With his great appreciation for blues, soul, and R&B, Mike Bloomfield wanted to create a group of his own that would feature what he called "American music." He was inspired not only by the big band blues of B.B. King, T-Bone Walker, and Guitar Slim (Eddie Jones), but also by the contemporary soul sounds of Otis Redding, Steve Cropper, Booker T & the MGs, and other Stax recording artists. He also drew inspiration from traditional country, gospel, and blues forms. He organized the Electric Flag, initially called the American Music Band, in the spring of 1967, not long after he produced a session with Chicago harp player James Cotton that featured a horn section. Bloomfield decided that his new band would also have horns and would play an amalgam of those American musics he loved. He and Goldberg assembled the group, under Albert Grossman's management, in San Francisco and immediately began working on its first project -- the soundtrack for the film The Trip.
The band made its debut appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival, the first of the '60s rock music extravaganzas. Now called the Electric Flag, the group was well received by the audience of 55,000, though its performance fell short of Bloomfield's high standards. Following Monterey, the Flag proceeded to tour the Northeast and perform in the San Francisco area while working on a recording for Columbia Records. Though a critical success, the Flag remained largely unknown to the general public due in part to the band's inability to complete its initial record.
By early 1968, drummer Buddy Miles had become a dominant force in the Flag's aesthetic direction. The group's repertoire by then included numerous contemporary soul covers which featured Miles and many classic blues tunes. The band produced fewer than a dozen original pieces, mostly written by vocalist Nick Gravenites, and Bloomfield's original "American music" concept appeared to have narrowed considerably. By May 1968, only a month after the release of the aptly-titled A Long Time Comin', Mike Bloomfield quit the group, and though they strove to carry on under the direction of Buddy Miles, the Electric Flag was effectively finished. Personality conflicts, differing esthetics, and a series of drug problems hastened the band's downfall.
Though the Electric Flag was together in its original configuration less than a year, the band did make a strong impression on critics and musicians, primarily in the San Francisco area where they were based. One of the first rock groups to include horns, the Electric Flag was contemporaneous with the earliest edition of Blood, Sweat and Tears with Al Kooper.
Al Kooper left BS&T in April 1968, and was inspired by a jam recording with Moby Grape to the organize the similarly structured Super Session album. He included Bloomfield, Barry Goldberg and, after Bloomfield left the session due to a bout of insomnia, Stephen Stills. Bloomfield and Kooper also toured together, while drummer and vocalist Buddy Miles went on to form the Buddy Miles Express and also play in Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys.
A reunion of sorts took place in 1974 with the Electric Flag releasing The Band Kept Playing, but the recording was not a commercial or critical success and the band quickly disbanded after several months of sporadic gigs.
On July 28 and 29, 2007, a concert took place at the Monterey County Fairgrounds commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Monterey Pop Festival. One of the acts featured was a one-time reunion of The Electric Flag, anchored by original members Gravenites, Goldberg, and Hunter, backed by members of the Tower of Power and The Blues Project. The one hour set featured material from the first album, as well as several blues covers.
Sunny
The Electric Flag Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sunny, you smiled at me and really eased the pain
Now the dark days are done and the bright days are here
My Sunny one shines so sincere
Sunny, one so true, I love you
Sunny, thank you for the sunshine bouquet
Sunny, thank you for the love you've brought my way
And now I feel ten feet tall
Sunny, one so true, I love you
Sunny, thank you for the truth you've let me see
Sunny, thank you for the facts from A to Z
My life was torn like wind-blown sand
Then a rock was formed when we held hands
Sunny, one so true, I love you
Sunny, thank you for that smile upon your face
Sunny, thank you, thank you for that gleam that flows with grace
You're my spark of nature's fire
You're my sweet complete desire
Sunny, one so true, yes, I love you
Sunny, yesterday all my life was filled with rain
Sunny, you smiled at me and really, really eased the pain
Now the dark days are done and the bright days are here
My Sunny one shines so sincere
Sunny, one so true, I love you
I love you (Sunny)
I love you (Sunny)
Said I love you (Sunny)
The Electric Flag's song Sunny is a ballad that expresses gratitude and adoration for a person who brought light and positivity to the singer's life. The lyrics reminisce about the singer's past struggles when his life was filled with rain but is now filled with sunshine thank to Sunny. The song uses metaphors to describe Sunny's effect on the singer's life. For instance, "You gave to me your all and all, and now I feel ten feet tall," implies that the love shared between Sunny and the singer elevated the singer's life. On the other hand, "My life was torn like wind-blown sand, then a rock was formed when we held hands," implies that the singer's life was shattered before Sunny came along but became solid after holding hands with Sunny.
The main theme of the song is love and gratitude for a person who made life more enjoyable. Sunny is portrayed as a source of positive energy that has the power to change the singer's outlook on life. The song creates a sense of joy and hope through its upbeat rhythm, soulful singing, and heartfelt lyrics. The lyrics tell a story of how the singer's life was transformed by love, and now Sunny is a permanent source of light and positivity that the singer is grateful for.
Line by Line Meaning
Sunny, yesterday my life was filled with rain
Before meeting Sunny, the singer's life was full of sorrow.
Sunny, you smiled at me and really eased the pain
Sunny's smile brought joy and happiness to the singer's life.
Now the dark days are done and the bright days are here
The singer's rough patches are over, and better days lie ahead.
My Sunny one shines so sincere
Sunny's influence is pure and positive.
Sunny, one so true, I love you
The singer expresses deep love and appreciation for Sunny.
Sunny, thank you for the sunshine bouquet
The singer thanks Sunny for bringing light and positivity into their life.
Sunny, thank you for the love you've brought my way
The singer expresses gratitude for the love Sunny has given them.
You gave to me your all and all
Sunny gave everything they had to make the singer's life better.
And now I feel ten feet tall
With Sunny's help, the singer feels confident and strong.
Sunny, thank you for the truth you’ve let me see
Sunny helped the singer gain a new perspective on the world and their life.
Sunny, thank you for the facts from A to Z
Sunny taught the singer many things, from basic knowledge to life lessons.
My life was torn like wind-blown sand
The singer's life was chaotic and unpredictable before meeting Sunny.
Then a rock was formed when we held hands
By working together, Sunny and the singer were able to create stability and strength in their lives.
Sunny, thank you for that smile upon your face
Sunny's smile has a profound impact on the singer's happiness and well-being.
Sunny, thank you, thank you for that gleam that flows with grace
Sunny's positive energy and grace radiate outward and uplift the singer's spirit.
You're my spark of nature's fire
Sunny is the source of the singer's inspiration and passion.
You're my sweet complete desire
The singer's love and admiration for Sunny is all-encompassing.
Sunny, one so true, yes, I love you
The singer reaffirms their deep love for Sunny.
I love you (Sunny)
The singer repeats their love and appreciation for Sunny.
I love you (Sunny)
The singer reiterates their love for Sunny.
Said I love you (Sunny)
The singer expresses once again their love for Sunny.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Broma 16, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bobby Hebb
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@STicKY2COLD1
My uncle Bobby Hebb wrote the original song Sunny I never realized how many versions there were of this.. Wow
@posteador
Your uncle created magic! There's loads of versions by many fantastic artists as well! I am a man on a mission and I am listening to all versions possible to pick my top 10. I found out thanks to this site that has links to most of the most popular ones, just type "Sunny" (https://secondhandsongs.com/). When I'm finished I'm gonna make a playlist called "Sunny" and have those willing to play along, pick their favourite, then reveal the artist at the end. It's a great way to get into the head of these great musicians. Pick their brains and see how they interpret the same song. This particular version might just make the cut, but it's still early days... I'm not even half-way through the list! So many legends sang this song, it's ridiculous...
@scarminati
@@posteador On my way to create this Top 10 myself. I'm curious about your findings!
@scarminati
@HH Hi HH just saw your comment. My Sunny journeuy has gone a long way with more than 30 amawing versions of this ANTHEM! Check this and tell me what you think https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAX-0r-EiiTeTL4KlFf1DRTkdT2c-Jgo5
@AlexisJeldrez
It was quite famous here in Chile sung by Buddy Richard in Spanish. It was called "Cielo".
@adamcraneguilford6236
Electric Flag with Buddy Miles on vocal and drums is the best version imho ... Buddy was a badd ass
@Kaptnbeyond
The best version of this song hands down!!!
@daviddoyle5538
Buddy was born to sing this tune. miss you Mike and Buddy.....,,,,,The Electric Flag,,Long may it wave ,,Peace Dear Departed Brothers,,,
@gallobravo1715
Great voice Buddy Miles
@stonecole4703
This song is so badass