He pioneered studio tools such as multiple over-dubbing on one- and two-track machines, close miking, direct input of bass-guitars, the compressor, and effects like echo and reverb, as well as sampling. Unlike other producers, his search was for the "right sound" rather than for a catchy musical tune, and throughout his brief career he single-mindedly followed his quest to create a unique "sonic signature" for every record he produced.
At a time when many studio engineers were still wearing white coats and assiduously trying to maintain clarity and fidelity, Meek, the maverick, was producing everything on the three floors of his home studio and was never afraid to distort or manipulate the sound if it created the effect he was seeking. For the song "Johnny Remember Me" he placed the violins on the stairs, the drummer almost in the bathroom, and the brass section on a different floor entirely.
Meek was one of the first producers to grasp and fully exploit the possibilities of the modern recording studio. His innovative techniques -- physically separating instruments, treating instruments and voices with echo and reverb, processing the sound through his fabled home-made electronic devices, the combining of separately-recorded performances and segments into a painstakingly constructed composite recording -- comprised a major breakthrough in sound production. Up to that time, the standard technique for recordings, regardless of musical genre, was to record all the performers in one studio playing together in real time as the music was cut live to tape all at once. Joe Meek's recording techniques (as well as the recording techniques of Les Paul) did much to further the art of record production as we know it today.
Besides his idiosyncratic music production, many of Meek's character eccentricities continue to capture the imagination of people today. Although never properly diagnosed, it is believed today by many that Meek suffered from bipolar disorder type one (some even suggest further that he was paranoid-schizophrenic). Meek was obsessed with outer space, the occult and the idea of "the other side". He would set up tape machines in graveyards in a vain attempt to record voices from beyond the grave, in one instance capturing the meows of a cat he claimed was speaking in human tones, asking for help. In particular, he had an obsession with Buddy Holly (claiming the late American rocker had communicated with him in dreams). His professional efforts were often hindered by his paranoia (Meek was known to tear up his walls as he was convinced that Decca Records would put hidden microphones behind his wallpaper in order to steal his ideas), drug use, and attacks of sudden rage and depression.
Meek's homosexuality (illegal in the UK at the time) also put him under pressure during his career. He had been charged with "importuning for immoral purposes" in 1963 and was consequently subjected to blackmail. In January of 1967, police in Tattingstone, Suffolk, discovered a suitcase containing the mutilated body of Bernard Oliver, an alleged rent boy who had previously associated with Meek. According to some accounts, Meek became concerned that he would be involved in the murder investigation when the Metropolitan police stated that they would be interviewing all known homosexuals in the city. On February 3rd, 1967, the eighth anniversary of Buddy Holly's death, Meek killed his landlady Violet Shenton and then himself with a single barreled shotgun that he had confiscated from his protegé, former The Tornados' bassist and solo star Heinz Burt. Joe Meek was 37 at the time of his death.
Blue Blue Heartache
Joe Meek Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The day that I lost you
He lost all his glitter the day you said, "no"
And his silver turned to blue
Like him I am doubtful that our love is true
But if you decide to call on me
Ask for Mister Blue
I stay at home at night
But you won't call and I won't hurt my pride
Call me Mister
I won't tell you
While you paint the town
A bright red to turn it upside down
I'm painting it too
But I'm painting it blue
Call me Mister Blue
Call me Mister Blue
The lyrics to Joe Meek's song "Mr. Blue" express the profound sorrow and heartbreak of the singer, who is reminiscing about a past love that ended in devastation. The song's opening line evokes an image of the night sky without its guiding star, highlighting the overwhelming sense of loss that the singer feels since his relationship ended. The metaphorical language continues throughout the song as the singer compares himself to the star, saying that like him, he's lost his luster since his love left him.
Towards the end of the song, the singer reveals that he's still waiting for his former love to call him, despite his doubts about their relationship's future. The bitterness in the lyrics comes through clearly in the lines "While you paint the town/A bright red to turn it upside down/I'm painting it too/But I'm painting it blue." The verse suggests that although the singer goes through the motions of enjoying his life outside of the relationship, it's all a facade— he’s only painting the scene blue to reflect the melancholic state he is intimately familiar with. Overall, "Mr. Blue" is an emotionally poignant love song that conveys the emptiness and despair of lost love.
Line by Line Meaning
Our guardian star lost all his glow
The bright guiding force in my life lost its shine and lost its ability to show me the way when you left me.
The day that I lost you
When you left me, my whole world turned dark and I could no longer see in the light.
He lost all his glitter the day you said, "no"
The brightness and luster that once surrounded me disappeared when you rejected me.
And his silver turned to blue
Everything that once shone brilliantly in my life was now the color of sadness and despair.
Like him I am doubtful that our love is true
I'm not sure if our love will ever be true because you left me without an explanation.
But if you decide to call on me
If you ever change your mind and decide to call me, I'll be waiting for you.
Ask for Mister Blue
Just mention my name and I'll know it's you calling.
I stay at home at night
I've become a recluse, always at home alone, unable to escape my sadness.
Right by the phone at night
I'm constantly waiting by the phone hoping to hear from you.
But you won't call and I won't hurt my pride
I know you won't call me back, and I don't want to show how much I still care because I don't want to get hurt again.
Call me Mister
If you must call me anything, call me by my old nickname.
I won't tell you
I won't let you know how much you still affect me.
While you paint the town
While you're out having fun and living your life without me,
A bright red to turn it upside down
Living your life with passion and excitement unlike when we were together.
I'm painting it too
I'm also painting the town with color in my own way to distract myself from the sadness of losing you.
But I'm painting it blue
But everything I paint or see still feels sad and hopeless.
Call me Mister Blue
So I guess I'll still be waiting for you to call and hoping you'll come back to me.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dewayne Blackwell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kristopher Bernard
Woke up with this song in my head this morning...