ROCK Sex: "Without You" - Badfinger > Harry Nilsson

ROCK Sex can live with this song forever.

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BADFINGER were The Beatles for the 1970s, except that the decade didn't know it.

Glorious songs and horrible luck. But I consider that great band a treasure chest instead of a tragedy, and here's one more reason why.

"Without You" started out in half moves. First it took form as a song sketch by Pete Ham with the working title "If It's Love", with the verses and melody close but the chorus entirely different. Then Tom Evans put in the chorus from his incomplete song "I Can't Live".

PETE HAM -"I Can't Live" demo (1970)


TOM EVANS -"I Can't Live" demo (1970)


Badfinger recorded the melded version on their album NO DICE in 1970.

Paul McCartney, one of their Apple label bosses and an admirer, enthused that it was "...the killer song of all time."

BADFINGER -"Without You" (1970)



Another running mate of The Beatles, HARRY NILSSON must have felt so, too. First he did a heartfelt piano demo, and then recorded a stunning cover version. While everyone missed it on Badfinger's version, his "Without You" was a world smash and stayed at #1 in the US for a month.

HARRY NILSSON -"Without You" (1971)


It was such a success that he also did a Spanish version, "Sin Ti".


This is another case of how the cover version eclipsed the original, with most folks thinking it's Harry's song. Though lately they may think it's Mariah Carey's or any one of these.


But for me it's one more reason to be grateful for Pete, Tom, Mike, and Joey.



© Tym Stevens

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See Also:

• THE BRITISH INVASION!, with Music Player!

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

• BEATLESQUE Songs: 1969-esque, with Music Player!

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


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

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ROCK Orgy: "Genius of Love"

ROCK Sex Orgies are songs where everybody gets rewarded.

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Here's another example of a song giving a giant shout-out to other musicians.

The rhythm section of Talking Heads, bassist Tina Weymouth and drummer Chris Frantz, had more to say with their side project, TOM TOM CLUB. "Genius Of Love", their celebration of funk, soul, reggae, and dance heroes became a surprise dance hit in 1981 with massive influence.

Listen for the call-outs to James Brown, Bob Marley, Smokey Robinson, Hamilton Bohannon, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Sly and Robbie, and Kurtis Blow.

"Clinton's musicians such as Bootsy Collins/
Raise expectations to a new intention!"
Also beloved is the graffidelic video, based on the album art of James Rizzi.

TOM TOM CLUB -"Genius Of Love" (1981)


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"We met (Grandmaster Flash) and he said to us, 'You know this is a very cool beat. You're going to be hearing a lot of this.' I said 'Oh really?' He said 'Oh definitely.'"
-Chris Franz


The song was a perfect synthesis of the early '80s New York scene, where Disco, Punk, HipHop, Dub, and noizey Jazz were intertwined in the dance clubs, vinyl stores, art galleries, and indie films. Naturally it had an immediate impact in HipHop where responses were swift.

Here's are the first two HipHop responses made:

DR. JECKYLL AND MR. HYDE -"Genius Rap" (1981)


GRANDMASTER FLASH & THE FURIOUS FIVE -"It's Nasty (Genius Of Love)" (1981)



From there it became one of the most sampled songs of all time, popping up in tracks by The X-Ecutioners, Redman, Cam'Ron, 2nd II None, Fresh Kid Ice, Tupac Shakur, Mark Morrison, Busta Rhymes, Ant Banks, P.M. Dawn, Annie, Menajahtwa, and Eric Sermon. It also dreamt up Mariah Carey's huge hit "Fantasy".

"Genius of Love" is a shout-out song that got plenty of amen corners itself!


"There's no beginning and there is no end/
Time isn't present in that dimension..."


© Tym Stevens

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See Also:

• "Wordy Rappinghood" - Tom Tom Club > Chicks On Speed

• "Take Me To the River" - Al Green > Bryan Ferry > Talking Heads

• "Slippery People" -Talking Heads > The Staple Singers

• "Radio Head" - Talking Heads > Tito Lariva > Radiohead

• "Warning Sign" - Talking Heads > Local Natives

• "Crosseyed And Painless" - Fela > Talking Heads > Brazilian Girls > Angelique Kidjo


• "APACHE", HipHop's Sacred Secret Beat! - Bongo Band > Bambaataa > EVERYONE EVER

• "Amen Break" - How 6 Seconds From 1969 Propel All Modern Music


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


Read:
• • Love Goes To Buildings On Fire: Five Years in New York That Changed Music Forever, by Will Hermes

• • Life and Death on the New York Dance Floor, 1980–1983, by Tim Lawrence

• • Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-1984, by Simon Reynolds

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