Just a Little (The Beau Brummels song)

Last updated
"Just a Little"
Just a Little (The Beau Brummels single - cover art).jpg
French EP
Single by the Beau Brummels
from the album Introducing the Beau Brummels
B-side "They'll Make You Cry"
ReleasedApril 1965
Recorded4 February & 12 March 1965
Studio Coast Recorders, San Francisco
Genre
Length2:25
Label Autumn
Songwriter(s) Ron Elliott, Bob Durand
Producer(s) Sylvester "Sly Stone" Stewart
The Beau Brummels singles chronology
"Laugh, Laugh"
(1964)		"Just a Little"
(1965)		"You Tell Me Why"
(1965)

"Just a Little" is a song by the American rock group the Beau Brummels. The song is included on the band's debut album, Introducing the Beau Brummels , and was released as its second single, following "Laugh, Laugh". "Just a Little" became the band's highest-charting U.S. single, peaking at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1965. It also reached the top 10 of the charts in Canada and Australia.

Contents

Written by guitarist Ron Elliott with frequent collaborator Bob Durand, the song was produced by Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone. A live version of the song recorded during a 1974 concert was released on the band's 2000 Live! album. "Just a Little" has been covered by such artists as the Young Rascals, Nils Lofgren, the Smithereens, and Frank Black.

Composition

Written by the band's guitarist Ron Elliott with frequent collaborator Bob Durand, "Just a Little" begins with acoustic guitar strums with ascending minor-key harmonies, while electric guitar chords are heard during the chorus. [2] With these musical elements, "Just a Little" is considered an early example of folk rock, [2] [3] though it also bears a stylistic similarity to British beat. [4]

Elliott said that the band's folk rock sound was a coincidence, not intentional. [2] He explained, "We only had acoustic and electric guitars, so every chance we got, we'd try to add some variety. We couldn't do it much with playing or style differences, because everybody had limited chops, including myself. The only way you could get variety was to go [to] a harmonica during the song, or get an acoustic in this space, get different moods that way". [2]

The song was produced by Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone of Sly and the Family Stone. [2] Elliott credited Stone as having a positive influence on the band, and for "pull[ing] a lot of loose ends of the band together". [2]

Release and reception

"Just a Little" debuted at number 81 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in April 1965 [5] and peaked two months later at number eight to become the band's highest-charting single in that country. [6] It spent nine weeks in the top 40 portion of the chart. [6] The song peaked at number four in Canada [7] and number ten in Australia. [8]

A 1965 Billboard review of the single commended its "plaintive lyric and strong vocal". [9] Record World said that the group will "be laugh, laughing all the way to the bank with the slow rocker." [10]

In his 2000 book Urban Spacemen and Wayfaring Strangers: Overlooked Innovators and Eccentric Visionaries of '60s Rock, author Richie Unterberger noted that the song "brought the incipient folk rock of the band to maturation", adding that "with its vocal blends and mix of electric and acoustic guitars, it anticipated—barely—the official birth of folk rock, usually ascribed to the Byrds' 'Mr. Tambourine Man', which entered the charts a month after 'Just a Little'". [2]

Other versions

Alternate takes of "Just a Little" appear on the Beau Brummels' 1994 rarities album Autumn of Their Years and the 1996 three-disc box set San Fran Sessions . [11] [12] A live version from a 1974 concert near Sacramento, California appears on the band's 2000 Live! album. [13] The Young Rascals recorded a cover version of the song for their 1966 eponymous debut album. [14] The Lotus, a Hong Kong pop band with Sam Hui (許冠傑) as the lead singer, covered it on their 1967 album Just A Little/Cute Little June [15] with the local Diamond Records. Them covered it on their 1970 eponymous album. [16] In 1974, Sam Hui (許冠傑), former lead singer of The Lotus, re-wrote the lyrics in Chinese and recorded it in Cantonese language under the title of 等玉人, on his 鬼馬雙星 LP with Polydor Records. Hong Kong band 太極樂隊 also recorded the Cantonese version in 1992 on their album Crystal. Ruby Starr's rendition of the song appears on her 1977 album Smokey Places. [17] Nils Lofgren released a cover version of "Just a Little" as a 1992 single, [18] and the song also appears on his album Crooked Line, released the same year. [19] The Smithereens included their rendition of the song on the 1995 rarities album Attack of the Smithereens. [20] Frank Black's cover version appears on his 2000 compilation album Oddballs . [21] Bill Popp & the Tapes performed the song on their 2008 album My Lonely Mind. [22]

Chart performance

Chart (1965)Peak
position
Australian Singles Chart [8] 10
Canadian Singles Chart [7] 4
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 [23] 8
U.S. Cash Box Top 100 Singles [24] 7

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Beau Brummels</span> American rock band

The Beau Brummels was an American rock band. Formed in San Francisco in 1964, the band's original lineup included Sal Valentino, Ron Elliott, Ron Meagher, Declan Mulligan, and John Petersen (drums). They were discovered by local disc jockeys who were looking to sign acts to their new label, Autumn Records, where Sylvester Stewart—later known as Sly Stone—produced the group's early recording sessions. Initially, the band's musical style blended beat music and folk music and typically drew comparisons to the Beatles, while their later work incorporated other music genres such as psychedelic rock and country rock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laugh, Laugh</span> 1964 single by the Beau Brummels

"Laugh, Laugh" is a song by American rock group the Beau Brummels, written by guitarist Ron Elliott and produced by Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone. Released in December 1964 as the band's debut single, the song reached number 15 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart the following February. "Laugh, Laugh" was the first hit single to come out of the emerging San Francisco music scene in response to the British Invasion. The song was later included on the band's first full-length album, Introducing the Beau Brummels, released in April 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sal Valentino</span> American singer and songwriter

Sal Valentino is an American rock musician, singer and songwriter, best known as lead singer of The Beau Brummels, subsequently becoming a songwriter as well. The band released a pair of top 20 U.S. hit singles in 1965, "Laugh, Laugh" and "Just a Little". He later fronted another band, Stoneground, which produced three albums in the early 1970s. After reuniting on numerous occasions with the Beau Brummels, Valentino began a solo career, releasing his latest album, Every Now and Then, in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Tell Me Why</span> 1965 single by The Beau Brummels

"You Tell Me Why" is a song by American rock group The Beau Brummels, from the band's second album, The Beau Brummels, Volume 2. The song was written by guitarist Ron Elliott and produced by Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone. "You Tell Me Why" was released as the album's lead single, and peaked at number 38 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1965. The band revisited the song and included it on their 1975 eponymous album. The original version later appeared on the band's 1987 compilation album The Best of The Beau Brummels 1964–1968.

<i>Triangle</i> (The Beau Brummels album) 1967 studio album by the Beau Brummels

Triangle is the fourth studio album by American rock band the Beau Brummels. Produced by Lenny Waronker and released in July 1967, it was the band's first album to include songs that vocalist Sal Valentino and guitarist Ron Elliott composed together. The band incorporated fantasy elements and surreal characters into the album's song titles and lyrics, and worked with a variety of session musicians to create Triangle's psychedelic musical style. The Beau Brummels were reduced to a trio—Valentino, Elliott, and Ron Meagher—at the time Triangle was recorded, as former group members Don Irving (guitars) and John Petersen (drums) left the band following the release of the group's previous album, Beau Brummels '66.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Talk to Strangers (The Beau Brummels song)</span> 1965 single by The Beau Brummels

"Don't Talk to Strangers" is a song by American rock group The Beau Brummels, released as the second single from the band's second album, The Beau Brummels, Volume 2. The song later appeared on the band's 1987 compilation album The Best of The Beau Brummels 1964–1968. The single peaked at number 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1965; its relatively low chart placement possibly being the result of the band's label, Autumn Records, verging on collapse at the time. The song reached number 16 on the Canadian singles chart.

<i>Bradleys Barn</i> 1968 studio album by the Beau Brummels

Bradley's Barn is the fifth studio album by the American rock group the Beau Brummels. Released in October 1968, it contains the singles "Long Walking Down to Misery" and "Cherokee Girl." The album has received critical acclaim as an early example of country rock. Bradley's Barn is actually a recording studio in Nashville owned by Owen Bradley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Beau Brummels discography</span>

The Beau Brummels were an American rock band that formed in 1964 and originally consisted of singer Sal Valentino, lead guitarist Ron Elliott, bassist Ron Meagher, rhythm guitarist Declan Mulligan and drummer John Petersen. Local radio disc jockeys Tom Donahue and Bobby Mitchell discovered the band at a club near San Francisco. They signed the Beau Brummels to their fledgling Autumn Records label, and their house producer, Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone, recorded the band's early sessions.

"Good Time Music" is a song originally recorded by American pop rock band the Lovin' Spoonful in 1965. Written by John Sebastian, it appeared on the 1966 Elektra Records compilation What's Shakin'. Author Richie Unterberger characterizes the song as "a sort of manifesto of the group's optimism in its jaunty rhythms and celebration of the return of good time music to the radio."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron Elliott (musician)</span> American guitarist, composer and producer

Ronald Charles Elliott is an American musician, composer and record producer, best known as songwriter and lead guitarist of the rock band The Beau Brummels. Elliott wrote or co-wrote the band's 1965 U.S. top 20 hits "Laugh, Laugh" and "Just a Little". In addition to reuniting with the Beau Brummels on occasion over the years, Elliott released a solo album in 1970, and has played on and produced albums by a number of other artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Here We Are Again</span> 1966 single by The Beau Brummels

"Here We Are Again" is a song by American rock group The Beau Brummels. It was released in 1966 as the band's second single on Warner Bros. Records, following their cover of Bob Dylan's "One Too Many Mornings," released earlier that year. "Here We Are Again" was the first Beau Brummels' A-side written by lead vocalist Sal Valentino.

"Magic Hollow" is a song by American rock group The Beau Brummels, from the band's fourth album, 1967's Triangle. The song, written by guitarist Ron Elliott and lead singer Sal Valentino, was released as the album's first single. The song appeared on the band's 1987 compilation album The Best of the Beau Brummels 1964-1968, and "Magic Hollow" also served as the title of the band's 2005 four-disc box set.

<i>The Beau Brummels</i> (album) 1975 studio album by The Beau Brummels

The Beau Brummels is the sixth studio album by the American rock band of the same name. Released in April 1975, the album features the work of all five original band members for the first time since the band's debut album, 1965's Introducing the Beau Brummels. The album peaked at number 180 on the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart in 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Declan Mulligan</span> American guitarist (1938–2021)

John Declan Mulligan was an Irish-born American musician, best known as a guitarist of rock band The Beau Brummels in the 1960s.

<i>Live!</i> (The Beau Brummels album) 2000 live album by The Beau Brummels

Live! is a live album by American rock group The Beau Brummels. The album, released in August 2000 by Dig Music, was recorded in February 1974 near Sacramento, California, shortly after it was announced that the band had reunited. The album includes a mix of performances of their most commercially singles, including "Laugh, Laugh" and "Just a Little," as well as then-new material, some of which would be recorded for the band's 1975 eponymous studio album.

<i>The Best of The Beau Brummels 1964–1968</i> 1987 greatest hits album by The Beau Brummels

The Best of the Beau Brummels 1964-1968, sometimes titled The Best of the Beau Brummels: Golden Archive Series, is a compilation album by American rock band The Beau Brummels. Released in 1987 by Rhino Records, the album features 18 songs, including the band's biggest hit singles—"Laugh, Laugh", "Just a Little", "You Tell Me Why", and "Don't Talk to Strangers"—as well as songs which never appeared on an album before this collection, such as the 1967 single "Here We Are Again".

<i>San Fran Sessions</i> 1996 box set by The Beau Brummels

San Fran Sessions is a box set compilation which collects 60 demos, outtakes, rarities and unissued performances recorded by The Beau Brummels from 1964 to 1966. The three-disc set, released by Sundazed Records on June 11, 1996, includes alternate takes of the band's singles "Laugh, Laugh" and "Just a Little", as well as early versions of songs that were likely targeted for their never-completed third album on Autumn Records.

Not to be confused with Styx (band)

<i>From the Vaults</i> (The Beau Brummels album) 1982 compilation album by The Beau Brummels

From the Vaults is a compilation album by American rock band The Beau Brummels. It was released in 1982 by Rhino Records, and reissued in 1999 by One Way Records. The album contains 14 songs, including rare or previously unreleased material recorded by the band between 1964 and 1966.

<i>Autumn of Their Years</i> 1994 compilation album by The Beau Brummels

Autumn of Their Years is a compilation album by American rock band The Beau Brummels. It was released in 1994 by Big Beat Records, and re-released in 2003 by Ace Records. The album consists of 26 songs recorded by the band during their stint at Autumn Records, including previously unreleased demos and outtakes.

References

  1. ↑ Stanley, Bob (13 September 2013). "The Golden Road: San Francisco and Psychedelia". Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Faber & Faber. p. 225. ISBN   978-0-571-28198-5.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Unterberger, Richie (2000). Urban Spacemen and Wayfaring Strangers: Overlooked Innovators and Eccentric Visionaries of '60s Rock. San Francisco: Miller Freeman, Inc. p.  176. ISBN   978-0-87930-616-8.
  3. ↑ Einarson, John; Furay, Richie (2004). For What It's Worth: The Story of Buffalo Springfield. New York: Cooper Square Press. p. 67. ISBN   978-0-8154-1281-6.
  4. ↑ The guitar riff in the song is directly influenced by Link Wray & His Ray Men's 1958 instrumental hit "Rumble". Larkin, Colin (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Chester, CT: Guinness Media. p. 202. ISBN   978-1-882267-00-2.
  5. ↑ "Billboard Hits of the World". Billboard . Vol. 77, no. 16. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1965-04-17. p. 24. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved 2010-09-30.
  6. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (8th ed.). New York: Billboard Books. p. 53. ISBN   978-0-8230-7499-0.
  7. 1 2 "RPM 100". RPM . RPM Music Publications Ltd. 3 (16). 1965-06-14. Archived from the original on 2012-10-11. Retrieved 2010-09-30.
  8. 1 2 "Billboard Hits of the World". Billboard . Vol. 77, no. 32. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1965-08-07. p. 29. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved 2010-09-30.
  9. ↑ "Singles Reviews". Billboard . Vol. 77, no. 15. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1965-04-10. p. 48. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved 2010-09-30.
  10. ↑ "Single Picks of the Week" (PDF). Record World. April 10, 1965. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  11. ↑ Unterberger, Richie. "Autumn of Their Years - Overview". Allmusic (Rovi Corporation). Retrieved 2010-09-30.
  12. ↑ Unterberger, Richie. "San Fran Sessions - Overview". Allmusic (Rovi Corporation). Retrieved 2010-09-30.
  13. ↑ Eder, Bruce. "Live! - Overview". Allmusic (Rovi Corporation). Retrieved 2010-09-30.
  14. ↑ Eder, Bruce. "The Young Rascals - Overview". Allmusic (Rovi Corporation). Retrieved 2010-09-30.
  15. ↑ "溫度日記 - 手繪風的私密日誌本 ♥ 溫度日記 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒚 𝑱𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒍".
  16. ↑ Deming, Mark. "Them - Overview". Allmusic (Rovi Corporation). Retrieved 2010-09-30.
  17. ↑ "Smokey Places - Overview". Allmusic (Rovi Corporation). Retrieved 2010-09-30.
  18. ↑ "Just a Little - Overview". Allmusic (Rovi Corporation). Retrieved 2010-09-30.
  19. ↑ Parisien, Roch. "Crooked Line - Overview". Allmusic (Rovi Corporation). Retrieved 2010-09-30.
  20. ↑ Erlewine, Steven Thomas. "Attack of the Smithereens - Overview". Allmusic (Rovi Corporation). Retrieved 2010-09-30.
  21. ↑ Kearney, Ryan (2000-01-31). "Album Reviews - Frank Black - Oddballs". Pitchfork Media . Retrieved 2010-09-30.
  22. ↑ Ruhlmann, William. "My Lonely Mind - Overview". Allmusic (Rovi Corporation). Retrieved 2010-09-30.
  23. ↑ "The Beau Brummels - Charts & Awards - Billboard Singles". Allmusic (Rovi Corporation). Retrieved 2009-08-24.
  24. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 6/12/65". cashboxmagazine.com. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
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.