Two singles were released from The Thorn in Mrs. “What’s Gnawing at Me,” though, is perhaps the best song on the album, expressing Rose’s existential quest in a melancholic, but still hopeful-and above all, beautiful-pop song. “It’s Happening” is an upbeat commercial for happiness and cosmic awakening-it displays pure optimism and is another standout. “The Stars” is the most serious piece of music on the album (and features the most ambitious orchestration), not unlike the contemporary work of Van Dyke Parks.
It alternates vaudeville verses with more plaintive choruses, to charming effect. Rose was, in fact, Williams’ first collaborator.) “Molly,” which would be covered later by John Denver on the Take Me to Tomorrow album, is a wistful, narrative love song that is very close to a musical theater number. (The song’s lyrics were written by Paul Williams, who would later go on to write many hits with Roger Nichols.
While Tiny Tim and Bowie work the romantic angle, Rose’s version plays as a pure hippy anthem. Another highlight is Rose’s version of “Fill Your Heart,” which is decidedly more off-hand and playful than either Tiny Tim’s or Bowie’s version. The opening track, “Mama’s Boy,” is perhaps the closest to Newman’s work-jaunty, deadpan, dotted with piano fills-and one of the highlights of the album.
Indeed, the recording process dictated this approach as Rose was recorded performing the songs live―but solo―and the additional instruments added later. Rose’s Side all follow the same basic formula: Rose’s piano and sometimes warbling, sometimes straining vocals drive the song, augmented with a simple rhythm section and soaring string and, occasionally, brass sections. All three also share a knack for writing songs that are wry but also touching and often nostalgic. All three were influenced by vaudeville, Tin Pan Alley and musical theater. Rose’s Side in 1968.Īs suggested above, Rose’s music bears some similarity to that of Randy Newman and Harry Nilsson. It wasn’t long until he had turned almost exclusively to songwriting and recording, releasing The Thorn in Mrs. The songs were humorous, sentimental and biting-often all at the same time. By now, Rose had switched from banjo to piano and began to incorporate proper (and original) songs into his act.
He ultimately found work writing for Mort Sahl and George Carlin, while also working as a comic in local nightclubs. But when the television industry relocated to Los Angeles, so did Rose. Later he moved to New York City and worked an act combining comedy and banjo.
BIFF ROSE FILL YOUR HEART LYRICS PROFESSIONAL
Rose was born in New Orleans and began his professional career as a banjo player in a folk group. Many years later, I found a copy of his debut album (on Bill Cosby’s Tetragrammation Records) in a dollar bin and discovered not a goofball, but a major songwriting talent, right up there with Randy Newman and Harry Nilsson. At about the same time, my sister brought home a copy of God Bless Tiny Tim and I couldn’t help notice that Rose was the co-author of the great “Fill Your Heart” (later covered by David Bowie on his Hunky Dory album). He played funny songs in a loose ragtime style, told funny stories in a thick Louisiana accent and giggled and grinned on the couch with Carson. He was kind of a goofball, sort of a cross between Gilligan and Timothy Leary. My first exposure to Biff Rose was as a comic and personality on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in the late ’60s.
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