steve's last post reminded me vividly that he and I are of different generations, musically speaking. (I was, err, born in 1966.) But I didn't really miss the sixties, because as the sixth of seven, I have many older siblings. Indeed, my musical education began at an alarmingly young age, probably around three or so. The first time I realized that some people have the same names was looking at those stickers included in the White Album and realizing that one of them had the same name as my father, another the same name as my brother. I must have been about 2.
My brothers hated disco to a person, so my childhood was spent listening to The Beatles and The Stones, The Kinks and Led Zeppelin, Creedence and The Who. (My sister, somewhat lamentably, was a Styx fan. I'll draw a veil over the year I spent waking up to either The Grand Illusion or Steve Miller's "Jet Airliner." I'm sure a good Freudian psychotherapist could help cleanse me, but that would be very expensive.)
In any case, I came of record-buying age just as power pop, or new wave or synth pop or whatever was hitting the ground. And I came in with a good solid base in the British Invasion.
All of which has little to do with this song, except that it was one of my faves at the time.
Enjoy!
No knuckle-dragging allowed here.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorites from the time, thanks.
ReplyDeleteOh my. Here come the flying monkeys.
ReplyDeleteSteve, what did you call these clowns? Cultists? Methinks you hit the nail on the head.
That's the sad think about conservatives today. All they have left today is harassing 12 year olds and questioning a man's grief for the loss of his friend. What a pathetic lot.
Oy. Cinncinati. That explains a lot. As a native Ohioan, I knew better than to go south of Columbus because that puts you smack in the middle of Crazyland.
But, I do give Guided by Voices an exception to this rule.
Yay!! One of my fave Cars songs :)
ReplyDeleteCinnicinati is the location of The Creation Museum, IIRC.
ReplyDeleteGreat song BTW, Mary.
ReplyDeleteI own the same bass Ben is playing only in white.
It is easy to forget what a huge musical explosion the first Cars' record caused. They breathed some life and fun back into rock and roll.
Great song. Ben Orr should never have been let within fifteen miles a pair of leather pants, however.
ReplyDeleteHave I mentioned that I used to see Ric Ocasek and the lovely Paulina shopping for groceries at Balducci's all the time back when I lived in the Village? He was scary looking, she was gorgeous even in a shmatah.
And finally, let me say one more time that someday a really smart country band is going to have a hit covering "My Best Friend's Girl."
Strip away the synth modernisms, and it's a Buddy Holly song....
Right, Steve, especially with that great Elliot Easton rockabilly solo.
ReplyDeleteGreat band. Even us people here in marry your cousin land (Red state central) like the Cars. Steve, we are in agreement about leather pants and Mr. Orr.
ReplyDeleteBut really, as a Christian conservative myself, some of us know how to act. Honest.
Trey
My apologies for hijacking this thread, but it was Mr. Simels who attempted to hijack another thread on another blog with his threats of physical attack.
ReplyDeleteI was merely allowing him the courtesy of my response in his backyard, instead of polluting another thread with his garbage.
Yet, apparently I am the sloth, for responding to his threats with an offer to meet.
Will wonders never cease!
Annonymous:
ReplyDeleteI wasn't hijacking a thread, I was responding to a really disgusting allegation in the only place I could.
If either of your piece of shit blogs were active, I would have responded there instead.
In any case, I've made my point and you've made yours. As far as I'm concerned our business in concluded.
And I'll make you a deal -- I'll stay away from Miss Havisham's place if you stay away from here.
Fair enough?
FYI:
ReplyDeleteThe anonymous in this thread so far is a different anonymous than the anonymous in the previous thread. That was me. I'm not the anonymous above; nor the anonymous who provided the removed comment (if it was an anonymous).
Have I mentioned that I used to see Ric Ocasek and the lovely Paulina shopping for groceries at Balducci's all the time back when I lived in the Village? He was scary looking, she was gorgeous even in a shmatah.
ReplyDeleteMe, too! I passed them on 6th Ave. They were probably on their way to Balducci's ... I had the same reaction to them that you did.
I also passed Keith and Patty on Broadway around the same time, walking a very large dog. Keith actually looked fairly conservative (meaning his hair was combed).
This is getting weird, btw. If you tell me that you lived in the building next to the Bleecker Street Cinema (I worked on the third floor), we're going to have to cue the music from "The Twilight Zone" ...
Oh, and I loved the Cars. But about those mullets ... the look is more Spinal Tap than I remembered.
BG,
ReplyDeleteMaybe the key point is how dead-on-balls accurate Spinal Tap was. Guest et. al. should do a power pop movie!
--NYM, from work.
Does that mean I will also not have the pleasure of your company here in the Bluegrass? I was so looking forward to that meeting.
ReplyDeleteYou have my word I will no longer comment on this blog; can I be assured you will also keep yours?
My apologies to all you fine folk who had nothing to do with this little tiff for the interruption.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteYou have my word I will no longer comment on this blog; can I be assured you will also keep yours?
Yes.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteBrooklyn Girl said...
ReplyDeleteThis is getting weird, btw. If you tell me that you lived in the building next to the Bleecker Street Cinema (I worked on the third floor), we're going to have to cue the music from "The Twilight Zone" ...
I lived across the street from Kenny's Castaways. Forget the name of the building, but it was above the Village Gate.
If memory serves that was one block down from the Bleecker Street Cinema?
I was also born in '66. No older siblings, but my mom and dad were absurdly young when they had me (19 and 21) and they were really into pop music. Mom favored Motown, and Dad went for stuff like the Who and Zep. Both liked the Beatles. The Cars was the first album I bought with my own money.
ReplyDeleteAnd I could totally see the Gourds covering "My Best Friend's Girl."
Oh, Good. No more of Ms. Havisham's flying monkeys.
ReplyDeleteYou can go back to harassing 12 year olds now and slandering the dead.
Heather said...
ReplyDeleteI was also born in '66...The Cars was the first album I bought with my own money.
The first album I bought with my own money was The Beach Boys Today. That would have been a year before you were born.
Didn't have to buy The Cars -- the record company sent it to me to review.
God, I feel old...
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteFYI:
The anonymous in this thread so far is a different anonymous than the anonymous in the previous thread. That was me. I'm not the anonymous above; nor the anonymous who provided the removed comment (if it was an anonymous).
I know. Not to worry...
I lived across the street from Kenny's Castaways. Forget the name of the building, but it was above the Village Gate.
ReplyDeleteIf memory serves that was one block down from the Bleecker Street Cinema?
I should have figured ... it's called The Atrium. And yes, it's one block away from the Duane Reade Formerly Known as the Bleecker Street Cinema. When my folks first moved to the Village, it was an SRO. I wouldn't walk on that side of Bleecker before it was converted. You never knew what would be tossed or sprayed out of the windows. Ah, the good old days ...
And the first album I bought with my own money was Meet the Beatles.
As a child of 1961, I was 18 when The Cars were going massive. The dorms at UT always had The Cars blaring from a stereo somewhere.
ReplyDeleteI lost most interest in them after the first two albums, but they were in major rotation for a long time. A very influential sound.
The first album I was given as a gift at my urgent request was Johnny Cash, Live at San Quentin, so I could play "A Boy Named Sue." I was 9 I think.
ReplyDeleteWith my own money, I think the first album I bought was The Guess Who
the original anonymous that is
ReplyDeleteFirst album purchase: Beach Boys Greatest Hits, Vol. II
Second album purchase: Merle Haggard Live from Muskogee, Oklahoma
The second one changed me more.
Of course then I bought "Why I Am A Conservative," Ronald Reagan's breakthough studio album got totally weird.
"and" got totally weird.
ReplyDeleteThanks NYMary for reminding how much I enjoy the Cars. I had their first album on cassette (gulp!) and regrettably have never updated my CD collection, so they have been off my play list for way too long.
ReplyDeleteSteve said...
ReplyDeleteThe first album I bought with my own money was The Beach Boys Today. That would have been a year before you were born.
Didn't have to buy The Cars -- the record company sent it to me to review.
God, I feel old...No worries, we're all getting old. But we still have great taste in music.
I misremembered yesterday. The first album I bought with my own money was A New World Record, by ELO. There's goes any hipster cred I might have claimed, right out the window...
I misremembered yesterday. The first album I bought with my own money was A New World Record, by ELO. There's goes any hipster cred I might have claimed, right out the window...
ReplyDeleteYour hipster cred just went up with me! Have you heard L.E.O.? They are an ELO sound-alike that includes Bleu, a.k.a. William James McAuley III, Andy Sturmer of Jellyfish, Tony Goddess of Papas Fritas, and Mike Voila of the Candy Butchers.
Excellent!!
Mike Voila of the Candy Butchers was the voice for That Thing You Do!, IIRC.
ReplyDeleteNYMary said...
ReplyDeleteMike Voila of the Candy Butchers was the voice for That Thing You Do!, IIRC.
I did not know that.
Are they good? Do I need to hear them?
Si, Signor Simels.
ReplyDeleteCandy Butchers are molto buono!
First record I purchased with my own money was Chicago II. I still enjoy that music to this day. The second record was Grand Funk Live which has not fared as well over the years!
ReplyDeleteTrey
Speaking of Chicago, Rhino just sent me a two disc best of.
ReplyDeleteNot my cuppa tea, obviously, but I'd forgotten how gorgeous "Wishing You Were Here" is.
Of course, it's Carl Wilson singing backup, so perhaps not a mystery....