BEYOND COOL: Badfinger, the Beatles of the 1970s!

I love BADFINGER and you should, too. Here's a music player to win you over.



"Here it is, come and get it!"
BADFINGER
by Tym StevensThis is a Spotify player. Join up for free here.
BADFINGER were The Beatles' protégés, who had wonderful songs and terrible luck.

The classic line-up -Pete Ham, Tom Evans, Joey Molland, and Mike Gibbins- were together from 1970 to 1974, and had huge hits with the songs "Come And Get It" (written for them by Paul McCartney during the Abbey Road album sessions), "Day After Day", "No Matter What You Do", and "Baby Blue" (used memorably in the finale of 'Breaking Bad').

They also did the original of "Without You", a worldwide smash in 1971 with Harry Nilsson's cover of it. It has gone on to become a perennial standard covered by artists globally, including the 1996 hit for Mariah Carey.

The band is certainly every bit as influential on all the indie and power pop bands that followed as Big Star, The Raspberries, or The Modern Lovers. The latter part of the Music Player features cover versions in chronological order, from artists as varied as Ken Lazarus (Jamaica), We All Together (Peru), Tim Hardin, Leno E Lilian (Brazil), Billy Paul, The Flashcubes, Game Theory, Lon and Derrek Von Eaton (with Ringo Starr and Klaus Voorman), Midge Ure, Todd Rundgren, The Real Kids, and Harry Styles.

Their songs are excellent and eternal, and you're in good hands with BADFINGER.




© Tym Stevens

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See Also:

• "Without You" - Badfinger > Harry Nilsson

• All over, "Baby Blue"! - Gene Vincent > Bob Dylan > Badfinger > Beach Boys > Topley Bird


Hear the whole BEATLESQUE Songs series:
• 1963-esque
• 1964-esque
• 1965-esque
• 1966-esque
• 1967-esque
• 1968-esque
• 1969-esque
• 1970-esque
• 'REUNION' 1970-Now


• The Real History of Rock and Soul!: A Music Player Checklist

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ROCK Sex: All over, "Baby Blue"! - Gene Vincent > Bob Dylan > Badfinger > Beach Boys > Topley Bird

ROCK Sex says, 'it's all over the place, Baby Blue!'

We've seen how an act inspires another, or a song is reinterpreted by generations. But this time the relay baton is a song title. Here's the example of how many great songs have come from the title "Baby Blue".

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Rockabilly hellcat GENE VINCENT smoothes us into that mood indigo with this classic:

GENE VINCENT AND THE BLUE CAPS -"Baby Blue" (1958)


And here's this vocal group doing a love serenade:

THE ECHOES -"Baby Blue" (1961)



Bob Dylan always liked the title of Gene Vincent's song and worked it into this evergreen diatribe. The song's lyrics and snarling edge are pure Punk in Folk form.:

BOB DYLAN -"It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" (1965)



Rock's most under-appreciated wizards Badfinger made this power pop classic:

(Note: the song took on significant new meaning and popularity in the finale episode of "Breaking Bad" [2013].)

BADFINGER -"Baby Blue" (1972)



In the finest tradition of The Beach Boys, The Raspberries, or 10cc, here's CHILLIWACK with another vocal beauty:

CHILLIWACK -"Baby Blue" (1976)



Not to be outdone, Dennis Wilson shines on this ethereal and unsung ballad recorded by The Beach Boys:

THE BEACH BOYS -"Baby Blue" (1979)



Here's a fine soulful song from Martina Topley Bird:

MARTINA TOPLEY BIRD -"Baby Blue" (2008)




Bringing us full circle, here's The White Stripes covering Gene Vincent's original:

THE WHITE STRIPES -"Baby Blue" (live, 2002)




© Tym Stevens

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See Also:

• Revolution 1950s: The Big Damn Bang of Rock'n'Roll!


• BEYOND COOL: Badfinger, the Beatles of the 1970s!, with Music Player!

• BRIAN WILSON-esque: All The Songs Imitating His BEACH BOYS Music Styles!, with 3 Music Players!

• "I Want You!" - The Troggs, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Marvin Gaye, Cheap Trick, Elvis Costello +


• The Real History of Rock and Soul!: The Music Player Checklist

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