Monday 25 April 2011

Classic Song 34 - Paul Revere and the Raiders "I Had a Dream"

Let's talk about classic music.

Let's talk about why I became a musician.

Mom says that when I was about six months old, 
I really began reacting to the radio that she'd play, 
while doing her daily Mom stuff. Though I have 
no recollection of these momentous events, I do
recall that music was ever-present in the Mosby
household. My oldest brother, Gord was in a
quite popular Vancouver Island band, The 
Renegades, beginning in the late 50s.
He says that when I was just a tot, 
during their rehearsals, he would 
often sit me on his amplifier or 
near the drums, so I could 
truly FEEL the music.

Whatever did transpire, I became infatuated 
with all the music I was hearing, whether it was a 
hit from the day (Duane Eddy's "Rebel Rouser", 
or "Riot In Room 3c", a "Rebel Rouser" rip by 
The Knockouts, or the great Johnny Horton's 
"The Battle of New Orleans", or maybe 
The Champs' "Tequila", or even a country
spiritual, like Ferlin Husky's "Wings Of A Dove"), 
or simply the life changing, cacophonous thrill of 
being allowed to be a 'baby on the amp' at some 
of The Renegades' legendary band rehearsals.

By the time the Mosby family had moved to the West 
Kootenays, I was being daily inundated with new 
and exciting sounds, emanating either from the 
kitchen or one of the brothers' car radios or 
from our brand new console stereo(!!!).

With this inundation came an insatiable 
desire to hear everything musical that I possibly 
could. So when my four older brothers began buying 
and bringing home all the new 45s and LPs, I quickly
learned how to operate the console stereo's turntable,
and often found that the flipsides (B-sides) of hits, or 
the lesser known hits from popular acts were worth
hearing, just as much as their bigger hits were.

Which brings me to Classic Song 34, Paul Revere
and the Raiders' "I Had A Dream". At their height
of popularity in the mid to late 60s, The Raiders 
had a string of hits that, to me, ranked right up 
there with the best singles of the British Invasion.

Being a Pacific Northwest kid, myself, I was already 
well aware of Paul Revere and the Raiders from their
surf music era, regional 'garage' hit, "Like, Longhair" 
as well as their raucous version of "Louie Louie", cut 
in the very same Portland, Oregon studio in which 
The Kingsmen recorded their definitive, mumbly 
take on that choice, rock n roll standard.

When "Kicks", "Hungry", "Just Like Me" and "Him 
or Me" were dominating the airwaves, I was by then 
firmly in the habit of playing and memorizing all of
their other sides, including the lesser known tracks
like "Action", "Night Train" and most especially,
the mid-sized pop single, "I Had A Dream", 
which features some features that I'd like 
to highlight for you now. 

Check out this fabulous, almost-psychedelic pop
nugget from Paul Revere and The Raiders, and
whilst doing so, alert your ears to the sinuous
bassline that winds itself under the two main 
verses (0:27-0:37 and 1:12-1:22), as well as 
what I believe is the first, ever rap vocal,
vamped by lead vocalist Mark Lindsay,
during the verse fade-out (from 1:57).

Prior to doing so, have a look at my kinda rock.

Mozz the Elder

www.vapormusic.com









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