Harpsichord in rock

Not so long ago a thread asked about obscure instruments in rock. To my surprise the harpsichord was nominated. That was enough to trigger me off and try to fill up a 80 minute CD burn compilation from my record collection, to make my point that  the keyboard is more common than some think. Actually (by one or two rule bends) I've exceeded my target and offer it here, with a few words of annotation:
The Yardbirds: For Your Love
Bonzo Dog Do Dah Band: Music For Head Ballet
Love: Stephanie Knows Who/The Castle/Revelation
The Doors: Wintertime Love
Renaissance: The Wanderer
Donovan: Sunshine Superman
The Leaves: Lemon Princess
Nico: Evening Of Light
Pacific Drift: Tomorrow Morning Brings
Nick Drake: Fly
Spooky Tooth: Sunshine Help Me
The Nice: The Thoughts Of Emerlist Davjack
Gracious: Introduction!
The Stranglers: Golden Brown
Dr Z: Evil Woman's Manly Child
Stackridge: Fundamentally Yours
Judy Collins: Hard Lovin' Loser
Modern Jazz Quartet: Regret?

Comments

1. I didn't think I'll make the 80 minutes when I included the three Love tracks, early on - Revelation from De Capo is takes up the whole of one side, with only short opening and closing harpsichord pieces bookending the tune; this I would remove with a reselection of tracks, e.g. I would drop in
Beggar's Opera: McArthur Park
The Waphphle: I Want You
Also have another Judy Collins tune I'll Keep It With The Mix. Found a tune Along Comes Mary  by the Association with one instrument sounding occasionally like a harpsichord (but so does an acoustic guitar struck in a certain way), but way down in the mix for my ear to be certain.
2. The Nico track was recorded in 1968 and is probably has the most way out use of the instrument -although I 'm assuming it is a harpsichord on the basis of the date and the liner notes (of the sampler album I took it from), that only states 'keyboard' and viola played  by John Cale. Coincidentally John Cale supplied harpsichord and viola for the Nick Drake tune - and very different affair it is, too.
3. The MJQ tune was selected since it fitted neatly at the end of the burn - and it doesn't sound out of place.

More suggestions please

Chus wrote: BST's "The Battle" has a harpsichord opening passage, I think

WHich Blood Sweat & Tears (I assume) album Chus?

Jimi Hendrix's Burning of the Midnight Lamp has harpsichord in it.

I'm pretty sure there's a Harpsichord on The Door's Love Me Two Times.  

Also, in Sid Smith's wonderful King Crimson biography, he mentioned that there was a Harpsichord in the studio where the band was recording the debut that appears on various parts of the record, but I haven't ever noticed it.  

The opening of the Focus track 'Birth' has a wonderful harpsichord intro. One of my favourite tracks ever.

How can one tell the difference between a true harpsichord and a synthesized one, when listening to a recording? For example, the "Siberian Khatru" harpsichord part sounds genuine on the studio version, but when played live there's no harpsichord on stage, and that certain part is obviously performed on synth. Or maybe they replaced it with a similar synth harpsichord sound in order no to carry the original instrument along when touring? 

Yesterdays, the band some sympho-maniacs here like and will soon be added to the site , has an excellent harpsichord part. I'll have to check with the band, though, for the list of the actual instruments used on the album.

andu wrote: How can one tell the difference between a true harpsichord and a synthesized one, when listening to a recording? For example, the "Siberian Khatru" harpsichord part sounds genuine on the studio version, but when played live there's no harpsichord on stage, and that certain part is obviously performed on synth. Or maybe they replaced it with a similar synth harpsichord sound in order no to carry the original instrument along when touring?  Yesterdays, the band some sympho-maniacs here like and will soon be added to the site , has an excellent harpsichord part. I'll have to check with the band, though, for the list of the actual instruments used on the album.

That is a real problem - but you'll notice most of what I listed so far, probably predates synths with a trigger labelled 'harpsichord'. I'm sure the Stranglers used a harpsichord for the studio version of Golden Brown.

Relistening to that Nico tracks, I remain only half convinced of that being harpsichord - the playing is so chopped compared with anything else - and indeed I'm wondering if a mandolin was used , despite the liner note's claim the keyboards where used (btw can you tell if a spinette or one of the earlier plucked keyboard instruments from a harpsichord?)

Nice compilation, Dick.

Edited by salmacis - April 07 2007 at 07:24

4 hours later. Now have Nico's Marble Index (remastered as part of Frozen Borderline set)) and the liner notes don't suggest a harpsichord is used - however, no idea now what is being played on Evening of Light?

Checked the Zappa, and I'm afraid the suggested track sounds like an upright piano with drawing pins in the hammers (a trick we kids got up to at school on the morning assembly piano - gave those hymns a certain edge) - similarly the Zombies do that on Oddyssey & Oracle (my other purchase lunchtime) although there are at least two tracks with real harpsichord.