Spinning Wheel (song)

"Spinning Wheel" is a song from 1968 by the band Blood, Sweat & Tears, written by Canadian lead vocalist David Clayton-Thomas and appearing on their eponymous album.

"Spinning Wheel"
Single by Blood, Sweat & Tears
from the album Blood, Sweat & Tears
B-side"More and More"
ReleasedMay 1969
RecordedOctober 9, 1968
GenreJazz fusion, pop rock, psychedelic rock
Length4:05 (Stereophonic album version)
3:26 (Quadraphonic album version)
2:39 (single edit)
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)David Clayton-Thomas
Producer(s)James William Guercio
Blood, Sweat & Tears singles chronology
"You've Made Me So Very Happy"
(1969)		 "Spinning Wheel"
(1969)		 "And When I Die"
(1969)
"Spinning Wheel"
Single by Peggy Lee
from the album A Natural Woman
B-side"Lean on Me"
ReleasedMarch 1969
GenreJazz fusion, pop rock
LabelCapitol
Songwriter(s)David Clayton-Thomas
Producer(s)Phil Wright
Peggy Lee singles chronology
"Big Spender"
(1969)		 "Spinning Wheel"
(1969)		 "Is That All There Is?"
(1969)

Released as a single in 1969, "Spinning Wheel" peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in July of that year, remaining in the runner-up position for three weeks.[1] "Spinning Wheel" was kept out of the #1 position by both "The Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet" by Henry Mancini and "In the Year 2525" by Zager and Evans.[2] In August of that year, the song topped the Billboard Easy Listening chart for two weeks.[3] It was also a crossover hit, reaching #45 on the US R&B chart.

"Spinning Wheel" was nominated for three Grammy Awards at the 1970 ceremony, winning in the category Best Instrumental Arrangement. The arranger for the song was the band's saxophonist, Fred Lipsius. It was nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year; the album won the Grammy for Album of the Year.

Clayton-Thomas was quoted as describing the song as being "written in an age when psychedelic imagery was all over lyrics ... it was my way of saying, 'Don't get too caught up, because everything comes full circle'."[3]

The song ends with the 1815 Austrian tune "O Du Lieber Augustin" ("The More We Get Together" or "Did You Ever See a Lassie?")[4] and drummer Bobby Colomby's comment: "That wasn't too good", followed by laughter from the rest of the group. According to producer James William Guercio this section was inserted at the last minute after the end of the master tape was recorded over accidentally by an engineer at the studio. Most of this section and Lew Soloff's trumpet solo were edited out for the single version. The eight-bar piano solo which precedes the trumpet solo on the album version is overlapped with guitar on the single version before the last verse. Alan Rubin sat in on trumpet for Chuck Winfield, who wasn't able to attend the song's recording session.

Chart history

Cover versions and samples

See also
  • List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1969 (U.S.)

References
  1. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 68.
  2. https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1969-07-19
  3. Hyatt, Wesley (1999). The Billboard Book of #1 Adult Contemporary Hits (Billboard Publications), page 74.
  4. Whitburn, Joel (2003). Top Pop Singles 1955-2002. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research, Inc. p. 66. ISBN 0-89820-155-1.
  5. Go-Set National Top 40, August 23, 1969
  6. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1969-07-28. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
  7. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1969-07-21. Missing or empty |url= (help)
  8. Flavour of New Zealand, 12 September 1969
  9. "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". 1969-09-12. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  10. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  11. Cash Box Top 100 Singles, July 26, 1969
  12. "RPM Top Singles of 1969". Library and Archives Canada. RPM. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
  13. Musicoutfitters.com
  14. Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 27, 1969
  15. http://www.peggyleediscography.com/p/capitolee2c.php
  16. "Various - Linger Awhile". Discogs. Retrieved 2017-10-26.
  17. Bruce Kennewell (2011-06-17), Benny Goodman & Orchestra - Spinning Wheel, retrieved 2017-10-26
  18. "Something for Everyone".
  19. Barbara Eden "Spinning Wheel" on YouTube
  20. AllMusic Review by Ron Wynn (1970-01-02). "Drives - Dr. Lonnie Smith | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
  21. Whitburn, Joel (2000). Top Pop Singles 1955–1999. Menomonee Falls, WI: Record Research, Inc. p. 79. ISBN 0-89820-140-3.
  22. White, Cliff (1991). "Discography". In Star Time (pp. 54–59) [CD booklet]. New York: PolyGram Records.
  23. Maull, Samuel (December 7, 1990). "Songwriter-Singer Sues Milli Vanilli for Alleged Copyright Infringement". AP News.
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