Song of the Day 6/17: Al Kooper, “God Sheds His Grace on Thee”
Al Kooper is one of rock’s Zelig characters. His career started in the 1950s as a member of the Royal Teens, responsible for the single “Short Shorts.” In the 1960s he co-wrote “This Diamond Ring,” a hit for Gary Lewis and the Playboys, founded Blood, Sweat & Tears, took part in the famous “Super Session” with Mike Bloomberg and, most famously, conned his way into the studio with Bob Dylan to add his unplanned and unrehearsed organ part to “Like a Rolling Stone.”
In the 1970s he released a series of solo albums, including the 1970 double LP “Easy Does It,” which included this protest song against the Nixon administration. Kent State had occurred that April. You didn’t have to be Nostradamus to see more ugly shit coming, and Kooper’s last line — “They’re gonna kill us all” — reflected the state of the Union at the time.
One of the first so-called ‘underground’ albums I bought in high school was ‘Child Is Father To The Man’ by BS&T.
I raved about that album to anyone who would listen. I still love that album.
Then, the second BS &T album comes out, Al Kooper is gone from the group, and it’s a big fat hit. With lead singer David Clayton-Thomas, who was less a singer than a belcher.
One of my best friends: “Boy, you were really right about BS &T!”
My response?: “No, no, NO-O-O-O!!!”
Al Kooper was a man for all seasons and quite a survivor, going from project to project with ease.
Al Kooper (not to be confused with Alice Cooper) joined the Royal Teens shortly after the release of “Short Shorts”. Another member was Bob Gaudio who later became a founding member of the Four Seasons.