Founder member of Jethro Tull, Mick Abrahams, died on 19/12/25. He only played on Tull’s first LP This Was before leaving the band due to wanting to pursue more in the line of the blues than flautist, singer and main songwriter Ian Anderson.
This, from that LP, is a song he co-wrote with Anderson.
Jethro Tull: Beggar’s Farm
Abrahams went on to form the unforgettably named Blodwyn Pig. Their first single was Dear Jill.
Blodwyn Pig: Dear Jill
Michael Timothy (Mick) Abrahams: 7/4/1943 – 19/12/2025. So it goes.
A further tribute to John Lodge, who died last week.
This track, which he wrote (and whose mediæval and “orchestral” interludes in many ways presage Procession from Every Good Boy Deserves Favour,) was split into two for its appearance on In Search of the Lost Chord, with the Ray Thomas penned Legend of a Mind making the meat in the sandwich.
This TV appearance from 1968 –the Colour Me Pop session the Moodies did – puts it all together though.
Some songs remain fixed in the public mind with one particular artist. Others take on a life of their own. One of the latter is I Fought the Law, written by Sonny Curtis who joined Buddy Holly’s band The Crickets in 1958 just before Holly’s death and took over as lead vocalist (as well as lead guitar) in the band after that sad event.
The Crickets version was an LP track and a B-side in 1960 but only became a hit when the Bobby Fuller Four released the song in 1965. The Clash also famously recorded I Fought the Law.
The Crickets: I Fought the Law
Bobby Fuller Four: I Fought the Law
Curtis also wrote Walk Right Back which was a UK No 1 for the Everly Brothers in 1961.
The Everly Brothers: Walk Right Back
In addition he wrote the theme for The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Love Is All Around, (not to be confused with the similarly titled song written for The Troggs by Reg Presley in 1967 and turned into a humongous hit by Wet Wet Wet in 1994.) This theme will bring back memories for anyone around in the mid- to late 60s.
Mary Tyler Moore Show Theme (Love Is All Around):
Sonny Curtis: 9/5/1937 – September 19/9/2025. So it goes.
Feted jazz singer Cleo Laine also died this week. I have never been much into jazz and as a consequence never really paid much attention to her career beyond being aware of her from TV appearances and the like but I knew she was a big influence on the jazz world.
However, I always liked the description of jazz in the TV series The Beiderbecke Affair as falling into three kinds: “cool”; “hot”; or “when does the tune start.”
As far as I can see Laine only had two singles which could be described as UK hits, both from 1960.
The first was co-written by David Dearlove and Laine’s second husband and longtime musical collaborator Johnny Dankworth.
Cleo Laine: Let’s Slip Away
The second is more “pop”py, perhaps unsurprisingly as it was written by Hal David (more famous for his work with Burt Bacharach) along with Sherman Edwards.
Cleo Laine: You’ll Answer To Me
Clementine Dinah Bullock (Cleo Laine): 27/10/1927 – 24/7/2025. So it goes.
Since Brian Wilson’s death the good lady and I have been listening to the Beach Boys a lot. While doing so it struck me that even without God Only Knows, Good Vibrations and Heroes and Villains they would still be remembered – even revered – for songs like I Get Around, Wouldn’t It Be Nice, Help Me Rhonda, California Girls, Do It Again, Break Away and the arrangement on Sloop John B. And too, the slower, more thoughtful tracks like In My Room, Don’t Worry Baby and The Warmth of the Sun.
I discount here the early surfing inspired tracks Surfin’ Safari, Surfin’ USA and Surfer Girl. (Very few people now remember Jan and Dean, after all.) The ‘hot rod’ songs, Little Deuce Coupe and Fun, Fun, Fun might just creep in however.
I always had a liking for this one though, the B-side of Sloop John B.
