7 and 7 Is

Last updated
"7 and 7 Is"
Sevenandsevenis45.jpg
Single by Love
from the album Da Capo
B-side "No. Fourteen"
ReleasedJuly 1966
RecordedJune 17 and 20, 1966
Studio Sunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood, California
Genre
Length2:15
Label Elektra
Songwriter(s) Arthur Lee
Producer(s) Jac Holzman
Love singles chronology
"My Little Red Book"
(1966)		"7 and 7 Is"
(1966)		"Stephanie Knows Who"
(1966)

"7 and 7 Is" is a song written by Arthur Lee and recorded by his band Love on June 17 and 20, 1966, at Sunset Sound Recorders in Hollywood. It was produced by Jac Holzman and engineered by Bruce Botnick.

Contents

The song was released as the A-side of Elektra single 45605 in July, 1966. The B-side was "No. Fourteen", an outtake from the band's earlier recordings. "7 and 7 Is" made the Billboard Pop Singles chart on July 30, 1966, peaking at number 33 during a ten-week chart run and becoming the band's highest-charting hit single. The recording also featured on the band's second album, Da Capo .

Background and development

Arthur Lee wrote "7 and 7 Is" at the Colonial Apartments on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. [2] The song was inspired by his high school girlfriend Anita "Pretty" Billings, with whom he shared a birthday of March 7. [3] [nb 1] Describing how the song came to him, Lee stated: "I was living on Sunset and woke up early one morning. The whole band was asleep. I went in the bathroom, and I wrote those words. My songs used to come to me just before dawn, I would hear them in dreams, but if I didn't get up and write them down, or if I didn't have a tape recorder to hum into, I was through. If I took for granted that I could remember it the next day—boink, it was gone." [5] The lyrics describe Lee's frustration at teenage life—the reference to "in my lonely room I'd sit, my mind in an ice cream cone" being to wearing (in reality or metaphorically) a dunce's cap. [6]

Lee's original version of the song was a slow folk song in the style of Bob Dylan. [2] Its arrangement developed as the band experimented in the studio. [7] Bassist Ken Forssi had received a bass fuzz effect unit from an endorsement deal the band had signed with Vox, and Lee suggested Forssi use it on "7 and 7 Is". Lead guitarist Johnny Echols recalled: "We started playing [with it] and at first it sounded strange, but Kenny started doing this sliding bass thing with it. As we played it we could hear that this was something different, something new." [8]

Recording

Love recorded "7 and 7 Is" on June 17 and 20, 1966, at Sunset Sound Recorders, [9] with Jac Holzman producing and Bruce Botnick engineering. [10] The fuzz bass was ultimately abandoned as it overpowered the other instruments, but Forssi was able to achieve a similar sound with the feedback caused by his semi-acoustic Eko bass. Echols also used feedback, as well as extensive reverb and tremolo, [11] saying he had wanted to use a surf guitar effect in a different context. [9]

The sessions were tumultuous due to the song's fast and intense drum part, with Lee and drummer Alban "Snoopy" Pfisterer taking turns trying to accomplish it. Pfisterer later said: "The session was a nightmare ... I had blisters on my fingers. I don't know how many times I tried to play that damn thing and it just wasn't coming out. Arthur would try it; then I'd try it. Finally I got it. He couldn't do it." [12] Echols praised it as Pfisterer's best performance. [11] Estimates in the number of takes the song required range from 20 to 60; [13] however, most of these were only false starts. [9] The song took 4 hours to record according to Echols, who also claimed that the session took longer due to Holzman and Botnick objecting to the band's experimentation: "they kept stopping us, saying, 'It's feeding back!' We'd say, 'It's supposed to feed back.'" [14]

In what has been called a "flirtation" with musique concrète , [15] the track climaxes with the sound of an atomic explosion before a peaceful conclusion, in a blues form, which then fades out. [6] Botnick said the explosion was taken from a sound effects record and may have been a gunshot slowed down. During live performances, Echols would recreate the sound by kicking his amplifier with the reverb turned all the way up. [16]

Release and reception

Elektra Records issued "7 and 7 Is" in July 1966, backed with "No. Fourteen", an outtake from Love's debut album. [17] It entered the Billboard Hot 100 on July 30 and spent 10 weeks on the chart, peaking at number 33 on September 24. [18] It was the highest-charting single of the band's career. [16] Elektra released the band's second album, Da Capo , in November, [19] with "7 and 7 Is" sequenced as the fourth track, between "¡Que Vida!" and "The Castle". [20]

Music critic Robert Christgau called the song "a perfect rocker". [21] Cash Box described the song as a "pulsating, rhythmic extremely danceable blueser with a clever gimmick wind-up". [22]

Covers

Described as garage rock [23] and proto-punk, [24] the song was later covered by numerous bands, most notably The Ramones, Alice Cooper, Jared Louche and The Aliens, [25] The Electric Prunes, Billy Bragg, The Sidewinders, The Fuzztones, Robert Plant, Rush, Alice Bag, The Bangles, Deep Purple, and Hollywood Vampires as well as a re-recording by Lee himself.

Notes

  1. ↑ Billings had also inspired Lee's songs "My Diary" (recorded by Rosa Lee Brooks) and "A Message to Pretty" from Love's self-titled debut album. [4]

Related Research Articles

<i>Forever Changes</i> 1967 studio album by Love

Forever Changes is the third studio album by the American rock band Love, released by Elektra Records in November 1967. The album saw the group embrace a subtler folk- and baroque pop-oriented sound based around acoustic guitars and orchestral arrangements, while primary songwriter Arthur Lee explored darker themes alluding to mortality and his growing disillusionment with the counterculture. It was the final album recorded by the original band lineup; after its completion, guitarist Bryan MacLean left the group acrimoniously, and Lee subsequently dismissed the other members.

<i>The Doors</i> (album) 1967 studio album by the Doors

The Doors is the debut studio album by American rock band the Doors, released on January 4, 1967, by Elektra Records. It was recorded in August 1966 at Sunset Sound Recorders, in Hollywood, California, under the production of Paul A. Rothchild. The album features the extended version of the band's breakthrough single "Light My Fire" and the lengthy closer "The End" with its Oedipal spoken word section. Various publications, including BBC and Rolling Stone, have ranked The Doors as one of the greatest debut albums of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love (band)</span> American rock group

Love is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965. Led by frontman and primary songwriter Arthur Lee, they were one of the first racially diverse American rock bands. Their sound incorporated an eclectic range of styles including garage, folk-rock, and psychedelia. While finding only modest success on the music charts, peaking in 1966 with their US Top 40 hit "7 and 7 Is", Love would come to be praised by critics as their third album, Forever Changes (1967), became generally regarded as one of the best albums of the 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Buckley</span> American musician (1947–1975)

Timothy Charles Buckley III was an American musician. He began his career based in folk rock, but subsequently experimented with genres such as psychedelia, jazz, the avant-garde, and funk paired with his unique five-octave vocal range. His commercial peak came with the 1969 album Happy Sad, reaching No. 81 on the charts, while his experimental 1970 album Starsailor went on to become a cult favorite. The latter contained his best known song, "Song to the Siren." Buckley died at the age of 28 from a heroin and morphine overdose, leaving behind sons Taylor and Jeff.

<i>L.A. Woman</i> 1971 studio album by the Doors

L.A. Woman is the sixth studio album by the American rock band the Doors, released on April 19, 1971 by Elektra Records. It is the last to feature lead singer Jim Morrison during his lifetime, due to his death exactly two months and two weeks following the album's release, though he would posthumously appear on the 1978 album An American Prayer. Even more so than its predecessors, the album is heavily influenced by blues. It was recorded without producer Paul A. Rothchild after he quit the band over the perceived lack of quality in their studio performances. Subsequently, the band co-produced the album with longtime sound engineer Bruce Botnick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arthur Lee (musician)</span> American rock musician (1945–2006)

Arthur Taylor Lee was an American musician, singer and songwriter who rose to fame as the leader of the Los Angeles rock band Love. Love's 1967 album Forever Changes was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and it is part of the National Recording Registry.

Bruce Botnick is an American audio engineer and record producer. He is best known for co-producing L.A. Woman, the sixth studio album by the Doors, after producer Paul A. Rothchild quit during production of the album. Botnick is also known for producing for Eddie Money and his platinum albums Eddie Money and Life for the Talking, as well as Steve Perry's platinum album Street Talk. Botnick also engineered for the Beach Boys and their eleventh studio album Pet Sounds, as well as producing and engineering for acts such as Love, Buffalo Springfield, Dave Mason, the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, the Rolling Stones, as well as film composer Jerry Goldsmith.

<i>Da Capo</i> (Love album) 1966 studio album by Love

Da Capo is the second studio album by American rock band Love, released in November 1966 by Elektra Records. The album was recorded during September and October 1966 at RCA Studios in Hollywood, California, with the exception of lead single "7 and 7 Is", recorded the previous June. The single was a departure for the band and became their highest charting, reaching No. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite the success of "7 and 7 Is", a string of well received live performances at the time and contemporary critical acclaim for the album upon its release, it peaked at No. 80 on the Billboard 200.

<i>Love</i> (Love album) 1966 studio album by Love

Love is the debut album by the Los Angeles-based rock band Love; released in March 1966 by Elektra Records.

<i>Four Sail</i> 1969 studio album by Love

Four Sail is the fourth studio album by the American rock band Love, released in 1969 by Elektra Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alone Again Or</span> 1968 single by Love

"Alone Again Or" is a song originally recorded in 1967 by the rock group Love and written by band member Bryan MacLean. It appears on the album Forever Changes, and was released as a single in the USA, UK, Australia, France and the Netherlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryan MacLean</span> American singer-songwriter (1946–1998)

Bryan Andrew MacLean was an American singer, guitarist and songwriter, best known for his work with the influential rock band Love. His famous compositions for Love include "Alone Again Or", "Old Man" and "Orange Skies".

<i>Tim Buckley</i> (album) 1966 studio album by Tim Buckley

Tim Buckley is the debut album by Los Angeles based singer-songwriter Tim Buckley, released in October 1966. Most of the songs on it were co-written by Buckley and Larry Beckett while they were in high school. It was recorded at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Echols</span> American songwriter and guitarist

John Marshall Echols is an American songwriter and guitarist, who was a co-founder and the lead guitar player of the psychedelic rock band Love.

<i>Whats Shakin</i> 1966 Elektra compilation album with various artists

What's Shakin' is a compilation album released by Elektra Records in May 1966. It features the earliest studio recordings by the Lovin' Spoonful and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, as well as the only released recordings by the ad hoc studio group Eric Clapton and the Powerhouse, until they were reissued years later.

"Mary, Mary" is a song written by Michael Nesmith and first recorded by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band for their 1966 album East-West. Nesmith's band, the Monkees, later recorded it for More of the Monkees (1967). Hip hop group Run–D.M.C. revived the song in the late 1980s, with an adaptation that appeared in the U.S. record charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">She Comes in Colors</span> 1966 single by Love

"She Comes in Colors" is a song written by Arthur Lee and released by the band Love as a single in 1966 and on their 1966 album Da Capo. It was also included on a number of Love compilation albums, including Love Revisited and Best of Love and on the multi-artist compilation album Forever Changing: The Golden Age of Elektra 1963–1973.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Little Red Book</span> 1965 song

"My Little Red Book" (occasionally subtitled "(All I Do Is Talk About You)") is a song composed by American songwriter Burt Bacharach with lyrics by Hal David. The duo was enlisted by Charles K. Feldman to compose the music to Woody Allen's film What's New Pussycat? following a chance meeting between Feldman and Bacharach's fiancée Angie Dickinson in London. "My Little Red Book" was composed in three weeks together with several other songs intended for the movie. Musically, the song was initially composed in the key of C major, largely based on a reiterating piano riff performed. David's lyrics tells the tale of a distraught lover, who after getting dumped by his girlfriend browses through his "little red book" and taking out several girls to dance in a vain effort to get over her.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephanie Knows Who</span> 1966 single by Love

"Stephanie Knows Who" is a song written by Arthur Lee and first released by Love on their 1966 album Da Capo. It has also been released on several Love compilation albums. It was to have been released as a single, backed with "Orange Skies", but the single was withdrawn, with "She Comes in Colors" replacing it under the same catalog number. The song was also covered by the Move.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Hoh</span> American drummer (1944–2015)

Edward Hoh was an American rock drummer who was active in the 1960s. Although primarily a studio session and touring drummer, Hoh exhibited a degree of originality and showmanship that set him apart and several of his contributions have been singled out for acknowledgment by music critics.

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Stanley, Bob (13 September 2013). "The Golden Road: San Francisco and Psychedelia". Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Faber & Faber. p. 227. ISBN   978-0-571-28198-5.
  2. 1 2 Sandoval 2002, p. 3.
  3. ↑ Einarson 2010 , pp. 52, 116; Bronson, Gallo & Sandoval 1995 , p. 15.
  4. ↑ Einarson 2010, p. 52.
  5. ↑ Bronson, Gallo & Sandoval 1995, p. 15.
  6. 1 2 Hoskyns 2002, pp. 47–49.
  7. ↑ Einarson 2010 , pp. 116–117; Sandoval 2002 , p. 4.
  8. ↑ Einarson 2010, p. 116.
  9. 1 2 3 Sandoval 2002, p. 4.
  10. ↑ Einarson 2010, pp. 116, 118.
  11. 1 2 Einarson 2010, p. 117.
  12. ↑ Einarson 2010, pp. 116–117.
  13. ↑ Einarson 2010 , p. 117: 20; Brooks 1997 , p. 35: 60.
  14. ↑ Einarson 2010, pp. 117–118.
  15. ↑ Pouncey 2002, p. 157.
  16. 1 2 Einarson 2010, p. 118.
  17. ↑ Bronson, Gallo & Sandoval 1995, p. 29.
  18. ↑ "Chart History: Love". Billboard . Archived from the original on 29 January 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  19. ↑ Einarson 2010, p. 145.
  20. ↑ Brooks 1997, pp. 34–35.
  21. ↑ Christgau, R. (June 1967). "Columns". Esquire. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
  22. ↑ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. July 16, 1966. p. 36. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  23. ↑ Unterberger, Richie (2014). Jingle Jangle Morning: Folk-Rock in the 1960s. BookBaby. ISBN   978-0-9915892-1-0.
  24. ↑ Schinder, S. & Schwartz, A. (2008). Icons of Rock. ABC-CLIO. p. 263. ISBN   9780313338465.
  25. ↑ Steininger, Alex (July 30, 2020). "Jared Louche and the Aliens: Covergirl". In Music We Trust (26). Retrieved July 30, 2020.

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.