Albert Hammond

My cmnt: When this song came out in 1972 it rarely (then, since and even now) played on the radio. I have always remembered it and so here it is. Read his Bio below, he was an amazing talent.

My cmnt: The Association did a cover of it in 1973 that is much better than Hammond’s original version. They also rearranged and improved some of the original lyrics. You can listen to their version of this song below.

Names
I know a man
Who drowns his sorrows in the cheapest booze
He knows he hasn’t got that much to lose
Wino

Names
I know a man
Who speaks the language of another class
He sees nothin’ in the looking glass
Phony

Names, tags, numbers, labels
Other people teach you what you are
You believe them as a rule
While my name for you is beautiful
Your name for me is fool

Tags
I know a kid
Somehow the ball game doesn’t interest him
Isn’t this where it all begins?
Sissy

Tags
She’s twenty-five
She wants a family and a house to run
Her sister always was the pretty one
Lonely

Names, tags, numbers, labels
Other people teach you what you are
You believe them as a rule
While my name for you is beautiful
Your name for me is fool

Numbers
There’s no escape
’cause time will do a number on us all
Your age is scrawled across the office wall
Old man

Labels
You gave me mine
At the time I took it casually
Is that all you really thought of me?
Sucker

Names, tags, numbers, labels
Other people teach you what you are
You believe them as a rule
While my name for you is beautiful
Your name for me is fool

Hm-hm-hm
Names, tags, numbers, hm, labels

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From Google Ai:

Albert Hammond had hits as a singer, with his most famous being “It never rains in Southern California,” which peaked at #5 in the U.S. in 1972. Other hits include “The Free Electric Band” and “I’m a Train“. He also achieved major success as a songwriter for other artists, co-writing hits like “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” for Starship and “The Air That I Breathe” for The Hollies. 

As a recording artist

• It Never Rains in Southern California (1972) – His biggest U.S. hit, reaching #5.
• I’m a Train (1974) – Peaked at #31 in the U.S..
• The Free Electric Band (1973) – His only single to chart in the UK.
• Down By the River (1970s) – Another successful single. 

As a songwriter

Albert Hammond co-wrote many famous songs for other artists. 

• Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now (Starship)
• The Air That I Breathe (The Hollies)
• To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before (Willie Nelson and Julio Iglesias)
• One Moment in Time (Whitney Houston) – Wrote the 1988 Seoul Olympics theme song
• I Don’t Wanna Live Without Your Love (Chicago)
• Don’t Turn Around (Ace of Base, Aswad, Neil Diamond) 

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From SongWriters Hall of Fame website:

Gibraltarian Albert Hammond was born in London on May 18, 1944. In 1966, Albert met Mike Hazelwood, teamed up as collaborators and began gaining recognition as a songwriting team with “Little Arrows” (Leapy Lee 1968,) “Gimme Dat Ding” (The Pipkins 1970,) and “Freedom Come Freedom Go” (The Fortunes 1971). Having become one of Britain’s most successful songwriting teams, they decided to move to Southern California. After auditioning for CBS President Clive Davis, Albert went into the studio to record what would become the album It Never Rains in Southern California. 

Albert went on to record six English language albums. Many of his songs were covered by other artists: “The Air That I Breathe” (The Hollies,) “When I Need You” (Leo Sayer,) “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before” (Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson,) and “99 Miles from LA” (Art Garfunkel) to name a few. Albert gained respect from within the industry from record label executives, producers, fellow songwriters, and an amazing array of artists. Artists who covered Albert’s tunes during the 1970’s include Johnny Cash, Elton John, Mama Cass, The Association, Steppenwolf, Sonny & Cher, Johnny Mathis, Olivia Newton-John, Petula Clark, Jose Feliciano, Perry Como, Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck, Helen Reddy, Glen Campbell, The Oakridge Boys and The Carpenters with “I Need to be in Love.” Albert wrote songs with some incredible songwriters such as Mike Hazelwood, Hal David, Diane Warren, John Bettis, Carol Bayer Sager, Gerry Goffin, Roy Orbison, Roger Cook & Roger Greenaway, Richard Carpenter, Tony Macauley, Graham Lyle and Marcus Vere. 

Albert wrote and produced “Cantare Cantaras,” which like USA for Africa and Band Aid, was a charity single but for the Latin market. More than 50 stars contributed vocals to the recording including Gloria Estefan, Sergio Mendez, Placido Domingo, Julio Iglesias, Irene Cara, Jose Feliciano, Celia Cruz and Menudo, to name a few. Because Albert is a bi-lingual writer, he has been equally successful in the Anglo and Latin markets. 

In the 1980’s and 1990’s, Albert wrote several other highly successful songs including Oscar, Golden Globe and GRAMMY-nominated “Nothings Gonna Stop Us Now” (Starship), “I Don’t Want to Live Without Your Love” (Chicago), “Through the Storm” (Aretha Franklin & Elton John), “Don’t Turn Around” (Aswad, Neil Diamond and Ace of Base), “I Don’t Wanna Lose” and “The Way of the World” (Tina Turner), “Give A Little Love” (Ziggy Marley & The Melodymakers), “It Isn’t, It Wasn’t, It Ain’t Never Gonna Be” (Whitney Houston & Aretha Franklin), “Don’t You Love Me Anymore?” (Joe Cocker), and “When You Tell Me That You Love Me” (Diana Ross). 

In 1988, Albert wrote the theme song for the Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea, “One Moment in Time” performed and recorded by Whitney Houston, which won him his first Emmy. During this period, other artists that recorded his songs were Rod Stewart, Barry Manilow, Dolly Parton, Celine Dion, Roy Orbison, Simply Red, Dionne Warwick, Bonnie Tyler, Hank Williams, Jr., Air Supply, Agnetha Faltskog (of ABBA), Phil Everly, Bill Medley & KD Lang, Nancy Sinatra, Cliff Richard, Westlife, Jose Carreras and Josh Groban.

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My cmnt: Below is Hammond’s best known song. Its lyrics a poignant reminder of how most dream chasers (at least before the web opened up more equal opportunity) in the entertainment industry end up.

It Never Rains in Southern California

Song by Albert Hammond ‧ 1972

Got on board a westbound 747
Didn’t think before deciding what to do
Oh, that talk of opportunities, TV breaks and movies
Rang true, sure rang true

Seems it never rains in southern California
Seems I’ve often heard that kind of talk before
It never rains in California
But girl, don’t they warn ya?
It pours, man, it pours

Out of work, I’m out of my head
Out of self respect, I’m out of bread
I’m underloved, I’m underfed

(I can’t get up out of my bed

I might even be the walking dead

I sure am glad my name ain’t Fred)

I wanna go home

It never rains in California
But girl, don’t they warn ya?
It pours, man, it pours

Will you tell the folks back home I nearly made it?
Had offers but don’t know which one to take
Please don’t tell ’em how you found me
Don’t tell ’em how you found me
Gimme a break, give me a break

Seems it never rains in southern California
Seems I’ve often heard that kind of talk before
It never rains in California
But girl, don’t they warn ya?
It pours, man, it pours

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Albert Hammond / Mike Hazlewood