Willie Simpson

Tag: The Byrds

  • The Beatles, If I Needed Someone

    “If I Needed Someone” written by George Harrison in 1965, is one of my all time favorite songs.  George was listening to the Byrds, especially Roger McGuinn’s “The Bells of Rhymeny,” which George based his guitar riff on.  Like all great artists, the Beatles stole from other great artists, but what was special about them…

  • The Black Keys, She Said She Said

    The Black Keys are guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney.  Together they have forged a highly successful blues rock revivalist band that are the darlings of the upper tiers of the indie rock world.  I’ve always like them, but have not extensively combed through their catalog.  Perhaps I’ve finally found a reason to.  The…

  • The Byrds, Turn, Turn, Turn

    It’s one of those famous songs where nobody can remember the full title.  Officially its, “Turn, Turn, Turn (to Everything There is a Season.)”  Written by Pete Seeger in the 50s, and cribbed  almost entirely from a Bible verse, “Turn, Turn, Turn,” was one of the Byrds earlier hits coming out in 1965 along with…

  • Lucinda Williams, Drunken Angel

    Part 22 of my youtube countdown features the modern legend Lucinda Williams and her miraculous Byrds-esque folk jam, Drunken Angel.  This song, about dead country singer Blaze Foley, is like the greatest song Tom Petty never wrote.  It’s one of those beautiful syncopated guitar pop gems with a gorgeous melody and wonderfully sung lyrics from…