056: Jenny Boyd “Rock ‘n’ Roll Nobility”

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We are finally back after a very very very busy summer.  But we couldn’t resist making some time to sit down with one of our guests, Jenny Boyd, and talk to her about creative and music and her book It’s Not Only Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Topics we cover:

•  We introduce Jenny Boyd, a recent guest at Villa Cappelli

•  She wrote the book It’s Not Only Rock and Roll  Click here to get a copy.

•  How Paul grew up with the music Jenny had a first-hand account of this music

•  How Jenny is a part of rock and roll nobility if you will

•  How music today doesn’t have the same social relevance as it did in the 60s and 70s

•  We wonder what has changed, why aren’t artist tapping into the zeitgeist like that used to

•  They really had no idea that it was going to be such an important time and that music would be such a big part of it.

•  The Beatles were like the first boy band

•  Jenny was married to Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac

•  How Jenny and Mick meet

•  Pattie Boyd is Jenny’s sister, who was married to George Harrison of the Beatles and later Eric Clapton

•  Jenny talks about how Pattie and George met

•  How Eric Clapton wooed Jenny away from George, writing Layla for her while Pattie and George were still together

Here’s the song on iTunes and below are the lyrics:

[Verse 1]

What will you do when you get lonely

And nobody is waiting by your side?

You have been running and hiding much too long

You know it is just your foolish pride

[Chorus]

Layla, you’ve got me on my knees

Layla, I am begging, darling, please Layla

Darling, won’t you ease my worried mind?

[Verse 2]

I tried to give you consolation

When your old man had let you down

Like a fool, I fell in love with you

You turned my whole world upside down

[Chorus]

Layla, you’ve got me on my knees

Layla, I am begging, darling, please Layla

Darling, won’t you ease my worried mind?

[Verse 3]

Let us make the best of the situation

Before I finally go insane

Please, don’t say we will never find a way

And tell me all my love in vain

[Chorus]

Layla, you’ve got me on my knees

Layla, I am begging, darling, please Layla

Darling, won’t you ease my worried mind?

[Chorus]

Layla, you’ve got me on my knees

Layla, I am begging, darling, please Layla

Darling, won’t you ease my worried mind?

[Chorus]

Layla, you’ve got me on my knees

Layla, I am begging, darling, please Layla

Darling, won’t you ease my worried mind?

[Chorus]

Layla, you’ve got me on my knees

Layla, I am begging, darling, please Layla

Darling, won’t you ease my worried mind?

•  How Paul likes Bell Bottom Blues from the same album

•  The drive is very key for all the artists Jenny interviewed

•  They also had a sense of destiny.  For example, Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills & Nash said he just knew they were going to be famous

•  Jenny went to San Fransisco in the 60s and had an “ah-ha” moment

•  When she moved to San Fransisco, they were all tapping into the zeitgeist

•  How the musicians hung out with royals and everyone was just equal

•  How Paul thinks pot had something to do with it

•  Paul’s memory of disc eaters

•  Paul’s story of when Rumors came out and smoking when his Mom was visiting

•  How the song Jennifer Juniper was written about Jenny by Donovan

“Jennifer Juniper”
Jennifer Juniper, lives upon the hill
Jennifer Juniper, sitting very still

Is she sleeping? I don’t think so
Is she breathing? Yes, very low
Whatcha doing, Jennifer, my love?

Jennifer Juniper, rides a dappled mare
Jennifer Juniper, lilacs in her hair

Is she dreaming? Yes, I think so
Is she pretty? Yes, ever so
Whatcha doing, Jennifer, my love?

I’m thinking of what it would be like if she loved me
How just lately this happy song, it came along
And I like to somehow try and tell you

Jennifer Juniper, hair of golden flax
Jennifer Juniper, longs for what she lacks

Do you like her? Yes, I do, sir
Would you love her? Yes, I would, sir
Whatcha doing, Jennifer, my love?

Jennifer Juniper
Jennifer Juniper
Jennifer Juniper

Jennifer Juniper, vit sur la colline
Jennifer Juniper, assise très tranquille

Dort-elle? Je ne crois pas
Respire-t-elle? Oui, mais tout bas
Qu’est-ce que tu fais, Jenny, mon amour?

Jennifer Juniper
Jennifer Juniper
Jennifer Juniper

 

•  Jenny went to India with the Beatles

•  How the Beatles influenced people to start meditating

•  How they were met at the airport by Mia Farrow

•  How the Beatles would come up with songs on the roof of where they were staying and a lot of those songs ended up on The White Album

•  What the book is about, which is that we all have a creative potential

•  One common thread explored in the book is the “muse”

•  Abraham Maslow coined the term “peak experience”

•  How many of the artist had never talked about before where their creativity comes from

•  How some of the artists said if they didn’t write the inspiration down when they had it, say in bed, then they would later hear it and someone else had actually “picked it up” and written it down

•  How when the inspiration visits, it visits, and you have to answer the call at that moment

•  How Paul creates starting with a visual, and that is the middle of the story, then you create by writing going back to the start and then the end

•  How the artists see themselves as just the messengers

•  How Jenny interviewed 75 artists

•  How it sounds like a great Netflix series

•  How it would be hard to do a book like this now

•  How Jenny had a calling card when contacting the artists

•  How the bands would get so connected to each other that they would all start on the same wrong verse together

•  How runners can tap into the peak experience as well

•  Jenny was in love with Buddy Holly when she was young

•  Jenny talks about her experience when John Lennon died

•  We talk a little about Catcher in the Rye, a book Paul has never finished

•  How artistic expression can move us in so many ways

•  Jenny’s website is:  http://www.thejennyboyd.com/

•  Paul asks for some of Jenny’s favorite songs:

“Things we said today” by the Beatles

“Things We Said Today”
You say you will love me
If I have to go
You’ll be thinking of me
Somehow I will know
Someday when I’m lonely
Wishing you weren’t so far away
Then I will remember
Things we said today

You say you’ll be mine, girl
Till the end of time
These days such a kind girl
Seems so hard to find
Someday when we’re dreaming
Deep in love, not a lot to say
Then we will remember
Things we said today

Me, I’m just the lucky kind
Love to hear you say that love is luck
And though we may be blind
Love is here to stay and that’s enough

To make you mine, girl
Be the only one
Love me all the time, girl
We’ll go on and on
Someday when we’re dreaming
Deep in love, not a lot to say
Then we will remember
Things we said today

Me, I’m just the lucky kind
Love to hear you say that love is luck
Though we may be blind
Love is here to stay and that’s enough

To make you mine, girl
Be the only one
Love me all the time, girl
We’ll go on and on
Someday when we’re dreaming
Deep in love, not a lot to say
Then we will remember
Things we said today

 

 

“I put a spell on you” by Nina Simone

 

“I Put A Spell On You”
I put a spell on you
‘Cause you’re mine

You better stop the things you do
I ain’t lyin’
No I ain’t lyin’

You know I can’t stand it
You’re runnin’ around
You know better daddy
I can’t stand it cause you put me down
Yeah, Yeah

I put a spell on you
Because you’re mine
You’re mine

I love ya
I love you
I love you
I love you anyhow
And I don’t care
If you don’t want me
I’m yours right now

You hear me
I put a spell on you
Because you’re mine

 

“Further on up the road” by Bobby Bland

Further on up the road, someone gonna hurt you like you hurt me
Further on up the road, someone gonna hurt you like you hurt me
Further on up the road, baby you just wait and see

You got to reap just what you sow, that old saying is true
You got to reap just what you sow, that old saying is true
Like you mistreat someone, someone’s gonna mistreat you

Now you’re laughing pretty baby, someday you’re gonna be crying
Now you’re laughing pretty baby, some, someday you’re gonna be crying
Further on up the road, you’ll find out I wasn’t lying

Yeah, baby, further on up the road, baby, hmmm, you’ll find out I wasn’t lying

Further on up the road, when you’re all alone and blue
Further on up the road, when you’re all alone and blue
You’re gonna ask me to take you back baby, but I’ll have somebody new

Hmmm, baby, further on up the road
Hmmm, baby, further on up the road
Hmmm, you’ll get yours

“Landslide” by Stevie Nix

“Landslide”
I took my love, I took it down
I climbed a mountain and I turned around
And I saw my reflection in the snow-covered hills
‘Till the landslide brought me down

Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

Well, I’ve been afraid of changing
‘Cause I’ve built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I’m getting older too

Well, I’ve been afraid of changing
‘Cause I’ve built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I’m getting older too
Oh, I’m getting older too

Oh, take my love, take it down
Oh, climb a mountain and turn around
And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills
Well the landslide will bring it down
And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills
Well the landslide will bring it down, oh oh
The landslide will bring it down

 

•  How Paul appreciates The Beatles’ songs more as he gets older

•  Paul tells his story about George Michael and The Beatles

•  One of Paul’s favorite Beatles’ songs at the time was Hey Jude, and he explains why

•  Paul talks about preferring Christine McVie over Stevie Nicks

•  Jenny talks about how Stevie Nicks joined Fleetwood Mack

•  How when Stevie joined the band it totally changed their sound

•  Jenny talks just a bit about her time at Villa Cappelli

If you liked this podcast, we do a second recap podcast with Jenny in the next one.  What do you think?  Did we miss out on asking Jenny a question?  What would you ask her?  Let us know in the comments (and she just may respond herself!).