ROLLING STONES - CAN’T YOU HEAR ME KNOCKING

Publicada: 23 d’abril de 1971

Àlbum: Sticky Fingers

"Can't You Hear Me Knocking" és una cançó destacada de l'àlbum dels Rolling Stones de 1971 "Sticky Fingers". Amb més de set minuts de durada, la cançó presenta una memorable introducció de guitarra de Keith Richards. La part principal dura dos minuts i 43 segons abans de passar a una llarga improvisació. A més de la formació principal dels Rolling Stones amb Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, Charlie Watts i Bill Wyman, la pista compta amb les contribucions del percussionista Rocky Dijon, el saxofonista Bobby Keys, l'organista Billy Preston i percussió addicional del productor Jimmy Miller.

A "Can't You Hear Me Knocking", l'habilitat amb la guitarra de Mick Taylor brilla amb força. El seu estil elegant i poderós afegix una qualitat lírica a la cançó, mostrant la seva excepcional oïda per a la música. La pista destaca com l'extravagança de guitarra més gran dels Rolling Stones, barrejant el so brut amb el so excels de la guitarra de Taylor. "Can't You Hear Me Knocking" destaca com un extrany moment de llarga improvisació en una banda coneguda per les seves composicions concises.

La cançó comença amb una base elemental de blues rock, ancorada per l'icònic riff de Keith Richards i un ritme funky de Charlie Watts i Bill Wyman, però és la secció instrumental llarga del final el que realment destaca de la pista. Aquesta secció, que comença al voltant del minut 2:40, va ser una creació espontània. La banda inicialment pensava que la cançó havia acabat, però el desig de Mick Taylor de continuar tocant va portar a una sessió d'improvisació. La cinta encara estava gravant, capturant la màgia del moment en una sola presa.

Durant aquesta secció instrumental, les línies fluides de guitarra de Taylor, influïdes per la música llatina, es creuen amb els trets staccato de Richards, creant un paisatge musical fascinant. El saxofonista Bobby Keys contribueix amb un solo de blues gemegant, afegint més ànima a l'arranjament. Mick Jagger més tard va elogiar l'estil de tocar melòdic de Taylor, destacant-lo com el responsable de proporcionar la inspiració per a la resta de la banda durant la sessió d'enregistrament.

"Can't You Hear Me Knocking" és una d'aquelles pistes dels Rolling Stones on la lletra podria no tenir un significat trascendent. De fet, el mateix Mick Jagger no està del tot segur del que va escriure. Segons el llibre de Robert Greenfield, "Ain't It Time We Said Goodbye", hi va haver una reunió per transcriure la lletra abans del llançament de l'àlbum per assegurar-ne els drets d'autor. Desafortunadament, algunes frases es van malinterpretar o oblidar, portant an errors divertits com "I've got flatted feet, now" (Tinc els peus plans, ara). Jagger va negar haver escrit aquesta frase però no va poder recordar la correcta, així que es va mantenir a la cançó. Malgrat l'ambigüitat de la lletra, la cançó conté referències evidents a les drogues, com "cocaine eyes" and "speed-freak jive" (ulls de cocaïna i jerga de velocitat). Aquestes referències reflecteixen la cultura de la droga prevalent entre la banda i els seus associats en aquell moment.

ROLLING STONES - CAN’T YOU HEAR ME KNOCKING

Released: April 23, 1971

Album: Sticky Fingers

"Can't You Hear Me Knocking" is a standout track from the Rolling Stones' 1971 album “Sticky Fingers”. Clocking in at over seven minutes, the song features a memorable guitar intro by Keith Richards. The main part of the song lasts for about two minutes and 43 seconds before transitioning into an extended improvisational jam. In addition to the core Rolling Stones lineup of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, Charlie Watts, and Bill Wyman, the track features contributions from conga player Rocky Dijon, saxophonist Bobby Keys, organist Billy Preston, and additional percussion by producer Jimmy Miller. 

In "Can't You Hear Me Knocking," Mick Taylor's guitar prowess shines brightly. His elegant and powerful playing style adds a lyrical quality to the song, showcasing his exceptional ear for music. The track serves as the Rolling Stones' greatest guitar extravaganza, blending brutality with a wide-open sound. It stands out as a rare moment of long-form jamming from a band known for concise compositions.

The song begins with an elemental blues rocker foundation, anchored by Keith Richards' iconic riff and a funky groove from Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman, but it's the extended instrumental section that truly elevates the track. This section, which kicks in around the 2:40 mark, was a spontaneous creation. The band initially thought the song was over, but Taylor's desire to continue playing led to an impromptu jam session. The tape was still rolling, capturing the magic of the moment in one take.

During this extended section, Taylor's fluid guitar lines, influenced by Latin music, intertwine with Richards' staccato shots, creating a mesmerizing musical landscape. Saxophonist Bobby Keys contributes a blues-wailing solo, adding further depth to the arrangement. Mick Jagger later praised Taylor's melodic playing style, emphasizing how it provided inspiration and direction for the rest of the band during the recording session.

"Can't You Hear Me Knocking" is one of those Rolling Stones tracks where the lyrics might not hold a deeper meaning. In fact, Mick Jagger himself isn't entirely sure of what he wrote. According to Robert Greenfield's book, Ain't It Time We Said Goodbye, there was a rush to transcribe the lyrics before the album's release to secure copyright. Unfortunately, some lines were misheard or forgotten, leading to amusing mistakes like "I've got flatted feet, now." Jagger denied writing that line but couldn't recall the correct one, so it remained in the song. Despite the lyrical ambiguity, the song does contain evident drug references, such as "cocaine eyes" and "speed-freak jive." These references reflect the drug culture prevalent among the band and their associates at the time. 

TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS - THE WAITING

Released: April 20, 1981

Charted:  US: #19 

"The Waiting" served as the lead single from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' album "Hard Promises," released in 1981. It achieved moderate success, peaking at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Additionally, it reached the top spot on the magazine's new Rock Tracks chart, where it remained for six consecutive weeks during the summer of 1981.

Tom Petty revealed that the song took a while to write, drawing inspiration from a line he heard from either Roger McGuinn or Janis Joplin. The chorus came quickly, but crafting the rest of the song proved challenging. It encapsulates the uncertainty of waiting for dreams to come true, yet Petty viewed it as an optimistic anthem.

Tom Petty's performance of "The Waiting" during a tour with The Replacements in 1989 sparked introspection within the band. Frontman Paul Westerberg observed the crowd's enthusiastic response to the song's "yeah-yeah-yeah" part and concluded that he and his bandmates didn't possess the qualities required for mainstream success in popular music.

Record World lauded Tom Petty's vocal delivery on "The Waiting," noting that the guitars conveyed a sense of passion and energy, creating a vibrant atmosphere that could uplift even the most cynical listener. The song marked a pinnacle in what Rolling Stone senior writer David Fricke described as the Heartbreakers' "golden twang" era.

 

TOM PETTY - FREE FALLIN’

Released: October 27, 1989

Charted:  US: #7   UK: #59 

"Free Fallin'" is the opening track from Tom Petty's debut solo album, “Full Moon Fever”. Co-written with Jeff Lynne, who also contributed backing vocals and bass guitar, the song was composed and recorded in just two days. It became the first track completed for the album.

In the creative process behind "Free Fallin'," Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne simplified their approach, focusing on three basic chords. Lynne's suggestion to strip away complexity led to Petty spontaneously singing the iconic opening lines. Lynne coined the title, while Petty experimented to find the ideal vocal delivery for the phrase. 

Along with Jeff Lynne, the other creative driver on the album was Mike Campbell, guitarist in Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. During the making of the album with Lynne, Campbell found renewed inspiration. Lynne's innovative approach revitalized their studio sessions, breaking away from the band's previous struggles. Campbell described Lynne's method as dynamic and efficient, with each session resulting in a completed track within hours. Lynne's mastery of production and arrangement techniques left a lasting impression on Campbell and Petty, making the project an exhilarating learning experience akin to musical college.

"Free Fallin'" offers insight into Los Angeles culture, referencing specific locations like Reseda, Mulholland, and Ventura Boulevard, while also exploring themes of casual exploitation and detachment. Tom Petty's outsider perspective, as a transplant from Gainesville, Florida, lent authenticity to his portrayal of LA life. 

The Julien Temple-directed music video, featuring skateboarding and appearances by legendary skater Mark "Gator" Rogowski, showcased action sports before they gained mainstream popularity demonstrating Petty's knack for capturing cultural shifts ahead of their time.

"Free Fallin'" is celebrated as one of Tom Petty's finest compositions, earning high praise from Billboard, Rolling Stone, and WatchMojo, which rank it among Petty's greatest songs. 

 

CUTTING CREW - (I JUST) DIED IN YOUR ARMS

Publicació: 25 de juliol de 1986

Llistes: Regne Unit: #4   EUA: #1 (2 setmanes)

"(I Just) Died in Your Arms" és el primer senzill de Cutting Crew, llançat al juliol de 1986 des del seu àlbum "Broadcast". La cançó, escrita pel líder Nick Van Eede i produïda per Terry Brown, John Jansen i la banda, es va convertir en el seu èxit més gran, arribant al número u als Estats Units, Canadà, Noruega i Finlàndia, i al top cinc a diversos altres països, inclosos el Regne Unit i Alemanya.

Nick Van Eede va treure inspiració d'una relació real per "(I Just) Died in Your Arms". Va revelar que la cançó va ser escrita sobre la seva parella, que també és la mare de la seva filla. Després d'estar separats durant un any, es van tornar a reunir una nit, cosa que va inspirar la cançó. Van Eede va escriure les lletres bàsiques en una hora a la matinada següent i va completar la maqueta en tres dies.

Nick Van Eede va compartir la seva experiència amb Siren Records, una subsidiària de Virgin Records, durant la dècada de 1980. Malgrat estar signats amb Siren, que formava part de Virgin, Cutting Crew sempre es van sentir una mica aïllats. Tot i això, Virgin va invertir molt en la banda durant la dècada dels 80, portant-los a Nova York per a les gravacions inicials i a Austràlia per a les filmacions dels vídeos. El seu punt d'inflexió va arribar amb el llançament de "(I Just) Died in Your Arms", que va donar a Virgin Records el seu primer número u als Estats Units. Tot i això, a mesura que les tendències musicals van canviar a principis de la dècada dels 90, el focus de l'empresa va canviar i Cutting Crew van quedar marginats.

Es van crear dos vídeos musicals per "(I Just) Died in Your Arms". La versió nord-americana utilitzava talls artístics fragmentats amb una model, intercalats amb escenes de la banda actuant directament davant la càmera. En contrast, la versió del Regne Unit es va filmar en un estudi, mostrant la banda tant en color com en blanc i negre.

CUTTING CREW - (I JUST) DIED IN YOUR ARMS

Released: July 25, 1986

Charted:  UK: #4   US: #1 (2 weeks)

"(I Just) Died in Your Arms" is the debut single by Cutting Crew, released in July 1986 from their album "Broadcast." The song, written by frontman Nick Van Eede and produced by Terry Brown, John Jansen, and the band, became their biggest hit, reaching number one in the United States, Canada, Norway, and Finland, and the top five in several other countries including the UK and Germany.

Nick Van Eede drew inspiration from a real relationship for "(I Just) Died in Your Arms." He revealed that the song was written about his girlfriend, who is also the mother of his daughter. After being apart for a year, they got back together for one night, which sparked the inspiration for the song. Van Eede wrote the basic lyrics within an hour the morning after and completed the demo within three days.

Nick Van Eede shared his experience with Siren Records, a subsidiary of Virgin Records, during the 1980s. Despite being signed to Siren, which was part of Virgin, Cutting Crew always felt somewhat on the outside. Nonetheless, Virgin invested heavily in the band during the 1980s, flying them to New York for initial recordings and to Australia for video shoots. Their breakthrough came with the release of "(I Just) Died in Your Arms," which gave Virgin Records their first US number one. However, as musical trends shifted in the early 1990s, the company's focus changed, and Cutting Crew felt sidelined. 

Two music videos were created for "(I Just) Died in Your Arms." The North American version employed artistic fragmented shots featuring a model, interspersed with scenes of the band performing directly to the camera. In contrast, the UK version was filmed in a studio, showcasing the band both in color and in black and white.