What links these two songs? Not all that much. But do you ever come across songs which are hits, which are standards, which you've heard, probably several times, on adverts or on TV soundtracks, maybe occasionally on the radio, which, therefore, you think you know and have the measure of. A year of two ago, someone with some semblance of authority might have said to me, "'Lean On Me' is one of the greatest, most beautiful songs in all popular music" and I'd have listened respectfully, acknowledged whatever affection they had for it and quietly thought to myself "Hmm, I know 'Lean on Me', it's fine, it's pretty enough but this person can't know their music very well to think it's really one of the greatest songs".
And now I'd be that guy, speaking with authority, telling people that 'Lean On Me' is one of the greatest songs in all music. I'd missed it before. It's not like I know more about the song, have a more advanced understanding of song, it's just it caught me when I was ready not to miss it. You're all there reading, going "Well, of course 'Lean On Me' is one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded. Are you some kind of moron?" ...
And what of 'Gimme Some Lovin'', by the Spencer Davis Group? A 60s hit, their second most well-known song, behind 'Keep On Running', just another steady, solid beat group stomper. Well, my view hasn't exactly changed, but, again, I'd just missed it ... I'd missed that it was perfect, that it was the sharpest, cleanest, most exciting of all those garage band stompers. I mean, I think it's more perfect than all the Stones singles, all the Who singles, all the Nuggets. The intro, the riff, the organ, Steve Winwood's killer voice, the shouts, the chorus, what a construction! Nothing's wasted.
Maybe you've been in the same camp as I have on this one. It's a less famous song than 'Lean On Me', so maybe it's just a footnote for you too. Give it a listen, ideally loud. I'm not even sure how this one crept up on me. I just suddenly wanted to listen to it all the time.
There are always new ways to listen to songs. That's obvious, but it can be surprising when they're fairly simple, well known songs. I've got no excuse not to have loved 'Lean On Me' all along really (apart from, perhaps, that it was in a commercial for cat food), especially as no more distinguished a guide than Kevin Rowland pointed me to it in a song I've loved for years, 'Plan B', where he sings "Bill Withers was good for me, pretend I'm Bill and lean on me" yet still I didn't (nor have I listened to all that much Geno Washington, shame on me).
The music industry has always found it hard to place people like Bill Withers, soul and singer-songwriter, written off as easy listening, never really part of anything. Either way, he seems to have left it all pretty easily behind. A recent interview he did, his first for years, was prompted by belated induction to the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame. He sounds truly tremendous. As, generally, does Steve Winwood.
Perhaps that's why, subconsciously, I love these songs so much now. I like the ones who are pretty relaxed about the whole writing and performing timeless songs thing, and then happy to relax and be nice for the rest of their life. Probably not. I think it's just I'm more and more interested in the perfect song, something straight and true without a moment's fluff, something that gets right to the heart of it. There can only ever be a few songs like that, a few songs so representative, so archetypal, because after that everything sounds like a forced copy (not that these songs are, as such, original, but they just get it spot on). Maybe I will end up a boring old dude who listens to the blues after all ...
So, what's the obvious thing to say if you read this blog and my other blog and you see all my attempts to simulate objectivity? - a year ago these songs were nowhere on my list of the supposed finest 1001 songs of all time and now I'm championing them like I'm the first person on earth to hear them. Where's the credibility in that?
Well, of course, perhaps now's a time to clarify that I don't actually think i'm capable of accurately, objectively compiling lists of "bests", not in music, not in sport, not in anything. But I flatter myself I can do it as well as anyone else can.
And, more than that, it's a process for me, a process where I remember things about truth and good judgement, where, the more i seem to strive for an objective truth, the more happily I come to terms with the fact that there isn't one. But there is huge value in laying things before one's critical faculties and comparing them. There is value in that, whatever gushing Oscar winners tell you. Keep judging, even though you know your judgement is imperfect.
Today I judge 'Lean On Me' and 'Gimme Some Lovin'' two of the most perfect things of the last 50 years. Trust me.
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