Classic Pop Icons

Eddie Cochran’s “Somethin’ Else” is Song of the Week on Classic Pop Icons.

“Somethin’ Else” was released on single in July 1959, backed with “Boll Weevil Song”. The song made its album debut the following April on “Eddie Cochran – His 12 Biggest Hits,” which was a rather optimistic title given that only five cuts had entered Billboard’s Hot 100. Eddie died within days of the album being released and it was quickly re-released and retitled as “Eddie Cochran The Memorial Album.”

Cars and girls are at the heart of some of rock’s great songs, including Chuck Berry’s “Maybellene,” the Beach Boys’ “Little Deuce Coupe,” Springsteen’s “Born To Run,” and Eddie Cochran’s “Somethin’ Else,” where the singer dreams of getting the prettiest girl and the coolest car, both of which he describes as “somethin’ else”.

The themes addressed in “Somethin’ Else” might not have been particularly original, but the recording definitely was. The pounding beat that introduces “Somethin’ Else” is arguably the most important component of the song, and it would certainly influence the hard rock bands of the next generation. The song also features one of Eddie’s very best vocals, delivered powerfully, but with a humorous quality that is a perfect fit for the lyrics. When Eddie sings “Look a-there, what’s all this” at the start of the final verse, you just know he has got the girl, the car, or both (it was both, although he had to downgrade his automotive ambitions from a fifty-nine Ford to a forty-one).

Eddie Cochran – “Somethin’ Else”

Authorship

“Somethin’ Else” was written by Eddie’s fiancée, Sharon Sheeley, and older brother, Bob Cochran.

Recording date/location

“Somethin’ Else” was recorded on June 23, 1959 at Goldstar Studio, Hollywood, California. Eddie recorded 21 takes and take 14 was selected as the master. The B-side, “Boll Weevil Song,” was cut on the same day.

Eddie Cochran with fiancée Sharon Sheeley, and Goldstar sound engineer Stan Ross

Musicians

The following musicians appeared on “Somethin’ Else”:

• Eddie Cochran: vocal, guitar, electric bass overdub
• Earl Palmer – drums
• Jim Stivers (possibly) – piano.

Session drummer Earl Palmer had previously played on Cochran’s timeless singles “Summertime Blues” and “C’mon Everybody.” He can also be heard on countless classic recordings by other artists, including Ritchie Valens’ “La Bamba,” Tina Turner’s “River Deep, Mountain High,” the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling” and Little Richard’s “Good Golly, Miss Molly”.

Chart performance

“Somethin’ Else” peaked at a fairly lowly number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 7, 1959.

The single did better in the UK, peaking at number 22.

Other notable versions

“Somethin’ Else” – Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin recorded “Somethin’ Else” for a BBC session in 1969, which was released on the album “BBC Sessions” in 1997. They also performed the song in concert at the Royal Albert Hall on January 9, 1970 (see below). Both, as you might expect, are high energy performances that rock harder than Eddie Cochran’s original. Personal taste will dictate whether you think that is a good or bad thing. The melodic changes that Robert Plant makes to showcase his voice aren’t particularly successful though and the approach comes across as a little hysterical in places, particularly on the BBC version.

The Albert Hall performance is included on the double-DVD, “Led Zeppelin,” released in 2003.

“Somethin’ Else” – The Stray Cats

“Somethin’ Else” was a natural choice for the Stray Cats and they pulled off a strong cover on their 1993 album “Original Cool,” which also featured a cover of Cochran’s “Twenty-Flight Rock”. Eddie Cochran was one of Brian Setzer’s main musical heroes and there is more than a hint of Cochran in Setzer’s performance here.

“Somethin’ Else” – Little Richard and Tanya Tucker

The 1994 album “Rhythm, Country and Blues” brought together stars of country, rock ‘n’ roll and soul for some entertaining collaborations. Little Richard and Tanya Tucker’s contribution was a lively duet on “Somethin’ Else.” This is an entertaining performance, with both singers clearly having fun with the material.

There will be a new Song of the Week on August 27.

“Somethin’ Else” is available on many Eddie Cochran compilations, including the 2-CD “C’mon Everybody” and the 4-CD box set “The Eddie Cochran Story.”

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