Hey, guys and gals! I’ve got a super swell idea for a Thrifty Music edition — let’s put up some of the keenest, niftiest songs I’ve ever found in thrift stores and flea markets… so long as they’re songs that were obviously targeted exclusively at an extremely white listening audience! Then, after RTH members have had a chance to really swing to some of these neat-o numbers, we can all talk about our fave songs that are also, you know, very White and everything! Wouldn’t that be the coolest? Sure it would!
To start with, here’s a ginchie number by a groovy combo called The Clique. You may know the tune as popularized and largely ruined by REM, but here’s the extremely white original. I’m talking of course about “Superman”.
Next up, “It Just Won’t Be That Way”, by super-pale band The Critters, who enjoyed a modest hit back in, oh, 1967 or something with “Mr. Dieingly Sad” — one of my fave rave song titles ever. “IJWBTW” is the less-often heard B-side, about which I want impressions from Townsmen Mockcarr, Velv, Trolleyvox, Mod, and anybody else out there with an ear for nifty white pop hooks. I want reports!
Third in line, a sickly sweet bubblegum confection by White Plains, entitled “My Baby Loves Lovin'” — yet another song title to die for. As much as I love and appreciate music from all kinds of people of all sorts of ethno-cultural backgrounds, every now and again, a steaming pile of whiteness is shoved under my nose, and I must admit I thrill to its mac-and-cheese, bologna sandwich pungency. This is one of the artefacts that does it to me. It’s simple. It’s silly. It’s catchy. It’s draped in 100% Rayon from head to toe, and I love it. I hope you will too.
Lastly, the track that will get my posting privileges revoked for sure: “Where the Action Is”, by John Paul Young. This was actually originally the A-side to JPY’s one global super-mega-smash, “Love Is In the Air,” but it was eventually relegated to the flip when its authors/producers realized they’d miscalculated. Most of you already know that I am a total ass-lick fan-boy for the svengalis behind John Paul Young on all of his musical offerings — Harry Vanda and George Young. I had to include this silly, extremely white number because, even in 1978 or whenever this song was released, the Vanda/Young songwriting team just couldn’t help but offer up some choice, extremely white, Easybeats-like production and arrangement touches — especially those background vox in the chorus! (In fact, I coud swear that’s actually Harry and George singing back there.)
Anyhow, as always, I look forward to your comments.
Yours, etc.,
HVB
p.s.: I also get a big kick out of how John Paul Young says “alright, alright, ALRIGHT!” after every chorus. Just wanted to toss that into the whiteness equation.
Superman – Man, nerdy as Mike Mills is, he really missed out on those “ng-GUH” endings. Were any Fruitgum or Ohio players involved in this? Is there a snare drum to be found in this thing? Maraccas, hand claps, cymbol crashes, a tom fill… I begin to realize that I like it when a toneless electric guitar’s low E string is strummed fiercely.
That Critters song should have been given to the Action, Reg White would KILL that vocal.
That riff has a little bit of the Who’s Run Run Run to it, albeit less rocking and more groovin’ in it’s execution. Two thumbs and a big toe up!
Yeah, I have to admit I also like these heavily arranged late sixties manufactured things like the White Plains number. The middle eight is weak. Oh, man those lyrics are right on the edge of being so bad you can’t really sing along. Too bad it’s more the Osmonds reading of that last bit rather than an Otis Redding reading “She’s got what it takes and she knows how to use it”. it doesn’t have to be overtly sexual, but hell, that’s always the difference when the mayonnaise is spread over the wonder.
Where The Action Is – where’s Elton, and is it Saturday Night? OK, that “string” arrangement is about where I draw the line, we are beginning to see where the theme from the Greatest American Hero comes from. I have to admit, that he does the vocal about as well as you can, but it’s just featuring a little too much velveta in the arrangement for me to dig it. I’m only glad they resisted adding an alto saxophone. I do like the do – do do do,do- do do do’s. I think you were won over by the line “I’m in clover”.
Say, guy, if you could put up Mr. Dieingly Sad, I would dig that the most. Also, if I could go back in time and choose that for a screen name instead.
I legitimately like “It Just Won’t Be That Way” for its kind of song. It nails the quiet/shout dynamic, especially the stalwart move of having the drums signal the gear change. I also like the doorbell chime, fading harmony thing they do, especially at the end when it lets the song just trail off. The Action definitely could have nailed this. Maybe even The Knickerbockers.
Based on this song, at least, could there possibly be a more accurate name for a group than White Plains in all of music history? I fully expect “My Baby Loves Lovin’” to turn up in some future Tarantino movie, possibly during a scene where Michael Parks and James Remar have to beat a room full of zombie hookers to un-death with hammers. Noel Gallagher should start wearing cowboy hats like the guy in White Plains.
John Paul Young has the best full-on White Guy Voice of everyone in this offering. Obviously, it’s those backing vocals that put it over the top, but I need to hear this a little more loudly later to fully appreciate the guitar transition after doo-doo-doos at about he 45 second mark. “Where The Action Is” works as some kind of ludicrous Astroturf-backyard cross between Crocodile Rock and Fire Brigade. Which reminds me that, though he might be regarded as some kind of poor man’s Tom Jones, my favorite White Guy Voice singer is probably Carl Wayne, who could do all the open-shirt, mic-swinging Tom Jones vocal stuff, but could do it while the guys behind him were attacking cars with chainsaws or wearing Napoleon hats and eye patches.
Truly, this is a great day for White People. Thank you, Hrrundi. Sometimes we get too wrapped up in music that strays far from our cultural roots, stuff like The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and even music actually from regions of America that we dare not visit. These tracks are the true sound of the lilywhite, All-American town in which I live. Man, I’m especially inspired by “Where the Action Is”. It sounds like Beaver Brown Band minus the slightly “authentic” influences carried over by ripping off The Boss. I mean, I love the fist-pumping anthems of The Boss and John Mellencamp, but sometimes they stray a bit too far from the safe borders of my little town. This John Paul Young guy sounds like he wants to stir some sweeping changes…in the way our town conducts its annual car show.
I’ve long been a fan of the song “My Baby Loves Lovin'”, but I never knew what collection of White Folks, exactly, kicked up such a swell vibe. Man, I listen to that song and feel like I’m sitting in the backseat of Pop’s Woody, with the windows down and a cool, June breeze flowing through my golden locks!
Great stuff, my friend. It’s good to hear My People represented on Rock Town Hall!
By the way, Hrrundi, is John Paul the White Sheep of the famed Young family?
The Critters and White Plains are American and British examples of what I think of as the Gary Puckettization of the music biz in the 60s. The groups are not studio creations, but rather pre-existing groups became excuses for producer-driven releases that sometimes hit and sometimes didn’t. Because it was easy to be good in the 60s, these releases were often quite decent, or anyway good enough to get into the top 40. The John Paul Young track is from the mid-70s and long past the sell-by date for this kind of thing to be any good. I think it just sounds labored and contrived.
I don’t think Superman was ruined by R.E.M., but it’s good to hear the original. The Clique had all the right elements in place, but where they fell down was in execution. I like the Clique’s slower tempo, but the remake really nailed all the pieces into place.
Wow — excellent comments all around; I thank’ee. A few quick responses/observations:
Mockcarr — ZING! I had you pegged as a Critters fan the moment I heard this tune. And Alexmagic: well DONE and a big thumb up in your direction for suggesting this song would’ve been perfect Knickerbockers fodder.
Also: great characterization/place-ification of the John Paul Young number, Alexmagic. As nice as it is to imagine that perfect Astroturf world, I can’t help but this that “Where the Action Is” is one of those Great Lost Songs That Need To Be Resuscitated By a Great Cover. It’s really not as retarded as the extremely White production makes it sound — mad props to Mr. Mod for perceiving its latent goodness!
Oh, and Moddie: no relation on the John Paul/George Young thing. Aren’t Malcolm, Angus and Alex enough?!
Whitest band ever:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT1y8xwl2HA
Seek out the Mac and Katie Kissoon version to hear a black take on white material, featuring the loudest bass guitar in the world.
‘Love Is In The Air’ has reached ‘cultural classic’ status down here in Australia, which is bizarre considering it’s such a putrid song.
I must have spun this Harry ‘n’ George single a thousand times as a kid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK4Spx-mCNQ
Homefront, at you down under? Very cool! You may be our first regular Townsperson from down there.
I’ve long been fascinated by Flash & the Pan. They don’t make my favorite music ever, but it’s just so *ballsy*. having said that — music that makes such a strong statement stylistically should actually be *saying* something, shouldn’t it? Or was that their point? That would explain George Young’s deadpan, spoken-word lyrics, and the frequently robotic music. Coming from those two melody-obsessed (and melodically gifted) composer/arrangers, it’s a very strange thing. Any insight, Homefront? Over here, Flash & the Pan are virtual unknowns, so there’s little written about them.
Hey, Alexmagic — revisit this story and check out the Critters section — you’ll see a link to “Mr. Dieingly Sad” there. I fear you may be disappointed, though I admit to liking it a little.
Mod, Velv, Chickenfrank and Sethro — I have listened to this “Where the Action Is” number at least a dozen times since I posted this Thrifty comp, and each time I hear it, I am further convinced that you guys in the Head should use your free Asparagus Media studio time to record a balls-out, fully rockin’ cover of this song. I think Velv’s bullhorn bellow would be perfect — I can even hear him shouting “alright, alright, ALLRIGHT!” after each verse. Why shouldn’t *you* be the band to rediscover and fully cool-ify this hidden gem? Come on down and let me produce it for you — let’s make rock history together!
I’m serious!
We have free studio time? Is the studio up and running?
If it’s on your nickle, we’ll consider it! The songs OK. The vox are a little Meatloaf-ish to me but we’ll see.
I’ve always liked “My Baby loves Lovin” and Mr Mod expressed the same opinions. Maybe we could do that one instead.
The Critters B-side was *much* better than the A-side. I can’t hack that pussy stuff.
Mr. Dieingly Sad turns out to be pleasant enough, but I’d built it up in my head as some kind of “I Started A Joke” by way of Gerry Roslie in my head based on the title.
Hrrund:
Even in Australia, where ‘Flash and the Pan’ had a run of Top Ten Hits, (‘Dead Men’ was #4 in 1979), and a couple of #1’s, (the last being ‘Ayla’ in 1988), interviews / information was scare.
Luckily I happened to read ‘The Encylopedia of Australian Rock’ the other week, seeking out info on other obscure Aussie bands from my childhood like this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a513UDVHTBw
Basically, Flash and the Pan were originally intended as a way of letting off steam, between serious production work for classic Aussie bands like Skyhooks and Rose Tattoo, (who are cultural institutions down here, but never made it across the pond).
Hell, after probably making the longest single of all time with former Easybeat Stevie Wright’s ‘Evie Parts 1, 2 &3’ (11 minutes long, a #1, and still played on the radio today), they probably needed the distraction.
Given the ‘novelty’ nature of the first two singles, ‘St Peter’ and ‘Dead Men’, the weirdness of their eponymous album, and the ‘one hit wonder’ invoking name, it sounds like they intended it as a bit of a lark, and the unexpected success probably meant the lack of melody ended up as ‘a style’.
The 1988 album, ‘Nights In France’, is serious hard rock.
BTW, is there a song whiter than this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCHAK_f3HLk
Thanks, Homie!
HVB
Hrundi- I heard that Superman on a college rock station years ago (when the REM version came out) and totally dug it. I love the way the singer lags and draws out the lyrics and I’ve always had a fondness for what I call the cardboard bass. Sounds like its being played inside a cardboard box… McCartney used it sometimes. Especially in Baby You’re Rich Man (both US and German vs) which sounds almost note for note as the same intro here.
Anyhoo… is there anything else on that long player worth experiencing?
Hey, Sammy —
I dunno from the Clique LP; alls I have is the single, the B-side of which is pretty lame and *much* cheesier than “Superman.” Sorry I got nothin’ for ya. Keep on truckin’!
HVB
BTW, nice call on the “cardboard bass” — totally agree with you. Badfinger had a few cardboard bass moments, too, as I recall. Actually, so did the Grays on their one LP, “Ro Sham Bo” — that LP had cardboard bass all over it, obviously in prock tribute to the original appearances of said instrument back in the day.
One last thing, Sammy — note also the total rip-off of McCartney vocal affectation during the bridge of the Clique song. The band does its start-stop choogle thing, then somebody rips off the Macca “Chuckah! Chah!” sounds from the outchorus of — what was it, “Hello, Goodbye”?
Know what I’m talking about?
Yours geekily,
HVB
Totally.