Things aint what they seem in music

Things are not always what they seem in the music industry. 90% of this can be attributed to the fact that music artists are over worked and need sustenance to keep their energy levels up at times when it is down.

I briefly touched on this issue in an earlier post: one hit wonders and I though that it would be apt to explore this issue in a bit more depth.

Drugs are amazing things. I am not speaking form personal experience as I am a good Catholic boy and don’t condone the use of drugs. MUGS ABUSE DRUGS. I just think that drugs are amazing because they can make people do amazing stuff.

The best story I have heard involves a certain mister Reginald Dwight otherwise known as Elton John.

Now Elton John is a homosexual, by his on admission I am not labelling him, and has always been. But he was married to a woman at one stage in his career. Watching a documentary about him on the history channel he said that he was so high on drugs that he forgot that he was a homosexual.

I’m sorry? What? He was so high on drugs that he forgot that he was homosexual! How much drugs was the man on? The scary thing is that he was married to the woman for four years!

Now you see people will not know this. They watch him on stage and follow his music and think that he is the best thing since sliced bread. And he is a quality performer.

The same situation rings true with probably one of the greatest rock bands of all times, Queen. Rumours were rife about front man Freddy Mercury and the lavish parties that he used to host at his London hacienda. Apparently, servants used to walk around with platters of Blow (cocane).

But its funny how most of the best songs of all time were written while on drugs. Bob Marley’s No woman No Cry, Queens Bohemian Rhapsody, and even the Rolling Stones Start Me Up.

This was a big issue in the movie Walk the Line which is a rather brutal portrail of the life of the signing cowboy Johnny Cash who had a huge battle with amphetamines. When he got clean at the end of his career, he even sang about the fact that he was on drugs. At his live performance at Folsom Prison he sang Cocaine Blues that basically outlines his addiction.

	Johnny Cash - Cocaine Blues
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

Speaking of musical artists performing in Prisons. You have to admire Cash’s balls for doing such an album. Mind you he had a big following in the Prisons as he often sang about being in trouble with the law. His Live at Folsom Prison was his comeback album that no record label wanted to endorse. At the end, the record outsold The Beetles and Bob Dylan.

Imagine if a local artist had to perform in Prisons? The only cats that would fit in would be Mandoza or HHP

The next issue worth mentioning is non drug related.

One of my favourite bands of all time is UB40. They must be one of the best bands in the world that never recorded a hit that they wrote the music to themselves. In fact, most of their hits such as Kingston Town and Red Red Wine are covers.

I came across this when I purchased an album called: Reggae Classics on Capital Gold. On the second CD I hear bladdy Johnny Nash belting out Red Red Wine. Perturbed I asked my West Indian Cockney friend that I was working with at the time about this and he said: Mate 90% of UB40’s work are covaz!

I will admit that their version of Red Red Wine is better.

Probably their best cover is of the Temptations classic: The way you do the things you do.


The Temptations- 'The Way You Do The Things You Do' - Click here for more home videos

Basically they took it, quickened the beat, changed the feel from soul to jazzy and changed a few lyrics. And that F for it, ohhh man, what a song. Lets just say that my girlfriend is a huge fan.


UB40 - The Way You Do The Things You Do - The most amazing home videos are here

The only song that they did that was as good as the original is: I Cant Help Falling In Love With You.