The Story Behind the Ballad Rick Derringer Co-Wrote with Patti Smith on His 1973 Debut ‘All American Boy’

By the early 1970s, Rick Derringer and Patti Smith became acquainted within their New York City circle of friends and community of artists. At the time, Smith frequented Derringer’s manager’s New York City club The Scene, which opened in 1964 before shutting its doors in ’69.

Along with hosting performances by Jimi Hendrix, the Doors, Pink Floyd, Traffic, The Lovin’ Spoonful, and the Velvet Underground, among many others within its lifespan, the venue also welcomed diverse guests like Andy Warhol, Sammy Davis Jr., Liza Minnelli, Tennessee Williams, and more.

“We were friends, and we’ve co-written several songs,” Derringer told Vintage Guitar in 2009 of his connection to Smith. “Steve Paul, who was my manager at that time, had a very eclectic view of the world and sat in a kind of interesting place in New York City. He had a club where a lot of people came, and he was really into the art scene.”

Along with writing her songs for the Patti Smith Group, by the mid-’70s, Smith was dating Blue Öyster Cult rhythm guitarist and keyboardist, Allen Lanier, and ended up writing six songs across five of the band’s albums from 1973 (Tyranny and Mutation) through 1983 (The Revölution by Night).

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[RELATED: Remember When: Patti Smith Wrote Songs for Five Blue Öyster Cult Albums]

“Patti was, at that time, Robert Maplethorpe’s girlfriend,” added Derringer. “We were kind of immersed in that whole world of poetry and art, and Steve encouraged us to write together. He thought it would be a good combination, and I enjoyed it.”

When Derringer was working on his 1973 debut All American Boy, which went to No. 25 on the Billboard 200, the album featured special guests including collaborator Edgar Winter, Joe Walsh David Bromberg, Joe Vitale (Crosby, Stills & Nash, the Eagles), and Toots Thielemans and opened with his debut hit “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo.”

Bookending Side A was a softer rock ballad he had written with Smith, “Hold.”

‘There’ll be songs to be sung, long after I’m gone’

Smith and Derringer’s lyrics read like a poetic plea to a lover to hold on and never leave.

Ocean’s gonna roll without me
And river’s gonna flow without me
And love it’s gonna spin without me
And there’ll be songs to be sung
Long after I’m gone

I walk by the stream
As the sun goes down
(Sun goes down)
Music runs through me
But I can’t make sounds
I try to cry out
But I don’t know why
My face is frozen
I can’t even cry
Even when I try
I beg you hold
Hold on to me
Hold
Hold on to me
Don’t let me drown
Don’t let me sink
Oh, don’t let me go

In 1971, Smith also penned the poem “White Trash,” included on the back sleeve of Edgar Winter’s 1971 album of the same name. In her review of Winter’s 1973, After Dark, for Creem magazine, she shared some words about its producer, Derringer, and wrote:

“Rick Derringer produced this one. And well you know, Rick. He’s a high prince of second-generation rock. He knows just how to deal with high whiterock. It’s tight. It’s quadro. It’s bigger than stereo. It’s dance-a-rama. It’s perfect.”

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