I Keep Singing That Same Old Song

 

‘I keep singing that same old song,

You keep singing it too;

I keep singing that same old song,

Hearing a different tune.’

 

Heavy Jelly ‘I Keep Singing That Same Old Song’[1]

 

 

Christmas 1969 was the day my musical life changed

I was only 13 years old, but in the couple of years prior to that I had become aware of new things happening in the popular musical world. The Beatles – whom I loved – were experimenting with different sounds and approaches, and the music was sometimes becoming complex and ‘alternative’; new bands and artists were emerging including Cream and Jimi Hendrix and so on. And yet, even in the summer of 1969 (as well as watching the investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales on the TV) I was still more interested in the more ‘poppy’ styles that were in the charts. The likes of Marmalade, Amen Corner, Herman’s Hermits, Zager & Evans and so on were the folks I was listening to, and whose singles I was buying.

I am not sure what happened in the course of the autumn of 1969 to begin to change all of that. I think some of my friends were turning towards the bands that played what was now being labelled as ‘rock’ rather than ‘pop’. I think also that some of the artists that were making it to the charts were becoming more interesting to me; David Bowie, Jethro Tull, Fleetwood Mac, etc (the last two of whom released singles that I had bought). Yes, things were changing

I cannot recall who it was recommended to me the LP ‘Nice Enough to Eat’. But it was what was then called a ‘sampler’ album… various artists from a record label (in this case, the Island record label) each of whom had a track on a budget album… and I suspect that word ‘budget’ was also important! I would not have wanted to commit too much to the unknown! In the end, I persuaded my parents that it would be the ideal ‘extra’ Christmas present, and so it happened.

I listened to it on that Christmas Day of 1969.

Some of the bands (though not the songs on the album) were already familiar to me. Fairport Convention, Traffic and Jethro Tull for example. They had already had singles in the charts which I had enjoyed. So it was good to hear other songs from them. Other artists I would become familiar with over the next wee while such as Free and Mott the Hoople.

And what a joy it was to discover for the first time on this album the heavy riffs of Spooky Tooth and the delicate, delightful, tragic talent of Nick Drake! (If you have never listened to Nick Drake’s music, do check it out).

But nothing prepared me for the piece on this sampler album by a band of whom I had not as yet heard – King Crimson. The opening track from their first album was included on this ‘sampler’: ‘21^st Century Schizoid Man’.

This can sound as though I am over-stating the case, but I am not. My life would never be the same again. This piece of music defied analysis yet was utterly enthralling. A heavy rock riff, distorted guitars and vocals, jazzy lines, stunning virtuoso playing, and so much more. From that day (25^th December 1969) until this I have been utterly caught up in the music of King Crimson (whom I last saw in concert in Glasgow just 3 or 4 years ago).

This proved to be my road into Progressive Rock (‘Prog’) and through that, back to jazz, classical and so much more.

I can still recall kneeling by that Garrard record player in our Clarkston semi at Christmas 1969 and realising that nothing would ever be the same for me musically.

And it wasn’t. I never ever bought another record by Herman’s Hermits![2]

 

PS – I still have that original vinyl album from 1969… much worn and scratched, but still in my possession all these years on.

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[1] Heavy Jelly were a short lived fictitious band. In reality they were the band Skip Bifferty recording under a pseudonym in 1969. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skip_Bifferty However, while this song appeared on ‘Nice Enough to Eat’ it sadly is no longer available to stream and so you will be denied its delights!

[2] If, by any chance you would like to have a wee listen to Nice Enough to Eat (or at least those tracks that are available to stream) then try this link on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/playlist/042lmrLg5OBtp6ArRVBJ9d?si=bda778e10b8e43ca