January 10, 2022

1967 - October: Buffalo Springfield “Buffalo Springfield Again”

33 minutes

Buffalo Springfield was a fusion of Canadian and American musicians, and was also a fusion of folk, country, and psychedelic rock. The band lineup included Canadians Neil Young, Bruce Palmer, and Dewey Martin, and Americans Stephen Stills and Richie Furay. While their debut album was recorded quickly, their second album, Buffalo Springfield Again, would be recorded over a period of nine months. This was due to Young frequently departing from the band, and to bassist Bruce Palmer being deported and having to sneak into the country illegally to record the album.

Young and Stills had met in 1965 in Ontario. Stills was forming a band in Los Angeles with Richie Furay. After a band breakup in Toronto, Young and Palmer went in search of Stills, driving from Canada to Los Angeles in a hearse. After searching for a couple of weeks, the four met up in LA traffic. Dewey Martin from the Standells was added as drummer. The group gets its name from a steam-driven manufacturing machine made by the Buffalo Springfield Roller Company.

Buffalo Springfield would break up in 1968 after one more album, with the band members going on to other projects. Stephen Stills and Neil Young would both appear in Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. Richie Furay would go on to form the group Poco. Of course Neil Young would have a solo career as well.

We hope you enjoy this album, one of the founding albums of the West Coast psychedelic sound.

Bluebird

Stephen Stills wrote this multi-part song, and Neil Young is on lead guitar. Stills wrote this song about his girlfriend, and is on lead vocals. The jam in the center of the song is a duet with Stephen Stills on acoustic guitar and Neil Young on electric guitar. You can hear the prototype of the sound that would soon become Crosby, Stills and Nash in this song.

Mr. Soul

Neil Young wrote this track about his ambivalent-to-negative feelings about rock stardom. While it is one of the more famous songs off this album, it was originally released as the B-side to "Bluebird." Neil Young would record this later as a solo artist in 1982.

Good Time Boy

Richie Furay wrote this deeper cut. This has a funky, soul sound, reminiscent of James Brown. "Sock it to me now, groove it on me now, lay it on me now."

Rock & Roll Woman

If this sounds even more like Crosby, Stills, and Nash than the others, there's a reason for it. Neil Young did not play on this track, and David Crosby was brought in to sing backing vocals. The rock and roll woman referenced in this song is Grace Slick.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

The Bare Necessities (from the animated film "Jungle Book")

Disney's animated take on Rudyard Kipling's book would be released this month. It was the last film to be produced by Walt Disney, who died during its production.

STAFF PICKS:

Ode to Billie Joe by Bobbie Gentry

Rob starts the staff picks with a story telling song. This gothic tale is about a family discussion of Billy Joe Mcallister, who had committed suicide. Gentry said that the song is about indifference to suffering of others, and was inspired by the murder of Emmitt Till.

In the Heat of the Night by Ray Charles

Brian's staff pick is the theme from the motion picture of the same name starring Sydney Poitier. The score for the movie was created by Quincey Jones, who also composed the song. Marilyn and Alan Bergman wrote the song for the film to have a backwoods gospel feel.

Lonely Drifter by Pieces of Eight

Bruce brings us some Carolina beach music. Originally recorded by The O'Jays in 1963, Pieces of Eight would record this and hit the charts as a one-hit wonder. The group was formed when Raleigh based group The Tassels joined with two of the Greenwood, South Carolina band The Swinging Medallions. The name comes from the group being an 8-piece band.

My White Bicycle by Tomorrow

Wayne closes out the staff picks with a psychedelic one-hit wonder. The guitarist on this is Steve Howe, who would later be a member of the band Yes. The reference to "white bicycle" was inspired by an early sharing program in Amsterdam where bicycles were painted white and provided to the public for free use.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Title 15 by the Rolling Stones

We close with an instrumental song off the Stones album "Their Satanic Magesties Request."

Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?”

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**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

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By Rob Marbury, Wayne Rowan, Bruce Fricks, John Lynch

4.9

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