Sometimes I have an obvious idea for the Celebrity Jukebox and think, "this'll be a quick one, there won't be that many other songs". And then I learn my lesson.
Arthur Lee was born in Memphis in 1945. He first recorded with The LAGS when he was 18. He wrote the almost-hit My Diary for Rosa Lee Brooks, featuring a young Jimi Hendrix on guitar. Then he formed The American Four and wrote for Ronnie and the Pomona Casuals, a band who liked to make records about the dance craze known as The Jerk. And then he fell in Love, and everything changed... forever.
Here are some songs that mention Arthur, starting with Robyn Hitchcock...
The wreck of the Arthur Lee
Will never return again
The captain and all his men
Went up and jumped overboard
"Jesus is Lord" they cried
Believe in love!
Believe in Love
And I'll believe in you
Robyn Hitchcock - The Wreck of the Arthur Lee
In 1996, Arthur Lee was sent to prison "for a crime he did not commit". He spent five and a half years before someone else confessed to the crime, the original prosecutor was found guilty of misconduct, and the charges against him were reversed on appeal. While he was inside, two of his former bandmates died, so a proposed Love reunion was never to be.
Arthur lying down dreaming a dream
Woke up to realise life wasn't as it seems
Four walls a bed and a wonderful view
But he's feeling lonely without the rest of his crew
The prison's going down
Hugh Cornwell - The Prison's Going Down
The man responsible for firing the handgun that Arthur was convicted of was a visiting fan. At the time, he denied all involvement.
The Soundtrack Of Our Lives - The Fan Who Wasn't There
Think you lie before decieving
All the people that believe in me
Somewhere Arthur Lee is bleeding
Somewhere Arthur Lee is bleeding
Walter Schreifels was the frontman of a bunch of New York bands starting in the mid-80s, including Rival Schools, Quicksand and Walking Concert. And here he is on his own...
Walter Schreifels - Arthur Lee's Lullaby
"Tactics were one of the most celebrated acts on Australia's new wave scene," says their bandcamp page. But that also tells me they're from France, so what do I know?
Tactics - Arthur Lee At Houston Airport
Of all the celebrities I've featured here, very few have as many songs named after them as Arthur Lee. Don't believe me?
Try these...
The Dackel 5 - Arthur Lee, Belmondo, Du & Ich
Mark McDowell & Friends - De facto (Ode To Arthur Lee)
The Pillbugs - Make Like Arthur Lee
And those were just the ones I could find links to. Plenty more where they came from... but let's pause to consider a few more well known names. Like Shack. Did you know that in the 90s, Shack were Arthur Lee's backing band? Well, you do now.
How can you shine so bright and still you shine for me?
Travelling through the night a million miles with me
Listening to Wild Mountain Thyme, The Byrds and Arthur Lee
And what about this famous group of solicitors?
David Bowie was Hunky Dory
Aladdin quite insane
Give the sound of Arthur Lee with
Forever Changes, I'll remember
And more again, don't leave me ever
Buddy Holly said, "Baby, please be mine"
All the time.
Barclay James Harvest - A Tale Of Two Sixties
Meanwhile, it appears Fleet Foxes are joining us in a Mid-Life Crisis...
I could dress as Arthur Lee
Scrape my shoes the right way
Maybe read Ulysses
But it's a young man's game
Fleet Foxes - Young Man's Game
Speaking of grumpy old men...
Beware of the man who only shows you the best bits
Beware of the band who type out their set lists
Sometimes instead of Arthur Lee
I’d much prefer some Arthur Lowe
And with you by my side
I would aspire to ascend
Such heights where we’d find
Tears and laughter cease to matter
And we’d be pleasantly surprised
By our annual water bill
Half Man Half Biscuit - Mate Of The Bloke
The young uns though, they do still dream of being like Arthur...
Rattlesnakes. What.An.Album.
ReplyDeleteI only discovered Love after I started blogging, and Alone Again Or now one of my all time favourite songs. You certainly learnt your lesson with how many songs there are that mention Arthur Lee. They should have been much bigger but the times were not yet right for a band like Love.
ReplyDeleteAlyson
DeleteAlone Again Or is Love’s best known song. Yet, it wasn’t written by its most famous member, Arthur Lee. It was written by Bryan MacLean. Funny. - Brian
ReplyDelete