I came here after watching “Genghis Blues” and I am so fucking sad that this great man has died. After all he went through, and for being so fucking good, he deserves way more credit and fame than he’s been given.
@dplayboy01 I hear you, sir ! Nothing against Mr. Miller, however this is true magic ! Have you heard Earl Thomas do this song ! he gives much credit to Paul..this is where I found the song...ET....It is very good ! Best wishes ! Polly Ess
Just wanted to mention that if you go through my videos, you'll find several other Pena songs all from his first album, which seems to be almost impossible to find now. Go check them out!
I love this song so much that I decided to play this tune along with my fellows of my band. Yesterday evening, as I was singing the chorus, I noticed a strange similarity with Ben Harper's "Diamonds on the inside"...
Great moment, just short of being ruined by a dipshit director.
Here's a guy who's lived life, and has the miles clearly etched in his face, but the dumb ass director is never on him for more than the obligatory two seconds before he has to cut to another swooping shot of shit I don't need to see.
A picture is worth a thousand words. And so it goes for a simple shot of the artist, performing. So "Late Night" director, I offer you this: Stuff that jib up your ass, you hack.
Paul - such an amazing person and sweet musician, the original recording of his voice is so soulful and you can tell this wasn't someone writing a song, but telling their story. Paul was blind and suffered from a pancreatic disease, yet music was his release in life, as it is in most of ours.
@Consciousish Yes. Paul was suffering from pancreatitis at the time of this appearance. His doctors thought it was pancreatic cancer at the time, then discovered their mistake later.
anyone who thinks steve miller's version is better knows nothing about music..period...this guy wrote and preformed this song perfectly...steve ..fucking ruined it...he just turned it into lollypop music...and if you can't see that...then go and listen to your lollypop trash
Hey all, just to make you aware, I've posted 3 songs (to date) from Paul's out of print debut album - look through my videos to see them. I am expecting to add more in the future so subscribe so you don't miss them.
This is the reason why Conan O'Brien was the man. While Jay Leno would always have the shitty top 40 acts on the Tonight Show, Conan always booked the indie scenesters or even some older respectable musical acts. Case in point, Paul Pena. Neil Young even said to Conan on his last night on the Tonight Show, "Thank you for everything you've done for new music". And to be able to garner the likes of Beck, Ben Harper, and Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top, to be apart of a musical salute says alot.
Miller made Pena lots of money by recording this song , as did Eric Clapton for JJ Cale on his songs and Joe Cocker and many other people recording feeling alright written by Dave Mason and so on. I guess what I am saying is everybody did alright here and Paul plays his song very very well and it is cool to hear Miller play it too. Music is GREAT !!!!!
Naw - Steve Miller was Paul Pena's savior. It was Albert Grossman - owner of Bearsville Records - who sucked, stopping the release of the original recording of this song (which would stay unreleased for almost 30 years). Steve Miller heard the song from a friend, liked it and recorded it. Miller didn't get those royalties - Pena did.
@JohnTheWudman I can clear this up - you're both correct! It was Ben Sidran, who produced the New Train album, and was also in Steve Miller's band for awhile in the early years, and co-wrote the Miller songs Space Cowboy and Seasons. I believe this is written about in the liner notes to New Train, or if not, it's out there, maybe on the Pena web site.
I think this version kicks some serious ass. He was such a brilliant talent and watch Ghengis Blues over and over. When he sings middle (or center of Aisa) you can just feel his pain. He gets his feelings through to you in his music. RIP Thunder.
very inspirational and sad at the same time! i never knew this man made this song until he died! Must have heard it hundreds of time in the 1970-1980s!@
This was Steve Miller's biggest hit, so I'm sure he's glad that Paul wrote this. :) Personally I think Paul's reading is superior to the sped up, less funk, more pop version that Miller did. For me, even this version on Conan is better than Miller's. But I'm glad he covered it, for Paul's sake; and he showed great taste by doing so.
@gfink2 A minor point, but "Jet Airliner" wasn't Steve Miller's biggest hit. It was a Top 10 song (it hit #8) but "The Joker," "Rock'n Me," and "Abracadabra" all hit #1 on the U.S. charts. Plus, "Fly Like An Eagle" hit #2. So, "Jet Airliner" is one of Steve Miller's 5 biggest hits, but not his biggest. That said, I'm super glad you posted this! Paul Pena is awesome.
@lyletuck I don't think I would argue with you on that. I had heard somewhere that this was Miller's #1 song in terms of radio airplay and for sales over his whole career - and as you showed, that bar was set pretty high. In any case, he was a massive star and this was one of his very biggest hits. :)
Listen to the original studio version, his health has been failing for years and it's tough to get the same energy as he had 30 years prior. Steve Miller doesn't play it with nearly as much energy NOW either.
This is the video that inspired me to put the original up on YouTube. The studio version is much better, but this performance comes with a certain mystic quality. Much older, much wiser, been through all the triumphs and tragedies of life. The man is in pain but the soul is there.
Almost bizarre...its so good...I never thought this song was anything but an OK Steve Miller song with a killer groove. Hearing the original performer perform it really makes clear what a good song this actually is...wow. One of Max W's better performances...perhaps his appreciation of the artist pushed him to really dig in. So good, this video.
No doubt. Paul is still one of the best kept secrets in classic rock circles...unfortunately. Still gotta wonder how many great albums he would have made if only New Train had come out in 1974.
I don't want to begrudge Steve Miller his success, but this song is infinitely funkier in the writer's hands (and the harmonies more in tune), even though Paul was physically weaker and his voice had lost quite a bit of power by this point.
Thanks for posting, but the info is a bit misleading----Steve Miller made his record a long time before 2001.
Yesterday I forgot to say that Paul, even in his last throes, was funkier and more real-deal than any 100 of the hitmakers. For all the wonderful scenes in "Genghis Blues", the one that kills me is that brief blues he plays for those Tuvan kids on that National. I'm betting those kids will never forget that moment.
my greatest kudos goes to this gentleman. get GEnghis Blues and see it, so you will learn his great respect and humble approach towards music, as well as his talent, modest personality and humor. one of the best documentary I have ever seen. really gives me goosbumps just to think about him. he was GREAT, more than any giant star of music that I know.
Wrote one of the best albums of the 70's, one of the biggest arena rock songs of the decade and introduced Tuvan throat singing to this country. Folks, now THAT is a life lived in full. God I wish I could have jammed with him!! :)
Paul is (was) my wife's cousin. We just sat around tonight and discussed how at age 3 his father would sit around and play guitar and Paul (being blind) would go to the piano and pick out the notes by ear. He was a well gifted man, and he never got the true recognition he deserves. Tell everyone you know about him - people don't realize Steve Miller bought this tune off him - he used the money to pay for his wife's hospital bills.
Wow...Thanks for posting, I'm and always will be a big fan. Now that I know where the money went from that song, it really humanizes the man, from the legend.
i was able to meet him at champ where i worked, and he would sometimes perform. b4 then, i never knew of him, but by the graces of good medicine we were able to meet. xxoo
I know this might sound a little weird, but doesn't the band look like they could play as extras on the Soprano's? They could get a seat any seat in a fancy restraunt,(sic) they're already wearing ties, and look respectable. They sing real good. I really miss Mr. Pena's talent.
No, Conan's pronunciation was correct. My dad worked with Paul and that's how he always pronounced his name. I saw Paul live in 2001, and that's how the MC pronounced his name at the venue. It is notable because the only place I've ever heard this pronunciation was in relation to Paul. It's doubtful that Conan would not have asked Paul how to pronounce his name.
If you want to hear a nearly correct pronounciation of his name, listen to the tuva anouncer when introducing him in the festival video. Pena is a portuguese surname that is also common in the cape verde islands. Since Paul was a first-generation american, its natural he pronounced his name in an anglicized way. Maybe he didnt knew portuguese (however in the tuvan festival, he sings bits in portuguese creole)
I was on a bus heading out to the avenues on Geary street in SF, and this blind guy sitting behind the driver was talking up a storm, and at one point he said 'hey you know that song Jet Airliner, it was covered by the Steve Miller Band? I wrote that song.' For some reason, people just started laughing. It hurt his feelings a little. He said 'no, seriously, I wrote that song.' One guy stood up and said 'he did, he wrote that song.' I will never look at a blind person the same after that.
Paul Pena wrote this song. Why do people feel the need to compare the version with Steve Miller? The answer is they are probably brain washed by classic rock and unable to process a new sound. This version grooves.
I always thought Steve Miller wrote it. I'm a little disappointed that Mr. Pena never got the fame he deserved. I guess at that time (the early '70's) Steve Miller had the 'juice' to produce and perform it, but never gave Mr. Pena the credit. I hope he got royalties for it though.
Steve Miller always took care of Paul. Paul gets proper credit on all his CDs and got his fair share of royalties. The people who screwed him over were the ones who never released his original CD back in the day
What kills me is how many great albums and how much great music Paul Pena could have made if the New Train album came out back when it was supposed to. Steve Miller gave him the credit, it's just that not many people read songwriting credits. If Miller hadn't done that cover, it's possible New Train would still be sitting in a vault, never to be released.
It's fascinating how the same song can sound so different when interpreted and performed differently. They're both great, but this one has much more a blues sound as opposed to the more well-known classic hard-rock version. Pretty cool find.
the original studio production of paul doing this song is really killer...this was recorded on conan when he was diagnosed /cancer, not long b4 he passed, living (quite humbly) near the Haight and GG park.
Right - this is not pre Steve Miller. This is after Genghis Blues. Paul was a great dude. lots a good stories to tell. he was apleasure to hang with. was very saddened to hear when he passed but he was sick for a long time. lost a lot of weight. still played with all his heart and looked so easy...
This Conan version is ok, but the version on the New Train album -- while it's the same arrangement -- it really rocks harder. And compared to Steve Miller, you have to be kidding me right? The SM version is ok, but without any real SOUL. Peana brings the Real Thing, and not just 'cause he wrote it.
Pena's a great artist in his own right, but this rendition is nothing like Steve Miller's, and you can still like both. It's like comparing blues with rock&roll. Trying to argue that one is better than the other for all people is just plain silly. I happen to like Steve Millers rendition better, because I prefer that style of music over this one. But I am sure there are people who feel the opposite way. It's just a matter of individual taste, so let's stop arguing who is the better musician.
I should mention that Pena got royalties for Steve Miller's version too, so it's not like he was ripped off. I looked that up on wiki. In fact, if Steve Miller hadn't made his version, it's arguable that Pena might not have gotten as much monetary compensation for his creation.
You're right about the royalties from Steve Miller's hit. In fact it was Paul's primary source of income for some years. Paul made no money from his own album sales until after 2000.
Steve Miller does not even come close to the soulful playing Paul Pena does...I love Steve Miller too but do a little homework and see that this guy played with everybody...I first heard him playing on a T-Bone Walker recording...live in Paris in 62 or 63...I thank God that T-Bone introduced him on the recording or I would have never found him. T introduced him as "my favorite guitar player and my favorite blues singer and just because he is blind doensn't mean he can't see everybody out there"
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It's cool to pay respects to the original song writer.. He did a great job writing the song and such.. But the Steve Miller Band rock it so much better. Lets face it.. twice the guitarist... twice the singer.
I don't mean any disrespect to Steve Miller, but I always thought his version sounded sped up and unnatural. Listen to the 2 versions side by side and see what you think. T-Bone Walker, Jerry Garcia and Bonnie Raitt all thought Pena was an astounding performer who could play anything. At the time of this performance Paul was pretty sick with pancreatitis, but it's still probably my favorite performance of this song.
Never saw a live version by him until now...that's a CHOICE solo. Very nice, thanks for sharing !
spinningrooves 1 month ago
Comment removed
isotope454 3 days ago
I came here after watching “Genghis Blues” and I am so fucking sad that this great man has died. After all he went through, and for being so fucking good, he deserves way more credit and fame than he’s been given.
BortolanAlexandre 1 month ago
I think Paul Pena went through hell before he got a little heaven.
shuckslbj 3 months ago
@shuckslbj I had NO IDEA who had written this song !!!! At least I am hip to Paul, now !
Polly6761 2 months ago
listening to steve millers version of this song makes me feel so dirty after feeling the raw soul in this....
dplayboy01 5 months ago
@dplayboy01 I hear you, sir ! Nothing against Mr. Miller, however this is true magic ! Have you heard Earl Thomas do this song ! he gives much credit to Paul..this is where I found the song...ET....It is very good ! Best wishes ! Polly Ess
Polly6761 2 months ago
I fuckin love this guy!
EFISHANT 6 months ago
Ive listened to and love both versions of this song!
bobthefreak09 6 months ago 2
Paul Pena is one of the greatest musicians that ever graced this earth!!!! Such an amazing man!!! RIP Paul!
9087125498172345 6 months ago
Musical. Genius. R.I.P.
CopperEye108 8 months ago 2
Paul Pena is the man and inspried me to right songs for my new album " Music Meets Emotion". Cheers, Layden.
LaydenRobinson 9 months ago
Just wanted to mention that if you go through my videos, you'll find several other Pena songs all from his first album, which seems to be almost impossible to find now. Go check them out!
gfink2 10 months ago
this version is waaaay better then the steve miller version
heylelshalem 11 months ago
RIP Paul
1939PlymouthRatRod 11 months ago
Steve Miller did it right. Well, not the song. He gave proper credit to Paul Pena.
StoogeWatcher 11 months ago
Awesome. Cheers.
shedlooney 1 year ago
Hi everybody!
I love this song so much that I decided to play this tune along with my fellows of my band. Yesterday evening, as I was singing the chorus, I noticed a strange similarity with Ben Harper's "Diamonds on the inside"...
Anyone agree?
R.I.P. Paul.
slideguitar70 1 year ago
@slideguitar70 yes it's a very common three chord progession
DealTurtle 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@slideguitar70 yes it's a very common three chord progression
DealTurtle 1 year ago
Great moment, just short of being ruined by a dipshit director.
Here's a guy who's lived life, and has the miles clearly etched in his face, but the dumb ass director is never on him for more than the obligatory two seconds before he has to cut to another swooping shot of shit I don't need to see.
A picture is worth a thousand words. And so it goes for a simple shot of the artist, performing. So "Late Night" director, I offer you this: Stuff that jib up your ass, you hack.
TheRealRVG 1 year ago
Paul - such an amazing person and sweet musician, the original recording of his voice is so soulful and you can tell this wasn't someone writing a song, but telling their story. Paul was blind and suffered from a pancreatic disease, yet music was his release in life, as it is in most of ours.
gorbulus 1 year ago
Was this after he went to Tuva? If so he lost A LOT of weight.
Consciousish 1 year ago
@Consciousish Yes. Paul was suffering from pancreatitis at the time of this appearance. His doctors thought it was pancreatic cancer at the time, then discovered their mistake later.
gfink2 1 year ago
@gfink2 wow. that's heartbreaking. thanks for putting this up. awesome performance from such a talented man!
ookaninam2013 5 months ago
@gfink2 OMG !!!!!! Can you even imagine ???? Bet he felt like he was re-born !!!!
Polly6761 2 months ago
Fuck Steve Miller. This is how this song is supposed to sound.
attadipa 1 year ago
anyone who thinks steve miller's version is better knows nothing about music..period...this guy wrote and preformed this song perfectly...steve ..fucking ruined it...he just turned it into lollypop music...and if you can't see that...then go and listen to your lollypop trash
resindog63 1 year ago
Hey all, just to make you aware, I've posted 3 songs (to date) from Paul's out of print debut album - look through my videos to see them. I am expecting to add more in the future so subscribe so you don't miss them.
gfink2 1 year ago
Pure soul.
samdon815 1 year ago
like millers better only by that much though paul is still great
wierd657 1 year ago
i prefer steve millers version but im glad that paul wrote this song. it became a hit for miller cuz he rocks!
evrybodylovessimon 1 year ago
This is the reason why Conan O'Brien was the man. While Jay Leno would always have the shitty top 40 acts on the Tonight Show, Conan always booked the indie scenesters or even some older respectable musical acts. Case in point, Paul Pena. Neil Young even said to Conan on his last night on the Tonight Show, "Thank you for everything you've done for new music". And to be able to garner the likes of Beck, Ben Harper, and Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top, to be apart of a musical salute says alot.
Mikemaniax 1 year ago 6
RIP Paul. You were a true gift. "New Train" is a desert island disc for me. I can't get enough of it.
stejampzy 1 year ago
Pena was a genius. What he did with Tuvan music in his last years was amazing. If you haven't yet, get a copy of "Genghis Blues".
hoz49 1 year ago
Miller made Pena lots of money by recording this song , as did Eric Clapton for JJ Cale on his songs and Joe Cocker and many other people recording feeling alright written by Dave Mason and so on. I guess what I am saying is everybody did alright here and Paul plays his song very very well and it is cool to hear Miller play it too. Music is GREAT !!!!!
timbek 1 year ago 5
he estat a Tuva. Bona gent, gran país. Hi tornare. Gràcies, Ellada,
Carmen.
clotismunda 2 years ago
wow this is awesome! conan too!
sohcsarewicked 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
steve miller sucks.
tommyhollis 2 years ago
@tommyhollis
Naw - Steve Miller was Paul Pena's savior. It was Albert Grossman - owner of Bearsville Records - who sucked, stopping the release of the original recording of this song (which would stay unreleased for almost 30 years). Steve Miller heard the song from a friend, liked it and recorded it. Miller didn't get those royalties - Pena did.
DrBassMD 2 years ago 19
@DrBassMD The story gets fuzzy here, Paul told me that it was a contributing producer that suggested the song to Steve.
JohnTheWudman 1 year ago
@JohnTheWudman I can clear this up - you're both correct! It was Ben Sidran, who produced the New Train album, and was also in Steve Miller's band for awhile in the early years, and co-wrote the Miller songs Space Cowboy and Seasons. I believe this is written about in the liner notes to New Train, or if not, it's out there, maybe on the Pena web site.
gfink2 1 year ago
This guy lost his site at the age of 20. Around when he wrote this master piece that was made famous by Steve Miller. he died at the age of 60. RIP.
If my accounts are wrong please correct.
Funkdeath68 2 years ago
conan and pena, two amazing dudes. also i guess max weinberg is pretty damn cool. awesome video
NickKostalas 2 years ago 2
great man, great music - he will be missed.
thepiscitelli 2 years ago
never heard of him till yesterday....
fantastic version here, sounds very much like the recorded version.....soooo much better than SM's version.
vaughntrapp 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Steve Miller Band is the best
G05Box 2 years ago
I think this version kicks some serious ass. He was such a brilliant talent and watch Ghengis Blues over and over. When he sings middle (or center of Aisa) you can just feel his pain. He gets his feelings through to you in his music. RIP Thunder.
slimpickinns 2 years ago
Fuckin' awesome . Yes Conan , that was excellent .
Now this is hip , and Max is so fucking good , the whole
band , for that matter . What a great artist . Thanks gfink2 , it really was important to show such a thing . I never knew
mrstudes 2 years ago
Is there some relationship between genius and dying young? So tragic.
accuratedude 2 years ago
What a hero!!
bluesboy888 2 years ago
Super soulful performance, thanks for posting!
absrd 2 years ago
Paul Peena was fantastic!
Does anyone know, who's the other guitarist?
earlfan1007 2 years ago
It's Jimmy Vivino.
Lisica2008 2 years ago
very inspirational and sad at the same time! i never knew this man made this song until he died! Must have heard it hundreds of time in the 1970-1980s!@
nimjased10 2 years ago
I love Paul. What a great guy and a great musician.
youthuprising101 2 years ago
This was Steve Miller's biggest hit, so I'm sure he's glad that Paul wrote this. :) Personally I think Paul's reading is superior to the sped up, less funk, more pop version that Miller did. For me, even this version on Conan is better than Miller's. But I'm glad he covered it, for Paul's sake; and he showed great taste by doing so.
gfink2 2 years ago 5
@gfink2 A minor point, but "Jet Airliner" wasn't Steve Miller's biggest hit. It was a Top 10 song (it hit #8) but "The Joker," "Rock'n Me," and "Abracadabra" all hit #1 on the U.S. charts. Plus, "Fly Like An Eagle" hit #2. So, "Jet Airliner" is one of Steve Miller's 5 biggest hits, but not his biggest. That said, I'm super glad you posted this! Paul Pena is awesome.
lyletuck 1 year ago
@lyletuck I don't think I would argue with you on that. I had heard somewhere that this was Miller's #1 song in terms of radio airplay and for sales over his whole career - and as you showed, that bar was set pretty high. In any case, he was a massive star and this was one of his very biggest hits. :)
gfink2 1 year ago
Max Weinberg is the fuckin boss.
and paul pena's version is much better than the SMB version, sorry.
1dotonly 2 years ago 2
and this sounds like boring music, sorry bro.. miller pwns it up and down the street.
do0rkn0b 2 years ago
Listen to the original studio version, his health has been failing for years and it's tough to get the same energy as he had 30 years prior. Steve Miller doesn't play it with nearly as much energy NOW either.
theJugganawt 2 years ago 3
seriously?
bqqmer76 2 years ago
i don't take this comment seriously at all..."bro", "pwns" come on man.
Jeremybluesman 2 years ago
man ibet he wasnt happy when SMB did it
Aerosmith102 2 years ago
Actually, the royalties from Miller doing this song kept him and his wife alive for many years.
fiddlerfart 2 years ago
why not.. he got thousands and thousands in royalties and will continue to get the royalties FOREVER when its played and performed
chazibaby 2 years ago
FANTASTIC! Thanks for sharing this.
cprtrain 2 years ago 2
Among the many good things about this video, nice high harmony backup singing here--subtle, not too overpowering, and no screeching!
Lisica2008 2 years ago
This is the video that inspired me to put the original up on YouTube. The studio version is much better, but this performance comes with a certain mystic quality. Much older, much wiser, been through all the triumphs and tragedies of life. The man is in pain but the soul is there.
badnewsbarnett 2 years ago 2
brother WEASE is the man
pdollinger 2 years ago
Almost bizarre...its so good...I never thought this song was anything but an OK Steve Miller song with a killer groove. Hearing the original performer perform it really makes clear what a good song this actually is...wow. One of Max W's better performances...perhaps his appreciation of the artist pushed him to really dig in. So good, this video.
jroblee 2 years ago 9
No doubt. Paul is still one of the best kept secrets in classic rock circles...unfortunately. Still gotta wonder how many great albums he would have made if only New Train had come out in 1974.
gfink2 2 years ago
agreed!
DungeonSF 2 years ago
So true, the house band must have been psyched to play with him. Paul P. was always a "musician's musician"
badnewsbarnett 2 years ago
I don't want to begrudge Steve Miller his success, but this song is infinitely funkier in the writer's hands (and the harmonies more in tune), even though Paul was physically weaker and his voice had lost quite a bit of power by this point.
Thanks for posting, but the info is a bit misleading----Steve Miller made his record a long time before 2001.
alonzogarbanzo 2 years ago 2
Yesterday I forgot to say that Paul, even in his last throes, was funkier and more real-deal than any 100 of the hitmakers. For all the wonderful scenes in "Genghis Blues", the one that kills me is that brief blues he plays for those Tuvan kids on that National. I'm betting those kids will never forget that moment.
alonzogarbanzo 2 years ago
In seat 42, just about to go insane........
nycgeo18 2 years ago
my greatest kudos goes to this gentleman. get GEnghis Blues and see it, so you will learn his great respect and humble approach towards music, as well as his talent, modest personality and humor. one of the best documentary I have ever seen. really gives me goosbumps just to think about him. he was GREAT, more than any giant star of music that I know.
oriza2 2 years ago
Amen, brother. The world got a little darker when he left us.
alonzogarbanzo 2 years ago
Truly. Isn't it unfair that a man who made my sight and life brighter had to live in eternal darkness..
I watch Genghis Blues over and over and over. Now I do not cry anymore while watching, but only see the happiness.
(I checked your music Alonzo. Good stuff!!! Honky Tonk Woman is very good vith your twin cousins. :) good work. )
oriza2 2 years ago
may it be known that paul was losing his battle with cancer when he made this appearance
DungeonSF 2 years ago
Thank you for posting this,
It's a real pleasure to be able to see Paul Pena in this clip.
he definitely was never recognized for his great talent the way his contemporaries were.
Rest in peace Paul...
elimarcus 3 years ago 3
Paully, Paully, Paully, how the world bever got to hear you...what a shame.
He put out one of the BEST albums of all time, way ahead of his time, only to get screwed by the music industry.
Paul, may you rest in peace, i'm sure you are part of the big band in the sky.
Thanks for the post.
QuinceHead 3 years ago 2
Conan pronounced Paul's name correct PEE-na I know....Paul is (was) my first cousin. His mother and my father are brother and sister
bems892 3 years ago
Thanks for that. I was Paul's classmate at Clark University in Worcester and he was Paul PEE-na. He is missed.
djmccarten 3 years ago
comment me back
ANYONE UP? I NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO Xj
Brianmo9 3 years ago
Wrote one of the best albums of the 70's, one of the biggest arena rock songs of the decade and introduced Tuvan throat singing to this country. Folks, now THAT is a life lived in full. God I wish I could have jammed with him!! :)
jkoff76 3 years ago 2
Paul is (was) my wife's cousin. We just sat around tonight and discussed how at age 3 his father would sit around and play guitar and Paul (being blind) would go to the piano and pick out the notes by ear. He was a well gifted man, and he never got the true recognition he deserves. Tell everyone you know about him - people don't realize Steve Miller bought this tune off him - he used the money to pay for his wife's hospital bills.
alpereira1 3 years ago 2
wauw :O
I saw a Documentary last week about him and his Tuva singing.
I was really touched by it seeing that Paul had a lot of friends in Mongolia but not in San Francisco back home :( .
-Darkman
darkman13forever 3 years ago
Wow...Thanks for posting, I'm and always will be a big fan. Now that I know where the money went from that song, it really humanizes the man, from the legend.
Thanks again, Bom Sorte.
Tweekerhead 3 years ago
God rest his soul; we won't see another man like Paul.
You're truly blessed to be related to him. :)
Otacon144 3 years ago
i was able to meet him at champ where i worked, and he would sometimes perform. b4 then, i never knew of him, but by the graces of good medicine we were able to meet. xxoo
DungeonSF 2 years ago
I know this might sound a little weird, but doesn't the band look like they could play as extras on the Soprano's? They could get a seat any seat in a fancy restraunt,(sic) they're already wearing ties, and look respectable. They sing real good. I really miss Mr. Pena's talent.
accuratedude 3 years ago
Oh man, his surname is not pronounced PEE-na, but with an "E" sound like in the word "fEnce".
And since he was of cape-verdean origin, in portuguese "Paul pee-na" means "Paul fucks", so i laughed hard when conan announced him.
Andre2010 3 years ago
No, Conan's pronunciation was correct. My dad worked with Paul and that's how he always pronounced his name. I saw Paul live in 2001, and that's how the MC pronounced his name at the venue. It is notable because the only place I've ever heard this pronunciation was in relation to Paul. It's doubtful that Conan would not have asked Paul how to pronounce his name.
GlennFink 3 years ago
If you want to hear a nearly correct pronounciation of his name, listen to the tuva anouncer when introducing him in the festival video. Pena is a portuguese surname that is also common in the cape verde islands. Since Paul was a first-generation american, its natural he pronounced his name in an anglicized way. Maybe he didnt knew portuguese (however in the tuvan festival, he sings bits in portuguese creole)
Andre2010 3 years ago
Pena is pronounced PEE-na I should know Paul is (was) my first cousin my father and his mother are brother and sister
bems892 3 years ago
hear the original on imeem. Just google Paul Pena Imeem and thank me later. The original studio version is INCREDIBLE!!!!
badnewsbarnett 3 years ago
I was on a bus heading out to the avenues on Geary street in SF, and this blind guy sitting behind the driver was talking up a storm, and at one point he said 'hey you know that song Jet Airliner, it was covered by the Steve Miller Band? I wrote that song.' For some reason, people just started laughing. It hurt his feelings a little. He said 'no, seriously, I wrote that song.' One guy stood up and said 'he did, he wrote that song.' I will never look at a blind person the same after that.
hummlyhummly 3 years ago
That's amazing! This is so much better than Miller's cover. I love it! Miller's cover sounds too frilly now.
accuratedude 3 years ago 2
In what year did Paul pass on.
LeoBullterrier 3 years ago
i believe it was shortly after this performance...he looked so haggard, he lived such a hard life but what a brilliant musician
bryneyk 3 years ago
scratch that, it was 2005
bryneyk 3 years ago
I love love LOVE the Steve Miller version but I hate to say it, it doesn't hold a candle to the Paul Pena's original.
badnewsbarnett 3 years ago 4
Please this version is 100% better then Steve Miller Bands version!
loki4469 3 years ago 4
Paul Pena wrote this song. Why do people feel the need to compare the version with Steve Miller? The answer is they are probably brain washed by classic rock and unable to process a new sound. This version grooves.
Grovemeister 3 years ago
I always thought Steve Miller wrote it. I'm a little disappointed that Mr. Pena never got the fame he deserved. I guess at that time (the early '70's) Steve Miller had the 'juice' to produce and perform it, but never gave Mr. Pena the credit. I hope he got royalties for it though.
accuratedude 3 years ago
According to Wikipedia, he got enough royalties from that 1 song to be his major source of income.
alansmisclass 3 years ago
Thanks, alan - that's good to know.
accuratedude 3 years ago
Steve Miller always took care of Paul. Paul gets proper credit on all his CDs and got his fair share of royalties. The people who screwed him over were the ones who never released his original CD back in the day
badnewsbarnett 3 years ago 5
What kills me is how many great albums and how much great music Paul Pena could have made if the New Train album came out back when it was supposed to. Steve Miller gave him the credit, it's just that not many people read songwriting credits. If Miller hadn't done that cover, it's possible New Train would still be sitting in a vault, never to be released.
GlennFink 3 years ago
I don't think Paul cared when he got those Royalty Checks.... bet they were about five figures a year. And really, that's all that matters.
jkoff76 3 years ago
five figures? don't think so
DungeonSF 2 years ago
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yeah its good but not as good as Steve Millers
haacar2008 3 years ago
the album version that was recorded when he was in better health blows the doors off either this or Steve Millers version.
Qslugs 3 years ago
album version is tons better. i listen to a lot of classic rock, but i am a huge paul fan
ajjordan27 3 years ago
Comment removed
badnewsbarnett 2 years ago
It's fascinating how the same song can sound so different when interpreted and performed differently. They're both great, but this one has much more a blues sound as opposed to the more well-known classic hard-rock version. Pretty cool find.
LiberalSquared 3 years ago 2
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WOW Steve's is so much better...
PaulMcCartneyFan 3 years ago
thats cuz you never heard the original paul pena version which is much better then this.
xrron 3 years ago
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dude steve miller bands version is so much better
stevemiller95 3 years ago
Well of course you're going to think so...
VictorSgroi 3 years ago
the original studio production of paul doing this song is really killer...this was recorded on conan when he was diagnosed /cancer, not long b4 he passed, living (quite humbly) near the Haight and GG park.
DungeonSF 2 years ago
Right - this is not pre Steve Miller. This is after Genghis Blues. Paul was a great dude. lots a good stories to tell. he was apleasure to hang with. was very saddened to hear when he passed but he was sick for a long time. lost a lot of weight. still played with all his heart and looked so easy...
sonikphrog 3 years ago
Was he skinny after Genghis Blues? Or before?
Claudioprice7 3 years ago
this is Soooo easy and relaxed too listen too it almost brings tears to my eyes
julesmushu 3 years ago
After 27 years, Pena finally got the recognition he deserved.
StoogeWatcher 3 years ago 3
Thank you Paul, and Max holds this one up for you,
Cheers
DNRLBL 3 years ago
man.. look at how skinny he was
chrizz87 3 years ago
this is a great live version. His original smokes the shit out of Stevie's, which is great in it's own right. Can someone post Paul's studio version?
raedwulfone 3 years ago 3
This Conan version is ok, but the version on the New Train album -- while it's the same arrangement -- it really rocks harder. And compared to Steve Miller, you have to be kidding me right? The SM version is ok, but without any real SOUL. Peana brings the Real Thing, and not just 'cause he wrote it.
Man, I wish Paul were still making music.
jabadoodle 3 years ago 7
Pena's a great artist in his own right, but this rendition is nothing like Steve Miller's, and you can still like both. It's like comparing blues with rock&roll. Trying to argue that one is better than the other for all people is just plain silly. I happen to like Steve Millers rendition better, because I prefer that style of music over this one. But I am sure there are people who feel the opposite way. It's just a matter of individual taste, so let's stop arguing who is the better musician.
pookypie3 4 years ago
I should mention that Pena got royalties for Steve Miller's version too, so it's not like he was ripped off. I looked that up on wiki. In fact, if Steve Miller hadn't made his version, it's arguable that Pena might not have gotten as much monetary compensation for his creation.
pookypie3 4 years ago
You're right about the royalties from Steve Miller's hit. In fact it was Paul's primary source of income for some years. Paul made no money from his own album sales until after 2000.
gfink2 4 years ago
Steve Miller does not even come close to the soulful playing Paul Pena does...I love Steve Miller too but do a little homework and see that this guy played with everybody...I first heard him playing on a T-Bone Walker recording...live in Paris in 62 or 63...I thank God that T-Bone introduced him on the recording or I would have never found him. T introduced him as "my favorite guitar player and my favorite blues singer and just because he is blind doensn't mean he can't see everybody out there"
Ronblues 4 years ago 3
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It's cool to pay respects to the original song writer.. He did a great job writing the song and such.. But the Steve Miller Band rock it so much better. Lets face it.. twice the guitarist... twice the singer.
justin0six 4 years ago
I have to disagree with you on that one. I think he shitted on Steve Miller Band's version.
DJQurlz 4 years ago 2
How's that even possible when it was Pena who wrote this song?
StoogeWatcher 3 years ago
twice the singer?twice the guitarist?man.you just dont get it.find out something about this mans extraordinary life.then make your comment.
jnlane42 4 years ago 6
I don't mean any disrespect to Steve Miller, but I always thought his version sounded sped up and unnatural. Listen to the 2 versions side by side and see what you think. T-Bone Walker, Jerry Garcia and Bonnie Raitt all thought Pena was an astounding performer who could play anything. At the time of this performance Paul was pretty sick with pancreatitis, but it's still probably my favorite performance of this song.
GlennFink 4 years ago 3
Steve Miller's version sounds like overstretched country howl on LSD.
wzxd8rm 3 years ago 5
Best I'ver ever heard Max and the boys sound, I think some Pena funk robbed off on them :-)
chz999 4 years ago
what a travesty how he was basically robbed of his deserved sucess
jmmerman 4 years ago 3
I noticed the Massachusetts connection. Brookline-born Conan giving the Hyannis native Pena the chance he never got.
StoogeWatcher 3 years ago
so much better than the steve miller band
weeeehaw 4 years ago 4
thanks for putting this up...pena's a legend
gravesa66 4 years ago 2
thanks for putting this up in a hurry
etheangel2220 4 years ago 2
Pena is so spiritual! So on, definitely on a new train headed in the right direction.
Thank you for rocking in life, Paul Pena!
biggesthitter 4 years ago 2