tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921382.post9208031418588298801..comments2024-03-28T10:37:48.564-04:00Comments on PowerPop: Compare and Contrast (An Occasional Series): Q You!NYMaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10863355110457910935noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921382.post-77921588326753340052009-12-10T22:06:16.964-05:002009-12-10T22:06:16.964-05:00Not only my favorite NRBQ song, but one of my favo...Not only my favorite NRBQ song, but one of my favorite songs period. And I have it tagged as "Power Pop" in my iTunes.<br /><br />Thanks for the posting!<br /><br />MarcAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921382.post-62711742179698923472009-12-09T17:43:21.854-05:002009-12-09T17:43:21.854-05:00I think I need to hear that Freedy Johnston cover ...I think I need to hear that Freedy Johnston cover album...steve simelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13247393763004076992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921382.post-17465978552766151142009-12-09T16:19:51.096-05:002009-12-09T16:19:51.096-05:00Not familiar with the Boggia tune, but I'll lo...Not familiar with the Boggia tune, but I'll look it up...thanks for the tip Jon.<br /><br />Ditto Dave Edmunds...I'll be his version kicks.Noam Sanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14078219408896745687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921382.post-86398619525630757002009-12-09T16:11:28.166-05:002009-12-09T16:11:28.166-05:00Dave Edmunds and the Long Ryders also did great co...Dave Edmunds and the Long Ryders also did great covers of that song. There's also a version on Freedy Johnston's all-cover album from 2008 (which I haven't heard, but the song selection -- ranging from Tom Petty to the Hollies, Paul McCartney, Marshall Crenshaw, and NRBQ -- is intriguing).Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13372496375739714441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921382.post-31013917738416530232009-12-09T12:17:50.915-05:002009-12-09T12:17:50.915-05:00I don't know if the Robison version is "g...I don't know if the Robison version is "great," per se (he comes off with that twangy country smugness, whereas Joey, in the original, clearly does want whoever he's singing to very, very bad -- he was phenomenal at intimating that passionate desperation, cf "You Can't Hide"), but I do love this song, and the whole "Yankee" album. It's very probably their most straight-forward LP (all great tunes with no nonsense) and it's missing a bit of that zany Terry charm, but when the songs are this good it's hard to complain.<br /><br />"Joey sings and Terry honks," indeed! Haha. I think my favorite Terry vocal is "Roll Call," because the honking is so appropriately plaintive. I'm also a massive fan, though I never had the pleasure of seeing them live.<br /><br />Thinly related: Whaddya all think of the song "Listening to NRBQ" by Jim Boggia? It's far sweeter than anything the Q would have bothered with, me thinks, but still a fine track, and sonic quotations abound for the sharp-eared.Joseph "Jon" Lanthierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00826623899121215596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921382.post-52935289759783792352009-12-09T11:40:15.643-05:002009-12-09T11:40:15.643-05:00This truly is a red-letter day for me, Steve. I am...This truly is a red-letter day for me, Steve. I am basking in my correction.<br /><br />A good rule of thumb: Joey sings, Terry honks.Noam Sanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14078219408896745687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921382.post-44223593382133928992009-12-09T11:37:54.869-05:002009-12-09T11:37:54.869-05:00Noam --
I didn't realize that was Joey singin...Noam --<br /><br />I didn't realize that was Joey singing.<br /><br />I stand corrected.steve simelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13247393763004076992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921382.post-40822402797036243562009-12-09T11:15:17.299-05:002009-12-09T11:15:17.299-05:00Both NRBQ versions here are sung by bassist Joey S...Both NRBQ versions here are sung by bassist Joey Spampinato. Adams sings harmony here and there.<br /><br />The live version is after Al Anderson left the band and so is kinda hard to take for me, guitar-wise. Joey's brother Johnny is a fine guitarist but he just couldn't match Big Al's monster riffage. That line-up only lasted for 5 albums, 2 of them live albums. <br /><br />The last two, <i>Atsa My Band</i> and <i>Dummy</i>, are pretty spotty, but the first thing they put out after Anderson left - the 1999 "Yellow" album (eponymous)- is fantastic, loaded with fine Joey tunes. He's really one of the best pop songwriters around, by any standard, and deserves more recognition as such. <br /><br />I don't see anything new-wavy about it "I Want You Bad," I just hear a kicking R&B tune. But hey, that's me. Glad to see the Q get some ink here.<br /><br />I dig the Robison version, some nice slide work and well sung.<br /><br />Kinda long-winded here but I've always been a big fan.Noam Sanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14078219408896745687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921382.post-47480961854551744872009-12-09T10:28:10.094-05:002009-12-09T10:28:10.094-05:00Consider yourself indulgified.
That is a great so...Consider yourself indulgified.<br /><br />That is a great song. <br /><br />"falling apart at the beginning before settling into their customary monster groove". That is a great description of my impression of NRBQ. As a relative youngin', I only saw NRBQ once, in Houston in 1994(?). This was the first concert they played backed up by the Sun Ra horn section. They seemed to be still figuring out how it should all work, and honestly, I was not impressed with NRBQ. The opening band (the hilariously fabulous Banana Blender Surprise) was better. But I had the occassion to speak to the Banana Blender singer a few years later. And he informed me that my concert experience was the exception to the rule on the tour they supported, and NRBQ and Sun Ra's horns were pretty awesome as they worked things out.Ken J Xenozarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16024446764828171613noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921382.post-49701525288829401952009-12-09T09:07:43.010-05:002009-12-09T09:07:43.010-05:00BTW -- there seems to be a little skip at the begi...BTW -- there seems to be a little skip at the beginning of the Yankee Stadium clip...not sure why.<br /><br />Anyway, if you don't have the song and would like a clean copy, e-mail me; the mp4 on my iTunes is skip-less.steve simelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13247393763004076992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921382.post-31510942352291744752009-12-09T02:25:49.053-05:002009-12-09T02:25:49.053-05:00Ah, one of my all-time favorite albums. "Ain...Ah, one of my all-time favorite albums. "Ain't No Free" is a goody, too. Hell, the whole album is great.<br /><br />For the uninitiated, the album's title is apparent only if you look really closely, ha. <br /><br />Good one, Steve!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921382.post-10903614895498732462009-12-09T00:58:18.487-05:002009-12-09T00:58:18.487-05:00Love that album too. Wore it out on vinyl back in...Love that album too. Wore it out on vinyl back in the 80s. Still a little sad that Big Al left, but with that long history there are bound to be many changes.Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02359643838408654793noreply@blogger.com