California Man (song)
Encyclopedia
California Man is a song
by The Move
.
Released in 1972 as a maxi single
with "Do Ya" and "Ella James" as a double B-side, this was The Move's last official single release. The Electric Light Orchestra
, originally conceived as a side-project to The Move
, issued its first single,10538 Overture
, a month after this track. A pastiche of Jerry Lee Lewis
, Little Richard
and Larry Williams
, the composition is recorded in a high energy rock 'n' roll
style, with lead vocals by both Jeff Lynne
and Roy Wood
, then jointly leaders of both ELO
and The Move
. California Man reached No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart
in May 1972.
In the U.S.
the single was issued on the United Artists
record label. It was flipped after release, when Lynne's
"Do Ya" b-side
proved more popular. It became The Move
's only US charting single, peaking at 93 on the Billboard Hot 100
in November 1972.
Only Wood, Lynne and drummer Bev Bevan
appear on the recording. The picture sleeve opposite has an older picture of The Move, including bassist Rick Price, who was no longer a member of the group by then.
The Move's version of the song never originally appeared on one of their studio albums, however it does appear as a bonus track on the reissue of Message From the Country
.
The song was later covered
by Cheap Trick
and Jim Davidson
. Cheap Trick included it on their 1978 album Heaven Tonight
and also released it as a single that year as a follow up to "Surrender
". It has also been included on several Cheap Trick compilation albums. Cliff Richard
has performed it live on occasion.
It was released as a single in the UK in 1971 with No Time from the same album on the flip side, but was quickly withdrawn in favour of Tonight, and later ended up being a double B-side of California Man along with "Do Ya" on the aforementioned single.
The song was covered by The Nashville Teens
.
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
by The Move
The Move
The Move, from Birmingham, England, were one of the leading British rock bands of the 1960s. They scored nine Top 20 UK singles in five years, but were among the most popular British bands not to find any success in the United States....
.
Released in 1972 as a maxi single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
with "Do Ya" and "Ella James" as a double B-side, this was The Move's last official single release. The Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
, originally conceived as a side-project to The Move
The Move
The Move, from Birmingham, England, were one of the leading British rock bands of the 1960s. They scored nine Top 20 UK singles in five years, but were among the most popular British bands not to find any success in the United States....
, issued its first single,10538 Overture
10538 Overture
-Song history:The song, written by Jeff Lynne, was intended to be a B-side on one of The Move's singles. Rick Price of The Move played bass on the track originally but was never credited, apparently with all the overdubs and layers that were added to the track the bass line 'got lost' in the mix...
, a month after this track. A pastiche of Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis is an American rock and roll and country music singer-songwriter and pianist. An early pioneer of rock and roll music, Lewis's career faltered after he married his young cousin, and he afterwards made a career extension to country and western music. He is known by the nickname 'The...
, Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
and Larry Williams
Larry Williams
Larry Williams was an American rhythm and blues and rock and roll singer, songwriter, producer, and pianist from New Orleans, Louisiana...
, the composition is recorded in a high energy rock 'n' roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
style, with lead vocals by both Jeff Lynne
Jeff Lynne
Jeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
and Roy Wood
Roy Wood
Roy Adrian Wood is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He was particularly successful in the 1960s and 1970s as member and co-founder of the bands The Move, Electric Light Orchestra, and Wizzard. As a songwriter, he contributed a number of hits to the repertoire of these bands.-Career:Wood...
, then jointly leaders of both ELO
ELO
- Music :* Electric Light Orchestra, a British rock music group** The Electric Light Orchestra , the group's debut album** ELO 2, the group's second album* ELO Part II, an offshoot band of Electric Light Orchestra- Sports and games :...
and The Move
The Move
The Move, from Birmingham, England, were one of the leading British rock bands of the 1960s. They scored nine Top 20 UK singles in five years, but were among the most popular British bands not to find any success in the United States....
. California Man reached No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in May 1972.
In the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
the single was issued on the United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
record label. It was flipped after release, when Lynne's
Jeff Lynne
Jeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
"Do Ya" b-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
proved more popular. It became The Move
The Move
The Move, from Birmingham, England, were one of the leading British rock bands of the 1960s. They scored nine Top 20 UK singles in five years, but were among the most popular British bands not to find any success in the United States....
's only US charting single, peaking at 93 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in November 1972.
Only Wood, Lynne and drummer Bev Bevan
Bev Bevan
Bev Bevan is an English rock musician, who was the drummer and one of the original members of The Move and Electric Light Orchestra...
appear on the recording. The picture sleeve opposite has an older picture of The Move, including bassist Rick Price, who was no longer a member of the group by then.
The Move's version of the song never originally appeared on one of their studio albums, however it does appear as a bonus track on the reissue of Message From the Country
Message From the Country
Message from the Country is the fourth and last album by The Move, as well as its only album for EMI's Harvest Records. This album has long had the reputation as The Move's best album, although it was recorded while the band was transitioning itself into the Electric Light Orchestra.- History...
.
The song was later covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
and Jim Davidson
Jim Davidson
Jim Davidson may refer to:* Jim Davidson , American actor* Jim Davidson , American football player, played for Ohio State Buckeyes and drafted by the Buffalo Bills* Jim Davidson , Australia author, see Meanjin...
. Cheap Trick included it on their 1978 album Heaven Tonight
Heaven Tonight
Heaven Tonight is Cheap Trick's third album, released in 1978. The album was remastered and released with bonus tracks on Sony's Epic/Legacy imprint in 1998. The album cover features lead singer Robin Zander and bassist Tom Petersson....
and also released it as a single that year as a follow up to "Surrender
Surrender (Cheap Trick song)
"Surrender" is a single by Cheap Trick released in June 1978 from the album Heaven Tonight. It was the first Cheap Trick single to enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 62...
". It has also been included on several Cheap Trick compilation albums. Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
has performed it live on occasion.
Ella James
Ella James was a song taken from the band's final album Message From the Country written by Roy Wood.It was released as a single in the UK in 1971 with No Time from the same album on the flip side, but was quickly withdrawn in favour of Tonight, and later ended up being a double B-side of California Man along with "Do Ya" on the aforementioned single.
The song was covered by The Nashville Teens
The Nashville Teens
The Nashville Teens are a British pop band formed in Weybridge, Surrey in Summer 1962.-History:Arthur Sharp began his career in music as the manager of Aerco Records in Woking, Surrey...
.