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