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Husband-and-wife duo Delaney and Bonnie
Bramlett were among the foremost proponents
of blue-eyed soul in the 1960s and '70s.
They're famous for luring Eric Clapton into
their midst and influencing the direction of
his solo work, but their own legacy stands up
well beyond that. Delaney & Bonnie operated
in a time when the boundaries of music were
bursting open, and their sound is an organic
mix of rock, blues, soul, gospel, and country
which made for timeless songs and memorable
performances.
Accounts of the origin of "Groupie
(Superstar)" vary somewhat, but the song grew
out of the late 1969/early 1970 nexus of
English and American musicians known as
Delaney, Bonnie, & Friends that involved
Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett, Leon Russell,
Eric Clapton, Duane Allman, Rita Coolidge,
and various others. The song's working title
during portions of its development was
"Groupie Song".
In its first recorded incarnation, the song
was called "Groupie (Superstar)", and was
recorded and released as the B-Side to the
Delaney & Bonnie single "Comin' Home" in
December 1969. Released by Atlantic Records,,
the full credit on the single was to Delaney
& Bonnie and Friends Featuring Eric Clapton.
Sung by Bonnie, the arrangement featured slow
guitar and bass parts building up to an
almost gospelish chorus using horns. The song
featured Leon Russell on keyboards, Eric
Clapton on guitar and Rita Coolidge doing
background vocals. Some accounts have
Coolidge suggesting or inspiring the song's
creation in the first place, and working with
Bonnie Bramlett on her portion of the
writing. Coolidge would later go on to sing
the song in Joe Cocker's live concert shows
and would record the song for Cocker's live
"Mad Dogs and Englishmen" album.
The song was about, as the title suggests, a
groupie who holds a strong love for a rock
star after a short sexual involvement. He has
moved on to the next town, and despite his
promises to see her again she can now only
hear him on the radio. She is just left pure
hopeless yearning as evidenced by the chorus:
Don't you remember you told me you loved me,
baby ?
Said you'd be coming back this way again,
baby ?
Baby, baby, baby, baby, oh, baby...!
Delaney & Bonnie were not yet well known at
the time, and "Comin' Home" only reached #84
on the U.S. Singles Pop Chart, although it
achieved a peak of #16 on the UK Singles
Chart.
I've not been able to find out exactly which
rock star the "groupie" is longing for, but
for this video, I chose to focus on one of
the rock icons of that era, Jim Morrison of
the Doors. The video features a few concert
clips as well as photos and home movies of
Pamela Courson, his common-law wife.
GROUPIE (Superstar)
(Words and music by Leon Russell and Bonnie
Bramlett)
Long ago and so far away,
I fell in love with you
Before the second show.
Your guitar,
It sounds so sweet and clear -
But it's just the radio
And you're not really here.
Don't you remember you told me you loved me,
baby?
(You told me you loved me!)
Said you'd be coming back this way again,
baby...
(I've been waiting for you, baby!)
Don't you remember you told me you loved me,
baby?
Woah-oh, mmmm...
Loneliness is such a sad affair (sad affair)
And I can hardly wait to sleep with you
again.
What to say to make you come again? (come
again)
Come back and play for me your sad guitar.
Oh, yeah! Baby, baby, baby, baby, oh, baby!
(I've been waiting for you, baby!)
Don't you remember you told me you loved me,
baby?
(You said you loved me, baby!)
Said you'd be coming back this way again,
baby
(Baby, my baby!)
Baby, baby, baby, baby, oh, baby!
(I've been waiting for you, baby!)
Baby, baby, baby, baby, oh, baby...
Tags : Delaney Bonnie Bramlett Karen Richard Carpenter Leon Russell Jim Morrison Pamela Courson tribute |
