The finale of a hit television series becoming a cultural touchstone is rare, but the closing episode of Breaking Bad achieved just that. As Walter White’s story concluded, the poignant strains of ‘Baby Blue’ filled the air, adding another layer of meaning to the scene. This 1971 track, a bright and catchy tune reflecting on a past romance with fondness rather than regret, soundtracked the ambiguous ending of the show’s protagonist.
The songwriter behind this enduring piece of music should have been celebrating his 75th birthday, enjoying the fruits of his labor. Instead, Pete Ham, born in Swansea, Wales, tragically took his own life at the age of 27, just three days shy of his 28th birthday. In the garage of his Surrey home, he joined the infamous ’27 club,’ a grim roster of rock icons like Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, and Brian Jones.
Pete Ham’s legacy extends beyond ‘Baby Blue.’ He also co-authored ‘Without You,’ a song that became a global phenomenon, first as a hit for Harry Nilsson in 1972 and again for Mariah Carey in 1994. Paul McCartney himself lauded it as ‘the killer song of all time.’ Yet, in April 1975, Pete Ham, one of Wales’ most gifted songwriters and a key figure in the development of power pop, found himself in dire financial straits and ensnared by the music industry’s complexities. Feeling cornered, suicide seemed to be his only escape.
The band Badfinger, with Pete Ham visible at the top right, showcasing the original lineup of the power pop group.
Swansea Roots and Musical Beginnings
Pete Ham’s journey began in the Townhill estate of Swansea. From a young age, he was captivated by rock ‘n’ roll, dedicating countless hours to honing his guitar skills in his bedroom. The Swansea music scene of the early 1960s was a fertile ground for aspiring musicians. James Dean Bradfield of the Manic Street Preachers described it in a BBC documentary as second only to Liverpool in its vibrancy outside of London.
Within this dynamic environment, Ham’s band, initially named The Iveys (inspired by Ivey Place in Swansea), began to take shape. Managed by Bill Collins, who had previously managed Merseybeat stars The Mojos, and father of actor Lewis Collins, The Iveys gained crucial early guidance.
Collins relocated Ham and his bandmates – Mike Gibbons on drums, Ron Griffiths on bass, and Dai Jenkins on guitar – to London in 1966. A year later, Jenkins departed, and Tom Evans from Liverpool stepped in as his replacement, adding a new dimension to the band’s sound.
Apple Records and the Beatles Connection
1968 marked a significant turning point as The Iveys became the first band to sign with Apple Records, the Beatles’ label. This pivotal moment was facilitated by Mal Evans, a Beatles roadie and friend, and potentially aided by Bill Collins’ prior acquaintance with Paul McCartney’s father. Adding to the Beatles connection, Pete Ham’s vocal style bore a striking resemblance to McCartney’s, further solidifying their place within the Apple family.
The Iveys’ single ‘Maybe Tomorrow,’ produced by Tony Visconti, who later achieved fame with David Bowie and Marc Bolan, became a hit in Europe and Japan, and garnered minor attention in the US. Visconti confessed his surprise at its success, as he “really didn’t rate it much,” and it failed to chart in the UK.
Badfinger is Born: “Come and Get It” and Early Success
To achieve greater success in their home country, a name change was deemed necessary. The Iveys felt somewhat outdated, and after various suggestions at Apple HQ, Badfinger was chosen. The name originated from ‘Bad Finger Boogie,’ the working title for McCartney’s song ‘With a Little Help from My Friends.’
Beyond a new name, the band also received a boost from a McCartney composition. ‘Come and Get It’ was a song McCartney quickly demoed, initially considered for The Beatles’ Abbey Road album. Music writer Ian McDonald noted John Lennon’s apparent indifference to the track, suggesting it might have been due to an abundance of McCartney songs already slated for the album.
Badfinger in their prime, a band formed by Pete Ham that was initially fostered by The Beatles’ Apple Records.
McCartney, recognizing Badfinger’s potential but acknowledging their need for a breakthrough hit, offered them ‘Come and Get It.’ He insisted they adhere strictly to his arrangement, despite the band’s desire to make alterations. The song became a top 5 hit in both the UK and US. McDonald, in his book Revolution in the Head, suggests McCartney’s act of giving a sure-fire hit might have been a subtle jab at Lennon’s lack of enthusiasm. McCartney, however, has consistently denied any hidden meaning in the song title and began performing it live in 2011, indicating his continued pride in the song.
Further lineup changes saw Joey Molland, also from Liverpool, replacing Ron Griffiths. While a McCartney song launched Badfinger, and all four members contributed to songwriting, Pete Ham’s exceptional talent as a songwriter soon became apparent.
Beverley Tucker, Ham’s girlfriend at the time, explained to the BBC that his songs often possessed a deeper resonance. “He was a person who thought very much about moral issues and how unjustly some people were treated… so his words always came from the heart. He wasn’t so commercial. Tom knew how to work the business, what people would sing along to. That was something Pete had to learn – he was very instinctive.”
This contrast in approach became evident in the creation of ‘Without You,’ a song that began as separate ideas from Ham and Evans.
Tucker recounted an incident where Ham, after weeks of intensive studio work, had promised her an evening out. Tom Evans interrupted, requesting Ham’s studio input on a song idea. Despite his prior commitment, Ham, driven by his passion for music, chose to join Evans in the studio, a moment that inspired the poignant opening verse of ‘Without You.’
The chorus of ‘Without You’ was primarily Tom Evans’ creation, drawing inspiration from The Beatles’ ‘Help.’ Ham felt his newly developed verse complemented Evans’ chorus, but Evans initially dismissed the complete song as “corny.”
Despite Evans’ reservations, ‘Without You’ was included as an album track on 1970’s No Dice, and the band moved on, unaware of its future impact.
“Without You” and Global Recognition
Years later, American singer Harry Nilsson heard ‘Without You’ at a party in Los Angeles. Mistaking it for a previously unheard Lennon-penned Beatles song, Nilsson, seeking to revitalize his career, recognized its hit potential. He contacted producer Richard Perry, exclaiming, “I think we’ve got one!”
Nilsson and Perry transformed ‘Without You’ into a powerful ballad, amplified by a lush string arrangement.
Ham and Evans were impressed by Nilsson’s rendition, acknowledging the transformative power of production and a strong vocal performance. While Nilsson’s version was undeniably more polished and commercially viable, its heightened melodrama, with its sweeping strings and sustained notes, also leaned towards saccharine sentimentality compared to Badfinger’s more understated original.
Pete Ham and Tom Evans of Badfinger, the songwriting duo behind the power pop sound and the hit song “Without You.”
Nevertheless, Nilsson’s instincts proved correct. His 1972 version of ‘Without You’ reached number 1 in both the UK and USA for several weeks, cementing its status as a timeless classic.
Management Troubles and Downfall
August 1970 marked a turning point for Badfinger, albeit a negative one. American business manager Stan Polley persuaded Bill Collins to collaborate with him. Collins, in retrospect, admitted his naiveté in business matters, stating, “I’m not legally minded… I’m not a businessman..I had to do it on feeling, trust… you might say that was a poor show for the group I was looking after… but they had a chance to talk to lawyers themselves. Everything was discussed.”
Mike Gibbons described Polley as “the kind of man who could sell sand to an Arab,” while Tom Evans harbored concerns. Evans was the last to sign the contract presented by Polley, but Pete Ham, trusting and optimistic, reassured him, “It will be alright.” Ham placed unwavering faith in Collins, while Evans grew increasingly wary of his inexperience.
“No Matter What” and Continued Musical Success
Despite management issues, Badfinger continued to produce hits. “We had ‘No Matter What’ in the can for a year but Apple didn’t think it was a single,” Tom Evans revealed. Apple’s misjudgment was evident when the song reached number 5 in the UK. ‘No Matter What,’ with its crunchy guitars and catchy melodies, exemplified Pete Ham’s songwriting prowess. Another Ham composition, ‘Day After Day,’ also reached the top ten a year later, marking Badfinger’s last UK hit.
Apple shifted focus to the US market. ‘Baby Blue,’ the follow-up to ‘Day After Day,’ reached No. 14 in the US and was hailed by musician/critic Will Birch as “a song of Beatle-scale magic.” However, inexplicably, it was never released in the UK. Badfinger spent increasing amounts of time in the US, where the press eagerly sought the “new Beatles,” an association that became both a blessing and a curse.
“Everyone who interviews us wants to talk about The Beatles,” Ham told Melody Maker. “Sure we were influenced by them, like ten million other groups. There are a million groups copying Led Zeppelin at the moment, but nobody bothers to criticise them for it; we like melodies and songs, and we get called the second Beatles.” Joey Molland offered a different perspective: “To have been associated with The Beatles has done us a lot of good, because they are great people. We’re not complaining.”
Badfinger further solidified their Beatles connection by contributing significantly to George Harrison’s acclaimed solo album All Things Must Pass and backing him at the Concert for Bangladesh. A highlight was Ham and Harrison’s acoustic rendition of ‘Here Comes The Sun.’
By this time, Apple Records was in disarray. Ham told the press that promotion for their album Straight Up, featuring ‘Day After Day’ and ‘Baby Blue,’ was lacking due to the label’s internal issues. Despite its strong tracks, the album’s potential was hampered by Apple’s decline.
Music journalist Chris Charlesworth interviewed Badfinger in New York in early 1972. He observed a “strange atmosphere” within the band, a sense of “repressed emotion.” He realized it stemmed from “a chronic bad management situation, and a dread on their part that they would end up penniless if they spoke out. In the event they ended up penniless anyway…”
As Apple crumbled, Polley negotiated a new record deal with Warner Brothers for Badfinger, stipulating advances be placed in escrow. However, approximately $100,000 from Warner’s publishing division vanished after Polley accessed the escrow account.
“Just a Chance” and a Glimmer of Hope Before Tragedy
Badfinger’s self-titled Warners debut was overshadowed by Apple’s release of Ass a few weeks prior. Undeterred, the band regrouped and created what many consider their strongest album, Wish You Were Here, in 1974.
The album opened with Ham’s ‘Just A Chance,’ a vibrant and optimistic track. The chorus, “All I want from you is just a chance to try,” is both uplifting and, with hindsight, deeply poignant – the voice of a man aware of his potential but constrained by circumstances.
Another Ham composition, ‘Dennis,’ showcased his versatility, a piano-driven pop epic that could have graced albums by Queen or Elton John. A disillusioned Evans contributed only one song, ‘King of the Load.’
The Beatles rooftop gig in January 1969, an event that marked a peak in their career, and whose label fostered Badfinger’s early success.
Wish You Were Here garnered positive reviews, including praise from Rolling Stone. Tragically, the album was withdrawn just seven weeks after release due to a lawsuit between Warner music publishing and Polley.
Devastated, Ham briefly left the band but returned for a tour. Following the tour, Molland departed. The management situation worsened as Polley seemingly vanished with the Warner Brothers money. None of the band could reach him. Ham’s partner Anne was heavily pregnant, and the couple struggled to meet mortgage payments. The pressure became unbearable.
Evans later recalled, “Peter was the type of person who, if he put his trust in someone, would feel humiliated if he was wrong…he was a very stubborn type of guy.”
After a night of heavy drinking, Ham reportedly told Evans, “I know a way forward. I know what to do.” He went to his garage at 3 am and took his own life. His suicide note read: “I will not be allowed to love and trust everybody. This is better. Pete. PS Stan Polley is a soulless bastard. I will take him with me.”
Tom Evans never recovered from the loss of his friend and bandmate, expressing a desire to “be where Pete is.” Tragically, in 1983, Evans also committed suicide, mirroring Ham’s method.
Legacy and Remembrance
As for Stan Polley, he pleaded no contest to misappropriation and money laundering charges in 1991, receiving probation and an order to repay funds, which he never fulfilled. He died in 2009 without expressing remorse.
In Swansea, the Ham name lived on through The John Ham Music Shop, owned by Pete’s brother. A more permanent tribute arrived on April 27th, 2013, Pete Ham’s 66th birthday, as he became the first recipient of Swansea’s Blue Plaque scheme. His daughter Petera spoke at the ceremony at Swansea High Street train station.
James Dean Bradfield of Manic Street Preachers aptly summarized Ham’s legacy: “I can’t think of a musician who helped create so much amazing music but who was subsequently so unrecognised for his efforts.” The inclusion of ‘Baby Blue’ in the Breaking Bad finale introduced Badfinger’s music to a new generation, leading to a resurgence in popularity and a belated UK chart entry for the song.
Petera Ham’s words offer a poignant final note: “Although I didn’t know my dad, I still feel very close to him through his music…I love listening to his songs, it makes me feel very close to him and it makes me very very proud.”
Petera Ham unveiling a blue plaque in Swansea dedicated to her father Pete Ham, commemorating his musical contributions.
