Alex Chilton "The EMI Song"

Between his stints in The Box Tops and Big Star, Alex Chilton cut an album’s worth of songs–most of which are disposable (including weird covers of “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and “Sugar Sugar”) for an album titled 1970, shelved for a quarter-century and finally released in 1996. One song from the sessions is quite memorable, though–easily standing with Chilton’s best work. Titled simply “The EMI Song,” (mp3) it’s a lightly psychedelic country/R&B ballad dripping with echo, no doubt influenced by his lengthy residence in Memphis, a stone’s throw from Sun Records. The circus-like, cyclical middle section expands the simple, sweet sentiment of the lyrics (”won’t you smile for me?”) to a universal level, layering on slide guitar, electric organ and tambourine. It’s an incredibly sweet and simple love song, and an important artifact of the transitional period between teenage R&B singer and mature pop songwriter of one of the most important American musical cult figures.

Buy 1970 here.