The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (album)
Encyclopedia
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is the first album by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
released in 1967. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (aka The Dirt Band) is notable for having many charting albums and singles. This album reached 161 on the US Charts. The single "Buy for Me the Rain" reached 45 on the US charts.
The songs fall mostly into two very different styles. Half sound like songs of the 1920s, the other half sound like late 1960s laid-back rock. "Dismal Swamp" is bluegrass.
"Buy for Me the Rain" is one of the 1960s-style songs. It starts with guitar playing a fast, staccato pattern. This is joined by a violin playing long notes over top. Jeff Hanna sings lead. Someone else sings harmony on the second half of the verse, and a lower voice echos the last line of each verse. That last line is always a cautionary variation on "before it is too late". The first two versus propose buying things of natural beauty for each other, that cannot truly be bought, like the rain. The third verse says that happiness cannot be bought, and the final verse says that what we buy for each other is for "the living, it's no use to the dead".
"Euphoria" was written and recorded in 1949 by saxophonist and band leader Charlie Ventura and his piano player Roy Kral. It is a fast song featuring lots of wacky laughter. The vocals sound like Jimmie Fadden, and he also plays harmonica on this. Someone else doubles the vocals in parts in a silly falsetto. Banjo and guitar provide the music.
"Melissa" was written by Jackson Browne
years before his first record. The song is in the 1920s style. The tempo is lazy and the music features banjo, guitar, and snare drum. Kazoo present the melody, with a clickity clack percussion, at the beginning of the song and repeats at the break.
"You Took the Happiness Out of My Head" is also performed in the 20s style. The tempo is a little faster and banjo, guitar, and snare drum provide the foundation of the music. A harmonica is played over top of this and featured at the break. The lyrics are essentially "you broke my heart when you went away". The song ends with more wacky laughter.
"Hard Hearted Hannah
" was a popular song from the 1920s. It is performed here in that style. A mid tempo song featuring piano more prominently. The vocals feature call and response. Hannah likes to see men suffer.
"Holding" is the second Jackson Browne composition. It is an up-tempo tune in the 1960s style, featuring guitar in the foreground and banjo in the background. Holding means something slightly different in each verse and chorus. He is holding his door open, holding his own, and holding his name up.
"Song to Jutta" is 1960s-style song written by band member Bruce Kunkel. Guitar, snare, and tambourine provide the back rhythm. A piano provides the baseline and an electric piano plays a counter melody. Vocals are long notes giving it a mellow feel. The lyrics implore you to take in the beauty of morning walk on the beach before you have to face the harsh world.
"Candy Man" was written by Reverend Gary Davis blues and gospel singer and guitarist . Jeff Hanna sings lead on this up tempo version. Another voice replies on the last verse. It features two harmonicas on the breaks.
"Dismal Swamp" is a fast bluegrass instrumental. John McEuen's banjo dominates the song. It also features violin. The song was written by John and his brother William, who was their manager and produced some of their other albums.
"I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate" is an up-tempo jazz dance song, written in 1919 and is performed here in that style. Kazoo, banjo, and guitar are featured on the break. There is a double vocal on the chorus. The title pretty much describes the lyrics.
"Crazy Words - Crazy Tune" was composed in 1927, a quick, snappy number which the title describes perfectly. It is also known as "Washington at Valley Forge" . The lyrics are about someone who is annoyed at their neighbor, for playing the ukulele and singing all night long.The music provided by guitar, banjo, and snare. The kazoo solo performed by bandmember Bruce "Spider Bones" Kunkel.
"You're Gonna Get It in the End" was written by the band The Lamp of Childhood
. While The Lamp only released a few singles, and had no hits, one member had some notoriety. James Hendricks had been in The Big Three and The Mugwumps with his then wife Cass Elliot. He went on to write the number-one hit "Summer Rain" for Johnny Rivers. "You're Gonna Get It In The End" was a Lamp Of Childhood unreleased track and was included on this album months after The Lamp Of Childhood broke up.. This is performed in the 1960s style. It features banjo and guitar throughout and a guitar solo at the break. The lyrics are about getting revenge on a girl who is messing with his mind.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is an American country-folk-rock band that has existed in various forms since its founding in Long Beach, California in 1966. The group's membership has had at least a dozen changes over the years, including a period from 1976 to 1981 when the band performed and recorded...
released in 1967. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (aka The Dirt Band) is notable for having many charting albums and singles. This album reached 161 on the US Charts. The single "Buy for Me the Rain" reached 45 on the US charts.
Track listing
- "Buy for Me the Rain" (Steve Noonan, Greg Copeland) - 2:23
- "Euphoria" (Roy Kral, Charlie Ventura) - 1:27
- "Melissa" (Jackson BrowneJackson BrowneJackson Browne is an American singer-songwriter and musician who has sold over 17 million albums in the United States alone....
) - 2:17 - "You Took the Happiness (Out of My Head)" (R. Regan) - 2:25
- "Hard Hearted Hannah" (Jack Yellen, Milton AgerMilton AgerMilton Ager was an American composer.Ager was born in Chicago, Illinois, the sixth of nine children. Leaving school with only three years of formal high-school education, he taught himself to play the piano and embarked on a career as a musician. After spending time as an accompanist to silent...
, Bob Bigelow, Charles Bates) - 2:10 - "Holding" (Jackson Browne) - 2:38
- "Song to Jutta" (Bruce Kunkel) - 2:35
- "Candy Man" (Rev. Gary Davis) - 2:29
- "Dismal Swamp" (John McEuenJohn McEuenJohn McEuen , is an American folk musician and entertainer. He was one of the earliest members of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. He played with the band from 1966 to 1986, and returned in 2001.The group prior to that 'dissolved' a few times briefly, but none as long as in 1968, right after spending 4...
, Bill McEuen) - 1:55 - "I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate" (Armand Piron) - 1:50
- "Crazy Words, Crazy Tune" (Jack Yellen, Milton Ager) - 1:27
- "You're Gonna Get It in the End" (Mick Takamatsu, James Hendricks, Fred Olsen) - 2:28
Personnel
- Bruce Kunkel - Guitar, Kazoo, Washtub Bass
- Jeff Hanna - Washboard, Sandblocks, Guitar, Comb, Kazoo, Phinius
- Jimmie Fadden - Harmonia, Washtub Bass, Phinius, Kazoo, Cigarette
- Ralphy Barr - Guitar, Kazoo, Washtub Bass, bubbles
- Les Thompson - Mandolin, Kazoo, Washtub Bass, Phinius
- John McEuenJohn McEuenJohn McEuen , is an American folk musician and entertainer. He was one of the earliest members of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. He played with the band from 1966 to 1986, and returned in 2001.The group prior to that 'dissolved' a few times briefly, but none as long as in 1968, right after spending 4...
- Banjo, Washtub Bass
About the songs
The album liner notes were written by Tiger Beat magazine Feature Editor Ann Moses. It focuses mostly on what the members look like, nicknames, and personalities. The type of information readers of Tiger Beat, teenage girls, would have been interested in.The songs fall mostly into two very different styles. Half sound like songs of the 1920s, the other half sound like late 1960s laid-back rock. "Dismal Swamp" is bluegrass.
"Buy for Me the Rain" is one of the 1960s-style songs. It starts with guitar playing a fast, staccato pattern. This is joined by a violin playing long notes over top. Jeff Hanna sings lead. Someone else sings harmony on the second half of the verse, and a lower voice echos the last line of each verse. That last line is always a cautionary variation on "before it is too late". The first two versus propose buying things of natural beauty for each other, that cannot truly be bought, like the rain. The third verse says that happiness cannot be bought, and the final verse says that what we buy for each other is for "the living, it's no use to the dead".
"Euphoria" was written and recorded in 1949 by saxophonist and band leader Charlie Ventura and his piano player Roy Kral. It is a fast song featuring lots of wacky laughter. The vocals sound like Jimmie Fadden, and he also plays harmonica on this. Someone else doubles the vocals in parts in a silly falsetto. Banjo and guitar provide the music.
"Melissa" was written by Jackson Browne
Jackson Browne
Jackson Browne is an American singer-songwriter and musician who has sold over 17 million albums in the United States alone....
years before his first record. The song is in the 1920s style. The tempo is lazy and the music features banjo, guitar, and snare drum. Kazoo present the melody, with a clickity clack percussion, at the beginning of the song and repeats at the break.
"You Took the Happiness Out of My Head" is also performed in the 20s style. The tempo is a little faster and banjo, guitar, and snare drum provide the foundation of the music. A harmonica is played over top of this and featured at the break. The lyrics are essentially "you broke my heart when you went away". The song ends with more wacky laughter.
"Hard Hearted Hannah
Hard Hearted Hannah (The Vamp of Savannah)
"Hard Hearted Hannah " is a popular song from Tin Pan Alley.The music was written by Milton Ager, the lyrics by Jack Yellen, Bob Bigelow, and Charles Bates...
" was a popular song from the 1920s. It is performed here in that style. A mid tempo song featuring piano more prominently. The vocals feature call and response. Hannah likes to see men suffer.
"Holding" is the second Jackson Browne composition. It is an up-tempo tune in the 1960s style, featuring guitar in the foreground and banjo in the background. Holding means something slightly different in each verse and chorus. He is holding his door open, holding his own, and holding his name up.
"Song to Jutta" is 1960s-style song written by band member Bruce Kunkel. Guitar, snare, and tambourine provide the back rhythm. A piano provides the baseline and an electric piano plays a counter melody. Vocals are long notes giving it a mellow feel. The lyrics implore you to take in the beauty of morning walk on the beach before you have to face the harsh world.
"Candy Man" was written by Reverend Gary Davis blues and gospel singer and guitarist . Jeff Hanna sings lead on this up tempo version. Another voice replies on the last verse. It features two harmonicas on the breaks.
"Dismal Swamp" is a fast bluegrass instrumental. John McEuen's banjo dominates the song. It also features violin. The song was written by John and his brother William, who was their manager and produced some of their other albums.
"I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate" is an up-tempo jazz dance song, written in 1919 and is performed here in that style. Kazoo, banjo, and guitar are featured on the break. There is a double vocal on the chorus. The title pretty much describes the lyrics.
"Crazy Words - Crazy Tune" was composed in 1927, a quick, snappy number which the title describes perfectly. It is also known as "Washington at Valley Forge" . The lyrics are about someone who is annoyed at their neighbor, for playing the ukulele and singing all night long.The music provided by guitar, banjo, and snare. The kazoo solo performed by bandmember Bruce "Spider Bones" Kunkel.
"You're Gonna Get It in the End" was written by the band The Lamp of Childhood
The Lamp of Childhood
The Lamp of Childhood was a short-lived American folk rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1966. The band release three singles which failed to chart and disbanded in 1967, but had several notable members.-History:...
. While The Lamp only released a few singles, and had no hits, one member had some notoriety. James Hendricks had been in The Big Three and The Mugwumps with his then wife Cass Elliot. He went on to write the number-one hit "Summer Rain" for Johnny Rivers. "You're Gonna Get It In The End" was a Lamp Of Childhood unreleased track and was included on this album months after The Lamp Of Childhood broke up.. This is performed in the 1960s style. It features banjo and guitar throughout and a guitar solo at the break. The lyrics are about getting revenge on a girl who is messing with his mind.