Rock Town Hall • Rock Music Discussion

Does Anyone Still Like “She’s Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina”?

Posted by al

Oct 022020

Did anyone ever?

I became a diehard fan of the Kinks in the late ‘60s, around the time of Arthur. I loved that album, played it constantly, loved every song, everything about it. I went back from there and continued forward with them for quite a while, long past the time I should have bailed. They were the headliners at my first rock & roll concert, in Philly in 1971, with local Philly band Good God opening and Edgar Winter’s White Trash second billed. That was the first of my disappointments with The Kinks. Was there ever a more disappointing live band?

I still love Arthur but have to ask myself, how could I ever have liked “She’s Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina”? My only defense it that I was 13 years old and in love with the album and like the early days of love you may be a little blinded.

Here’s the worst of two worlds: “She’s Bought A Hat Like Princess Marina” live. Yes, that’s right, they released it twice –

I’m sure I could look back on a lot of albums from my first decade or so of buying records and there will likely be a lot of Princess Marinas but that one in particular sticks out in my mind.

I think of a song like “Honey Pie” from The White Album. I loved it then, probably for similar reasons to “Princess Marina,” but despite recognizing intellectually that it is a way minor song in the Beatles canon, I still love it. It’s part of the Beatles, part of my DNA, and intellect be damned, I still love it

But “Princess Marina”, sorry, no.

Does anyone else feel like confessing up to a similar lack in taste, an album you loved then, still love, but has this glaring “What was the matter with me” song in it?

Fourteen Minutes Illustrating Everything I Find Fascinating, Highly Annoying, and Even Slightly Appealing About The Boss

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Sep 302020

And how did they not manage to get into Rock ‘n Roll Iwo Jima formation at some point during this performance?

Blaxploitation: Rolling Stone and Other White Folks’ Undue Praise of Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Sep 272020

Where do I start? I haven’t attempted to throw the gauntlet down like this in ages, and I’m pretty sure I’ve made this argument ages ago: Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On album is overrated, especially by white folks who are trying to make an easy play for Blackredibility, for wokeness.

Favorite Artists You’d Need to Think Twice About Hanging With

Posted by Mr. Moderator

Sep 252020

My list starts with David Thomas of Pere Ubu. Anti-global health activist Van Morrison and Ray Davies would also give me pause, as much as I love their music.

To be honest, David looks like he’s in a great mood on this day.

The Completist

Posted by E. Pluribus Gergely

Sep 202020

One of Will Rogers best quotes is as follows: “Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad experience.”

Thankfully I learned that lesson at a very young age. Or did I?

Last Man Standing: Theme Time Radio Edition – Whiskey

Posted by al

Sep 182020

Theme Time Radio was a SiriusXM show that Bob Dylan had for 100 episodes, from May 2006 through April 2009. Themes ranged all over the place – mothers to weather to baseball and a whole lot more. Another episode coming later this month was recently announced with the theme of Whiskey. (We will see if Dylan, the reluctant marketer, mentions his line of Heaven’s Door whiskeys.)

I don’t know if it’s too late to influence the song selections but who better than Rock Town Hall to help in the endeavor. I don’t know what restrictions Bob will put on the theme but let’s stick to hard liquor, no beer or wine served here, and it has to be in the title.

Here’s Robbie Fulks doing “White Lightning”

Loved and unheard? Unloved and unheard?

Posted by cherguevara

Sep 142020

“20 albums Rolling Stone loved in the 1960’s that you’ve never heard.”

Who could resist this double-stuff’d headline challenging knowledge of 60’s music while promising that any unknown album on the list is an obscure gem endorsed by a genuine Rolling Stone critic? The premise is win-win, but the reality? Leading off with a Judy Collins album containing her rendition of “Both Sides Now” is questionable – a top 5, gold-selling album doesn’t beacon “unheard” status. Perhaps meant as a soft landing, the list then swerves through several variants of hippie rock, proto-art rock, anti-commercial parody rock, overly-twee and precious folk, or albums with musicians or producers whose other projects are more well-known. I jammed all these goodies into a playlist and dug in. The groovy pastoral vibes of Collins’ sparkle-folk were countered by the absolute stink-eye from my wife until I sank in shame and clicked the player into unknown territory….

Out of these 20 albums, I felt that some deserved obscurity, others not. The sonic patchouli is overwhelming at times, and even some more dialed down selections made me wonder if I was in an elevator. I thought there were a few rockers and worthy contenders here. But what do YOU think? Do these albums belong on this list for being unheard? Do these albums deserve the love that RS bestowed upon them? Has Rolling Stone presented you with the revelation of the best album you’d never heard? What say you: treasures, or trash?

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