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Location: Veedersburg, Indiana | Dan Peek, Founding Member Of Band America, Dies
Just read this on another forum. Shame. As part of America, he was instrumental in making some great music. On his own he mostly did Christian music - and (IHMO) did it well. I enjoyed his music very much. America was a big time user of Ovation as I recall. |
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Posts: 1281
Location: Ohio | Sad..A great talemt gone too soon...
Dan, you will be missed |
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Posts: 15665
Location: SoCal | Never ever understood Horse With No Name..... |
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Posts: 616
Location: cincinnati, ohio | Jeez, what a bite. Dan Peek dead. America was one of my favorite groups 'back in the day,' and we still play several of their songs at gigs. Sure, they were kind of lightweight compared to heavy hitters of the era like Eagles and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, but their songs were catchy and infectious. They had a pretty good run and lots of fans. Here's a link to Ultimate Classic Rock and a video from about 1972 of them playing 'Lonely People,' probably Dan Peek's biggest song. Two Ovations figure prominently.
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/america-founding-member-dan-peek-die...
Man, it's hard to believe he was 60 - but then it's hard to believe I'm 60... |
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Posts: 3111
Location: Nashville TN. | Gone too soon he will be missed |
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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | I always thought america was csny lite but I do enjoy some of their tunes |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | I always thought it was a whore with no shame...... |
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Posts: 4535
Location: Flahdaw | considering that was an era of great songwriters, America's lyrics were primarily stupid. I agree that the music itself was catchy. |
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Location: cincinnati, ohio | "Cause never was the reason for the evenin'/
Or the Tropic of Sir Galahad."
What the hell is that?
Nevertheless, it's one of their most popular songs. Gerry Beckley wasn't half-bad as a lyricist (I Need You, Sister Goldenhair), but Dewey...Gaaahhh! Tin Man, Horse with No Name. I saw where he was referred to as the "Salvador Dali of lyrics" because they were "surreal." "Incomprehensible" might be more accurate. "I need something that rhymes with 'hair.' Wait - I got it - 'alligator lizards in the air!!!'"I think Dewey pulled lyrics out of the air.
Or somewhere else! :D
Dan Peek...hard to say. His output was much less than the other two. 'Lonely People' wasn't too bad. Still, he'll be missed, and love 'em or hate 'em, America left a pretty wide footprint on the soundtrack of the '70's. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | I had all their albums until a roommate started repeating the lyrics. Then I stopped. A friend at work was also a big fan and tried to explain the lyrics of the songs, until I challenged him to explain Ventura Highway. That was too much for him, but he kept listening. He had worked at some ranch in Colorado where a bunch of musicians vacationed. Dewey and Gerry were on his list of nice guys that didn't treat the help like dirt. |
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Location: cincinnati, ohio | "...I've been hit by purple rain."
There IS no explaining Ventura Highway.
However, the 'nice guys' part is accurate. Both Dewey and Gerry are very accessible to fans. They're just regular guys. They were here a few years back for Taste of Blue Ash, and we talked guitars and music (but not lyrics!)for about 25 minutes. Very enjoyable. |
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Posts: 4832
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Lovely harmonies and a great (Ovation) guitar sound. (Thanks to the best engineered 12 string ever!)
But yeah, it's 'spark up and listen' music.
I have their first five albums. Then wouldn't admit to it for a few decades. |
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Location: Flahdaw | Apparently Bobbo has a good explanation for the "alligator lizards in the air" thing.
That said, I could write songs if I didn't really care what I was saying....just rhyming words. |
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Posts: 616
Location: cincinnati, ohio | Yeah - I think I may have heard that. There apparently actually ARE alligator lizards who have frills around the neck (like the Dilophosaurus in Jurassic Park) and can glide on air currents. Still, that's reaching for a rhyme - there's no logic to it. What's that go to do with anything?
Still like the song, though. :D |
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Posts: 125
Location: Derry NH | horse is about childhood memories cruising through the desert.
aligator lizards in the air is about watching cloud shapes move across the sky.
tropic of sir galahad, tropic means a parallel. it draws a line between the tin man and galahad.
pink floyd animals is not about sheep, pigs and dogs. admittedly, the politicized ironic rhetoric is much easier to wrap one's head around.
or it could all just be bullschnite. either way, i wouldn't over-analyze. dems some good tunes to play around with. |
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Location: cincinnati, ohio | Well said; those are fun songs. I think your bullschnite explanation is the accurate one, though. ;) |
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Posts: 1281
Location: Ohio | Horse with No Name was originally titled Desert Song..... |
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January 2009
Posts: 4535
Location: Flahdaw | Originally posted by nikon4004:
Horse with No Name was originally titled Desert Song..... Oh, well that changes everything.....now it's a GREAT song! |
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Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | George Martin was the man behind the sound.
RIP Dan. |
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August 2005
Posts: 616
Location: cincinnati, ohio | Originally posted by dark bar:
Originally posted by nikon4004:
Horse with No Name was originally titled Desert Song..... Oh, well that changes everything.....now it's a GREAT song! |
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October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | Originally posted by rick endres:
"...I've been hit by purple rain."
There IS no explaining Ventura Highway.
this was a prophecy relative to a future pop musician named "prince" |
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Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | I heard somewhere down the line that "horse" was a reference to heroin. |
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Dan Peek