As each moment has unfurled

"Doctor My Eyes" is a 1972 song written and performed by Jackson Browne and included on his debut album Jackson Browne. Featuring a combination of an upbeat piano riff — accidentally found courtesy of an instrument with a broken action that Browne was writing songs on — together with Browne's trademark big poetic vision, it was a surprise hit, reaching number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in spring 1972. "Doctor My Eyes" became a concert mainstay for Browne, and was included on both his later compilation albums. However, Browne would incidentally not see the Top 10 again until 1982's soundtrack hit "Somebody's Baby", another favourite of The Bandits.

Other musicians who have covered the song include The Jackson 5, who recorded "Doctor My Eyes" on their 1972 Lookin' Through the Windows album, and also released the song as a single in Europe, where it became a Top 10 hit for them.

In 2004, twenty two years after Browne’s version was first released, Wilson Phillips, the American singing group consisting of Carnie and Wendy Wilson and Chynna Phillips – Carnie and Wendy are the daughters of Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, while Chynna's parents are fellow Laurel Canyon residents John Phillips and Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & the Papas – recorded a cover of Doctor My Eyes on their comeback album, California, which subsequently reached #35 in the US charts. Oh, to be back in the Canyon.

See you backstage at Tuck Shop on Wednesday, from 8.30 pm, for the last instalment of the month long Quiet Set.

*Ps. The full band returns next Wednesday, 5 Dec.

Say that you'll be true

"Susie Q" is a song originally written and performed by Louisiana-born pioneer American Rock singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist and the architect of the swamp rock boogie, Dale Hawkins, and reached #27 in the US Pop charts in 1957.

Although the Rolling Stones covered it on their albums, 12 X 5, released in 1964 in the US, and The Rolling Stones No. 2, released in 1965 in the U.K, the most immensely well-known version of the song is by Creedence Clearwater Revival on their 1968 debut album. This song was one of their first big hits, and was the band's only Top 40 hit that was not written by John Fogerty. The riff that John plays during the second solo is from Howlin' Wolf's 1956 blues classic "Smokestack Lightning".

Dale’s cousin was fellow rockabilly pioneer Ronnie Hawkins (also known as "Rompin' Ronnie" Hawkins or "The Hawk"), the equally legendary rock and roll musician who was a key player in the 1960s rock scene in Toronto, Canada, together with his back-up band “The Hawks”, which was later to become the band simply known as, The Band. Beautiful.

See you backstage tomorrow night at Tuck Shop from 8.30 pm.

Mellow down in to my soul

"Crazy Love" is a timeless ballad written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and included on his 1970 album, Moondance. Released as a single in May 1970 with "Come Running" as the A side, the cover of the single shows Morrison with his then-wife, Janet "Planet" Rigsbee. The photograph was taken by Elliot Landy, the official photographer of the 1969 Woodstock festival. Ooh.

Van Morrison and Bob Dylan performed a duet of "Crazy Love" on the BBC film, One Irish Rover in 1991, with Morrison on guitar and Dylan on the harmonica. Ooh.

Much later on, Ray Charles introduced Van Morrison by starting the first verse before Van's appearance when he was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame in 2003; Morrison and Charles then finished with a duet of "Crazy Love". Ooh.

"Crazy Love" was listed as No. 198 on the All Time 885 Greatest Songs compiled in 2004 by WXPN from listener's votes, and has been covered by numerous recording artistes to date, including Scottish rock singer Rod Stewart, English reggae singer and songwriter Maxi Priest as well as Bryan Ferry, singer, musician, songwriter and occasional actor famed for his suave visual and vocal style who came to public prominence in the 1970s as lead vocalist and principal songwriter with English art rock group, Roxy Music. Oh.

See you backstage this Wednesday at Tuck Shop from 8.30 pm till late.

Remembering our elders

We only learn from the best... Sonny Boy Williamson II (harmonica, vocals), Houston Stackhouse (guitar, vocals) and Peck Curtis (drummer, soon-to-be-heard-vocals). Every Wed/Thur at you know where.

Don't forget what your good book said

"Southern Man" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist, film director and the original American Idol, Neil Young, from his album After the Gold Rush which was released in 1970.

The lyrics of "Southern Man" are very blunt, describing the racism towards blacks in the American South as perceived from the viewpoint of a Northerner. In the song, Young tells the story of a Southern man (symbolically USA’s entire South) and how he mistreated his slaves (African Americans). Young pleadingly asks when will the South "pay them back" for years of abuse and racism.

Where the initial inspiration for the song came from is very much debated, but is commonly believed to have stemmed from an incident in a roadhouse in Alabama which Young visited in 1969. As he was having a drink, two local men came up to him, took him outside, and beat him up because he had long hair.

It is a popular belief that the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote their song "Sweet Home Alabama" as an attack on Neil Young for the opinions expressed in "Southern Man". In actuality, Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote their song as a response, showing the good things about the South. Young was even friends with the members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, saying that he is a fan of both "Sweet Home Alabama" and Ronnie Van Zant, the lead vocalist for Lynyrd Skynyrd. "They play like they mean it," Young said in 1976, "I'm proud to have my name in a song like theirs". Young has also been known to play "Sweet Home Alabama" in concert occasionally. To demonstrate this camaraderie, Van Zant frequently wore a Neil Young Tonight's the Night t-shirt while performing "Sweet Home Alabama". Crazy Horse bassist Billy Talbot can often be seen reciprocating by wearing a Jack Daniels styled Lynyrd Skynyrd t-shirt.

In fact, Lynyrd Skynyrd tried to arrange to have Neil Young come onstage during a performance of "Sweet Home Alabama", where he would have sung "a southern man don't need me around anyhow", but the performers were never able to arrange this performance due to busy touring schedules. We know the feeling. Douglas, if you’re reading this, we’re still waiting.

See you backstage at Tuck Shop tomorrow from 8.00 pm*.

*Earlier start; Deepavali-countdown after. No show on Thursday, 8 Nov.