Sony/ATV’s "Musical Notes" #49 - Linda Perry

A fortnightly newsletter by Alan Warner

Sony/ATV’s “Musical Notes” #49
A fortnightly newsletter highlighting some of the many Classic songs in the Sony/ATV Music Publishing catalog.
From Alan Warner, Creative Consultant

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Songs By LINDA PERRY

Linda Perry is a current Sony/ATV writer but her illustrious songwriting career stretches back to the days when she led the group 4 Non Blondes to huge international success with her song WHAT’S UP? in 1993. Massachusetts-born and California-raised Linda went solo three years later with her album “In Flight” on Interscope.

Below is a list of just some of the memorable Linda Perry songs;

besides the obvious charted titles, of particular note is KNOCK ME OUT which she and the legendary Grace Slick (of The Great Society and Jefferson Airplane/Starship fame) sang together on “In Flight” and that same track was featured on the soundtrack of the Miramax movie “The Crow: City Of Angels”.


BEAUTIFUL (Linda Perry)
By Christina Aguilera (RCA/Sony: 2003) US #2 Pop, UK #1

CANDY MAN (Linda Perry/Christina Aguilera)
By Christina Aguilera (RCA/Sony: 2007) US #25 Pop, #17

*GET THE PARTY STARTED (Linda Perry)
By Pink (Arista/Sony: 2001) US #4 Pop, UK #2
Other versions incl. Shirley Bassey (Decca/Universal)

HURT (Linda Perry/Christina Aguilera/Mark Ronson)
By Christina Aguilera (RCA/Sony: 2006) US #19 Pop, UK #11

IDIOT (Linda Perry/Lisa Marie Presley)
By Lisa Marie Presley (Capitol/EMI: 2005)

KEEPS GETTIN’ BETTER (Linda Perry/Christina Aguilera)
By Christina Aguilera (RCA/Sony: 2008) US #7 Pop, UK #14

KNOCK ME OUT (Linda Perry/Grace Slick/Marty Wilson-Piper)
By Linda Perry featuring Grace Slick (Interscope/Universal: 1996)

THE LADDER (Linda Perry)
By Sierra Swan (Interscope/Universal)

MONO (Linda Perry/Courtney Love/Patty Schemel)
By Courtney Love (Virgin/EMI: 2004) UK #41

REDLIGHT (Linda Perry)
By Kelly Osbourne (Sanctuary/Universal: 2005) UK #73

SAVE ME (Linda Perry/Scott Russo/Aimee Allen)
By Unwritten Law (Lava/Atlantic/WMG: 2005)

SPACEMAN (Linda Perry/Shaunna Hall)
By 4 Non Blondes (Interscope/Universal: 1993) US #39 Mainstream Rock, UK #53

SUPERWOMAN (Linda Perry/Alicia Augelo-Cook/Steve Mostyn)
By Alicia Keys (J/Sony: 2008) US #12 R&B, #82 Pop

WHAT YOU WAITING FOR? (Linda Perry/Gwen Stefani)
By Gwen Stefani (Interscope/Universal: 2004) US #47 Pop, UK #4

WHAT’S UP (Linda Perry)
By 4 Non Blondes (Interscope/Universal: 1993) US #14 Pop, #16 Mainstream Rock, UK #2
By DJ Miko (ZYX: 1994) US #58 Pop

WONDERFUL LIFE (Linda Perry/Gwen Stefani)
By Gwen Stefani (Interscope/Universal: 2006)

*A remix of GET THE PARTY STARTED incorporating elements of the Eurythmics song “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)” was a major hit in France.

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“The Poet Of The Blues”
Songs by Percy Mayfield

Louisiana-born Percy Mayfield (1920-1984) was one of the finest blues singer/songwriters of his day. His breakthrough hit (PLEASE SEND ME SOMEONE TO LOVE) was released in 1950 when he was signed to Art Rupe’s west coast label Specialty. Ray Charles was so impressed with Percy that he later signed him as both a writer and artist to his own company (“Hit The Road Jack” was another Mayfield composition) but Sony/ATV controls his earlier period which, besides PLEASE SEND ME SOMEONE, included six other powerful R&B charted songs each displaying Percy’s very unique ways of expressing world-weary despair and suffering.

Check out also the superb THE RIVER’S INVITATION – particularly listen on our playlist to the versions by Joe Cocker and Aretha Franklin:

I spoke to the river and the river spoke back to me
And it said you look so lonely,
You look full of misery
And if you can't find your baby,
Come and make your home with me”

THE BIG QUESTION (Mayfield)
By Percy Mayfield (Specialty/Concord: 1952) US #6 R&B

BABY PLEASE (Mayfield)
I got up early this morning
About the break of dawn
And I look in the bed beside me
And guess what, I was all alone
I cried please, baby please come back to me
Because I am a prisoner
And I need your love to set me free”
Versions incl: Johnny Adams (Rounder), James Cotton (Discovery), Little Milton (Malaco), Junior Parker (Mercury/Universal)

CRY BABY (Mayfield)
By Percy Mayfield (Specialty/Concord: 1952) US #9 R&B
Re-recorded by Percy Mayfield for his Ray Charles-produced “My Jug And I” album on Tangerine in 1966.

DIGGIN’ THE MOONGLOW (Mayfield)
By Percy Mayfield (Specialty/Concord: 1957)

I NEED LOVE SO BAD (Mayfield)
By Percy Mayfield (Specialty/Concord: 1953)
Other versions incl: Jimmy McGriff & Junior Parker (United Artists/EMI), John Lee Hooker (Specialty/Concord), Little Junior Parker (Geffen/Universal)

LIFE IS SUICIDE (Mayfield)
By Percy Mayfield (Specialty/Concord: 1950)
Other versions incl: Mose Allison (Epic/Sony)

LOST LOVE (Mayfield)
By Percy Mayfield (Specialty/Concord: 1951) US #2 R&B

LOST MIND(Mayfield)
By Percy Mayfield (Specialty/Concord: 1951)
Other versions incl: Mose Allison (Prestige/Concord), Johnny Adams (Rounder), Diana Krall (GRP/Universal), Asleep At The Wheel (Capitol/EMI), Roomful Of Blues (Bullseye/Rounder)

MEMORY PAIN aka MEMORY OF PAIN (Mayfield)
“It serve me right to suffer
Serve me right to be alone
Seems I’m still livin’ with a memory
Of the days that’s passed and gone”
Percy Mayfield (Specialty/Concord: 1953)
Other versions incl: Johnny Winter (Columbia/Sony), Thin Lizzy (Mercury/Universal), Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation (Liberty/EMI), Bob Margolin (Powerhouse), Gary Moore (Sanctuary/Universal), Savoy Brown (Sanctuary/Universal)

PLEASE SEND ME SOMEONE TO LOVE (Mayfield)
“Heaven please send to all mankind,
Understanding and peace of mind.
But, if it's not asking too much
Please send me someone to love”
By Percy Mayfield (Specialty/Concord: 1950) US #1 R&B
By The Moonglows (Chess/Universal: 1957) US #5 R&B, #73 Pop
By Wade Flemons (Vee-Jay: 1961) US #20 R&B
Other versions incl: Count Basie & Joe Williams (Verve/Universal), B.B. King (ABC-Paramount/Universal), Peggy Lee (Capitol/EMI), Solomon Burke (Bell/Sony), Dinah Washington (Mercury/Universal), Ray Bryant Trio (Pablo/Concord), Mickey Newbury (Elektra/WMG), Freddie King (Shelter/EMI), James Booker (Rounder), Irma Thomas (Imperial/EMI), Luther Allison (Atlantic/WMG), Sade (Epic/Sony), Ramsey Lewis (Argo/Universal), Clarence Gatemouth Brown (Rounder), Jimmy Smith (Blue Note/EMI), Ernestine Anderson (Concord Jazz)

PRAYIN’ FOR YOUR RETURN (Mayfield)
By Percy Mayfield (Specialty/Concord: 1951) US #9 R&B

THE RIVER’S INVITATION (Mayfield)
First recorded by Percy Mayfield on Specialty in 1952 but successfully re-cut...
By Percy for Tangerine in 1963 when it charted: US #25 R&B
Other versions incl: Tracy Nelson (Flying Fish), Clarence ‘Gatemouth’ Brown (Polygram/Universal), Joe Cocker (Fantasy/Concord), Stanley Turrentine (Blue Note/EMI), Hank Crawford & Jimmy McGriff (Milestone/Concord), Junior Parker (Simitar), Kinsey Report (Alligator), Ernie Andrews (Tangerine), Aretha Franklin (Atlantic/WMG), Mick Abrahams (Indigo), James Cotton (Vanguard), Ernie Andrews (Highnote), Eddie ‘Buster’ Forehand (Jay-Gee/Rhino)

STRANGE THINGS HAPPENING (Mayfield)
Midnight find me cryin',
daylight find me cryin' too,
You better change your mind pretty baby
‘cause somethin' may happen to you”
By Percy Mayfield (Specialty/Concord: 1951) US #7 R&B
Other versions incl: Little Junior Parker (Duke/Universal), Guitar Slim (Atco/WMG), Clarence ‘Gatemouth’ Brown (Verve/Universal), James Cotton (Verve/Universal), Chick Willis (Ichiban) Bobby Bland & B.B. King (Universal), Billy Vera & The Beaters (Alfa) Sonny Rhodes & The Texas Twisters (Evidence)

SUGAR MAMA, PREACHY PAPA (Mayfield)
By Percy Mayfield (Specialty/Concord: 1954)

WHAT A FOOL I WAS (Mayfield)
By Percy Mayfield (Specialty/Concord: 1951) US #8 R&B


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ELVIS ANNIVERSARY
AND CIRQUE SHOW DEBUT

Next month, Elvis Presley would have been 75. Sony Legacy is releasing a major commemorative box set and below is a re-cap list of the SATV songs Elvis recorded during his career. I gave full details of these in “Musical Notes” #5. The king is also being celebrated with a new Cirque du Soleil show called “Viva ELVIS” which opens this month in the new Aria Resort & Casino’s Elvis Theater in Las Vegas.

Here is Sony/ATV’s unprecedented list of songs recorded by Elvis:

AN AMERICAN TRILOGY (Mickey Newbury)
AND THE GRASS WON’T PAY NO MIND (Neil Diamond)
BIG BOSS MAN (Al Smith/Luther Dixon)
BOSSA NOVA BABY (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
BURNING LOVE (Dennis Linde)
DIRTY DIRTY FEELING (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
DON’T (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
DON’T CRY DADDY (Mac Davis)
FOOLS FALL IN LOVE (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
FUNNY HOW TIME SLIPS AWAY (Willie Nelson)
GET BACK (John Lennon/Paul McCartney)
GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
HE IS MY EVERYTHING (Dallas Frazier)
HEARTBREAK HOTEL (Mae Boren Axton/Tommy Durden/Elvis Presley)
HELP ME (Larry Gatlin)
HEY JUDE (John Lennon/Paul McCartney)
HOT DOG(Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
HOUND DOG (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
HOW’S THE WORLD TREATING YOU (Chet Atkins/Boudleaux Bryant)
I CAN’T STOP LOVING YOU (Don Gibson)
I FEEL SO BAD (Chuck Willis)
I LOVE YOU BECAUSE (Leon Payne)
I WANT TO BE FREE (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
IN THE GARDEN (Gordon Stoker/Neal Matthews)
IN THE GHETTO (Mac Davis)
IT’S A SIN (Fred Rose/Zeb Turner)
JAILHOUSE ROCK (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
JUST TELL HER JIM SAID HELLO (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
KING CREOLE (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
LAWDY MISS CLAWDY (Lloyd Price)
LITTLE EGYPT (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
LONG TALL SALLY (Richard Penniman/Entoris Johnson/Robert Blackwell)
LOVE COMING DOWN (Jerry Chesnut)
LOVE LETTERS (Victor Young/Edward Heyman)
LOVE ME (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
LOVING YOU (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
MAKE THE WORLD GO AWAY (Hank Cochran)
MIRACLE OF THE ROSARY (Lee Denson)
NEVER AGAIN (Billy Edd Wheeler/Jerry Chesnut)
ONE NIGHT (Dave Bartholomew/Pearl King/Anita Steiman)
RELEASE ME (Eddie Miller/Dub Williams/Robert Yount)
RIP IT UP (Robert Blackwell/John Marascalco)
SANTA CLAUS IS BACK IN TOWN (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
SAVED (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
SHE’S NOT YOU (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller/Doc Pomus)
STEADFAST, LOYAL, AND TRUE (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
SUSPICIOUS MINDS (Mark James)
SWEET CAROLINE (Neil Diamond)
THAT’S WHEN YOUR HEARTACHES BEGIN (Fred Fisher/Billy Hill/William Raskin)
THERE GOES MY EVERYTHING (Dallas Frazier)
TREAT ME NICE (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
TROUBLE (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
T-R-O-U-B-L-E (Jerry Chesnut)
TUTTI FRUTTI (Richard Penniman/Dorothy LaBostrie/Joe Lubin)
WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES (Joe South)
WEAR MY RING AROUND YOUR NECK (Russell Moody/Bert Carroll)
WELCOME TO MY WORLD (Ray Winkler/John Hathcock)
WITCHCRAFT (Dave Bartholomew/Pearl King)
YESTERDAY (John Lennon/Paul McCartney)
(YOU’RE SO SQUARE) BABY I DON’T CARE (Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)


Click Here For Associated Playlist


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US chart positions courtesy of Joel Whitburn & Billboard Magazine

Here is a link to a complete list of earlier “Musical Notes” bulletins:

"Musical Notes" Archives


12/09