Sun Songs - part one

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Sun Songs - part one
by Robert Benson - August 23, 2009

Beatles

In recent articles we have explored songs with ‘rain,’ ‘summertime,’ and ‘sunshine’ in the title. Now let’s explore some songs with the word ‘sun’ in the title.

Released in 1964 on the Beatles For Sale album is the melancholy ballad “I’ll Follow The Sun,” a song that Paul McCartney wrote before he joined up with the famous foursome (in the US it appeared on the Beatles '65 album.) It's said that the band held off releasing this because at the time ballads did not fit their hard-rocking image.

“I'll Follow The Sun” was written in 1959 at McCartney's family home in Allerton, Liverpool as McCartney recalls:

“I wrote that in my front parlour in Forthlin Road. I was about 16. I'll Follow The Sun was one of those very early ones. I seem to remember writing it just after I'd had the flu and I had that cigarette - I smoked when I was 16 - the cigarette that's the 'cotton wool' one. You don't smoke while you're ill but after you get better you have a cigarette and it's terrible, it tastes like cotton wool, horrible. I remember standing in the parlour, with my guitar, looking out through the lace curtains of the window, and writing that one.”

On October 18, 1964, the band recorded “I'll Follow The Sun” in eight takes. The final version was the only one to feature electric guitar; previous attempts all contained an acoustic guitar break.

“On the record we got Ringo to tap his knees. We were thinking in terms of singles and the next one had to always be different. We didn't want to fall into the Supremes trap where they all sounded rather similar, so to that end, we were always keen on having varied instrumentation. Ringo couldn't keep changing his drum kit, but he could change his snare, tap a cardboard box or slap his knees,” detailed McCartney.

In July 2008 it was announced that a newly-discovered 30 minute reel-to-reel tape of The Beatles recording “I'll Follow The Sun” would be sold at auction, with an estimated price of $13,500 to $20,000. It eventually sold for $16,400. The 30-minute tape also featured versions of “Don't Put Me Down Like This,” “I Feel Fine,” “She’s A Woman” and others.

One of the most famous 'sun' songs of all time is the George Harrison song "Here Comes The Sun," which was included on the Beatles 1969 LP Abbey Road. In fact, 1969 was a very difficult year for Harrison: he had been arrested for marijuana possession, he had to have his tonsils removed and he had temporarily quit the band. The song was written while Harrison was away from all of these troubles.

Harrison stated in The Beatles Anthology:

"Here Comes the Sun" was written at the time when Apple was getting like school, where we had to go and be businessmen: 'Sign this' and 'sign that'. Anyway, it seems as if winter in England goes on forever, by the time spring comes you really deserve it. So one day I decided I was going to sag off Apple and I went over to Eric Clapton's house. The relief of not having to go see all those dopey accountants was wonderful, and I walked around the garden with one of Eric's acoustic guitars and wrote "Here Comes The Sun."

Harrison sang lead vocals, played acoustic guitar and used his newly acquired Moog synthesizer on the song and it was one of the first pop songs to feature a Moog synthesizer. Paul McCartney sang backing vocals and played bass guitar. Ringo Starr played drums, with all three Beatles providing handclaps. Harrison, McCartney and Starr recorded the rhythm track in 13 takes on July, 7, 1969. Towards the end of the session Harrison spent an hour re-recording his acoustic guitar part. The following day he taped his lead vocals, and he and McCartney recorded their backing vocals twice to give a fuller sound. John Lennon did not contribute to the song as he was recovering from a recent car crash.

The song was never released as a single, but there have been many musicians who have covered the song and have fared quite well. Reggae star Peter Tosh released as a hit single and another popular Jamaican version was released in 1971 by singer and producer Rupie Edwards. Additionally, American folk singer Richie Havens saw his version reach #16 in the US in 1971. The song was successfully covered in the UK by Steve Harley, who reached the #10 spot in 1976 with his version. Nina Simone also released the cut on an album with the same title Here Comes The Sun in 1971. It was also recorded and released by Gary Glitter in 1969 and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds have also covered the song.

Others who have recorded this classic cut include (among many others): Belle & Sebastian, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Sheryl Crow (for Jerry Seinfeld's Bee Movie), Rockapella on their 2002 album Smilin, Yo-Yo Ma & James Taylor, Scottish alternative rockers Travis, Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band and Irish-rockers U2 regularly sample the song during live performances of their hit "Beautiful Day."

Interestingly, the name of the next ‘sun’ song is a Beatles’ song that was originally called "Here Comes the Sun King," but was shortened to "Sun King" to avoid confusion with the George Harrison song "Here Comes the Sun." Ironically the lyrics to start “Sun King” are the same as the title and lyrics of "Here Comes the Sun," by George Harrison; except with the word "King" is inserted afterwards. This song was recorded as one song with "Mean Mr. Mustard," part of a suite of songs at the end of Abbey Road album.

John Lennon wrote the song and he used to say that he dreamed 'Sun King,' but it's possible that he was also reading a book with that title by Nancy Mitford about the life of Louis XIV of France (The "Sun King" was a nickname given to King Louis XIV). Another interesting aspect of the song is the use of cross-channel movement, or stereo panning and fading. The fast guitar line slowly moves from right to left channel and then back. This occurs in the beginning of the song, and then again at the end.

However, there are also unconfirmed rumors that the real 'Sun King' was a gent who brought the Beatles their LSD, otherwise known as liquid sunshine. It's also said that they recorded many tributes to liquid sunshine, including "Good Day Sunshine" and "Here Comes The Sun.” When the ‘Sun King’ delivered the acid it was always a joyous occasion with everybody laughing, everybody happy again; it is said. Maybe these rumors have to do with too many people having too little to do in their lives other than to make up silly meanings about Beatles songs; they have all be interpreted and rehashed in some way or another. (Remember that “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” was thought to be about LSD, when in fact, it was based on a child’s drawing?)

Regarding the last three lines of the song with foreign singing, in an interview, Lennon stated:

"We just started joking, you know, singing 'quando para mucho.' So we just made up... Paul knew a few Spanish words from school, you know. So we just strung any Spanish words that sounded vaguely like something. And of course we got 'chicka ferdy' in. That's a Liverpool expression. Just like sort of-- it doesn't mean anything to me but (childish taunting) 'na-na, na-na-na!'" More fodder for the Beatle fans to pour over….

"California Sun" was originally recorded by a New Orleans singer Joe Jones in the winter of 1961 (#89 on the Billboard charts); however it is the South Bend, Indiana-based Rivieras that took the song to #5 in 1964. "California Sun" holds the distinction of being one of the last songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart before the British Invasion.

The Rivieras featured Marty Fortson on vocals and guitar; Doug Gean on bass guitar, Otto Nuss playing the trademark organ part, guitarist Joe Pennell and drummer Paul Dennert. Fortson left the group for the Marines after recording "California Sun" and the band's manager, Bill Dobslaw, took over the lead vocals on their last three charted songs; songs that barely made the Top 100 (coming in at #93, #99 and #96 all in 1964). The band split up in 1966.

However the song's popularity didn't end there as numerous recording artists have cut versions of the song, the most famous by the Ramones on their 1977 LP Leave Home and in the 1979 movie Rock 'n' Roll High School. The Ramones version was also included featured in Jackass: The Movie. The Rivieras version was used in the Oliver Stone epic The Doors and the cut is on many compilations albums. The song was covered by surf guru Dick Dale on his 1994 LP Unknown Territory and it also appeared in the 1987 Frankie Avalon movie, Back to the Beach.

"People of the Sun," by Rage Against the Machine is the second single from their 1996 album Evil Empire. The song was first written about the original California Chicano natives, however as the song developed, the lyrics changed to focus on the Zapatista Movement after vocalist Zack de la Rocha visited the Chiapas in southern Mexico. The Zapatistas, were an army of indigenous farmers in Chiapas, Mexico and launched an armed uprising on January 1, 1994.

The song includes a variety of references, most notably the destruction of the Aztec empire by the Spanish and the Zoot Suit Riots of Los Angeles in 1943. The singer also refers to the last Aztecan Emperor Cuauhtémoc, who was tortured and eventually executed by the Spaniards.

Interestingly, the cut showcases a classic example of the band’s guitarist Tom Morello's phenomenal creativity, as he plays most of the song by rubbing an Allen wrench against the A-string and E-string of his guitar.

The cut was nominated for a Best Hard Rock Performance Grammy in 1998, but it lost to the Smashing Pumpkins' "The End is the Beginning is the End."

In part two, we will explore more famous ‘sun’ songs in music history.

Robert Benson
Author Robert Benson writes about rock/pop music, vinyl record collecting and operates Collecting Vinyl Records, where you can pick up a copy of his FREE ebook called "The Fascinating Hobby Of Vinyl Record Collecting." You can also have your vinyl records appraised at Vinyl Record Appraisals

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