|
Post by rick on Feb 19, 2012 5:34:32 GMT -5
Linda --
Mike Nesmith -- (with a nice shout-out at the end)
|
|
|
Post by erik on Feb 19, 2012 13:09:52 GMT -5
What is ironic, of course is that, because he is the heir to his mother's fortune (Liquid Paper, or "whiteout", is what she invented), Mike would never have had to work again; he does it out of love for what he was doing. And yes, a great down-home shout-out to Linda.
|
|
|
Post by sliderocker on Feb 20, 2012 3:16:42 GMT -5
What is ironic, of course is that, because he is the heir to his mother's fortune (Liquid Paper, or "whiteout", is what she invented), Mike would never have had to work again; he does it out of love for what he was doing. And yes, a great down-home shout-out to Linda. I don't know if he still collects royalties on bottles of Liquid Paper/Whiteout/Mistake Out (which, I believe is what his mother actually named the product) but around the time the video of Nesmith's performance of "Different Drum" was released originally in the 90s, he was being sued by PBS and the producers of their programming over the manufacture and distribution of the home video rights on their series. He had spent millions of his own money getting the PBS home videos into the stores. PBS wanted to break the contract with Nesmith's company Pacific Arts so that they could enter into a more profitable distribution deal with Turner Home Video. PBS had their show producers send cancellation notices to Pacific Arts, claiming unpaid royalties, resulting in Nesmith's company losing a fortune and causing the company to shutter its doors. Nesmith countersued and much to the surprise of PBS, won his case. A jury awarded him the millions he lost and also assessed puniitive damages against PBS totalling $47 million. They later settled with Nesmith out of court for an undisclosed sum. Nesmith's website used to offer Rhino's "Very Best of Linda Ronstadt." I think they still offer her album. The site also offered the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's album "Uncle Charlie" which had their biggest hit "Mr. Bojangles" and also featured two Nesmith songs, their version of "Some of Shelly's Blues" and "Propinquity" - the last song being a song I wish Linda had recorded. He is a fan of Linda's version of "Different Drum" and made a not so subtle reference to her in his song "Capsule (Hello People A Hundred Years from Now)." That line being (also a reference to Marie Osmond), 'Marie looked like Linda/with 50 extra teeth/And Linda made the cover of a family magazine.' Strangely, both Linda and Nesmith knew each other before he was in the Monkees yet Linda claimed she learned "Different Drum" not from the song's composer but from the recording by the Greenbriar Boys. Nesmith was performing the song in the clubs in L.A. where he hung out with Linda and other future pop and rock icons to be. Wonder if she simply didn't recall Nesmith performing the song in the 60s?
|
|
|
Post by erik on Feb 20, 2012 10:41:24 GMT -5
It could be that Mike turned Linda on to the song via the Greenbriar Boys' recording of it. After all, there are a lot of stories to have come from the L.A. music scene of that era, and a surprising number of them have turned out to be true.
It is known that the Stone Poneys had intended to do the Greenbriar Boys' arrangement of the song when they went in to record it, and that producer Nik Venet nixed the idea in favor of the more orchestral baroque folk-rock arrangement that got on record. In fact, of course, Linda was the only member of the trio really involved in it, and she wasn't happy with the end result, though in later years she became more philosophical about it, admitting that it did spark her career. The version on that YouTube video is more in keeping with the swing tempo of the Greenbriar Boys version than it is of the actual studio recording we all know.
|
|
|
Post by Guest on Feb 20, 2012 15:13:10 GMT -5
There is actually a Spanish version of Different Drum by Linda or so I have been told. Never been able to confirm it but was told so by a reliable source.
|
|
|
Post by sliderocker on Feb 20, 2012 15:19:58 GMT -5
It could be that Mike turned Linda on to the song via the Greenbriar Boys' recording of it. After all, there are a lot of stories to have come from the L.A. music scene of that era, and a surprising number of them have turned out to be true. It is known that the Stone Poneys had intended to do the Greenbriar Boys' arrangement of the song when they went in to record it, and that producer Nik Venet nixed the idea in favor of the more orchestral baroque folk-rock arrangement that got on record. In fact, of course, Linda was the only member of the trio really involved in it, and she wasn't happy with the end result, though in later years she became more philosophical about it, admitting that it did spark her career. The version on that YouTube video is more in keeping with the swing tempo of the Greenbriar Boys version than it is of the actual studio recording we all know. It could be that Mike did indeed play the Greenbriar Boys's version of "Different Drum" for Linda. And, maybe for Bob and Kenny as well, since they all apparently wanted the Stone Poneys version of "Different Drum" to be a copy of the Greenbriar Boys recording. But, it was obvious the GB version was never destined to be a hit and had they stuck with that idea, it's possible no one around today might even remember the Stone Poneys and Linda. But, as for the Stoney Poneys's "Greenbriar Boys" version of "Different Drum," I've read conflicting accounts as to whether an actual version was or wasn't recorded. I know Kenny spoke of him and Bob showing up for the session that produced "Different Drum" with their guitars, only to be turned away and sent home, yet I think he also spoke of the SPs recording a bluegrass version of "Different Drum" which was modeled on the version by the Greenbriar Boys. Curiously, Kenny's recollection is at odds with the musician credits for the known version of DD that was a hit, in that he is listed as one of the guitarists on the song. Of course, it's possible they had him come in later and overdub a guitar part onto the song. But, I always thought it possible that Linda not being happy with the end result may have had something to do with the tension and problems it created for her with Kenny and Bob. It seemed clear that Capitol saw the potential for Linda to be a big star and that Bob and Kenny, while nice enough guys and maybe decent musicians were never going to be anything more than backing musicians. And as such, they were willing to cut them out of the equation. But, I'm guessing the only reason Linda went along with Nick Venet and Capitol was that she had some assurance from them that they weren't trying to break the group up and that Kenny and Bob were going to be involved with other projects, just not on that particular session.
|
|
|
Post by erik on Feb 20, 2012 18:30:21 GMT -5
Quote by sliderocker:
This is true, though I think Linda also knew that the Stone Poneys were not going to stay together, and that it was only a matter of time before she'd start her solo career. Her own tastes were far ahead of Bobby's and Kenny's, and her own song choices and arrangements were leaning further from the folk idiom and more towards a left-of-center approach to country.
|
|
|
Post by sliderocker on Feb 20, 2012 23:12:04 GMT -5
Linda has always mentioned that she did not want a solo career when she was in the Stone Poneys, yet I think she knew it was inevitable if she wanted a career in music. She may not have been ready at 21 for a solo career but would she have been any more ready when she was 25? I think I recall reading an interview somewhere where she said she suffered from stage fright and was also somewhat shy and introverted as a person. If any of that was true, it's all the more remarkable she had a music career at all, whether in a group setting or as a solo artist.
Of course, it could be she was like many other singers and musicians who were in groups in the 60s who thought you had to build your career with the group you were in for several years before you said "okay, now I'm ready for a solo career!" But, Linda was different from her male counterparts who were in bands and who split for a solo career in that she didn't want a solo career because she had an oversized ego and who thought she had some God-given right to success and stardom as a solo performer and who thought the other band members were stifling her musically speaking. I think she would've been happy to have remained in a group setting for a few years and even may have preferred not to have had a solo career at all. Luckily for her fans, it didn't work out that way.
|
|
|
Post by erik on Feb 20, 2012 23:32:25 GMT -5
I think the thing Linda would have about being part of a group is that there isn't any way in the world she wouldn't stand out in one, especially an otherwise all-male group--and not just because she's a woman. Her voice was always too big not to be noticed.
However, she did prove herself as a "band creature" when she occasionally guested with her favorite bunch of musical desperados the Eagles during the 70s.
|
|
|
Post by rick on Feb 21, 2012 0:08:12 GMT -5
It could be that Mike turned Linda on to the song via the Greenbriar Boys' recording of it. After all, there are a lot of stories to have come from the L.A. music scene of that era, and a surprising number of them have turned out to be true. It is known that the Stone Poneys had intended to do the Greenbriar Boys' arrangement of the song when they went in to record it, and that producer Nik Venet nixed the idea in favor of the more orchestral baroque folk-rock arrangement that got on record. In fact, of course, Linda was the only member of the trio really involved in it, and she wasn't happy with the end result, though in later years she became more philosophical about it, admitting that it did spark her career. The version on that YouTube video is more in keeping with the swing tempo of the Greenbriar Boys version than it is of the actual studio recording we all know. Over on Harold's Linda site, this (the live portion) is listed as being from 1968 at the Bitter End in New York. I noticed that it didn't have the same feel/sound with the harpsichord. I wonder if back in 1967 whether Linda and The Stone Poneys performed this on "American Bandstand" or one of the myriad of other shows that aired during that time. I noticed with a number of popular acts at the time, often they were simply lip-synching. My gut tells me that Linda would not care for having to lip-synch because, being someone very in the moment, she'd not want to have to conform to exactly how she had phrased everything once before. I believe this version of "Different Drum" was posted before. What sparked me to post it again was finding the version by Mike Nesmith, with his shout-out to Linda. Interestingly, on YouTube, there is a short "comedic" version by Mike Nesmith from an episode of "The Monkees" -- Hmm, now why didn't Linda try that?
|
|
|
Post by sliderocker on Feb 21, 2012 0:34:28 GMT -5
I recall seeing Linda on American Bandtsand in 1969, performing (lip synching) "Break My Mind" and "We Need a Whole Lot More of Jesus," but I don't recall seeing her with the Stone Poneys on AB or Action or any of the variety shows in the 60s. Of course, I didn't watch every variety show back in those days and could easily have missed seeing the Stone Poneys. There was a book on AB in the 90s which listed every artist or band that ever appeared on the show but I still can't recall a listing for the Stone Poneys. Curiously, there was a mention for the Monkees appearing on the show, performing (lip synching and synch-playing their instruments) "I'm a Believer" and "Steppin' Stone" which some said never happened. Given how long the show ran and that there were almost always two musical guests per show and considering the AB episodes have never been released in their entirety, if someone doesn't remember an act appearing on the show, it's possible they missed the episode in question when it was shown. I never recalled ABBA appearing on the show although they did make an appearance on the show in 1975.
As for Linda's performance of "Different Drum," I think someone compiled a setlist of the songs she did over the years and "Different Drum" was in her set through 1969 but it disappeared from her setlist after that. As the majority of concerts by artists with a long music career are basically a collection of greatest hits, it's somewhat curious that "Different Drum" and even "Long, Long Time" became glaring omissions in her various set lists. One would've thought she might've used either song as encore performances or performed a brief snippet of them during the main part of her shows. Both songs established her as a performer and that should've made them a regular or semi-regular part of her set lists, but both made some pretty fast exits.
|
|
|
Post by rick on Feb 21, 2012 4:22:57 GMT -5
<snip> As for Linda's performance of "Different Drum," I think someone compiled a setlist of the songs she did over the years and "Different Drum" was in her set through 1969 but it disappeared from her setlist after that. As the majority of concerts by artists with a long music career are basically a collection of greatest hits, it's somewhat curious that "Different Drum" and even "Long, Long Time" became glaring omissions in her various set lists. One would've thought she might've used either song as encore performances or performed a brief snippet of them during the main part of her shows. Both songs established her as a performer and that should've made them a regular or semi-regular part of her set lists, but both made some pretty fast exits. Slide, as I've stated on the Forum, although certainly familiar with Linda pre-"Heart Like a Wheel" (we had the single of "Different Drum" and the album "Silk Purse" in the house), in 1974, I was 17, and that's when I bought "Heart Like a Wheel" and became a bona fide fan. Living in L.A., I would go see her at the then-Universal Amphitheater. The first few times I saw her, she would sing "Long Long Time," but not "Different Drum." I believe that it was likely when "Prisoner in Disguise" was her most recent album, and, one night at the Amphitheatre, I remember her singing "Different Drum" and both being pleased and surprised. Pleased because it was nice to hear her sing it. Surprised because I had the sense that she thought she had moved on musically from "Different Drum" with her then recent albums. As for your mentioning the idea of Linda singing a "brief snippet" of a song... that is an interesting concept. I can think of the duet Linda did with Smokey Robinson for "Motown 25" where they did "Tracks of My Tears" and "Ooh Baby Baby," but I don't think of Linda as really doing medleys. Whereas someone like Diana Ross might want to include a Supremes medley in her show to pay homage to her early years, I think Linda is the type of artist who commits to a song and, therefore, sings the song rather than an abbreviated version of it. I think it is why -- despite facing those who came to hear the hits -- in 2004 she thought by including "Just One Look" and "Somewhere Out There" along with "Lush Life" and "Get Outta Town" and "Miss Otis Regrets," she was singing the songs she wanted to sing. I think if she were a different type of singer or performer, she might "throw in" a Motown medley of "Heatwave"/"Tracks of My Tears"/"Ooh Baby Baby," but that's (IMHO) not Linda's way. (I think the Paul Revere and the Raiders show might have been called "Where the Action Is?" ) Here is the Wikipedia entry (I'd imagine the list of performers is not complete) -- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_the_Action_Is
|
|
|
Post by sliderocker on Feb 21, 2012 21:07:33 GMT -5
Slide, as I've stated on the Forum, although certainly familiar with Linda pre-"Heart Like a Wheel" (we had the single of "Different Drum" and the album "Silk Purse" in the house), in 1974, I was 17, and that's when I bought "Heart Like a Wheel" and became a bona fide fan. Living in L.A., I would go see her at the then-Universal Amphitheater. The first few times I saw her, she would sing "Long Long Time," but not "Different Drum." I believe that it was likely when "Prisoner in Disguise" was her most recent album, and, one night at the Amphitheatre, I remember her singing "Different Drum" and both being pleased and surprised. Pleased because it was nice to hear her sing it. Surprised because I had the sense that she thought she had moved on musically from "Different Drum" with her then recent albums. As for your mentioning the idea of Linda singing a "brief snippet" of a song... that is an interesting concept. I can think of the duet Linda did with Smokey Robinson for "Motown 25" where they did "Tracks of My Tears" and "Ooh Baby Baby," but I don't think of Linda as really doing medleys. Whereas someone like Diana Ross might want to include a Supremes medley in her show to pay homage to her early years, I think Linda is the type of artist who commits to a song and, therefore, sings the song rather than an abbreviated version of it. I think it is why -- despite facing those who came to hear the hits -- in 2004 she thought by including "Just One Look" and "Somewhere Out There" along with "Lush Life" and "Get Outta Town" and "Miss Otis Regrets," she was singing the songs she wanted to sing. I think if she were a different type of singer or performer, she might "throw in" a Motown medley of "Heatwave"/"Tracks of My Tears"/"Ooh Baby Baby," but that's (IMHO) not Linda's way. (I think the Paul Revere and the Raiders show might have been called "Where the Action Is?" ) Here is the Wikipedia entry (I'd imagine the list of performers is not complete) -- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_the_Action_IsI'm guessing that the thing with the set lists I came across is that they may have consisted of shows where Linda did not perform certain songs. That would explain the omission of DD and LLT. I recall that when Linda appeared in concert where I lived at the time, which was late 1975 or early 1976, she did not perform either DD or LLT. One of the local music critics expressed his disappointment noting that neither song was included. I'm also guessing that she varied her set list so that she wouldn't be singing the same songs night after night but the hits should've been a given, although as I recall in the review, Linda mostly did then-recently new material. The critic was certainly enthused about her show closer, which was a seven to eight minute version of "You're No Good." Regarding song medleys, I'd rather hear the songs in their entirety than in abbreviated form but many artists and groups don't like being up on the stage any longer than they have to (the Grateful Dead in their heyday being an exception) but certain hit songs may be fan favorites and they want to hear those songs and some expect to hear those songs. It doesn't matter that an artist or group may be tired of doing the song (witness Linda saying just before she sang "Desperado" at one of her in the not too distant past shows, "Isn't it someone else's turn to sing it?") , but what options does the performer or group have when the fans want to hear it? Saying tough, deal with it, get over it would be one way, but singing just a portion of the song may be enough to placate most of the fans. I believe Elvis would've completely dropped "Hound Dog" from his set lists if he had been given half the chance.. But, it was a fan fave song, so it stayed in his sets. As for "Action," that series was initially called "Where the Action Is" but I recall Dick Clark Productions shortened the title to just "Action" in either '67 or '68. Now that I think about it, I think they may also have included the year after the word "Action." I watched that show from the very first episode until the very last episode. It wasn't the greatest TV varierty show ever produced and almost all of the acts were essentially bubblegum rockers, safe and non-threatening. However, the production values left a lot to be desired. (Being a Dick Clark Production, what could one expect?) I think later episodes were shot on the same ABC-TV stage that was used to produce the "Let's Make a Deal" game show. I recall the audience seating area for the stage having the same layout as LMAD. I'm surprised Monte Hall didn't show up to try and make a few deals with the teen audience.
|
|
|
Post by erik on Feb 21, 2012 21:53:25 GMT -5
I checked on this site here: www.imdb.com/name/nm0740168/#Self...and saw that what I think was her first national TV appearance was on an episode of It's Happening on February 24, 1968; and her first Bandstand appearance came on May 3, 1969. Quote by sliderocker: What was perhaps most remarkable about several of the times that Linda did "Long Long Time" in her sets during the 70s (and this is something that was discussed on the older forum more than a few times, but it bears revisiting [IMHO]), she would play acoustic guitar and show herself to be pretty good at it too.
|
|
|
Post by sliderocker on Feb 21, 2012 23:39:45 GMT -5
"It's Happening" may be the show I'm remembering which reminded me of the "Let's Make a Deal" stage setting. I still remember "Where the Action Is" being shortened to "Action" but as both of those shows were on during the same period of time - within a year or two, roughly speaking, both were interchangeable programs. I may have seen Linda when she (and the Stone Poneys?) appeared on "It's Happening" but it's tough trying to recall it 45 years later! It would be nice if Dick Clark made his old AB, WTAI and "It's Happening" programs available to tv or home video before he or the majority of us who were around then pass away.
I wish I could've seen Linda from one of those 70s concerts performing "Long, Long Time" and accompanying herself on guitar. There are several versions of her performing the song that are up on youtube, including one featuring her backed by a single guitar from Hugh Hefner's "Playboy After Dark" program. It's interesting to watch and listen to that version although almost it's ruined by the camera occasionally cutting to Hugh Hefner and his main squeeze at the time, Barbie Benton. But, the few videos that are on youtube which feature Linda playing guitar showed just how good she was and is. And what a pity it was Linda never released an album where she played guitar on every track.
|
|
|
Post by rick on Mar 9, 2012 18:44:42 GMT -5
"It's Happening" may be the show I'm remembering which reminded me of the "Let's Make a Deal" stage setting. I still remember "Where the Action Is" being shortened to "Action" but as both of those shows were on during the same period of time - within a year or two, roughly speaking, both were interchangeable programs. I may have seen Linda when she (and the Stone Poneys?) appeared on "It's Happening" but it's tough trying to recall it 45 years later! It would be nice if Dick Clark made his old AB, WTAI and "It's Happening" programs available to tv or home video before he or the majority of us who were around then pass away. Slide, just came across this episode of "Where the Action Is" on You Tube that has some background info prior to the program itself....
|
|
|
Post by Partridge on Feb 9, 2013 11:09:04 GMT -5
Hello –
I found your website and think it is great. I loved seeing the newer photos of Linda accepting awards, etc.
I’ve been looking for an (extended) version of the Stone Poneys track “Different Drum” – and I thought maybe you might know what CD it was released on.
The version is the same version you hear on LPs and 45s, except the instrumental harpsichord piece in the middle of the song is slightly longer (then Linda comes in to sing again and the record ends as normal). I heard this version 3 or 4 times on an oldies radio station where I live, about 10 years ago and thought it sounded neat, with that extra piece in the middle. I wondered if maybe this version was the original full recording (and this extra instrumental part was edited out for the version we are all familiar with on 45s and LPs).
I never found out what CD this alternate version was released on. If you know the answer and could send me a quick reply, that would be great.
Thanks, Kurt
|
|
|
Post by Cornish Pirate on Feb 9, 2013 15:09:52 GMT -5
From ronstadtfanaz' Stone Poney thread ronstadt.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=general&thread=700&page=1The original album version of "Different Drum" from 1967 had a slightly longer run time (2:46) from the single edit (2:35), owing to a repeat of the harpsichord break in the middle of the song. All versions of the song reissued after then have been the single edit although listed with the longer run time.From sliderocker's reply on Quad LPs thread ronstadt.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=general&thread=342&page=1I've tried to find a mono copy of "Evergreen, Vol. 2" as Capitol was known for either releasing different mixes or slightly longer versions of songs in mono. Of course, the stereo copy on vinyl I have of Ev2 has the "extended" version of "Different Drum," extended by ten seconds by repeating the harpsichord break in the song's middle.It seems all CDs (including the original CD release of Evergreen Vol. 2) have the single edit (short) version. Only the original vinyl LP has the extended version.
|
|
|
Post by rick on Oct 30, 2013 11:43:12 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by charlotte on Oct 30, 2013 11:43:16 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by erik on Oct 30, 2013 11:51:09 GMT -5
I think we need someone to copy and paste the full article here, because the link isn't letting me (at least) see it.
|
|
|
Post by erik on Oct 30, 2013 11:52:30 GMT -5
I think we need someone to copy and paste the full article here, because the link isn't letting me (at least) see it.
|
|
|
Post by charlotte on Oct 30, 2013 12:12:07 GMT -5
Sorry Erik, Not sure how to do that. It is written by Marc Myers and posted abour an hour ago on the WSJ website. I hope someone more tech savvy than I can help - it is a nice piece. The players were so impressed with Linda, who is typically hard on herself. Thanx to all.
|
|
|
Post by Richard W on Oct 30, 2013 12:32:56 GMT -5
I don't want to create an account with the WSJ, so I can't see/read article. For those who can read it, perhaps a simple click-hold drag-copy might work?
|
|
|
Post by erik on Oct 30, 2013 14:47:50 GMT -5
I think I've got it here: Linda Ronstadt’s ‘Different Drum’ She and songwriter Michael Nesmith talk about her first hit Linda Ronstadt was 'completely confused' when recording this song without her bandmates, and with a wildly new arrangement, It launched her career. By Marc Myers Linda Ronstadt in 1968 Henry Diltz/Corbis When the red light went on at Hollywood’s Capitol Studios in 1967, singer Linda Ronstadt was scared. There to record “Different Drum”—her first lead-vocal single as a member of the Stone Poneys—Ms. Ronstadt was expecting to sing an acoustic ballad version of the song accompanied by her two bandmates. Instead, a new faster arrangement had been written, a rhythm section and string players were brought in to replace the other two Stone Poneys, and Ms. Ronstadt had just seconds to figure out how she was going to phrase the lyrics and make the song work. Released in September ’67, the single—written by future-Monkee Michael Nesmith—peaked at No. 13 on Billboard’s pop chart, launching Ms. Ronstadt’s career and ushering in a new solo female folk-rock era. Ms. Ronstadt, 67, author of “Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir,” published in September; Mr. Nesmith, 70; harpsichordist Don Randi, 76, and Stone Poney Bobby Kimmel, 73, talked about the song’s evolution. Edited from interviews: Michael Nesmith: In 1964 I had been playing guitar in folk and bluegrass bands and wanted to sing solo. So I began writing songs. I wrote “Different Drum” early one morning on the back porch of my San Fernando Valley apartment. The lyrics, about a breakup, came fast—but they had nothing to do with my personal life. I was newly married with a pregnant wife.
Whenever I wrote, I liked creating little ‘movies of the mind.’ I was thinking about two lovers—one of whom decides they love different things. In later years, comedian Whitney Brown referred to “Different Drum” as the first “it’s not you, it’s me” breakup song.
In 1965 I met John Herald of the Greenbriar Boys trio. We sat down and began sharing songs. John loved “Different Drum” and slowed it down when he recorded it the following year.Linda Ronstadt: I moved from Tucson, Ariz., to Los Angeles in 1965 to sing with Bobby Kimmel and Kenny Edwards. There were plenty of gigs at folk clubs then. Kenny played a Gibson mandolin, Bobby played a Martin guitar and I sang harmony with them.
Naming our folk trio the Stone Poneys was Kenny’s idea. He got the name from Charley Patton’s song “Stone Pony Blues.” In those days, the word “stone” also meant “heavy, man.” Bobby was writing most of the songs then—but for his voice and range. At some point in late ’66, I wanted a song that suited my voice so I could sing lead.
That’s when I heard the Greenbriar Boys’ single “Different Drum.” I knew it could be a hit for us. In 1967, our producer at Capitol, Nik Venet, set up a recording session. It was at Capitol’s Studio B, where Frank Sinatra recorded. The plan was to record three songs in three hours that day.
I thought we were going to record an acoustic ballad version of “Different Drum” with Bobby and Kenny. But when I walked into the studio, there were other musicians there I didn’t know. Bobby and Kenny played on two of the songs, but on “Different Drum,” Nik asked them to sit out.
Bobby Kimmel: Kenny and I didn’t mind. It was always going to be a solo vocal feature for Linda anyway, and Nik wanted more going on instrumentally behind her. Kenny and I stood in the engineer’s booth and watched and listened. Ms. Ronstadt: At first, I wasn’t happy. I thought we’d have a better shot on the radio with an acoustic version, since groups like Peter, Paul and Mary were having hits. But Nik insisted. He said he had asked Jimmy Bond to write an arrangement and brought in Don Randi to play harpsichord, Al Viola on guitar and Jimmy Gordon on drums. Bond played bass, and Sid Sharp arranged and conducted a string section. They were all there.
We didn’t rehearse. I was just thrown into it. I was completely confused. I didn’t have the lyrics in front of me—I sang them from memory. Since I can’t read music, I didn’t have a lead sheet either. I knew I was going to remember the words, but I wasn’t sure how to phrase them with the new arrangement and faster tempo.
Different instruments pull different textures out of my voice, which had been conditioned to sing with guitar and mandolin. The overtones with harpsichord and strings were going to be harder. We did one run-down of the song. Then we recorded the second take without any overdubbing. That became the version you hear on the record.Don Randi: Jimmy Bond had me play a double-keyboard harpsichord that day, to give the song a psychedelic-pop feel. I only had the chord changes and made up the rest on the spot, including the solo. I had been trained as a classical pianist, so giving it a classical feel wasn’t a problem.
By ’67, I had recorded as part of L.A.’s Wrecking Crew studio band on hundreds of rock recordings, including sessions with the Beach Boys and Phil Spector. This was a nice change-up. Nik knew his stuff and went to bat for Linda with us before she came in, Nik told me, “Wait until you hear this girl sing. You won’t believe it.”
He was right. She had this innocence and humility that won me over. If she had been frightened, you’d never have known it. Linda was so down-to-earth and natural—she even recorded that song barefoot. Ms. Ronstadt: I first heard the single when the band’s car broke down in September ’67. Soon after we pushed it into a gas station, I heard the guitar-harpsichord intro faintly coming from a radio in back of the garage. The mechanics had it tuned to KRLA—L.A.’s Top-40 AM station. I was stunned.Mr. Nesmith: I first heard Linda’s record on the radio in Philadelphia, while riding in a limo with the Monkees. No one in the car believed I had written the song. Linda did more for that song than the Greenbriar Boys’ version. She infused it with a different level of passion and sensuality. Coming from the perspective of a woman instead of a guy, the song had a new context. You sensed Linda had personally experienced what she was singing about—that she needed to be free.
Mr. Kimmel: The irony, of course, is I didn’t sing or play on my group’s biggest hit. But you know what? It wouldn’t have mattered even if I had. It was Linda’s time.Ms. Ronstadt: I’ll be honest—I was never happy with how I sounded. It took me 10 years to learn how to sing before I had skill and craft. Today I will break my finger trying to get that record off when it’s on. Art wasn’t meant to be frozen in time like that.
Everyone hears something in that song—a break-up, the anti-war movement, women’s lib. I hear fear and a lack of confidence on my part. It all happened so fast that day.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 30, 2013 15:28:28 GMT -5
Wonderful thanks. As usual, Linda is quite modest while others recognize her greatness.
|
|
|
Post by sliderocker on Oct 30, 2013 16:55:52 GMT -5
Interesting that Mike Nesmith mentioned that none of the others in the limo - the other Monkees and whoever else was in the limo, believed he had written the song. A slightly and intentionally botched version of the song had been included in an episode of the Monkees's, which featured Nesmith singing and performing DD on acoustic guitar - the episode is "Too Many Girls." So they had to have known he wrote the song but then again, it may have been that what surprised them was that he had written a song that was on its way to being a huge hit. Many of the powers behind the Monkees believed Nesmith (and the other Monkees) wasn't capable of writing hits. DD must've been a shock to their belief system. Curious too that Bobby Kimmel's recollection is that now he and Kenny were at the session and asked to sit the session out and that they were in the control room. That is at odds with the earlier tale of them showing up at the recording studio and being upset that they had been excluded from the session. Linda remains as modest as ever, and typically, not happy with her vocal. But, I wondr if she feels that way privately?
|
|
|
Post by erik on Oct 30, 2013 17:32:44 GMT -5
Quote by sliderocker:
As always, the modesty has never been a problem, but I would be lying if I didn't think she was excessive in her constant self-deprecation, especially with respect to "Different Drum", where she sounded like she was already wiser beyond her years (in this case, twenty going on twenty-one when the song was recorded in May 1967). I know she's a perfectionist, but perfection in music is practically impossible to attain, and can sometimes leach the soul out of something.
I would also argue that "Different Drum" is not a work of art that is merely frozen in time, like Linda says. Unquestionably it is a song of its time, the socially turbulent late 1960s; but for a great many people, it remains timeless, a quintessential song, a true folk-rock classic, by arguably the single most influential female singer in pop music over the last fifty years.
|
|
|
Post by MokyWI on Oct 30, 2013 21:41:14 GMT -5
Linda hears herself differently than others do. She is a true artist and it's very typical of artists to see what they could have done better. Clearly she is not hearing that voice of hers like the fans do. "Different Drum" is classic and having a smart, attractive, independent and determined woman singing those lyrics in 1967 was similar to Madonna singing "Like A Virgin" in 1982.
|
|
|
Post by sliderocker on Oct 30, 2013 22:12:48 GMT -5
I sometimes wonder if she had the desire for the music to be perfect in 1967, or if her obsession with perfection is something that came about as she got older? Her constant self-deprecation about her past performances may all be spot on to her at the age she is now, and she may think she sung better when she was older, but truthfully, what made "Different Drum" work was that she was all of 20 years old and sang the song with a defiance, sense of free spirit and innocence that couldn't have been captured in an older version of herself. Other female performers recorded or performed "Different Drum" but the majority of them were considerably older and as good as some of those recordings and performances were, none had the combination of defiance, free spirit and especially the innocence. The song has remained Linda's from day one and there's no doubt in my mind that anyone will ever come along with a version that will replace it. Linda achieved perfection in the recording studio in 1967 and surely she realizes that she did as the song remains a constant staple on oldies radio, having achieved more than a million airplays on radio stations since 1967, according to BMI, which lists the songs as one of their "Million Air" award winning songs. Of course, BMI's credits and royalties go to Michael Nesmith, the song's composer but he has always thanked and acknowledged Linda for recording the song and acknowledged that Linda gave the song a form of immortality. None of that would've been possible if her version of "Different Drum" had been an ordinary one.
|
|