Chris Bell - I Am the Cosmos

[SimMaster]

this is amazing

[maxorange9]

Chris bell graduated from my high school. I walk by his graduation picture everyday

[stephenbowers]

Cracking song. Love Chris and Alex; both very talented and much missed.

[pigriser]

Amazing song, might be his best. Posies did a nice, faithful cover of this too.

[400SC]

simply fabulous as always- epic solo-

[gayshawnn]

he had nice hair

[elvispresley718]

you think this guy listened to the beatles very much?

[13imapirate]

bawl my eyes out.

[kqwiet]

Big Star had a bad time of it :(

[v0odoochild001]

I just discovered Chris Bell and Big Star. His talent was definitely 27 club worthy...R.I.P

[Eatm308amA]

I never realised how much a critical part he was of Big Star's sound.

[alexmortland]

"No description available" sums this tune up perfectly. No description possible.

[TheDarmardar]

beautiful

[Ecojoao]

Singers like him create a nostalgia so great. Let follow his big star in Heaven! Wish these tunes remain ever in youtube!

[BobTheRecordGuy]

Without CB there would not have been a Big Star. Even after he left his spirit loomed large.

[MickHaines]

@BobTheRecordGuy

You're absolutely right. But don't forget that by the time he quit Big Star, the other three just couldn't stand him anymore: Bell had a real drug problem, he was obsessive, aggressive, he took himself way too seriously.... I love Chris Bell, he was a great songwriter bout around the end of 1972, he also was a f--ked up individual, f--ked up in a big way.

Also, Alex Chilton effortlessly proved he didn't need Chris Bell to write great songs.

[mrmdsidebottom]

jackstpaul: Horrible song!?!? why?

[mrmdsidebottom]

beautiful song. beautiful story.

[jackstpaul]

Saw this on a list of best power pop songs ever #8, so I came here. Horrible song. WTF.

[niloxfreak]

ashcroft ashcroft ashcroft ashcroft ashcroft

[postyesterdayman]

@niloxfreak Huh? This is well before. Ashcroft is a rip off artist, just ask Aphrodite's Child about their song Four Horsemen.

[niloxfreak]

@postyesterdayman I know i know:) Who isnt a rip off artist.. youve got to learn from the best innit? so thats why I love this song.. pure music

[alexharvey]

This "FREAK" created the song, dummy.

[eineeuqe]

Scarlett Johansson's  the COSMOS...not this FREAK

[fablecio]

Did Big Star ever do a tribute to Chris Bell before Alex Chilton died?

[MickHaines]

@fablecio

Well "modern" post-1993 Big Star would play "I am the cosmos" live on a regular basis. Ken Stringfellow would sing it. Chris Bell's solo stuff was reportedly cherished by Alex Chilton, though, "officially", Alex would claim the contrary... It's all rock'n'roll, ya know.

[conceptworld]

32 years gone tonight. Miss him every day.

[alexandermorison]

Someone's gone well overboard with the compressor here.

[huhangtong]

wonderful..

[sradelasierramorena]

make me cry and smile at the same time, thank u for that mr. allen

[bwlynn73]

love this song....first time i heard it it was being covered by ian moore...he did great but this is so much more...atmospheric i guess you could say...thanks for posting this

[alexharvey]

@speculation61 You could, but you should really just buy the album cuz it's friggin' great.

[jtaylor1mybaby]

started listening them last year and really like them!

[Jonnobaas]

I thought Chris Bell topped himself?

[Tuzotonic]

@Jonnobaas

A car crash did him in but some speculate it was intentional. No one knows for sure.

[Quadkite]

Am I the only one who is reminded of John Lennon here?

[Mp25DIII]

@Quadkite Yeah, I was thinking that if the Beatles staying together for one more album, say around 1972-73, Lennon or George Harrison could've come up with something like this

[alexandermorison]

@Mp25DIII The Beatles had no competition but their next album (if it had been made) was predictable. Lennon would have bossed it with Imagine and Harrison already had My Sweet Lord. Mcartney had maybe I'm amazed but might have raised his game. They were the tunes that would have sold the most but who knows what the fillers might have been. Every other band in the world would've had to adjust to it. That's for sure.

[MrUndersolo]

@Quadkite Not at all. This does remind me of some of the private recordings that Lennon did in the 70s. Painful and true to hear this...

[izmangr]

I've known Chris Bell died so young long before, and have never heard this. God, look at this tune is so amazing ! R.I.P. Chris...

[infinitalocura]

*love it!!!!!!*

[talpajam]

What is that 2nd chord in the verse..D\C# ?..that is about the most plantive riff i have ever heard..this cat  & Big Star were pure genius.

[armchairmusic]

The chord is a C#m7 (C# E B) with open strings (B and E) on the top. It gives it more depth, love the song!

[talpajam]

@armchairmusic Well brother armchair thanks,,,J did figure it out a day or so later. However try the C#m7 with an A note (C#E A)...since the B & E strings are already ringing out you have that B note already covered...and seems to add even more depth. But my ear isn't quick enough to discern what CB was actually playing. I keep listening for that top A note instead of a "doubled" B as your chord is described...either way just cool stuff for 1972 and I wish I had known about his solo work.

[kevinocooldaddy]

am feeling this song right now. Chris really touched on something profound here.

[dvschsa]

genius

[bellkid68]

...Mu name is chris bell

[HEEDRECORDS]

Love this track - so fragile your just waiting for it to fall apart!

[kiloscott]

Yeah, The Stooges would have been shit without Dave Alexander.

[bencrea1]

this was all chris, chilton didnt play on it.

[Mikemaniax]

Does Alex Chilton (RIP) play on this at all?

[alexharvey]

No, but he sings on "You And Your Sister", which is another incredible song

[woodhd]

@Mikemaniax i dont think so but i read on some liner notes somewhere that christopher bell recorded so many guitar parts he all but wore the tape through with overdubs ... what a piece of pure music ... i think i must have listened to this track about a thousand times in my life so far and it just is timeless

[kristlkrost]

I think Scarlett;s was terrible.. Sorry

[RabbitEleven]

I didn't think it is was terrible, but it definitely doesn't compare to Bell's.

[Mikemaniax]

@kristlkrost You're damn right it is! In fact, if you listen closely to the Scarlett Johansson/Pete Yorn version, you'll hear a very low frequency hum. It's very faint, but it's there. That's the sound of Chris Bell turning in his grave.

[Kittibutt]

To hear some catchy "Beatlely" original songs, check out my "kittibutt" channel.

[raguilar6330]

To teveh: whats the 27 club??

[omgstfudavid]

Great musicians that die by the age of 27. It's a goddamn shame.

Some members include : Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Dave Alexander, D. Boon

[mugwamp4]

not to forget the great Gram Parsons another to fall victim to the curse of 27

[christianphi]

actually gram parsons died at 26. get it right.

[mugwamp4]

well actually he died about 7 weeks shy of 27 so he was far closer to 27 than 26 so get fuccccckkkeddd

[JJB190192]

bahaha aikicinema, marry me

[aikicinema]

I sometimes wake up singing this.

[zoedeville1]

@aikicinema me too, I often wake up with this in my head!!!

[armandbourgoignie]

This song hurts . It's so good.

[Teveh]

I didn't realize chris is unfortunately a member of the 27 club. Well up there with Hendrix and Kobain for me.

[TIPPERBLK]

oh my god

[bakismaki]

great song, what else to say

[ashaleekitchon17]

I love this version and Scarlett Johansson's version is great too.

[Mikemaniax]

@ashaleekitchon17 Were you dropped on the head as a child?

[ashaleekitchon17]

@Mikemaniax Wow, that's original. Tell me, do you always go around bashing peoples music taste? Is your life really that unfulfilling?

[Mikemaniax]

@ashaleekitchon17 Sorry, sarcasm doesn't always translate over Youtube commenting. Nah, whatever, I'm not a fan of the Scarlett Johansson version, but I was just having a laugh. No hard feelings.

[ashaleekitchon17]

@Mikemaniax Oh, ok. No worries then.

[freqazoidiac]

I like this deeper than Big Star's Ish. ... and that's something to shake a stick at. People gripe about no honours in rock n roll hall of fame. They have integrity for NOT being inducted.

[AmAxORuLz]

stunning music, it really hurts

[ripelivejam]

i just love this guy's voice.

[cosmicrider287]

moody track,like it.

[Yoamm]

Chris Bell FOREVERRRRR!!!!!!

[tjbell27]

They reissued this recently w/ bonus tracks. I must say though, this is as good as anything by big star, maybe better. Up there w/ nick drake and skip spence for shattering solo lps.

>>I want you to learn to say no, no, YEAH YEAH YEAH

[iwishiwastaller7]

Amazing song, this. Can you even buy this album/LP any more? A crime if you can't!

[kieranification]

Fuckin' hell! Alex Harvey posted this.

[alexharvey]

Ha ha , well yeah!

[kieranification]

I don't know if you'll have heard of them but The Sensational Alex Harvey Band came from my hometown. He was quite a performer. Anyway, thanks again for the Chris Bell song, I lost my copy a while ago.

[alexharvey]

Of course I have. I'm a huge fan, that's why I use the name.

[spuffchops70]

Isn't Alex up for a 'Greatest Scot of All Time' nomination? I saw Chris Glen buying a slab of beer from Lidl in Yoker last year. You can't get much more rock 'n' roll than that!

[kieranification]

He should be but it'll probabaly go to Lulu or The Krankies- some pish like that. That Lidl story's brilliant.

[spuffchops70]

Yup. By the state of him, I surmised that Chris hasn't been living on Greek salads these last three decades.

[alexharvey]

Yeah, he is pretty large these days.

[kieranification]

Thiis is great stuff. Thanks a lot. "I never want to see you again".... real heartbreaker. Cheers whoever posted this!

[mkfirstfan]

Scarlett Johansson's version is so much better ! <3

This one is like a rough-draft for me...

[alexharvey]

I couldn't disagree more but at least she made you aware of the song.

[afroskel]

this is the funniest comment of all time

[asouto]

No doubt, we are in a presence of a genius and a great amazing song!

I really like to see you again...

I really want to see you again...

[gracemaruk]

incredible song..........when you thnk of the tripe out there these days ......when such magic is available...what is wrong with people?????

[spacebat28]

what an idiotic statment.

if you can't find any good NEW music to listen to, you aren't trying hard enough.

[MemphisDude]

Guess it depends on when you came up.

[ronoman88]

I have to hear this song every 4-6 mos. just to know what a genius is.

Chris I miss ya man.

[amandazillah]

My all-time favorite record, I actually bought it before I got any Big Star! (If there's an Alex Chilton/Chris Bell fanwar, I'm Chris all the way, heh.)

[Mikemaniax]

@amandazillah Why does there have to be a fan war? Why can't the legends of Alex & Chris just co-exist peacefully? Alex did his thing, Chris did his. I see both bodies of work as 2 sides of the same coin, both bound by the Big Star legend. (Wow try saying that 5 times fast, Both bound by the Big Star legend, both bound by the Big...)

[Hannyunique]

Ich liebe das Lied! Die Textstelle "Every Night I am the cosmos I am the wind" singt er so überzeugend, dass man sie Tagelang im Kopf hat!

♥♥♥

[dfmaher70]

Pure and simply magic.

[Gadzooker]

i second the request for speed of sound!!

[FunkyDanky]

dude i love this song... can you put speed of sound in a video the one by chris bell