What is the Song Title of This Country-Rock Cover from Pre-1970s?

March 10, 2021 7:32 AM

My dad's band made a reel-to-reel tape demo of country/rock/blues covers back in the mid-1970s. I can't figure out the name of one particular song. Listening sample and more info after the jump!

In the 1970s, my dad was part of a successful acid rock band that "went country" [sic] and did a reel-to-reel tape demo of several songs. I can't figure out what the name of this song is, though. (The others were major country roots hits and easy to recognize.)

I Googled the lyrics but come up with nothing, probably because I can hardly make out any of the words. My dad isn't around anymore to ask. I've passed this recording around several Boomers (actual baby-boomers), and none of them know it either. None of the other band members are known to me, so I can't ask them. (This has been driving me nuts for nearly 30 years; I don't know why it took me this long to ask here.)

I will be shocked if it's an original song, but I guess it could be. It does have that "jam" feel.

P.S. In case anyone is interested in knowing, my dad's successful acid rock band in the 70s was named Bermuda, but then (someone died of a drug overdose?) they decided to become a country cover band called The Sundogs in the mid-1970s. (No, not that Sundogs.) They were never successful after changing their genre, so they fired my dad (the drummer) for not being "country enough", and the band eventually broke up. My dad got the last laugh, though, as he became a much sought-after drummer for many bands and studio sessions after getting fired.

posted by TinWhistle to Media & Arts (13 answers total)

You might try contacting Dave Reaume, he is a bass player that was active in Canada in the 70's. He has a YouTube channel called Dave's World of Fun Stuff. Maybe he can help.

It is a good tune, too bad the vocals are not clearer.
posted by tman99 at 8:48 AM on March 10, 2021

Man this is a stumper. Nothing's coming up for any of the lyrics I've been able to make out. It has a definite Doobie Brothers sort of vibe, though. There's a Name That Song subreddit that might reach a larger audience.

What general area was he in when it was made?
posted by jquinby at 8:56 AM on March 10, 2021

Maybe try in different directions? On a brief listen, I’d have pegged this as a cover of a Grateful Dead song (unfortunately not one I recognize) rather than something strictly country. It’s that “jam” feel you mentioned. I tried searching the Dead lyrics archives I’m aware of and didn’t get any hits on the lyrics I could make out, but maybe post it into some Deadhead or jam band communities and see if you get any hits? Good luck!
posted by okayokayigive at 9:09 AM on March 10, 2021

On a brief listen, I’d have pegged this as a cover of a Grateful Dead song (unfortunately not one I recognize) rather than something strictly country. It’s that “jam” feel you mentioned.

I kind of agree. The song's arrangement is dominated by that hippie boogie beat that those folks think is funky.
posted by thelonius at 9:16 AM on March 10, 2021

I am a Deadhead. Over 125 shows before Jerry passed. This, to my ear, is not a Dead song. The Dead were/are a huge cover band. 40%? of their songs were covers. I cannot think of any Dead song where they fill space with "yeah" or the like. Of course, I could be wrong. To me, the music sounds like Feeling Alright by Dave Mason or Traffic. THe words don't match, but the instruments sound like it to me. I do like your Dad's drums especially around the 3:50 mark. Nice solo.
posted by AugustWest at 9:34 AM on March 10, 2021 [2 favorites]

Also, Jerry's roots were less country and much more bluegrass.
posted by AugustWest at 10:02 AM on March 10, 2021 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Yup, count me in as someone who has listened to an enormous amount of Dead and I would be really surprised if there was a connection. As AugustWest noted, the Dead played almost 50% covers. Most of their original hits had lyrics by Robert Hunter, and his lyrical style is much more country than rock.

I spend a lot of time listening to lyrics and puzzling them out for a cover band I'm in, so I applied my ear to the lyrics of your song. Hopefully other people can fill in the blank lyrics or correct any I got wrong. I'm thinking from the lyrics that the song title is probably something like "Holding My Ground"

Shadows fall
Where's the things we used to see
???
?? just leave this broken house(?) for me
My winter's come
Where's my friends and neighbors now
???
If you want my soul somehow yeah

yeah yeah yeah oh
Don't put(push?) me down
Can't put me up I'm on way
Holding my ground
??? in the light of day
And when I see a cloudy day
Know what I do, yeah
Gotta find a more natural way
??? against the ??

yeah yeah yeah oh
All alone
??? highway man
Getting stoned
Laying ???
Had a dream
Saw the rain come swelling(?) down
Making me clean
??? hold my ground yeah
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 10:26 AM on March 10, 2021 [1 favorite]

ah I was agreeing that it was probably some kind of Dead inspired, or partially so, original - not a Dead cover. Sorry. tbh I think the song is pretty mediocre and I'd be amazed if it is a cover of something that was a chart hit.
posted by thelonius at 11:05 AM on March 10, 2021

Response by poster: To answer the "where" question upthread, it's Minneapolis.

The recording is certainly pre-1978 as I was born in early '78, and my dad was long-long-gone from both bands mentioned by the time I was born. So, the song, if a cover, would have to had been "current" around '78 or older.

I got rid of the original reel-to-reels after I converted everything to cassette around '94 and then the reel-to-reel player broke. I was just a teenager and didn't think to write titles down--I just assumed I could get the titles from listening, being a hot-headed teenager and all. I converted everything to .mp3 around 2001 or so.

I agree that the song isn't great at all, but I'm even more curious now as to what it is. I thought I would get the title within minutes of posting this! So, this is great!
posted by TinWhistle at 11:35 AM on March 10, 2021

Best answer: Ah, lyric transcription, a favourite hobby of my wasted youth. A further attempt:

Shadows fall
Where're the things we used to see?
Taking it all
Just leave this broken house for me
My winter's come
Where're my friends and neighbors now
If the Man (bad?) come
If you want my soul somehow yeah

yeah yeah yeah oh
Don't put me down
Can't put me up I'm on my way
Holding my ground
Just ...??? in the light of day
And when I see a cloudy day
Know what I do, yeah
Gotta find a more natural way
The old against the new

yeah yeah yeah oh
All alone
Fixing ...??? in the highway man
Getting stoned
Laying plenty my bricks down(?)
Had a dream
Saw the rain come swelling(?) down
Making me clean
...??? me how to hold my ground yeah

Really like the song! Quite a distinctive bass-line I think?
posted by Coaticass at 1:01 PM on March 10, 2021 [1 favorite]

Something from ...

Creedence Clearwater Revival?

Doobie Brothers?

Probably not an A-side (or even B-side), but something that your Dad's band liked for one reason or another.
posted by John Borrowman at 1:11 PM on March 10, 2021

Response by poster: Well, wouldn't you know, I had previously been trying to track down one of my dad's other bandmates from a much more recent band who in the past I was never able to track down. And today for some strange reason, they were very easy to find.

This band mate wasn't in the bands I mentioned above, but he knew of them.

The song is an original song, but we don't know the actual title.

Thank you everyone! Weird how things align like this after 30 years of trying. It was suddenly almost in my face.

P.S. I love the lyric transcriptions! I never could have done that on my own.
posted by TinWhistle at 1:58 PM on March 10, 2021 [9 favorites]

I'm pretty sure that I've got one more line of the lyrics

Getting stoned/
Layin' playing in my friend's den. Could also be "Lay and plan in my friend's den."
posted by Larry David Syndrome at 4:29 PM on March 10, 2021