The original is by David Ackles, one of Elton John's favourite artists. Tumbleweed Connection is dedicated to Ackles. One of Bernie Taupin's favourite artists as well.
Timeless, I listen while memories that had been fading away slowly rise again and fill my heart with that bittersweet feeling of happy being there at the time it was released and sad that it is a part of my past...... it feels like all the years gone by in a blink of an eye.
So that's what '68 feels like in '23👍😎 - great, maybe I'll suggest this number to a friends band tomorrow (or even to our own repertoire - LONG LIVE R&B)
It is a sad tune, but well produced with that strong psychedelic touch, which added to the quality of the music of that time. I remembered this song well, should have been a bigger hit, but at the time there were so many great songs around.
A fantastic song, great singer, great keyboarder - a duo that fascinated our generation....everywhere, I guess! From Berlin - to Paris - to NYC - to LA to Sydney and back to London...!
psychedelic soul and gear, and some sterling vocal majesty. I remember exactly from this time and i was 5. Full blown case of vocal charisma. And seduction.
What a voice. She can hang with and lead the heaviest instrumentals, all the while pronouncing every word with clarity like no one I can think of. In a class by herself.
JULIE BRIAND magnifique !!avec l'utilisation du mellotron !!orchestration différente surtout les cuivres !orgue HammondB3 !!soul !ok !ok!! fan !! salut
ROAD TO CAIRO, l' originale è di DAVID ACKLES qui riproposta da una splendida versione della BRIAN AUGER'S TRINITY!!!!!!! Questo filmato purtroppo Non mostra i musicisti suonare LIVE ma in playback!!!!! Peccato perché questi sono musicisti straordinari a cominciare da uno dei più GRANDI tastieristi del ROCK di sempre, BRIAN AUGER!!!!!!! Sicuramente ai livelli dei più GRANDI!!!!!!! EMERSON rip, WAKEMAN, BANKS, BANTON , JOBSON, LORD, VAN LEER, MONKMAN rip ,GREENSLADE, MINNEAR etc etc etc!!!!!!!!! E poi una delle più grandi cantanti interpreti femminili del ROCK di sempre!!!!!!! JULIE DRISCOLL!!!!! DICEVO IN QUESTO BRANO che è esattamente la versione studio si sentono oltre all' organo Hammond magistralmente suonato da BRIAN AUGER anche il Mellotron mk 2 e poi oltre basso batteria e chitarra elettrica anche una sezione fiati precisamente di OTTONI!!!!!!!!! Bella stupenda cover fra blues soul psichedelia e direi anche per certi arrangiamenti tastieristici anche progressive!!!!!!! Ripeto GRANDE brano!!!!!!!!!!
Always dug Julie, she never got the recognition that her peers got from that era ( Grace, Janis, Lydia. etc. ) in my opinion. Very cool indeed....Aloha
Julie used to live near me and she performed with the Trinity at our local rock venue the Bexley Jazz Club at the Black Prince Hotel just outside London. I think her material was just a bit too "odd" to maintain her "Wheels On Fire" success, but this song really is one of her very best. The Hammond work by Brian Auger is a key part of the overall effect. Julie was called "The face of '68" and rightly so.
The song written and originally recorded by the brilliant David Ackles. Elton John and Bernie Taupin dedicated their Tumbleweed Connection LP to Ackles, him being one of their very favourite artists. Ackles music was far too complex to attract a large audience in the late 1960's/early 1970's. His 'American Gothic' LP has been described as the Sgt Pepper of folk, but it is much more musically sophisticated than that.
This song refers to the smaller town of Cairo, Illinois, USA -- not the bigger city of Cairo, Egypt. Local people of Illinois and Missouri pronounce it "Cayro," with a long A, not Cairo with a long I. Several years ago the US Army Corps of Engineers blew the levee on the MIssissippi River at Bird's Point with explosives to relieve massive river flooding that threatened the river town of Cairo.
This song may or may not refer to Cairo, IL (where, you're right, it's pronounced "K-Ro"). Fact is, though, Jools sings it as "Cairo", just like David Ackles did. Did Ackles mean, Cairo, IL, did he not know how to say it as the locals do (HIS bad), did he intend a double-entendre... we're not certain. What's certain is that the suggestion Jools sang it wrong is misplaced.
Paul Lai, thanks for your comment. In the lyrics, the song concerns a hitchhiker whose car broke down in "St. Joe" (St. Joseph, Missouri) and he is trying to get to Cairo, IL where he has some friends. Ackles for some reason pronounces the town with a long "I". Not sure why. Maybe he just thought it sounded better that way in the song from an artistic standpoint. He was from Rock Island, Illinois and so was something of a local himself and no doubt knew the local pronunciation. And Julie Driscoll follows his lead also, as you point out. But one would not expect a British lady to be familiar with pronunciations of some of the more obscure American towns. I was not trying to sound critical of Driscoll's singing. Both singers do a great job with the song in my opinion. The pronunciation of the town's name is a very minor point, and not worth quibbling over. The video seems way ahead of its time it its production values. Instead of the band sitting stationary and and singer performing in a conventional way, you have the band on some sort of revolving platform, and Ms. Driscoll walking in a straight line with a blank white background. Very unusual and inventive. So though it was apparently filmed in 1968, it looks more like later videos from the 1980's which used a lot of creative video work for the songs rather than just filming a performance. .
Thank you for the detailed explanation, Claxton. What I meant by double-entendre is a possible reference to Egypt, slavery etc. I didn't mean to sound defensive or confrontational - if I did, I apologize. I hate it when folks have a hostile attitude or tone when they're on social media - so, I hope I wasn't an offender. As for the vid being ahead of its time... ABSOLUTELY! Would we expect anything less? Cheers...
No offense taken. You bring up a good point. Cairo, Illinois was obviously named after the older city of Cairo, Egypt as was Memphis, Tennessee named after Memphis, Egypt. So I suppose there are slavery connections as well as other historical parallels between the two places. Both towns located on important rivers. I used to live several hours from Cairo, Illinois. Felt the explosion when they blew the levee. But when I first heard Julie Driscoll's version of the song, I actually thought it did refer to Cairo, Egypt. I was surprised to realize that the original version referred to the nearby town of Cairo, Illinois. I was actually a little disappointed, because Cairo, Egypt does sound more exotic and exciting than plain old Cairo, IL. Anyway the song does have universal appeal and can be enjoyed by many people in all kinds of places and situations. Great music is like that. Anyway, enjoyed conversing with you.
Still beautiful song in 2023☺
2024 too!!!!
Never come across this song before... Very bluesy.... great song
The original is by David Ackles, one of Elton John's favourite artists. Tumbleweed Connection is dedicated to Ackles. One of Bernie Taupin's favourite artists as well.
Check out the original by David Ackles.
@richardleonard4281 Thanks .... will most certainly do that :-)
One of my favorite Songs of the sixties with the wonderful Julie Driscoll
oui, mio aussi, un fan..
Timeless, I listen while memories that had been fading away slowly rise again and fill my heart with that bittersweet feeling of happy being there at the time it was released and sad that it is a part of my past...... it feels like all the years gone by in a blink of an eye.
Said everything I was thinking.
So that's what '68 feels like in '23👍😎 - great, maybe I'll suggest this number to a friends band tomorrow
(or even to our own repertoire - LONG LIVE R&B)
Yes.....
Good words
Best song.all the time.Such sad haunting lyrics..Julie is outsight.Amazin sixtues icon.Style.....
It is a sad tune, but well produced with that strong psychedelic touch, which added to the quality of the music of that time. I remembered this song well, should have been a bigger hit, but at the time there were so many great songs around.
Wow, I thought I'd be the only one coming back to see "Jools" (the original) so many years after. A classic!
This has it all - great tune, dynamic vocal, Hammond B3, Mellotron MK II, and Fender Bass VI!
Hihi
A fantastic song, great singer, great keyboarder - a duo that fascinated our generation....everywhere, I guess!
From Berlin - to Paris - to NYC - to LA to Sydney and back to London...!
O M G. Always loved this track. What a team these guys ana Julie make. Killer track as most of their music was !!!! Gx
Epitome of cool ! Jools and The Trinity were years ahead of most bands around the late 60’s.
psychedelic soul and gear, and some sterling vocal majesty. I remember exactly from this time and i was 5. Full blown case of vocal charisma. And seduction.
51 years old now and still sounds amazing. Possibly the best song Jools ever recorded.
I agree !
Those British artists were like aliens who came from another world and were like nothing we'd ever heard before.
And many were never recognized. Such incredible talent. At least we recognize it.
After all these years ......... still beutiful !!!
Still brilliantly fresh!
No
They were a great pairing. I wish they had kept the band going for a while longer. Julie was such a unique singer.
Great song given a phenomenal interpretation by Brian & Jools... it’s so atmospheric!
So wonderful, the song and woman
Three masterpieces in one : Julie, Brian and Cairo.
Still wonderful.
I wish there had been a colaboration between the band Traffic and Julie Driscoll. It would have been epic!
Was für eine tolle Zeit,meine Jugend❤
Brilliant music.
What a voice.
She can hang with and lead the heaviest instrumentals, all the while pronouncing every word with clarity like no one I can think of.
In a class by herself.
a brave recording....not commercial enough to be a big hit.....showcases the talent of driscoll and augur. remembered as a classic.
Willie Finn why see is golden
don`t understand.
JULIE BRIAND magnifique !!avec l'utilisation du mellotron !!orchestration différente surtout les cuivres !orgue HammondB3 !!soul !ok !ok!! fan !! salut
What dramatic vocal power....lyrics very interesting for sixties music. Great connection between Brian, the musicians and dynamic Julie D.
I love her voice together with Brian Auger hammond.
Love this.
Great lady with a great song for more than half a century
Still excellent! Love it!😍
un monument cette chanson ! B. Auger aux clavier ! HAMMOND, MELLOTRON ! je suis surpris par les cuivres .....magnifique !!!
After all these years .... so good
A stand out performance beautifully filmed!
ROAD TO CAIRO, l' originale è di DAVID ACKLES qui riproposta da una splendida versione della BRIAN AUGER'S TRINITY!!!!!!! Questo filmato purtroppo Non mostra i musicisti suonare LIVE ma in playback!!!!! Peccato perché questi sono musicisti straordinari a cominciare da uno dei più GRANDI tastieristi del ROCK di sempre, BRIAN AUGER!!!!!!! Sicuramente ai livelli dei più GRANDI!!!!!!! EMERSON rip, WAKEMAN, BANKS, BANTON , JOBSON, LORD, VAN LEER, MONKMAN rip ,GREENSLADE, MINNEAR etc etc etc!!!!!!!!! E poi una delle più grandi cantanti interpreti femminili del ROCK di sempre!!!!!!! JULIE DRISCOLL!!!!! DICEVO IN QUESTO BRANO che è esattamente la versione studio si sentono oltre all' organo Hammond magistralmente suonato da BRIAN AUGER anche il Mellotron mk 2 e poi oltre basso batteria e chitarra elettrica anche una sezione fiati precisamente di OTTONI!!!!!!!!! Bella stupenda cover fra blues soul psichedelia e direi anche per certi arrangiamenti tastieristici anche progressive!!!!!!! Ripeto GRANDE brano!!!!!!!!!!
It's great! Thanks a lot!! From BRAZIL!!!
Méllotron aussi , magnifique !..
My fav Jools song. Thanks.
Has always loved Her doing this song.And some more.Thank U. :)
She's my fans also.where are u,julie..I really belonging tobe heard her song,especially.this song.road to cairo.good voice.she was.
Unforgetable ❤👍
Always dug Julie, she never got the recognition that her peers got from that era ( Grace, Janis, Lydia. etc. ) in my opinion. Very cool indeed....Aloha
Das waren die Songs der Hoffnung ... leider erfolglos ... aber immer hörenswert!
This is wonderful, hey
So fine Music
Was this just yesterday when I was young
i was in love with m/s driscoll 39 years ago
Thats music.
So good
Grazie ♥️🎼🎤📸
This Lady is great !
Julie used to live near me and she performed with the Trinity at our local rock venue the Bexley Jazz Club at the Black Prince Hotel just outside London. I think her material was just a bit too "odd" to maintain her "Wheels On Fire" success, but this song really is one of her very best. The Hammond work by Brian Auger is a key part of the overall effect. Julie was called "The face of '68" and rightly so.
mod personified
encore un titre magnifique ! B Auger aux claviers les cuivres dans cette version !vraiment bien .....
Ese organo de Brian Auger& The Trinithy.fabulosos
Time to cry
She was really something...
Al sisi never saw, only want might
Still is.
YES 68 IWAS YOUNG
FAB!
c'est magnifique!!
Great, great!!!!
The song written and originally recorded by the brilliant David Ackles. Elton John and Bernie Taupin dedicated their Tumbleweed Connection LP to Ackles, him being one of their very favourite artists. Ackles music was far too complex to attract a large audience in the late 1960's/early 1970's. His 'American Gothic' LP has been described as the Sgt Pepper of folk, but it is much more musically sophisticated than that.
In my early 20s, just left college and about to start my first proper job and finding my feet Fabulous time to be young imo.
encore un titre incontournable !!...MAGNIFIQUE !...
The female David Bowie IMHO..but of course she pre-dates Bowie by a mile..to Cairo
Yella is curious what this song is.
This song refers to the smaller town of Cairo, Illinois, USA -- not the bigger city of Cairo, Egypt. Local people of Illinois and Missouri pronounce it "Cayro," with a long A, not Cairo with a long I. Several years ago the US Army Corps of Engineers blew the levee on the MIssissippi River at Bird's Point with explosives to relieve massive river flooding that threatened the river town of Cairo.
This song may or may not refer to Cairo, IL (where, you're right, it's pronounced "K-Ro"). Fact is, though, Jools sings it as "Cairo", just like David Ackles did. Did Ackles mean, Cairo, IL, did he not know how to say it as the locals do (HIS bad), did he intend a double-entendre... we're not certain. What's certain is that the suggestion Jools sang it wrong is misplaced.
Paul Lai, thanks for your comment. In the lyrics, the song concerns a hitchhiker whose car broke down in "St. Joe" (St. Joseph, Missouri) and he is trying to get to Cairo, IL where he has some friends. Ackles for some reason pronounces the town with a long "I". Not sure why. Maybe he just thought it sounded better that way in the song from an artistic standpoint. He was from Rock Island, Illinois and so was something of a local himself and no doubt knew the local pronunciation. And Julie Driscoll follows his lead also, as you point out. But one would not expect a British lady to be familiar with pronunciations of some of the more obscure American towns. I was not trying to sound critical of Driscoll's singing. Both singers do a great job with the song in my opinion. The pronunciation of the town's name is a very minor point, and not worth quibbling over.
The video seems way ahead of its time it its production values. Instead of the band sitting stationary and and singer performing in a conventional way, you have the band on some sort of revolving platform, and Ms. Driscoll walking in a straight line with a blank white background. Very unusual and inventive. So though it was apparently filmed in 1968, it looks more like later videos from the 1980's which used a lot of creative video work for the songs rather than just filming a performance. .
Thank you for the detailed explanation, Claxton. What I meant by double-entendre is a possible reference to Egypt, slavery etc. I didn't mean to sound defensive or confrontational - if I did, I apologize. I hate it when folks have a hostile attitude or tone when they're on social media - so, I hope I wasn't an offender. As for the vid being ahead of its time... ABSOLUTELY! Would we expect anything less? Cheers...
No offense taken. You bring up a good point. Cairo, Illinois was obviously named after the older city of Cairo, Egypt as was Memphis, Tennessee named after Memphis, Egypt. So I suppose there are slavery connections as well as other historical parallels between the two places. Both towns located on important rivers. I used to live several hours from Cairo, Illinois. Felt the explosion when they blew the levee. But when I first heard Julie Driscoll's version of the song, I actually thought it did refer to Cairo, Egypt. I was surprised to realize that the original version referred to the nearby town of Cairo, Illinois. I was actually a little disappointed, because Cairo, Egypt does sound more exotic and exciting than plain old Cairo, IL. Anyway the song does have universal appeal and can be enjoyed by many people in all kinds of places and situations. Great music is like that. Anyway, enjoyed conversing with you.
and in france cairo hey i dont care the voice is important no?i was 18years now 68 but love rock and real soul music
Proof that there were some cool, together hippies. 
toute ma jeunesse !!
Hidden treasures. I was 11 Golden age ,60,70s
Esplendida version,mejor que la original
"Yella" brought me here.
True
Fun to think about the staging for that shoot!
Talk about a stroll down memory lane! On to Gracie next, or maybe Melanie. ;)
Al sisi - now, not forever
where is the good music today?
British proud - yes
Where are those beautiful woman today?
You want to hear something
i dont need adéle my singer female beautifull and super voice! is julie! adéle i dont care!!!
As father liked
GIve after taking - a simple
Yella
Nathaniel
Trinity
Al sisi - a battlefield for women
First of all I go to Mukhbana in Jemen
terrible , les claviers ,de .B. AUGER ,font fureur ,et cette orchestration, que je ne connaissait pas , les cuivres....
Al Sisi is a soldier
Gaz and oil to Indonesia and India
Way out … killer
If Al Sisi can't see as a chance of himself, he would be another simple story in egypt
she had big hair then
ALl is just a name
Not as good as David Ackle's original - and I speak as one who had a massive girl crush on Julie! ( the haircut and everything!)
This is not a sad song
Underbar sångersks bättre sång
Al sisi - from birth to death .militarian
She should have stayed with brian
Potemkin
Al Sisi a dictator by road
VIVA AL SISI
Q