|
|
Ask "Mr. Music"
May 31, 2010
"Lyrics or Music - Billy Squier"
|
|
|
Let's continue our feature here at DigitalDreamDoor: Ask "Mr. Music." Now in its 24th year of syndication (1986-2011), Jerry Osborne's weekly Q&A feature will be a regular post every Wednesday from now on.
Be sure to stop by Jerry's site www.jerryosborne.com for more Mr. Music archives, record price guides, anything Elvis, buy & sell collectibles, record appraisals and much more. I thank Jerry for allowing the reprints.
 More Mr. Music Articles
|
|
Ask "Mr. Music"
"Jerry Osborne"
May 31, 2010 - "Lyrics or Music - Billy Squier"
|
DEAR JERRY:
Most would say that the music of a song is more important than its lyrics.
Can you think of any hit songs that became popular more because of words rather than music?
- Barry Wise, Milwaukee
|
|
DEAR BARRY:
In a general sense, I would rate both components equally, which would likely exclude me, and most lyricists, from membership in your club. There are thousands of hits in each category - made by lyrics and made by music - and just as many popular thanks to a combination of the two.
Immediately coming to mind are songs that tell a story, a tiny sampling of which are: "Candle in the Wind" (Elton John); "The Battle of New Orleans" and "North to Alaska" (Johnny Horton); "My Way" and "It Was a Very Good Year" (Frank Sinatra); "Me and Bobby McGee" (Janis Joplin and Jerry Lee Lewis); "Creeque Alley" (Mamas and the Papas); "In the Ghetto" (Elvis Presley); "Garden Party" (Rick Nelson); "Like a Rolling Stone" (Bob Dylan); "Harper Valley P.T.A." (Jeannie C. Riley); the poems of Rod McKuen put to music; and most anything by Marty Robbins or Tom T. Hall.
Novelty and teen tragedy hits, such as these, almost always owe their success to the lyrics: "M.T.A." and "Tijuana Jail" (Kingston Trio); "The Purple People Eater" (Sheb Wooley); "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron" (Royal Guardsmen); "The Name Game" (Shirley Ellis); "Tell Laura I Love Her" (Ray Peterson); "Last Kiss" (J. Frank Wilson); "Teen Angel" (Mark Dinning); "Ebony Eyes" (Everly Brothers); etc.
Most holiday, inspirational, message, and protest hits rely entirely on words to make the point: "Sleigh Ride" (Ronettes); "Pretty Paper" (Roy Orbison); "Amen" (Impressions); "Turn, Turn, Turn" (Byrds); "If I Can Dream" (Elvis Presley); "Everything Is Beautiful" and "Mr. Businessman" (Ray Stevens); "Eve of Destruction" (Barry McGuire); "For What It's Worth" (Buffalo Springfield); etc.
Then there are countless garden variety tunes whose sales soared because of some marvelous lyrics, for example: "Too Many Rivers" (Brenda Lee); "The Long and Winding Road" (Beatles); "King of the Road" (Roger Miller); "The Tracks of My Tears" and "Shop Around" (Smokey Robinson and the Miracles); "Everybody Needs a Rainbow" (Ray Stevens); "Help Me Make It Through the Night" (Sammi Smith); "Life" (Marty Robbins); "My Eyes Adored You" and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" (Frankie Valli); "Rock N' Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)" and "I'll Paint You a Song" (Mac Davis); "Walk a Mile in My Shoes" and "Rose Garden" (Joe South); "The Glow Worm" (Mills Brothers); "For the Good Times" (Ray Price); "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" (Tony Williams and the Platters); "Crazy" and "I Fall to Pieces" (Patsy Cline); "A Change Is Gonna Come" (Sam Cooke); "What a Difference a Day Makes" and "Manhattan" (Dinah Washington); "Operator" and "Time in a Bottle" (Jim Croce); "Photographs" and "There's a Place in My Heart" (Nana Mouskouri); etc. There are thousands more.
DEAR JERRY:
Based on my fondness for the 1982 hit, "Everybody Wants You," I decided to search eBay for more records by Billy Squier.
I was surprised to find about a hundred listings that identify him as Billy Squire. Are those dealers just not reading their records right, or is he really credited both ways?
What are his biggest hits?
- Jessie Garcia, Flagstaff, Ariz.
DEAR JESSIE:
Billy's last name is definitely Squier. Transposing the last two letters is a typo caused by sellers not looking closely at the record they hold in their hands.
The two homophonic names sound the same, but most folks are far more familiar with the "squire" spelling.
Besides "Everybody Wants You," his other Top 40 hits are: "The Stroke" (1981); "In the Dark" (1981); and "Rock Me Tonite" (1984).
|
MORE: Ask "Mr. Music" -
"The Girl from the Next Farm Over" & "Tangerine Dream"
"Paul & Paula's "Hey Paula"
"'50s Rockers Ages" - "Songwriters Hall of Fame"
"Lyrics or Music" and "Billy Squier"
"Connie Francis, Neil Diamond, and David Gates"
"The High Numbers and Grading Vinyl"
"Louie Louie"
"Willie Nelson duets"
"Don't Do It" by "Little Charlie and the Nightcats"
"Frank Sinatra Spectacular, with Johnny Carson"
"Sam & Dave Medley" and the knife in "Moody River"
"Love Will Keep Us Together" and "Same Old Fool"
"Tony Orlando or Bertell Dache?"
"Foreign language hit songs in the U.S."
"The Overlanders" and "All-male Top 10"
"Songs with a bullet" and the name "Browning"
"Yesterday and Today, Beatles - Song: Submarine Race"
"Elvis Presley songs based on classical pieces."
"Introducing the Beatles" album value
"Answer Songs"
"Tchaikovsky's "Pathetique" & "I Belong to You" by Peggy Lee
"A Lovers Hymn" and Songs naming the 12 months
"This Old House," by Rosemary Clooney
"The Beverly Hillbillies" and "Petticoat Junction"
"Deana Martin", "Buchanan and Goodman"
"A Hard Day's Night" - Beatles
"British Christmas tunes" and "Fingertips Part 1"
"Backward tape technology" and "Rock Era Christmas tunes"
"Red Velvet Slippers" and "A Christmas Gift for You"
"Jerry Lee Lewis" and "See See Rider"
"Bonanza Theme Song"
"Come Softly to Me" by the Fleetwoods
|
Jerry Osborne answers as many questions as possible through this column.
Jerry's Question page: Ask your question here.
Write Jerry at: Box 255, Port Townsend, WA 98368
E-mail: jpo@olympus.net
Visit his Web site: www.jerryosborne.com.
All values quoted in this column are for near-mint condition.
Copyright 2010 Osborne Enterprises- Reprinted By Permission
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
- - For Links to - -
Blues, Jazz, Country, Folk, Classical, and more,
Click 'Main Music Page' below. |
|
|
DigitalDreamDoor.com is to be used for
entertainment, educational, or research purposes only.
Copyright © 2010 - DigitalDreamDoor.com
All photos are property and copyright of their owners and are provided for educational purposes only.
This Ask "Mr. Music" page is only a part of DigitalDreamDoor.com. To view the Home page click
DigitalDreamDoor.com Home
|
|
|
