Little Games Sessions and More
Encyclopedia
Little Games Sessions and More is a "two-CD set that assembles the complete Little Games
album and all of the usable rehearsals, unmixed backing tracks, and alternate takes associated with it, along with a few Yardbirds-related holdings in the EMI vaults. For a variety of reasons (not all the fault of the band), Little Games was the Yardbirds' least commercially successful album, despite the desires of producer Mickie Most
's quest for a pop/rock tone to the album. It was also their only full-length studio recording featuring guitarist Jimmy Page
, whose desire to move towards a more album-orientated rock approach was frustrated by Most's "hit single" formula. The odd B-sides, outtakes, alternate takes, and bonus tracks reveal a high level of virtuosity that Most failed to exploit -- the unanthologized B-sides "Puzzles" and "Think About It," the acoustic version of "White Summer," and the punchier mono mixes of "Little Games" and "Drinking Muddy Water" are superior to much on the finished album; other tracks like the raw instrumental backing track for "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor" and an alternate version of "Glimpses", showed promise. Keith Relf
and Jim McCarty
's post-Yardbirds acoustic duo, Together, which evolved into the original Renaissance, is also represented on three tracks, doing the brand of folkish soft rock that they favoured."
Little Games
1992 Expanded editionAn expanded Little Games edition entitled Little Games Sessions and More, was released as a 2 disc set featuring additional sessions and alternate takes from the period, plus the singles "Ha Ha Said the Clown", "Ten Little Indians", and "Goodnight Sweet...
album and all of the usable rehearsals, unmixed backing tracks, and alternate takes associated with it, along with a few Yardbirds-related holdings in the EMI vaults. For a variety of reasons (not all the fault of the band), Little Games was the Yardbirds' least commercially successful album, despite the desires of producer Mickie Most
Mickie Most
Mickie Most was an English record producer, with a string of hit singles with acts such as The Animals, Arrows, Herman's Hermits, Donovan, Suzi Quatro and the Jeff Beck Group often issued on his own RAK Records label....
's quest for a pop/rock tone to the album. It was also their only full-length studio recording featuring guitarist Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
, whose desire to move towards a more album-orientated rock approach was frustrated by Most's "hit single" formula. The odd B-sides, outtakes, alternate takes, and bonus tracks reveal a high level of virtuosity that Most failed to exploit -- the unanthologized B-sides "Puzzles" and "Think About It," the acoustic version of "White Summer," and the punchier mono mixes of "Little Games" and "Drinking Muddy Water" are superior to much on the finished album; other tracks like the raw instrumental backing track for "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor" and an alternate version of "Glimpses", showed promise. Keith Relf
Keith Relf
Keith William Relf , was a musician best known as the lead singer and harmonica player of The Yardbirds. After the Yardbirds broke up Relf formed the acoustic duo Together, with fellow Yardbird Jim McCarty, followed by Renaissance, which also featured his sister, singer Jane Relf, then hard rock...
and Jim McCarty
Jim McCarty
Jim McCarty is an English musician, best known as the drummer for The Yardbirds and Renaissance.-Early life:...
's post-Yardbirds acoustic duo, Together, which evolved into the original Renaissance, is also represented on three tracks, doing the brand of folkish soft rock that they favoured."
Disc one (*Unreleased track in the U.S.)
- "Little Games" [Stereo Mix] (Phil WainmanPhil WainmanPhil Wainman is a British record producer and songwriter, primarily active in the 1970s. He is noted for his work with Sweet, XTC, Dollar, Mud, and the Bay City Rollers...
, Harold SpiroHarold SpiroHarold Spiro was an English songwriter.- Early days :His interest in music began at an early age, in London's East End, where his uncle regularly took him to the Music hall....
) – 2:39 - "Smile On Me" (Jimmy Page, Jim McCarty, Chris Dreja, Keith Relf) – 3:20
- "White SummerWhite Summer"White Summer" is a guitar instrumental by English rock guitarist Jimmy Page, recorded with both The Yardbirds and, later, with Led Zeppelin.-The Yardbirds version:...
" (Jimmy Page) – 3:59 (Slightly extended version with quick snatch of studio chatter at the end) - "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor" [Vocal version] (Jimmy Page, Jim McCarty) – 2:53
- "Glimpses" [Version 1] (Jimmy Page, Jim McCarty, Chris Dreja, Keith Relf) – 4:23
- "Drinking Muddy Water" [Stereo Mix] (Jimmy Page, Jim McCarty, Chris Dreja, Keith Relf) - 2:54
- "No Excess Baggage" (Roger Atkins) - 2:39
- "Stealing Stealing" (Jimmy Page, Jim McCarty, Chris Dreja, Keith Relf) - 2:36 (Extended version)
- "Only The Black Rose" (Keith Relf) - 2:50 (Backwards drum beat on this remix is faded out before falling out of sync with the rest of the track as noticeably heard on the original LP version)
- "Little Soldier Boy" (Jimmy Page, Jim McCarty, Keith Relf) - 2:44
- "Puzzles" (Jimmy Page, Jim McCarty, Chris Dreja, Keith Relf) - 2:10
- "I Remember The Night*" (Anthony Pirollo) - 3:03 (Lead vocal by Jim McCarty)
- "Ha Ha Said The Clown" (Tony Hazzard) - 2:30
- "Ten Little IndiansTen Little Indians (Harry Nilsson song)Ten Little Indians is a song by Harry Nilsson released on his 1967 album Pandemonium Shadow Show.It was covered by The Yardbirds and released the same year . However, Chris Dreja and Jim McCarty do not appear on this track...
" [Vocal version] (Harry Nilsson) - 2:15 - "Goodnight Sweet Josephine" (Tony Hazzard) - 2:44 (U.S. version excluding Dreja & McCarty)
- "Think About It" (Jimmy Page, Jim McCarty, Keith Relf) - 3:45
Disc two (*Unreleased tracks, **Unreleased in the U.S.)
- "Little Games" [Mono Mix] (Phil Wainman, Harold Spiro) - 2:24
- "You Stole My Love**" (Graham GouldmanGraham GouldmanGraham Keith Gouldman is an English songwriter and musician who is a long-time member of British band 10cc.-Early life and 1960s pop career: 1946–1968:Gouldman was born in Broughton, Salford, England...
) - 2:57 - "White Summer*" [Acoustic Version]" (Jimmy Page) - 3:53 (Same guitar tracking as the album release)
- "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor*" [Instrumental] (Jimmy Page, Jim McCarty) - 2:56
- "L.S.D.**" (Jimmy Page, Jim McCarty, Chris Dreja) - 1:01
- "Drinking Muddy Water" [Mono Mix] (Jimmy Page, Jim McCarty, Chris Dreja, Keith Relf) - 2:52
- "De Lane Lea Lee**" (Jimmy Page, Jim McCarty, Chris Dreja) - 2:35 (Featuring nearly inaudible spoken passages by Jimmy Page)
- "Glimpses*" [Version 2] (Jimmy Page, Jim McCarty, Chris Dreja, Keith Relf) - 4:20 (Excludes spoken interlude, train sounds and kids voices. Ending riff is also echoless)
- "Never Mind**" (Jimmy Page, Jim McCarty, Chris Dreja) - 2:48
- "Ten Little Indians*" (Instrumental) (Harry NilssonHarry NilssonHarry Edward Nilsson III was an American singer-songwriter who achieved the peak of his commercial success in the early 1970s. On all but his earliest recordings he is credited as Nilsson...
) - 2:17 (Different take than the vocal release) - "Goodnight Sweet Josephine**" (Tony HazzardTony HazzardTony Hazzard is an English singer and songwriter. He has written songs for The Hollies , Manfred Mann , "Me, The Peaceful Heart" for Lulu, The Yardbirds , Herman's Hermits , Peter Noone Tony Hazzard (born Anthony Hazzard, 31 October 1943, Liverpool) is an English singer and songwriter. He has...
) - 2:44 (U.K. version featuring entire group) - "Henry's Coming Home**" (Jim McCarty, Keith Relf) - 2:59
- "Love Mum And Dad**" (Jim McCarty, Keith Relf) - 3:50
- "Together Now**" (Jim McCarty, Keith Relf) - 3:05 (This and the above two tracks by first post-Yardbirds group Together, featuring Relf & McCarty. All three tracks produced by Paul Samwell-Smith)
- "Shining Where the Sun Has Been*" (Jim McCarty, Keith Relf)- 2:53 (By Keith Relf & Jim McCarty. Acetate recording owned by Jim McCarty)
- "Great Shakes, US Commercial*" - 1:01
Personnel
- Chris DrejaChris DrejaChris Dreja was the rhythm guitarist, and later bassist, in the 1960s British band, The Yardbirds.-Early life:...
– bass guitar - Jim McCartyJim McCartyJim McCarty is an English musician, best known as the drummer for The Yardbirds and Renaissance.-Early life:...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion, backing vocals - Jimmy PageJimmy PageJames Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
– guitar - Keith RelfKeith RelfKeith William Relf , was a musician best known as the lead singer and harmonica player of The Yardbirds. After the Yardbirds broke up Relf formed the acoustic duo Together, with fellow Yardbird Jim McCarty, followed by Renaissance, which also featured his sister, singer Jane Relf, then hard rock...
– harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, percussion, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
Additional personnel
- Nicky HopkinsNicky HopkinsNicholas Christian "Nicky" Hopkins was an English pianist and organist.He recorded and performed on noted British and American popular music recordings of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s as a session musician....
– keyboards - Clem CattiniClem CattiniClem Cattini , is an English rock and roll drummer who was a member of The Tornados before becoming well known for his work as a session musician...
– drums - John Paul JonesJohn Paul Jones (musician)John Paul Jones is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. Best known as the bassist, mandolinist, and keyboardist for English rock band Led Zeppelin, Jones has since developed a solo career and has gained even more respect as both a musician and a...
– bass guitar