Davis' career would peak a few years later with the #1 hit "Baby, Don't Get Hooked On Me" and the TV special "I Believe In Music" (named after another excellent song he wrote).
Nice survey Robert. Davis became the go-to talk show guest when his movie career took off. He cultivated a huge fanbase who didn’t know about his music career, but knew “North Dallas Forty” et al. I’ll keep an eye out for the vinyl.
Just a quick P.S....I just remembered B.J.Thomas who belongs with those country singer/songwriters who dominated the late sixties/early sixties and whose "I Just Can't Help Believing" was one of the highlights of "That's the Way It Is". Also, was Jerry Fuller related to Bobby Fuller?
Good read, I'll have to track this down, if only to hear his version of In The Ghetto. Interesting what you say about finding Mac's version more moving and sincere than Elvis's, I thought the same about Mickey Newbury's original version of American Trilogy.
Great job, as usual! Excellent appreciation of a very underrated performer and writer. Very sharp depiction of Elvis doing "Memories" in '68. I like the way they used the song to end "On Tour"...showing EP alone backstage poking around flowers and gifts scattered around the dressing room...while the band and background singers are tossing popcorn at each other and having a great time on the tour bus. It's quite sad...I think the filmmakers kind of could tell that the future didn't look great for him. All those guys: Tony Joe White, Campbell, Kristofferson,Milsap..were excellent. Their songs dealt with important emotions and situations,not tractors and beer (other than as incidentals)..it was the apex of Country...even the theme song for Mary Tyler Moore was country. I would've loved to hear Dion of that era record a Mac Davis song. Sorry to go on so long.Thanks for this.
I don't recall the use of 'Memories' at the end of 'Elvis on Tour' but will have to rewatch. I agree - Dion would have done the Mac Davis songbook justice. Maybe he will one day!
Great to see such a great songwriter through different eyes. Seems he took quite a few years to become an overnight success. Being a probation officer in georgia must have opened him up to a lot of story ideas.
I don't remember this particular album but I remember Mac Davis being everywhere in the 1970s - on the radio, TV, and film. He had a sweet personality and some really good songs. In the Ghetto, of course is a classic, but I think most about Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me and Stop and Smell the Roses. Big radio hits.
You could tell through his songs that he felt deeply and empathetically. Beyond the follow-up to 'Song Painter,' I have nothing by Davis - I need to dig deeper.
Cool piece! And I'm happy to report that the album is available on Spotify in the U.S. - you're right about his version of In the Ghetto. It's beautifully done. I'll check the rest out!
Mac was an amazing talent. You may also enjoy this - https://gretchenpeters.com/music/the-night-you-wrote-that-song-the-songs-of-mickey-newbury/
One of my heros, Gretchen Peters recently did an album of Mickey Newbury songs - In the studio he used to record in.
You're the second person to mention that album - I will check it out.
Davis' career would peak a few years later with the #1 hit "Baby, Don't Get Hooked On Me" and the TV special "I Believe In Music" (named after another excellent song he wrote).
That's right - he also got into acting.
He took the Robert Redford part in the sequel to “The Sting”.
Nice survey Robert. Davis became the go-to talk show guest when his movie career took off. He cultivated a huge fanbase who didn’t know about his music career, but knew “North Dallas Forty” et al. I’ll keep an eye out for the vinyl.
Thanks, John, for the kind words.
Just a quick P.S....I just remembered B.J.Thomas who belongs with those country singer/songwriters who dominated the late sixties/early sixties and whose "I Just Can't Help Believing" was one of the highlights of "That's the Way It Is". Also, was Jerry Fuller related to Bobby Fuller?
I would agree in that Thomas was a great song interpreter who caught a vibe in the late sixties although he did not write the songs he sang so well.
I checked and Jerry and Bobby Fuller are not related.
Good read, I'll have to track this down, if only to hear his version of In The Ghetto. Interesting what you say about finding Mac's version more moving and sincere than Elvis's, I thought the same about Mickey Newbury's original version of American Trilogy.
I agree about Newbury and 'An American Trilogy.' There's power in Elvis' version, for sure, but Newbury's is elegiac and almost mysterious.
Great job, as usual! Excellent appreciation of a very underrated performer and writer. Very sharp depiction of Elvis doing "Memories" in '68. I like the way they used the song to end "On Tour"...showing EP alone backstage poking around flowers and gifts scattered around the dressing room...while the band and background singers are tossing popcorn at each other and having a great time on the tour bus. It's quite sad...I think the filmmakers kind of could tell that the future didn't look great for him. All those guys: Tony Joe White, Campbell, Kristofferson,Milsap..were excellent. Their songs dealt with important emotions and situations,not tractors and beer (other than as incidentals)..it was the apex of Country...even the theme song for Mary Tyler Moore was country. I would've loved to hear Dion of that era record a Mac Davis song. Sorry to go on so long.Thanks for this.
I don't recall the use of 'Memories' at the end of 'Elvis on Tour' but will have to rewatch. I agree - Dion would have done the Mac Davis songbook justice. Maybe he will one day!
Thank you for this article. I loved listening to the recordings and learning about his musical magic.
Thank you, Renee - nice to see you back on Substack.
Great to see such a great songwriter through different eyes. Seems he took quite a few years to become an overnight success. Being a probation officer in georgia must have opened him up to a lot of story ideas.
I think so - definitely an insight into the human condition.
I don't remember this particular album but I remember Mac Davis being everywhere in the 1970s - on the radio, TV, and film. He had a sweet personality and some really good songs. In the Ghetto, of course is a classic, but I think most about Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me and Stop and Smell the Roses. Big radio hits.
You could tell through his songs that he felt deeply and empathetically. Beyond the follow-up to 'Song Painter,' I have nothing by Davis - I need to dig deeper.
Cool piece! And I'm happy to report that the album is available on Spotify in the U.S. - you're right about his version of In the Ghetto. It's beautifully done. I'll check the rest out!
Thanks, Jeremy! Glad that Song Painter is available in the States for streaming.
I have pretty vibrant memories of my mom wearing a Mac Davis baseball Tshirt.... probably around 1980-1982.
Mac Davis was big for a while - a sensation!
Oh wow, I didn't know that! Thanks for sharing.