This is Leon’s cover of “Sailing,” a song Rod Stewart recorded in Muscle Shoals for his 1975 album Atlantic Crossing.
Leon’s version was produced by Yasu Tokuda and arranged by Kazz Izumi and was recorded at Nashville’s East Iris Studio (formerly the house Of Blues Studio) on March 1, 2005.
“Sailing” was included on Leon’s 2005 import compilation A Song For You as a bonus track, with the other seventeen songs culled from Leon’s Signature Songs and Moonlight & Love Songs CDs.
“This day will never come again and anyone who fails to eat and drink and taste and smell it will never have it offered to him again in all eternity. The sun will never shine as it does today…But you must play your part and sing a song, one of your best.” —Herman Hesse/“Klingsor’s Last Summer”.
Right now it’s about 6:30 a.m. The day is fresh, the sky is pink, and it’s so quiet that I can hear a Downy Woodpecker poking holes in the eucalyptus tree. Other birds are singing and flying back and forth across the garden. A few crows call to each other. It’s peaceful. Serene. Meditative.
Leon Russell understood exactly what Hesse was talking about, especially sing a song, one of your best.
“Life is a song, and love is the music.” – Leon Russell
Leon’s last recording of his iconic A Song For You from the album A Distant Shore, was released posthumously in 2017.
Leon alwaysalways managed to convey a lifetime of authentic heartfelt emotion in every word and note, as he played the piano like no one ever will again. This version is beautiful; reflective, melancholy.
“A Song For You” by Leon Russell
I love you in a place Where there’s no space and time And when my life is over Remember when we were together We were alone, and I was singing this song for you —
Hermann Karl Hesse was a German-Swiss poet and novelist, and winner of the 1946 Nobel Prize in Literature. His interest in Eastern religious, spiritual, and philosophical traditions, combined with his involvement with Jungian analysis, helped shape his literary work.
Nearly fifty years earlier, this was Leon on the Homewood Sessions with “A Song For You”…
In December 1970 Leon Russell recorded the Homewood Sessions at the Vine Street Theatre in Hollywood, broadcast as an ‘unscripted and unrehearsed’ one-hour TV special on KCET TV and later re-broadcast several times on the Public Broadcasting System. They actually shot six hours but only broadcast one. Claimed to be the first national broadcast of a stereo rock and roll performance, this would have required an FM simulcast, since American television was not stereo in 1970s.
I’d Rathe Be Blind is a blues song written, composed, and produced by LeonRussell, recorded by legendary blues guitarist and singer FreddieKing with Leon on piano.
(This is not the same as “I’d Rather Go Blind” by Etta Jamea.)
Image from Church Studio
Freddie’s voice is as distinctive as Leon’s.
When I saw Leon in concert, he was with Freddie King. It was memorable, that’s for sure.
I’ve been waiting…..for the great relief of having you to talk to...
Pain is a crazy thing; it has a life of its own, it takes over every minute of every day, and that’s all you can think of — it’s like oceans of pain with no relief.
Anyway, stubborn me finally called the doc to tell her I had shingles. She immediately called in a prescription for an anti-viral. She said I’m a bit outside of the 72 hour window for it to be totally effective, but she hoped it would still work to relieve the intense burning and stabbing pain and shorten the duration of this cycle of hell.
I can’t get comfortable, I can’t lie on my back or my right side and sitting is also excruciating, so I’ve given up attempting to find the least tortuous position. I’m sick of watching TV, too. Sleep is elusive because I can’t get comfortable.
Awake at 3am, these lyrics were swirling around in my delirious brain…“darling, be home soon…”
I couldn’t remember what song it came from, so I opened my computer and searched. I learned that it was originally written and performed by John Sebastian of the Lovin’ Spoonful for the soundtrack of Francis Ford Coppola’s film You’re a Big Boy Now, and another version included in the Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour.
Not only was our magical Leon Russell a brilliant songwriter, composer, pianist, and singer, his arranging skills were off the chart.
Here’s the original of Darling Be Home Soon by the Lovin’ Spoonful and the Leon Russell version with Joe Cocker of the Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour.
Bonus! Master of Space and Time, Leon Russell, on guitar. You beauty!
They lyrics are quite poignant and as beautiful now as they were in the 60s…
Come and talk of all the things we did today Here and laugh about our funny little ways While we have a few minutes to breathe And I know that it’s time you must leave
But darling be home soon I couldn’t bear to wait an extra minute if you dawdled My darling be home soon It’s not just these few hours but I’ve been waiting since I toddled For the great relief of having you to talk to
And now, a quarter of my life is almost passed I think I’ve come to see myself at last And I see that the time spent confused Was the time that I spent without you And I feel myself in gloom
So darling be home soon I couldn’t bear to wait an extra minute if you dawdled My darling be home soon It’s not just these few hours but I’ve been waiting since I toddled For the great relief of having you to talk to
So darling… My darling be home soon I couldn’t bear to wait an extra minute if you dawdled My darling be home soon It’s not just these few hours but I’ve been waiting since I toddled For the great relief of having you to talk to
Go and beat your crazy head against the sky Try and see beyond the houses and your eyes It’s OK to shoot the moon
Darling be home soon I couldn’t bear to wait an extra minute if you dawdled My darling be home soon It’s not just these few hours but I’ve been waiting since I toddled For the great relief of having you to talk to
I possess an endless fascination and curiosity about how someone can change so drastically from being an anonymous, quiet, shy, piano player behind the scenes on hundreds of songs — to the persona that emerged and developed into the magical Master of Space and Time, Leon Russell.
I wish I could have asked him how it happened, how he shifted from one to the other, but sadly, I’ll never get the chance, so I continue to marvel at his drastic transformation.
In 1959, he was still Claude Russell Bridges; he hadn’t yet metamorphosed into the uber cool bearded musician with long hair and those iconic sunglasses, but the talent was there. Long before he became Leon Russell and had massively successful career as a solo artist, he was still a musical genius.
Leon was only about fourteen when he formed The Starlighters in the mid-1950s. He and the other band members attended Will Rogers High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
This is a photo of the Starlighters at the Tropicana Club, 1959. Left to right: Leo Feathers, Chuck Blackwell, Ron Ryan, Johnny Williams, and Russell Bridges wearing glasses.
A promoter at Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa hired the Starlighters to back Jerry Lee Lewis at an upcoming show.
After the Starlighters’ first warm-up set, Lewis came up onto the bandstand, pointed at seventeen-year-old Leon, and declared, ”I’m not gonna set down at that piano. He plays a lot better piano than I do!” Lewis immediately hired the band to back him on a tour. (Courtesy of the OKPOP Museum)
Leon produced this record when he was seventeen. I’m blown away by his piano mastery; he was definitely destined for greatness.
Crazy random connection time…I read something on Facebook about Oak Park High School where I briefly attended before moving to California.
The post shared information about a former classmate who became a famous singer/songwriter; Marcy Levy/Marcella Detroit.
Because I’m obsessed and have a one-track-mind, I messaged her and asked if she had ever known Leon Russell because I knew he spent a lot of time in Detroit around the early ’70s.
Her response blew me away! Not only did she know Leon, she toured with him before going on tour with Eric Clapton and co-wrote some of Clapton’s songs, including my favorite, “Lay Down Sally.”
ERIC CLAPTON, OMG.
I’m not at all embarrassed to tell you that I asked her if Leon’s eyes were as amazing as everyone has reported, and her exact quote was, “Oh yes his eyes were incredible.” I have so many more questions. So many. I can be SO annoying.
As a teenager, Marcy had posters of Russell on her walls. She later achieved her goal of singing with him, joining his touring band as a featured female vocalist for the Stop All That Jazz album (which also featured The Gap Band).
Leon Russell wrote the song “Time for Love” for her. The two developed a personal and professional connection in the early 1970s, during which time they dated for approximately nine months.
Detroit has reflected on their relationship in interviews, noting that Russell was a childhood idol. She viewed him as an incredibly gifted songwriter, musician, and arranger. She specifically recalled him creating an amazing live arrangement of “Unchained Melody” for her to sing on tour.
We’re fortunate to see Marcy as a background singer with Ann Bell on the Midnight Special with Leon, too. It’s an amazing video:
One more brick in the path that leads to Leon. One more step.
Another mind blowing fact I learned is that one of Marcy Levy’s earliest gigs was opening for David Bowie! DAVID BOWIE!!!
She was also a member of the ground breaking award winning band “Shakespear’s Sister”. Their song “Stay” is the longest running number one hit for a female band in UK history remaining at number ONE for eight weeks, and Marcy recently appeared on THE MASKED SINGER UK. https://marcelladetroit.com/
At the time, I would have had no idea there was such talent lurking at OPHS. I certainly never accomplished anything that rises to Marcy’s level. Sigh. #failure
Enjoy all of these songs on this beautiful Friday before Mother’s Day.
Did you know about Dylan and Leon?
Leon Russell considered Bob Dylan to be one of the greatest songwriters of all time. He enjoyed playing on covers of his songs by other artists, and even produced Dylan Jazz, an album of jazz versions of Dylan songs for GNP Records in 1965.
Their friendship lasted decades. Leon Russell joined Bob Dylan for a series of U.S. dates during Dylan’s Never Ending Tour in the summer of 2011.
In March 1971 Leon was the producer as he and his group, The Tulsa Tops, worked with Dylan at Blue Rock Studios in New York. When I Paint My Masterpiece and Watching The River Flow were recorded live with no overdubs with Dylan on vocal as Leon played an acoustic grand piano, Jesse Ed Davis was on electric guitar, Carl Radle played electric bass with Jim Keltner on drums.
I prefer Leon Russell’s version (below) as I always do, but you can definitely hear Leon’s magical contribution here:
I discovered Steve Liddycoat isolated Leon’s piano umami here and it’s awesome:
When I Paint My Masterpiece studio outtake:
On the Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour, Leon and Joe Cocker sang a beautiful duet of Girl From The North Country to serenade Dylan who was in the audience. Listen to what Leon had to say about Dylan….
Bob Dylan is coming to my area in June. I’m sure all tickets are sold out, but I’d love to see him if anyone has a spare????
Lastly, Leon’s version of Dylan’s Masters of War is especially poignant today; as fresh as when Dylan originally recorded it in 1963.
Featured image found on Pinterest; credit to owner.
I discovered yet another talented musician who had Leon’s magic umami sprinkled onto his songs.
This time it’s Dave Mason, founding member of the rock band, Traffic, who recently passed away on April 19.
As he was forming his own public persona as a solo artist, Leon Russell continued to collaborate with other musicians.
As I re-listen to these Dave Mason songs, I can now detect Leon’s contributions; always distinctive, always the secret ingredient, the umami that enhanced the flavor of every melody and arrangement.
In my opinion, he was meant to be on center stage, never in the background and anonymous.
Special thanks to Leon Russell Superstar in a Masquerade. His YouTube channel is an encyclopedia about the Master of Space and Time. Featured photo curated from Pinterest.
I’m not sure I really liked this song when it first came out; perhaps it was a bit too “country” for this little hippie rocker chick, along with “Rhinestone Cowboy”, but the lyrics and melody stood the test of time, and then there’s LEON, or as he was known back then, Claude Russell Bridges.
I had no idea he was the pianist on this recording; another magical moment from the Master of Space and Time, the secret ingredient.
Here’s another version from 1983. They made a great team, part of the famous Wrecking Crew of first call studio musicians in Los Angeles during the 1960’s. I could watch his fingers on the piano all day every day.
Claude Russell Bridges (Leon Russell) would be eighty-four years old today and sadly, while he’s no longer here, it’s a good time to remember him through his musical genius. He was a gifted pianist, songwriter, arranger, bandleader, and producer–a visionary.
His beauty shines through, no matter his age.
This is a brief compilation of some of his water themed recordings:
Back To The Island (Leon Russell’s creation, NOT Jimmy Buffet)
