"The footnotes for my nineteenth book. This is my standard procedure for doing it. And while I compose it, I'm also reviewing it"-Jeremy Hillary Boob Ph.D
Yesterday 13 October, 2016 it was announced that the first ever award for the Nobel Peace Prize will be given to a singer/songwriter, Mr. Robert Allen Zimmerman - or as most of us know him as Bob Dylan.
It is about time that Bob Dylan, a man with over five hundred songs written, part of a super group in the 1980s, toured with huge bands, successfully written six books, and much more, was recognized with such a prestigious award. Dylan has been nominated for forty-six awards - including Grammy's, Academy Awards, Golden Globe. Has been inducted into three hall of fames, is a Recipient of now four awards, is an Honorary Doctor of Music from two schools, and has five songs inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
It was reported that Dylan had a 16/1 chance of being chosen for this award, with the debate of whether or not a musician's writing, lyrics, has the same artistic value as other who have achieved the award before him. Many were thrilled by the lyricist/poet's achievement, as seen throughout social media. Friends such as Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, Roseanne Cash, including other writers, like Stephen King, commented and posted their congratulations towards the writer. However, there were others who took the seventy-five year olds nomination in another view. People like best selling author, Jodi Picoult stating on Twitter;
“I’m happy for Bob Dylan, #ButDoesThisMeanICanWinAGrammy?”
Picoult was not the only one to make comments against the winner.
Looking back on everything Bob Dylan has done, revolutionizing music, created poetic lines that have inspired hundreds of thousands of writers, not to mention his stand during monumental moments in history, including the March on Washington, led by Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. and songs that croon for freedom, it is about time that he has been recognized for his work in such an honorable way.
Becoming the first musician to win this prestigious award, dating back to 1901, can just only prove that Time's They Are A-Changin'
The above video is Jeff Lynne, George Harrison, and Tom Petty talking about the passing of their friend and fellow musician, Roy Orbison. Before reading about The Traveling Wilburys Volume III, read about a prior description about the formation of The Traveling Wilburys, Traveling Wilburys Volume I, and their chart history by clicking here.
Producers: Spike and Clayton Wilbury Recorded: April- May 1990 Released: 29 October, 1990 Spike Wilbury: Acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin, sitar, lead vocals, backing vocals Clayton Wilbury: Acoustic guitar, bass, keyboards, lead vocals, backing vocals Boo Wilbury: Acoustic guitar, harmonica, lead vocals, backing vocals Muddy Wilbury: acoustic guitar, bass guitar, lead vocals, backing vocals Jim Keltner: Drums, Percussion Jim Horn: Saxophones Ray Cooper: Percussion Gary Moore: lead guitar on "She's My Baby"
It was two years after the passing of Roy Orbison and two years after The Traveling Wilburys had released their first album. In April of 1990, the remaining brothers returned to the studio after Bob Dylan had returned to touring in the late 80s, doing thirteen gigs with Tom Petty, some with the Grateful Dead, and then onto his Never Ending Tour in 1988. Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne were working on Roy's last album, Mystery Girl, which was released in 1989. Jeff had also produced Tom Petty's solo album, Full Moon Fever, also in 1989. Bob was working on his new album in 1990, Under the Red Sky, which George Harrison played on. Also, Jeff Lynne was working on his album, Armchair Theatre, which Tom and George worked on in 1990. It was time for the four to get back together to record a second album; Traveling Wilburys Volume III, was the result.
Instead of using their old persona; Nelson, Otis, Lucky, and Charlie T Jr. Volume III introduced a new band of brothers, George was now known as Spike Wilbury, Jeff as Clayton, Bob had became Boo, and Tom as Muddy. The recording for the album went from April to May and was released on 29 October, 1990, being produced by their own Spike and Clayton.
"Nobody's Child" was recorded and released for a charity for the Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation, founded by George's second wife, Olivia. The song appeared on the album, Nobody's Child: Romanian Angel Appeal. The group also recorded a brilliant cover of Del Shannon's "Run Away". The above video is the full Volume III album.
Although the album didn't do as great as the first, it placed 11th in The Billboard 200 charts. Singles like Inside Out place 16 in Mainstream Rock. She's My Baby received spot number 2 in Mainstream Rock chart.
It all started with one musician looking to write a B-side for his new album, that turned into a band full of brothers.
"Just when you thought that real music was gone forever..... there came The Traveling Wilburys"
To see a great interview with Tom, Jeff, and George click here.
"What I'd really like to do next is... to do an album with me and some
of my mates... a few tunes, you know. Maybe The Traveling Wilburys...
it's this new group I got: it's called the Traveling Wilburys, I'd like
to do an album with them and later we can all do our own albums again."-George Harrison
It was the year 1988 when George Harrison was working on his album Cloud Nine, an album who was created by Harrison himself, singer/songwriter and friend, Jeff Lynne and was being produced and distributed by Warner Bros Records.Warner Brothers had asked George to write a B-side for his single called "This Is Love".
George had figured he'd go to a studio and record a song, good friend of George's and one of the most influential musicians of all time, Bob Dylan, had a studio. George and Jeff called Bob up asking if they could use his studio, Bob allowed it and it was just the three of them; Harrison, Lynne, and Dylan. Jeff at the time was working with the legendary musician, Roy Orbison, who Jeff had mentioned his record he was making with George and Roy wanted to help. It was during one night that George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, and Bob Dylan, were eating together in Bob's home studio in Malibu, California. Now it was the four of them, George, Jeff, Bob, and Roy who immediately went to start working, but George had forgotten his guitar at a friends house, it was then the young heart-breaker, Tom Petty had joined the group. George had left to get his guitar at Tom's house and returned to Bob's studio accompanied by Tom Petty.
"...and
so I just thought I'll just go into the studio tomorrow and do one, and
it happened that Jeff was working with Roy and Roy wanted to come. My
guitar was at Tom's house for some reason and I had to go round and get
it. And the only studio that we could find available was Bob's. So we
thought, Bobs got one, we'll just call him up."
The group worked a few days on a song, getting it right. It was one of those situation that you had five brilliant musicians in a room and a line would be tossed out, written down on a piece of paper until the song was complete. Someone had asked, "What are we going to call it?", George had looked at a packaging box that read "Handle With Care". Thus, George's B-Side was born. But, it wasn't a song based for George's vocals, and George didn't want it to be,
"So everybody was there and I thought I'm not gonna just sing it myself, I've got Roy Orbison standing there. I'm gonna write a bit for Roy to sing. And Then as it progressed then I started doing the vocals and I just thought I might as well push it a bit and get Tom and Bob to sing the bridge."-George Harrison on writing "Handle With Care"
"A couple of days later George came by my office to play the new 'B-side.' We went next door to A&R head Lenny Waronker's office so
he could hear it too. George played us 'Handle With Care.' Our reaction
was immediate. This was a song we knew could not be wasted on some
B-side. Roy Orbison's vocal was tremendous. I really loved the beautiful
guitar figure that George played. The guys had really nailed it. Lenny
and I stumbled over each others' words, asking, 'Can't we somehow turn
this into an album?' (I also had a suspicion that perhaps George had
been hungering for another band experience.)" -Mo Ostin of Warner Bros. Records
The name Traveling Wilbury's came from a joke between George and Jeff who called the studio equipment "wilburys". The original name for the group was The Trembling Wilbury's , it was Jeff who suggested "Traveling". The group went on to record The Traveling Wilburys Volume I, but not under their own names. The Traveling Wilburys had became brothers, George becoming Nelson Wilbury, Jeff being Otis, Roy becoming Lefty, Bob had taken on the persona as Lucky, and Tom, being the youngest became Charlie T. Wilbury Jr. The group used drummer Jim Keltner on their songs. The Following video is "The True Story of The Traveling Wilburys":
The album was released on 18 October, 1988 and went to number three in The Billboard 200 charts. Singles like End Of The Line, peaked number 28 in Adult Contemporary charts, 2 in Mainstream Rock, 63 in The Billboard Hot 100. Handle with Care reached 2 in Mainstream Rock, 45 in The Billboard Hot 100. Heading For The Light peaked at number 7 in Mainstream Rock charts. Last Night reached 5 in Mainstream Rock. The album also was awarded Grammy Award for Best Rock Preformance by Duo or Group with Vocal.
6 December 1988 the world wept at the passing of the legacy of the beautiful man, Roy Orbison who had passed away of a heart attack. He was remembered in the Traveling Wilbury's video for "End Of The Line", where they're on a steam engine train, during Lefty's refrain the video focuses on a rocking chair holding his guitar and a picture of Orbison standing next to it. Roy will be remembered as a true music inspiration, but not only as that but as a friend to many and for those who knew him as an overall great guy, there's really no words good enough to describe him.
"All I can really say about him is, you know, we loved him. We told him, fortunately, at any given opportunity, you know any time we had we always told him we loved him. We always hugged him. And said, 'Roy, you're so great.' I once said to him, 'Roy, you're probably the greatest singer in the world.' and he said '...probably.'"-Tom Petty
The following video is the Traveling Wilbury's "End Of The Line":
After recording Beatles For Sale (check out the history behind Beatles For Sale here) in 1964 The Beatles had returned to Studio 2 at Abbey Road Studios to record their fifth album, Help! Help! was recorded on and off through the months of February to June. It featured; Ringo Starr: Vocals, drums, tambourine, maracas, cowbell, bongos, claves, percussion, hand claps, acoustic guitar percussion. John Lennon: Vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, 12-string guitar, electric piano, Hammond organ, tambourine, and snare drum. Paul McCartney: Vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, electric piano, piano, and bass guitar. George Harrison: Vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, 12- string guitar, and gΓΌiro. George Martin: Piano Tony Gilbert: Violin Sidney Sax: Violin Kenneth Essex: Viola Francisco Gabarro: Cello
The album was recorded for their second motion picture Help! which would appear in colour on July 29, 1965. The original names for the film were Beatles II or Eight Arms To Hold You. The film featured songs from their album like, "Help!", "You're Going To Lose That Girl", "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away", "Ticket To Ride", "I Need You", "The Night Before", "She's A Women", "A Hard Days Night" (instrumental), "I'm Happy Just To Dance With You" (instrumental), "Another Girl", "You Can't Do That" (instrumental). Just like The Beatles first film, A Hard Days Night, John took on the role of writing the title song where he wrote "Help!" at his home in Weybridge,
"When Help! came out, I was actually crying out for help. Most people
think it's just a fast rock 'n' roll song. I didn't realise it at the
time; I just wrote the song because I was commissioned to write it for
the movie. But later, I knew I really was crying out for help. So it was
my fat Elvis period. You see the movie: he - I - is very fat, very
insecure, and he's completely lost himself. And I ams singing about when
I was so much younger and all the rest, looking back at how easy it
was."- John Lennon
In August of 1964 The Beatles met Bob Dylan who introduced them to marijuana which led to a drug phase for the group during this time,
"A hell of a lot of pot was being smoked while we were making the film. It was great. That helped make it a lot of fun." -Ringo Starr
Marijuana and other drugs like LSD later influenced the group in later albums like Rubber Soul and Revolver, which is nicknamed the "acid album". Although Dylan turned the group onto drugs he also had influenced them in a number of ways with his poetic writing and hard-core folk sound. Lennon admits to his inspiration to write "I'm A Loser" in Beatles For Sale because of Bob Dylan. John also found the Dylan influence in his "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" which was featured on Help!
Help! is what I like to call the "transition album". I call it this because it was released in 1965, so Beatlemania had already hit it's climax, it was still strong but 1964 was the highest of Beatlemania. Also, during this time The Beatles had gotten into marijuana and experimenting with LSD which led to the acid album. Help! was when McCartney found himself as a song writer when he wrote "Yesterday", it showed the group maturing which is shown in the "grown up" album, Rubber Soul. This album has the Beatlemania aspect along with a new maturity level.
"We know all about 'Yesterday'. I have had so much accolade for 'Yesterday'. That's Paul's song and Paul's baby. Well done. Beautiful. And I never wished I'd written it." -John Lennon
"Yesterday" is one the number one song that has ever been covered. The song is said to have been covered 7 million times in the 20th century. During this time Paul was living in an upstairs, attic room at home of his girlfriend, Jane Asher's parents home. Paul managed to fit a piano in the small room at 57 Wimpole Street, London and placed it next to the bed. One morning Paul woke up with this tune stuck in his head, a jazzy, soft tune and questioned himself if he's heard the song before.
"My dad used to know a lot of old jazz tunes, I thought maybe I'd just remembered it from the past."- Paul McCartney
He quickly got to the piano and fooled around with it until he got the tune. McCartney then wrote some lyrics, just in case he forgot the tune. Being morning he sang 'Scrambled eggs, oh baby how I love your legs..". John Lennon said that "The song was around for months and months be fore we finally completed it." McCartney had to think of other lyrics for the song instead of having it called "Scrambled Eggs", although Lennon loved the title "Scrambled Eggs" and having a track being produced by George Martin with a title like that. Paul got to thinking and remembered that people like sad songs, something they can relate to and that's why the song is so soft and sad.
Paul recorded "Yesterday" on a high stool with his acoustic guitar and some string instruments. It was the first time that no other Beatles were featured on the track, just Paul. George Martin remembers it as,
"Paul went down to No. 2 Studio at EMI, sat on a high stool with his acoustic guitar and sang 'Yesterday'. That was the master to begin with. Then I said, 'Well, what we can do with it? The only thing I can think of is adding strings, but I know what you think about that.' And Paul said, ' I don't want Mantovani.' I said, "what about a very small number of string players, a quartet?' He thought that was interesting, and I went and worked on it with him and made suggestions for the score. He had ideas too, and we booked a string quartet and over dubbed the strings - and that was the record"
Paul calls "Yesterday" his most successful song,
"It was my most successful song. It's amazing that it just came to me in a dream. That's why I don't profess to know anything; I think music is all very mystical. You hear people saying, 'I'm a vehicle; it just passes through me.' Well,, you're dead lucky if something like that passes through you."
Help! was released in the UK on August 6, 1965 and entered the charts at #1 on August 14, replacing "The Sound Of Music". The album spent 9 weeks as #1 but stayed in the charts for an additional 37 weeks. There were over 250,000 copies ordered and just in the first week sales topped of over 270,000! The Beatles also released "Ticket To Ride" and "Help!" as singles which as no surprised topped charts and became million-sellers!
The Album features the following tracks;
Help! (Lennon- McCartney)
The Night Before (Lennon- McCartney)
You've Got To Hide Your Love Away (Lennon- McCartney)
I Need You (Harrison)
Another Girl (Lennon- McCartney)
You're Going To Lose That Girl (Lennon- McCartney)
Ticket To Ride (Lennon- McCartney)
Act Naturally (Morrison- Russell)
It's Only Love (Lennon- McCartney)
You Like Me Too Much (Harrison)
Tell Me What You See (Lennon- McCartney)
I've Just Seen A Face (Lennon- McCartney)
Yesterday (Lennon- McCartney)
Dizzy Miss Lizzy (Williams)
The album was released in the US in Capitol Records version on August 13,1965. There were 1 million copies ordered, which at one time was the largest initial order in history of the music industry! Although it seemed like a lot of copies, more orders were needed because the album immediately sold 3 million copies. Help! entered US charts as #1 for 9 weeks and stayed in charts for another 33. The Capitol Record album includes the following tracks;
Help!
The Night Before
From Me To You Fantasy (instrumental)
You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
I Need You
In The Tyro (instrumental)
Another Girl
Another Hard Days Night (instrumental)
Ticket To Ride
The Bitter End/ You Can't Do That (instrumental)
You're Going To Lost That Girl
The Chase (instrumental)
The album cover was shot by Robert Freeman who also had taken the With The Beatles, A Hard Days Night and Beatles For Sale cover. The covered featured the group wearing skiing outfits from the film and having the cover spell "NUJV" in semaphore.
"I had the idea of semaphore spelling out the letters
HELP. But when we came to do the shot the arrangement of the arms with
those letters didn't look good. So we decided to improvise and ended up
with the best graphic positioning of the arms."- Robert Freeman
Help! Fun Facts:
The first session for the new album took place in Studio Two on
February 15, 1965 where they started recording "Ticket To Ride", "I Need
You", and "Another Girl"
Help! was were George first got interested in Indian music and sitar
The album features 10 songs credited to Lennon- McCartney, 2 to Harrison, and 2 covers
The Cover for the US version has the arms spelling "NVUJ" instead of "NUJV"
George Martin wanted to have "Yesterday" be credit to just McCartney but Brian Epstein wouldn't allow it because he wasn't going to 'break up' the band.
“People laughed when Dylan entered the picture out of nowhere in 2011 but maybe there was something blowin’ in the wind after all." - Alex Donohue, from Time's "What To Know About Bob Dylan's Nobel Prize For Literature
