Tuesday, June 24, 2014

A Week of Gerry Goffin # 5 - The Crystals

 
Not possibly the song lyrics Goffin would most like to be remembered for. It's at odds with almost everything else he wrote But it occupies a specific place in the Rock and Roll canon. And it's also a great song, pretty much as good as anything Spector produced. It was released and then gradually supressed when it got a negative public reaction. The inspiration behind it was born from Little Eva (The Loco-Motion), telling Goffin and King that her boyfriend was beating her. They were shocked and the song resulted. It has an edge of truth about it that a lot of songs from that time lacked though. Hence its reputation since.
 
It's been covered by Hole, Grizzly Bear, The Blackeyed Susans, Spiritualised (who changed the title, as they would to 'She Kissed me and it Felt Like a Hit'). Amy Winehouse loved it. Not perhaps something to put on the jukebox but a great and real lyric and song.
 
 

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