SLS: Overs

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A song that features the word ‘get’ or ‘over’ in its lyrics. That is what the estimable Jim is inviting us to play for this week’s Song Lyric Sunday, as his post Get Over It Day tells us. Yes, this is one of those days so beloved of the Americans, but as this one encourages people to let go of something which is causing them distress and move on in their lives it has, to my mind, much more merit than some of the others. It appears that we have already missed National Fart Day (5th February) but I’m looking forward to the challenge for National Sock Day (4th December). How about it, Jim?

Anyway, back to today. Eschewing the obvious – such as the Fab Four’s Get Back – I first thought about trying for something with both words in its title, but soon realised that this might be trying to be too clever, and I don’t really do clever, do I! So I have decided to go for just one of the words as a title, although the other does make an appearance in the lyrics: the clue as to which one is in my title too.

I’m playing you two lovely songs, and then throwing in a bit of fun to close with – you might need to be as old as me to remember that one! I’m leading with a gorgeous song by Miranda Lambert, one of many in her catalogue:

And as this is SLS and I’m a good boy playing by the guidelines here are the lyrics:

Weather man said it’s gonna snowBy now I should be used to the coldMid-February shouldn’t be so scary
 
It was only DecemberI still remember the presents, the tree, you and me
 
But you went awayHow dare you?I’ll miss youThey say I’ll be okay
 
But I’m not going to ever get over you
 
Living alone here in this placeI think of you, and I’m not afraid
 
Your favorite records make me feel better‘Cause you sing along
 
With every songI know you didn’t mean to give them to meBut you went awayHow dare you?
 
I’ll miss you
They say I’ll be okay
 
But I’m not going to ever get over you
 
It really sinks in, you know, when I see it in stone‘Cause you went awayHow dare you?I’ll miss youThey say I’ll be okayBut I’m not going to ever get over you
 
 
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Miranda Lambert / Blake Shelton
Over You lyrics © Sony/atv Tree Publishing, Pink Dog Publishing
 
You can really feel the hurt and anger in those, can’t you, though the video adds in the touch that the departure was of the mortal kind. Having self-released an eponymous album in 2001 Miranda Lambert moved to mainstream labels for her future records. Over You is a track on her fourth of these, Four The Record (see what she did there?), which came out in November 2011 and reached #1 in the US Country Albums chart, #3 in the main Billboard listings, #12 in Canada and #5 in the UK Country Albums chart (yes, there is such a thing!). Looking at the enormously long list of people who contributed to the album, either as singers or musicians – or both – it is a veritable ‘who’s who’ of modern day country music. One of those was Blake Shelton, who co-wrote this song with Miranda. They had been dating since 2006 and were married in May 2011, and I’m guessing that this song was written around that time, as the album was recorded between August and October that year. It seems a slightly strange set of lyrics to be writing with the guy you have been with for five years and have just married, but maybe they were storing it up for later: they announced their intention to divorce in July 2015 and Miranda has since gone on to remarry, with a New York City police officer. This track was released as a single in January 2012 and made #35 in the US, #52 in Canada, and topped the Country charts in both countries. I rather like the song, and the video is lovely.
 
For today’s second track I’m going more mainstream. You might have heard of this band:
 
 

As the video shows, Over My Head was a track on the eponymous album released by Fleetwood Mac in July 1975, their first record after Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks had joined the band. The album peaked at #23 in the UK, but not until November 1976, and made #1 in the US, just a brief 58 weeks after entering the chart! Odd that it was kind of a sleeper in both countries, but it went on to make up for that in sales terms: 7x Platinum in the US for 7m sales, and Gold in the UK and Platinum in Canada, for 100k in each case. This song is one of four that Christine McVie wrote for the album, as well as a co-written one with Lindsey Buckingham. Over time the album has been rather overtaken by its follow up – THAT one! – but for me it is hard to choose which I prefer: Rumours gets all of the attention, but Fleetwood Mac is also a fine album. Over My Head was released as a single in the US in September 1975, but not until February 1976 in the UK. It got to #20 in the US but didn’t make the UK chart: that delayed release suggests to me a reluctance on the part of the record company to support it. Fleetwood Mac are notorious for the various romantic entanglements between them, and Christine has said that this was a song about her infatuation at the time with Lindsey: when she was still married to John McVie and Lindsey was in the process of breaking up with Stevie. Oh, what tangled webs we weave!

I promised you a bit of fun to close with, didn’t I? How about this:

Freddie and the Dreamers were a short-lived novelty band, and this clip from 1964 probably shows you why! They had several hits here, including some real biggies, and Over You also made the UK Singles chart at #23. I wouldn’t say that they were ever a favourite band, but they were fun while they lasted and were always good for a smile. Looking at that video it strikes me that the audience is very different from what you might see at a pop concert these days: they seem to be a collection of mums on a coach outing, laughing at the band’s antics. The song was ‘co-written’ by Ande Rand and Buck Ram, who are actually two of several names by which the same guy – Samuel Ram – went. He was best known for his association with The Platters. Somehow I can’t seem them dancing around like this!

That’s my lot for today: two lovely songs and a bit of nonsense! I hope you enjoyed them all, though, and I’ll see you again for Tuesday Tunes – I promise you a different theme this week. Take care 😊

48 thoughts on “SLS: Overs”

  1. Pingback: Farewell March | Take It Easy

  3. I’ve loved Miranda Lambert’s songs since I saw her on Nashville Star when she got her start. Saw her in concert and she puts on a fabulous show, too. This song was new to me though, and what a tearjerker! Love the video, too.

    Second song – I do remember this one, and it’s a good one.

    Third – hahaha so funny! 🙂

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    • Thank you, Barbara, I’m pleased you enjoyed them. The Miranda one, in particular, is a real gem and as you say the video is lovely.

      I couldn’t resist throwing Freddie into the mix too

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  5. I’ve always like Miranda Lambert. I first saw her on the talent show, Nashville Star. I didn’t know that song, but it’s as lovely as I would have expected.

    Fleetwood Mac and Over My Head – always! And I remember Freddie and the Dreamers! Nice choices for SLS, Clive!

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    • Fleetwood Mac are a favourite of mine too – especially in their first incarnation before they became a totally different band. You should try more of Miranda Lambert – she gets classed as country but I think she has wider appeal. Nice voice and good songs.

      Freddie was fun, and later went into acting.

      Jim has already done clothing as a theme, and socks might feel like a repeat. As for fart – we did have an early 70s jugband here called Bronx Cheer…

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      • I actually thought while listening to Miranda Lambert that she reminded me a little of Dolly Parton… (and I know that the funny dares won’t happen 😜, just a joke)

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      • Maybe. Another country star who has a big mainstream following. I like them both.

        I know they won’t. Jim didn’t mention them in his comment on this so I guess he is just hoping I’ll shut up and go away 🤣

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  7. I always have liked Miranda Lambert…I hear her a lot where I live. Also…I’m in the minority but I like that album by Fleetwood Mac more than Rumors. Monday Morning is one of my favorite songs by that version of the band.
    Freedie and The Dreamers…I haven’t heard them in a long time…thanks for that. I thought about doing this last night…I was going to pick Glad All Over by the DC5.

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    • I think Miranda Lambert is very good, I like her a lot.

      I’d put those two albums by Fleetwood Mac about level, both very good. But no subsequent incarnation of the band bettered Man Of The World for me.

      Freddie was a throwaway for a laugh, but he was always fun. Glad All Over would have been good.

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      • Oh…I like the early Fleetwood Mac more no doubt with Peter Green. Totally different…so different you can’t even compare them.
        Freddie wasn’t as remembered over here as well as his peers.

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      • They went through a lot of changes in eight years, and by 1975 I guess their record company might have been ready to give up on them. I loved their early records and had all of their singles apart from one – Albatross, which my Mum bought!

        Freddie was nowhere near as successful over there as some of his peers. The British Invasion rather passed him by!

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      • Oh I can’t blame her! I love Albatross. I read a George Harrison interview that he said that The Beatles listened to Albatross all through the recording of Abbey Road….you can tell on some songs with echo.

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  9. You certainly have an eclectic presentation today, Clive, and I enjoyed each one!
    So happy to see my girl Miranda Lambert in the mix. Love her sound.
    You chose one of my favorite Fleetwood Mac songs. Talk about a tangled web!
    Great fun at the end with Freddie et al. What campy energy!
    Excellent choices, Clive! Who says you don’t do clever? Happy Sunday ☺︎

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  10. I never liked Miranda Lambert as she always seemed to be too commercial, but she does have a lot of talent. You can never go wrong with Fleetwood Mac as that always feels nice. Great selection today, Clive and thanks for sharing your music.

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    • Being commercial is a sign that she is good at what she does, in my book. I love both of the first two songs, and couldn’t resist having a bit of fun with the last one. Thanks as ever for running the show 😊

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  11. They certainly did. Even the last album – which had to be released as Buckingham & McVie for ‘Stevie Nicks reasons’ – would have been a great album with that other voice and songwriter on board

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  13. Oh the late grate Freddie Garrity. To this day I cannot eat cheese puffs without singing his Chipitos advert. Altogether now – Chip, chip, chip, Chipitos, buy another bag for me…. What? Only me then? 😜

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  14. Loved both of the first two Lambert and the Mac brilliant !

    As for Freddie and the dreamers , they were so much more than a novelty band… They were good and their music stands up as well as any groups of that era… Let’s face it lots of them had daft routines…even the shadows…all most of the American singer groups…Lol even Mick Jagger ..and he can much later 💜💜 ( I am back)

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    • Good to see you back, hope all is well.

      I’m pleased you enjoyed these. Those first two are both superb, aren’t they. Freddie and the Dreamers did make music of their time, and I take your point about the Shadows and the American vocal groups. I’ve always thought they looked ridiculous, but at least Freddie played it for laughs and did it well.

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  15. You have proven here that break ups make for great music. Wonderful song choices. I was not familiar with the song by Miranda, although I know the jist of what happened with her and Blake Shelton. Wonderful presentation.

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    • I think Fleetwood Mac in that incarnation built their success on break up songs – and they had plenty of experience to draw on!

      Happy to have introduced you to the Miranda one – lovely song.

      I’m glad you enjoyed the selection, and I couldn’t resist throwing in the bit of fun at the end 😊

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  16. I completely agree about the Fleetwood Mac album. The song-writing is amazing, in quality it is comparable to Rumours and you have to wonder if it wasn’t for the break-ups surrounding the latter album that considerably add to its image would it be so revered? I have a white vinyl copy of Fleetwood Mac by the way, which is really nice.

    Good track from Miranda Lambert, really like it.

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    • I think the sales figures for Rumours might have something to do with the way it is viewed! Interesting to look back, though: at the time Fleetwood Mac was released they were going nowhere, and the addition of the two new members made all the difference. White vinyl sounds good.

      Glad you liked the Miranda Lambert one too – so do I!

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    • Thank you, Darlene. I think that among Fleetwood Mac’s songs this one was overshadowed but I have always loved it. No one could ever take Freddie Garrity seriously, could they!

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