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From the Vault...
04/15/2001
#729 |
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info
Barry McGuire
"Anthology"
© One Way Records
Year of Release: 1993
Rating:
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track listing
Masters Of War
The Grasshopper Song
Inner-Manipulations
Cloudy Summer
Afternoon
The Sins Of A Family
What's Exactly
The Matter
With Me
Why Not Stop And
Dig It
While You Can
I'd Have To Be
Outa My Mind
Mr. Man On The
Street-Act One
This Precious Time
Baby Blue
She Belongs To Me
Just Like
Tom Thumb's
Blues
You Were On
My Mind
You've Got To Hide
Your Love Away
Child Of Our Times
Upon A Painted Ocean
Eve Of Destruction
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Barry McGuire
"Anthology"
For many groups and artists, the aftershock of being a "one-hit wonder" can
be devastating. Or, in the case of Barry McGuire, many people can only think
of one song, and one song only, that represented his popularity in music --
his #1 hit "Eve Of Destruction." However, what many may not know, is that
Barry McGuire had many other hits, as Anthology represents.
Sure, "Eve Of Destruction" may be the most memorable, but it's always a
treat to hear other tunes he did, likewise for many other groups/artists in
this same category called "Yes, they did have other hits" -- (David Soul,
Shocking Blue, Blue Swede, oh, the list can go on and on...)
If you're familar with "Eve Of Destruction," you would easily recognize
how unique McGuire's voice is -- kinda rough and edgy in some places, and there
are many tunes that fit that same voice quality: "What's Exactly The Matter
With Me," "Why Not Stop And Dig It While You Can," "Child Of Our Times,"
"Upon A Painted Ocean" and "Just Like Tom Thumb Blues."
The latter song can easily be compared to the Mamas & Papas in sound, and Bob
Dylan, vocally. (More on Dylan and Mamas & Papas...) "Eve Of Destruction"
talks about the Vietnam war that was going on, and likewise, another war-lyric
inspired tune is the anthology's opening song, "Masters Of War."
Storytelling songs featured here can easily be compared to the early 1960s
years of Bob Dylan -- "The Sins Of A Family" has unique lyrics, regarding
the "sins" of a particular family, and can easily be compared to Dylan's
"Subterranean Homesick Blues" (not in sound, just lyric-inspired).
This is the same in other songs, as "Mr. Man On The Street-Act One."
What it also features compared to Dylan, is not only the lyrical content, but
the harmonica as well. "The Grasshopper Song" can be compared to a
typical Dylan tune, with its folk-inspired sound, as it is a much mellow song,
as compared to the likes of "Subterranean Homesick Blues." And, a
well-known song written by Dylan is covered by McGuire, "Baby Blue"
(also known as "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue").
And speaking of "cover songs" ... The We Five's "You Were On My Mind"
and The Beatles' "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" are featured here,
and of the two, you may want to prefer the We Five version much better, yet
McGuire's Beatles cover is pretty good to listen to.
Impressive tunes that were quite enjoyable, is where McGuire's voice takes
the direction where its not as rough and edgy as in many tunes in the style of
"Eve Of Destruction" and "Masters Of War": His voice is quite
calm and pleasant, making the mentioning of the next five songs deserving some
repeated play... "Inner-Manipulations" has the folk sound, and features
some very nice vocal harmonies. Other folk-sounding nice tunes are "This
Precious Time" and the bouncy upbeat "She Belongs To Me." The Mamas
& Papas sound comes to mind in such tunes as "Cloudy Sunny Afternoon" and
"I'd Have To Be Outa My Mind."
It can easily be seen and heard that Barry McGuire's music fit the folk
category of the mid-1960s. Likewise, many of the songs in this anthology can
be compared to the folk sound of Bob Dylan, both lyrically and musically.
The lyrics in both McGuire's and Dylan's music were unique, and they both
included the harmonica in many of their tunes. McGuire's music could also
fit with other 1960s acts, such as The Mamas & Papas. As mentioned before,
listening to a group/artist's music always sparks an interest, especially where
you would normally think of only one song that was famous by that particular
talent. As this Anthology shows, Barry McGuire was not a one-hit
wonder, and quite naturally, this anthology is quite impressive. For the
mid-to-late 1960s fan, Barry McGuire's Anthology will be a treat and
enjoyable; where anyone who remembers "Eve Of Destruction" as the only
song by him when digging into your memory bank, as that song being the only
one that they can think of.
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One Way Records
and is used for reference purposes only.
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