The Move--Down On The Bay

Great live perfomance from the Jeff Lynne-era lineup of The Move. I always considered this to be the song that I would play for a Martian landing on Earth and asking the question "what exactly is this rock and roll"? I will also never forget the day that I purchased the "Split Ends" LP at Grants in the Middletown Mall in Fairmont, WV and it had this on it...along with "Do Ya", "The Words Of Aaron", "The Minister", "California Man", and "Tonight". These guys were great!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Roy
• Wood
• Jeff
• Lynne
• Bev
• Bevan
• Wizzard
• The
• Move
• Beat
• Club
• 1972

[AncientFan]

"Blackberry Way" was the end of the line. A number one hit in the UK, it was also the last howl of Roy Wood as a hit maker. After this there was the typical early 70s reversal to the 50s style like the above. It makes you wonder WHY?! Ran out of ideas? At leeat the horrid model ELO is obvious.

There was Darkness in the Land. And the Horrors of The Sweet and Mud Appeared.

And lo! Verily The Lord Elvis Costello appeared on the Horizon. And His Apostles were called The Attractions...

[SkeebWilcox]

@AncientFan The only things that The Move ever recorded that I come close to totally disliking are "Looking On" and..."Blackberry Way".

[SkeebWilcox]

I love doing this with The Beatles' 'White Album', so I thought "why not do it with 'Split Ends'". Here's how I would have lined up the ten songs: 1. Do Ya 2. Chinatown 3. Minister 4. Tonight 5. Down On The Bay 6. California Man 7. Don't Mess Me Up 8. Ella James 9. The Words Of Aaron 10. Message From The Country Now, to me, THAT would have been the perfect choice of material and order for "Split Ends"...

[NeilThompson30]

What is Split Ends?

[SkeebWilcox]

"Split Ends" was a U.S.-only album from The Move that was basically "Message From The Country" minus four songs ("Ben Crawley", "My Marge", "Don't Mess Me Up" and "It Wasn't My Idea To Dance") replaced by five songs ("Do Ya", "Down On The Bay", "Tonight", "Chinatown", and "California Man"). It came out in 1972 on U.A. and was released so that "Do Ya" would have an LP associated with it.

[NeilThompson30]

There are comments on this saying Looking on is crap - it's a brilliant album - got it when it first came out.

E.L.O.'s first two albums are brilliant also.

If you don't like them, shut up.

[mkp823]

Great to see / hear this live version. However, could be better without Bill Hunt's very mediocre piano playing- especially when a great piano player is standing to Jeff's left.

[gardnerdan17]

Great performance, shitty recording.

[rockerbox1973]

quack quack

[11xzxzxz]

@AncientFan And Roy didn't run out of ideas until he went solo .. Shazam is good and Message .. with Jeff. And then Elvis was great but he stayed too long at the party after 1980 .. ran out of ideas and became bloated and full of himself. It's tough to be great for a long time. Neil Young did it from 1966 to 1980 and that is a record and just my opinion. Attractions were such a great band tooooo .. under-appreciated. 

[AncientFan]

If you are feemous in Germany you can sell a lot of records ;D. But not necessarily bonus points on the scale or rock. Because ze Germans (I am one off them) tend to have a very sedaaaaate taste ;D.

Zis record is very bad. Start of the 70s sub-Zep bluesy bullshit (and we all know it).

Oh! Bring back Night of Fear. Ve have to go elsewhere at Youtube.

[Marion133]

Jeff <3

[posthumanhero]

@NeilThompson30 i second the decision.....top 40 mentalities get in the way of good fun.....'looking on' and the first elo lps are great for reasons poople like that haven't the acumen or curiousioty to appreciate.....they should not boast about their shorsitedness and inability to really listen to music.