Comments on: Piano Red, Dr. Feelgood and the Beatles

By: Tom

Tom — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 23:00:56 +0000

Sometimes you don’t realize you’re at a historic musical occasion until years later. I remember seeing the Stray Cats at the Moonshadow Saloon, the Black Crowes at some bar near Piedmont Park and Pearl Jam at the 5 points bar . Lot’s of great music in Atlanta, it’s just being at the right place at the right time.

By: gringo557

gringo557 — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:09:34 +0000

Listen to The Beatles’ Star Club version of “Mr. Moonlight.” It’s a thousand times better in all respects, and perhaps that’s how the studio version SHOULD have been, but wasn’t.

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:52:27 +0000

I kind of like The Beatles’ cover of “Mr. Moonlight”. I don’t think it’s their absolute worst song. It’s certainly not the best off “Beatles for Sale” (No Reply), but it’s likable enough if you don’t take it too seriously. I find the horrible organ solo kind of endearing- proof of the Beatles imperfection and therefore their humanity.

I’ll have to check out the original though. Never heard it before. Great Post! Thank you!

By: Cliff Green

Cliff Green — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:58:33 +0000

Good stuff, Jeff. I remember Piano Red in Underground when there were several good places for music. I agree with Doug, it’s a shame the city let such a wonderful place fade away.

By: herc_takes_five

herc_takes_five — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:23:06 +0000

nice piece. saw piano red many times in underground and never knew about the beatles connection. love the beatles and this is NOT their worst recording. i can think of at least a dozen others worse than this. i like “mr. moonlight” and the album it came from, although the original by dr. feelgood is much better. the album (beatles for sale) is often cited as one of their worst by critics, but most of these people are what you might call pop-snobs — they hate country/roots music — and this album had several country/rockabilly covers in addition to the r&b/r&r covers. re: “mr. moonlight” by the beatles — i love lennon’s almost-desperate-silly plea/vocals and the hokey-sounding organ. maybe not a great song, but a very enjoyable listen if you’re more than just a casual fan. thanks for sharing the original.

By: TL Chappell

TL Chappell — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 03:53:09 +0000

I remember Piano Red vividly but nothing more so than him playing at that New Barbarians concert. It was a great addition to the concert itself which from what I remember was a bit odd.

By: Doug Monroe

Doug Monroe — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:39:58 +0000

Wonderful story, Jeff. I vividly remember “Dr. Feelgood.” Sometimes I think back to the glory days of Underground Atlanta and all I can do is shake my head in sadness that the city let such a wonderful place fade away. I interviewed Dante a while back about his “Down the Hatch.” I remember seeing people lined up around the block waiting to go down there. As a teenager, I explored Underground before it was developed, when it was crawling with rats and filled with spiderwebs and homeless people and probably a ghost or two. It was a scary, dreamy place. I enjoy everything you write, Jeff.

By: Tom Poland

Tom Poland — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:45:29 +0000

I always liked the song … I associate it with a special time the likes of which we’ll not see again.

By: Bo Spalding

Bo Spalding — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:12:41 +0000

I’ve been a Beatles fan since I saw them on Ed Sullivan, but I will say this: Mr. Moonlight was their worst song, and one of the worst songs by anyone in history.

By: Chris Wohlwend

Chris Wohlwend — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:12:49 +0000

Nice piece, Jeff. I caught the doctor with a group of friends at Muhlenbrink’s in the late-1970s or early ’80s. I had been touting “Right String, Wrong Yo-Yo” and they (perhaps influenced by my relentless admiration for the more off-the-wall songs) had been scoffing. But after hearing it live, they were turned into believers. It was a fun night, thanks to Piano Red’s exuberance in what he was doing.