For many people their favourite Creedence song but I always preferred Proud Mary as a 60s track and Have You Ever Seen the Rain? overall.

But I suppose this is iconic Creedence.

Creedence Clearwater Revival: Bad Moon Rising

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.

The Moody Blues: House of Four Doors

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.

This wasn’t a hit in the UK but was Warwick’s first in the US.

It’s a typical early sixties kind of song.

Here’s a TV appearance from 1963.

Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over

I remembered this as The Young Rascals only UK hit (a no 8 in 1967) but it seems they had another that didn’t even make the top thirty later that year.

Still this was a distinctive single. Below is a not entirely convincing clip of them ‘performing’ the song on the Ed Sullivan Show.

The Young Rascals: Groovin’

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.

The Beach Boys: You’re So Good To Me

The only Beach Boys single I actually bought was Darlin’ from 1967. God Only Knows and Good Vibrations were before my singles-buying days.

The Beach Boys: Darlin’

Their Wiki singles discography page says its B-side was a song called Here Today from Pet Sounds.  Well not in the UK it wasn’t, as I remember it very well. That was instead Country Air from the later album Wild Honey. As this video displaying the record label shows. (The murky sound quality was apparently due to a problem with the master tape.)

The Beach Boys: Country Air

Still brilliant as always.

Brian Douglas Wilson: 20/6/1942 – 11/6/2025. So it goes.

I was very much saddened by the news of Brian Wilson’s death. As the musical driving force behind the Beach Boys he was one of the most influential figures in popular music of the mid to late twentieth century: right up there with Lennon and McCartney.

I have already featured his masterpiece God Only Knows. Also Wild Honey and Do it Again.

But there are so many more. Too many to be confined to one post.

This track was the main follow up to Good Vibrations (the release of Then I Kissed Her was a stopgap.) Many people were disappointed with it but it has all the Wilson hallmarks.

The Beach Boys: Heroes and Villains

Then there’s this track, striking a more melancholy note. The title song from the Surf’s Up album.

The Beach Boys: Surf’s Up

Brian Wilson’s star continues to shine long after his heyday. His songs leave a legacy  to be revered.

Brian Douglas Wilson: 20/6/1942 – 11/6/2025. So it goes.

I know it’s not Friday but tomorrow’s post will be taken up by another sad loss.

But Sly Stone left us earlier this week. Sly’s influence was more felt in the US than the UK but his 1960s and 1970s work with Sly and the Family Stone was memorable.

Sly and the Family Stone’s first UK hit – out of four – was their biggest.

Sly and the Family Stone: Dance to the Music

Sylvester Stewart (Sly Stone): 15/31943 – 9/6/2025. So it goes.