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Pick a Simple Song

"Outa-Space"

0 votes

"Will It Go Round in Circles?"

5 votes

"Space Race"

0 votes

"Nothing from Nothing"

9 votes

"Struttin'"

1 votes

Edgy DC Jun 03 2009 09:19 PM Edited 4 time(s), most recently on Jun 04 2009 07:20 AM

We're looking at Billy Preston, who --- despite being an impressive and unique artist standing on his own --- has a wikipedia entry is filled with all sorts of informaton about his relationship to the Beatles. Won't you prove that wrong by voting for one of the following Billy Preston tracks? Because every mix tape needs a guy in an afro and cape. Heckuva keyboard player also. Three of these are instrumentals, but all were hits. You're no doubt more familiar with the two vocal hits, but when you get past the intros of the instrumentals, and reach the main themes, they sound like themes to TV shows that were never broadcast because they weren't as cool as the music --- or maybe they were just too damn cool for television. 1) "Outa-Space," Pop #2, R&B #1, 1972 <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ncrROmVJT2s&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ncrROmVJT2s&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> 2) "Will It Go Round in Circles?" Pop #1, R&B #10, 1973 <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9yiYbCJitvQ&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9yiYbCJitvQ&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> 3) "Space Race," Pop #4, R&B #1, 1973 <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8OBW3DZrHGg&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8OBW3DZrHGg&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> 4) "Nothing from Nothing," Pop #1, R&B #8, 1974 <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/G_DV54ddNHE&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/G_DV54ddNHE&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> 5) "Struttin'," Pop #22, R&B #11, 1974 <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/61RKPVW9JMY&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/61RKPVW9JMY&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 03 2009 09:45 PM

That's some superlatively farty organ on the verse to "Struttin'," mon frere.

metsguyinmichigan Jun 03 2009 09:53 PM

That's an afro that Oscar Gamble could only dream about!

Fman99 Jun 04 2009 06:33 AM

Also, not known by many is that Billy Preston wrote the song "You Are So Beautiful" popularized by Joe Cocker.

sharpie Jun 04 2009 06:59 AM

You left out "That's the Way God Planned It" which was one of his biggest hits. Still would've gone with "Nothing From Nothing." Apparently his presence at the "Let It Be" sessions made the Beatles behave because now they were in front of company. (on edit): What's happened to my picture? I graduated from being Bobby Ojeda and now I'm no-name with an X.

Edgy DC Jun 04 2009 07:32 AM

"That's the Way God Planned It" went to number 62 in 1969 and to 65 on re-release in 1972. I stuck with songs that cracked the top 40, but the guy had a heck of a run with stuff charting at 50-100. Write-ins are welcome. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UYxzPdv67yA&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UYxzPdv67yA&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> One huge hit I left out was the mega-duet "With You, I'm Born Again" (from the <i>Fast Break</i> soundtrack!), partly because I was staying away from duets, and partly bacause I didn't want to let anybody borrow my <i>Hey, Love</i> romantic soul classics album. But votes for that are welcome, as are votes for the following duet. (Is there any doubt the guy was born to entertain?) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1loV9_xLF8Q

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 04 2009 08:16 AM Re: Pick a Simple Song

="Edgy DC"] 3) "Space Race," Pop #4, R&B #1, 1973 <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8OBW3DZrHGg&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8OBW3DZrHGg&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> This single was included in a box of 45s that at one time belonged to my sister, I guess, and had wound up with me and my plastic turntable as a youngun. It sounds like the theme song to the greatest TV show ever. I voted for "Circles" for him being a good singer in addition to being a funky clavinet man.

Edgy DC Jun 04 2009 08:22 AM Re: Pick a Simple Song

="John Cougar Lunchbucket":3pfm3cn4]It sounds like the theme song to the greatest TV show ever.[/quote:3pfm3cn4] Exactly. Edgy DC Jun 04 2009 02:11 PM "Nothing from Nothing" pounding all comers. John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 04 2009 02:15 PM Good tune, but don't see how it compares to "Circles." Edgy DC Jun 04 2009 02:36 PM The horn lines punctuating "Circles" are relentless. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 04 2009 04:15 PM ="Edgy DC":1m5n9faz]The horn lines punctuating "Circles" are relentless.[/quote:1m5n9faz] Something about that gassy, stuttery clavinet just drew me to "Struttin'"... but "Circles" was a close second. G-Fafif Jun 04 2009 06:48 PM I voted "Will It Go Round in Circles?" by a whisker over "Nothing From Nothing," though I've always admired how upbeat Billy sounded about having been "a soldier in the War on Poverty". He did a nice job dueting on "With You I'm Born Again" with Syreeta as well. cooby Jun 04 2009 06:59 PM He was also a good friend of John Lennon Edgy DC Jun 04 2009 07:14 PM He was tight with all the Beatles, but George the most, I think. George was the one who brought him to the "Get Back" sessions. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aa3ylmxnLM cooby Jun 04 2009 08:08 PM Nice, edgy...George Harrison's son really resembles him Edgy DC Jun 04 2009 09:11 PM It's frightening, and because we've seen George with so many looks, it's hard for Dhani not to look like his dad. I saw this interview, and I kept expecting him to sing "All You Need Is Love." <object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/giFtE3SClOM&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/giFtE3SClOM&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object> Frayed Knot Jun 04 2009 09:29 PM There was the scene from that tribute concert/movie where someone says that it looks like everyone else on the stage has aged 40 years except for George/Dhani who's the same age he was in the early years.