Singer, Songwriter J.J. Cale died Friday of a heart attack at the age of 74. ... he was always best known as a songwriter for other musicians. His songs "After Midnight" and "Cocaine" became hits for Clapton in 70s and 80s and Lynyrd Skynyrd made "Call Me The Breeze" famous. Johnny Cash, Santana and the Allman Brothers were also among those who covered his songs. Kind of ironic that he lived to a ripe old age for a musician while his song Cocaine, which was essentially a commercial for the substance, contributed to the deaths of so many at an early age. Responsible radio stations refused to play the song, while other stations played it proudly and criticized the stations that wouldn't play it. Should there be laws banning the broadcasting of songs that encourage illegal behavior? Should we honor the memory of J.J. Cale? nnnn http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way...gwriter-j-j-cale-dead-from-heart-attack-at-74 nnnnnnn
The link should help you understand your misunderstanding: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocaine_(song)#Analysis
JJ Cale was a great musician and songwriter. He was very underrated, even his own albums were great and that's why some of his best songs were covered by Eric Clapton and Lynryd Skynyrd. I don't think Cocaine had big impact on cocaine use. Publications like Richard Ashley's 1975 book on cocaine, saying it was a "good drug", and Newsweek's publishing of photos of affluent society snorting lines probably had more to do with that. Certainly the "invention" of crack cocaine fueled use in the 1990's. If you want to ban songs that encourage illegal behavior, there's quite a few to choose from.
It's a great song musically, which helps make it so potent as a "commercial" for the drug. Of the millions of impressionable youngsters who heard the song, there had to be a significant number who reacted as they would to an effective commercial for a product. If only 1% of those kids were persuaded to try cocaine, that's tens-of-thousands!
When considering songs that encourage illegal behavior, "Cocaine" is particularly blatant and potentially harmful. It IS a great song from a strictly musical standpoint.
To attribute cocaine abuse to the song 'Cocaine' is about as feasible as attributing the song 'Beer With Duncan' to alcoholism. I love to have a beer with Duncan I love to have a beer with Dunc. We drink in moderation And we never ever ever get rollin' drunk We drink at the Town and Country Where the atmosphere is great I love to have a beer with Duncan 'Cause Duncan's me mate, yeah I love to have a beer with Colin I love to have a beer with Col. We drink in moderation And it doesn't really matter if he brings his doll We drink at the Town and Country Where the atmosphere is great I love to have a beer with Colin 'Cause Colin's me mate, mm-mm-mm I love to have a beer with Kevin Oh I love to have a beer with Kev. We drink in moderation And he drives me home in his big old Chev. We drink at the Town and Country Where the atmosphere is great I love to have a beer with Kevin 'Cause Kevin's me mate I love to have a beer with Patrick I love to have a beer with Pat We drink in moderation And it wouldn't really matter if the beer was flat We drink at the Town and Country Where the atmosphere is great I love to have a beer with Patrick 'Cause Patrick's me mate I love to have a beer with Robert I love to have a beer with Bob We drink in moderation Just one more and back on the job We drink at the Town and Country Where the atmosphere is great I love to have a beer with Robert 'Cause Robert's me mate I love to have a beer with Duncan Oh I love to have a beer with Dunc. We drink in moderation And we never ever ever get rollin' drunk We drink at the Town and Country Where the atmosphere is great I love to have a beer with Duncan 'Cause Duncan's me mate And 'Mother's Little Helper' to anti-depressant abuse. What a drag it is getting old. "Things are different today," I hear ev'ry mother say Mother needs something today to calm her down And though she's not really ill There's a little yellow pill She goes running for the shelter of her mother's little helper And it helps her on her way, gets her through her busy day. "Things are different today," I hear ev'ry mother say Cooking fresh food for a husband's just a drag So she buys an instant cake and she buys a frozen steak And goes running for the shelter of her mother's little helper And to help her on her way, get her through her busy day. Doctor, please, some more of these Outside the door, she took four more What a drag it is getting old. "Men just aren't the same today," I hear ev'ry mother say They just don't appreciate that you get tired They're so hard to satisfy. You can tranquilise your mind So go running for the shelter of your mother's little helper And four help you through the night, help to minimise your plight. Doctor, please, some more of these Outside the door, she took four more What a drag it is getting old. Life's just much too hard today," I hear ev'ry mother say The pursuit of happiness just seems a bore And if you take more of those, you will get an overdose No more running for the shelter of a mother's little helper They just helped you on your way through your busy dying day.
He was a great talent. I started listening to JJ Cale in the early 1970s when he released 'Naturally'. 'Okie' and 'Really' are fantastic albums. 'Louisiana Women' one of my favourite songs. Check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7DwdGsXvC4 I also heard (possibly a rumour) that JJ Cale suffered from Arthritis in his fingers and hands, and he'd often dope himself up with Morphine before a concert to relieve himself from pain so he could play guitar. Dunno?
as was a friend of his Leon Russell, I am sure the music world of the 60's and 70's ai greatly saddened and wishing they had the time to jam one more time to Cocaine!!
Wonderful music; I have several of his albums. Many musicians cite JJ as an influence. Since the inception of 'alternative' styles of music they have been seen as subversive by certain elements of the establishment. I can make a long, long list of celebrated musicians who have created some of our most memorable music under the influence of 'Jazz cigarettes' and Peruvian marching powder...
Beer isn't illegal, it's not necessarily harmful, and that song wasn't heard by millions of impressionable American youngsters. Mother's Little Helper is a great song. It's kind of depressing, and doesn't joyfully scream out that one should try a certain illegal substance. "Cocaine" certainly does.
