Heading into the home stretch of the polls.
Getting the vote outta the way first is the brain-meting corrosion of Cloud Nine, where producer/composer Norman Whitfield introduces a New Way and Era for Motown, one where they would not only catch up with the hardest trends in contemporary rock-soul, but would raise the stakes. Temp Otis Williams hipped Norman to Sly's Dance To The Music and this was the result, a topical funk-rock record that grabbed the trade-off vocal style of Sly and took it to another level. This sound would prove the rule rather than the exception for the group's subsequent career, to their chagrin. Both Whitfield and Temps claimed this song had nothing to do with drugs, but we all know better, don't we? No other record here has a chance of garnering my vote, nor should be the case for anyone else.
And then, the rest:
Classical Gas is one of THOSE instrumentals that everyone knows and at least likes, if not loves. A definitive 1968 recording.
The Box Tops make their final appearance of the year with the utterly delightful Choo Choo Train. When I saw the band at the House Of Blues on their reunion tour, a drunken Chilton announced this song was "about group sex!" to a nonplussed oldies crowd. "I got a present from brother".
Continuing along these metaphoric lines is the last from the Express on these polls, Chewy Chewy, perhaps the definitive track by the band and from the bubblegum genre as a whole, as it one-ups even Yummy Yummy Yummy in the field of utterly disgusting sexual metaphor. I still can't believe this stuff, far more potentially damaging than anything by the Jefferson Airplane, was routinely sold to pre-teens, with no one looking askance.
"Chew me right out of my mind".
On to a few great requests:
Los Chijuas were one of the finest of Mexico's garage outfits, and their timeless Nugget is Changing The Colors Of Life. Love the primitive surf-Bond guitar intro, and the memorable chorus hook.
Glad J. Loftin reminded me of Chained, Marvin's "other" newly-recorded solo single of the year. Bizarrely originally recorded for Motown by teen TV sensation Paul Petersen, the rightful owner of this tune finally claimed it in 1968, bringing all his patently personal romantic fever, fervor and obsessive desperation to bear on the track. Much too deep for the top of the pops. Listen for the insane bass drum work.
More soul deepness awaits on the underrated Tyrone Davis's Can I Change My Mind. A real mover, somewhat similar to the Jerry Butler records of the era with less smooth sheen and more funk. Crazed bass.
I love that The Who released such a charmingly primitive, car-boast record as Call Me Lightning as late as 1968. Everyone else was tripped on Cloud 9, this band was talking about their XKE, which had went out of fashion long before. Demoed in the subject-appropriate year of 1964, this was pulled off the shelf and recorded in early 1968, when the band were in a state of desperation rwgarding their singles output. Only the flip of Dogs in the UK, this rightfully claimed top-side status in the US, only just making the Top 40. Underrated!!! Listen for the romping piano and the nuclear bass solo.
Had to make room for a big, big personal favourite, California Soul, written by Ashford and Simpson and recorded by several Motown acts including Marvin & Tammi, but rendered here definitively by the Dimension. Only a minor hit for the group, but it is one of their best. Those who are residents of the named state will really understand where this one is coming from. Dig the harmonies.
So, Al Kooper, working as both artist and A&R man for CBS, picks up a cop of Odessey & Oracle while in the UK, brings it back to the US and demands the US arm of the company release it immediately. It is issued on the barrel-bottom subsidiary imprint Date, and what do they choose as a trailer single? Care Of Cell 44? Time Of The Season? NOPE! They choose the strangest, most unique cut on the album, Butcher's Tale! WHY??? Did they think they might garner some war-topical airplay? Of course the single sank, as did the album, until a DJ picked out Season and that song became a 1969 smash. Tale is included here as an example of just how wrong a record company can go in selecting a single.
Who doesn't love Build Me Up Buttercup? Raise your hand so I can kick your ass. LOVE this whole Brit-soul genre, and everything written and recorded by Tony Macaulay, who helmed so many classic hits. Look him up and find out!
Brooklyn Roads was another of the three singles drawn from Neil Diamond's UNI LP debut, Velvet Gloves And Spit. The least commercial of the three, and also only a minor hit, this tune was the exact reason he had left the pop-centered Bang label, as they had no intention of letting him record long, personal reflections such as this. You won't find a more heartfelt autobiographical record than this, or a better one. Obviously influenced by Simon & Garfunkel, but better. Listen to his voice on this, listen to the words. A huge favourite of mine. Can't vote for it, not just because of Cloud Nine, but because I think it as a mistake as a single release. FM was not going to accept him, and AM wasn't at all ready for this. All hail Neil.
Heading back to Oz for another of their best pop-psych outfits of the era, The Masters Apprentices, and their second most-remembered effort, the deeply odd Brigette. Nice request!
Born To Be Wild was already one of the biggest records of 1968 before its credit-sequence inclusion in a certain 1969, an event which simply enshrined and immortalised the record for all time. Despite ubiquity-damage galore, this is still a great record, solid fleet-of-Harleys kill city.
Then, there's Bonnie And Clyde. Damn, it chafes me that this ended up on the same poll as Cloud Nine, because this would have easily garnered my vote among this batch otherwise. This record grabs with its unique oddity, and unholy amounts of cool-to-spare from literally the first second. That weird-ass percussion sound underpinning the whole thing, the dizzying Hermann strings, Serge's patented acid-Columbo detective narration, and the key-WHAT-key vocalisations of Bardot, which somehow outdoes Nico at her own game. Born To Be Wild was a part of a definitive "generation" film, B&C was inspired by an even better one. Mod city. A work of pure genius, plain and simple. Only record that should possibly get a vote here other than Cloud.
(Edited by IanWagner)
Jon The Bubblegum Supremacist Posts: 9213 Registered: Sep 2007
Posted July 20th, 2011 03:30 PM IPI'm gonna echo Ian's exact sentiments and vote Cloud 9, sitting just behind Bonnie and Clyde.
I *love* Build Me Up, Buttercup BTW.I don't know why I ever believed the Chipmunks had the lowdown on punk.
IanWagner The Rustic Bumfiddler Posts: 47917 Registered: Aug 2007
Quote: IanWagner wrote:
The Box Tops make their final appearance of the year with the utterly delightful Choo Choo Train. When I saw the band at the House Of Blues on their reunion tour, a drunken Chilton announced this song was "about group sex!" to a nonplussed oldies crowd.
You gotta love that guy.
I'MCOMINGI'MCOMINGI'MCOMINGI'MCOMING
IanWagner The Rustic Bumfiddler Posts: 47917 Registered: Aug 2007
Posted July 20th, 2011 04:34 PM IPBizarrely but typically, "you gotta love that guy" was the original last sentence of that paragraph, but I cut it at the last second. You complete me.
halleluwah Total Rock Cumshot Posts: 7300 Registered: Aug 2007
Posted July 20th, 2011 04:37 PM IPI oughta get that looked at.I'MCOMINGI'MCOMINGI'MCOMINGI'MCOMING
Becky The Queen Of Soul Posts: 2534 Registered: Aug 2008
Posted July 20th, 2011 04:38 PM IPVoted for the 'Dimension. But equally as good= Marvin, Temptations, Zombies...everything on this darn poll!
Also really like Marlena Shaw's version of California Soul.
Jon The Bubblegum Supremacist Posts: 9213 Registered: Sep 2007
Posted July 20th, 2011 04:44 PM IPWell, this is an odd case where I knew every single one of them, except the Tyrone Davis -- which I listened to on YouTube before I voted!!
Normally I either do the download or listen in order on YouTube.I don't know why I ever believed the Chipmunks had the lowdown on punk.
Jon The Bubblegum Supremacist Posts: 9213 Registered: Sep 2007
Posted July 20th, 2011 04:45 PM IPOh, and Master's Apprentices -- which I confess I failed to find. :(I don't know why I ever believed the Chipmunks had the lowdown on punk.
IanWagner The Rustic Bumfiddler Posts: 47917 Registered: Aug 2007
Posted July 20th, 2011 04:53 PM IPI knew you weren't blind voting, Jon.
But I almost wanna to say to those folks who vote for something like Born To Be Wild automatically without even giving themselves the chance to hear something like Bonnie And Clyde before they avail themselves yet again of the opportunity to suck classic rock dick, I almost wanna tell them their votes aren't needed or wanted, and won't be counted.
But I'd never be that rude or antisocial, of course.
Jon The Bubblegum Supremacist Posts: 9213 Registered: Sep 2007
Quote: IanWagner wrote:
I knew you weren't blind voting, Jon.
But I almost wanna to say to those folks who vote for something like Born To Be Wild automatically without even giving themselves the chance to hear something like Bonnie And Clyde before they avail themselves yet again of the opportunity to suck classic rock dick, I almost wanna tell them their votes aren't needed or wanted, and won't be counted.
But I'd never be that rude or antisocial, of course.
I totally felt like this on the 80s polls too, I know how you feel. I had investment in some of the songs on there! I was passionate! I wanted people to know about them!!
And BAM Graceland. You know.
It sucks. But you know? People who do that probably wouldn't like Bonnie and Clyde anyway.I don't know why I ever believed the Chipmunks had the lowdown on punk.
Jon The Bubblegum Supremacist Posts: 9213 Registered: Sep 2007
Posted July 20th, 2011 05:04 PM IPWait, Q: Is it possible that someone is voting twice for the same thing? I don't think there's any way we can tell, really. I've looked in the admin tool.I don't know why I ever believed the Chipmunks had the lowdown on punk.
IanWagner The Rustic Bumfiddler Posts: 47917 Registered: Aug 2007
Posted July 20th, 2011 05:04 PM IPYou're right.
I'm gonna steal "And BAM Graceland", and use it at every opportunity.
IanWagner The Rustic Bumfiddler Posts: 47917 Registered: Aug 2007
Leslie would explain it. It just has a very late 70's early 80's chorusy sound to me, which I really only noticed when opening it up the Youtube. Loved that record when it came out and ever since, the youtube link is the first time I ever saw what they looked like, there's a live version up there too.
IanWagner The Rustic Bumfiddler Posts: 47917 Registered: Aug 2007
Posted July 20th, 2011 05:48 PM IPI've always felt the Chorus pedal was just a cheap attempt to get a Leslie sound, anyway.
Jon The Bubblegum Supremacist Posts: 9213 Registered: Sep 2007
Posted July 20th, 2011 05:51 PM IPIt is. Honestly, a fast phase pedal sounds way closer. Chorus almost never sounds good!
(unless you're in the Cure.)I don't know why I ever believed the Chipmunks had the lowdown on punk.
kenny Charles Nelson Reilly's SHORTS! Posts: 909 Registered: Feb 2008
Posted July 20th, 2011 05:52 PM IPI got a taste for it when Wire used it heavily and Colin Newman used it very tastefully for his Virgin Prunes production - then it became ubiquitous for too many years.
An attempted Leslie makes sense as a sort of etymology for that sound.
IanWagner The Rustic Bumfiddler Posts: 47917 Registered: Aug 2007
And Husker Du, which is a super-art way of doing it. If you're gonna use it, fuckin' USE the shit out of it.
Which is what Wire did. I know that they scared the fuck out of their engineers by insisting any dial on the desk was peaking well in the red during the recording of 154.
IanWagner The Rustic Bumfiddler Posts: 47917 Registered: Aug 2007
Posted July 20th, 2011 06:18 PM IPMan, I need to listen to WIre again, pronto. Been a couple years since I pulled those albums out. I'm always blown away by what they managed to invent, and how so many bands (and good ones) ripped them off wholesale and got all the credit.
