Jimmy Webb performing on TV in 1968 (And other Webb-related topics)

[pljms]

Make what you will of this extract from an interview JW gave earlier this week. As an incurably grumpy old man who has read this too many times over the past thirty- how-many-years now? , I just groaned:

Part of what may come out in the coming year for Webb is new music and a sequel to “The Cake and the Rain: A Memoir,” the Oklahoma native’s 2017 autobiography that only went up to his 23rd year. To do both, Webb admits he’s going to have to buckle down and carve out some time.

“I think I have at least one more album in me and I have the songs,” he said “Some of them partially complete and some of them finished. Some of them I haven’t even thought of yet. That’s another thing where you stop writing now because you’re going to be recording. Recording is recording. That’s another discipline. I have to make a decision, and I think Laura is preparing an environment for us in our new home. There will be room for me to actually take six months and have a room that is devoted to writing that book. No touring and no interruptions. You have to put on the cassock to write. That’s another frame of reference that you have to embrace completely and wholeheartedly."

Yes, perhaps it would be wiser for Jimmy Webb not to talk any more about the album of new songs until it's actually done and dusted and ready to be released, if it ever gets to that stage.

[blueonblue]

Make what you will of this extract from an interview JW gave earlier this week. As an incurably grumpy old man who has read this too many times over the past thirty- how-many-years now? , I just groaned:

Part of what may come out in the coming year for Webb is new music and a sequel to “The Cake and the Rain: A Memoir,” the Oklahoma native’s 2017 autobiography that only went up to his 23rd year. To do both, Webb admits he’s going to have to buckle down and carve out some time.

“I think I have at least one more album in me and I have the songs,” he said “Some of them partially complete and some of them finished. Some of them I haven’t even thought of yet. That’s another thing where you stop writing now because you’re going to be recording. Recording is recording. That’s another discipline. I have to make a decision, and I think Laura is preparing an environment for us in our new home. There will be room for me to actually take six months and have a room that is devoted to writing that book. No touring and no interruptions. You have to put on the cassock to write. That’s another frame of reference that you have to embrace completely and wholeheartedly."

Yes, perhaps it would be wiser for Jimmy Webb not to talk any more about the album of new songs until it's actually done and dusted and ready to be released, if it ever gets to that stage.

Don't hold your breath folks....but I hope I'm wrong.

'blue'

[Martin Johnson]

Art Garfunkel with a rare live version of Jimmy Webb's 'Crying In My Sleep' which as a single flopped so badly it caused Columbia to persuade Garfunkel to hurriedly record 'What A Wonderful World' with Paul Simon and James Taylor to achieve the hit the 'Watermark' album needed.

[Martin Johnson]

I know next to nothing about the band Revelation other than they released an album in 1970 entitled 'The Music of Jimmy Webb'. The twelve featured songs included none of his famous hits and were as follows; 'Pocketful of Keys', 'Evie', 'If This Was the Last Song', 'One of the Nicer Things', 'Someone is Standing Outside', 'Beyond Myself', 'Shepherd's Daughter', 'Jerusalem', 'Psalm 150', 'See You Then', 'This Is Your Life' and 'Paper Chase'.

Here's 'This Is Your Life' which I believe was first recorded by Thelma Houston.

[pljms]

Back in the day when Jimmy Webb's official website had a public forum I remember the Revelation album being discussed at length and with videos of several of its tracks being posted. However, after a search on YouTube I see that apart from 'This Is Your Life' the only other track now available is 'Paper Chase'.


Here's a rare quote by Bacharach about Webb from summer 1970 and published in ASCAP Today. When asked which of the current songwriters he admired he replied:

"Love the Beatles, of course, because they've done some remarkable things. However, I think we've got a young composer in this country who's got the whole world in front of him and that's Jimmy Webb. He's only twenty-three and he can write both music and lyrics, do orchestrations and produce records. He's brilliant and all he has to do is keep himself together. You witness what he's written and the sky's the limit for him. He's one of the great ones".