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 Renaissance and guitarist Jimmy Page formed Led Zeppelin - the latter of which was initially intended as a direct successor to the Yardbirds.
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. Dreja left the band in 2012, leaving McCarty as the sole original member of the band in the present lineup.
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.
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".
Sun Is Shining
The Yardbirds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't you know it's raining in my heart.
The sun is shining, yeah,
But don't you know that it's raining in my heart.
I know I love you baby,
But the best of friends must part.
I had a dream,
I had a dream,
I had a dream one rainy night.
My baby said she wasn't going to leave me,
So everything turned out right.
The lyrics to The Yardbirds song “Sun Is Shining” express a deep emotional contrast between the external world that seems bright, cheery, and full of sunshine versus the internal world that's overcast and melancholic. The artist uses the metaphor of the weather and the changing seasons to describe his emotional state. The first line “The sun is shining, Don't you know it's raining in my heart,” establishes that even though the sun is shining, he is simultaneously feeling sad and emotionally broken. The next line “I know I love you baby, But the best of friends must part” suggests that he is dealing with a breakup or separation, and even though he knows that ending the relationship was the right decision, it still leaves him feeling empty and sad.
The second verse continues to use weather metaphors to describe the artist's emotional landscape. The line “I had a dream one rainy night,” signals a shift in the song from the external world to the internal world of the artist's mind. Dreams are often interpreted as a manifestation of our subconscious minds, and in this context, it reflects the artist's longing for his lost love. The final line “My baby said she wasn't going to leave me, So everything turned out alright” suggests that the artist's dream symbolizes his desire to reconcile with his ex. The song portrays a range of emotions commonly associated with heartbreak, including sadness, regret, and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
The sun is shining,
Despite the bright and warm weather, there is still sadness and despair in my heart.
Don't you know it's raining in my heart.
The singer is struggling with inner turmoil and emotional pain.
The sun is shining, yeah,
The singer reiterates that although the weather is nice, their emotional state is still dark.
But don't you know that it's raining in my heart.
Once again, the artist emphasizes that their internal struggles are not visible on the surface.
I know I love you baby,
The artist is expressing their love to someone they care about.
But the best of friends must part.
The singer acknowledges that sometimes even strong relationships must come to an end.
I had a dream,
The singer had a significant experience they want to share.
I had a dream one rainy night.
This dream took place during a stormy night, further emphasizing the theme of inner conflict.
My baby said she wasn't going to leave me,
Someone important in the artist's life reassured them that they will not be abandoned.
So everything turned out right.
The reassurance from the loved one helped bring happiness and resolution to the artist's inner struggles.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ELMORE JAMES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@susankirkland3852
I love Becks voice … and his guitar goes without saying 🎶❤️
@fredfungalspore
Jeff Beck is a National Treasure
....................🎵🎸🎵.................
@erickuritsky4491
Its shocking to hear how amazing his phrasing was that early !
@san5a89
that was nothing
@jackbecker8355
WHERE DO THEY FIND THIS STUFF...AMAZING TO HEAR BECK THE........BLUESMAN
@Antraeus
I was looking for this for years. Thanks! Actually, I found out it's an Ellmore James song covered by The Yardbirds during a BBC session (with Jeff Beck on slide guitar)
@susankirkland3852
and Jeff Beck on vocals ?
@Antraeus
wow yeah!@@susankirkland3852
@bernhardnizynski4403
Always loved Jeff Beck!
@thenewyorkpauls
BUT DONCHA NOAHS RAYYYYYYNIN IN MA HAAARTTTAHHHHhhhh... Everyone's gotta get their Elmore on once in awhile.