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Undun (song)
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Undun
| cover = Undun_-_The_Guess_Who.jpg
| alt =
| border = yes
| caption = 1969 US RCA Victor single
| type = single
| artist = The Guess Who
| album = Canned Wheat
| A-side = Laughing
| released = July 1969
| recorded = 1969
| studio = RCA Studio A, New York, New York
| genre =
| length =
(album version)
| label = RCA Victor
| writer = Randy Bachman
| producer = Jack Richardson
| prev_title = These Eyes
| prev_year = 1968
| title = Laughing
| title2 = Undun
| next_title = No Time
| next_year = 1969
}}
"'Undun'" is a song recorded by Canadian rock group The Guess Who. It spent two weeks at #21 on the Canadian Singles Chart in NovemberDecember 1969[http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.6082&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=98q6tcgku7546lsrfi3gr83pp7 The Guess Who, "Undun" Canadian Chart Position] Retrieved March 6, 2015 and reached #15 on the U.S. adult contemporary chart and #22 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100.[http://musicvf.com/song.php?title=Undun+by+The+Guess+Who&id=43100 The Guess Who, "Undun" U.S. Chart Positions] Retrieved March 6, 2015
It was written by Randy Bachman after hearing Bob Dylan's "Ballad in Plain D", which included the phrase "she was easily undone". Bachman's song tells the story of a girl he had seen at a party who, after consuming LSD, slipped into a coma. The song takes its structure from new jazz guitar chords Bachman had learned from his friend and neighbour Lenny Breau. During the Guess Who's 2000 reunion tour, Running Back Thru Canada, Bachman's former bandmate Burton Cummings declared the song to be one of Bachman's finest compositions and "one of the best songs ever written by any Canadian songwriter".'The Guess Who: The Concert' (recorded in Winnipeg, June 30, 2000), Directed by Rico Labbe, Saifer Entertainment, 2000 Bachman himself has stated that "Undun" is his favourite song from his time as a member of The Guess Who.[http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1491 "Undun by The Guess Who"], Songfacts
The original 4:17 version of "Undun", complete with a country guitar section at the end, appeared on The Guess Who's 1969 album, 'Canned Wheat', and an edit was initially released as the B-side of the single "Laughing" which peaked on August 23, 1969. The song gained popularity when disc jockeys started turning the "Laughing" record over.
Cultural extension
The song plays in the background of a fight scene between Robert De Niro and Bridget Fonda in Quentin Tarantino's 1997 film 'Jackie Brown'.
Numerous jazz and other musicians have recorded "Undun". These include Hennie Bekker,[http://www.allmusic.com/album/cover-story-mw0000976207 Hennie Bekker, 'Cover Story'] Retrieved March 6, 2015 Steve Cole,[http://www.allmusic.com/album/undun-mw0002112432 Steve Cole, 'Undun'] Retrieved March 6, 2015 The Phil Dwyer Septet,[http://music.cbc.ca/standalone/embeddedvideopage.aspx?type=concerts&object=The-Phil-Dwyer-Septet-performs-A-Canadian-Songbook-for-Jazz-2011-06-25&videotitle=Undun-The-Guess-Who-cover-by-The-Phil-Dwyer-Septet&permalink=/embedded/concerts/The-Phil-Dwyer-Septet-performs-A-Canadian-Songbook-for-Jazz-2011-06-25/videos/Undun-The-Guess-Who-cover-by-The-Phil-Dwyer-Septet The Phil Dwyer Septet, 'A Canadian Songbook for Jazz'] Retrieved March 6, 2015 Kurt Elling,[http://www.allmusic.com/album/nightmoves-mw0000446433 Kurt Elling, 'Nightmoves'] Retrieved March 6, 2015 Ranee Lee,[http://www.allmusic.com/album/maple-groove-mw0000696839 Ranee Lee, 'Maple Groove'] Retrieved March 6, 2015 Sophie Milman,[http://www.allmusic.com/album/make-someone-happy-mw0000780268 Sophie Milman, 'Make Someone Happy'] Retrieved March 6, 2015 Hugo Montenegro,[http://www.allmusic.com/album/colours-of-love-mw0000562656 Hugo Montenegro, 'Colours of Love'] Retrieved March 6, 2015 and Alexander Zonjic.[http://www.allmusic.com/album/doin-the-d-mw0000804344 Alexander Zonjic, 'Doin' the D'] Retrieved March 6, 2015
Personnel
*Burton Cummings vocals, flute
*Randy Bachman guitar
*Jim Kale bass
*Garry Peterson drums
Charts
References
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