Hey You (Bachman–Turner Overdrive song) explained

Hey You
Cover:BTO_Hey_You_45_sleeve.jpg
Caption:7" single cover
Type:single
Artist:Bachman–Turner Overdrive
Album:Four Wheel Drive
B-Side:Flat Broke Love
Released:May 1975
Recorded:1975
Genre:Rock
Length:3:34
Label:Mercury
Producer:Randy Bachman
Prev Title:Roll on Down the Highway
Prev Year:1975
Next Title:Down to the Line
Next Year:1975

"Hey You" is a song written by Randy Bachman, and was first recorded by Canadian rock group Bachman–Turner Overdrive (BTO) for their 1975 album Four Wheel Drive. It was the first and more successful of two singles issued from the LP, the second being "Quick Change Artist", which was released in Canada only.

Background

The lead vocal is provided by Randy Bachman. There were rumors circulated that Randy Bachman directed the lyrics of "Hey You" at former bandmate Burton Cummings, who had publicly stated that Bachman would never make it in the music business again following his departure from The Guess Who. Randy confirmed the rumors in interviews years later, stating: "I deserved to gloat a bit after all the mud Burton had slung at me."[1]

Cash Box said it has elements of earlier Bachman-Turner Overdrive singles "Let It Ride" and "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" and contains "the stuttering vocals of Randy Bachman, and some more heavy guitar chording."[2]

Charts

"Hey You" was the second BTO single to hit number 1 on the Canadian RPM chart, following "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet". It held the top position on the RPM chart for two weeks in June 1975. The song peaked at number 21 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on July 5, 1975.[3]

Chart (1975)Peak
position
|-|Austria[4] | style="text-align:center;"|14|-|Canada RPM Top Singles| style="text-align:center;"|1|-|New Zealand[5] | style="text-align:center;"|10|-|US Billboard Hot 100 | style="text-align:center;"|21|-|West Germany[6] | style="text-align:center;"|9|}

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Turbulent History of Bachman-Turner Overdrive . Heatley. Michael . teamrock.com . May 2, 2014 . March 9, 2016.
  2. News: CashBox Record Reviews. May 17, 1975. 23. 2021-12-11. Cash Box.
  3. Web site: Bachman-Turner Overdrive - Chart History . billboard.com . March 6, 2017.
  4. http://www.swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Bachman-Turner+Overdrive&titel=Hey+You&cat=s Swedish Charts website
  5. Swedish Charts site as above
  6. http://ki.informatik.uni-wuerzburg.de/~topsi/deu1975/deu_1975t.html Infinity Charts - German Top 20 of 1975