Pedal Steel lurking in the strangest places...

Tom Quinn · Post by **Tom Quinn** » 9 Jun 2017 9:05 pm

Right about at 2:00 in one of the more psychedelic songs. Go figure...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpGEeneO-t0

Bryan Daste · Post by **Bryan Daste** » 9 Jun 2017 9:33 pm

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 9 Jun 2017 11:14 pm

Yeah, that's the full album version. They yanked that whole middle section - almost two minutes - from the single version for the teeny-boppers.

Ken Boi · Post by **Ken Boi** » 10 Jun 2017 5:07 am

A plus for me is that I might actually be able to play that part!

Don R Brown · Post by **Don R Brown** » 10 Jun 2017 5:10 am

Dave Mudgett wrote:Yeah, that's the full album version. They yanked that whole middle section - almost two minutes - from the single version for the teeny-boppers.

Always loved that song. Can't hear it without thinking of a girl from back then but that's a different story. But I agree, they ruined it when they shortened it up to fit the pop radio format of short songs. Took out the best part.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 10 Jun 2017 5:20 am

Well, somebody has to ask the inevitable...who played the pedal steel part?

Rick Barnhart · Post by **Rick Barnhart** » 10 Jun 2017 5:33 am

When I was about 11, my older brother rigged his stereo to play that side of the LP literally all night long. Every nuance is permanently etched in my brain.

The steel part was played by their guitarist, Ed Gray.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 10 Jun 2017 6:12 am

Thanks Rick. I thought that might be the case. I don't think I ever heard this cut with pedal steel, just the radio play.

Like others of you, the opening strains of this tune with the hard trem bring back a lot of memories about a girl.

This was in the beginning of what is considered, I guess, psychedelic music. Remember the TV shows with the kaleidoscopic graphics etc.?

Whoa, back to the 21st century Jerry

Rich Upright · Post by **Rich Upright** » 10 Jun 2017 11:21 am

They don't make 'em like they usta.
Kids today got crap for music. The 60s was the best period in the history of music, bar none.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 11 Jun 2017 12:26 am

I occasionally play with my best buddy , Melodic Metal player, Neil Zaza. He likes that I can play string trio parts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Puov93SDltM

Ollin Landers · Post by **Ollin Landers** » 11 Jun 2017 5:18 am

My half brother's name is Tommy James. Of course growing up in the 60's this was his favorite group. He had the single and the LP.

I don't think I ever heard the single growing up.

Jerry Van Hoose · Post by **Jerry Van Hoose** » 12 Jun 2017 5:06 am

During my senior year of high school (wow, 45+ yrs. ago), I worked the evening DJ shift, Monday - Friday, 6 to 11 PM at CBS affiliate, WSIP AM & FM. Although I had a top 40, "play list" to strictly adhere to, I was nonetheless allowed the option by the program director of playing the LP version of a song if I preferred. I always chose to play the LP version that included steel guitar of "Crimson & Clover" by Tommy James and the Shondells, a favorite of mine.

Bryan Staddon · Post by **Bryan Staddon** » 12 Jun 2017 5:42 am

What is a Shondell? Other than someone in this band. is it a thing? Is it slang? Is it a breed of dog?wasn't there a band called The Hondells ? Inquiring minds want to know.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 12 Jun 2017 9:11 am

Jerry,
Wow! five days a week, when did you get time for homework!

Jerry Van Hoose · Post by **Jerry Van Hoose** » 12 Jun 2017 1:55 pm

Hello Erv, I only had 4 easy classes during my senior year along with 2 hrs. of study halls which usually gave me enough time to get my homework finished. Also, occasionally I would take a school book to work with me to read. Bryan, The Shondells were the rest of the Tommy James' band, formed about 1960. They only had two #1 hits here in the US, Hanky Panky in 66 & Crimsom & Clover in 69 although in between they had several other top 40 records. What memories....

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 12 Jun 2017 2:00 pm

Jerry,
You remind me of my granddaughter, she completed all, but one, of her required senior classes plus a year of college.

Rick Barnhart · Post by **Rick Barnhart** » 12 Jun 2017 2:15 pm

Bryan Staddon wrote:What is a Shondell?

Originally Tommy and the Tornadoes, Tommy Jackson (James) honored his musical idol, Troy Shondell, by renaming the group.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 12 Jun 2017 3:34 pm

The retro-groovinator is a powerful beast. I mean, when I was a really really little snot-nosed little grommet, I really liked these guys, and Three Dog Night, and the Grass Roots, and even (snork!) the Supremes.

O.M.G! And if you go back and listen now, these bands were NOT tasked with writing all their own music; rather they could pick and choose from lists including a LOT of good songs written by professional tunesmiths. I can safely say that just about ALL of them had better singing voices than, say, (urp) Iron Butterfly, The Grateful Dead... even (oh no!) Bob Dylan.

It was actually the Beatles who established the idea that to be viable - "IMPORTANT" - a BAND had to write most or all of their own stuff (Tho Chuck Berry was prolific even earlier). Then the Stones, the Byrds, CCR, LED ZEPPELI...!!! (sorry I just gargled coffee out my nose). I've heard fluffery about how some people were/are/you-HAD-to-be "natural" geniuses on their INSTRUMENTS - but I've never heard anybody worth their salt claim that there were "natural-born" SONGWRITERS. I mean, goo goo goo & WAAH! WAAH? Therefore this is why "T.N.U.C." by Grand Funk Railroad and "In-a-Gadda-da-Vida" are categorically SO-OO MUCH better than "Up, Up and Away!" by the Fifth Dimension or anything by that croaky can't-dance Jimmy Webb fellow. Have you ever even heard the Dead's "Cream Puff Wars?" Whoo-eeee!

And though there were great singer-y bands who DID roll their own - the Band and Crosby/Still/Hash'n/Hairy come to mind, but it wasn't until David Crosby specifically tried to coach the Grateful Dead on singing harmony that they... recorded some more songs. Big Bother & the Molting Company? Aaak! I recently bought the "Santana IV" CD, the one that follows "Santana III" forty-some years later... I find it borderline bizarre to listen to a 60-some years-old Gregg Rolie grunting and growling about how he's gonna gitchoo all night long, etc. Goddamn is that ALL he's been THINKING about for the last forty-some years?!? Humdinger... zounds.

Just like the good lord says (at least one of 'em I'm sure):

Open your heart!
Open your ears!
Anna shut yo mouf!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI1ULMb4zH0

(Pre-emptive strike: If you just HAVE to wonder just exactly WHAT this post is about, it's about 337 words. Or so. Ah'ma gonna gitchoo...)

Jon Jaffe · Post by **Jon Jaffe** » 12 Jun 2017 6:45 pm

I'll have what he's having!

Bryan Staddon · Post by **Bryan Staddon** » 12 Jun 2017 7:22 pm

Cool, always wondered where he got that name from. Thanks again

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 12 Jun 2017 7:47 pm

My first band was called the Rondoras. No clue where that came from!

Dan Robinson · Post by **Dan Robinson** » 13 Jun 2017 6:00 am

Let's not forget I Think We're Alone, Mony Mony and Hanky Panky.

Crimson and Clover... yeah, amp had the Vibrato channel, had to use it! I love it.

At 4:12 there is a slide up on the steel, enhanced with wah. Then vocals are modulated with Vibrato, or is it Tremolo? Cool stuff, it took me back.

My first band that had a name was called Daze. It was 1971. Good times!

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 13 Jun 2017 9:05 am

"Crimson and Clover" is a 1968 song by American rock band Tommy James and the Shondells. Written by the duo of Tommy James and drummer Peter Lucia Jr.

I think I was in 9th grade.

Amazing how music and states of mind are interconnected.

I always thought that must have been a steel...

Thanks for the confirmation.

I play this track now as a twice a year DJ for old farts...

The Steel Guitar Forum

Pedal Steel lurking in the strangest places...

Pedal Steel lurking in the strangest places...

Always wondered

Re: Always wondered

Thanks Rick B.