onehitoneders
-
Artist:
-
Album:Easy Rider: Deluxe Edition (2CD)
-
Track:
In 1969, Pete Townshend, The Who's guitarist, created the band to play songs written by the former Who roadie, drummer / singer John 'Speedy' Keen (miscredited as "Keene" on the single's label). Keen wrote the opening track on The Who Sell Out album, "Armenia City In The Sky". Townshend produced the single, arranged its strings, played its bass guitar under the pseudonym Bijou Drains, and hired for it GPO engineer and jazz pianist Andy 'Thunderclap' Newman (born Andrew Laurence Newman, 21 November 1942, Hounslow, Middlesex) and the fifteen year old Glaswegian, Jimmy McCulloch.
Originally titled "Revolution", but later renamed because the Beatles released a single of that name, "Something in the Air" captured post-flower power rebellion, marrying McCulloch's sweeping acoustic and glowing electric guitars; Keen's powerful drumming and falsetto, and Newman's piano solo.
Comments (15)
Tom Petty Cover
Elbow cover
thanks for posting this. i've ALWAYS loved that song and was looking for it in order to make a comp for someone last night and while i still look for it (vinyl) - i can just send my friend a link to your post!
So that's who that was..Nice one. That is one groovy tune.
Cody - now you can sleep tonight! Figured I'd pop in a few covers for good? measure as well. There are so many. I suppose that is a testament to it timelessness.
Anna - my pleasure!
I too have always LOVED that song.... but hadnt heard the Elbow version... Thanks for this great post inrumford, loved it...
I knew what this song was within the first few seconds, even though I haven't heard it in forever (since the 70s?) and couldn't tell you who did it to save my life. Fascinating. Judging by this one song, Thunderclap, despite the name, had kind of a weak-mouse-squeak of a voice. Like the Petty version a lot better.
You know its funny but for some reason the name Thunderclap Newman never left my pysche... I have always remembered the song/artist and where I was in my life at the time when this was around... Although I like the two other versions for me the original of this will always be 'it' and I loved waking up to it today... Thanks again
Fun stuff, isn't it? And you are so right on how certain songs create the sound track of our lives.
Oh yeah, I like the Petty version best as well
now Im feeling old again
sorry :-)
Arrrrgh!! Something is wrong with the computer here (or me....or both). I cannot get any of the songs to play! I will try again later.
how did i miss this?
you probably saw The Who reference and hit delete :-)