Self-proclaimed “regular people,” Townsman Saturnismine and his “first lady,” as he referred to a friend visiting the Halls of Rock, claim they know only one Turtles song. Moreover, they claim this is “normal.” Rock Town Hall regulars acknowledge that they’re far from “normal” music fans, but we refuse to believe that this couple, whether cool or square, man, don’t know more Tutles songs than “Happy Together.” As a service to Saturnismine and his friend – and as a way to prove we know more about the guy than he thinks he knows about himself – we’ll run a few Turtles hits over the coming pages. Enjoy, and feel ashamed of yourself or slightly superior, as applicable.
You’ve gotta know this one, Saturnismine and ladyfriend!
“She’d Rather Be With Me”
I think you’re going to be surprised. The hits of The Turtles are written and performed in a way that is inherently ubiquitous. They’re a pastiche of so many AM pop trends of their era that you might think they’re by other artists – or that they’re nothing more than well-constructed jingles. Combine that songcraft with the fact that these guys are the dumpiest band that can sing and play in tune, and I’ve got a ready-made, unsung heroic band in my back pocket. Shall we try some more?
This thread is fucking awesome!
They are nice songs, however.
But we’re a bunch of jackasses!
TOTALLY, Sat – I count myself among the “we” of whom you speak!
Good songs. There is a story in the Crystal Zevon book about how Warren Zevon got his song “Outside Chance” on the B side of “Happy Together”. Basically, everyone around the song knew it was going to be a monster hit. Someone said “you better think long and hard about what you want on the B side because whoever wrote that will make a truckload of money”. They picked Warren just because they thought he was a genius and they wanted him to make the dough. Then he spent it all on booze…
Took my wife to see Hippiefest and the ONLY band she knew more than one song from was The Turtles (and Badfinger she knew Come And Get It And No Matter What)The rest, no idea. But at 30 and not a “rock” or oldies fan so much knew every Turtles song Elanore, Rather Be With Me, Happy Together, It ain’t me babe. There used to be a record store in Atlanta called TURTLES and you could buy the Happy Together Single as a picture disc that was in the shape of a TURTLE!!!! I know I had one but damned if I can find it. They sold they right at the front counter throughout the late 70’s up until the 1988 end of public vinyl (last non collector vinyl had to be Neil Young’s Freedom)
I’m one of the least “in-the-know” around here and I love The Turtles 20 Greatest. The local channel in Phoenix in the 70s must have owned an old 60s flick called “Guide For The Married Man”. They played it seemed like once a week. Robert Morse and Walter Mathau. Turtles did the song and I used to walk around singing it without knowing who did it until years later. I added it at the very end. Song kicks in at about 2:55.
Didn’t the Turtles record Eve of Destruction first?
On top of their own hits, De La Soul based one of it’s hits on a sample of the Turtles version of “You Showed Me”.