Their first album was recorded live at Berkeley in 1969. They continued their work with Jefferson Airplane during this project, and even though Jefferson Airplane dissolved, Hot Tuna has continued to tour to this day. Casady is considered by many to be one of the most advanced and innovative in his style.
Their official website is http://hottuna.com and http://hottunatunes.com has music downloads of some of their recent live dates and a few older dates which really capture the spirit of these two very talented musicians.
Joey Covington, a self-taught drummer since the age of 10, (also know in his childhood as Joey Michno) helped found Blues-rock group Hot Tuna in 1969, alongside Jefferson Airplane members Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen, while the latter band was still in its beginnings.
However, the recordings he did for Tuna were unreleased and eventually rejoined Casady and Kaukonen at the Airplane and featured on three studio albums, the first being Volunteers, as he replaced Spencer Dryden midway through the recording process. He wrote and sang the last hit for Jefferson Airplane 1971's "Pretty As You Feel" featured on the Bark Album.
Covington left Jefferson Airplane in mid-1972 to pursue a solo career, starting with Fat Fandango.[3] He subsequently faded from view, only resurfacing sporadically, like in 1976's Spitfire by Jefferson Starship, where he co-wrote the hit single "With Your Love".
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s he toured with various configurations as The San Francisco Allstars.
Covington was well-known around the Palm Springs area as a talented musician who delighted his audience by playing free gigs whenever possible. His last performance was for a Marilyn Monroe celebration in Palm Springs June 1, 2013. Covington thrilled his audience and signed autographs following the performance.[4]
Covington was killed in an automobile accident in Palm Springs, California on June 4, 2013. Covington slammed into a wall and was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the collison. He was 67.[5]
See also: Hot Tuna at Wikipedia
How Long Blues
Hot Tuna Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's been gone since that blood red sun went down
Heard the whistle blowin', couldn't see the train
Way down in my heart I had an achin' pain.
How long, how long, how long.
Hot Tuna's song "How Long Blues" is a lyrical exploration of loneliness and despair. The singer is lamenting the departure of a loved one, asking again and again how long it has been since the "evenin' train" took them away. The train serves as a metaphor for the passage of time and the inevitability of loss, as it disappears into the horizon with the "blood red sun" serving as a symbol for the fading light of hope. The singer's inability to see the train emphasizes the distance that has grown between them and their loved one, and the "achin' pain" in their heart underscores the depth of their sorrow.
Through the repetition of the phrase "how long," the song becomes a kind of prayer, a desperate plea for an answer or a resolution. The singer's anguish is palpable, and the song's spare instrumentation only heightens the emotional intensity. The bluesy guitar riff adds a sense of melancholy and nostalgia, reinforcing the song's themes of loss and regret. Ultimately, "How Long Blues" is a powerful, poignant meditation on the human experience of heartbreak and longing.
Line by Line Meaning
How long, how long, has that evenin' train been gone?
How much time has passed since the evening train departed?
It's been gone since that blood red sun went down
The train has left since the sun set in the sky.
Heard the whistle blowin', couldn't see the train
Although the whistle was audible, the train remained out of sight.
Way down in my heart I had an achin' pain.
Deep within my soul, I experienced great emotional distress.
How long, how long, how long.
Repeated questioning about the duration of the train's absence.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LEROY AUTHUR CARR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Lobato
on Half/Time Saturation
I believe it is, "And life's ain't gonna be the way it was before." You can clearly hear him say "ain't", and it sounds like "life". I always hated it there were no lyrics to this inside the record sleeve.