I DROVE ALL NIGHT

ROY ORBISON

SONGWRITERS: BILLY STEINBERG & TOM KELLY

COUNTRY: U. S. A.

ALBUM: NINTENDO: WHITE KNUCKLE SCORIN’

LABEL: RCA VICTOR

GENRE: ROCK

YEAR: 1987

 

            Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. His music was described by critics as operatic, earning him the nicknames "the Caruso of Rock" and "the Big O". Many of Orbison's songs conveyed vulnerability at a time when most male rock-and-roll performers chose to project defiant masculinity. He was known for his shyness and stage fright, which he countered by wearing dark sunglasses.

         Orbison began singing in a rockabilly and country-and-western band at high school. He was signed by Sam Phillips of Sun Records in 1956, but enjoyed his greatest success with Monument Records. From 1960 to 1966, 22 of Orbison's singles reached the Billboard Top 40. He wrote or co-wrote almost all of his own Top 10 hits, including "Only the Lonely" (1960), "Running Scared" (1961), "Crying" (1961), "In Dreams" (1963), and "Oh, Pretty Woman" (1964). Beginning in the mid-1960s, Orbison suffered a number of personal tragedies and his career faltered.

          Orbison experienced a resurgence in popularity in the 1980s following the success of several cover versions of his songs. In 1988, he co-founded the Traveling Wilburys (a rock supergroup) with George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and Jeff Lynne. Orbison died of a heart attack in December 1988 at age 52. One month later, his song "You Got It" (1989) was released as a solo single, becoming his first hit to reach the U.S. Top 10 in nearly 25 years.

            Orbison's honors include inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987, the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1989, and the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2014. He received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and five other Grammy Awards. Rolling Stone placed him at number 37 on its list of the "Greatest Artists of All Time" and number 13 on its list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time". In 2002, Billboard magazine listed him at number 74 on its list of the Top 600 recording artists.

         "I Drove All Night" is a song written and composed by American songwriters Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly and recorded by American singer Cyndi Lauper. The song was originally intended for Roy Orbison, who recorded it in 1987, the year before his death, but his version was not released until 1992, after Lauper's version became a top 10 hit on both sides of the Atlantic in 1989. The song has also been covered by Canadian singer Celine Dion, whose version topped the Canadian Singles Chart and reached number 7 on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart in 2003.

I had to escape, the city was stinking and cruel
Maybe I should have called you first, but I was dying to get toyou
I was dreaming while I drove the long straight road ahead
Uh-huh, yeah
Could taste your sweet kisses, your arms open wide
This fever for you was just burning me up inside
 
I drove all night to get to you
Is that all right?
I drove all night, crept in your room
Woke you from your sleep
To make love to you
Is that all right?
I drove all night
 
What in this world keeps us from falling apart?
No matter where I go I hear the beating of our one heart
I think about you when the night is cold and dark
Uh-huh, yeah
No one can move me the way that you do
Nothing erases this feeling between me and you
 
To taste your sweet kisses, your arms open wide
This fever for you is just burning me up inside
 
I drove all night to get to you
Is that all right?
I drove all night, crept in your room
Is that all right?
I drove all night.

VINCENT

DON MCLEAN

SONGWRITER: DON MCLEAN

COUNTRY: U. S. A.

ALBUM: AMERICAN PIE

LABEL: UNITED ARTISTS RECORDS

GENRE: FOLK

YEAR: 1971

 

          Donald McLean III (born October 2, 1945) is an American singer-songwriter, best known for his 1971 hit song "American Pie", an 8.5-minute folk rock "cultural touchstone" about the loss of innocence of the early rock and roll generation.

            His other hit singles include "Vincent", "Dreidel", a rendition of Roy Orbison's "Crying", a rendition of the Skyliners' "Since I Don't Have You", and "Wonderful Baby".

           His composition "And I Love You So" has been sung by Elvis Presley, Perry Como, Helen Reddy, Glen Campbell, and others, and in 2000, Madonna had a hit with a rendition of "American Pie".

          In 2004, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In January 2018, BMI certified that "American Pie" and "Vincent" had reached five million and three million airplays respectively.

             American Pie is the second studio album by the American singer-songwriter Don McLean, released by United Artists Records on 24 October 1971. containing the chart-topping singles "American Pie" and "Vincent." Recorded in May and June 1971 at The Record Plant in New York City, the LP is dedicated to Buddy Holly, and was reissued in 1980 minus the track "Sister Fatima".The album was released to much acclaim, later being included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

           At the Australian 1972 King of Pop Awards the album won Most Popular Overseas L.P. 

Starry, starry night

Paint your palette blue and gray

Look out on a summer's day

With eyes that know the darkness in my soul

 

Shadows on the hills

Sketch the trees and the daffodils

Catch the breeze and the winter chills

In colors on the snowy linen land

 

Now I understand

What you tried to say to me

And how you suffered for your sanity

And how you tried to set them free

 

They would not listen, they did not know how

Perhaps they'll listen now

 

Starry, starry night

Flaming flowers that brightly blaze

Swirling clouds in violet haze

Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue

 

Colors changing hue

Morning fields of amber grain

Weathered faces lined in pain

Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand

 

Now I understand

What you tried to say to me

And how you suffered for your sanity

And how you tried to set them free

 

They would not listen, they did not know how

Perhaps they'll listen now

 

For they could not love you

But still your love was true

And when no hope was left in sight

On that starry, starry night

 

You took your life, as lovers often do

But I could've told you Vincent

This world was never meant for

One as beautiful as you

 

Starry, starry night

Portraits hung in empty halls

Frame-less heads on nameless walls

With eyes that watch the world and can't forget

 

Like the strangers that you've met

The ragged men in ragged clothes

The silver thorn of bloody rose

Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow

 

Now I think I know

What you tried to say to me

And how you suffered for your sanity

And how you tried to set them free

 

They would not listen, they're not listening still

Perhaps they never will.

TEACH YOUR CHILDREN

CROSBY, STILL, NASH AND YOUNG

SONGWRITER: GRAHAM NASH

COUNTRY: U. S. A.

ALBUM: CROSBY, STILLS & NASH

LABEL: ATLANTIC RECORDS

GENRE: FOLK ROCK

YEAR: 1969

 

           Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) were a folk rock supergroup made up of American singer-songwriters David Crosby and Stephen Stills, and English singer-songwriter Graham Nash. When joined by Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young as a fourth member, they are called Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (CSNY). They are noted for their intricate vocal harmonies, often tumultuous interpersonal relationships, political activism, and lasting influence on American music and culture.

             CSN formed in 1968 shortly after Crosby, Stills and Nash performed together informally in July of that year, discovering they harmonized well. Crosby had been asked to leave The Byrds in late 1967, and Stills' band Buffalo Springfield had broken up in early 1968; Nash left his band The Hollies in December, and by early 1969 the trio had signed a recording contract with Atlantic Records. Their first album, Crosby, Stills & Nash, was released in May 1969, from which came two Top 40 hits, "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" [#21] and "Marrakesh Express" [#28]. In order to tour the album, the trio hired drummer Dallas Taylor and session bassist Greg Reeves, though they still needed a keyboardist; Ahmet Ertegun suggested Neil Young, who had played with Stills in Buffalo Springfield, and after some initial reluctance, the trio agreed, signing him on as a full member. The band, now named Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, started their tour, and played their second gig at Woodstock Festival in the early morning hours of August 18, 1969. The first album with Young, Déjà Vu, reached number one in several international charts in 1970, and remains their best selling album, going on to sell over 8 million copies with three hit singles. Four singles were released from the album including "Woodstock", "Teach Your Children", and "Our House". The group's second tour, which produced the live double álbum 4 Way Street (1971), was fraught with arguments between Young and Taylor, which resulted in Taylor being replaced by John Barbata, and tensions with Stills, which resulted in his being temporarily dismissed from the band. At the end of the tour the band split up. The group have since reunited several times, sometimes with and sometimes without Young, and have released eight studio and four live albums.

           Crosby, Stills & Nash were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and all three members were also inducted for their work in other groups (Crosby for the Byrds, Stills for Buffalo Springfield and Nash for the Hollies). Neil Young has also been inducted as a solo artist and as a member of Buffalo Springfield but not as a member of CSN. They have not made a group studio album since 1999's Looking Forward, and have been inactive as a performing unit since the end of 2015. Whether or not this break is permanent remains to be seen, as the group has often been inactive for years at a time.

        Crosby, Stills & Nash is the first album by Crosby, Stills & Nash, released in 1969 on the Atlantic Records label. It spawned two Top 40 hit singles, "Marrakesh Express" and "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes", which peaked respectively at No. 28 the week of August 23, 1969, and at No. 21 the week of December 6, 1969, on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. The album itself peaked at Nº. 6 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart. It has been certified four times platinum by the RIAA for sales of 4.000.000.

You who are on the road

Must have a code that you can live by

And so become yourself

Because the past is just a good bye

 

Teach your children well

Their father's hell did slowly go by

And feed them on your dreams

The one they picked, the one you'll know by

 

Don't you ever ask them why, if they told you, you would cry

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you

 

And you, of tender Years

Can't know the fears that your elders grew by

And so please help them with your youth

They seek the truth before they can die

 

Teach your parents well

Their children's hell will slowly go by

And feed them on your dreams

The one they picked, the one you'll know by

 

Don't you ever ask them why, if they told you, you would cry

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

KING OF NOTHING

SEALS AND CROFTS

SONGWRITER: JAMES SEALS

COUNTRY: U. S. A.

ALBUM: UNBORN CHILD

LABEL: WARNER BROS

GENRE: SOFT ROCK

YEAR: 1974

 

              Seals and Crofts were an American soft rock duo made up of James Eugene "Jim" Seals (born October 17, 1941) and Darrell George "Dash" Crofts (born August 14, 1938). They are best known for their Hot 100 Nº. 6 hits "Summer Breeze" (1972), "Diamond Girl" (1973), and "Get Closer" (1976). Both members have long been public advocates of the Baháʼí Faith. Though the duo disbanded in 1980, they reunited briefly in 1991–1992, and again in 2004, when they released their final album, Traces.

       Unborn Child is the sixth studio album by American pop/folk duo Seals and Crofts. It included two low-charting singles, the title track (which reached Nº. 66) and "The King of Nothing", which reached Nº. 60.

When I was 17, I dreamed of being king. And having everything I wanted.

But that was long ago and my dreams did not unfold, so I'm still the King of Nothing.

When I was 17, I dreamed I gave a ring to a pretty queen and then I held her.

But that was slumber's fault for I have no love at all. And I'm still the King of Nothing.

 

If I could rule, I'd dance my cares away, find romance everyday.

I wouldn't have to listen to this poor fool say,

"I'm the King, I'm the King, I'm the King of Nothing."