It Ain't Easy (song)
Encyclopedia
"It Ain't Easy" is a song written and originally recorded by Ron Davies
. Davies recorded the song on his 1970 album Silent Song Through the Land. He re-recorded it on his 1973 album U.F.O..
Three Dog Night
recorded the song on their 1970 album It Ain't Easy, and it was recorded by John Baldry on his 1971 album It Ain't Easy and in a semi-electric treatment by Mitch Ryder
's band on their album Mitch Ryder's Detroit, also in 1971.
Shortly thereafter, David Bowie
released this song on the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
in 1972
. The song was originally recorded during the Hunky Dory
sessions. The song was also released on the B-Side of the European, US and Japanese re-release of the single "Space Oddity" in December 1972. The same year, Dave Edmunds
released a version of the song on his Rockpile
album.
It was covered by The Raconteurs
for a BBC Radio 2
Session and was also played at many live shows throughout their first tour in 2006. It was also covered by Five Horse Johnson
for their album No. 6 Dance
. Other covers include a version by Claudia Lennear
who was probably introduced to the song after her meeting with David Bowie
during his 1972 USA tour. It appears on her 1974 solo album entitled Phew. Graham Bonnet
covered it on his first, eponymous, solo album in 1977. It was also covered by the Ribeye Brothers for Hero: The Main Man Records Tribute to David Bowie in 2007, by Techno Cowboy on the 2009 release "The Ziggy Stardust Omnichord Album," and The Scarred
as a digital iTunes
single in 2010.
Ron Davies (songwriter)
Ron Davies was an American songwriter and musician. He was described by CMT News at the time of his death as "the family's artistic trailblazer" though "less celebrated… than his [younger] sister," country music singer-songwriter Gail Davies.Son of local country singer Tex Dickerson he took the...
. Davies recorded the song on his 1970 album Silent Song Through the Land. He re-recorded it on his 1973 album U.F.O..
Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time the band charted 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America, three of which reached Number One...
recorded the song on their 1970 album It Ain't Easy, and it was recorded by John Baldry on his 1971 album It Ain't Easy and in a semi-electric treatment by Mitch Ryder
Mitch Ryder
William S. Levise, Jr , better known by his stage name Mitch Ryder, is an American musician who has recorded over two dozen albums in more than four decades.-Career:...
's band on their album Mitch Ryder's Detroit, also in 1971.
Shortly thereafter, David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
released this song on the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is a 1972 concept album by English musician David Bowie, which is loosely based on a story of a rock star named Ziggy Stardust. It peaked at number five in the United Kingdom and number 75 in the United States on the Billboard Music...
in 1972
1972 in music
-Events:*January 17 – Highway 51 South in Memphis, Tennessee is renamed "Elvis Presley Boulevard"*January 20 – The début of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon at The Dome, Brighton, is halted by technical difficulties,...
. The song was originally recorded during the Hunky Dory
Hunky Dory
Hunky Dory is the fourth album by English singer-songwriter David Bowie, released by RCA Records in 1971. It was Bowie's first release through RCA, which would be his label for the next decade...
sessions. The song was also released on the B-Side of the European, US and Japanese re-release of the single "Space Oddity" in December 1972. The same year, Dave Edmunds
Dave Edmunds
David 'Dave' Edmunds is a Welsh singer, guitarist and record producer. Although he is primarily associated with Pub rock and New Wave, and had numerous hits in the 1970s and early 1980s, his natural leaning has always been towards 1950s style rock and roll.-Early bands:As a teenager Edmunds first...
released a version of the song on his Rockpile
Rockpile (album)
Rockpile was the first solo album by Dave Edmunds, released in 1972. It is principally focused on remakes of late 1950s and early 1960s hits, with a few new songs included. Edmunds plays almost all the instruments except for bass and backing vocals, which are contributed by John Williams, Edmunds'...
album.
It was covered by The Raconteurs
The Raconteurs
The Raconteurs is an American rock band that was formed in Detroit, Michigan, featuring four members known for other musical projects: Jack White , Brendan Benson , Jack Lawrence , and Patrick Keeler .-Formation:The...
for a BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
Session and was also played at many live shows throughout their first tour in 2006. It was also covered by Five Horse Johnson
Five Horse Johnson
Five Horse Johnson is an American blues-rock band, formed in 1995 from Toledo, Ohio. They have toured with such popular groups as Clutch and Halfway to Gone. The band combines hard rock, blues and other influences into a blend of stoner rock/blues music they call their own...
for their album No. 6 Dance
No. 6 Dance
The No. 6 Dance is the third album by blues band Five Horse Johnson. The song "Mississippi King" is featured in the Tony Hawk's Underground soundtrack...
. Other covers include a version by Claudia Lennear
Claudia Lennear
Claudia Lennear is an American soul singer who has worked with many acts including Ike and Tina Turner, Humble Pie and Joe Cocker. She recorded a solo album entitled Phew! in 1973.She was part of a trio of backup singers for Delaney and Bonnie, that also included Rita Coolidge...
who was probably introduced to the song after her meeting with David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
during his 1972 USA tour. It appears on her 1974 solo album entitled Phew. Graham Bonnet
Graham Bonnet
Graham Bonnet is an English rock vocalist, and songwriter. He has recorded and performed as a solo artist, and as a member of several hard rock and heavy metal bands including Rainbow, the Michael Schenker Group, Alcatrazz, and Impellitteri.-Early days:Bonnet was born in Skegness in 1947...
covered it on his first, eponymous, solo album in 1977. It was also covered by the Ribeye Brothers for Hero: The Main Man Records Tribute to David Bowie in 2007, by Techno Cowboy on the 2009 release "The Ziggy Stardust Omnichord Album," and The Scarred
The Scarred
The Scarred are a punk rock band from Anaheim, California formed in 2003, on the East Coast-based label Jailhouse records. In the punk rock scene, they are one of the only old school punk bands active from Anaheim, and known for bridging the sound between 70s Punk rock, soul, and classic rock and...
as a digital iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
single in 2010.
External links
- YouTube, Ron Davies's original recording from Silent Song Through the Land, showing original album cover; retrieved July 24, 2010
- Ron Davies Official Web Site, Ron Davies Estate