Eponymous Titles

Some 15 Focus tracks refer to individuals real or imaginary.

Orfeus and Euridice are, of course, from Greek mythology as is Orion. Venus is from Roman mythology (as in Ode to Venus on Focus 9).

Nobody seems to know who Bennie Helder is. No doubt, like Elspeth of Nottingham, he is imagined. (Turns oout it was the name Thijs used fr himself as a boy).

Le Clochard (meaning tramp in French) could be included here and may be Anonymus.

Sylvia, of course, is Sylvia Alberts; Tommy, Tom Barlage; Pim, Thijs's grandson (not Pim Jacobs as I had guessed); Eddy, Thijs's father; Janis, Janis Joplin.

Tokyo Rose was the composite name given to a number of Japanese broadcasters of propaganda in World War II.

Father Bach refers to the composer J S Bach.

One should also mention Judy, as in Ole Judy on the 1985 album.

As of 2024 we can add Bela (probably Bela Bartok) and (David) Bowie plus Nura and Gaia.

Track by track 72 Eddy

Archive number: 72
Title: Eddy
Main Album: Focus Con Proby. Also a single in 1977 b/w Sneezing Bull.
Track number: 4
Genre: Rock Vocal
Studio: EMI Studios, Hilversum, The Netherlands
Length: 5' 49"
Composer: Eef Albers
Musicians: P J Proby - Vocals; Eef Albers - Electric guitars; Thijs van Leer – Hammond, Bass Synthesiser; Bert Ruiter – Bass; Steve Smith - Drums
Producer: Yde de Jong
Engineer: Jan van Vrijaldenhoven/Mike Stavron
Label: EMI
Date of recording/release: Recorded 1977 Released 1978 LP – 1978 CD – 1998
Alternative versions: Roselie van Leer (Peters) sings an earlier version on van Leer's solo O my love and Jo De Roeck sings on a later version on Focus 9
Notes: The band open with bass and drums and 'violined' guitar and organ (00:00-00:09) then Proby comes in pleasantly crooning the lyric as follows

Just like Eddy in the morning
He never said, although he could
I know someone who would, but
He never woke to have an ear

Yes I think of things unnoticed
Like what happens in the egg
As it lies without motion
Just like Eddie's sleeping head

When I come home in the morning
Softly as I tread the dawn
I know things that are important
That have only just begun

I'm gonna fly away
Here I go here I go here I go
I'm gonna fly away
Here I go here I go here I go

Seeing you across the table
Smiles are dying on your face
Being here with my heart open
Seems a little out of place

I'm gonna fly away
Here I go here I go here I go
I'm gonna fly away
Here I go here I go here I go (repeated twice)

All the way, the guitar plays some fine licks against the vocal, which finally becomes breathless, insistent then indistinct, dying with a scream at 4:33, when the band takes over. The vocal is lost a little in the mix.

Note on Eddy

Eddy van Leer is Thijs van Leer's father. He plays with Thijs on the track Hommage (Song for pa) on the Thijs van Leer solo album Reflections. Van Leer senior, a competent classical flautist himself, bought his son a flute and gave him his first lessons when Thijs was around 11 or 12.