LoVE: Hey Joe

[silentseason]

"Hey Joe"
From: LoVE, side two, song three
-Running time: 2:38
-Recorded: January 26, 1966 Sunset Sound
-Written by: Billy Roberts 1962
-Lead vocal and rhythm guitar: Bryan MacLean
-Lead guitar: Johnny Echols
-Bass: Kenny Forssi
-Drums: Alban 'Snoopy' Pfisterer
-The second of two cover songs ever done by the group, both of them on the debut album.
-Bryan's other vocal from the debut. He had heard the Byrds use it in their shows and brought it over when he became a member of LoVE. It became a concert highlight for him.
-Was reportedly the song that ultimately convinced Jac Holzman to sign the band to Elektra.
-Quotable: Michael on his philosophy on drumming:

"I never taped my hands. I just had calluses, and playing drums is so physical, it's the best workout, but that being said, every drummer would be better if he or she maintained a healthy lifestyle, including eating the right food, avoiding tobacco, alcohol and drugs, getting plenty of rest and a short daily workout, especially if you are not playing drums every day."

-IMHO: Classic LoVE phrasing done by Bryan in his vocal interpretation of the song. Note the uneven, almost staccato delivery by Bryan that would surface in a more pervasive way in Forever Changes.
-Fun fact: Exactly what are the lyrics of Hey Joe? Johnny explains that the most famous version as sung by the Leaves and Hendrix are actually a modification in the song done by him. He purposely changed some of the lyrics to perhaps discourage the Leaves from using Hey Joe, in that is was intended to be LoVE's first single. It didn't work out as the Leaves put their version out first and had a hit with it:

"I was surprised anyone used my lyrics, they were purposely written to make no sense. When Herb Cohen, (from Third Story Music) asked me to write them down. I thought he he was messing with my head, and he did in fact mess with my money. This is another one of those weird things that happened, in the life and times of a group, of misfits, who had the audacity to call themselves Love."

See The Leaves version here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWv03Wgz0PQ

Lyrics:

Hey Joe where you goin with all that money in your hand now
Well I said hey Joe where you goin with all that money in your hand
Well I'm goin after my woman she's been runnin around with some other man now
Well I said I'm goin after my woman she's been runnin around with some other man
Well I'm gonna go downtown gonna buy me some blue steel 44's
And when I catch up to that woman she ain't gonna be runnin no more
All right
All right

Well I said hey Joe I heard you shot your woman dead
Well I said hey Joe I heard that you shot your woman dead
Well yes I did I shot them just like I said now
Well you see I shot them just like I said
Well hey Joe tell me where are you gonna go
Well I said hey Joe now tell me where are you goin to go
Well I guess I'll go back to my favorite Mexico
Well I guess I'll go back to where I know a man can be free
Well there ain't goin to be no hangman putting no noose around my neck honey child
Well I said there ain't goin be no hangman putting no noose around me
Well hey Joe where you goin with all that money in your hand
Well I said hey

[jamestkirk]

One of my favorite Johnny stories. Thanks, ss.