Tag Archives: Can I Get A Witness

Music Monday: May 13, 2024

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Hi, everyone. Welcome to another edition of Music Monday.

Blog image for 2024

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The world has officially been listening to The Rolling Stones for six decades. Their first album was released 60 years ago in April 1964. It included covers of songs written by Willie Dixon (“I Just Want to Make Love to You”), Buddy Holly (“Not Fade Away”) and Rufus Thomas (“Walking The Dog”), along with one track written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards (“Tell Me (You’re Coming Back)”).

We are blessed to still have both of those men from the group’s original lineup. As for the others, drummer Charlie Watts passed away in 2021, multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones died in 1969 and bassist Bill Wyman retired in 1993.

When Jones placed an ad looking for musicians to form a band in 1962, he envisioned it to be one with a blues sound. But once the Jagger-Richards songwriting partnership took off, the group’s songs shifted more towards rock music. That and some other problems amongst the three men in addition to personal issues Jones was allegedly having led to him being fired from the band a month before his death in July 1969. He was, however, inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame along with his former bandmates in 1989.

But 25 years earlier, The Stones self-titled debut album introduced us to another band from England that shared their love of American music with us. And in 1964, nothing expressed that more than a cover of a Motown song, originally released in the fall of 1963 by my great musical love, Marvin Gaye. And The Stones answered the question asked in that song on the same album with the group effort, “Now I’ve Got a Witness”, which was credited to the band’s collective pseudonym of Nanker Phelge. Ladies & gentlemen, The Rolling Stones.

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The Stones 1964 self-titled debut album (L-R): Brian Jones, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts and Mick Jagger. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The Rolling Stones: “Can I Get A Witness” (1964, written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland).

Stay safe & well.

Let’s Take A Moment Day 317

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Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

Shakespeare music

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are still facing a serious situation but a new year gives us hope for the new days, seasons, opportunities & moments ahead. Still, music is something that will never change for me. It is my refuge, the most comforting part of my life & the one thing I consistently count on. So until a more normal semblance of life returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day. And if this helps anyone else, even better.

Time for another mid-week Motown break & unbelievably our last one for January 2021 already. I tend to see Marvin Gaye’s career with the label in three parts: his early years working with the songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland (“How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)”, “Little Darling (I Need You)”, “You’re A Wonderful One”), the later years featuring the songs written by Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield (“I Heard It Through The Grapevine”, “That’s The Way Love Is”, “Too Busy Thinking About My Baby”) & his social awareness period (“What’s Going On”, “Mercy Mercy Me”, “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)”. Today’s song is my favorite from the early years.

“Up early in the morning with her on my mind
Took to find it out all night I been cryin’
But I believe a woman’s a man’s best friend
I’m gonna stick by her till the very end”.

Marvin

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Top: Marvin Gaye circa 1964. Bottom (L-R): The legendary songwriting team at Hitsville USA circa 1964: Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland and Brian Holland. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

Marvin Gaye: “Can I Get A Witness” (1963, written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.