Over Under Sideways Down
"Over Under Sideways Down" | ||||
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Single by the Yardbirds | ||||
from the album Roger the Engineer | ||||
B-side | "Jeff's Boogie" | |||
Released |
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Recorded | 19–20 April 1966 | |||
Studio | Advision, London | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 2:37 | |||
Label |
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Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Simon Napier-Bell | |||
The Yardbirds singles chronology | ||||
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"Over Under Sideways Down" is a 1966 song by English rock group the Yardbirds. A composition credited to all members of the group, it combines elements of blues rock and psychedelic rock.[1][2] It was first released as a single in May 1966 as a follow-up to "Shapes of Things" and in July was included on group's self-titled UK album (commonly known as Roger the Engineer and Over Under Sideways Down in the US and elsewhere).[3]
Composition and recording
According to Yardbirds drummer
We needed an intro, and Jeff peeled one out, an instantly recognisable peel that completely took us by surprise ... Over and over we listened back to that line, going back and forth over whether it belonged in the song. And then like a flash of lightning, we realised that it did. More than that, it made the song.[5]
Although McCarty felt that all of the group contributed to the lyrics, producer Simon Napier-Bell attributed them to singer Keith Relf.[6] He also claims that Relf's original verse "Over under sideways down, That's the best way I have found" was changed to "Over under sideways down, Backwards forwards square and round", because BBC censors might have objected to the vaguely suggestive line.[6]
Releases and charts
In July 1966, the song was released on Yardbirds, the group's first studio album in the UK and in August on the US edition titled after the song.[7] As one of the group's most popular pieces, "Over Under Sideways Down" it is included on many anthologies, such as The Yardbirds Greatest Hits (1967) and Ultimate! (2001).[11] A live performance with Beck's replacement, Jimmy Page, recorded in New York City in 1968, is included on the Page-produced Yardbirds '68 (2017).[12]
Recognition
References
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Yardbirds: Roger the Engineer – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
- ^ DeRogatis 2003, p. 162.
- ^ Russo 2016, pp. 58–59.
- ^ a b McCarty 2018, p. 145.
- ^ McCarty 2018, p. 146
- ^ a b French 2020, p. 77.
- ^ a b Russo 2016, p. 212.
- ^ Russo 2016, p. 58.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - August 15, 1966" (PDF).
- ^ Koda & Russo 2001, p. 46.
- ^ Russo 2016, pp. -214, 226.
- RollingStone.com. Retrieved 1 October 2017.
- ^ "100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. 2003. Archived from the original on 30 May 2008. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
Bibliography
- ISBN 978-0-634-05548-5.
- French, David (2020). Heart Full of Soul: Keith Relf of the Yardbirds. Jefferson, North Carolina: ISBN 978-1-4766-8011-8.
- ISBN 978-0244966508.
- OCLC 781357622. R2 79825.
- Russo, Greg (2016). Yardbirds: The Ultimate Rave-Up. Floral Park, New York: Crossfire Publications. ISBN 978-0-9791845-7-4.