You've had to wait, but we know you won't complain ... because this week we're talkin' bout one of the greatest garage tunes ever - "No Reason to Complain" by The Alarm Clocks. A song of no-'count teenage alienation, and man, it swings! Not many noticed, though - until Tim Warren brought it to the people on Back From the Grave, and then The Lyres covered the tune in '86 and it's cool and Cramps-y. 3 out of 5 is The Woggles from 1990, which sounds great but the vocals might register a complaint or two. in '93 Gaul's Thee Gloomies authored a wonderfully snotty version with tons of reverb. And in 2017, Winnipeg's The Exploits made it weird again with neurotic vocals and organ. Moon over Parma tonight!!
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1:48:19
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1:48:19
Bonus: Funky Fonzi Thornton, Unsung Backup Singer
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1:34:58
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1:34:58
Mr. Personality Man
This week's tune is a pop-psych confection called "Mr. Personality Man" - and there's only three recorded versions, so you'll hear 'em all if you tune in. The original is from The West Coast Delegation, a band confusingly from England. It's got a pretty heavy backbeat reminiscent of Motown or "Pretty Woman" and it doesn't let up. The lyrics deal with a charming but dangerous rogue, so we think the song might be inspired by "David Watts" by The Kinks (not played). The Foundations are the next personalities to tackle the tune - you might remember them from "Build Me Up Buttercup" fame. They slow the tempo down, add horns, and jauntify the song by about 75%. The third and final candidate is from Sweden's Slamcreepers, one of the best band names of all time - and Weldon has exhaustively researched the name's meaning. Fans of Swedish linguistics rejoice! Their version is fun but singer Bjorn Skif (later to star in Blue Swede's megahit version of "Hooked on a Feeling) had an off day. Get out your Lucky Charms and listen!!
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1:28:16
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1:28:16
Get Me To The World On Time
Friday the 13th is your lucky day - a new episode a lil' early. We pay tribute to the recently-departed James Lowe of the eminently psychedelic combo, The Electric Prunes. And "Get Me To The World On Time" has possibly the best opening of any psych tune. The lyrics describe love as a bad trip but the sounds suggest other worlds - are we caught between the real world and the vast cosmos? Who knows? The second song is by budget rockers The Chellows who turn out a pretty spiffy garage version - a cross between The Troggs and a tea-kettle! The punkers pulled out the song in the late 70s so we then discuss a rendition by The Physicals. It's got some wild free jazz sax, with the vocals of a guy who actually hasn't lost his cool. Still in Britain for a rockabilly-esque version by The Clapham South Escalators. If you liked the spaceship in the original, then you'll love this version. Finally - Richard & The Young Lions recorded a version in what seems to be the the early 2000s but the vocals sound strangely like They Might be Giants. Eat your prunes!
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1:29:12
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1:29:12
Too Many Fish In The Sea
This week we cast our net wide for versions of the classic "Too Many Fish in the Sea." The original by The Marvelettes is still a fresh catch -- it's a classic Motown 'advice' song with punchy instrumentation, top Tambo and a great sound-off from all the members. Marine biologists might prefer our next version by Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels, which includes a roll call of different types of actual fish! The next morsel of metaphorical fish food comes from our friends The Gallows, with the powerful lungs and unusual vocal hiccups of Bruce Kettlitz. It'll make you jump!! The market in 1983 offered up a great rendition by Patti Brooks. It's a long journey (almost 5 minutes) but it's full of hooks, which you need on a fishing trip. Plus it has a nice vocal appearance by our new favourite Alfonso (Fonzi) Thornton. Finally, we reel in a 2010 version by Phil Collins, which we hoped would have some of the fairy dust of his Supremes cover. Don't throw it back, though - it's still substantial! Halibut !
The usual format is this: we pick a song from the 1950s or 1960s (genres range from garage, R&B, Girl Groups, Motown and Doo-Wop), and discuss three versions of that song, or sometimes we just play a song we haven’t heard before and react to it. We’ve covered classics like “Little Bit o’ Soul” and “Psychotic Reaction” to rarities like “Jump and Dance” by the Carnaby, and “Ringo I Love You” by Bonnie Jo Mason (aka Cher). Our aim is to discuss what makes these songs interesting, ineffable, or even intolerable. We place special emphasis on the “moments” in these songs where, perhaps, a new interpretation will emerge from. A close look at song structure is also present in our discussions. If that sounds academic, maybe it is a little bit, but we like to keep the analysis in the spirit of the songs we speak of – which means we drink some spirits (for Erik, it’s bourbon, for Weldon, it’s Stambecco) – and that means by the third song, things can get a little wild. Basically, we talk about rock!
Australia