Originally a blues-based band noted for their signature "rave-up" instrumental breaks, the Yardbirds broadened their range into pop, pioneering psychedelic rock and early hard rock; and contributed to many electric guitar innovations of the mid-1960s. Some rock critics and historians also cite their influence on the later punk rock, progressive rock and heavy metal trends. Following the band's split in 1968, Relf and McCarty formed the acoustic-duo Together, and then later Renaissance, a progressive rock group memorable for being heavily influenced by medieval instruments and sound, and guitarist Jimmy Page formed Led Zeppelin - the latter of which was initially intended as a direct successor to the Yardbirds. Dreja was first invited to play guitar in the new group, then known as "The New Yardbirds", however he turned it down, opting to become a photographer instead. He captured the back cover of Led Zeppelin's first album.
The band formed in the south-west London suburbs in 1963. Relf and Samwell-Smith were originally in a band named the Metropolitan Blues Quartet. After being joined by Dreja, McCarty and Top Topham, they performed at Kingston Art School in late May 1963 as a backup band for Cyril Davies. Following a couple of gigs in September 1963 as the Blue-Sounds, they changed their name to the Yardbirds. McCarty claims that Relf was the first to use the name; he may have got it from Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road, where it referred to rail yard hobos. He adds that Topham identified it as a nickname for jazz saxophonist Charlie "Yardbird" Parker.
The quintet achieved notice on the burgeoning British rhythm and blues scene when they took over as the house band at the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond, succeeding the Rolling Stones. Their repertoire drew from the Chicago blues of Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Sonny Boy Williamson II and Elmore James, including "Smokestack Lightning", "Good Morning Little School Girl", "Boom Boom", "I Wish You Would", "Rollin' and Tumblin'", "Got Love if You Want It" and "I'm a Man".
Original lead guitarist Topham left and was replaced by Eric Clapton in October 1963. Crawdaddy Club impresario Giorgio Gomelsky became the Yardbirds manager and first record producer. Under Gomelsky's guidance the Yardbirds toured Britain as the back-up band for blues legend Sonny Boy Williamson II in December 1963 and early 1964, recording live tracks on 8 December and other dates. The recordings would be released two years later during the height of the Yardbirds popularity on the album Sonny Boy Williamson and the Yardbirds.
After the tours with Williamson, the Yardbirds signed to EMI's Columbia label in February 1964, and recorded more live tracks on 20 March at the legendary Marquee Club in London. The resulting album of mostly American blues and R&B covers, Five Live Yardbirds, was released by Columbia nine months later, and it failed to enter the UK Albums Chart. Over time, Five Live gained stature as one of the few high-quality live recordings of the era and as a historical document of both the British rock and roll boom of the 1960s and Clapton's time in the band.
The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. They were included at number 89 in Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" and ranked number 37 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.
The Yardbirds re-formed in the 1990s, featuring drummer Jim McCarty and rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja as the only original members. In 2003, the Yardbirds released the album "Birdland" featuring original personnel Jim McCarty and Chris Dreja, along with contributions from Jeff Beck, and John Idan replacing Relf on lead vocals.
Dreja left the band in 2012, leaving McCarty as the sole original member of the band in the present lineup.
Along with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, The Yardbirds were part of the British blues scene of the 1960s. As the blues rock genre developed, some acts like Chicken Shack were playing a louder and more aggressive style, while the Yardbirds emphasized instrumental textures and extended instrumental improvisations. They covered blues classics like Howlin' Wolf's Smokestack Lightning (1956) and Bo Diddley's I'm a Man (1955) which had a repetitive structure where instrumental solos were brief breaks between repetition of verses. The Yardbirds often extended these instrumental sections into "heavy jams", known as 'rave-ups'.
Dust My Broom
The Yardbirds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I believe I dust my blues.
When I get up in the morning,
I believe I dust my blues.
My baby said she's leaving,
So I ain't got no time to lose.
Gonna write a letter,Gonna send a telegram.
Gonna write a letter,
Gonna send her a telegram.
Gonna write and tell my baby,
Just how fool I am.
When I get up in the morning,
I believe I dust my blues.
When I get up in the morning,
I believe I see I dust my blues.
My baby said she's leaving,
I ain't got no time to lose.
The Yardbirds's song Dust my blues is a classic blues number, where the singer is dealing with the heartbreak of his lover leaving him. The lyrics suggest that the singer is trying to brush off or "dust" his blues, but he is unable to shake off the pain of losing his love. The first verse describes how the singer wakes up in the morning and tries to shake off the blues. However, he cannot and expresses his feelings of hurt and loss over his lover leaving him. In the second verse, the singer decides to write a letter or send a telegram to his lover, telling her how much he misses her and how foolish he was to let her go.
Through the lyrics, we can sense the longing for the lost lover, and the regret and pain of the singer, who must continue his life without her. The harmonica, guitar riffs, and vocals blend in perfectly to convey the emotions behind the words. The song reflects the everyday struggle of dealing with heartbreak and the search for a way to heal from it but also showcases the resilience of the human spirit.
Line by Line Meaning
When I get up in the morning,
At the beginning of each day,
I believe I dust my blues.
I try to shake off my sadness and sorrow.
When I get up in the morning,
At the beginning of each day,
I believe I dust my blues.
I try to shake off my sadness and sorrow.
My baby said she's leaving,
My significant other told me they are departing,
So I ain't got no time to lose.
I don't have any time to waste because of this.
Gonna write a letter,
I'm planning to compose a message,
Gonna send a telegram.
I'll be sending it via telegram.
Gonna write a letter,
I'm planning to compose a message,
Gonna send her a telegram.
I'll be sending it to her via telegram.
Gonna write and tell my baby,
The message I write will inform my significant other,
Just how fool I am.
Of how foolish I've been.
When I get up in the morning,
At the beginning of each day,
I believe I dust my blues.
I try to shake off my sadness and sorrow.
When I get up in the morning,
At the beginning of each day,
I believe I see I dust my blues.
I endeavor to alleviate my sadness and sorrow.
My baby said she's leaving,
My significant other informed me they're departing,
I ain't got no time to lose.
I don't have any time to waste because of this.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IKE TURNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@austinthyme2296
Thank you Jeff Beck for that great version of a classic...
@sararichmond8476
Rock. On. Jeff. 💥
@jesusruiz3175
Very good
@WildBilMcCombe
This is better known as "The Nazz are Blue", which was on the British copy of "ROGER THE ENGINEER"; and was also the "B" Side to "HAPPENINGS TEN YEARS TIME AGO." No Clapton here. Line-up: Lead Vocal/ Lead Guitar-Jeff Beck.Harmonica- Keith Relf. Rhythm Guitar-Chris Dreja.Bass Guitar- Paul Samwell-Smith. Drums, Triangles, Beer Cans & Bath Stoppers- Jim McCarty. Great Performance, Boys !!!
@bilmccombe8130
The Musical arrangement certainly is Nazz are Nlue. This song may have started out as Dust my Broom, but they then write new lyrics . Still a great performance.
@nazzrblue
This is not Nazz Are Blue, completely different lyrics and guitar solo. Both sung by Jeff Beck.
@yardbirdmackay
Clapton NOT on this at all. He had well left the scene at this stage,this is a rare Jeff Beck vocal..and of course on lead guitar. Do you really think Eric ever sounded like this LOL.