Come Back Home

No Dice, was the second album issued by the group Badfinger, but was also the group’s debut album and it was released in November of 1970.  ‘Mean, Mean Jemima’ was recorded by Badfinger and it came out as one of their bonus tracks on the digitally remastered CD No Dice which was released in 1992.  ‘Mean, Mean Jemima’ was recorded between January and March 1971 (after the completion of No Dice) with producer Geoff  Emerick who is known from his work with The Beatles and the song was intended their follow-up album that was never released.

Badfinger became the first non-Beatles act signed to Apple Records, and a wave of reviews suggested Badfinger were the Beatles’ musical heirs apparent, as their initial success made them a world-wide phenomena.  Rhythm guitarist Joey Molland had just stepped in for departed bassist Ron Griffiths causing guitarist Tom Evans to switch to bass, and create a blend with guitarist Pete Ham and drummer Mike Gibbins.  Ham exerted the strongest influence on the No Dice album, writing or co-writing seven of the 12 songs, including its sole single, the Top 10 proto-power pop hit ‘No Matter What’, as well as ‘Without You’, which was co-written with Evans.

Badfinger could have been huge, with their connections with The Beatles and scoring four consecutive hits in the early ‘70s, it seemed like they had a bright future.  The working title for the Beatles song ‘With a Little Help From My Friends’ was ‘Bad Finger Boogie’, coined with Lennon played the melody on piano with his middle finger, due to an injury to his forefinger.  A couple years later, the title would be resurrected to name a new band Badfinger who signed to the Beatles’ Apple Records.  Badfinger fell apart due to mishandling by the their management, the band was plagued by bad breaks, dumb luck and shear tragedy including the 1975 suicide of Pete Ham and the 1983 suicide of Tom Evans.

Gibbins died from a brain aneurysm in his sleep in 2005 at the age of 56.  The only surviving original member Joey Molland still feels angry about what happened to this group and he feels that it is his responsibility to keep the music and band going.  As sole survivor of the most popular Badfinger lineup, the 71-year-old Molland is now touring with bassist Mark Healey, keyboardist Gregg Inhofer (Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks album) and drummer Mike Ricciardi.  Molland enjoys keeping Badfinger’s name alive.  He loves the relationship that he has with the fans, and he encourages people to please come and see them.  Molland said that he is willing to sign records that people bring to the shows as they often do a sign and meet after the show.

Well she’s a brown-eyed lady and I couldn’t give her an answer
She took all I give her and all she ever wanted is more
And I’d have to admit that I’m not just a born romancer
Who’ll taking it easy, feel like I did before.

Mean, mean Jemima
Won’t you come back ? Won’t you come back home?
Mean, mean Jemima
Won’t you come back ? Won’t you come back home?

I’m sitting here thinking of nothing but matches and candles
She took all I give her, all she ever wanted is more
And I’d have to admit she was too much for me to handle
Who’ll taking it easy, I’m feeling like I did before.

Mean, mean Jemima
Won’t you come back ? Won’t you come back home?
Mean, mean Jemima
Won’t you come back ? Won’t you come back home?

She’s a brown-eyed lady and I couldn’t give her an answer
She took all I give her, all she ever wanted is more.

Mean, mean Jemima
Won’t you come back ? Won’t you come back home?
Mean, mean Jemima
Won’t you come back ? Won’t you come back home?

Won’t you come back home ? (come back)
Won’t you come back ? (won’t you come back ?)
Won’t you come back home ? (won’t you come back ?)
Won’t you come back ? (come back)
Won’t you come back home ? (come back)
Won’t you come on back ? (come back)
Won’t you come back home ? (won’t you come back ?)
Won’t you come back ? (won’t you come back?)
Won’t you come back home ? (won’t you come back ?).