LUCY

July 2026

We had barely rehearsed Lucy before we got to the studio, so I thought it was going to be a bear to record if we could make it work at all. It was one of the last songs we worked out for I Sometimes Think (Better) session. So I waited until the end of the day just in case. If it went poorly, I didn’t want to hurt the vibe for the other tunes. But holy cow, they crushed it.

Written in the late 80s, Lucy was one of my first songs. It’s had quite a history. The first version was recorded by Hugo A Gogo, my band through college and a few years after.

The original version of the song had the kind of reggae feel that a band who’s not very good at the reggae feel would record. It had horns and a kind of laid-back feel to it. It was probably cool for the time.

But when I was circling around what to do with the song for the I Sometimes Think record, I started thinking of a more upbeat tempo. In whatever band that I had going in the early 2000s, I introduced the new version. I remember Joe Randolph – who was part of the original version of Collective Soul and played on their smash debut record – giving me a subtle nod that said ‘this new version’s better.’ It was supposed to be an Americana rockabilly-type tune, but I think the recording just sounded like rock and roll – that’s how most of the record came off.

There were no key changes in the original version, and I think I added the little twist of taking the key up a step at the chorus during the recording process. The key change made a big difference in the energy of the song. And on the I Sometimes Think (Better) version, with Roger Brainard’s guitar and Mark Van Allen’s pedal steel, the chorus launches like a rocket.

Although it was more teen-angst lyric writing than anything biographical, the opening lines loosely describe my ex-wife. Connie has red hair and blue eyes. Hence, ‘fire in her hair’ and ‘stars in her eyes.’ But the words were definitely easier to sing with the slower reggae version. It’s a mouthful.

When I go in the studio with a band, I’m trying to walk away with a great recording of the rhythm section – primarily drums and bass parts. If we get that, we have a great foundation for the rest of the song. As with every song the Fourteens recorded in our handful of trips to Lee Davis Studios, Geoff Gill and Mark Sobus were absolutely locked in on what were the most intricate rhythms on the record. Just locked the hell in.

And on this song – as with pretty much the whole record – Roger’s guitars were also spot on. In fact that iconic lead guitar on Lucy was Roger’s first take as we recorded the main rhythm tracks. I was floored when I heard the recording – didn’t change a thing about it.

With the rhythm tracks in hand, I recorded the vocals, acoustic guitar, electric rhythm guitar (that went alongside Roger’s part) and that quasi-lead line on the pre-chorus at my Underground Studio.

Then Mary Gill and her daughter Nina came in to finish up the sessions with their lovely background vocal parts. All of the Gills are unbelievably talented. Mary and the girls (all of the girls) are pitch-perfect singers with crazy range. And Geoff’s is one of the more schooled musicians I’ve known. So the sessions were done in a take or two.

I think the recording is stunning. As Rich Herring and I were working through the mix and mastering, every time I listened to the song, I just thought ‘wow.’

But listen for yourself and let me know what you think.

Steve

Lucy

Words and music by Steve Baskin

Steve – vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar

Roger Brainard – electric and lead guitar

Geoff Gill – drums

Mark Sobus - bass

Mary Gill – background vocals

Nina Gill – background vocals

Mark Van Allen – pedal steel

Lee Davis – hammond organ

Produced by Steve and Rich Herring. Recorded by Lee Davis and Steve. Mixed and mastered by Rich Herring.