Tuesday Tunes 242: Luck(y)

Posted on by

 

A couple of weeks ago I posted a piece for the Writer’s Workshop responding to the prompt of writing about luck. As you might have expected of me I took this as the opportunity to play a set of songs with either luck or lucky in their title – here, if you missed it. It struck me that this would be a good theme for a Tuesday, so here it is. A similar mix to the previous post, with one luck song and four lucky ones.

I’m starting with one I almost played last time, and as someone suggested it in the comments on that I thought I definitely had to play it:

Actually, that almost missed out a second time, as I was torn between the original and a superb acoustic cover version by Blackberry Smoke and Amanda Shires – here if you want to check it out. Just to make the comparison: Tom’s video was posted 11 years ago, and has 9.8m views, while the Blackberry Smoke one went up 6 years ago and has 18m views. They are not to be sneezed at, and I recommend them to you if you don’t already know them.

Tom Petty released You Got Lucky as a single in October 1982 and it then featured on his fifth album, Long After Dark, which came out the following month. The single peaked at #20 in the US and #30 in Canada, but didn’t make the UK charts. The album made #9 in the US, #17 in Canada and #45 in the UK. With a couple of exceptions which did far better, his albums have all charted moderately here, which I have always felt displayed a lack of taste on the part of the British record-buying public. He gave us a huge amount of great music, and I have all of his albums in a collection that began right from the outset. I still miss him – such a tragic loss.

My second song for today is one that you may well know from a cover version which did rather well in chart terms, but I’m giving you the original, by a guy I think is very underrated by the public but is highly thought of by his peers. This is Paul Brady:

Luck Of The Draw was, as I’m sure you know, the title track of a Bonnie Raitt album from 1991, but Paul didn’t release his own version until 2010 on his fifteenth album, Hooba Dooba, as you can see from the clip. I loved the Bonnie Raitt record, but have a preference for Paul’s version, which seems a little more heartfelt: you can just picture the woman he was writing about as a friend, can’t you, and his hopes and encouragement for her success. If you’re wondering where you’ve heard the phrase ‘hooba dooba’ before it is a slang term for surprise or amazement, originating as the catchphrase of George in the 60s cartoon series The Jetsons. Paul Brady has had a long career in music, going right back to the 60s when he was in an Irish folk band called The Johnstons. I bought one of their early albums and was lucky enough to see them in concert in early 1972 when they were the support act for Steeleye Span at Hornsey Town Hall in London, at the height of the power cuts caused by the miners’ strikes of the time. A memorable evening all round! He has written many songs which have been recorded by others: as well as Bonnie Raitt he has been recorded by the likes of Tina Turner and Santana, and is highly thought of for his songwriting by many, including Bob Dylan. I could go on at length about him as I have long been a fan, but will just say that you should really seek out more of his music. And for anyone missing Bonnie Raitt, here is her version of the song.

As regular readers will know I am a huge fan of Mary Chapin Carpenter. Here is one of her lighter songs:

I just love that video – so much fun being had by all. I Feel Lucky was released as a single in May 1992, and reached #4 in the US Country chart and #3 in the Canadian Country listings. It is a little unusual to have a video like this for one of her songs, which suggests that her record company was investing in her to do well with it. It then featured on her fourth album, Come On Come On, which came out the following month, peaking at #31 in the main US Albums chart, #6 on the Country list and #4 in the Canadian Country chart. The album is fantastic, stuffed full of great songs, and is still to date her best seller, at around 3m copies – not too shabby for a non-mainstream ‘country’ girl! Of course, I think of her as much more than that: like Paul Brady she is an incredibly good songwriter and has a wonderful way with words.

While I’m indulging myself in my favourites, how about another? Again, as regulars will know, I used to refer to this next singer as my guilty pleasure but I think that secret has long since bolted from the stables. Guess who? Yup:

As I have remarked before, Taylor Swift has been re-recording the albums she made for her previous record company after an acrimonious split, as a way of reclaiming her music. The Lucky One was a track on the second of those, Red (Taylor’s Version), which was released in November 2021. Whilst its sales weren’t as big as the first time round it still fared pretty well considering how many already had the original: this time it made #1 in the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand. Not bad! This track wasn’t released as a single in either version, but I was pleased to find a new video for it nonetheless.

I closed my previous post of luck songs with a classic by Emerson Lake and Palmer – Lucky Man. It seemed a good plan to do that again this time, though it is a case of different song, same title:

You might see and hear a similarity in style between The Verve and Oasis, who were contemporaries, and both were from the Greater Manchester area. The Verve were shorter lived, though, going through several break ups and reformations before finally calling it a day in 2009. Lucky Man was one of three huge hit singles from their September 1997 album Urban Hymns, reaching #7 in the UK though it only made the lower charts elsewhere, and not at all in the US, though it did make #14 on their Adult Alternative Airplay listing. The single has been designated Platinum in the UK, with over 600k sales. Urban Hymns topped the UK Albums chart, and also made #1 in New Zealand and Sweden. It peaked at #9 in Australia and France, #18 in Canada and #23 in the US, and has received countless Platinum awards, with an 11x platinum rating in the UK and even one in the US, amongst all of the others: it has sold an estimated 10m copies worldwide. It also won Best Album at the 1998 Brit Awards – one occasion when they actually got something right amongst the usual array of dross. I bought the album and played it to bits – it isn’t the most uplifting of records, but it has some great tracks.

That’s all for today, and as always I hope you have found something to enjoy in the set. I’ll see you again soon, possibly with the long overdue return of one of my occasional series, though I’m not sure yet. Stay tuned!

Have a good week, and take care 😊

 

72 thoughts on “Tuesday Tunes 242: Luck(y)”

  1. Pingback: Farewell March | Take It Easy

      • Thank you, that’s really kind of you to go to the trouble. It’s a pleasant little song, which I imagine might grow on me after more listens. I hadn’t heard of either her or the song so I looked her up. She’s had a long and successful career, hasn’t she!

        Like

      • I was surprised to see that she had a #2 single here in 1991. It rang no bells with me, but as that was the worst year of my life I guess I wasn’t paying much attention to the pop charts at the time!

        Liked by 1 person

      • Yes, she was super popular here in the states but I don’t know how high her songs charted over there.
        Sorry about 91 being such a bad year. We do tend to not focus on other things around us too much when going through life’s storms.

        Liked by 1 person

      • From what I saw on Wikipedia she had a few hits here but that was her big one, something called Baby Baby. I don’t know it! But they say she sold records by the truckload over there.

        Thank you. It was an odd year. I had work problems which ended up in my taking my employer to court – and I won. In the midst of that my wife found out she was carrying our second daughter, who was born on 2 November. We thought that would bring the year to a happy close but two days later her father died. Not a year I’ll forget!

        Liked by 1 person

      • Wow! I am glad you won the court case, but that must have been stressful. And then a rollercoaster of emotions from the birth of your daughter to your father in law’s death. I am sure you won’t forget that year.

        Oooh, “records by the truckload” is not an exaggeration! She started out being very popular in the Christian market, and then her Baby Baby record came out, and BOOM, she soared in the pop and Christian market.

        Liked by 1 person

      • Thank you. Not a year to be quickly forgotten!

        She had several minor hits here too, including Lucky One, which spent two weeks in our chart peaking at #60. Somehow she passed me by. I’m glad you had a lot to enjoy with her, though.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. Loved the Blackberry Smoke version..saved to one of my playlists(thanx) Clive…I like Taylor Swift and its good she took a stand thats admirable to take on a record company shows she has some nous and is brave..Good song choices again , Clive have a great weekend xx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  4. Amazing how you bring it Clive. Feeling lucky to watch this great video I’d never seen. Love how it got the fuddie duddies out of their chair and a moment of fun and hope.

    And I always love Taylor.. I never get the controversy over her. She’s so gifted!
    🙌🏽💕

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • It’s fun, isn’t it. MCC is a superb songwriter and I love everything she does. Currently on tour here with Julie Fowlis and Karine Polwart for the album they just released, and getting rave reviews.

      I think the controversy over Taylor boils down to one thing: jealousy. They don’t have her talent and marketing skills.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      • It really was and so cool to know. You are on it.. you and Nancy!

        I so agree with this Clive “I think the controversy over Taylor boils down to one thing: jealousy. They don’t have her talent and marketing skills.”
        🎶❤️

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Not only did Tom Petty and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers turn out some evergreen work, they had the very best videos too. I had a video compilation of them back ‘then’ which was lost during a move of house.

    Verve suffered a great injustice when Rolling Stones Inc took legal action over some minor fracas on ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’…..While way back the Rolling Stones had brazenly pilfered Love’s ‘She Comes In Colours’ for their very weak ‘She’s a Rainbow’….of course they had the £$ while neither Arthur Lee nor Richard Ashcroft did.

    Linking the two together, whereas Tom Petty would shrug when other artists output came close to some of his on the basis of ‘it happens’….He was ferocious when commercial firms and politicians tried to hijack his work.
    I miss him too.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. Five out of five for me this week, even the country songs. I don’t recall you playing anything by The Verve before, so I was especially glad to see that one. (Bittersweet Symphony has always been a big favorite of mine.) Of course, I already know we share an appreciation for Tom Petty. I see you kept your promise with You Got Lucky, one of his best songs in my opinion.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • A good result, thanks, Pete! You’re right, this was the first time for The Verve – I actually prefer this one to Bittersweet Symphony, and it was a good fit for the theme. I couldn’t leave TP out a second time, could I, though the cover that I linked to almost did it!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  10. Great songs as always Clive, although I do have to argue that Ok Computer should have won album of the year at the Brits. I have both and Radiohead have stood the test of time far better IMO. Still, wouldn’t pay for us all to be the same huh? 😊

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Thanks, Colin. As you say, we all have our preferences. Given that the Brits are supposedly based on sales Urban Hymns sold twice as many here as OK Computer, so it’s easy to see why it won on that score. I have both too, but always preferred Urban Hymns even back then!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  11. I like your lucky list, Clive 😊 All songs are new to me but very interesting picks and as always, I enjoy the variety of styles you share. Mary Chapin Carpenter went fluently into my ears. Like it!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  12. The Verve one does sound like it’s an outtake/offcut from the Symphony recording. Not bad but it pushes up up pretty darn close to the source material.That’s fine, it works pretty well on its own.

    Sorry, I long ago reached my saturation point with Ms. Swift. But I guess she and her quadzillions of fans won’t give a tinkers cuss for my ornery opinion!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  15. The Paul Brady song sounds familiar but not sure how, the name doesn’t ring a bell and I’m not familiar with the Bonnie Raitt track. Like it as lot though, you’re right it does feel personal.

    Lucky Man is my favourite Verve song, and I’d forgotten the Tom Petty song though I too have the album. And always got time for Taylor Swift, a tremendous writer who handles her career very well.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Maybe the Paul Brady one simply reminds you of something else? I always liked the Bonnie Raitt version – I bought the album – but when his came out I immediately preferred it. A songwriter such as yourself should be more familiar with his work: he is a superb songwriter and if someone like Dylan rates him you know he’s good!

      My favourite Verve song too – not quite as downbeat as their other hits. Tom and Taylor are both favourites of mine 😊

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

Please leave a reply, I'd like to know what you think