PowerPop: Hey, Hey, It's the Cleverly Brothers!

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

"Pretty Flamingo." Elvis Costello, Difford and Tillbrook of Squeeze, and Nick Lowe live at Montreux.

Contrary to what intrepid commentator Gummo said downstairs, I don't think this song is silly at all.

Anonymous said...: I knew that word was gonna get me in trouble.

What a great line-up -- I'm gonna watch this when I'm not stuck working!; 10/02/2007 12:03 PM
steve simels said...: I need to Google this -- I forget who wrote it. If memory serves it was some Brill Building guy who never had another hit...; 10/02/2007 12:08 PM
Anonymous said...: I've always liked songs that have part or all of the melody over one chord like the first lines of this one -- you get a melodic drone going on that's very hypnotic -- the only other one I can think of off the top of my head is There Is A Mountain by Donovan -- almost the whole song is one chord, which is why it was such a popular jamming number with the Dead, the Allmans, etc.....; 10/02/2007 12:56 PM
steve simels said...: Ah, Google IS my friend.

The guy who wrote "Pretty Flamingo" was in fact, a Brill Building denizen named Mark Barkan.

His later claim to fame is he co-wrote the Banana Splits theme, which means he definitely commands respect from mere mortals such as I.; 10/02/2007 1:56 PM
TMink said...: Wow, lots and lots of talent and little grey cells on that stage. Great clip.

Trey; 10/03/2007 10:54 AM