Mott The Hoople - Darkness Darkness Lyrics

Great cover of this great song.

Best trach Mott ever recorded IMHO

Written by Jesse Colin Young and originally released by his band, The Youngbloods, in 1969.

This is a prayer from someone living in constant fear for their life. In the 60s that was the stress of a soldier facing gunfire in Viet Nam. Today...well, it is a prospect anywhere.

The cover comes from what would have been Mott's final album but Bowie convinced the band not to break up, produced their next album, and gave them his song to record. That was "All the Young Dudes".

I love this & I love finding songs from old favorite bands I've never heard. I've got to hear that electric violin in the original but somehow it won't feel like listening to the same song twice, Mott rocks it.

This just doesn't summon up the whole range of emotions that the original does. The Youngbloods got me through some tough times. Their version has yearning, pleading, despair, mourning, and in the end a triumphant pissed off determination. That's what i call a helluva song.

Everyone is second to the Youngbloods. If you haven’t heard the original , try it and hear what you’re missing.

I forgot about this version, not a bad cover. Songwriter Jesse Colin Young's original vocal can't be beat and Banana's guitar is classic, but this version is far superior to Plant's feeble attempt or anyone else for that matter. If you've never heard it, do yourself a HUGE favor and listen to the Youngbloods 1969 studio take. By the way, on the original, Charlie Daniels produced and provided the fiddle.

I like the eerily slow version, which, seems more like Darkness....

this cover slays the Youngbloods version, even with the weak vocal by Ralphs

You can't f*ck this song up. The idiot list I got this from - covers other than Young Blood left out the best in my book - aside from the original of course, that of Richie Havens which puts this version to lame shame.

Thank God someone else recognized the greatness of this underrated group. Mott rule!

Fantástica versión :-{D

Still got my vinyl!

the perfect orgasm

The original by The Youngbloods is still my favorite.

The song and it's performancde by the Youngbloods is a masterpiece. Second up? Richie Havens. This though? Sorry. Doesn't do it justice at all. Never heard plants - don't even think I want to but my expecations are quite low.

I try to help but i cannot > America got lost before I was here*

We called it Mick's Corner on the Albums.Very fine Too.

All the songs either sang or written by Ralphs were my favorites on all the albums.

NOT A PATCH ON THE ORGINAL YOUNGBLOODS

Mott was so much more than a glitter rock band even though they were damn fine at that!

@Nora Smith I do love Bowie for penning them a hit, which i'm sure helped w/Columbia signing them, so they could keep putting out more albums...but i think "All the young dudes" has the softest production...which makes it my least favorite album by them.

@sdushdiu Right on my brother! While the subject matter would not seem to fit Mott, who were not party animals by any means, at least until Luther (Ariel) joined the band, they turn this tune and 'My Own Backyard' into classics. They even give Neil Young and Crazy Horse a run for their money on 'Downtown' another dark song of losing oneself in drugs, something Ian, Mick and company avoided. Their Island recordings are far superior to their later Columbia LP's, and Bowie may have written 'All The Young Dudes' but Mick Ronson produced the finished product which is far far superior to earlier Bowie produced demos.

@LEWFROST2 Funny you'd mention Spooky Tooth. My friend Luther Grosvenor joined Mott under the alias Ariel Bender after leaving Spooky Tooth, replacing my friend Mick Ralphs who moved on to Bad Company. I think Luther may take exception to your remarks. BTW, Bowie wrote 'All The Young Dudes' but it was Mick Ronson who produced the final master which was far far superior to any of the Bowie sung or produced demos.

@Philip Holmes Well put good sir. The Island Records LP's may not have sold in great numbers, but are far superior musically to the later Columbia albums. Bowie wrote 'All The Young Dudes' but the song was destined to be a demo until Mick Ronson produced the finished master as we know it. But the Columbia albums lack the energy and the raw power of the Island recordings.

@Kevin Rathert they did well off 1 good album. 1 of the 5 times i saw MOTT, they did well with MICK but he left and the other 4 shows were no big deal at all. hey i am not alone.....other people were not knocked out by them either......

This is why these were one of the bands in the world without Hunter

Love this band, but on this song, I do hear a little Rory Gallagher influence.

Great band! Thanks for posting!

Only 11,000 people have tuned into this version from Mott?
The other just don't know what they are missing.

Come on people, smile on your brother.

One of the better covers.

One of my favorite songs on earth, so intense, lyrics and sound, passionate and moving, but this version? Sorry, doesn't quite hit it.

'Get Together' was a cover. Dino Valenti (Chet Powers, Jesse Orris Farrow) of Quicksilver Messenger Service wrote it. Felix Pappalardi produced it for The Youngbloods, but Jesse Colin Young didn't write it, just had the hit with it. He did write this one though.

@bigrobtheactor I must humbly disagree. The subject matter would not seem to fit Mott, who were not party animals by any means, but Ian Hunter's vocals and Mick Ralph's guitar make this a classic. And I love The Youngbloods.

Better that Robert Plant's cover. *WAAAAYYY* better.

No Sir!

This is a cover of the Youngbloods' song.

The drumming ruins this. Otherwise not a bad cover. Been listening to quite a few but the original is still the best.

the cymbal crashes and snare rolls when it gets heavy are some of my favorite things about this version...

+Jaime Pina Absolutely!

LP released Sept 1971

The year I graduated from High school smile xoxo

Not nearly as good as the Youngbloods masterpiece, but not bad.

In a word: nonsense.

I grew up on this album and a few other select Mott albums, BadCo and Ian among so many others. I ranged from Classical to King Crimson/Hawkwind to Hard Rock. Mott was able to play in a way that fit the emotion of the song.

Hawkwind, Mott the Hoople/Queen two of my favourite concerts...and I've seen many

magnifico cover dos Youngbloods.

Blue Oyster Cult, Flash Mott The Hoople
Aug 1973 Phila Spectrum
The big H Guitar
Glad I was there

Arthur F. Scaltrit

and god made the spectrum...saw many a good shows there..sadly, missed mott

'72 On Atlantic .Have it on vinyl

An inspired version!
A GREAT album!