Wednesday 10 October 2012

WEDNESDAY CLUB - Gene Clark/Phil Ochs - Changes

MIDWEEK CRISIS you need a change, come to WEDNESDAY CLUB we've got an ex Byrd, a singing journalist and an angry young Dylan
I ain't marching anymore!

 
GENE CLARK - Changes

I first heard this song on a sampler included with the price of a music magazine (not free with the magazine, the word free always annoyed me) It was sung by Gene Clark, one of the original Byrds. I loved the song and when I found it was written by Phil Ochs I just had to get hold of that version. I was very aware of PO since the early sixties when I heard Joan Baez's version of his There but for Fortune an absolutely magnificent song.

PO is quite an interesting character and was a contemporary of Dylan and I have always thought there was undercurrents in the books about Dylan that he considered that PO was something of a threat to his  numero uno  position in his folk writing sphere. There was even a documented occurrence when Dylan apparently threw Ochs out of a limousine. 

Some of the titles of Phil Ochs albums are worth buying just for their title : All the news thats fit to singI Ain't marching anymore, Rehearsals for Retirement.

Sadly PO took his own life in 1975.

Of the two versions, I have to go for the original, what's your favourite?
 

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WEDNESDAY CLUB - Gene Clark/Phil Ochs - Changes
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7 comments

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Anonymous
10 October 2012 at 12:52

I'm a fan of Gene but I haven't heard this before. Must say I prefer Phil's version. His voice always gets me. I think you're right that there was some tension between Ochs and Dylan. It's said that Bob treated Phil badly. Some even contend that not inviting hiom onto the Rolling Thunder Tour led to Phil's suicide. I think that's a bit harsh but Bob could certainly be hard on people.

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10 October 2012 at 13:35

SB - he could be hard yes but I suppose that is part of his charm...what you think of Tempest then....there is a lot there to sort out....definitely up there with the best of his 'later' output?

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Anonymous
10 October 2012 at 15:30

OPC - I like 'Tempest' a lot. I definitely prefer it either 'Together Through Life' or 'Modern Times'. Not as good as 'Love and Theft' but, in my opinion, that would be asking a lot and I don't expect it to happen again. 'Tempest' isn't a cheery album, though, is it?

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10 October 2012 at 16:49

SB - Cheery it is not...but I like Bob when he has a bee in his bonnet and all bitter and twisted...Pay in Blood....great stuff!...Tempest it's self...the Jury is still out!

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sfw
10 October 2012 at 21:36

I'm such a pupp! Never heard any of these before and didn't know anything of Phil Och. Prefer Phil's version. Sounds almost innocent, yet heartfelt with a shot of darkness.

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11 October 2012 at 14:14

heartfelt with a shot of darkness! I'm with him ^^. Interesting on the Dylan front though..

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11 October 2012 at 18:53

Gene can usually do very little wrong in my eyes (& ears!), but on this occasion I must give the nod to Phil Ochs. Nice to hear the two versions side by side.

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