Writer's Block: Cover me

[daddytodd]

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"Without You" by Harry Nilsson. Originally a Badfinger song, and lord knows I loves me some Badfinger, but Harry steals this one right out from under them.

Comments

[daddytodd.livejournal.com]

I believe it was the massive worldwide success of Nilsson's cover of the song that prompted Apple to scrap the first version of Badfinger's Straight Up album in 1971 and force them to re-record it the following year, in hopes that a big, "produced" sound (Like Nilsson Schmilsson) would result in big-time sales. Even bringing in George Harrison and Todd Rundgren to produce it didn't turn the trick, and Apple never really made any effort to break Badfinger after that.

Apple had been trying to have a hit with Badfinger since 1968, with middling success - only the McCartney-penned "Come And Get It" really did much. It must have galled them to watch Nilsson conquer the world with a Badfinger composition.

[patrock.livejournal.com]

"Day After Day" was a reasonable hit and so was "Baby Blue" ...even though both songs should have been way bigger hits. Unfortunately Apple records was a complete clusterfuck at the time. I seriously doubt Pete and Tom saw a dime of the money generated from "Without You" not to mention the burn of seeing someone else have a #1 with one of their songs.

[daddytodd.livejournal.com]

Yeah - both "Day After Day" and "Baby Blue" come from the "Straight Up" album, which was recorded in the wake of Nilsson's hit. Their biggest hits before that were "Come And Get It" and "No Matter What," and "No Matter What" stalled in the 30's, I think. McCartney was willing to give them a song to start their career, but neither Paul nor Badfinger wanted to pull that stunt again.

The story of Badfinger is a massive clusterfuck from the beginning. They should be in the same league as Big Star, IMHO, but most people that remember their songs at all think they were Beatles songs...

If you ever do another cover set with Xefos and Ashfield, you should consider covering Badfinger songs. I'd pay real money to hear that.