Lucretia MacEvil - Blood, Sweat & Tears (1970) 5/16/22

Yesterday, we highlighted "Cruisin' by Smokey Robinson, and how it took him 5 years to come up with the title and lyrics after he received the backing track.

Today we're featuring a similar story from David Clayton Thomas of Blood, Sweat and Tears.

Before he joined the group, he had written a song about a woman of ill repute, based on the "bad girls" who frequented the bars he played in when he was just starting out.

For safety's sake and legal purposes, he did NOT want to give the woman a real name...but couldn't some up with a fake name that would work..so he put the song away and sat on it for quite a while.

After David moved to New York City and joined BS&T, he was listening to a jazz station in Newark, New Jersey, when he heard a song about a young man of dubious character named "Filthy McNasty" by Horace Silver.

That got David's creative juices flowing and before long, he had come up with the name of today's Great Song of 1970:" "Lucretia MacEvil."

When the song was released as a single from the album, Blood, Sweat & Tears III" in 1970, it became a hit, reaching #29 on The Hot 100. Cashbox Magazine had it at #17--a discrepancy!

I have to believe the subject matter might have kept some stations from playing it...and David also throws in a "damn" or two. On top of that, It also includes a fake ending, followed by long jazz instrumental section.

In my honest opinion however, all of that actually MAKES "Lucretia" MacEvil" by Blood, Sweat & Tears a "Great Song of 1970!"

Just for fun, here's "Filthy McNasty by Horace Silver: