Blackfeather - Boppin’ The Blues (1972)

(Attributed to Carl Perkins & Howard 'Curly' Griffin)
 Australia
Original version
#1 Sydney #1 Melbourne #3 Brisbane #1 Adelaide #2 Perth

Single on Infinity.

The writer credit is to Carl Perkins and his co-writer Howard ‘Curly’ Griffin. It is usually described as a reworking or a makeover of Perkins’s Boppin’ The Blues, but the two records played back-to-back reveal nothing in common but their title. Lyrically, melodically and structurally, they are different songs.

Jonathan Sturm, a friend of Blackfeather pianist Paul Wylde, wrote in his web journal, Neither Paul nor the rest of the band could remember the lyric of the old Carl Perkins song, so they wrote their own (15 February 2002, archived here).

Blackfeather seems to have come up with a new song, but generously kept the Perkins-Griffin songwriting credit.

John Robinson (lead guitar), Leith Corbett (bass) and Mike McCormack (drums), all from the Dave Miller Set, along with vocalist Neale Johns formed the original line-up of this progressive rock band, although Corbett and McCormack were soon replaced by Bob Fortesque and Al Kash. The subsequent history of the band is complicated and involves many musicians: see the Blackfeather page at Milesago, where 46 band members are listed.

See also Seasons Of Change.

Thanks to John Gambrill for pointing out the contrast between the two records.

References: 1. Jonathan Sturm’s web journal [archived]. 2. Blackfeather history at Milesago.