Written in:
1975?
Released On:
Unreleased
Cover Versions:
A band called The Lye Berries recorded it sometime in the 1990's
About The The Song:
This a very unusual Pete Ham song. Both in lyrics and melody it's much like something Smokie or The Tremeloes would have recorded. Very catchy - very commercial.
Kent Gray of the Lye Berries: "
Pete never really made a complete demo of it, and he was using a
lousy cassette tape recorder when he practiced it. Since it wasn't usable
on a CD I asked (*1) Dan if I may record the song with a band I was playing with
at the time (The Lye Berries), and he said yes. He proceeded to publish the
song with Bug Music in consideration of that.
Pete wrote 2 verses for "Sweet Josephine." He occasionally changed a word
or two, and sometimes he'd try different tempos and keys.
Pete spent nearly an entire side of a 60-minute tape working on 2 songs (both
were actually the same melody). (*2)"Country Tavern" and "Sweet Josephine."
Although he never recorded a completed version of either song, he left enough
bits and pieces of both that either song could be edited into a complete
composition.
Actually it
was my brother who pushed me to record it. I thought it would have been too
difficult to do. But he is a Pete Ham fan as well, and he kept calling it a
"lost masterpiece." We never attempted "Country Tavern" as the tempo was far
slower and more of a ballad.
The bridge of the song is more connected to "Country Tavern," and the
third verse was definitely from "Country Tavern."
The "Lye Berries" are basically dissolved. If you have the CD you have almost
everything we recorded. The CD was all originals, except for "Sweet
Josephine" and "Pictures Of Matchstick Men." We recorded 3 songs that aren't
on the CD: "I Don't Mind It," "I Can Make It With You" and "Message To
Pretty." The last 2 songs are covers. None of these are by Pete Ham or any
Badfinger members."
Notes:
*1: Kent Gray did a lot of reserach and editing for Dan Matovina's Badfinger Biography
*2: The title Kent mentions is the song "Keep Your Country Tidy" which has been planned for release as bonus-track for "Head First"
Thanks to Kent !!
Lyrics/Chords
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