Saturday, April 25, 2009

Sounds Of The Sixties

(not for those who dislike jangly semi-accoustic guitars. If you right-click on the links you can open the music in a new window or tab).


Once upon a time there was an successful accoustic Australian pop group called the Seekers, who featured a sweet-faced, pure-voiced girl called Judith Durham, at the time every Dad's favourite. They played mainstream music - love songs and the like - the cultural revolution had yet to kick in.

When my all-time fave folkie Sandy Denny stopped doing solo spots in folk clubs and joined an obscure band called the Strawbs, they didn't half sound like the Seekers. Listen to "All I need Is You" or "On My Way". Those jangly guitars are so Sixties.

A little later and across the pond, a bunch of proto-hippies called Jefferson Airplane were doing drugs and singing stuff like "It's no secret", although their pretty female singer was no Judith Durham (in among the drug stuff and political posturing, they also produced one of the most beautiful love songs ever). Back in England, a thirteen year old Laban was inscribing their name on school desks.

The cultural revolution was kicking off, and by strange chance the next band that Sandy Denny joined (here doing 'Time Will Show The Wiser' with the lovely Judy Dyble singing) didn't half sound like Jefferson Airplane.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks Laban, I remember some of this stuff on Radio 2 in the early 70's but was really too young to appreciate it. Now, at least, I know where my appreciation for jangly-indie guitars in the 80's really came from!

JohnM said...

I prefer Today in this version. Youtube has two songs back to back so you have to listen to High Flying Bird before it starts.

For some reason the director chooses to show Grace only even though she sings only the harmony. In fact the reason is pretty obvious but I was very confused when I first saw this.

I wonder if Laban enjoys Judy Henske? Also here although the vinyl recording is appalling

Anonymous said...

Thanks Laban, the Sandy Denny and the Strawbs track, 'All I Need Is You', is a new one for me, the version know is this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=AU&hl=en-GB&v=dndop7FHARo
It has a special meaning as my (Internet) girlfriend died in a car crash in January, this year.
It's just the words that get me.