Monday, July 20, 2026

Songs I'd Forgotten Existed, Let Alone Loved (An Occasional Series): Special "Please, Don't Ask Me Okay?" Edition

From 1978, please enjoy New Wave faves Jules (Shear) and the Polar Bears and their infectious "You Just Don't Wanna Know," the lead-off track from their debut album Got No Breeding.

That was a big hit around my office at Stereo Review at the time, if not alas with the public at large. Shear, of course, went on to considerable success writing for other artists like The Bangles; in fact, it was listening accidentally to one of those songs that prompted me to revisit the Polar Bears.

More on THAT, however, will have to wait for Wednesday's posting. 😎

17 comments:

Gummo said...

I dunno, it sounds like a thousand other power pop songs from the late '70s to me.

Anonymous said...

Maybe like Doug and the Slugs?
rs

steve simels said...

It's actually not as good as I remembered. Wednesday's post will justify it, however. 😎

Anonymous said...

The 1970’s began the wimping out of Power Pop.

Confrontational Captain Al. :-)

Anonymous said...

The reference to “Doug and the Slugs” prompts this remembrance:
When we were in high school circa 1965, and the British invasion was going on, everybody was forming bands. This is a true story.
I had a friend named Dan Drapp. I literally begged him to start a band and call it “Dan Drapp and the Drips” He said he would only do it if I agreed to be the main drip.
As much. As I regretted declining the honor, I had already cast my lot with the Weasels and felt obligated to see where that went. (Spoiler alert: nowhere).
But all these years later, I can’t help wondering “what a huge Drip I could’ve been!“
Jai Guru Dave

Anonymous said...

(Typo in the next to last line. But you know what I meant. “As much as I regretted declining the honor…)
Jai Guru Dave

paulinca said...

I tripped over this album a year or so ago. I really like it. Power pop with a little Thin Lizzy-hard rock for the era. It also "sounds" like the late '70s both sonically and characteristically in ways that one can hear the next decade of music.

Anonymous said...

Can you tell when I’m cranky in the morning?

Captain Al. :-(

Rob said...

Just another So Cal Power Pop band of the period like the Knack and the Plymsouls who were basically one and dones.

Anonymous said...

Raspberries and Big Star were wimping out? I guess we have different definitions of power pop. And wait, what was power pop before the 70s? And don’t say The Who.
Cleveland Jeff

Thel Rountree said...

Man, tough room.

pete said...

The first time I heard the term "power pop" Townsend used it to describe the Who.

Cleveland Jeff said...

Pete coined the term. But The Who don't fit the definition that has been applied since the early seventies. And Pete is just full of himself. Jeex.

Rob said...

Melody Maker, May 20, 1967
" Power Pop is what we play
What the Small Faces used to play
and the kind of pop the Beach Boys
played in the days of Fun,Fun, Fun which I preferred"

Rob said...

Guru Dave - being a "drip" is nothing.
Our high school garage band leader, who was a fan of Zappa, wanted to call us - Joe Prune and the...
The the...is what happens. If you eat Taco Bell lettuce 🥴
Sorry Steve, sorry gang

ChrisE said...

I still like the song. I bought the 45, which is edited down a bit from the album version, on the basis of Mr. Simels' positive write-up of their album in STEREO REVIEW. Still have the 45 in my collection.

steve simels said...

My mind is blown by that, Chris. 😎