Introduction:

After the experimentation of the previous solo releases Todd went back to basics with this album of cover versions and original songs. Side one consists of Todd's precise cover versions of classic pop songs of 1966 (Happenings ten years time ago!)whilst side two contains some classic Todd originals performed by Utopia, foregoing almost totally the use of synthesizers that seemed to dominate his previous few releases.

Credits:
Track 1 composed by Relf/Beck/McCarthy. Published by Yardibirds Music.
Track 2 composed by Wilson/Love. Published by Rondor Music.
Track 3 and 6 composed by Lennon/McCartney. Published by Nothern Songs.
Track 4 composed by Dylan. Published by Warner Bros Music Ltd.
Track 5 composed by Hendrix. Published by Intersong Music.
All other tracks by Todd Rundgren.
Tracks 1-6 performed and produced by Todd Rundgren.
All other tracks performed by Todd Rundgren, Willie Wilcox, John Siegler, and Roger Powell.


Track Listing:

  1. Happenings Ten Years Time Ago
  2. Good Vibrations
  3. Rain
  4. Most Likely You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine
  5. If Six Was Nine
  6. Strawberry Fields Forever
  7. Black And White
  8. Love Of The Common Man
  9. When I Pray
  10. Clichè
  11. The Verb 'To Love'
  12. Boogies (Hamburger Hell)


Discography:

LABELCat. NoTracks/TitleFormatCoverCountry
Bearsville0309Good Vibrations/When I pray7" singleNo PSUSA
Bearsville0310Love of the Common Man/Black and White7" singleNo PSUSA
Bearsville0309Good Vibrations/When I pray7" singleNo PSCANADA
Bearsville15524Love of the common man/Good Vibrations7" singlePSUK
Bearsville15525Good Vibrations/When I Pray7" singlePSGERMANY
Bearsville45-1379Good Vibrations/When I Pray7" singlePSSPAIN
WarnersN-S-63-108Good Vibrations/Love of the Common Man7" SinglePSPortugal
Warner BrosP-38WGood Vibrations/When I Pray7" singlePSJAPAN
Bearsville6963FaithfulAlbumStandard USA
CastleTFOLP16Initiation/FaithfulDouble LP Re-issueDifferentUK
CastleTFOCD16Initiation/FaithfulDouble CD Re-issueDifferentUK
CastleTFOTC16Initiation/FaithfulCas Re-issueDifferentUK
AFRTSRE 23-76FaithfulAlbum - Armed Forces version with Patrick Moraz on Side 2DifferentUSA


Lyrics:

Happenings Ten Years Time Ago

Meeting people along my way
Seemingly I am among they
But in reality of things
What my dreaming always brings
Happenings ten years time ago
Situations we really know
But the knowing is in the mind
Sinking deep into the world of time
Looking in a room I see
Things that mean a lot to me
Why they do I never know
Memories don't strike me so
It seems to me I've been here before
Those sounds I heard and the sights I saw
Was it for real, was it in my dreams
I need to know what it all means

Good Vibrations

I love the colorful clothes she wears
And the way the sunlight plays upon her hair
I hear the sound of a gentle word
On the wind that lifts her perfume through the air
I'm picking up good vibrations
She's giving me excitations
Good bop bop, good vibrations
Bop bop, excitations
Good, good, good, good vibrations
Close my eyes, she is somehow closer now
Softly smile, I know she must be kind
When I look in her eyes
She comes with me to a blossom world
I don't know where but she sends me there
Oh my my my, what a sensation
Oh my my, what elation
Got to keep those loving good vibrations
happening with her

Rain

If the rain comes, they run and hide their heads
They might as well be dead if the rain comes
When the sun shines, they slip into the shade
And sip their lemonade, when the sun shines
Rain, I don't mind
Shine, the weather's fine
I can show you that when it starts to rain
Everything's the same, I can show you
Can you hear me, that when it rains and shines
It's just a state of mind, can you hear me
I know what it's like to be dead
I know what it is to be sad

Most Likely You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine

You say you love me and you thinking of me
But you know you could be wrong
You say you told me that you want to hold me
But you know you're not that strong
I just can't do what I done before
I just can't beg you anymore
I'm just gonna let you pass
I'm gonna last
'Cause time will tell just who has fell
And who's been left behind
When you go your way and I go mine
You say you disturb me and you don't deserve me
But you know sometimes you lie
You say you're breaking and you're always aching
But you know how hard you try
Sometimes it gets so hard to care
You just can't be this way everywhere
I'm gonna let you pass
Well the judge he holds a grudge
He's gonna call on you
But he's badly built and he walks on stilts
Watch out he don't fall on you
You say you're sorry for telling stories
That you know I believe are true
You say you got some other kind of lover
And I guess I believe you do
You say my kisses aren't like his
This time I ain't gonna tell you why that is
I'm just gonna let you pass

If Six was Nine

(In a whisper: yeah, if six was done)
If the sun refused to shine
I don't mind, I don't mind
If the mountains fell in the sea
Let it be, it ain't me
All right, 'cause I got my own world to look through
And I ain't gonna copy you
Now if six turned out to be nine
I don't mind, I don't mind
If all the hippies cut off all their hair
I don't care, I don't care
Dig, 'cause I got my own world to live through
And I ain't gonna copy you
White collar conservatives flashing down the street
Pointing their plastic finger at me
They're hoping soon my kind will drop and die
But I'm gonna wave my freak flag high (high)
Fall mountain, just don't fall on me
Go on Mr. Business man, you can't dress like me
You don't even know what I'm talking about
I'm the one that's got to die
When it's time for me to die
So let me live my life the way I want to
Sing on brother, play on drummer

Strawberry Fields Forever

Let me take you down
'cause I going to Strawberry Fields
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about
Strawberry Fields forever
Living is easy with eyes closed
Misunderstanding all you see
It's getting hard to be someone but it all works out
It doesn't matter much to me
No one I think is in my tree
I mean it must be high or low
That is the catch you know
Tune in but it's all right
That is I think it's not too bad
Always know sometimes think it's me
But you know I know when it's a dream
I think I know, I mean, oh yes, but it's all wrong
That is I think I disagree

Black and White

Stick to your guns
Diamonds are a girl's best friend
Nobody knows the trouble this poor boy's seen
People will believe anything
Man on the run
Always gets it in the end
Nobody cares 'cause nobody shares his dream
People don't believe anything
Everything is changed
Everything is still the same
It's just a part of the game
Blood on the moon
Patterns running across the floor
A musical inside a movie inside a dream
Guess you can believe anything
Everything is changed
Everything is still the same
It's all a part of the game
Mama, Papa, boys, and girls
Holding hands around the world
Wrong is wrong and right is right
Nothing changes overnight
I'll believe it when I see it in black and white
Tell me the truth
Nobody leaves here alive
In the black core of doubt
trying to get out in the light
Sometimes you can't see anything
Everyone is changed
Everyone is still the same
They can't get out of the game

Love of the Common Man

I've been burned in my prime
The simple things in life
Seem so hard to learn sometimes
And it takes so long
Catch it while you can
Too late tomorrow
And everyone
Said we all know what comes of that
Living in your pockets and talking through your hat
But it won't take long
To turn your head around
Too late tomorrow
'Cause everyone needs the love of the common man
Turn the world around
Too late tomorrow
'Cause everyone
Everyone is waiting, just anticipating on you
Won't you make a showing everybody knows what to do
Take a dive from your ivory tower
And fall on everyone will catch you, everyone
I would be so pleased to spend some time
To hear a little talk about what's been on your mind
'Cause it don't take long
To turn my head around
If it comes easy
'Cause everyone needs the love of the common man
Turn the world around
Too late tomorrow
'Cause everyone

When I Pray

Now I lay me down to sleep
I'm praying Lord my soul to keep
If I die before I wake
Somebody make a big mistake
I'm only just one little man
Just usin' up the air
Still I'm askin' anyway
Lord when I pray, please be there
Lord when I pray, please be there
Singin' om om my god, please be there
You know I'm just like all my kind
I got a weak and confused mind
When I feel a little pain
You know how I love to complain
But I try to be strong
I try hard to lift my share
I don't expect for nothing
But Lord when I pray, please be there
Now I sing for you

Clichè

One more game, one more chance
One more orchestrated song and dance
He'd be up front and speak his peace
and ask for her time
To put their heads together
and try to make the knot unwind
And it strikes home that it's time to make his move
or it's time to turn and walk away
So he plays that old clichè
Silent tears, bleeding heart
Well our prima donna plies her art
Defenses of defenses of faultless design
Still she's only asking him
to help her make the knot unwind
And if the very next words
leaving her lips could decide
If he'd go or if he'd stay
She would play that old clichè
Who makes up the rules for the world?
Haven't we been down this road before?
Isn't anything peculiar here?
Certainly there must be something more
Where are the words, where are the words,
where are the words
Where are the words, where are the words,
where are the words
And it's almost not worth singing about,
it seems so everyday anyway
Still we play that old clichè
And here sit I, one man show
I vivisect and then pretend to know
All it ever gets me is an ache in the mind
Can't somebody help me to try to make the knot unwind
And I say what I say when I know
there's really nothing left to say
Then I play that old clichè
Throw away that old clichè

The Verb 'to Love'

Some people tell me that love is a feeling
or a possession
Somehow it seems so cold
And when they say love is sweet,
does it mean that you eat it?
Maybe you drink it,
does it fill up an empty hole?
I'm lookin' for a love and I may not find it
You know it doesn't mean a thing
without some action behind it
Please come home
I can hear them calling
Please come home
Please don't leave us all alone
Your mama and your papa are crying all alone
You better let it magnetize, learn to sacrifice
'Til we get the true version of
The meaning of the verb 'To Love'
What does it mean to love?
And when somebody needs love,
do they spend some money?
Say something funny,
ask for some tenderness?
And when you wanna touch of love,
do you lie on your back?
Stand on your head,
how do you feel it best?
I'm looking for a love with no strings attached
To take me like I am, that's the only catch
Please come home
I can hear them calling
Please come home
Please don't leave us all alone
Your wife and your lover are crying all alone
You better let it magnetize, learn to sacrifice
'Til we learn the true version of
The meaning of the verb 'To Love'
Does it mean any more,
the more you talk about it
Is it anymore real
if you jump around and shout it
I'm sick and tired of hearing
'bout everyone without it and
Too much talkin' sends me walkin'
Night is falling and everybody's calling for love
Everybody's lookin' for their one and only
It's only just a game 'cause their scared to be lonely
Please come home
I can hear them calling
Please come home
Please don't leave us all alone
Your brothers and your sisters are crying all alone
You got let it magnetize, learn to sacrifice
'Til we get the true version of
The meaning of the verb 'To Love'
What does it mean to love?

Boogies (Hamburger Hell)

Beefsteak Charlie says to Porky the Pig
"I can see the party lights
Someone's throwin' a bash and it sure looks big
Down at the slaughterhouse tonight."
Say, let's get together and hit the buffet
You might as well stuff yourself,
They'll only throw it away
Old Colonel Sanders says to Elsie the Cow
"Golly, baby you're the one
Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce,
pickle, cheese, onions on a sesame seed bun."
Say, we just got time for a roll in the hay
Might as well stuff yourself
They've come to take you away
I know where you're going, I can tell
Don't go looking for me down in Hamburger Hell
Don't misunderstand me, I wish you well
Don't go looking for me down in Hamburger Hell


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