Nuggets: Hey Joe by the Leaves

Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years 1965-1968 and was a major influence on punk rock. Rhino Records reissued an expanded version of the set in 1998, with 118 tracks in total. I’m profiling and rating each of these 118 tracks, working backwards.

Track 16: Hey Joe by the Leaves
From: San Fernando Valley, California
Rating: 9/10

HEY JOE – The Leaves [2:40[
(Billy Roberts)
Personnel/JIM PONS: vocals, bass * JOHN BECK: vocals * BOBBY ARLIN: lead guitar * ROBERT LEE REINER: guitar * TOM “AMBROSE” RAY: drums
Arranged by JOHN BECK
Produced by NORM RATNER for PENTHOUSE PRODUCTIONS, INC.
Recorded in Los Angeles, CA
Mira single #222 (4/66); Pop #31

The Leaves formed in 1964 – like many Nuggets bands, they were inspired by The Beatles. They played their first gig at a school gym in 1965, on the same bill as Captain Beefheart. They replaced The Byrds for a residency at Ciro’s on Sunset Strip. There they were discovered by Pat Boone and offered a recording contract.

The band only stuck around for two albums, and are mostly known for the two songs on Nuggets. I’ve already written about ‘Too Many People‘. The Leaves first recorded ‘Hey Joe’ in late 1965, making their version the earliest known recording. It was often played live by The Byrds, and David Crosby was upset that another band recorded it before them. The Byrds eventually released a disappointing version on 1966’s Fifth Dimension.

“The reason Crosby did lead (vocal) on ‘Hey Joe’ was because it was his song. He didn’t write it but he was responsible for finding it. He’d wanted to do it for years but we would never let him. Then both Love and the Leaves had a minor hit with it and David got so angry that we had to let him do it.”

Roger McGuinn, Fifth Dimension liner notes

The Leaves recorded ‘Hey Joe’ three times – it was the third version that reached #31 on the Billboard charts. It’s a nice version, energetic and raw. It feels inspired by The Byrds, but The Leaves have an edgier sound that suits the song.

Hey Joe

A tale of a man on the run after shooting his unfaithful wife, the origins of ‘Hey Joe’ are clouded. It’s often attributed to folk singer Billy Roberts. It tells a similar tale to the 20th-century folk ballad ‘Little Sadie’. It was covered by many artists in the mid-1960s, like The Leaves, The Byrds, and Love. Jimi Hendrix’s slow and intense recording has become the song’s definitive version.

The Leaves

Bassist and vocalist Jim Pons is The Leaves’ most notable member. He went on to play with The Turtles and Frank Zappa, before embarking on a long career as a football video director.

Read More

• Nuggets Song by Song
• 1960s Album Reviews