Jimmy Webb
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 () - Jimmy Webb -- vocals, keyboards
supporting musicians (1974) - B.J. Cole steel guitar - Barry DeSouza drums - Phillip Goodhand-Tait keyboards - David Hentschel synthesizer - Brian Hodges bass - Davey Johnstone mandolin - Paul Keogh guitar - Joni Mitchell vocals - Dee Murray bass - Nigel Olsson drums - Dean Parks guitar - Tom Scott saxophone - Ringo Starr drums - Fred Tackett guitar - Susan Webb vocals
supporting musicians (1977) - Harry Bluestone concertmaster - Billy Davis - vocals - Lowell George slide guitar - Jim Gordon drums - George Hawkins vocals - David Hungate bass - Kenny Loggins vocals - Clydie King background vocals - Larry Knechtel bass - George Martin arranger, conductor, keyboards, synthesizer - Harvey Mason percussion - Sherlie Matthews background vocals - Dee Murray bass - Nigel Olsson drums - David Paich keyboards, synthesizer - Dean Parks guitar - Herb Pedersen banjo, 12-string guitar, background vocals - Fred Tackett guitar - Susan Webb background vocals
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- The Strawberry Children - Jimmy Webb and the Webb Brothers
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Genre: pop Rating: 3 stars *** Title: Land's End Company: Asylum Catalog: SD
5070 Country/State: Elk City, Oklahoma Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: small punch hole top right; includes lyric instert Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $25.00
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After three studio albums for Reprise Records, 1974's "Land's End" found Jimmy Webb signed to David Geffen's Asylum Records. The collaboration would seem to have been the perfect move with Asylum doing the same thing for Webb it had done for acts like Jackson Browne, The Eagles and Joni Mitchell. Asylum certainly seemed willing to shell out money, allowing Webb to record the album in London's Trident Studios. The self-produced collection also featured one of the year's biggest cast of collaborators, including most of Elton John's recording and touring band, Joni Mitchell and Ringo Starr. Featuring ten Webb originals, the bulk of the collection showcased what Webb did best. Exemplified by material like 'Cloudman' and 'Just This One Time' these were prime highlighting tales of romantic loss, woe and destructive self-pity. On 'Ocean In HIs Eyes' and 'Crying In My Sleep' Webb wrapped his patented heartbreak moves in LA styled country-rock moves. As we all know, there's absolutely nothing wrong with an occasional dose of self-pity, but it's one of those things where a little goes a long way. Webb at to the problem by wrapping lots of these songs in a heavy dose of orchestration. Admittedly it wasn't a total wipeout. The album's biggest strengths came in the form of Webb's growth as a singer. On early albums he came across as tentative vocalist. Here Webb sounded far more confident, revealing some great chops - particularly on those songs where he broke the sensitive singer/songwriter mold. The happy, bouncy 'Feet in the Sunshine' was a shocker. The same was true for 'Lady Fits Her Blue Jeans.' Even better was the out-and-out rocker 'Alyce Blue Gown.' Shame he didn't spend more effort exploring those musical directions.
Surprisingly David Geffen's golden touch didn't work for Webb. In spite of floating two singles and promoting the LP, it did little commercially.
"Land's
End" track listing: 1.) Ocean in His Eyes (Jimmy Webb) - 4:27 rating: *** stars Jimmy Webb with a country-rock edge. Well the good news was Webb's voice sounded surprisingly strong and vibrant on 'Ocean in His Eyes." The bad news is the song wasn't particularly engaging. Lots of strumming guitars, B.J. Cole's pedal steel guitar, needless orchestration and Susan Webb on backing vocals. Say what you will about Glen Cambell, but his cover was superior. 2) Feet in the Sunshine (Jimmy Webb) - 3:28 rating: **** stars 'Feet in the Sunshine' opened up with a tasty guitar solo and for an instant Webb's boisterous vocals reminded me of Glen Campbell. One of Webb's bounciest tunes and showcasing a rare set of uplifting vocals, this one was tapped as a single, but escaped radio's attention. Shame since it should have been a hit single. Joni Mitchell's instantly recognizable voice on backing vocals. Surprising Nike or some shoe company hasn't latched on to this as a commercial.
- 1974's 'Feet In the Sunshine' b/w 'Lady Fits Her Blue Jeans' (Asylum catalog number AS-11042-A/B)
3.) Cloudman (Jimmy Webb) - 3:45 rating: ** stars Ah, in case anyone was concerned Webb had been infected by happiness, 'Cloudman' found him back to wallowing in sensitive singer/songwriter moves. Definitely a contender for "cram the most words into a three-ana-a-half-minute song" award. What it made for in terms of word count, was lacking in terms of a memorable melody. 4.) Lady Fits Her Blue Jeans (Jimmy Webb) - 4:05 rating: **** stars The title would guarantee radio wanted nothing to do with it, but 'Lady Fits Her Blue Jeans' was another surprisingly sweet tune with a great Webb vocal. Ah the joys of a sugar baby. Another track that had Glen Campbell cover written all over it. And of course Webb couldn't leave a great pop song alone, adding an orchestrated coda to the end. 5.) Just This One Time (Jimmy Webb) - 4:58 rating: **** stars The title would guarantee radio wanted nothing to do with it, but 'Just This One Time' started out with one of those patented "heavy" Webb melodies. The result was a pretty, slightly ominous melody with heavily orchestrated ballad; Webb trotting out his "power" vocals. Not sure who it was, but the track also featured some great drums. Yes, this was another track Campbell covered.
(side 2) 1.) Crying in My Sleep (Jimmy Webb) - 4:10 rating: *** stars Ah, back to standard heartbreak ... 'Crying in My Sleep' was pretty, but a bit maudlin, even by Webb's standards. Never thought I would say something like this, but Art Garfunkel actually did a nice cover of the song on his 1977 "Watermark" album. The song was tapped as the album's second single:
- 1974's 'Crying In My Sleep' b/w 'Ocean In His Eyes' (Asylum catalog number AS 11027-A/B)
2.) It's a Sin (Jimmy Webb) - 3:06 rating: ** stars Opening up like something off a Broadway stage show, the heavily orchestrated ballad 'It's a Sin' found Webb bringing all of his gravitas to the table. Expect a lightning strike at any moment. Campbell covered the song on his 'Reunion" collaboration with Webb. 3.) Alyce Blue Gown (Jimmy Webb) - 4:58 rating: **** stars Not that I have any problems with a pretty heartbreaking ballad, but I've always found Webb at his best when breaking from that mold. That's what makes 'Alyce Blue Gown' so impressive. Nah, you weren't going to mistake this for AC/DC, but in the Webb catalog it came close. Full of screaming lead guitars and a true rock melody, Webb sounded like he was having a blast on this one. Should have been a single. That's Jimmy Webb ??? 4.) Land's End/Asleep on the Wind (Jimmy Webb) - 9:07 rating: *** stars To my ears the suite 'Land's End/Asleep on the Wind' sounded like Webb trying to outdo his earlier 'Macarthur Park.' Fans slap the song with descriptions like 'incredible', 'floating,' 'almost religious' ... I can already see the hate mail, but I just don't get it. The instrumental title track struck me as being little more than routine film soundtrack instrumentation. I realize the limits of recording technology in 1974, but the "bird" sound effects were simply funny. 'Asleep on the Wind' found Webb unpacking the 'Macarthur Park' arsenal of sentimentality. Oh gosh, images of Rose standing on the front of the Titanic ... It was pretty and I can see English majors shuddering in ecstasy. You also got to hear a little more from Joni Mitchell on backing vocals. I'll give it an extra star for Mitchell's participation.
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Genre: pop Rating: 4 stars **** Title: El Mirage Company: Atlantic Catalog: SD18218 Country/State: Elk City, Oklahoma Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: -- Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $25.00
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George Martin handling production for one of America's best known song writers ... Sounds promising.
Signed to Atlantic, there were clearly high hopes for 1977's "El Mirage" o be Webb's breakout release. Atlantic clearly shelled out some big money to record the collection. In addition to hiring George Martin to produce, the collection sported one of the year's most impressive collections of studio musicians, including the cream of L.A. sessions players, and a sizable part of Elton John's touring band. Having heard Webb's earlier album's this ballad heavy set wasn't a major departure from those previous releases. The biggest difference was actually Webb's voice. Whereas on his earlier albums Webb's vocals lacked a certain confidence and tended to be inconsistent, this time out he seemed to have gained considerable confidence. The performances weren't perfect (check out parts of 'The Highwaymen'), but it made for a significant improvement over earlier albums. That's not to say everyone was going to love the collection. Exemplified by performances like 'Christiaan, No,' 'Where the Universes Are' and 'The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress', Webb's ballad heavy, highly stylized catalog was a niche product. Taken individually virtually every one of these tunes was worth hearing. Taken in one sitting I found the results tended to overwhelm and drift towards a certain sound-the-sameness. Imagine a diabetic overdosing on sugar. Elsewhere, some of Webb's more obvious stabs at a commercial breakthrough fell flat - 'Mixed-Up Guy' even reflected a touch of disco. Not perfect, but probably Webb's best solo release.
"El Mirage" track listing: 1.) The Highwaymen (Jimmy Webb) - 3:51 rating: **** stars Outside of 'MacArthur Park' and the songs he placed with Glenn Campbell, I'm guessing that 'The Highwaymen' is Webb's best known work; serving as an inspiration to one of country music's first "super group" collaborations in the form of Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson. Collectively they adopted The Highwaymen name and enjoyed their first hit with a cover of the tune. Musically the tune follows in the path of eclectic, hyper-literate tunes like 'MacArthur Park.' Okay, it's certainly better than the former, through Martin's production (horns, strings, backing vocalists, etc.) threatened to drown Webb. Recorded during an appearance on BBC television, YouTube has a performance of the tune: Jimmy Webb - The Highwayman - YouTube The song was tapped as a promotional 45 in the States and as a stock single in the UK:
- 1977's 'The Highwaymen' (mono) b/w 'The Highwaymen' (stereo) (Atlantic catalog number 3426) - 1977's 'The Highwaymen' b/w 'Christiaan, No' (Atlantic catalog number K 10931) 2.) If You See Me Getting Smaller I'm Leaving (Jimmy Webb) - 3:53 rating: **** stars To my ears 'If You See Me Getting Smaller I'm Leaving' sounded like a James Taylor outtake. The title was cumbersome, but the autobiographical look at his dying solo career and glorious refrain saved the song from oblivion. The song was apparently written for Waylon Jennings who recorded it a couple of years earlier. Atlantic tapped it as the album's leadoff single:
- 1977's 'If You See Me Getting Smaller I'm Leaving' b/w 'Christiaan, No' (Atlantic catalog number 3407)
Recorded at new York's City Winery, YouTube has a live May 2019 performance of the song: Jimmy Webb If You See Me Getting Smaller Live at City Winery Boston, May 15, 2019 - YouTube
3.) Mixed-Up Guy (Jimmy Webb) - 3:40 rating: *** stars Maybe it's just my old ears, but 'Mixed-Up Guy' reminded me of something Webb might have penned for the late Glen Campbell. With a '70s top-40 feel (perhaps even a touch of disco), Webb's vocals even reminded me a bit of Campbell's delivery. The arrangement was just a tad to MOR for the song to be really good. Blame the chirping backing singers. 4.) Christiaan, No (Jimmy Webb) - 3:07 rating: **** stars Pretty, sentimental, and commercial ballad that served to highlight Webb's surprisingly nice voice. Interesting to compare this to Glen Campbell's slightly more country-tinged version of the tune. Webb's original is better. Actually I've always thought this one had kind of an Elton John flavor which may be a reflection of the fact most of John's touring band was on the album. 5.) Moment in a Shadow (Jimmy Webb) - 3:39 rating: ** stars Well, Martin's over-the-top production managed to turn the ballad 'Moment In a Shadow' into MOR slush.
(side 2) 1.) Sugarbird (Jimmy Webb) - 3:25 rating: *** stars Opening up with a tasty bass line, 'Sugarbird' introduced a light reggae vibe to the mix. Extra star for the bass line. Deduct a star for the needless orchestration. 2.) Where the Universes Are (Jimmy Webb) - 3:34 rating: ** stars 'Where the Universes Are' opened up as a spare, acoustic ballad, and then shifted into an over-the-top, overly-orchestrated arrangement that threatened to drown Webb. The song was tapped as an English single:
- 1977's 'Where the Universes Are' b/w 'The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress' (Atlantic catalog number K 10978)
3.) P.F. Sloan (Jimmy Webb) - 4:17 rating: **** stars Webb had previously recorded 'P.F. Sloan' on his 1970 "Words and Music" debut. I remember thinking the original had kind of a Michael Nesmith and the Monkees flavor. The remake wasn't a radically redo, but still stood as one of the album's standout performances ... Taken from an early-'70s appearance on English television, YouTube has a live performance of the song at: JIMMY WEBB P F Sloan - YouTube 4.) Dance To the Radio (Fred Tackett) - 3:06 rating: **** stars The only cover tune 'Dance To the Radio' featured a commercial country-rock feel. To my ears the song actually had a Little Feat feeling. Wonder if it had anything to do with the fact Fred Tackett and Lowell George was featured on lead guitar? Had I been responsible for marketing, this was the song I would have tapped as the lead single. 5.) The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (Jimmy Webb) - 3:06 rating: **** stars One of Webb's best know compositions. It's certainly a beautiful song. Strictly my opinion ... teh Webb original is better than Joe Cocker, or the Glen Campbell's covers, but not as good as Linda Ronstadt's. Admittedly, Ronstadt's version is probably the one most folks have heard. It's certainly the one I was familiar with. Recorded in 1988 as part of a "Salute to the American Songwriter", YouTube has a clip of Webb and Ronstadt performing the tune: Jimmy Webb & Linda Ronstadt THE MOON'S A HARSH MISTRESS - YouTube 6.)
Skylark (A Meditation) (Instrumental) (Jimmy Webb - Paul A. Skylar)
- 3:37
rating: *** stars
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