Never Been to Spain

Hoy Axton & The King

Hi there. I always like to do a few cover songs when I play my yearly residency at the Carlyle, and I have typically kept them pretty contemporary. But this year I saw that new Elvis concert footage…and I just felt a primal need to do “Never Been to Spain” written by Hoyt Axton. I actually got a nice note from the Axton family about my cover yesterday, which I gotta say felt great. When I was a kid “The Black Stallion” was my favorite movie, and when my friend Mike told me in high school that the dad from the Black Stallion had written “Joy to the World” by Three Dog Night…I was blown away. A great rock fact.

Hoyt Axton as the dad in the Black Stallion.

Since high school I’ve learned that he actually wrote a lot of songs with great personality (check out “The Pusher”), and I was so psyched to find out that he had actually written “Never Been to Spain”. So anyhow, I just wanted to share this snippet of my performance with you here bc I was proud of the way the band and I got it together. I’m sorry I do not know who took this video, but if you want a credit, just holler and I will be sure to put it in here… (Also Hoyt’s mom, Mae Boren Axton co-wrote “Heartbreak Hotel” 👌).

Ok see ya,

Hamilton Leithauser