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I Can Hear the Grass Grow

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"I Can Hear the Grass Grow"
Belgian release single sleeve
Single by the Move
B-side"Wave the Flag and Stop the Train"
Released31 March 1967
Recorded5 January 1967[1]
StudioAdvision, London[2]
Genre
Length3:05
LabelDeram
Songwriter(s)Roy Wood
Producer(s)Denny Cordell[2]
The Move singles chronology
"Night of Fear"
(1966) 		"I Can Hear the Grass Grow"
(1967) 		"Flowers in the Rain"
(1967)

"I Can Hear the Grass Grow " is the second single by the Move, written by Roy Wood.[5] The song was first released on 31 March 1967, and reached number 5 in the UK Singles Chart on 10 May 1967, staying for ten weeks in the charts.[6] "I Can Hear the Grass Grow" was the second of a string of four consecutive top-5 singles in the UK.[7] It was the first record to be played by Tony Blackburn on Britain's new BBC Radio station - Radio One.

Background

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On 9 December 1966, the Move released their debut single "Night of Fear" to great commercial success, reaching number 2 in the UK singles charts on 26 January 1967.[8] The hints of psychedelia in the song led to rumours about the band using LSD or other hallucinogenic drugs, something that drummer Bev Bevan later denounced.[9] Both rhythm guitarist Trevor Burton and bassist Ace Kefford would later admit to using drugs, the latter of which considered it a grave mistake.[9] The newfound success led to songwriter and lead guitarist Roy Wood to believe in himself as a true songwriter, as "Night of Fear" was only the third or fourth original composition that he had written.[10]

As with many of Wood's early songs, the basis of "I Can Hear the Grass Grow" was a book of fairy tales which Wood authored while at The Moseley College of Art.[11] The title came from photographer Robert Davidson, who had received a letter from an unknown individual that read "I listen to pop music on the radio because where I live it's so bloody quiet that I can hear the grass grow." He told this to Wood, who was inspired enough to write a song regarding the subject.[1] In the April 1967 Beat Instrumental issue, Wood states that the song is about a mentally ill person.[12] Although journalists have presumed the song to be about the synesthetic effects of hallucinogenics,[13] Wood has on multiple occasions refuted that claim, accusing the music press of trying to build an association between pop musicians and drugs, and noting that virtually any song could be misinterpreted as being about drug use by someone looking to make that connection.[11][14][12] The group entered Advision Studios in London on 5 January 1967 to record the song, along with what eventually would become the B-side, "Wave the Flag and Stop the Train", with producer Denny Cordell and engineer Gerald Chevin.[2][1]

Release and reception

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By this point, the Move had recorded approximately ten songs which were to appear on their debut album titled Move Mass in early 1967.[15] However, their manager Tony Secunda thought it would be more commercially successful to continue performing publicity stunts in order to gain publicity for the group.[15] "Wave the Flag and Stop the Train" was never intended as the B-side of "I Can Hear the Grass Grow", instead, an eponymous track simply titled "Move" was to take its place. However, during a mixing session on 30 January 1967 problems arose when mixing the song, which led to it being scrapped and being substituted by "Wave the Flag and Stop the Train".[1] Deram Records released "I Can Hear the Grass Grow" on 31 March 1967 in the UK with the catalogue number of DM.117.[16][nb 1] The single was also released in territories such as the United States and Continental Europe.

The single was a success, albeit not as big as "Night of Fear". It entered the UK charts on 12 April 1967 at a position of number 39.[6] The following week, it had climbed to number 30 and by 26 April, it was at number 16.[6] The following week it entered the top-10 for the first time at number 7 before reaching its peak on 10 May 1967, where it stayed for one week.[6] Following this, it started descending down the chart, at number 9 before exiting the top-10 on 24 May at a position of 13.[6] The following week it was at number 20, and the week after that it had reached number 28.[6] It was last seen on 14 June when it was at a position of 44 before disappearing off the charts.[6] In total, it spent ten weeks on the charts, six of which were in the top-20 and three of which were in the top-10.[6] It also did well in most of Europe and New Zealand.

Matthew Greenwald of AllMusic states that though the lyrics seem a little bit antique, he believes that the "artistic moxie" aged like fine wine.[13] Unlike other songs by the Move, "I Can Hear the Grass Grow" was not dropped from the live set following the departure of Kefford, instead Burton would take over his lead vocals. It was first performed live on 3 August 1967 when they played at the Locarno Ballroom in Derby, Derbyshire.[17][18] A rendition of the song was included on Live at the Fillmore 1969, which features Rick Price taking over Kefford's vocals, as Burton had left the band at that point.[19]

Personnel

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The Move

Additional personnel

Charts

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Covers

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References

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Notes

  1. ^ The release date of 31 March 1967 is printed on promotional copies of the singles, sent around radio stations prior to the official release

References

  1. ^ a b c d Move (2007 remaster liner notes, page 13)
  2. ^ a b c "BI's Chart Fax" (PDF). Beat Instrumental (6): 18. June 1967.
  3. ^ Stanley, Bob (13 September 2013). "Deluxe and Delightful: Glam". Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Faber & Faber. p. 345. ISBN 978-0-571-28198-5.
  4. ^ Segretto, Mike (2022). "1968". 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Minute - A Critical Trip Through the Rock LP Era, 1955–1999. Backbeat. p. 187. ISBN 9781493064601.
  5. ^ Luhrssen, David; Larson, Michael (2017). Encyclopedia of Classic Rock. ABC-CLIO. p. 247. ISBN 978-1440835148.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Move". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  7. ^ Kelley, Ken (3 May 2014). "The Move Announce Their Break-Up". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  8. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 381. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  9. ^ a b "The Move". www.brumbeat.net. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  10. ^ Lasserre, Vincent (2017). Camion Blanc: La saga de Roy Wood Brumbeat forever (The Move, Wizzard, ELO, etc.) (in French). Camion Blanc. ISBN 978-2357799899.
  11. ^ a b Sharp, Ken (30 September 1994). "Roy Wood: The Wizzard of Rock". The Move Online. Archived from the original on 15 January 2008.
  12. ^ a b Webster, Tony. "Move's Smashes Give Way To Vocals!" (PDF). Beat Instrumental (May 1967): 12.
  13. ^ a b "I Can Hear the Grass Grow - The Move | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  14. ^ Heylin, Clinton (2012). All the Madmen: Barrett, Bowie, Drake, the Floyd, The Kinks, The Who and the Journey to the Dark Side of English Rock. Hachette. ISBN 978-1780330785.
  15. ^ a b Move (2007 remaster liner notes, page 6)
  16. ^ Strong, Martin Charles (1998). The Great Rock Discography. Canongate. p. 560. ISBN 0862418275.
  17. ^ "Chaotic scenes when The Move played Derby's Locarno in 1967". DerbyshireLive. 3 August 2017. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  18. ^ "Memories of Pink Floyd and The Move at top Derby nightspot". DerbyshireLive. 6 June 2020. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  19. ^ Fricke, David (21 February 2012). "Live at the Fillmore 1969". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  20. ^ "The Move – I Can Hear the Grass Grow" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  21. ^ "The Move – I Can Hear the Grass Grow" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  22. ^ "Salgshitlisterne Top 20 - Uge 22". Danske Hitlister. 29 May 1967. Archived from the original on 9 April 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  23. ^ "InfoDisc : Les Tubes de chaque Artiste commençant par M". infodisc.fr. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  24. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 20, 1967" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  25. ^ "flavour of new zealand - search listener". www.flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  26. ^ Kimberley, C (2000). Zimbabwe: Singles Chart Book. p. 32.
  27. ^ "The 100 best-selling singles of 1967 [in the U.K.]". sixtiescity.net. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  28. ^ "The Move - I Can Hear The Grass Grow". ultratop.be. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  29. ^ "Basic Blues Magoos - Blues Magoos | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  30. ^ "Don't Stop - Status Quo | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  31. ^ "Fall Heads Roll - The Fall | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  32. ^ "Cover versions of I Can Hear the Grass Grow by The Move". Secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
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