Recorded - April 1967
Released - May 1967
#1 for weeks of July 1, 8, 15, and 22, 1967.
When it comes to reviewing #1 hits of yesteryear, quite a few I've had to review are not as well known today as others. For every "Respect" and "Penny Lane", there are songs that have either not aged as well, or have been forgotten by all but those who grew up with the song. "Windy", by The Association is an example of both of the latter two categories.
The Association had much success in 1966, no doubt helped by their #1 single "Cherish. They started the new year by releasing the more experimental album "Renaissance", and also experienced a temporary lineup change. Founding member Jules Alexander decided to take a two year leave of absence from the band to study meditation in India. His replacement was guitarist/singer Larry Ramos.
In keeping with the Association's tradition of all its members being from Separate cities and states, Ramos was born in Hawaii and is of Filipino descent. Upon Alexander's return in 1969, Ramos stayed with the group and they became a seven piece. Ramos had previously been in the folk supergroup The New Christy's Minstrels, and had sung backing vocals on their biggest hit, "Green Green". Upon his initiation into The Association, one of the first songs he got to sing co-lead vocals on happened to be "Windy". Written by singer/songwriter Ruthann Friedman, the song is...to be honest, one of their more sugary numbers.
One problem with The Association is that some of their music was on the twee-side. In this case, "Twee" refers to music that has complex lyrics and music, but has a very light and fluffy feel overall. With a very gentle music and vocal melody, "Windy" certainly falls in this category. However, this doesn't mean that it's a bad song, nor do I think it is.
For one, the song has a very catchy bass-line that also acts as the main lyric melody for the verses. Second, the actual lyrics are really well-written. They may be very flower-powery, which may turn off certain listeners, but I still appreciate this lyrical complexity. Third, just like all of The Association's songs, the vocal arrangement is very grandiose. Finally, the final verses of the song have the song's composer Ruthann Friedman singing a neat jazzy countermelody along with the rest of The Association.
The Association released a few more important songs during 1967-1968. One of those, "Requiem For The Masses" is a haunting anti-Vietnam War number. There is also 1968's "Everything That Touches You", which has one of the most thrilling psychedelic pop vocal arrangements I've ever heard. Despite not having as much success in later years and even after experiencing numerous lineup changes over the 1970's and 80's, The Association continue to perform today with roughly half of their original lineup.
Final Verdict - "Windy" may come across initially as rather sugary, and yes, it is. Yet I do feel that the song has well-written lyrics and a compelling vocal arrangement. It may not necessarily be your cup of tea, but if you listen to it with an open mind, I think you'll find something special contained within.
Coming Up Next - "Light My Fire" by The Doors.
Until Next Time - "Who's that doc who studies music, Everyone knows it's Rock-y" -
No comments:
Post a Comment