I have been interested in the Beatles' music for many years, and through that, I have discovered many other great artists who deserve greater recognition. I'm talking about the artists who influenced THEM.
Just take their first LP (album) for example - they were clearly huge fans of girl groups such as The Shirelles (Baby It's You and Boys), The Cookies (Chains) and the songwriting of Gerry Goffin and Carol King, and R 'n' B artists such as Arthur Alexander (Anna - Go To Him) and The Isley Brothers (Twist and Shout). Their set usually included a few "standards" (A Taste Of Honey), mostly culled from hit musicals of the day as well... but I wont dwell on those too much!
Arthur Alexander was a massive influence on the early songwriting of John, he was also the reason why the word "girl" appeared in so many of John's songs (Hello Little Girl, Girl, You're Going To Lose That Girl, "I'd rather see you dead little girl..." etc). Alexander wrote most of his own material, despite not being able to play an instrument let alone read music!
His influence on John Lennon is most notable on All I've Got To Do from With The Beatles. With its stark arrangemement of sharp, choppy guitars which counterpoint Ringo's playing of the closed hi-hat and snare during the verses, this an Alexander trademark. John's phrasing of "I" (from "When ever
I..... want you around, yeah") is especially revealing as to his influences - just listen to "You Better Move On".
The fact that The Beatles covered 4 of Alexander's songs is also a testament to the high regard the group had for him:
Where Have You Been All My Life - Star Club
Anna (Go To Him) - Please Please Me LP
A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues - BBC
Soldier Of Love - BBC
Other notable artists who have covered Arthur Alexander's songs:
The Rolling Stones - You Better Move On
Dusty Springfield - Every Day I Have To Cry
Elvis Presley - Burning Love
Ry Cooder - Go On Home Girl
The End - Dream Girl (had to slip that one in!)
But like most black artists around at that time, Alexander was ripped off. He hardly saw a penny of the publishing rights that should have made him a very rich man. And eventually, disillusioned, he retired from the music industry and became a school bus driver.
In the mid 1990's, Alexander was tempted back into the recording studio, and recorded a new album - Lonely Just like Me. This received very good reviews which led to Alexander signing a new recording contract and negotiating back the rights to his old songs. He was in the office of the record company, in the middle of negotiations, when he said he felt a bit ill - Alexander then collapsed and died. This was a true tragedy and a huge loss of one of Rocks greatest influences.
Most of this was originally posted on the old forum, but it took me so long to write that I thought I'd better save it!
Power (flower)
