The Yardbirds - Spanish Blood

[1blastman]

this is the first I've heard of this album and I love it. The band was going in an exciting direction.

[stage462]

this peice in very appropriate in Apocolypse Now, Kurtzian ambience

[muthuuht]

I LOVE this. I wish Jimmy would release an album with this on it without the voice-over. And of course it was Jimmy on guitar. He was into Spanish guitar even in the '50's, I think. When he was sober, he was unparalleled.

[avalonrick]

the album was pulled as the label pulled a fast one on everybody the songs have never been copywritten again sort of stick in the mud , the label did the same thing to Donovan too on reissue of one his later day albums. Shame that the band never pursued these tracks and broke up soon after. They were on to something special I think

[polymath7]

@avalonrick Is this Jimmy page on guitar? 0:43 Seems vaguely redolent of  "Ramble On".

[avalonrick]

@polymath7 Yes this is Jimmy Page on acoustic guitar, Jim McCarty on vocals percussion. Jim forgot the last verse of this track. In Late May of 1968 after these sessions were cut Keith Relf advised Peter that he and Jim quit the band. I spoke to Jim about that. It was the wrong decision but the only one they could make at the time. Number of things played into this including unfavorable recording contract, being burned out from the Road and the after effects of drugs.

[avalonrick]

@polymath7 yes this is Jimmy Page on spanish guitar Jim McCarty on vocals. Jim never did remember the final verse (LOL)

[carancal]

what did this mean? why not meet with spanish blood?

[avalonrick]

Yes its the yardbirds. These five tracks were mixed a long time ago by noted producer Bob Irwin. When approached he supplied a cassette copy of not the best mix in the world for "the band" for what became Cumular limit but Bob never meant for it to come out like it did, it just did. thats why on some of the tracks like Avron knows the mix is off . In any case at least we have some sort of version of them. Jim no longer remembers the lost words to this song.

[FLHTP07]

@avalonrick Thanks Rick

[razzberrysunshine]

Great one, thanks~

[shanehenning26]

great song

[1986MetalHead]

this is bloody amazing

[CenturyCasinoEdm]

Just had the Yardbirds at Century Casino Edmonton last night, I will post (all be it shorten interview) I did with Jim and Chris from last night, I asked Jim about this song and he did confirm Jimmy played lead on this track. Great video post, thanks!

[maida1982a]

had a chance to have a nice long talk with jim in london last November; very generous with his time and happily discusses the band and its history.

good show in Edmonton I'll bet-andy mitchell is a good front man.

[amegomez44]

I love this SONG!

[recklesslife08]

AWESOME!!! Jimmy Page The King!

[brotherbuttcrack]

three piece?

[Smudgefizz]

The intro sounds similar to the intro of "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane.

[garbeaj]

This does not sound like Page at all. I think this far more likely a Renaissance track. I don't think the noodly nylon string stuff is Jimmy,but the people in Rennaissance could really play this type of music,so I really believe it is them...

[asmorgan88]

Nah.

This song was recorded on April 4th, 1968 at the Columbia Recording Studios in New York City...about 4-5 months before they broke up.

Page's repertoire is all over the place.

He did skiffle, elevator music, commercial jingles, jazz, blues, pop, folk, country, rock & roll, laid down the basis for punk rock & metal...and this is all BEFORE Zeppelin!

No need to think that this isn't Page playing...it is.

In fact, this is the 6th take on this song.

[garbeaj]

I am still skeptical that Jimmy played on this. What is the proof that this was indeed a session on which Jimmy played?

[asmorgan88]

@garbeaj

The proof?

I just gave it to you!

I'm not asking you to believe me, but if you want to research it yourself, I'm sure you can find out about it online...I have it in a Yardbirds biography/history book by Greg Russo.

It was recorded on 4/4/68 in NYC...

This cut you're hearing now is supposedly the 6th take of the song.

[garbeaj]

I'm open to it being The Yardbirds...but I feel like it was somebody else on guitar,possibly one of the Rennaissance guys-I am curious about this session and I appreciate you mentioning the book...I have been meaning to read it finally and this gives me motivation to do so:)

[asmorgan88]

You're mental.

Believe whatever you want.

Here's the listing from the book :

04/04/1968 - Columbia Recording Studios, New York, NY

Produced by : Manny Kellem

Spanish Blood (Yardbirds) (Master take #6) - No completed vocal track - the master take has a partial scratch vocal only. Jimmy Page on acoustic guitar.

Knowing That I'm Losing You (Yardbirds) (Master take #4)

Keith Relf was Renaissance' guitarist up until 1971, and by then, Led Zeppelin had taken over the world.

[garbeaj]

You are absolutely entitled to your opinion. In my opinion, I don't accept this as gospel. "Knowing That I'm Losing You" is obviously Page since it is "Tangerine" with different lyrics essentially. But I am still skeptical that he played guitar on this "Spanish Blood" piece. I have video of Renaissance on Beat Club and the guitarist sounds like this. I will keep researching this...

[asmorgan88]

Researching this will yield you the same answers I just gave you.

Jim McCarty is on vocals, by the way...and Relf & Dreja were not present during the recording.

It's baffling me as to why you don't think Page is capable of playing a flamenco styled song...?

Anyways...it's him. This is The Yardbirds. Not Renaissance.

[garbeaj]

I'm still not entirely convinced...although as I listen to it more-the licks are very similar to the overdubs on "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" and "Over The Hills And Far Away"...I just think the playing is too technically advanced and mistake free to be him-I could be wrong-but I won't be convinced unless I see an interview where Jimmy says point blank "Yeah,that is me playing all the lead guitar on 'Spanish Blood'".

[asmorgan88]

@garbeaj

You're just another ridiculous skeptic who will argue historical context, so it seems...

Too technically advanced and mistake free?

It's a SCALE! It's also from a STUDIO recording!!!

The Phyrigian (misspelled) was one of the first scales I learned...it's an easy one to say the least.

Licks are similar to "I'm Gonna Leave You"? That song is about 4 or 5 chords...how could you say that a lead guitar showcase like this is similar to a rhythm guitar based song?

You're mental.

[garbeaj]

I think you misunderstood me...the licks are similar to the LEAD fills on "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You"-they have a few raked patterns that are similar to this.I was just pointing out that you may be right...that this could in fact be Page. This is indeed Phrygian mode-when I say technically advanced,I mean that it is very cleanly played and relatively free of mistakes...almost all of Page's playing-even in the early days- was loaded with mistakes.

[SKINmodHEAD]

I've never heard of, or heard, "clean" blues.

Or "clean" rock & roll...unless you wanna count George Harrison.

Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn...those guys are "sloppy" as hell. That's why it's rock & roll.

I don't see how "clean" playing would make any Yardbirds, Zeppelin, Cream, or Hendrix song any better.

[garbeaj]

I never said better or worse-it is just a fact that Jimmy made a lot of mistakes,especially when compared to his peers like Beck,Hendrix,or Clapton. Jimmy is hands down my favorite producer,guitarist and songwriter for sure...

[garbeaj]

Also,if it is him,he was certainly playing very well and it is the only time he played nylon string guitar on record except for some overdubs on "All My Love"..

[asmorgan88]

@garbeaj

I was pointing out that they did "Knowing That I'm Losing You" on the same day as this song...

Here's another excerpt from the book :

"Most of McCarty's "Spanish Blood" & a track called "Knowing That I'm Losing You" were laid down on the 4th. Jimmy Page handled brilliant Spanish-styled acoustic guitar on the former song, accompanying a McCarty recitation."

[garbeaj]

As I said,if it is Jimmy-he was playing unusually well. Jimmy usually does not do several takes for leads-according to him usually no more than three. I said previously that I am open to it being Page-it just sounds completely different thechnique wise from him...but again,as I said before-he may have been really on when he recorded this. He is seldom this fluid and mistake free...

[SKINmodHEAD]

People like you are ridiculous.

I have the same book asmorgan88 is referring to, & he has it word for word. It blatantly says that Jimmy Page was the guitarist on this track.

And yes, it's dead on, but it's a scale.

[garbeaj]

Just because it is in a book does not mean it is true.

[garbeaj]

I know it is a scale. What you guys fail to understand and what I keep repeating is that when I say "technically advanced and mistake free" I mean literally that...I am willing to believe that it is possible that this is Jimmy,but I say again that I am saying that he almost always makes mistakes throughout his lead playing,even in the old days. If it is Jimmy,I repeat that he must have had an unusually good day in the studio-he generally does 2 or 3 takes and keeps the best one...

[asmorgan88]

Playing a scale isn't technically advanced.

And...Page's career is the blues.

The blues are sloppy. Those "mistakes" aren't really "mistakes".

[SKINmodHEAD]

2 or 3 takes & keeps the best one?

Where do you come up with this shit?

Maybe he did that in Zeppelin...but this isn't about Zeppelin...

There were as many as 15 takes on the guitar for Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor off the Yardbirds' final album.

...

AND...to put an end to your little bullshit non-believing, Page owns the rights to ALL the tracks on Cumular Limit, & that is why this album was pulled, is impossible to find, and when found costs over 100 bucks.

And, this song was on it.

[garbeaj]

OK...You are right I'm wrong it was Jimmy Page playing really well and not making any mistakes. You win:)

[shaman1241]

the GENIUS of Jimmy Page

[MrClarksdale]

Jimmy Page...what can i say?...

:::GREAT:::

[pieyedapple]

This is a treasure--never even knew it existed! Can't thank you, enough, for posting!

[Phoenixfan77]

At 1:20, they look like they're from the show "Blackadder" Ha ha ha

[68generation]

I am in love with this video and song! Too bad it cannot be found at a reasonable price, I find this absurd!

[nathansavas]

its Jim McCarty speaking

[MoorelandSt]

Right...Jim McCarty on vocals.

[68generation]

But the Cumular Limit album is very expensive on Amazon! it costs about $60 to $90. Will a cheaper one be in distribution?

[MoorelandSt]

Cumular Limit was regularly priced when it first came out...then it got pulled off the shelves for legal reasons. (Jimmy Page didnt like it being out) So you're only going to find 'collectors priced' used copies.

[thesoundboyshow]

Great track.

[jka4311]

Love the video... I absolutley love all the vintage pictures... Especially of Keith.... Thanks for posting...

[12stringsforme]

Whoa. Yes it sounds like him!

In the Napster days I found a Page solo track called "Acoustic Style"-it sounded a lot like Bron-Y-Aur but with a gradual buildup of acoustic overdubs, very beautiful. Of course I lost it. Any clues about it?

[witchman67]

Yes, thanks for posting...

[slowhand19]

genius. unparalleled atmosphere and vibe

a true testament to page's depth as well

[jka4311]

Great song I have never heard it before... Thanks for posting.... Love the video too...

[ebf1957]

Great music that could be used in a movie.

[warmambereyes]

thanks for sharing this,beautiful x

[percypage74]

I believe it is indeed, Mr. Page himself. This is what I've read in several places, after I got this 7 years ago off Napster (man does time fly by!)Joilet ... if you're only 21 yrs old like I think you are, then I'm glad to see a younger fan getting into this old rare stuff

[68generation]

Nice video joiletjake87; I have never heard this song by the Ybirds? And who is talking during the track?

[snusmumriken3]

Jim McCarty! ;-)