"Scratchy" Travis Wammack (1964)

[Super1969er]

O my god i've been looking for this tune for ova 15 yrs but it's not this version there's one floating about and it's a jazz version and possibly japenese jazz it's slower and without doubt the coolest tune in yhe world me mate had on an old cassette could ave come from the old Jeff Young show the original friday night cool tune show before it all went pete tong can anyone help me love you forever if you can respect music people

[chroniclear]

@Super1969er -- I heard this in L.A. in '64 on KRLA. Loved it then, bought and still have the 45. I'm wondering about the jazz version you're talking about, and I've never heard it. BUT -- there is another recording which IS jazz, entitled "Comin' Home Baby". It sounds a lot like "Scratchy" in places. You'll find it done by many jazzmen, but the one which I first heard (and still have) is by Kai Winding. It's the B-side of his "More (Theme From Mondo Cane)", Verve label, from about 1963.

[leegenix]

Wow, I havent heard this in years.

By that way, that is a true tape reverse sound. I record on analog tape and know what I'm talking about.

I love this song. Travis rocks and is up there with Lonnie Mack.

[adamwhitsettisawesom]

He is my favorite uncle

[boyinblack80]

wow that was amazing....there was some weird parts that reminded me of Stone Cold Bush from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

[mistercarlton]

This was a very big Northern Soul record back in 68-71 in Manchester.Northern soul was many things to many people..

[LesHatley]

Travis Wammack has been one of my guitar heroes ever since I picked up a guitar.. ....

[uzj100]

Does anybody have Travis' version of Louie, Louie? Very raw guitar riffs. I have it on 45, but it's in very, very bad shape

Thanks if anyone has it and can post it.

[Putaspellonyou]

trippy, groovy, ahead of its time...thanks for posting this gem

[David611950]

After all these years, I finally found this cut. With the exception of Johnny Hortons North to Alaska, this was one of my 1st 45's I bought as a very young pup. All I knew was the name of the song, not who had recorded it. Oh, the wonders of the Digital age.

[topperlive]

I'll never forget hearing this classic on the radio in the 60's!

One of the all time great rock guitar instrumentals!!!!

[topperlive]

Go Travis!!!!!!

[overbrookXXX]

This came out before 1964. I moved from Texas in 1962 and had it then.

[rearly62]

@overbrookXXX you are correct according to Travis Wammack this was recorded in 61 and issued on ARA in late 62 - early 63

[bigratfink65]

damn.. never even thought i'd think of this song after .. ohhh.. 3 trillion years or so, but i got this thought to look for it,like NO-ONE would post this, now i know every song in the world is on this place.thx for posting.

[vinylsingleman]

@bigratfink65 Just as long as those who own the rights to the recording don't make a copyright claim, yes, you can find just about any recording on YouTube. If there is a highly popular artist or recording you just don't see here, that means the owners do make copyright claims.

[hvalskroken]

The flipside Firefly is just a good!!!

[UnionjackatHWP]

Was great when this came on at Wigan. People came running out of Mr M's for it. Everyone just went bonkers to it!! Nice one.

[jimberrier]

And if you go to "Comin' Home Baby" you will find a great instrumental version by Harry Stoneham on the B3. Then you'll recognize that Steve Winwood borrowed the lick for "I'm A Man"

[cellmate1]

THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS!!! TAKES ME BACK TO MEMPHIS! ME AND MY OLDER SISTER PLAYED THIS ON OUR OLD "HI FI". Never thought I'd hear it again.

[RaddishOfTime]

reverse talk before 67

[DaveWollenberg]

Could somebody please post Travis' 1 top 40 hit, 'Love bein' your fool' or tell me how I can listen online for myself. Thanx, God bless, buh-bye!

[Building529]

I always wanted to run the record backwards to actually hear what he was saying but never got around to it. If anyone has done that, speak up. Id love to know.

[LeoNobles]

@Building529 You don't need to run it backwards. It's the same thing he just got through saying: Capitan, do do it again, won't you.

[TheGovernmentInExile]

@Building529

I'm glad you asked that question, because I had the same one. So I did.

It says... exactly the same thing backward as it just did previously. Something like cabbages or cathy (or I don't know what) are the craziest (I don't know what).

But think about it... this is 1964, at least three years before The Beatles or anyone started messing around with backwards recordings.

You gotta love it. I always have.

[Matildamothers]

@TheGovernmentInExile

Joe Meek had used backward recordings before this but this doesn't like this was recorded backwards but something been said in backwards way. Even it if is recorded backwards it's only spoken words not backward singing. The Beatles used a backwards vocal effect and backwards guitar first on rock records. This is actually a good record.

[MichaelHansenFUN]

@Matildamothers what backwards are we talking about?

[remled09]

Scratchy is simply an instrumental version of Mel Torme's 1962 "Comin' Home Baby," but I like it !

[Building529]

@remled09 Everything sounds like something else.

[remled09]

Scratchy is simply an instrumental version of Mel Torme's 1962 "Comin' Home Baby," but I like it !

[remled09]

Scratchy is simply an instrumental version of Mel Torme's 1962 "Comin' Home Baby."

[ImUnionjack]

Now if you can just imagine 2000 speeding kids throwing themselves around the Wigan Casino when this comes on then you will know why Ive got tingles right now!!!

[111sienna]

cap-i-tain.... do do it again.... won't you(this is what i always thought the jibberish said)....learned to play this when it first came out...at least the main portion (never did know the last words)

[56jensen]

I was born in '56 and my brother who's a generation my senior turned me on to this exact 45 just before departing for Nam. He raised me on Jump, early varied forms of Rock, and Boogie Woogie so this was really some steppin' out

[vicstar32]

The Bluies must have been strong if I danced to this at The Allnighters

RIP Roger

[MindRises]

Holy cats, this is sooo nice. : )

[32251]

One of my guitar heros. I used to go see him in the Birmingham Alabama area. He sat in one night with our band and played my 65 Gibson SG and just roared!! He is one of the finest studio guitarist of that era. He is still rockin in the Muscle Shoals area.

[SHADOWCOMPANY1]

@32251 - Travis is a good friend , and lives not far from me. he plays constantly in our area, "Muscle Shoals" and still plays that great old Gibson. He is still one of the most prolific guitar players in the world. He has played with more famous music legends, and on more no1 hits than I can count.

[mysticmrsam]

from December 1964

[Keijz74]

Nice song. Thanks for sharing this with us.

[moparman73]

Does anybody have a tab for this song? I can't find one anywhere.

[squiddy06]

that's normal music for a good ol' boy whut drinks hard shine.

[BadBeatleBelgium]

THE BEST NIGHTMARE EVER RECORDED!!!!!!!!!!!! basis of "Chiller Theater/Pgh infuence?

[javajax0987]

does anyone know what the backwards talking is saying when played backwards??

[Keijz74]

I'll try it.

[Keijz74]

Plain gibberish to me.

[56jensen]

tOO bad. more than likely you'll never be able to tap it.

[javajax0987]

Has anyone played the backwards talking backwards to see what is said???

[lookylooky2006]

heard firefly on tom petty show on sirius

looking for it on itunes not there it rocks

[AstralPlane1951]

Anyone out there have a copy of Fire Fly by Travis Womack ? Fire Fly and Scratchy were both mini hits in Memphis where he lived and recorded early in his career.

[AstralPlane1951]

Anyone out there have a copy of Fire Fly by Travis Womack ? Fire Fly and Scratchy were both mini hits in Memphis where he lived and recorded early in his career.

[colujomes]

Do my ears deceive me, or does this track feature back-masking, a technique many credit the Beatles with inventing almost 2 years after this was recorded?

[pamirs94]

what is back masking?

[Matildamothers]

Back-masking was done by Joe Meek in 1962 first in pop music. The Beatles were the first to use backward guitars, on "Tomorrow Never Knowss.

The Beatles Rain" was the first song to feature a backmasked message: or vocals "Sunshine Rain When the rain comes, they run and hide their heads" (listen (info); the last line is the reversed first verse of the song.

'Scratchy" is just words recorded backwards which is a form of back-masking. Certainly it's not vocals sung backwards.

[Matildamothers]

Joe Meek was the first in pop music to use back-masking.

The Beatles were the first to use backward guitars and vocals with forward music.

"Scratchy" uses words recorded backwards but it's not being sung there is a difference.

[davelal]

classic song

[paulsomething]

just turned 64 years, what a blast from the old twisted wheel

[rubendeleeuw]

Sounds like the melody of "comin' home baby" by Mel Torme... But I love this wacky version... by this 17 year old!?!! Born 1946, cut his first record at age 11!!! (I'm leaving today/Rock & Roll blues) on "fernwood" label #103 Still going strong today as,among other things, the musical director for Little Ricard!!!

[bengamoona]

awesome, my dad has this on 45, haven't heard it in years

[Viznel137]

who thinks this where Ted "gonzo"Nugent got HIS idea?This single Rocks!!!LOL Thanks

[tanoshineko]

far out

[madmoses59]

cool, I remember this, I first heard it on a collection of the 60's