Today’s Mystery Date was suggested by a Townsman who may or may not choose to help me coax your opinions on this song. Thanks to our Mystery Shadchen!
Let’s review the ground rules here. The Mystery Date song is not necessarily something I believe to be good. So feel free to rip it or praise it. Rather the song is something of interest due to the artist, influences, time period… Your job is to decipher as much as you can about the artist without research. Who do you think it is? Or, Who do you think it sounds like? When do you think it was recorded? Etc…
If you know who it is, don’t spoil it for the rest. Anyone who knows it can play the “mockcarr option.” (And I’ve got a hunch that some of you know this one.) This option is for those of you who just can’t hold your tongue and must let everyone know just how in-the-know you are by calling it. So if you know who it is and want everyone else to know that you know, email Mr. Moderator at mrmoderator [at] rocktownhall [dot] com. If correct we will post how brilliant you are in the Comments section.
The real test of strength though is to guess as close as possible without knowing. Ready, steady, go!
[audio:https://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/MysteryDate012411.mp3|titles=MysteryDate012411]
This sounds to me like one of those 60s soft rock bands who decided to add a whiff of psychedelia to their sound, even though their heart wasn’t really in it, and ended up unexpectedly doing the coolest thing they’ve ever done. That’s one hell of a guitar solo in this one, and I wasn’t expecting it at all. There’s obviously a bit of soul in this, but it sounds to me more like the horns are used in that soft rock kitchen sink production style—to make it more bombastic in a pop sense, not a soul sense. Whoever it is is definitely less wussy than, say, the Cowsills or Spanky & Our Gang, but I’m guessing it’s something of that ilk.
Good opening salvo, pudman! Perhaps not too far off the mark, but I think this band packed a bit more testosterone than your guessed points of reference.
They have a bit of a Small Faces knock off vibe to me. I’m thinking London 1967.
As “Mystery Shadchen,” I’d like to say cdm is in the ballpark with at least one part of his appraisal.
I know the original version of this song, but I don’t know who this is covering it.
Oh, MAN. I know that vocalist from someplace else, don’t I? I mean, he was in a band — a much bigger one than this — after he left these dudes. Right?
Correct!
Aye, very much so.
I love that Spector wall of sound treatment to the song. This fell out of fashion around 1968. And the sitar sound like 1968. The big horns remind me of the Grass Roots a little.
Rick Springfield has a version of this one.
How did Weller never cover this? Nevertheless, I would say the sitar on this is what makes this version.
Man, Grass Roots is a good comparison in terms of sound.
I saw there was a Rick Springfield version, but I lingered over the you tube link for a moment before thinking better of it.
And now I’ve listened to it and I really wish that I hadn’t. He did it in the style of “more than a feeling.”
Man, that little sitar riff was ripped off by Jethro Tull for Mother Goose on Aqualung. I’m with Cliff, I like this kind of production. Maybe it’s some nuggetty band that I don’t know the name of.
Musically, they sound like Bon Scott’s pre ACDC band Fraternity, although the vocals are definitely not Bon. I’ll change my location to Perth and adjust the timeline to 1969.
I haven’t figured out who did this version, but there is a Small Faces version of this song fronted by a female singer too.
Wrong location, right hemisphere, if I understand that geographical term (matters of time and space being a serious handicap for me)!
Are they actually Indians? That would be cool since they are taking back the sitar.
You’re getting into relevant areas of ethnicity that, coupled with my issues of geography, are making me really confused. I’ll provide the reveal around lunchtime. Feel free to use the mockcarr option if you think you’ve figured it out prior to that time. Thanks!
Freddie Mercury?
The geography isn’t too bad – they’re not Indian and they’re from the Southern Hemisphere, but not Australia.