1980 my 8th grade teacher brought this album to school a week before graduation..played it in the classroom while smoking a cigarette. She told us to close our eyes.
Man this guy is so underrated! So talented and written so many songs for other famous artists and bands! Is a crime that he’s not on the rock and roll hall of fame yet!
He's in the HOF now but he doesn't care about it. He said he was happy for his fans but instead of going to the induction, he decided to keep his commitment to play the concert that was on his schedule
Me too. Me 2. And he never got the credit. I used the lyrics in a news letter at Serendipity. I small community gathering place just outside the main gate of MCAS IWAKUNI. 1980. Were you there?
Today is Oct. 2nd 2022 and I didn’t know know Todd Rundgren wrote this song. I’ve been listening since the 70’s. I guess old dogs can learn something new. Both versions are great. 70’s music is the best. 👍☝🏽✊🏽👊🏽🔥🥰
The Mike Douglas Show was great. He may not of understood, or even liked popular music, but he really did appreciate it and gave a lot of artists amazing visibility.
Happy to hear the original version-I hope that Todd Rundgren will eventually be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame-He's certainly worthy of that honor.
Exactly they don't deserve Todd at the Rock Hall. He should have been the first one inducted. It's a club where you have to be all condescending to them. And I am originally from Cleveland. Makes me sad. Hear this and hear it now there is no excuse and I mean no excuse for Todd not be in the Rock Hall
Two years later, after the OP, the man finally received the recognition he deserved. R&R Hall of Fame, 2021. I’m still angry over so many artists that I question whether they even play real rock music. Shame on you, hall of fame! Start including true pioneers instead of washed-up Hip Hop acts.
Fantastic! Love the "outer space pharmacist" outfits. :) Seriously, Todd & co. are geniuses. To think this was on a daytime talk show, good on ya, Mike!
I came home from junior high one day in 1980, turned on the TV and saw this - been a Utopia / Todd Rundgren fanatic ever since thank you so much for uploading this!!
You are right about Mike Douglas regardless of what other people thought he would give bands & other artists a chance to perform on his show... My mom used to watch him everyday...
Mike Douglas was cool. I remembered of all people, Dinah Shore was on this show, and her saying what a beautiful song it was Todd and the guys did. Dinah Shore complimenting Todd and Utopia...it was surreal, but cool!
@@pauladamson1955 , Because ED&JFC version was produced and arranged so well and the vocals were so good that it took the song to another level. A much more radio friendly version as well. Todd wrote a great song that will have meaning till the end of time, but it was etched in stone by ED&JFC. Not the first time it worked out that way! Mandy by Manilow, All along the watch tower by Hendrix. Does anyone even think about the Dylan version? And he wrote it!!!
Great artists like Todd raise deep questions & lay them out for us to wrestle with (Q: Is love really the answer? How?). Todd’s spiritual tone has always been Christ-influenced. This song could ALMOST a Christian anthem. Christ said, “I am the light of the world” “God is Love” “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love for one another” etc. See John (esp chap 1) or study the use of the words Love/Light/Shine/Shone” in the Bible to see the fuller meaning of Todd’s song.
Todd is a spiritual person in and amidst all his facets shines a beautiful soul and I’ve loved his music for 40 years. I heard his hit LP Something/Anything when I was 14. Then I was a engaged and it’s been incredible to follow his music since those early days. I love this clip, thank you.❤️
I love seeing the older Todd stuff. Have been a fan since early 70’s. Going down memory lane with him right now. I listened to “A Wizard. A True Star” so many times. Todd is one of the very best!
There’s a newer group called Tame Impala that cites Todd, and specifically the AWATS album as a big influence on their music. Tame Impala is huge right now.
IMMENSELY talented guy and great band. I had Todd’s longtime Bearsville engineer/ live soundman fly into LI, to trade me a guitar fior a 48-track recorder a few years back. Fun!
@@kingofallwhites nobody has all the music knowledge that he has. He's a fucking genius, and he demonstrated it when he produced Meat Loaf and Badfinger. You're welcome
I have been listening to this song all night now and from various artists on RU-vid and this planet really needs this more now than ever. This is my favorite song 🎵by Todd. I was trying to sing it an hour ago and got choked up. Crying washes the soul.
The "futuristic" set, instruments, and fashion really crack me up. But the song is still great. You can't fake that emotion. It had to come straight from the heart. God bless Todd.
Will always remember my mother's disdain for the falsetto bridge offered during Harry Chapin's "Taxi," when it was performed live on The Mike Douglas Show. I had moved on from watching by the summer of '80, but saw plenty of Mike as an after-school show in the late 60 and 70s. Looking forward to the post-COVID return of concert opportunities!!
We went to Catholic mass every Sunday growing up. The adults would go to the beautiful main church and the younger people would go to the “guitar mass” at the same time in the church’s basement. They played this song after the last communion song and we all sang from the song sheets (with the lyrics) found on our chairs. We were in grade school and my siblings and I were always so excited when the musicians played this song. So, yes, I feel this song is very spiritual.😊
@@valuecalc Before 2020, I was blessed to see Gino Vanelli in Los Angeles LIVE at the Saban Theatre. Some of these 1970's, 1980's era sin- gers are still bringing back to us cool groovy memories! PS. If you are interes- ted in some🎉 👍 Christian rock, I like Sweet Com- fort Band. White- heart and Petra are also 💒older rock 🎶bands🎸.
I remember watching this show ...Erik Estrada from the show about motorcycle cops Chips was the guest cohost for the week ..Red Fox and Shirley Winters also appeared....After Todd and the boys sang. Erik and Mike went straight to the drum kit to check out Willys motorcycle drumkit..and Shirley Winters headed for Kasim..She was hugging him and said a bit later that she and Kasim had worked together..a few years prior. She looked so happy to see him..I Think She Actually Pinched His cheek...it was really cute....Todd and the boys were in great form..they sang It's The Very Last Time as well..and sounded great.....I sure wish someone had the interaction with Erik and Shirley Winters and the band recorded to post on youtube ....thanks for posting this! This was mike douglas show season 20 ..July 1980..
Well said. You both have studied Todd AND spirituality. At the heart of faith is love. To quote scripture & Todd "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Somewhere age 7-10 my dad took me to my first concert rather unexpectedly. It was a free show at UC Berkley I believe and it was to see Utopia. Don't remember a whole lot being that young but I do remember that same drum kit as Willie Wilcox had it on hydrolics and it would rise up and spin once it reached it's apex. I thought that was pretty cool at that age!!!
For me the thing about Todd Rundgren is that he's a brilliant writer and producer. I've only seen him once live in the 90s with the Ringo All-star band. That was a great experience. There's something really special about his writing.
Best version I´ve ever heard of this song!!! Can someone list the gear they used for this live performance?? Amazing futuristic drumset and bass guitar!!!!
I have awakened the past few mornings with remnants or fragments of these lyrics running through my mind.... when you're all alone... Light of the world.... Anyway I had to google who could have written this? or sung it? as I did not remember but seems my subconcious wants me to hear❤ this song!!!
Roger Powell wasn't just a keyboard genius, but also an amazing vocalist. Todd always surrounds himself with top-tier talent! Just listen to Lyle Workman's amazing guitar performances on the Nearly Human and Second Wind albums.
Those of us from the SE PA area can remember what a staple Mike Douglas was. He was old guard, coming from the big band entertainment days, a little out of touch with the evolving pop cultural scene, but he was a sweetheart of a guy. And you can bet you socks that he was happy to promote hometown boy Todd on his Philly-based show, because that's just the kind of guy he was.
My bestie and I were onstage with him at the Cleveland show during the "With A Twist" tour (it was a thing he did for that show). We sat at a little table while he sang "A Dream Goes On Forever" (❤️) and some others. It's was a blast. So... I didn't have a beer WITH him... but I had a beer NEAR him!
This is a great lesson in consciousness taught by guru rundren. Gu meaning dark ru meaning light thus one who makes dark light Sanskrit is an amazing language!!
Todd grew up in my area. Saw him play at a local bar in my teens. When playing at the bar, the band was called Woody's Truck Stop. The area is a suburb of Philadelphia, so he is basically a Philly boy too.
