Let's talk about JIMMY WEBB

Here is a fact I learned from Gergely Hubai's book on rejected film scores, "Torn Music":

Jimmy Webb was originally contracted to write the soundtrack to "Love Story". What he turned in featured a composition for oscillator-repitched car horns. They decided not to go with it.

He later reused the recording as the intro to "Music for an Unmade Movie: Songseller".

scary revive

― unpaid intern at the darvo institute (Simon H.), Saturday, 15 August 2020 01:08 (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

Whenever I see an old artist thread revived, I assume they’ve either died or been accused of sexual misconduct. Glad to see Jimmy fits neither category.

re: that last one... um
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jimmy_Webb&oldid=971178788#Relationships_and_family

I keep finding myself saying "well that all sounds about right" in response to some really gross stuff which is probably insensitive, but, well that all sounds about right

Um indeed.

Well, it was the 60s and 70s...

"Up, Up and Away" creepy af now with that knowledge

I've theorised in my head before about the meaning of that song, knowing about his history with marijuana.
I decided to stop thinking about it that way though, because I realised it's supposed to be perceived as a soul-pop feelgood song and not a drugs song about a guy getting high.

I have a server on Discord for discussions about Jimmy Webb. I'll leave the invite here in case anyone wants to join. https://discord.gg/dst3AWC

Another good Jimmy Webb song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OitDIBHO0ew

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/725709361455956010/725709642176659486/webb-campbell-nilsson.jpg

I, for one, would love to know what Harry was going on about here.

They all look like they're about to hop into a Cadillac and head out to Malibu to teach that nosey Jim Rockford a lesson.

Lol.

lmao

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5oAh4CbpvjgGAoWVVfwdf8?si=998NIcpsTcW_3lOcBXAMGw

I don't know how many of you use Spotify, but tell me what you think of my choices.

Another good song written by Jimmy here
https://youtu.be/CFq8RnPiM6Q

I think this place is dead again...

I love "Saturday Suit" but I think I'd take Art Garfunkel's breezy melancholia over Cass's, which (though still vg obv) feels a bit overdone by comparison. I am always a sucker for an electric piano.

Yeah that version is great. I just thought I'd share Cass Elliot's version because of how underrated/unknown it is.

Oh yeah, I was very pleased to hear that version, I didn’t know it existed.

Jamie, your solo Webb playlist is really nice, with just a couple of glaring omissions. I would have included "Met Her On a Plane" from And So: On, which I think is an utterly perfect recording of one of the greatest psychedelic country songs--the truest "Cosmic American Music" by anyone not named Gene Clark. I also would add "Crying In My Sleep" from Land's End (his best album imo). It definitely goes hand in hand with "Just This One Time" from the same album--sad-bastard music par excellence, with some of his most emotional vocal performances.

I'm glad you included so many tracks from Suspending Disbelief, which is one of the only Webb albums I'm not familiar with, along with Angel Heart. I'm really digging it so far. Any thoughts on Angel Heart? Looks like the only album not represented on your playlist.

One fun thing about Jimmy Webb albums from the 70s is that they're full of amazing industry-clout flexes, despite their utter commercial failure. Like, "NBD, just having Joni Mitchell sing backup on a few songs, getting my buddy George Martin to produce" lol.

I'm glad you looked at it! I didn't add "Met Her On A Plane" because I was never really that fond of the vocals and humming in it. I just thought it was a bit exaggerated. I see why it can be much liked though; the lyrics are very poetic and the piano is really nice. "Crying In My Sleep" I never really grew to love that song because to me it feels slightly self-pitying, but I guess we all look at lyrics differently. And I think "Just This One Time" has to be one of his most powerful songs.
Suspending Disbelief is one of my favourite Webb albums. The production is amazing (thanks to George Massenburg and Linda Ronstadt) and the song lyrics are so meaningful. It shows just how much Jimmy had grown as a songwriter at that point and how well he can connect with listeners through music.
Angel Heart, on the other hand, has some really drawn-out and tiring songs on it. At least the first 2 times I listened to Angel Heart all the way through I was zoned out for half the time. I haven't really analysed the lyrics in the songs yet though, and that might change my opinion in the future.
Again, thanks for responding. I might change the playlist around if my taste changes and I start discovering more tracks I like.
And yeah, he was very all-in in the 70s lmao. Did you know he had Ringo Starr and Elton John's backing band accompanying him on his album Land's End?

Sorry for the late response, I don't really use this website.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IB81zWfxZGs
The band in this is amazing.

I've had 5:30 Plane stuck in my head all day. Such a good song.

Wichita Lineman is the song of his i love most

I still have problems with Webb as a solo artist in the 70s but I’m listening to this playlist and liking it.

Some funny things I’m observing: both And So: On tracks are ... kind of wild jammy guitar fests? I somehow never noticed this. Meanwhile, the production on the Land’s End tunes is kind of typical 70s but for some reason the tom toms are positively thunderous (I still can’t get with his vocal on ”Just This One Time,” it’s way outside his range – unfortunately I find Glen Campbell’s version on Reunion weirdly bombastic).

“Where the Universes Are” I didn’t really know, great tune.

There’s always a good excuse to share my favorite version of P.F. Sloan, the Cassell Webb version from the late 80s: https://youtu.be/Y8cBEZG0S7Q

The chorused (Dean Parks?) guitar and slapping backbeat on “Too Young To Die” are kind of shocking when they first hit. This is a great example of how he grew into his voice.

Tales from the Crypt, LOL (actually, a pretty good instrumental!)

Paul Gaugin in the South Seas – I’ve never heard this. Wow.

Thanks for sharing!

If you like the Clientele then you'll like their version of "Where The Universes Are", which sounds just like The Clientele.

https://mergerecords.bandcamp.com/track/where-the-universes-are

https://genius.com/Jimmy-webb-old-wing-mouth-lyrics

Okay I found a song on the Angel Heart album that I actually like! Very true message to this and I recommend looking into this.

Another very underrated Webb song, sung by Mary Kent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_oYv4eyWCo

Okay I found a song on the Angel Heart album that I actually like! Very true message to this and I recommend looking into this.

Yup, best song on that record by a mile. Great backing vocals from McDonald and Loggins too.

What do you all think of Jimmy's The Naked Ape soundtrack album? I've heard the movie's not that great but I think the music is great.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5WXAUcAUrc

Does this link work for anyone? http://dianyingxin.com/watch/zd-acApBrfA?fbclid=IwAR2fO0b7fkJr0YFzijpHA1zPqJXRZUF9oFUq7nS8MGi6Q2Kb74FX03KA33g
It's supposed to include Jimmy singing Didn't We with K.T. Oslin in 1993 (according to Jimmy's Facebook page), but the link doesn't work for me. If anyone could maybe convert it to .mp4 and send it here, or reupload it to YouTube, I would really appreciate it.

I have to admit some of the stuff I’ve read about Jimmy’s personal life is pretty disturbing. I saw a few years ago that Sally Field discussed how he forced himself on her when she was passed out one time. But I just discovered that his first wife was a cover girl he met when she was 12 and married her where she was 16 or 17 and pregnant. And despite being married for 22 years he didn’t mention her in his memoir.

Yes it was the 60s and 70s and kill yr idols and all but this all bums me out.

Yes, I knew there was something a bit weird about his marriage but I couldn't remember what it was. A stalker-ish obsession with an ex-girlfriend seems to be present in a lot of his 60s songs.

I did a high school student exchange with one of his kids. He was never around and I never met him but I visibly remember the dark cloud that passed over people’s faces when his name was mentioned.

I love this cover:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81pP7zCMgI8

Wait, so you are saying you stayed in his kid’s room? In the house of his ex-wife?

Ooooh, had never read about his dark cloud personal life aspects before

xpost I guess so? I wasn’t aware he had a famous dad at the time but put it together later

Def changes that Gaughin tribute on that 10's album of his for me.