“It will vanish and shrink We’re more popular than Jesus now – I don’t know which will go first, rock and roll or Christianity. Jesus was alright, but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It’s them twisting it that ruins it for me.” – John Lennon, 1966
After 40 years, the Vatican has forgiven John Lennon for his “bigger than Jesus” remark. In a piece celebrating the 40th anniversary of “The White Album,” L’Osservatore Romano also stated its preference for the single version of “Revolution” and cited a 1973 radio appearance in which he sang along to Beatles songs, making up nonsensical lyrics, as evidence of the solo Lennon’s ability to poke fun at his time in the Beatles.
The Vatican would not budge on one issue, however:
John Lennon’s 1975 album of pre-Beatles covers, Rock ‘n Roll, continues to disappoint.
How do the Vatican’t feel about God being a concept by which we measure our pain?
Like The Great 48, the Vatican has not yet heard John’s Plastic Ono Band record.
Whatever.
Just bought a HUGE collection of 45s. One CANNOT deny the power of “She May Call You Up Tonight” by The Left Banke -an absolutely perfect record.
Happy Thanksgiving!
E. Pluribus
I agree that “She May Call You Up Tonight” is the best thing that band ever did. You’re not into the deep parts of their catalog, are you? Have you ever had to sit through an entire album of those guys, thanks to a mutual friend?
I don’t know much by them but based on what I have heard, that doesn’t sound like much of a “friend”.
Is it up to me to stand up for Mod’s frequent kicking-boy The Left Banke?
This is a band done an injustice by the CD format. Sure, stretched over an hours time they can be kinda same-y but as 45s, the 60’s doesn’t get much better than “Walk Away Renee” or “Pretty Ballerina”. I love Steve Martin’s falsetto swoop and the songs are much more melodic classical/rock string concoctions than “Eleanor Rigby”. Even if listened to an album side at a time, their fey qualities don’t overwhelm my appreciation for their pop craft.
But then again I like Belle And Sebastian and pastoral Kinks too.
db, I like those other two hits you bring up as well – and I love most pastoral Kinks and more B&S than you might imagine. E. Pluribus Gergely tells me there’s a fourth winner by the Left Banke as well, but I didn’t know it by its title. You know this guy who spun me their records as well. He’s a great guy – and he spun nothing but vinyl. The problem is, he’s one of those rock nerds who won’t acknowledge anything less than an A- grade for any song he likes. He’ll never tell me, “I know this isn’t much of a song, but I love the bass part.” If you held me hostage and played nothing but Left Banke records for 2 hours straight, I’m sure you’d do a better job of selling me on their relative merits. I put a lot of stock in relative merits. Have you ever been faced with a friend spinning you nothing but “A-” and better records? It’s numbing.
Bisquick,
Looking for an education here. After you’re done taking multiple hits off the crack pipe, would you mind telling me what makes the Martin concoctions better than “Eleanor Rigby”? I’m not hearing it.
Hope to hear from you soon,
E. Pluribus
That fourth Left Banke winner is entitled “Goodbye Holly”. It’s not on a par with the other aforesaid tracks, but it would have been a hell of a B side. It opens with the lyrics “She came into my life on the wings of a lavender eagle. . .” Despite the utter insipidness of that line, the song succeeds in a Harry Braff sort of way. The overall wallop of harmony, melody, and well put together instrumental sounds negates the inanity of the lyrics, which don’t improve much.
The Martin/McCartney comparison is utterly ridiculous because “Eleanor Rigby” was more or less the classical/baroque model that was altered by many but never improved upon. Which leads me to yet another reason why The Beatles once again rule. They were the best folk rock band, best psych band, best baroque/classical band, etc. In their search for different instrumental backgrounds they invented new forms for pop, but left those backgrounds behind when they didn’t suit their lyrics. Steve Martin, like so many others, got stuck in the mud of that ballerina sound, and it screwed him for good. The Beatles were always smart enough to know that the story dictates the sound, and as one grows, the story changes, hence the background sound. Martin, growthless, even at this stage of the game, is most probably still wearing a tutu.
Looking forward to meat and vegetables tomorrow,
E. Pluribus
Mod Moderates: “Have you ever been faced with a friend spinning you nothing but “A-” and better records? It’s numbing.”
I getcha. I’ve certainly had to discover any Dead recordings I like on my own, those Deadheads often lack the concept of a “quality filter”.
I like “Shadows Breaking Over My Head” nearly as much as the singles. As for Beatles superiority on “Eleanor Rigby” sometimes the student bests his master.
You know what I like about “Eleanor Rigby” compared with anything I can think of by the Left Banke? McCartney’s got a story to tell and he’s not afraid to let you hear the lyrics. That Left Banke guy usually sings like he’s tracing the lone raindrop down his window, doesn’t he? Whenever The Beatles tackled a new style they did it balls to the wall. I know that’s not considered “cool” in some circumstances, but together with the skill in which they did their music, I think it gives them a big push over the competition.
To me the two GREAT Left Banke songs are “Walk Away Renee” and “She May Call You Up Tonight”. To my ears the third place winner is “I’ve got something on my mind”. A terrific song. I like it better the “Pretty Ballerina” or any others.
Happy T-Day.
Steve D
“I’ve Got Someting on My Mind” is indeed the band’s fifth noble effort, despite the fact that it never really takes off.
Here’s a question for all RTHers. Is there any track whatsoever worth hearing from Spooky Tooth? And for that matter, have any of you heard even a single track from the band? I, for one, have not, despite the fact that I’ve got a few of their albums somewhere in my basement. Once in a while I’ll stumble upon one of the LPs after searching for something else, look at one of the covers, and think there might be something worthwhile there. Another look and a scan of the titles always prevents me from any further research.
Can anyone out there, besides Geroge Shirley, honestly say that any sort of Tooth research is worthwhile?
Hope to hear from you soon,
E. Pluribus
My first thought was, “Didn’t Spooky Tooth do ‘Green-Eyed Lady?'” Or was that Classics IV, or something like that? I think they have one minor, overlong hit that we’d know, or am I thinking of “Dream Weaver,” by Gary Wright? Wasn’t he in Spooky Tooth?
I clicked on through to the Amazon site that’s flogging Spooky Tooth CDs, and — in the section of the page that tells us what “people who bought Spooky Tooth also bought…”
Well, it turns out Spooky Tooth purchasers also bought: Ten Years After, Wishbone Ash, Jack Bruce solo albums, Humble Pie and Savoy Brown. I for one thought the connections were perfect, for some reason I can’t put my finger on. What exactly do those bands have in common? Are they all British analogs to, I dunno, Head East, or Black Oak Arkansas?
I’ve never heard any Spooky Tooth, either. In fact, a few weeks ago while we were getting a cab home after a good night of drinking, the same Spooky Tooth/Green-Eyed Lady/Classics IV question came up. I had things right – that Classics IV did “Spooky”, that I didn’t actually know whatSpooky Tooth did and that “Green-Eyed Lady” was Sugarloaf.
At the mention of the last one, the cab driver yelled back “Hey man…hey…uh, what…what’d you just say?” and I said “Uh…Green-Eyed Lady?” and the cab driver goes “Oh, you mean…(dramatic pause)…THIS?” and then starts blasting Green-Eyed Lady at a ridiculous level, I guess from a CD player he had with him or something. So there we were, tearing recklessly through Philly with “Green-Eyed Lady” playing at deafening levels. Second weirdest cab ride I had in the last month.
. . . .what do all those bands have in common?
They blow!!!! And believe me, I know what I’m talking about. My older brother had all that garbage, and played it endlessly. . .especially Wishbone’s Ash’s Pilgrimage LP -45 minutes of bad songwriting, tempo changes for no reason whatsover, and endless unmemorable technical noodling. YUCK!!!!!
Yours.
E. Pluribus
“How do the Vatican’t feel about God being a concept by which we measure our pain? “
you beat me to the punchline!!!
The Rock And Roll album is why you should not play rockabilly and smoke dope at the same time. It sounds like a good way to spend a day, but it should stay on the cutting room floor.
Coffee, cigs, rum & coke, coke, uppers, PBR… that would have transformed Rock And Roll into a decent record (the Hamburg era Beatle diet more or less)
Jungleland2, your advice should be heeded by future generations!
“Well, it turns out Spooky Tooth purchasers also bought: Ten Years After, Wishbone Ash, Jack Bruce solo albums, Humble Pie and Savoy Brown. I for one thought the connections were perfect, for some reason I can’t put my finger on. “
That only ONE person bought a Spooky Tooth record EVER on Amazon (and then bought those others?? 😉