BABY DON'T GO TO TOWN
Created on 13/07/2007Latest update on 05/11/2023
Artist: Niela Miller
Author: Niela Miller
Label: Numerophon
Year: 1962
Ex girlfriend of William Roberts and singer-songwriter herself, claiming Billy stole melody and basic idea behind her song for his Hey Joe. Hers was finally released on her album Songs Of Leaving in '09. Numerophon had to clean up the damaged original recording made for Variety Recording Service in '62.
Covers:
- 1962:
Billy Roberts [same chord progression and call and response-format as Hey Joe; no recording but securing his copyright]
- 1965:
Leaves [garageband from L.A.; first recording (for Mira), fully titled Hey Joe, Where You Gonna Go, learned from Love guitarist John Echols; version without fuzz guitar; the one that charted (top 40 US) followed Love's version]
- 1966:
Surfaris [idem; recorded in September '65 but shelved until way after the Byrds' version]
- 1966:
Cryan' Shames [idem]
- 1966:
Byrds [on lp Fifth Dimension]
- 1966:
Love [based upon the Byrds version and no wonder: Love member and Byrds manager Bryan MacLean learned the song from David Crosby; Love started playing it live in April '65]
- 1966:
Tim Rose [one month before the Leaves' hit version entered the charts; arrangement (he changed the key from A to E) inspiring Jimi Hendrix]
- 1966:
Rogues [answer song as Wanted Dead Or Alive]
- 1966:
Jimi Hendrix Experience [hit in Europe; was already familiar with the song through his friendship with Arthur Lee (Love)]
- 1966:
- 1966:
- 1966:
Warlocks [pre Grateful Dead]
- 1966:
Kenny Bernard [as Hey Woman]
- 1967:
Mothers Of Invention [as Flower Punk on We're Only In It For The Money]
- 1967:
- 1967:
Johnny Hallyday [had Jimi as his guitar player for four dates earlier that year]
- 1967:
- 1968:
- 1968:
- 1968:
Mad Sound [Danish group; as To Masturbate]
- 1968:
- 1968:
- 1968:
- 1969:
- 1969:
- 1973:
- 1974:
- 1978:
- 1986:
- 1990:
- 1991:
- 1992:
- 1992:
Willy DeVille [goes latin version]
- 1992:
- 1993:
- 1994:
Mathilde Santing [as Hey Joan]
- 1995:
- 1995:
- 1995:
Bassholes [as Hey O.J.; "Where you're going with that knife in your hand"]
- 1995:
Sunset Heights [in medley with Third Stone From The Sun]
- 2000:
- 2001:
- 2002:
- 2008:
- 2012:
Brad Mehldau Trio [on Where Do You Start]
- 2014:
Charlotte Gainsbourg [in film Nymphomaniac]
Unclear origin. Hey Joe was first credited to Chester Powers (alias for Dino Valenti from Quicksilver Messenger Service), in one case to Jimi Hendrix sidekick Billy Cox. Hendrix and also The Leaves credited William (Billy) Roberts, obscure folkie who vanished in the purple haze. He secured the song in 1962, won his case when his authorship was questioned but badly invested his royalties. In '86, out of the blue, he showed up along with members of Quicksilver Messenger Service at a San Francisco club singing and playing his own song, sometimes believed to show Appalachian roots. Or Flemish, if you compare it to Wel Anne-Marieke Waar Gaat Gij Naartoe?.
