Beech Tree News Network

It’s time once again for another round of “Oh, you didn’t know”! For instance, Oh, you didn’t know that the Ray Charles classic “Hit The Road, Jack” was used as the theme song for the WB’s show Un-happily Ever After? The show, which aired for 100 episodes from January 11, 1995-May 23, 1999, for a total of five seasons.  The series, created by Ron Leavitt and Arthur Silver. Who also worked on Married…With Children.  Beginning in the second season, the theme song was “Hit The Road, Jack”, by the late Ray Charles. 

Several bands and artists have performed under different names.  Did you know that the band Foxboro Hot-Tubs is Green Day.  Foxboro is more of a garage band-type feel.  You might be wondering why an artist feels the need to make up a whole new name for a different genre of music.  Could be that the artist just wants to try something new.  Perhaps they had that name as the band before deciding on their final choice but they still liked Foxboro.  On the flipside, you have ideas from artists that don’t work out but the artist still wants to try it again.  I speak of Garth Brooks’ pop alter ego Chris Gaines.  That was a mess.  Years ago, he released an album as Gaines that included a cover of the Kiss classic “Hard Luck Woman”, which I actually liked.  There was to be a film based on the album The Life of Chris Gaines.  Word is Garth was thinking about giving it another try.  He really shouldn’t.

This one I learned when CBS Sunday Morning was doing a profile on Jon Voight.  Voight’s brother wrote the Troggs’ hit “Wild Thing”.  Chip Taylor(born James Wesley Voight), writer of “Wild Thing”, started writing songs as a young teenager.    He’s also written “Angel Of The Morning”.  His songs have been covered and made into hits by a wide range of artists including The Troggs, Merrilee Rush, P.P. Arnold, Janis Joplin, Juice Newton, Anne Murray, Ace Frehley, Jimi Hendrix, Chrissie Hynde, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris.  (www.wikipedia.com)

My final bit of information comes from Little Steven’s Underground Garage.  This came from one of their dj’s, Mighty Mannfred, show last Friday.  There was talk of Otis Redding recording the song “To Love Somebody”, which was written by The Bee Gees.  Then came the tragic plane crash that took Redding’s life at 27.  The Bee Gee’s recorded the song instead.  Could you imagine how Otis would’ve sounded on that song?

That’s a wrap on this week’s column.  Join me next week when I discuss, well we’ll both find out together.