Blackberry Way
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| "Blackberry Way" | ||
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| Single by The Move | ||
| B-side(s) | Something | |
| Released | 1969 | |
| Format | 7" | |
| Recorded | 1968 | |
| Genre | rock music | |
| Label | Regal Zonophone, Polydor Records | |
| Writer(s) | Roy Wood | |
| Producer(s) | Denny Cordell, Tony Viscanti, Jimmy Miller | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| The Move singles chronology | ||
| "Wild Tiger Woman" (1968) |
Blackberry Way (1969) |
"Curly" (1969) |
"Blackberry Way" is a single by The Move.
Written by Roy Wood and produced by Jimmy Miller, Blackberry Way was a bleak counterpoint to the sunny psychedelia of earlier recordings. It nevertheless became the band's most successful single reaching #1 on the UK singles chart. Richard Tandy who would later play keyboards with Roy Wood's next band ELO, played harpsichord. Despite the success of the single the style of psychedelically tinged pop sat uneasily with bassist Trevor Burton and he left the group shortly after. The bridge of "Blackberry Way" is taken from the intro of Harry Nilsson's "Good Old Desk."
The song's sound, which is reminiscent of The Beatles' "Penny Lane", off-set by its bleak lyrics ("Absolutely pouring down with rain / It's a terrible day . . . Goodbye blackberry way / I can't see you, I don't need you" ) make it a dark answer song to the Lennon-McCartney tune.
A cover version with Italian lyrics was a hit in Italy in late 1969, named "Tutta mia la città " by Equipe 84.
| Preceded by "Albatross" by Fleetwood Mac |
UK number one single February 5, 1969 |
Succeeded by "(If Paradise Is) Half as Nice" by Amen Corner |
