William's Song a Day Blog - est. September 2007

From: In the Christmas Spirit ; Year: 1966; Genre: Soul/R&B/Christmas Music Yesterday I learned of the passing of legendary writer and guitarist Steve Cropper. Even if you do not know him by name, you have heard his music without a doubt. He has to be right up there with the most recorded musicians, especially guitarists, in the last century. Booker T. & The M.G.'s were Stax Records in-house band and played behind most of the soul and rock acts out of the 1960s and 1970s. The band was most notably made up of Booker T. Jones on keys, Steve Cropper on guitar, Donald "Duck" Dunn on bass, and Al Jackson Jr. on drums. They were the most famous of the few "house bands" and were known outside the studio by name; their biggest hit is probably Green Onions . Anyway, I suppose I could have gone with one of the many, many artists that he played with, but it just seemed right to pick one from the original band. Because it is also the Christmas season I thought I...

From: Chronicles ; Year: 1973; Genre: Soul/Pop This track has a very interesting story behind it. It was originally written and composed by Priscilla Jones', (nee Coolidge), sister Rita. Almost everyone will immediately recognize the melody from the ending "coda" of Derek and the Dominoes', (Eric Clapton), legendary hit song Layla . Apparently Rita Coolidge was at the time dating Clapton's drummer Jim Gordon who heard her write and play it. He allegedly brought it to Clapton and passed it off as his own and included as a coda for the song. About a year later Rita heard her piece played as part of that song and was furious, but was brushed aside in a very sexist was by Clapton's management. Eventually Priscilla and her husband, who is a master and famous all around everything musical recorded it and this is the result. I have to say, it is very different hearing the lyrics after so many years of hearing it in Layla. So sad that I did not know about this or the ...