Locomotive Breath – Rabbitt

Locomotive Breath – Rabbitt

Way back in 1971 a band called Jethro Tull (who were named after a famous agriculturist from the 1600-1700’s) recorded a song called ‘Locomotive Breath’. It appeared on their album called ‘Aqualung’. A couple of years later, in 1973, a local band called Rabbitt recorded a cover of it which had the same piano intro. That version would make it to number 11 on the Springbok Radio. However it was not the Rabbitt that people came to know and love later in the 70’s. This was an early incarnation of the band where the only member who would feature in the more popular line-up, was Trevor Rabin. He was accompanied on that early version by Errol Friedman, Francis Roos, Louis Forer and Cedric Samson.

Move on a few more years and Friedman, Roos, Forer and Samson had been ditched in favour of Faure, Cloud and Robot. This new line-up decided to dust off the old Tull classic and try it again, this time as a cleaner pretty boy rock version rather than the dense Freedom’s Children-ish rock version of the earlier line-up.

So which to choose from, the 73 version of the early incarnation or the 75 version from ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ (this is of course presuming you are happy to put the Tull version aside for a bit). Well, as already mentioned, the early version is a dense rock affair which has it’s own appeal, especially to those who like a thick sound, while those who prefer a crisper, quicker ‘train on a track’ paced sound with an electric guitar solo to air guitar to version, then the latter version is for you.

What the early version did reveal was what a talent we had in Trevor Rabin as you can already hear someone who knows how to handle an axe. By the time he picks up his guitar a few years later to re-record the song with his new band mates, he is well on his way to being noted as one of South Africa’s great guitarist. It’s up to you to choose which version you prefer, but the bigger question that comes from these 2 versions is did the way the word ‘Charlie’ is sung in the line in ‘Locomotive Breath’ that goes ‘Old Charlie stole the handle and the train it won’t stop going’, have any influence on Patric van Blerk when he wrote Rabbitt’s later hit.

Where to find it:
Boys Will Be Boys – Rabbitt (September 2006) RetroFresh, freshcd 153 (CD)
The Hits – Rabbitt (1996) Gallo, CDRED 602

Video:
1976 version

Lifeline – Rabbitt

The Hits – Rabbitt

Rabbitt slowed things down a notch when they recorded this one. Their bigger hits such as ‘Charlie’ and ‘Locomotive Breath’, although not frenetic or particularly noisy, were certainly rockier affairs. But here we are in slow rock ballad mode. There are some aaahh’s underpinning the verses which are not that far away from the similar part on 10cc’s ‘I’m Not In Love’, but where 10cc keep it cool, Rabbitt do throw in some electric guitars every now and then to remind one that they knew how to handle an axe.

‘Lifeline’ really shows off the craftsmanship of Trevor Rabin and the boys when it came to putting a song together. The production is also slick, giving this love song a velvety feel as it seems to glide along on a cushion of air.

While their rockier numbers like ‘Charlie’, ‘Morning Light’ and ‘Locomotive Breath’ had chart success, ‘Lifeline’ prefers to hang around in the background, taking a slow seductive approach compared to the more ‘in your face’ sound of the hits. It showed another side of Rabbitt that I’m sure the girls loved just as much as their bouncier side.

Where to find it:
Boys Will Be Boys – Rabbitt (September 2006) RetroFresh, freshcd 153 (CD)
The Hits – Rabbitt (1996) Gallo, CDRED 602

Video:

Fantasy – Trevor Rabin

Fantasy – Trevor Rabin

Trevor Rabin

Yes, this is the Trevor Rabin who was in Rabbitt and spent some time in the group Yes. ‘Fantasy’ is the song that fell in the period between the two, where he was heading out on his own into the big bad world and seeing what he could do.

The song itself seems to land somewhere between Rabbitt and Yes not only on a Rabin timeline, but also in its sound. It still has that sort of 70s, clean-cut rock feel about it that Rabbitt perfected, but it also has leanings towards the big sound of ‘Owner Of A Lonely Heart’ that Rabin would help Yes score a big hit with. There are pounding disco-rock beats, loads of showy prog-esque guitars and Rabin’s AOR vocals that all pummel their way through the three mintes and tweny two seconds of this wall-of-sound pop barrage.

‘Fantasy’ was Rabin’s only solo top 20 hit in South Africa. It reached number 12 on the charts during its 8 week stay. This was better than anything he managed in Rabbitt whose best achievement on the Springbok charts was getting to 14 with ‘Charlie’. He did go one better with Yes when ‘Owner of…’ reached number 11. So chronologically, musically and chartwise, this is very much middle ground for Rabin. So why should you hear it? Because it is the lesser known chapter in the development of one of South Africa’s most successful musical talents.

Where to find it:
Beginnings – Trevor Rabin (2011), Voiceprint, VP254CD

Hear here:

https://myspace.com/trevorrabinfan/music/song/fantasy-63189103

Video:

Morning Light – Rabbitt

Morning Light – Rabbitt (And then it dawned on me)

Rabbitt – A Croak And A Grunt In The Night (1977)

The mania that surrounded ‘A Croak And A Grunt In The Night’ was the peak of Rabbitt’s success in South Africa. However, where could they go from such success? The answer, as history tells us, is nowhere as a group. So they disbanded and the members went on to greater things on the world stage.

But in that time between ‘A Croak…’ and Trevor Rabin departing the band, they produced the gem called ‘Morning Light’. The song was written by Duncan and Trevor, and does hint at the worldwide smash Trevor was to have with Yes and ‘Owner of A Lonely Heart.’ You can find the full rock guitar sound and high pitched vocal harmonies here that made ‘Owner…’ the hit it was.

The song peaked at number 15 on the Springbok Top 20, spending only 3 weeks on the chart. This seems to belie just how massive the band actually was in the country. Yes, there was probably many a tear shed, particularly amongst the young girls, when the band split, but they did leave a fitting finale in ‘Morning Light.’ There was a further album and single without Trevor, but that’ll form part of another entry.

Where to Find it:
A Croak & A Grunt In The Night (bonus track)– Rabbitt (2006), Fresh Music, FRESHCD 154

SA Rock Encyclopedia:
Rabbitt

Video:

Charlie – Rabbitt

Charlie – Rabbitt (The Hound & The Hare)

Rabbitt – Boys Will Be Boys!

‘Charlie’ has been to South Africa what Carly Simon’s ‘You’re So Vain’
was to the world in that the big question was, ‘who is this song
about?’ Some said it was about Trevor Rabin’s girlfriend, some said it
was Patric van Blerk’s (co-writer of the song) dog, and some like me
(who were very young at the time) thought it was about the girl in the
ad for Charlie perfume.

However in 1999, Julian Laxton who was the producer and engineer on
the track (and a musician in his own right in case you didn’t know),
explained that it was about Patric van Blerk’s partner Charles Coetzee
and that Lady Marmalade was not the song, but their Persian cat (see:
http://www.rock.co.za/files/rabbitt_boys.html).

Now that we’ve cleared that up, we can talk a little bit about the
song that possibly every South African aged forty or over will know, and
some under forty will know from the rather good Wonderboom cover a few
years back (either that or from their parents playing it).

‘Charlie’ is regarded by many as Rabbitt’s defining song and this is
borne out by the fact that it was their highest charting song on the
Springbok Radio charts. Surprisingly, given the amount of hype and
attention the band got, they only managed to reach number 14. Trevor
Rabin’s classical training does show through in the piano playing and
orchestral arrangements on the track and his yearning filled voice
soars over the chorus.

It doesn’t really matter exactly who the song is about, it will remain
a firm favourite of many South Africans for many years to come.

Where to find it:

Boys Will Be Boys – Rabbitt (September 2006) RetroFresh, freshcd 153
The Hits – Rabbitt (1996) Gallo, CDRED 602
The Best of SA Pop Volume 2 -Various Artists (1994) GMP, CDGMPD 40486

Cover version:
Wonderboom

Lyrics:

Loving you is easy
Such a beautiful thing to do
And though at times you hurt me
I buzz each night on you
Oh! What times we’ve had together
What crazy things we’ve done
Enough to fill my memory
And keep me loving Charlie
Charlie

As dogs go you’re groovy
Not as predictable as some
But you’re not as paranoid as Lady Marmalade
And really much more fun

Hell! At times I get so mad
When you buzz on someone new
It’s not that you don’t love me
It’s just that I’m too selfish to consider sharing Charlie
Charlie

You’ve filled my head with new ideas
And filled my heart with sun
So I’d like to take this time right now
To thank you for what you’ve done

You and Lady Marmalade
Are everything I need
The two of you and the music
Deep inside of me

And watching you sleep
Side by side
Makes me breathe
Gratefully
I love you Charlie
Charlie

(Written by Trevor Rabin / Patrick van Blerk)

Video: