There are any number of music artists that I've enjoyed throughout my life that I would consider "Greatest Hits" artists or bands, that is solo performers or groups whose greatest hits collections are the sum total of my knowledge of their music catalogs (Bachman-Turner Overdrive, ELO, the Spinners, War, and a holy host of others). While that may be my loss (for missing any number of album tracks that may be little known gems), it's also worked out quite well as I've been blessed with hearing countless songs that I love again and again--much like the songs I've enjoyed from this week's featured musical artist.
America, oddly enough, actually formed in London--and making it even stranger, they're all actually Americans (their fathers were USAF personnel stationed in the U.K. capital and they met while in high school there). Dewey Bunnell, Gerry Beckley, and Dan Peek had a hell of a run through seventies (Dan Peek found God and left the band in 1977 to become a Christian artist) notching numerous hits and touring the whole wide world. For their career, America has released 18 studio albums (their last in 2015) with four of them reaching the top ten (in keeping with this week's theme their Greatest Hits is far and away their best-selling effort) with one of them hitting the number one slot. They've also released 47 singles with seven of them peaking in the top ten and two climbing all the way to the top of the chart. Sadly, Dan Peek passed away in 2011, but Bunnell and Beckley continue to have a loyal following on the oldies circuit.
"Daisy Jane" was released in 1975 as the second single from their album Hearts. The song reached #20 (with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100, while the album peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200.
Fun Fact: In addition to producing the aforementioned song (and album), noted "Fifth Beatle" and music producer extraordinaire George Martin plays the piano on the tune as well.
Yeah, this one isn't going into the Ball Out Rocker Hall of Fame. Written by Beckley, the song tells the tale of a man who left behind a good woman to go out and see the world...who has finally realized that she's the only world he needed to see and is hoping she still loves him. Beckley has said that there is no Daisy Jane, and at the time of writing the song had never even been to Memphis (he said he loosely based it on the song "Hazey Jane" by recent FNJ honoree Nick Drake). The heartbeats that open the song are a nice touch, and the song has the lush production that George Martin is often known for--strings, the featured piano, and some fantastic harmonies by a band known for its harmonies. My favorite part, though, is the how Martin takes the band softly through the stanzas before unleashing the booming chorus which captures all the hope the narrator is feeling...and reminds us just how precious love can be.
Lyric Sheet: "Well I've been picking it up around me/Daisy, I think I'm sane/And I'm awful glad/And I guess you're really to blame..."
Enjoy:
Republican = Traitor
Peace,
emaycee
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