ROCK N ROLL TIMES
THE TROUBADOUR SHOW
Opener: Elton John’s “Your Song” (from Elton John album on MCA) track 1 4:02
Commentary: Today’s show is part of our salute to great music venues in Southern California. Last week, we spoke about some of the great acts I saw over the years at the Whisky. Tonight, we’re focusing on five artists I saw at the Troubadour, the great songwriter show case in West Hollywood. The performers included Elton John who opened his first U.S. tour at the club.
The remarkable thing about the list is I saw three of the five artists during my first three months as pop music critic of the Los Angeles Times. The parade began in June of 1970 when I heard the opening act sing these three great songs in his set.
The artist was Kris Kristofferson.
Block One:
Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make It through the Night” (from The Complete Monument and Columbia Albums Collection on Sony Legacy) track 6 2:57 minutes
Kristofferson’s “Sunday Morning Coming Down” (same album) track 10 4:41
Kristofferson’s “Me and Bobby McGee” (same) track 11 4:40
Commentary: Two months later, a singer-songwriter from New York headlined the Troubadour and she combined lavish pop with R&B and a touch of gospel. It was Laura Nyro..
Block Two:
Nyro’s ‘Eli’s Coming” (from Eli and the 13th confession album on Columbia) track 6 3:56
Nyro’s “Stoned Soul Picnic” (same) track 8 3:47
Nyro’s “The Confession” (same) track 13 2:48
Commentary: This takes us to later in August of 1970 when Elton John became a star overnight. It was the Englishman’s first U.S. club appearance. He stood on the music alone , but that was enough. In the house that night was Bernie Taupin, who puts the words in Elton’s songs.
Block three:
John’s “Take Me to the Pilot” (Elton John on mca) track 3 3:47
John’s “I Need You to Turn To” (same) track 2 2:35
John’s “Sixty Years On” (same) track 6 4:35
Commentary: I wrote such a rave review of Elton that it helped launch his career in America and I soon set out to find someone else who deserved similar praise. I set such high standards that it took a year to find that artist—John Prine, He hasn’t had the commercial success of Elton, but I’ll stand by the choice. He remains one of my all-time favorite songwriters.
Here are three songs from John Prine’s debut album.
Block 4:
Prine’s “Hello in There” (from John Prine album on Atlantic) track 3 4;29
Prine’s “Far From Me” (same) track 8 3:38
Prine’s “Sam Stone” (same) track 4 4:14
Commentary: To close the show we turn to another of my all-time favorite songwriters, someone I first saw at the Troubadour in the early 1970s. Here are songs from randy Newman’s album Sail Away.
Block 5:
Newman’s “Sail Away” (from Sail Away on Reprise) track 1 2:56
Newman’s “Political Science” (same) track 7 2:00
Newman’s “God’s Song” (same) track 12 3:36
Commentary: Today’s show is part of our salute to great music venues in Southern California. Last week, we spoke about some of the great acts I saw over the years at the Whisky. Tonight, we’re focusing on five artists I saw at the Troubadour, the great songwriter show case in West Hollywood. The performers included Elton John who opened his first U.S. tour at the club.
The remarkable thing about the list is I saw three of the five artists during my first three months as pop music critic of the Los Angeles Times. The parade began in June of 1970 when I heard the opening act sing these three great songs in his set.
The artist was Kris Kristofferson.
Block One:
Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make It through the Night” (from The Complete Monument and Columbia Albums Collection on Sony Legacy) track 6 2:57 minutes
Kristofferson’s “Sunday Morning Coming Down” (same album) track 10 4:41
Kristofferson’s “Me and Bobby McGee” (same) track 11 4:40
Commentary: Two months later, a singer-songwriter from New York headlined the Troubadour and she combined lavish pop with R&B and a touch of gospel. It was Laura Nyro..
Block Two:
Nyro’s ‘Eli’s Coming” (from Eli and the 13th confession album on Columbia) track 6 3:56
Nyro’s “Stoned Soul Picnic” (same) track 8 3:47
Nyro’s “The Confession” (same) track 13 2:48
Commentary: This takes us to later in August of 1970 when Elton John became a star overnight. It was the Englishman’s first U.S. club appearance. He stood on the music alone , but that was enough. In the house that night was Bernie Taupin, who puts the words in Elton’s songs.
Block three:
John’s “Take Me to the Pilot” (Elton John on mca) track 3 3:47
John’s “I Need You to Turn To” (same) track 2 2:35
John’s “Sixty Years On” (same) track 6 4:35
Commentary: I wrote such a rave review of Elton that it helped launch his career in America and I soon set out to find someone else who deserved similar praise. I set such high standards that it took a year to find that artist—John Prine, He hasn’t had the commercial success of Elton, but I’ll stand by the choice. He remains one of my all-time favorite songwriters.
Here are three songs from John Prine’s debut album.
Block 4:
Prine’s “Hello in There” (from John Prine album on Atlantic) track 3 4;29
Prine’s “Far From Me” (same) track 8 3:38
Prine’s “Sam Stone” (same) track 4 4:14
Commentary: To close the show we turn to another of my all-time favorite songwriters, someone I first saw at the Troubadour in the early 1970s. Here are songs from randy Newman’s album Sail Away.
Block 5:
Newman’s “Sail Away” (from Sail Away on Reprise) track 1 2:56
Newman’s “Political Science” (same) track 7 2:00
Newman’s “God’s Song” (same) track 12 3:36
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