He was always a favorite of mine. Had all his early solo albums on vinyl. It is so nice to see this when he was young and thin. Notice that I didn't say hungry. By 1971 he was stinking rich from writing some of the best tunes ever. God bless Jimmy Webb.

Possibly Jimmy's finest song... and that's saying something. What a find!

May the man who this song is about P F Sloan who passed on the other day before the 'Eve of Destruction' rest in peace. His troubled life has now ended and he can sing with the angels.

Right before the first concert I put on, a friend said, “There’s another guitarist here. Meet with him and see if he might join you.” I wondered if he was a good guitarist or not. I took center stage and the guitarist grabbed a chair, and dragged it to the side of the stage so he wouldn’t draw attention. He accompanied me really well. That was PF Sloan and I had no idea who he was at the time. Over the years he shared so many stories about the people, places, and bands he wrote for and played for. He was Secret Agent Man. He was the guitar intro to California Dreaming. He was the guy Bib Dylan wanted to speak to after he had finished an album. He called Sloan’s publisher or record company and said, “I’m Bob Dylan. I need to speak with Sloan.” The person laughed at him, so Dylan said, “Put me through or else I will buy your record company and fire you.” Dylan and Sloan met on a street. Dylan said, “I know I write good lyrics but I’m not sure if my melodies are good enough to release the record. You’re known as the best melody writer.” Dylan brought a boom box and popped in a cassette. Sloan listened to the album and told Dylan that the melodies were good and that he should release the album. One day as a staff songwriter his boss handed him a demo sent from Brian Epstein. It was a demo from a little band called The Beatles. Sloan’s boss didn’t think the music was any good and he asked for PF Sloan’s opinion. Sloan listened, then told his boss, “They will be bigger than Elvis.” A while later Epstein invited Sloan to London and loaned him his White Cloud Rolls Royce for the day. That night Sloan was invited to a club you can only get into if you have a top 10 hit. Sloan joined 3 of The Beatles, Lennon joined a bit later. Jimmy Web knew PF Sloan very well.

P F Sloan was one heck of a song writter.

Saw him perform this new song live at the Dorothy Chandler Pavillon in 1970. He played accordion and his sister, Susan sang background. It was a highlight of an amazing show.

I love how he talks to the audience at the start while tinkling the ivory! Magical!

I just met Jimmy Webb after his concert tonight at Ramapo College in Mahwah, NJ. What a funny and delightful man. Such a thrill to meet this icon of American pop music.

Thank you Jimmy I was always so proud of you because you was from Oklahoma like me and because I learned so much singing your songs mostly from the Glen Campbell records.

@whaszis

4 жыл бұрын

Proud to be an Okie (from muskogee) where so many great musicians and entertainers come from.

@YAMMAS

4 жыл бұрын

By the time I make Oklahoma

Jimmy is a top class songwriter.

Pure musical genius, God's precious gift.

What an incredible performance of P. F. Sloan by such a wonderful and talented song writer! Jimmy Webb was hitting nothing but home runs during this performance! Hooray and praise the lord for blessing this young man with such a gift!

One of my favorite songs in all the world. This live piano version, like most if not all of Jimmy Webb's playing, floors me. Must study.

THIS is the version of Webb's song. Live. Performed by a young Webb magnificently.

Still floors me...have to check in on it every year!

Thanks you Jimmy, brilliant beyond measure

thank you thank you thank you! for posting this 1STYRON2! P.F. Sloan is talking and doing Q&A on Sat 19 July 2014 at Berkeley's Art House Gallery and Cultural Center. I got to see Jimmy at Freight & Salvage Coffee House in Berkeley a few years ago and he was tremendous!!!

A little known but high point of Webb's songbook!

P.F. Sloan encouraged Jimmy Webb with his song writing career, way before this song was written. When P.F. Sloan first met Jimmy Webb and he listened to some of Jimmy's songs, like "MacArthur Park", Hollywood was not listening to Jimmy Webb, and Jimmy Webb was discouraged but Phil Sloan (P.F. Sloan) encouraged him as a songwriter. The full story is in "What's Exactly The Matter With Me?", P.F. Sloan's autobiography.

Jimmy you are The Man!

This album is by far my favorite Jimmie Webb album! This song set the tempo for what I found to be a wonderful musical experience! If you get an opportunity to by this album, do n't hesitate! Tear-jerkingly magnificent!

My absolute favourite song x

Thanks for posting!!!! For those who want to hear a full produced version of this tune, George Martin Produced it for the "El Mirage " LP in 1977, the whole LP is TOP SHELF IMHO!:-)

I guess I have always been a fan of Jimmy Webb,just hadn't realised it.

Gee, this is pretty bloody good, he's a great singer.

Amazing how much this sounds like The Band, especially his vocals.

@1matiasariel

2 жыл бұрын

I was thinking the same thing. LOL

Tremendous songwriter. No wonder Rumer made this track number one on her album of covers.

Thanks for educating me on this one I did not know he wrote a song about him..

This is genius pure and simple, how many songwriters you see like this around now? Huh?

@wandelgartking5446

3 жыл бұрын

Not many. Actually, seems to me songwriters aren't even a thing nowadays in popular music. I don't know of any new famous songwriter. Mostly because people don't really write actual songs anymore, not at the level we see here. They just have a beat and a couple of chords. Melody, good hooks, emotion, any sort of profound message- gone. I'll patiently wait for it to come again.

Fantastic !!!!!!!!!

Still listening to this magnificent artist Jimmy Webb, from Oklahoma, 5-2-22. Love you Mr Webb, write one more for Jesus.

P.F. Sloan wrote perhaps the most seditious song that ever made the Top 40, "Eve of Destruction." How powerful was his line, "you're old enough to kill but not for votin'?" The U.S. Constitution was amended to lower the voting age from 21 to 18. That's power! Governmental pressures on the music industry were so great that Billboard almost removed the song from the charts! His song aroused the anger of a segment of a divided nation. Hawks and the almighty Military-Industrial complex must have hated the man. For he wrote an anthem for the "peace and love" generation. Yet he rocked us with his "Secret Agent Man" while giving us subliminal truths: "They've given you a number and taken away your name...". As for poor P.F. like many young men whose brains change in their mid-20's and an unfortunate few suffer schizophrenia or depression, he got a bad case of depression. Cytokines can do a number on our brain chemistry. As for royalties, the industry rose to the occasion and managed to rip him off, royally, if you'll pardon the expression. Thank you, Mr. Webb. Be well.

@dr.davidgerstenaminoacidth2421

6 ай бұрын

PF Sloan did sue to get royalties and financially came out well. He was a staff songwriter while a high school student. He was paid about $25 per week for that job.

So awesome on so many levels. Thank you for posting:)

I have always missed you.

absoloutly fantastic lol ILOVEYOU JIMMY WEBB

Agreed. IMHO Rumer has more polished vocal technique, but Jimmy has more soul. After all, he wrote the song.

@tuleebird4637

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, Rumer's version is peachy!

Just, wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A mighty tune.

“Rumer” did a great cover of this song.

Talent!

This is great....

Lemme guess, he told the audience about the time he spent with Richard Harris who called him "Jimmiweb". My dad is an obsessed fan of JW and used to take me to see him all the time, and without fail he'd tell that story.

Brilliant song and original version - but only heard about it today from a play on the radio by Rumer - also a great version. Where is this filmed and when? Anyone know?

Praise Jesus

P f Sloane covers

Has anyone listened to his Album with Richard Harris with songs about His love Bethe? My Boy?

same here but the song with rumer on jools holland is great he just let go on his own song...great.

genius.

thank you

This is the guy James Taylor wishes he could be

@heatherferreira4225

8 жыл бұрын

+alterdestiny Wut

@probation1016

7 жыл бұрын

yes he is

@sportsmediaamerica

5 жыл бұрын

Yeah, this is a pretty vacant statement. Taylor is his own artist with his own groove and creative skills. Comparisons are silly, especially since Taylor clobbers Webb in the popular imagination department. Webb is an idol of mine, so you know I don't say these things lightly. Both great artists. Webb's piano-based writing is transcendant but actually Taylor had many moments like that as well.

@itsmark72

2 жыл бұрын

@@sportsmediaamerica Good God NO. Just stop. Taylor is such a hack and below Webb.

What is that 2nd verse about, the bridge?

LOL - yes, of course he did!

"Don't sing this song!" YES, HOW ABOUT WE STOP?!?!?

Looks like 3 people's mice slipped when clicking on the 'like' button.

@dlobnierr he's touring the USA right now...

Who is here because of Steve Hackett?

sounds like JW done got inspired by Tumbleweed Connection here a bit... "My old friend Trigger up and died So now they've got him stuffed and dried You know they've tanned his hide And crucified Got him starin' glassy eyed Out through the parlour door" pretty ridiculous song...but then again, anyone who can write 'Wichita Lineman' is allowed certain liberties

what year is this from? Anyone know?

@kaosse666

9 жыл бұрын

Christopher Bowen about 1965 I think.

@christopherbowen3055

9 жыл бұрын

cool thanks!

@IndependentVictor

9 жыл бұрын

1965 impossible. Must be mid-70s. Like 1976 or so

@tangomount

8 жыл бұрын

+Christopher Bowen The song was released in early 1970 (Words and Music). This has to be 1972 or '73. He was clean-shaven again by the mid-70s.

@mrmjb1960

8 жыл бұрын

+David Neiman It was first recorded by the Association and issued on their last Warners Lp,"Stop Your Motor",issued 1972.

Tough business, music. It seems you can steal another"s creativity with little consequence.

Just Google "P F Sloan" and all will be revealed. Quite poignant, I guess. Essentially, about a fellow songwriter getting ripped off by the industry. I hope Rumer's version brings him more belated recognition.

Never understood this song.

Wow...I love Jimmy Webb and his talents are vast...but I just don't get or appreciate this song. Judging by the comments, I'm in a HUGE minority on this. I think the melody is pretty at first, but then it becomes monotonous for me. Apparently I need to listen to it multiple times to discover the beauty you're all hearing...

got to admit i found this after..hearing Rumer...this guys a very good songwriter..but didn`t have the best live voice i`ve heard....