Stewball
3:14
Added: 4 years ago
From: frandabby
Views: 58,965
Sort by time | Sort by thread (beta)

Link to this comment:

Share to:

All Comments (98)

Sign In or Sign Up now to post a comment!
  • can anyone out there give me the origanal stew ball by masion profit?

  • even the great lennon is parcial to a little daylight robbery

  • Was Haydock before or after Calvert on bass?

  • @JohnLennon100 Dude, John Lennon would even say that you're being a total ass. If you don't like the music, go away.

  • Peter Paul and Marys version is WAY better... :)

  • J'adore cette version

  • laten we het gewoon over deze ontzettend mooie uitvoering hebben

  • I admit John made a good record out of it, but he shouldn't have taken credit for composing it.

  • The only reason John Lennon was not sued for this plagarism for this song's similarity to Happy Christmas is that Stewball was in the public domain. The copyright had expired.

    John did the same thing with I Feel Fine which was a copy of Watch Your Step by Bobby Parker and Come Together which is a copy of You Can't Catch Me by Chuck Berry. John was forced to record the Rock and Roll album as payback to the publisher of You Can't Catch Me in settlement of a lawsuit.

  • @dachille1

    Well, actually John won that lawsuit. He promised to give this man who owned the copyright for "you can't catch me" the right over 5 songs form the Rock n roll album. You also have to consider that it takes a genius to turn an irrelevant song like this Stewball to a superb song like Happy Xmas. Finally you cant compare the genius if The BEatles/Lennon to Parker or Berry. The Beatles were always one step ahead of any band of their time, and 10 years after.

  • @dachille1 Well, he didn't copy the Bobby Parker song. He used that riff as a basis for the I Feel Fine riff. Which is different, it has more notes added to it. And the songs are completely different. The only similarity between the two are that the riff is somewhat similar

  • There's this common belief that old times were always better. That's just a trick of the mind. In the past there were a lot of bad things too but that we tend to forget. What is painful to remember ...we simply choose to forget ....(the way we were)

  • Wow, What did I say that everyone gave a minus 6 and my comment was deleted ...?

  • At the end of this video Yellin-Rinzler-Herald ( known as the Greenbriar Boys) are credited for the song.

    Indeed this version as little to do with what Leadbelly (excellent) sang except for the inspiration : a horse that would otherwise would have long been forgotten

  • Great song, great performance

  • So this is christmas? or did he copy this song directly?

  • I don't understand your question ...??

  • What other song are you referring to? You said Lennon perfected this song. Are you saying that the perfected version of this song is 'war is over' by John Lennon?

  • Yes, what else? Well, let's say that Lennon consciously or unconsciously took at least 80% of Stewball and turned it into Happy Xmas, War is Over. I dont know why you ask, is so obvious.

  • Well unlike some people, I'm not an avid John Lennon fan. I tend to stay away from singers who destruct American society.

  • Wow .... Are you saying that JL was a destructor of the american society? ????

  • I'm not saying he was THE destructor, I'm saying he was A destructor. The liberal hippy movement destroyed the conservative society that made America great. Now idiots like Bush and Obama who are a result of that generation are screwing America over.

  • I never wrote "the" I wrote "a" ...but the point is more important than the details. What you call the conservative society of the fifties and forties was one of many problems. There was too much racism, hatred, chovinisms, etc. in the USA. The counterculture movement opened their heads to a lot of people to many good things.

  • It was a time of a needed liberation, and a time where for the first time in history we started to see things like they were, i.e. peace movement, the use of drugs to expand the conscience, etc. Of course nothing that good comes with some bad that's inevitable.

  • Sorry ...what I meant was ....everything that brings something good will be malinterpreted for some and turn it into something bad ....

  • Did we see things as we are or were we given the ultimate illusion? Tell me what the 'peace movement' accomplished? As far as I can tell, we're still fighting senseless wars and have made no progression towards peace. As far as I can tell, it is in everybody's best interest to act for their own good rather than the common good. Sure, the common good is best for all, but considering human nature, we're almost always looking out for outselves ahead of everyone else.

  • Exactly. The counterculture of the sixties gave us that legacy. The world is fucked up. Period. Now ...Why? Well ..Is there other explanation than to accept that the world is being controlled by greedy lunatics bloodsuckers? Is there other explanation for that I would like to hear it. I grew up in the eighties and listening to The Beatles and John Lennon opened my mind for the truth. Have you heard the song Gimme soem Truth of JL? An eye opener.

  • Please understand that one thing is that we're fucked up and know why, and another being fucked up without knowing. That's a big difference. And that's exactly about what some enlightened people are talking about ... the awakening of the human race to a better world. If you get some time to think about this, take a look at the Zeitgeist Movement videos with emphasis in the new one of this year's. Check out some ideas of the way we could be living in this world.

  • And finally, regarding the war. This war is a shameless mockery at the lives in Iraq and the USA. The USA is not the government. The USA is the families that live around the country. If we are stupid enough and ignorant we're going to want to go to war, and we're going to send our kids to risk their lives there and kill innocent people in Iraq. See? People have the option of choosing peace or war. The controlling ones will always want to go to war and make more money and get more powerful.

  • @JohnLennon100 Take this rant to a John Lennon video.

  • @hollies65

    Well you only show how ignorant you are. I'm sorry for you. Unfortunately wars exist for people like you. Now go and keep playing Stewball on your old vynil player in front of your cows and chicken where you live. Happy Xmas you country boy.

  • WOW .....I'm amazed .....this is ....Happy Xmas .....from John Lennon ....only that he made better, better production, lyrics, etc. years later ....WOW .....

  • Firstly John lennon is better then the Hollies. secondly happy xmas is a great xmas song but isn't meant to be, it's a protest song against the vietnam war hence the war is over bit. Thirdly This isn't a Hollies song it's a cover of an old folk song from the 18th century. Stewball was an horse born in 1741. For that reason the hollies can't sue, nobody can otherwise they would've, The Hollies didn't write this song .

  • @theplans You need to vet your sources. You copied that from Wikipedia and it isn't correct. Ergo, stupid comment.

  • Well enlighten me then. You can't know i'm wrong unless you know the truth.

  • The Ballad of Stewball is said to appear in print as early as 1822 and was sung by slaves who over time changed the music an lyrics. Thats according to Sing out magazine. So take the chip of your shoulder

  • I don't see anything in your rebuttal about it being a folk song or that the horse was born in 1741. All you did was provide a bunch of new information. Take the chip off of your shoulder, theplans.

  • Various site claim that songs about Stewball have been going for centuries thats what i said you said i was wrong and i'm not. How ever much of the old songs made up this final effort is irrelevent as Lennon was never sued. Perhaps those guys didn't compose the music. So do something more your level talk about cheryl cole or beyonce songs

  • There is a lot of room in my heart for special people and places......HOLLIES you are special

    to me and here in that special place you will always be.

    Love, Teddy

  • I have no idea what this song is about after just one listen. But no doubt John Lennon copied this melody. He did however improve upon it so at least he did it justice. Just hope he gave them credit. (It's unbelievable how many songs are based on another one.)

    If I ever get a racehorse I'm naming him Stewball.

  • The song is about "Stewball. He was a race horse. I wish he were mine. He never drank water, he always drank wine. I bet on the gray mare, I bet on the bay, if I'd a bet on ol' Stewball, I'd be a free man today...." Lyrics are a beautiful thing!!!

  • Good +)))100***** j'adore

    Amicalement..Le Solitair

  • Happy X'mas

  • Yes, let the man (Leadbelly) roll.

    I think this version is very good.

  • i love it!

  • This song sounds like the melody of Happy Xmas (War is Over)....Of course, the Hollies preceded it by at least 5 years! Melody patterns are so similar there could have been a lawsuit...which were popular in the early 70 and mid-70s.

  • Hollies didn't write or own the rights to this song it's a very old folk song apparently dating back to the 18th century. As the horse Stewball was born in 1741 So they couldn't sue John lennon who was by far superior to the Hollies, Happy xmas is also a protest song against the vietnam war its a great song but not meant to be, it's an attempt to put a message across to stop war.

  • Great photos of my all-time favourite band. Plus a cute song. Nice job...Thank you Frandabby

  • no tickle - you can find it on youtube now - I asked and someone delivered!

  • and a happy new yeeeear!

  • super 5*

  • Yeah he might roll over, but Hollies´version is also good!

  • Leadbelly is rolling in his grave.

  • Good song, but John Lennons take on this melody "Happy Xmas" is better

  • I agree.

  • NO WAY. I'm a huge fan of both the Hollies and The Beatles...plus I'm a very good musician. "Happy Xmas" is nothing but rubbish!

    Lennon fried his mind so much from drugs that by May 1968 he couldn't even see that Yoko was a zero. The other 3 Beatles and their friends all detested her. The Hollies' great harmomies are much better than Lennon's pewtred lyrics and Yoko's screaching.

  • Brilliant vocals on this great track. One of my favorites from their early years.

  • I love this song! anyone know where I can find the ppm version?

  • Beautiful, Frankie! Cheers, thanks alot from Olympia, Washington.

  • My grandpa sung this to me when I was little! It has been haunting me for years!! Thanks for posting this!

  • Always my favourite, just decided to look it up. Was SOOOO pleased when they did it when I saw them early '80s!

  • Black Pictures have fascination own

  • YES that sure was a nice song, they were a tremendous good music group.

  • thanks for uploading...just love slideshows and rare music...Hollies are just one of my musical past memorable delights,,Cheers, Frank...

    Take care,

    James

  • the hollies are a coool!!!

  • The Hollies play to this day...they did not disappear...what a silly thing to say. None of them weigh 300 lbs either.

  • Mary has very serious condition, at least Peter and Paul look great and perform amazingly, umm and the Folies did fade away, there pretty lucky to sell out a free mall showing.

  • Quit showing your ignorance...The Hollies regularly sell out 2-3K venues in Britain and Europe, without Allan,who retired. You might remember Graham...he's in a little band called Crosby Stills and Nash. Now go back and watch a Hootenanny rerun.Hey...was it Paul or Peter who had the sex charge against them?

  • Oh yeah...it was Yarrow...he spent three months in jail for an incident with a 14 year old girl.

  • This is awesome! A million stars out of five! And Tony.....what a hottie!....1:38...lol, just look at the handsome man!

  • I have been waiting to hear this Hollies version for YEARS, Thank You!!And yes this easily trounces PP&M's whiny stuff...

    Allan Clarke has the best voice, real belive-abilty for a change

  • First off, PP&M have been top of the folklore music for the past 30 years. Secondly the little hollie boys dont hold a candle to them. It s not always about voice, its about the stories behind them, that is where PP&M shined as did Dylan, Chapan, and Cash were true stoytellers. The Hollies only story is how they disappeared.

  • Since you never listened to them, that's the only story you know, and it's pitifully innaccurate. No matter, ignorance will always be around...I've listened to PPM for years, and I would not say that about them, though they have OVERSTAYED their welcome. God bless them for taking a political stance, but the sun of a great voice DOES matter and Alan is just plain a better sounding singer than all of them together. It's the singer, not the song.

  • This is a great stewball version but Peter Yarrow from Peter, Paul and Mary do it much better. Does anyone have that version that they can post?

  • I like the Peter Paul & Mary version...but the Hollies harmonies make that version seem boring.

  • 10 out of 10:)

  • Great version!

  • It's a traditional. It was made famous by Pete Seeger's Weavers; Peter,Paul and Mary had more success and it was widely covered in many countries. Nobody took credits for it... with the exception of Lennon/Ono, of course...

  • wasen't this peter paul and mary's song???

  • Great song, very melancholy and pretty. Lennon definitely used this as a springboard into "Happy Christmas(War is Over)".

  • Wow! Nash when he looked like Jerry seinfeld!

  • I never knew they did this one. I've only ever heard the Peter Paul & Mary version.

  • Do you know if Peter, Paul, and Mary originally did Jet Plane or was it that other dude whats-his-face?

  • I believe that was originally by the same guy who did The Answer Is Blowing In The Wind, and I know the name, but it refuses to come to me. Arrrrgh. The guy with the harmonica.

  • I figured it out! It was John Denver! He wrote it! The name finally came to me. It only took me about a month! Usually I remember a name I was trying to think of ages ago and randomly shout it! Today it was at lunch. Good things my friends are used to it! :-)

  • if you like this look on you tube the hollies lights on best thing they did with nash

  • bobby showed how flexible hollies were

  • Think John Lennon was listening to this when he wrote 'Happy Xmas [War Is Over]'?

  • HA! You're absolutely right. Actually, I never really listened to this one all the way through, never really cared for all the Folk LP cuts.

  • The first, second and fourth lines of each verse (and there's only verses) are EXACTLY the same. When you consider George Harrison's 'My Sweet Lord' plagiarism' battle, John Lennon was very lucky here. We had this song by PP&M on a 1963 EP called "In The Wind" and I hung on to it. Hollies cover it well!

  • John Lennon admitted that he nabbed idea for the tune in "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" from a song called "I Love How You Love Me."

    This is also somewhat similar.

    So is "On Top of Spaghetti."

    Okay... Old Smokey. Whichever.

  • When I went to a Hollies record signing in New York in 1983, I mentioned "Stewball" to Graham Nash.

  • fabulous,saw them sing it in concert on BBC 4 two weeks ago.

  • Adorable! I never saw most of these photos before! Where did you get them from? "Stewball" is a nice song.

  • Been a Hollies fan since the Sixties most of the photos are from an old scrapbook

  • Thanks! The photos are great!

  • Well crikey o blimey I never knew that they did a version. Liking it though. Must try to do more than 2 takes next time I record it!

Loading...
Alert icon
0 / 00Unsaved Playlist Return to active list
    1. Your queue is empty. Add videos to your queue using this button:
      or sign in to load a different list.
    Loading...Loading...Saving...
    • Clear all videos from this list
    • Learn more