Couldn't Get It Right

"Couldn't Get It Right"
Single by Climax Blues Band
from the album Gold Plated
B-side	Varied by country - see #B-sides
Released	1976[1]
Format	Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single
Genre	Blues rock,[2] soft rock[3]
Label	RCA, Sire
Writer(s)	Climax Blues Band[1]
Producer(s)	Climax Blues Band[1] Mike Vernon (B-sides)[4]

"Couldn't Get It Right" is a 1976 song by the Climax Blues Band. The song was written after the band's label told them that there wasn't a hit on their 1976 album Gold Plated and asked them to 'try and write a hit'.^[4] They then wrote it, in the words of its bassist Derek Holt, 'from absolutely nowhere'^[4] and it hit #10 on the UK Singles Chart.^[5] Later on that year, the song was picked up by Sire Records and the following year it made #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[6] Later that year, the song was ranked #32 on Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1977.^[7]

About

The song was recorded for their eighth studio album, Gold Plated, which was named after Pete Haycock's Veleno guitar and produced by Mike Vernon. The song was specifically written and produced after the manager of the band, Miles Copeland, demanded that the band append a radio-friendly song to the tracklisting; the band at the time had released eight albums and although that had translated into notoriety, it wasn't impacting the charts. Copeland suggested a cover version of an Elvis Presley song; this suggestion was ignored, and instead the band came up with an original composition^[8] "from absolutely nowhere", simply a case of ensconcing in the studio, conjuring up a rhythm, appending the traditional dual vocals for which Climax Blues Band were known for, and coming up with a couple of hooks, in so doing annoying the producer as he thought the band were withholding a hit record from him.^[4]

In an interview with Songfacts, Derek Holt explained that the song was "just a lucky moment in time", and that it is about being on the road in America, with the chorus "kept on looking for a sign in the middle of the night" referring to searches for Holiday Inn signs; seeing said signs meant that beds had been found for the night. When the beds first started in America, they used to fly everywhere, in some cases involving up to three flights just to get to one place. The itinerary arrangement meant that getting to any one place was difficult and involved arriving in a town, getting into a car, barely get to the gig sound check on time, perform the gig, re-enter the car and then look for a bed. The final few years of the band's life did not contain said woes as they used tour buses, which enabled the band to leave the gig, enter the bus, get a bed, drive extended distances (in his words, "1,000 miles or whatever") and turn up at the next gig refreshed.^[4] Saxophonist Colin Cooper sang the baritone lead on this song, with bassist Derek Holt, guitarist Pete Haycock and drummer John Cuffley singing harmony.^[4]

B-sides

While in most markets "Couldn't Get It Right" was released with purpose-recorded "Fat Maybellene" as its B-side (it didn't appear on the album^[9]), in the USA and Canada the song was backed with album track "Sav'ry Gravy".^[2] Both tracks were produced by album producer Mike Vernon.^[4]

Chart performance

The song was originally released by RCA Records in early 1976. Although the song didn't make the UK Singles Chart until October 1976 it did manage to crack the top ten, entering at #47 and departing from #18 in early December 1976, having been at positions #10 and #11 the weeks before.^[5] Such chart trajectories were the norm at the time, partially due to the dominance of Top of the Pops, partially due to opinions at the time; it was thought that a record in decline on the charts was a record whose popularity had dwindled. (This can be attributed to the fact that singles tended to be bought by teenagers and albums by adults.)^[10]

Later on that year, the song was picked up by Sire Records and the following year it made #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[6] Later that year, the song was ranked #32 on Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1977.^[7]

Critical reception

In an obituary for band member Pete Haycock, the Independent said that the song "transcended the clichés of the road-song genre and incorporated several of their trademarks, including the vocal harmonies of Haycock and Holt behind Cooper’s lead, and Haycock’s guitar being played in unison with Cooper’s saxophone, to create a concise gem of a single equal to the best work of the Doobie Brothers or Ace."^[8]

Cover versions

Fun Lovin' Criminals covered this on their 1999 album Mimosa. For the Mimosa tour, a short film was created which ended with this cover version. Later on that year, Climax Blues Band's Colin Cooper met the Fun Lovin' Criminals' lead singer Huey Morgan in 1999, who invited Cooper and his wife backstage for one of his coctails. It was record that Morgan had grown up with, as it spent its American release jamming up the New York radio stations.^[11] In addition, Stockholm Syndrome recorded it on their 2004 album Holy Happy Hour.^[4]

In popular culture

Climax Blues Band performed the song live twice for Top of the Pops.^[12][13] In addition, the song was used as background music in the TV series Fringe, episode "Subject 9".^[14] The Hooker with a Heart of Gold used the song as background music.^[15] Series 10, episode 7 of Top Gear, in which they put three British made cars through their paces to commemorate British Leyland's 40th anniversary, used the record.^[16] The song was featured in the opening credits to Bob the Butler,^[17] as well as appearing in Blow Dry.^[18] In addition, Couldn't Get It Right featured on Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, and on the XBox and Playstation game Sleeping Dogs.^[11]

In 1987, the song gave its name to a hits package. Whilst commended for being "near-definitive", it was blasted by reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine as it omitted everything earlier than 1974, which he described as being "the closest they ever got to the blues".^[19]

References

External links

• Full lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics