Deep Purple – "Hush" (1968)

She's got loving like quicksand

Only took one touch of her hand

[I originally wrote about "Hush" – in July 2012, shortly after the death of Deep Purple organist Jon Lord.  “Hush” features one of Lord's greatest Hammond B-3 performances.  Here's a slightly-edited version of that post.]

Jon Lord of Deep Purple died earlier this week at age 71.  The immediate cause of his death was a pulmonary embolism, but he also was suffering from pancreatic cancer.

Jon Lord in 2008

I don't enjoy writing obituary posts, but I have no choice here.  Lord was simply too talented and too unique a performer – I have to acknowledge his passing, and I'm doing so by featuring "Hush."

Deep Purple's version of the "Hush" is one of the great classic rock singles of all time, and it's Jon Lord's organ playing that makes it so special.  Like many great jazz, blues, and rock organists of the pre-synthesizer era, Lord's instrument of choice was the Hammond B-3 organ.  (Actually, Lord usually played a Hammond C-3, which is mechanically identical to the B-3, but comes equipped with "modesty panels" that hide the performer's lower body from the audience – very useful for lady church organists.)

*     *     *     *     *

"Hush" was written by Joe South, who had a big hit with another of his own compositions, "Games People Play."  It was originally released as a single in 1967 by Billy Joe Royal (of "Down in the Boondocks" fame), but failed to crack the top 40.  

Deep Purple's version of "Hush" – it's first single – made it to #4 on the U.S. charts despite the fact that was released on an obscure and short-lived label, Tetragrammaton Records.  (The name supposedly refers to the unspeakable Hebrew name of God.)

Jon Lord back in the day

I cannot overstate how good a record "Hush" is.  It has not lost a thing in the 44 years since it was released, and it is simply inconceivable to me that any group of musicians in the world could do "Hush" better than this.  

*     *     *     *     *

Click here to watch a video of Deep Purple playing "Hush" on the Playboy After Dark television show in 1968.  It is a 100% live performance, and it's pretty bad – Lord's organ is mixed way too low, and you can barely hear him.  Even worse is Hugh Hefner's painfully clumsy attempt to engage in small talk with Lord before the group performs.  (Watching this really makes you appreciate Johnny Carson.  Hefner was a major tool.) 

We didn't get this TV show in Joplin, Missouri.  The only time I saw it was when I represented the my high school's Key Club chapter at that the organization's international convention in Miami Beach 1969.  We were lucky that night: the show featured Hef's main squeeze of the moment, Barbi Benton – still the most appealing woman ever to grace the pages of Playboy.)

Barbi Benton

*     *     *     *     *

One final note.  Check out the lines quoted at the top of this post.  Can you name another song that mentions "quicksand"?

Of course, I'm referring to Spinal Tap's tribute to BBW, "Big Bottom":

The bigger the cushion

The sweeter the pushin'

That's what I said

The looser the waistband

The deeper the quicksand

Or so I have read

(Yes, 2 or 3 lines should feature "Big Bottom" some day – and it will, I promise you.)

*     *     *     *     *

Click here to listen to "Hush."  When you do, play close attention at the climax of Lord's organ solo (which almost sounds to me like two organists are playing at once, but which is all him).  Lord somehow ratchets up the intensity of his playing one more notch, then there's a drum roll that has the impact of someone kicking you in the behind, and then the singer comes back in with "Naaah-nah-nah-naaah" and we are heading into the homestretch.

Click here to order "Hush" from Amazon.