Song Anatomy of the Day

Writers: Elton John and Bernie Taupin Producer: Gus Dudgeon Recorded: May 1973 at Strawberry Studios, France Released: Fall 1973 Players: Elton John – vocals, piano Davey Johnstone – guitar, vocals Dee Murray – bass, vocals Nigel Olsson – drums, vocals David Hentschel – synthesizer Album: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (MCA, 1973) Though never released as…

Writer: Steven Tyler Producer: Adrian Barber Recorded: 1972 at Intermedia Studios, Boston Released: January 1973 (album); November 1973 (single) Players: Steven Tyler – vocals, harmonica, wood flute Joe Perry – guitar Brad Whitford – guitar Tom Hamilton – bass Joey Kramer – drums Album: Aerosmith (Columbia, 1973) Critics initially wrote Aerosmith off as Rolling Stones…

Writers: Sting Producer: The Police and Nigel Gray Recorded: Early 1979 at Surrey Sound in Surrey, England Released: September 1979 Players: Sting — vocals, bass Andy Summers — guitar Stewart Copeland — drums, percussion Album: Reggatta De Blanc (A&M, 1979) “Message In A Bottle” was one of the first songs Sting had written for the…

Writers: Peter Criss, Stan Penridge and Bob Ezrin Producer: Bob Ezrin Recorded: Winter 1975-76 at the Record Plant in New York City Released: Spring 1976 Players: Peter Criss — vocals Bob Ezrin — string arrangements Album: Destroyer (Casablanca, 1976)) A ballad atypical of Kiss’ hard-rocking oeuvre, “Beth” was the band’s biggest hit ever, peaking at…

Writer: John Lennon Producer: George Martin Recorded: November 26, 1962, at EMI Studios in London, England Released: January 1963 Players: John Lennon–vocals, guitar, harmonica Paul McCartney–bass, vocals George Harrison–guitar, vocals Ringo Starr–drums Album: Please Please Me (EMI, 1963) The Beatles’ second single, “Please Please Me,” was recorded twice–unsuccessfully on September 11, 1962, and in a…

Writers: Warren Zevon and LeRoy P. Marinell Producers: Jackson Browne and Waddy Wachtel Recorded: 1977 at the Sound Factory, Los Angeles Released: January 24th, 1978 Players: Warren Zevon — vocals, piano Waddy Wachtel — guitar, vocals Bob Glaub — bass Russ Kunkel — drums Jim Horn — saxophone Linda Ronstadt, Jennifer Warnes & Jackson Browne…

Writer: Ian Anderson Producer: Terry Ellis and Jethro Tull Recorded: 1969 at Vantone Studio, West Orange, New Jersey Players: Ian Anderson–vocals, flute Martin Barre–guitar Glen Cornick–bass Clive Bunker–drums Album: Living In The Past (Chrysalis, 1972) Jethro Tull’s breakthrough single, “Living In The Past,” hit Number Three in the U.K. in May 1969, where the group…

Writer: David Bowie Producers: David Bowie and Harry Maslin Recorded: August 1975 at Cherokee Studios, Hollywood, California Players: David Bowie — vocals, guitar Earl Slick — guitar Carlos Alomar — guitar George Murray — bass Roy Bittan –keyboards Dennis Davis — drums Album: Station To Station (RCA) David Bowie wrote “Golden Years” for Elvis Presley,…

Writers: The Clash Producers: The Clash Recorded: Fall 1980 and spring 1982 in London Released: May 1982 Players: Mick Jones–vocals, guitar Joe Strummer–guitar, vocals Paul Simonon–bass Nicky “Topper” Headon–drums Album: Combat Rock (Epic) The Clash started work on “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” in sessions for the group’s 1980 triple album Sandinista!, and…

Writers: Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson Producer: Robert John “Mutt” Lange Recorded: April-May 1980 at Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas Released: July 21, 1980 Players: Brian Johnson—vocals Angus Young–guitar Malcolm Young–guitar Cliff Williams–bass Phil Rudd–drums Album: Back In Black (Atco, 1980) “Hell’s Bells” is the opening track of Back In Black, the Australian…