Here are some of the best pop tunes ever produced (in my opinion):
ABBA: Dancing Queen
GO WEST: The King of Wishful Thinking
KATE BUSH: Wuthering Heights
THE B-52's: Dry County; Topaz
TOTO: Rosanna
CHUCK BERRY: Johnny B. Goode*
TAYLOR DAYNE: Heart of Stone
BILL HALEY and HIS COMETS: Rock Around the Clock
All well-written, well-performed, well-produced. Enjoy.
*A NOTE TO DRUMMERS WHO PLAY THIS TUNE AT THEIR GIGS FROM TIME TO TIME
If you have read much of this blog, you will know that I have this "thing" about drummers. No, not that kind of thing.
I was fortunate to have grown up with a brother and a best friend who are drummers - fortunate in that they had both developed an ear for what is good, tasteful, appropriate drumming, and they shared their insights with me. My brother is trained in classical percussion and jazz drumming; my best friend is a rock musician. Actually, my first paid gig was as a drummer, not a bassist.
The point is, though I am trained as a bassist and conductor, I am well-versed on drums. Besides, as a conductor, it is my job to know the role of the various instruments under my direction, including the role of a drumset.
That said, I just want to mention to the working drummers out there a common mistake that is made when performing "Johnny B. Goode," by Chuck Berry. If you listen carefully to the original recording, the one that everyone knows and loves, you will notice that the drummer is SWINGING. Now, imagine in your head the opening guitar riff of the tune, and hear me one more time: the drummer is SWINGING.
The common mistake is for drummers to come in playing a bubble-gum rock beat, just like the one the Beach Boys use on their tune which uses the same opening guitar riff (I can't remember the name of that song). This explains why the Chuck Berry recording sounds so cool, and why it always sounds cheesy at the gig. Chuck's drummer was playing a wide-open swing beat. Honest.
Now, if the tune is really going to rock, the bass player must do a walking bass line along with the drummer, just like on the Chuck Berry recording. However, Chuck's bassist at times would get caught up on some fancy riff that I am guessing he learned that week, disrupting the flow of the heavy swing beat. This is very unfortunate, and I do not advise emulating that aspect of the original. Just walk, baby.
Chuck played and sang the song primarily with straight 8th notes, and the pianist alternates at times between the straight 8ths and the swing. I don't know if this was planned or if it was sloppy producing, but "it is what it is" and it's a great performance.
So, drummers, you might want to talk this through at your next gig before the tune is called. Otherwise, you're likely to freak everyone out in the band if they are used to playing it the cheesy way. Have fun!
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