WHAM BAM! is now available as a single on iTunes at: https://itunes.apple/us/album/wham-bam!-single/id808553120 “WHAM BAM!” Written by: Rick Giles – Arranged by: Ralph Williams & Jermaine Layton This song was originally recorded in 1976 by a group called Silver. The original version is a more cynical story that has the lyrics, Wham Bam Shang-a-Lang lining up more closely with the phrase, Wham Bam Thank You Maam. It also has the young man (in Verse 3/chapter 4) selling his story to the young lady as if it they were both in agreement. And, who knows, maybe they were. I re-wrote many of the lyrics to change the story, and Jermaine Layton (my music director and business partner) and I also completely re-arranged the song and re-wrote much of the music behind the song. In my mind, I heard (inside the original melody line) a different vibe and potential story that would lead to a happy ending rather than just another one or two night stand adventure with a negative ending and no regard for commitment. My intent was to tell a story in 5 chapters. Verse 1/Chapter 1 (as I hear it) is a young man thinking about a possible relationship so the lyrics are a self-talk conversation with himself. Verse 2/Chapter 2 is an emotional battle he is having in his mind about the communications he and the young girl/woman he has engaged with have had. Jermaine created a low horn run when thoughts of conflict are verbalized in this verse/chapter. Chapter 3 is an instrumental interlude with a 6 part harmony (and Jermaine is singing all 6 of these harmony runs) scat melody that represents all of the confusion coming together with an obscure and nonsensical scat run that brings everything to a screeching halt only to have the air cleansed so......... Verse 3/Chapter 4 could start with a fresh perspective and realization that this could actually be love, and that could be a good thing. Chapter 5 (as I imagine it) has the young man and young woman lying in each others arms in a totally safe and relaxed state of mind drifting off to sleep knowing that what they have is the real deal. There you have it, our story behind our version of “Wham Bam!” I hope you enjoy it. Get all of your favorite RWB Ralph Williams Band recordings on iTunes at: https://itunes.apple/us/artist/r.w.b.-ralph-williams-band/id790340066 or on amazon at: amazon/s/ref=ntt_srch_drd_B00HMBWQWU/188-6031080-9093510?ie=UTF8&field-keywords=R.W.B.%20Ralph%20Williams%20Band&index=digital-music&search-type=ss
Posted on: Wed, 30 Jul 2014 14:23:49 +0000
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