You Can't Buy My Love

Album: Band of Joy (2010)
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Songfacts®:

  • This is a cover of a 1965 recording by the Texan R&B star Barbara Lynn, which Plant came across on a CD that was included in a copy of The Oxford American magazine. He told Mojo: "I know what I know, and what I bring to the party is black American pop from 1963 New Orleans."
  • Robert Plant performed this song live on The Andrew Marr Show on September 5, 2010; earlier, he told host Marr it was a response by Barbara Lynn to "Can't Buy Me Love". He said he found it in a compilation put out by a literary magazine in the Deep South; this was actually Invitation Oxford - Oxford, Tennessee, not that other literary place called Oxford!
  • Barbara Lynn - born Barbara Lynn Olsen - is one of those rarest of creatures, a black female guitarist. Although she is a songwriter, she didn't write this one. Running to 1 minute 55 seconds, the 1965 Immediate Record release is credited to B & B Babino, who are Billy and Bobby Babineaux.

    Immediate was a UK based company; in the US it was released on Jamie Records backed by "That's What A Friend Will Do".

    Although Robert Plant performed with a female vocalist in addition to his band, most discerning listeners will prefer the original version, if only because it sounds rather silly to hear a man singing about his would-be lover giving him diamonds and pearls!

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