Beatles-like "Peace of Mind" Could it be these guys ?

I know that there have been a couple threads about "Peace of Mind" the song that shows up on Beatles bootlegs, but those threads appear to be closed.

I know that "Peace Of Mind" isn't the Beatles, but nobody has ever come up with who actually did the song, other than an unverified story that it was some guy from New York trying to do a Syd era Pink Floyd thing, or the unverified story that it was a tape found in Apple's trash.

Whatever. I just got The Dream of Michaelangelo, a "best of" by the 23rd Turnoff. I was aware of the song "Michaelangelo", a great piece of theirs from the English psych era, but I hadn't heard much else by them.

When I listened to their song "Leave Me Here" I started to wonder who I thought they sounded like, and then it dawned on me. They sound like they could be the guys that did "Peace of Mind", in the sense that the vocals (the harmonies, etc.) sound like the Beatles, but you can tell it's not actually the Beatles. The lead singer sounds sort of like John Lennon, but you can tell it's not John.

Also, the acoustic guitar lead part has an unusual sort of sound, as did the lead in "Peace of Mind". Sitar like ..assuming that it ISN'T a sitar.

"Leave Me Here" is an uptempo song, so it's hard to compare with "Peace Of Mind" but give it a listen and see what you think.

If nothing else, it's a cool song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNmdeK-fCKM

 

I listened to part of it, and all I could think of was "Listen To The Flower People".

 

Well, the 23rd Turnoff is from the era that Spinal Tap is spoofing !

 

I read somewhere that POM came from a British movie about witches or something like that. The song was run at the end of the movie with a scene where people gathered around a bonfire. I'll see if I can find the reference.

 

If that's the case, it would be great. There should be a better sounding version kicking around on the film than ever showed up on record.

 

Didn't 1000 bands all sound like that anyway at that time? Hard to tell.

 

Maybe, but the vocals and harmonies are more Beatle like than many of the bands of the era, IMO..

 

Here's what I found:

"there's a horror film i am trying to ID and one of the clues to it,is a song that's played over at either the beginnig or end credits!it's a british made film back in the 60's about witches and it has this song as best as i can figure, that goes something like this:"The Candle Burns"(??)I'm looking at the candle, burns a flame too near the sky.(I weave?) the candle laughing, I turn my face to cry.A safety pin returns my smile, I nod and greet "Hello".While you are building molecules with your garden hoe.Why could this last forever? These things repressed inside.One feels it almost instantly, unless the novice die.It's over, it's done, (taper meeting?) again.Just please, please, please, oh, don't keep me from begin.I need to hear the colours red and blue, and whispered word.To fly all day, and sing in tune and not hear what I've read(/heard).To see you all around me and to take you by the hand.And lead you to a brand new world that lately has been banned.We'll build things never built before. We'll do things never done.And just before it's over, it's really just begun.***i have a piss-poor [audio] recording of this only to go by and wouldlike to find out which movie it is to upgrade.

Result: Tourist Trap (1979)

Haven't a clue about the film, but the song is called "The Candle Burns (Peace of Mind)" It was rumored to be a Beatles song at one time, but no one really knows who recorded it."

 

Thanks. Where did you find this guy's quote ?
What is the ..Result: Tourist Trap (1979) thing ?

 

Not sure which "that" you're referring to..."Peace of Mind" or the song Glenn is referencing. I can think of songs in the general spirit of "Peace of Mind," but there are none coming to mind that really sound quite like it. It really seems to be its own animal.


FWIW, I was the source of the "unverified story that it was some guy from New York trying to do a Syd era Pink Floyd thing." For those who didn't get a look at the earlier threads, I'll tell it again.

Sometime in the mid-90s I was a participant in one of the AOL Beatles discussion groups. It was pretty active at the time. One of the guys who posted there said he had personally spoken to the musician who was behind "Peace of Mind," and it was this guy who said he was going for a Syd-era Pink Floyd sound when he made it.

I will fully admit that this is far from the definitive word on this. I will say that the poster who related this story was well-respected within the group, and not one prone to making things up. Of course, it's possible the musician he spoke to was pulling his chain, but this guy was pretty sharp, and I don't think he would have repeated the story unless he were reasonably certain it was accurate.

It really would be good to track this thing down once and for all and identify for all time the true story of "Peace of Mind." I know it's not The Beatles, but I think it stands on its own as a very intriguing piece of work that really doesn't sound much like anything else.

 

The song linked in post #1.

 

If intrigues me that we don't know yet who did "Peace Of Mind". There aren't many "unknowns" these days.
Maybe it's better that way. Leave a little mystery.

I think Peace of Mind is a cool little piece also. I wish that there was a better quality version of it available.

I like the 23rd Turnoff song also . That's half the reason why I posted it.
I think it's a great little record from the era. I also think the vocals are fairly Beatles- like, as are the vocals on "Peace of Mind".

 

Silly question. The only version I have ever owned (or heard, really) speeds up thru-out the song. Do they all do that?

 

Got it. Just gave it a listen, and I like it.

I can see the parallel with the lead acoustic guitar sound emulating a sitar. That and the Lennon-like vocal are the only things I hear in common with "Peace of Mind."

For the all-time greatest "let's make a psychedelic song based on 'Strawberry Fields Forever'" escapade, check out "Lullaby" from Around, the first album by Grapefruit.

It's even been alleged that John and Paul were the uncredited producers for this one. Like "Peace of Mind," it's so well-done that you don't mind that it's such an obvious cop.

 

Sorry, forgot the link:

http://www.datafriend.com/timc/found2600.html

Look for result #2561

 

Every version that I have does also.

 

All the ones I've ever found do. I'm sure it was intentional, something to enhance the psychedelia of it all.

Seems to me years ago I tried to manipulate this track to produce a version that kept the speed/pitch constant throughout, but I don't think I got very far with it.

 

Thanks for the link. I have a hard time believing that if "Peace of Mind/The Candle Burns" was actually in a film, someone else (probably here!) would have made the connection and filled everyone in.
There are as many film geeks as music geeks so I would guess that a Beatles geek/film geek would have spilled the beans by now.

 

Thanks. Funny....I just recalled this thread, one of my first!

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=18127

 

I looked through the old thread Dave D referenced, and in it Lord Hawthorne sez:

 

Early Seventies IIRC. 1973 ? 1974 ?

 

It first showed up in '77 from all accounts I've read. There was another link I'm trying to find where the film suggested was a late 60's one and someone even ripped the audio from it and it was marginally better than the version we've had all these years. I never kept it because it wasn't Beatle related. I'll keep looking for the link.

I did keep the "Penny/Kenny O'dell" song even though it has no McCartney connection. I just always liked that one.

 

Wikipedia shows an album with "Peace of Mind" that they claim is from 1973, but I don't know.
I can't remember when I got my first version of it. I'd have to check at home later. All of THOSE albums are kind of a blur to me.

 

Here the Internet Movie Database entry on this film:

http://amazon.imdb.com/title/tt0080040/


No mention of the song being a part of it. One of the message board posts says there was a soundtrack album, but it's not a part of it.

Does anyone have a record of when "Peace of Mind" first showed up on a Beatles bootleg? If it's prior to 1979, then this is a dead end, as the filmmakers could have simply decided to include it in the movie from an existing source.

 

There were recent posts on Bootlegzone about Peace Of Mind (as there are from time to time).

I think the consensus was that a much upgraded version was doing the rounds.

I still don't think anyone there has an idea where the song originated though.

Chris