Buzzy Linhart

Buzzy Linhart / Moogy Klingman
The Buzzy/Moogy Sessions 1983-1994

New Review of this Album from All Music Guide from February 2001. It became an AMG pick!

AMG EXPERT REVIEW: Buzzy Linhart's irreverent love lyrics in "I Believe It Tonight" give a hint to the multifaceted composer's power. He hits you with "Hole in My Life," a wonderfully tortured ballad featuring the keyboards of his friend/producer and founding member of Utopia, Moogy Klingman. The listener gets trapped song by song, and when "Celebrate the Nite" kicks in, you get one of those melodies that sticks in your head for the week. Martin Kupersmith, friend of the late Jimmy Miller and member of Jay & the Americans co-wrote what should've been the sequel to Three Dog Night's "Celebrate." Joe Berger and Jeff Sigman's guitars come from out of nowhere, replaced by Klingman's atmospheric keys and some marching drums. The production is top notch, with Linhart's vocals soaring over the mix. A really extraordinary piece of music. "Village Voices" is the first Moogy Klingman song that Linhart tackles on this disc. It's a combination of gospel and Broadway show tunes, certainly strange bedfellows, with Kati Mac's harmony fitting nicely alongside Linhart's deadpan vocal. "Last Train Out," another hook-filled song performed by a trio (Joe Berger on all guitars; Klingman on drums, bass, sax and organ; Linhart, all voices), was recorded at Klingman's house in 1994. A little flavor of Billy Joel's "Matter of Trust" can be heard, but Linhart sings with much more heart. "Fountain of Youth" is the most experimental piece here, featuring the two on all instruments, with Linhart doing some Yma Sumac-type vocals inside Klingman's Enya-style keyboards. The four tracks recorded in Klingman's house, selections five through eight, have depth and pure inspiration. For the guy who "filled Carnegie Hall" according to Moogy's August 2000 liner notes, this is a welcome return to songwriting and the studio. "Victim of Circumstance" is more of Linhart's dry humor, but "Dreams of Sand" does here what "Celebrate the Nite" did earlier, creating a dark and majestic mood, a love tragedy right out of the film Casablanca which ends too soon. Tracks nine through 14 are radio concert cuts recorded on August 6, 1989 at WBAI studios in New York, hosted by Ed Haber. Despite the live tracks having only Linhart on acoustic guitar and Klingman on grand piano, they hold up well next to the studio ones, from the cover of Fred Neil's 1962 composition "That's the Bag I'm In" to a beautiful rendition of "You Gotta Have Friends," the song the two wrote for Bette Midler's first album, The Divine Miss M. It clocks in at almost 74 minutes, and is comprised of four songs from 1983/1984, six songs from a broadcast, and four new compositions. A gem. — Joe Viglione

Buzzy Linhart is a rock legend. Starting out as a vibes player in Greenwich Village back at the dawn of the 60's, he played behind Tim Hardin and Fred Neil and recorded as a vibist with Jimi Hendrix and Crosby, Stills and Nash. He made about six albums (not including greatest hits and repackages of all sorts) for various major labels in the late sixties and early seventies. Buzzy was a singing, songwriting, guitar playing solo artist and a legendary live performer. He even filled Carnegie Hall at the height of Buzzymania! Having his songs covered by Bette Midler, Barry Manilow and Carly Simon, among others, his rep as a songwriter has always been a great one.
Fading out with the seventies, Buzzy sightings became legendary over the years. This CD documents many NYC sightings, when Buzzy would show up at my house and music would be made and songs would be written. Sometimes, we'd write songs and play gigs with bands. Sometimes, we'd just do radio shows (like the one included here). Starting with 1983 and concluding in 1994, this album contains nothing but great stuff, start to finish (74 minutes worth!). And here are four of the only songs we've written together since we wrote "Friends" for Better Midler. And there are many great Buzzy songs here and a few Moogy songs, as well.
Time to get lost in the music, folks. And Buzzy....... Welcome Back!!!

Moogy Klingman, august 2000

Order it now for $14.99 ($12.99+$2shipping) in the US and Canada.You can pay with check or money order (made out to "D. Klingman") or with credit card or echeck via PayPal:

Orders outside the US & Canada $17.99 incl. shipping

Please send checks and money orders to:

Mark Klingman
390 West End Avenue #3m
New York, NY 10024

all songs produced by Moogy Klingman, songs arranged by Buzzy and Moogy
Special thanks to Ed Haber for the radio concert cuts 9 through 14

Songsamples

I BELIEVE IT TONITE
HOLE IN MY LIFE
CELEBRATE THE NITE
VILLAGE VOICES
LAST TRAIN OUT
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
VICTIM OF CIRCUMSTANCE
DREAMS OF SAND
I SING THE BLUES
I MIGHT BE WRONG BUT I SAY WHAT I MEAN
(YOU GOTTA HAVE) FRIENDS
KILPATRICK'S DEFEAT
THAT'S THE BAG I'M IN
HEAVEN

I BELIEVE IT TONITE back to list
by Buzzy Linhart, copyright 1979 BuzzArt publishing, all rights reserved

I believed you when you told me that your love was a mountain
I had to listen when you told me that you thought I was a supernatural
fountain
some people told me that you never could be trusted before
that may be true, but everyday I fall in love with you more
I believed it when you told me that you'd love me more than anybody
else in the world and I believe it tonite, I believe it tonite

I believed you when you told me that your love was the answer,
you set my mind a spinning all around the room, just like a suicidal
dancer
when questioned if I'm happy, I'll admit that I can never be sure.
if love is just a weakness, then I hope they don't come up with a
cure.
I believed you when you told me that you'd love me
more than anybody else in the world and I believe it tonite.

CHORUS
tell me that you love me I believe it tonite,
tell me that you need me i can dig it in the morning,
tell me that you love me I believe it tonite,
east coast west coast, father, son and holy ghost,
everybody drink a toast, all that I can think of is you..........

I believed you when you told me that you'd love me
more than anybody else in the world ..... 3x's
and I believe it tonite

tell me that you love me I believe it tonite,
tell me that you need me i can dig it in the morning, - REPEAT

Buzzy - acoustic guitar, Joe Berger and Jeff Sigman - lead guitars, Moogy - piano, John Seigler - bass, Keith John - drums, Andrew Freedman - percussion,
Buzzy, Kati Mac, Micheal Gladstone, G Parker, - harmonies
recorded at Hi-Five studios, 1983, engineered by G Parker

HOLE IN MY LIFEback to list
by Buzzy Linhart
copyright 1977 BuzzArt publishing, all rights reserved

There's a hole in my life without you,
a sentence of sorrow to serve since were through,
like the soul of an old worn out shoe,
There's a hole in my life without you

Everyone makes a mistake in their life,
our love was too good to be true,
but couldn't you see all the truth in my eyes
when I said I'd miss you?

There's a hole in my life without you,
something is nothing and nothing is new
and I can't think of anyone who
fills the hole in my life like you do

but couldn't you see all the truth in my eyes
when I said I'd miss you?

There's a hole in my life without you,
a canyon of heartbreak where everything's blue,
and I feel like my world's fallin' through,
through the hole in my life without you

Buzzy - acoustic guitar and harmonies, Joe Berger - electric guitar, Moogy - piano, John Seigler - bass, Keith John - drums, Dick Oats - saxophone
recorded at Hi-Five studios, 1983 engineered by G Parker

CELEBRATE THE NITEback to list
by Buzzy Linhart and Martin Kupersmith
copyright 1978 BuzzArt publishing, all rights reserved

celebrate the nite, celebrate the nite, celebrate the nite, tonite
together

You've got worries I've got troubles
eveyone's the same
you can lose the daytime blues, it's all part of the game that we
learn to play everybody finds a way to

CHORUS
celebrate the nite - the time is now
the past is out of sight
celebrate the nite
the future's here and all the signs are right.

you can celebrate
celebrate the nite, celebrate the nite, celebrate the nite, tonite
together

slip the veil away,
climb aboard and sail away

CHORUS

celebrate the nite - the time is now,
the past is out of sight
celebrate the nite
the moon is high and all the signs are right.

celebrate the nite, celebrate the nite, celebrate the nite, tonite
together
celebrate the nite tonite, celebrate the nite together

Buzzy - acoustic guitar, tom fills, Joe Berger and Jeff Sigman - lead guitars, Moogy - synths, John Seigler - bass, Keith John - drums, Andrew Freedman -percussion, Buzzy, Kati Mac, Micheal Gladstone, G Parker, - harmonies
recorded at Hi-Five studios, 1983 G Parker engineer

VILLAGE VOICES back to list
by Moogy Klingman
copyright 1981 Moogy Music, all rights reserved

Village voices are singing a song that they know from a long time ago,
and they'll sing it and yell it, lord, how they'll tell it.
It's the song of village voices

Village voices are quiet, their listening now, to the winds of change,
when the stop a blowing, it's then you'll be knowing
the sound of village voices

Me, I'm the lonely one, but I'm not the only one
hoping and praying for a place we could meet,
if you want to find me, then haven't you heard?
I'm down on the corner of Macdougal and third

there's a lonely old troubadour singing his song,
singing all nite long
and the song that he's singing, the hope that he's bringing
it's a song of village voices,

La, la, la, la,..........

when the things that you fear oh, like you've lost all your heros
and it seems like you've run out of choices my friends
then lift up your ears, for the song that you hear,
is a song from the village again and again.

village voices are crying cause they're felling the pain,
of the long hard road,
when the pain it is gone, still the hope will remain
in the song of village voices
it's a song of village voices

Buzzy and Kati Mac - all vocals, Moogy - piano and strings, Lenny Nelson - bass, Howie Wyeth - drums, recorded at Hi-Five studios 1984, G Parker - engineer

LAST TRAIN OUTback to list
by Buzzy Linhart and Moogy Klingman -
copyright 1994, BuzzArt publishing and Moogy music, all rights reserved

ffools in love, we fell so easily,
it took no shove, this was our destiny
and I'm sure of it there's just one thing compared to this that even
seems to fit, a glove...foolish in love

one more dance, and then I've really got to go
you told me so, that you had never really ever been in love before, my
glance...
just one more dance

CHORUS
this is the last time around
one more trip across the floor
this is our last chance to find romance
cause we've said it all before

this is the last train out, it pulls out at half past ten
you can leave now but you can't come back again

one more song, that's how it's got to be,
it won't take long to see how you feel 'bout me
and who could have known? when you were over in the corner sitting

all alone, for so long,
just one more song

CHORUS
this is the last time around
one more trip across the floor
this is our last chance to find romance
cause we've said it all before

the last train out, and you can hear conductor Ben
calling all aboard now,
you can leave now, but you can't come back again

Buzzy - guitar, all voices, Moogy - drums, bass, sax, organ, Joe Berger - lead guitar
recorded at Moogy's house by moogy 1994

FOUNTAIN OF YOUTHback to list
by Buzzy Linhart and Moogy Klingman -
copyright 1994, BuzzArt publishing and Moogy music, all rights reserved

fountain of youth, a coin tossed over your shoulder
you could search the whole world over
or I can take you there

mountain of truth, just outside of your window
you could climb atop that mountain,
but you won't find it there.

CHORUS
time bends, if you know the secret, somewhere, magic's in the air
time slides, all around and thru you, faith heals, love is everywhere

fountain of youth, just this side of the rainbow,
a wise man told a story, and this is what he said

when children sing, the music tells you the secret
the answer lies within you, the fountain's in your mind

CHORUS

VICTIM OF CIRCUMSTANCEback to list
by Buzzy Linhart & Moogy Klingman
copyright 1994 BuzzArt publishing and moogy music, all rights reserved

anger can be easy when you don't know who to blame
humor can be helpful, if your laughter fans the flame
it really is a wonder that sin is such a shame.
and that losers can be winners, if they'll only play the game

honesty is something I could really live without
just show me an honest man and I will throw him out,
no matter what you stand for, no matter what you do
it always seems that someone else is better off than you

CHORUS
I'm a victim of circumstance, showing you my song and dance
like a story out of True Romance, but it happens every day

sailors can be angry when they've been too long at sea,
and they oft times, might hurt someone, just trying to feel free
so be careful who you're seen with and with what you do agree,
yes my friend, take special care, 'less you end up like me

life can be so lovely when you're standing ten feet tall,
but most of us are shorter and we're feeling two feet small
it's the one that tells you what to do who I hate most of all,
and he says you may not join the dance, and can't attend the ball

CHORUS

the truth is what it is, and if it fits then it's your shoe,
just hoping that it's something else won't change your life for you
so be cautious with the things you say and watch just what you do,
and be carefull what you wish for, 'cause someday it might come true,
your wish just might come true

CHORUS

Moogy- drums, bass, keys, vibes, harmony, Joe Berger - electric guitar, Buzzy - lead vocal - Recorded at Moogy's house by Moogy 1994

DREAMS OF SANDback to list
by Buzzy Linhart & Moogy Klingman
copyright 1989 BuzzArt publishing and Moogy Music, all rights reserved

your soul stares thru the screen again,
still sensing fault within your fellow men,
your self, cannot, be blamed

the light spins off a sun-drenched shore,
revealing what we really came here for
the truth, cannot, be tamed

CHORUS
still your heart can't understand, why love was torn out of your hand
you'll fall down and then you'll cry again,
you'll stand up and then you'll try again
only don't go building your dreams of sand

your memory plays the same old song
you sympathize a change of right to wrong
your self, cannot, be blamed

it seems sometimes we try too hard
though there's conjecture in our own back yard
the future has been framed

CHORUS

RELEASE
they say that love is where you find it,
that's if that's what you're looking for

your soul stares thru the screen again,
still sensing fault within your fellow men,
yourself can not be blamed, 2x's

chorus

Buzzy - vocals, guitar
Moogy- keys, strings, bass, drums, sax, Recorded at Moogy's house by Moogy

The next six cuts are a live radio concert taped at WBAI studios in NYC, with host Ed Haber. Buzzy is on acoustic guitar and Moogy on grand piano and occasional harmony. The date was 8/6/89.

I sing the blues baby, but they don't mean that much to me, 2x's
you know the blues can make you happy,
'cause happy's where you're s'posed to be

I sing the blues, my notes denote a life of sin 2x's
it's so much fun to sing of sadness,
if you can wear a crazy grin

I sing the blues, but I be happy every day 'abe
you know I might as well be happy,
cause you don't love me anyway

Get out, don't pout, look out, Johnny be good
everybody knows you ain't be doing what you really could
your eyes are bloodshot and your teeth are green
you stole your outfit from a magazine,
I've been digusted since you came on the scene,
I might be wrong but I say what I mean

get back, no knack, don't crack, run around Sue
i just been trying to discover, why the hell you do the things you do
don't know the meaning of the word, discreet
her heart's enormous but her brain's petite,
her mind is dirty but her hands are clean,
I might be wrong but I say what I mean

CHORUS
I might be wrong, but not for long,
it can make you strong,
if you only learn to say what you mean
if you're in a bind, you will find, that you can fix your mind,
if you only learn to say what you mean

vous play, hooray, how you say? the trouble with you, baby
most often is reflected in the kind of things you say and do,'
you walk around like you're an Arab sheik,
to treat me like I am a side show freak
you got the IQ of a lima bean,
I might be wrong but I say what I mean

Gee whiz, how 'tis, trouble is everyone knows
that you're mind'll get distracted if you worry 'bout the people's

toes
a person cannot really hide what's in their heart
we knew the answer from the very start
but we forget cause it's a crazy scene,
I might be wrong but I say what I mean

CHORUS

ENDING
uptown, downtown, designer jeans or leather,
the truth can't hide from birds of a feather,
it'll take much less time to get it all together,
if everybody'd only try to open up and say what they mean!

(YOU GOTTA HAVE) FRIENDS back to list
by Buzzy LInhart and Moogy Klingman
copyright 1969 BuzzArt publishing

am all alone
there is no one here beside me,
and my problems have all gone,
there is no one to deride me,

But, you gotta have friends,
the feeling's oh so strong
you gotta have friends
to make that day last long

I had some friends but they're gone,
something came and took them away
from the dust to the dawn,
here is where I'll stay

standing at the end of the road,
waiting for my new friends to come,
I don't care if I'm hungry or cold,
I'm gonna get me some

because you gotta have friends

Turned 'round and put down and laid in my grave,
oh Lord, I'm so sick of trying
but they're weeping and bleeding and hung down in shame,
calling and crying and dying

everybody's trying just to build a better day
everybody's trying to find an answer,
everybody's trying just to find another way
but when you're out in the street, you might go down to defeat

so hold me and kiss me and whisper my name,
keep my poor heart from disaster,
and I'll keep you and kiss you, if you'll only remain
my time spent with you goes much faster

THAT'S THE BAG I'M INback to list
by Fred Neil
Copyright 1962 - January Music corp

I burned my fingers on the coffee pot,
the toast was cold, and the orange juice was hot,
you think I should start over, but you know I'd rather not
the same thing'll happen again,
'cause that's the bag I'm in

last nite, as I was walking down the street,
whistlin' the blues to the tapping of my feet,
well, you know, some old crank, he went and called the cop on the

beat,
got me busted, happens every single time

every morning when I wake up,
I miss my connection and I'm late for work again
they'll prob'ly drop the atom bomb, the day my ship comes in
and I dassen't bet a nickel 'cause they'll pay me off in yen
you know I just can't win,
'cause that's the bag I'm in

what with the juke box playing the same ol' melody,
keeps on bringing back those blue memories,
and you know this evil feeling's gonna be the death of me.......
1st verse

HEAVEN back to list
by Buzzy LInhart,
copyright 1973 BuzzArt publishing, alll rights reserved

I owe my life to the ones who have come before me
and the ones who have run the stormy winds as they have blown
crossed regions unfamiliar, darkened with despair,
only to discover, there was danger lurking there

REFRAIN
now that the clear light of truth has appeared before me,
I can never again ignore the need to stand alone
and when my life is over, the answer will be finally shown
that heaven is the sweetest place that I have ever known

time shall show thee that the truth is the only feeling that can send
all of our senses reeling, with a love of rare design
happiness means fufillment the destinies entwine,
I'm still searching for a heaven that I once believed was mine

REFRAIN

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