Steamroller Blues

Last updated
"Steamroller Blues"
Song by James Taylor
from the album Sweet Baby James
Released1970
RecordedDecember 1969
Studio Sunset Sound
Genre Blues
Length2:57
Label Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s) James Taylor
Producer(s) Peter Asher
James Taylor in a 1970s publicity photo James taylor publicity photo.jpg
James Taylor in a 1970s publicity photo
"Steamroller Blues"
Elvis Steamroller Blues PS.jpg
Single by Elvis Presley
from the album Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite
B-side "Fool"
ReleasedMarch 4, 1973
RecordedJanuary 14, 1973
VenueH.I.C. Arena, Honolulu
Genre Blues
Label RCA Victor
Songwriter(s) James Taylor
Elvis Presley singles chronology
"Separate Ways" / "Always on My Mind"
(1972)
"Steamroller Blues"
(1973)
"Raised on Rock"
(1973)

"Steamroller Blues" (a.k.a. "Steamroller"), is a blues parody written by James Taylor, that appeared on his 1970 album Sweet Baby James . It was intended to mock the inauthentic blues bands of the day. The song later appeared on two of Taylor's compilation albums and has been recorded by a variety of other artists.

Contents

Origin and recording

Rock journalist David Browne wrote that "[d]uring the Flying Machine days in the Village, Taylor had heard one too many pretentious white blues bands and wrote 'Steamroller' to mock them." [1] Rolling Stone Album Guide critic Mark Coleman, said Taylor's song "effectively mocks the straining pomposity of then-current white bluesmen." [2]

Taylor and Danny Kortchmar, both playing electric guitars, laid down the track in one night at Sunset Studios, the rhythm section being added later. A tight budget and production schedule forced Taylor to record the song despite suffering from a head cold. [3]

The song was included on Taylor's diamond-selling Greatest Hits 1976 compilation using a live version recorded in August 1975 at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. Another performance, from 1992, was included on his 1993 album (LIVE) . The profanity in the earlier release was missing from the latter. [4] [5]

Cover versions

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References

  1. Browne, David (2011). Fire and Rain: The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, CSNY and the Lost Story of 1970. Cambridge, Mass.: Da Capo Press. p. 62. ISBN   9780306818509. OCLC   782901010.
  2. Coleman, M. (1992). DeCurtis, A.; Henke, J.; George-Warren, H. (eds.). The Rolling Stone Album Guide (3rd ed.). Straight Arrow Publishers. p. 293. ISBN   0679737294.
  3. Browne, David (2011). Fire and Rain: The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, CSNY and the Lost Story of 1970. Cambridge, Mass.: Da Capo Press. p. 63. ISBN   9780306818509. OCLC   782901010.
  4. "Is new Best of James Taylor censored?".
  5. "Rothar's BLOG: James Taylor Has Censorship in His Mind".
  6. Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 673.
  7. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. April 7, 1973. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
  8. "SecondHandSongs.com". SecondHandSongs.
  9. "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved August 23, 2022.