Laura Nyro - 'Beads of Sweat' (1970)

[earlmanley]

This song embodies Nyro's art for me..Allman's guitar juxtaposed with Nyro's vulnerable voice is incredible

[Lipoetlovejoeself]

This song rocks! LAURA Rocks! And now she's in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!!! Woooooooooo!!! Baby!

[skydog7779]

Another great performance by Duane Allman. He just could capture the vibe of any song he played on.

[Lovemylovething]

She's the best, then, now, and always! Thanks for posting this intense classic.

[laura80598]

So beautiful!



[MatthewMattero]

love it! Psychedelic rock!

[kdwyer52]

talk about creative genius, there'll never be another like Laura Nyro

[guodade]

This is an amazing classic, whose lyrics seem to me to be based on Native American mysticism, but is rarely appreciated. Listening to most of “Christmas and the Beads of Sweat”, it sounds amazingly ahead of its time; though the production of the first side is by pop producer Arif Mardin, some of the acoustic guitar lines remind me of none other than Robin Guthrie - fifteen years earlier. More than that, the way this song is layered would make it impossible to reproduce live.

[maidenofrohan]

This is amazing, why have I not heard this earlier.

[MegaJazzgal]

I'm surprised by so many people who have never heard of this ANGEL...LET'S PUT THE WORD OUT...LAURA NYRO IS BRILLIANT!

[BobBerkeley]

Anybody know who's playing that bass that keeps pouring down? Richard Davis? David Hood? Chuck Rainey? Someone else?

[HendrixClaptonSRV]

is this the same person who sings on "Devil Road" from the Layla sessions?

[BebaOfArabia]

@HendrixClaptonSRV Nope, that track features Rene Armando on vocals...:)

[BebaOfArabia]

Wow, great upload...Thanks a bunch...Skydog <3

[MJLatora]

Jesus, she was great................

[beautifulopusoflove]

@dgsmigliani word i remember now. thanks

[lindabphoenix]

Sure an under recognized, tragically lost artist...Incredible artist,Laura Nyro <3

[beautifulopusoflove]

@dgsmigliani what dilla track sampled that again?

[windstorm1000]

She's one of the greats---up there with Holliday, Sinatra

[jujagthemag]

Yo Alicia Keys should seriously consider this womens life and music as a motion picture. That time, the city and vibe just mad with realness. I can see her playing this most beautiful songtress. Can anyone feel me on this?

[TheCozmikchuck]

The piano player on this is Laura Nyro herself. Believe it or not, when she was initially signed, to Verve/Folkways, they wouldn't let her play piano in the studio. Idiots.

[yrpaldrake]

exquisite songbird, at the heights of her powers, playing with giants...

[atavistos]

Superb . Who s the pianist .?I lost my copy years ago .

let s hear for van the man and Lorraine Ellison .

[rockme1492]

What a beutifull voice honestly I know her very little but it´s a great surprise

[Hilary54able]

This brings back many memories with many goosebumps

[raybee98]

What an impossibly beautiful song, gives me the chills after all these years.

[StreetSceneLive]

Mitchell was HUGELY influenced by Laura, as stated here in a past publication:

"In a Joni Mitchell interview published by MOJO, in 1998, the legendary Canadian songwriter recognized her debts to the recently departed songstress Laura Nyro. Hugely talented and overlooked in equal measure, Nyro wasn't just 'an influence' for Mitchell: she 'took some direction from her,' and on her account 'started playing piano again'. Sorely, it was a late adjust to history."

[coconutpalminc]

Duane Allman rocks this song, love ya Laura RIP

[17205513]

who is playing bass? whoever it is seriously taking care of bussiness.

[mjs3888]

@17205513 Definitely. The bass is killer.

[17205513]

This is the SHIT!!!! This has power,beauty,and creativity. HEART!!!! What has happened to America where pop music now is nothing but a mask for a good business plan.

[elbowout]

I hate that she is not alive.

[ibrowse]

Sander, where the hell did you get that idea? Without her there would be no Joni? Think again, Joni was doing it first, and still is. Love them both, but NO correlation. Laura was a great song writer, both have unusual voices that work for them, but NO ONE surpasses Joni as a lyricist. She can write a lifetime into a sentence. The other thing about her is she has captured so many genre', Joni and Laura are two of the most underrated talents we've had in the past 30 years.

[mattbastardsen]

@ibrowse something new as of 6-17-2010

Laura Nyro inducted into songwriter's hall of fame,

Ms.blog magazine

[mattbastardsen]

@mattbastardsen here ----> Ms.blog Magazine July 5, 2010 under the tab ARTS ---> MUSIC

[pnyc1969]

@ibrowse I'm not sure I'd agree that Joni surpasses Laura as a lyricist. Joni is very wordy and analytical, writing, as you say, a lifetime in a sentence. But Laura used language in such an abstract way is sticks with you and challenges you for ages. Just in this song she gives us "We all looked out to God/Although he is the color of the wind". That's very evocative in a very different way from Joni.

[mendmatic]

Jay Dee made a beat to this

[mitzjob]

A genius...period...

[DataLinkLayer2]

Sweet!

[docambra]

Of course, Laura was one of a kind. This earthy, Bluesey, extremely genious of a young prodigy. I think of Billie Holliday, and Tori Amos. Very intense but not alike. Not from the same blues genre. Someone mentioned Joni Mitchell, perhaps closer. Her pretty Italian-kind-of-Looks get to me also. She is alive here on this appreciation page. Not hardly gone.

[spd13062]

What a haunting beauty she was......

[sander15]

Without her there would have been no Joni Mitchell. By the way, Laura is better (personal opinion)

[mattbastardsen]

@sander15 utter bullshit, sander. Joni acknowledged Laura's influence, but to say there would have been no Joni Mitchell is just ridiculous.

[pnyc1969]

@sander15 I'm one of those crazy Laura fans who sometimes resent how Joni's fame and legacy overshadowed Laura's. But we can't buy into that type of competition. Joni herself acknowledged Laura's influence. I hear Laura in all of Joni's piano playing. But Joni is still an original and vital talent. Let's leave it at that.

[karinablacktie]

@pnyc1969 Laura never liked the limelight, and was frequently petrified to perform. She also bucked heads with the record executives and refused to do what THEY thought was more marketable. She paid the price in terms of her overall popularity and star status, but hey, she lived life the way she needed to! I'm glad to see she's FINALLY been nominated for the rock and roll hall of fame. I'd say she's a slam dunk!

[JSWren]

Good God - I forgot just how good this is ........ nothing else comes even close!

[guodade]

This song is an amazing piece, which I have always thought a reference to a Native American ritual. In fact from what I have read on the topic of sweat lodges I can imagine one listening to this song through the imagery of wild, desolate landscapes - though surreally it is juxtaposed with quite urbane lines.

The soft delicacy is amazing and I imagine Laura knew it would be very hard to reproduce in concert. Duane's playing here probably inspired Richard Lloyd and Tom Verlaine for "Marquee Moon"

[TheReach1]

I agree..who could ever replace her soulful sound.........no one could get very close to that sound.....

[RamonaFromPomona]

Her vocal range and lyrics........is WOW!!!!!!Where is her backup band today I wonder....All her music soul....and the beat the beat the beat...

[Elyscomin]

Thank you CrescentNoon and all others who make these videos and post Laura's music. I am a computer idiot and haven't a clue on how to do it, but I am so grateful to those who do. When asked my opinion of the top songwriters of, and since "my time", it is easy to answer: Lennon & McCartney and Laura, not neccesarily in that order.

[aquamoon22]

soars high above all others - without peer or equal - positively sublime!!!!

[regangold]

Laura, you were and are still my inspiration. This song is from one of the most important albums ever recorded. We miss you. Thanks to all who have posted her music.

[kdd3051]

could someone download (from the album "Christmas & the beads of sweat" the songs: Blackpatch, Been on a Train, & Brown Earth. I would but I don't know how, thank you to whomever in advance.

[tigerjonn]

hahaha...hmm,.. i was having a discussion about music and this interesting debate formed between couple of us....

Laura Nyro vs Nina Simnone...

[chunter5100]

To me, Laura Nyro is the best singer i have ever heard..period..she affected my life so deeply I have never gotten over her...but she she not only affected my life, she affected all of my friends, who were pretty heavy rockers at the time, we were into Jimi Hendrix, Led Zepplin, Deep Purple, and her....

[jackhillty]

someone please post "map to the treasure" the song which preceeds this one - the most orgasmic piece of piano playing ever recorded

[JVYT1]

Laura Nyro, Duane Allman...am I in heaven?

[DYNODRUM]

@JVYT1 This, side was also Played on and Produced by" Felix Cavaliere and Dino Danelli-Rascals"..N.Y. City had The Best of the Best and The Real deal of the Time ..Laura is respected by The spirit of ,Peace...

[truckdaddy3]

I feel like an idiot. I consider myself a big music fan, particularly 60's and 70's music, and yet I never knew that Laura Nyro wrote so many songs that were a formative part of my youth, much less performed them. I've always said that Karen Carpenter had the most beautiful female voice I'd ever heard, but after listening to this woman sing I honestly must say I have to re-evaluate. I close my eyes and listen and it literally makes me feel like I'm ten years old again. How amazing!

[JSWren]

Fantastic fantastic fantastic album this is from. Get it and weep tears of joy.

[toes41852]

Agreed-----it changed my life in 1970, and still does.

[AlaskanWildernessMan]

Amazing! Love her voice!

[Toyboy789]

There will only ever be one Laura Nyro . . .

[MrDibly]

not an angel in the sky...

just cold jade restless wind...

[popiel52]

sorry for misspelling your name Jimi.

[popiel52]

she was never a girl and wasn't for this new millenia.

Her freak flag will forever wave.

I never saw a difference between her and Jimmi Hendrix.

[NYNYMatt]

Referencing what ttoflea said below about Laura not being able to remain on solid earth, on the brown earth: I am a member of what used to be called her Tribe. I lived alongside her in this city and loved her from back on the Verve days.

I truly do not know how she could have endured 11 September or the bloody invasions of Bush's wars. I have missed her every day since April/96 but there is some sort of fateful aspect about her having not reached the second millenia.

We miss you, Laura Nyro.

[takiakitsoujie]

she is a goddess true mean

[crazystarwarsguy1006]

What a glorious girl

[ttoflea]

so beautiful, timeless.. poet goddess

sometimes i think she just had too much soul to remain captive here on god's brown earth..

her soul resoundant echoes through the canyons of my mind, as i often hear her songs reverberating through the canyons of the city, stirring souls and shaking the heavens above..

[popiel52]

Drop 500 mics and listen to Eli and the the 13 Confessions.

You won't be the same, I wasn't.

I wish she and Jimi collaberated.

[mfbinc]

what a great song, duane allman's guitar and her piano playing match perfectly.....

[tele544]

Listening to her for 35 years and can never tire of her musical genius.

[kdd3051]

Thank God for You Tube & rediscovering laura Nyro, such beauty in her voice, lyrics, just everything

[jaynez31]

Literally, I am obsessed Nyro's music since I rediscover or fund on the You Tube two weeks ago. I listened her songs entire weekend. I am still listening after work until sleep. I cannot explain my motivation to listen her songs. I might take a leave to listen her songs.

[tribecalofter]

I have had the same effect and glad to know I am not the only one !

God Love Her and You and Me !

[skydog81]

Iguess we can brag about being aware of differant artists Skydog Allman on a laura Nyro album actually Iread this in his biography good book not a hero worship but good writing!

[billyguns2]

This is from one of the greatest albums ever made by one of the greatest singer/songwriters of the twentieth century. You left us far too soon, Laura!

[captainbeyond1]

Thanks for this great song.Laura lives through the people that play her music.

[tirreniaitaly]

This is such a wild discovery!!! just tonight i was in search for some duane allman and settled on some laura instead. i listened to laura and i listened to Allman brothers (Live at the Fillmore) incessantly almost 40 years ago and never knew that was duane on this cut. OMG ! OMG ! they ain't resting in peace up in the heavens. no doubt, they are raising a ruckus.

[magjim2908]

Radiant in person,song and spirit..we will love you always...

[ottowes]

We miss you, Laura. Every day.

[steinar123]

Great one. Reminds me that I need to buy me some more of Laura Nyros albums

[magdaszabo]

@steinar123 one must have them all!!

[spotswoodthenewt]

Very nice. One of the greats...

5*****'s

~ Tim

[stefmagura]

Great song!!!

[muskratrowdy]

Allman and Nyro. Amazing how many talented artists crossed paths. Gotta get this!