her?
No, no, no, no, no, no!

- What kind of girl is this?
The kind of girl you just can't resist.
- What kind of girl is this?
The kind of girl who's never been kissed.
Yeah, I'm telling you people,
She's the kind of girl for me.

- She's so respectable.
Wow!

She's so respectable,
She is so respectable,
Tell me, what kind of girl is this?
- What kind of girl is this?
She never, ever, ever been kissed.
- What kind of girl?
Rubbidy rub dub dub,
- What kind of girl is this?
She never ever been in love.
- What kind of girl?
She never been out in the moonlight,
Watching the stars above.

- She's so respectable,
Tell me, what kind of girl is this?
- What kind of girl is this?
She never ever been on a date.
- What kind of girl?
What kind of girl is this?
- What kind of girl is this?
She never ever been on a date.
- What kind of girl?
Yes I'm telling you people,
She the kind of girl for me.

She's so respectable.

- Did you love her?
No, no, no, no, no, no!
- Did you hug her?
No, no, no, no, no, no!
- Did you squeeze her?
No, no, no, no, no, no!
- Did you kiss her?
No, no, no, no, no, no!

- What kind of girl is this?
The kind of girl you just can't resist.
- What kind of girl is this?
The kind of girl who's never been kissed.
I'm going down on my knees,
She'll go out with me.

She's so respectable.

Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a big fall,
All the king's horses and all the king's men,
Couldn't put Humpty together again.

Tell me,
Tell me,
Tell me,
She's so respectable,
Tell me,
Please tell me,
...

She's the kind of girl for me.


PRETTY GIRL

Pretty girl,
Damn shame,
You let those ...
Come and take your hand.
Pretty baby,
Well, you know you're looking good,
...
They're gonna wreck this neighbourhood.
Pretty girl,
Better watch yourself,
Because these ... will leave you on the shelf,
Pretty baby,
Yeah, you know you're looking fine,
...
Pretty baby,
Pretty baby,
...
...
Pretty baby
Told you just what to do,
Pretty girl,
Better watch your back,
...
Pretty baby,
... real McCoy
... jump for joy
Pretty baby,
Pretty baby,
...
...
Pretty baby,
Pretty baby,
I told you just what to do,
Pretty girl,
Better watch yourself
Because ... will leave you on the shelf,
Pretty baby,
Yeah, you know you're looking fine,
...
...
Pretty girl,
You're looking good,
... will wreck this neighbourhood.
Pretty baby,
Ah, you know she's the real McCoy,
...
Got a ... jump for joy,
Pretty baby,
Pretty baby,
...
...
Pretty baby,
Pretty baby,
I told you just what to do,
Pretty girl,
Better watch your back
Because ...
...
Pretty baby
Yeah, you know she's the real McCoy.
...
... jump for joy


STROLL ON

Strollin' on,
'Cos it's all gone,
The reason why.
You made me cry,
By tellin' me,
You didn't see.
The future bore,
Our love no more.
If you want to know,
I love you so,
And I don't want to let you go.

I'm strollin' on,
Gonna make you see.
I'm strollin' on,
You'll find you really love me.
I'm strollin' on,
Be your turn to cry.
I'm strollin' on,
You wish you'd never lied.
You're going to change your mind,
But you ain't gonna find,
Any more of my kind.

I'm strollin' on,
'Cos it's all gone,
The reason why.
You made me cry,
By tellin' me,
You didn't see.
The future bore,
Our lovin' no more.
If you want to know,
I love you so,
I don't want to let you go.

I'm strollin' on,
Gonna make you see.
I'm strollin' on,
You'll find you really love me.
I'm strollin' on,
Be your turn to cry.
I'm strollin' on,
You wish you'd never lied.
You're going to change your mind,
But you ain't gonna find,
Any more of my kind.

 M P 3   S a m p l e s


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