Today's Music-Themed Photo Funnies and Cartoon Chuckles

The Blondie one made laugh out loud, I'll tell you that for free. 😎

Records I'd Forgotten Existed, Let Alone Loved (An Occasional Series): Special "Kool Kinks Kovers" Edition

From 1979, and the eponymous American version of their debut album (titled Shades in Bed in the UK), please enjoy power pop gods The Records and a fab gear re-make of possibly my all-time favorite song by The Kinks.

That was originally on a 7-inch bonus EP that had three other interesting versions of songs by other people -- "Abracadabra" by Blue Ash, "1984" by Spirit, and the Stones' "Have You Seen Your Mother Baby".

The album per se, of course, included "Starry Eyes," a song which could be said -- in fact which HAS been said, by me -- to sum up the entire mission statement of this here blog.

I played the album to death when it first came out, and the Records were a HUGE influence on the early Floor Models; in fact we used to do a live cover of "Hearts in Her Eyes," from their 1980 followup album Crashes, so often that everybody in Greenwich Village thought we wrote it.

In any case, I had completely not remembered the EP until it popped into my head unbidden last week. And I had absolutely blanked on the Stones cover, which I can not alas seem to find an online version of.

If any of you guys have a copy stashed somewhere, I wouldn't be averse to you sending me a zip file of it, obviously. 😎

Weekend Fundraiser

Okay, the short version.

Someone dear to a long-time friend of mine -- I won't go into the details, but let's just say that Six Degrees of (my old garage band) The Weasels kinda sums it up -- just had his house burn down around him.

Let that sink in for a second. I mean, I can't even begin to guess how horrible it must be to deal with that.

The good news is he got out physically unscathed. The bad news is literally everything else you could imagine, including the loss of a collection of vintage guitars and (most heartbreakingly) his beloved 10 year old cat Gracie.

In sum, he is now homeless and emotionally devastated.

That being the case, I am asking my readers to please share the story above and the Go Fund Me link below to your social media accounts, even if you can't yourself donate.

Helping Carl rebuild after losing everything in a house fire

In either case, it would be, as we Red Sea pedestrians refer to it, a mitzvah.

Thanks in advance, kids.

See you with happier stuff on Monday.

Okay, How Did I Miss This One?

The Rolling Stones, live at the Camden Theater in 1964, with their fabulous cover of "Route 66."

In genuine stereo. With no screaming kids. 😎

Seriously -- I had a huge collection of vintage Stones bootlegs, live and studio, back in the day, and yet I was unaware of the above until I stumbled across it on YouTube over the weekend. I'm baffled.

Oh well, I supposed I should just be grateful that such surprises are still out there in my old age. 😎😎

Songs I'd Forgotten Existed, Let Alone Loved (An Occasional Series): Special "Le Chanson Incroyable" Edition

Oh. My. God.

Seriously, I don't think I've listened to that under the headphones in at least four decades. And by the time the harmonies came in at the end, I was a goner once again.

I should add that when that first came out in 1970 (just before the public breakup of the Beatles) I remember thinking "that may be the most beautiful song Paul's ever written."

And hearing it now, after all the intervening years, I see no reason to revise my opinion.

Tuesday's Music-Themed Cartoon Chuckles

The Gary Larson whale singing one is one of my all time favorites. First time I saw it I nearly fell out of my chair laughing. 😎

[h/t Robert Soltermann]

Monday Public Service Announcement

Attention, readers/musicians in the New York City area!

A friend of mine is moving to Florida, and he has no room in his new place for his beloved -- and practically never used -- Yamaha hardwood electronic keyboard.

He's letting it go for $1000.00 (Cheap! as they used to say at Mad Magazine).

If you're interested, get in touch with me in comments, and I'll hook you guys up. (Said friend lives in my Queens neighborhood of Forest Hills -- if you go out to see the instrument, let's do lunch when you're done!).

Meanwhile, as our president would put it, thank you for your attention to this matter.

Traditional PowerPop daily fare resumes on the morrow.

La Fin de La Semaine Essay Question: Special "There is Nothin' Like A Dame!" Edition

[The idea for today's EQ popped into my head unbidden recently when I happened to hear that Corrs song I posted yesterday. My immediate reaction was "I must have done that one sometime in the past," but a check through the blog archives suggested otherwise, which pleases me no end. Anyway, it's such a great idea let's get to it right away, shall we? -- S.S.]

Okay.

...and your favorite (or least favorite) post-Elvis pop/rock/soul/folk girl group (in the 60s sense, i.e. they just sing and dance) or all-girl band (that plays its own instruments) is...?

Discuss.

No arbitrary rules, except that the aforementioned Corrs -- for obvious reasons, i.e. that one of them is a guy -- aren't eligible.

Okay, my least favorite?

I have tried to like those gals for years, and with a total lack of success. They're great on paper, i.e. they're all terrific musicians, and I understand why people are pushing to get them into the Hall of Fame, but sorry -- their records are snoozeville. They simply didn't rock.

And my favorite? Well, I was gonna go with The Bangles, who I adore and have since I played their debut album to death back in 1984...

...but then I remembered these currently active California punkettes.

I mean, for the name and the t-shirt alone.

I should add that you can find out more about Les Hormones -- and watch some of their other equally hilarious videos -- over at their official website HERE.

Alrighty then -- who would YOUR choices be?

And have a great weekend, everybody!!!

Songs I'd Forgotten Existed, Let Alone Loved (An Occasional Series): Special "An Early Clue to the New Direction" Edition

From 2000, please enjoy fabulous Irish family band (yeah, yeah, I know I should have posted this on Tuesday in honor of St. Paddy's Day) The Corrs and their melodically insinuating and drop dead sexy hit "Breathless."

Man, watching that, all I can say is -- oh, to be 50 again. 😎

In any event, a coveted PowerPop No-Prize© will be awarded to the first reader who discerns its relevance to the theme of tomorrow's Weekend Essay Question.

Wednesday's Moment of Words Fail Me

From 1968, please enjoy footnote to history Brit band Fire and their absolute psych-pop masterpiece "Father's Name is Dad." A song which fully lives up to its title.

I must confess I'd never heard that (or even heard of it) before a chance encounter on YouTube the other day. And I was pleased to learn that the Fire guys later achieved fame more appropriate to their talent when they mutated into the hit-making (in England) folk-rock band The Strawbs.

In any event, that "Dad" song just kills me; everything about it (the wise-ass lyrics, the cool guitar riffage, the vaguely punkish vocals) sounds like it was created (as they say) with my mind in mind.

Today's Music-Themed Cartoon Chuckles and Photo Funnies

I particularly like George Harrison Ford's later solo work. 😎

Comedy in Music (An Occasional Series): Special "Ripped My Jeans" Edition

From 1956, please enjoy satirical genius Stan Freberg and pretty much the funniest Elvis parody ever.

If you're not familiar with him, I should note here that Freberg was kind of a snob hipster jazz guy, and as you can probably tell from the above, he genuinely looked down on rock-and-roll -- in fact, IMHO the record's drollest gag is the singer's upset when the piano solo goes a little too upscale.

That said, this tickled me to death as a kid, and I wouldn't be surprised if Elvis himself thought it was funny despite its mean-spiritedness.

I should add that I originally had it on Stan's 1957 sort of Greatest Hits record A Child's Garden of Freberg...

...which is one of the essential comedy albums of its day, and worth it for the parody of Dragnet alone.

To this day, I can't hear the word "knave" without cracking up.

La Fin de La Semaine Essay Question: Special "How Do You Say 'Tutti Frutti' in Yiddish?" Edition

So as attentive readers may have gleaned, I'm feeling the effects of a stressful couple of days involving our pussycat and major dental surgery (his, not mine).

He's almost fully recovered, thank you very much, but seriously -- I'm still totally exhausted from dealing with it.

That being the case, I must apologize for not being able to put my usual deep thought into coming up with a theme for this weekend's EQ.

Or for slacking through this introduction and getting immediately to the business at hand. To wit:

...and the post-Elvis pop/rock/soul-r&b/folk/country star performer you would most like to meet (or to have met but never did) is...?

Discuss.

I gotta say, due to the nature of my toiling at The Magazine Formerly Known as Stereo Review, I was insanely lucky enough over the years to have encountered or interviewed a galaxy of such folks, most of whom were absolutely delightful (notable exception: Major schmuck Chevy Chase. I'm pretty sure I've told that story here at some point, but if I haven't, remind me and I'll do it next week).

In any event, my own choice would be this guy.

Let's just say that the world has been a distinctly less entertaining place since he departed this sad vale of tears in 2020.

Alrighty, then -- who would YOUR choices be?

And have a great weekend, everybody!!!

The Lemon Twigs Have a New Single/Video Out, And Thus Life Remains Worth Living

This dropped yesterday morning, for those of you keeping score at home.

Whew. That's terrific, and I'm not just saying that because their dad is an old friend/bandmate of mine.

Seriously, on top of being ridiculously brilliant and talented, those kids have the kind of work ethic we haven't seen since certain great Brit bands of the '60s I could mention. 😎

Closed for Monkey Business

Had a very long stressful day yesterday -- short version: our pussycat had major dental surgery and is still quite under the weather.

Particularly groovy music stuff resumes on the morrow.

Today's Music-Themed Cartoon Chuckles

I particularly like the sign the Lennon figure is carrying in "Abbey Roadwork." 😎

Monday's Pleasant Surprise

From 2015, please enjoy honey-voiced chanteuse Skylar Gudasz and the Wild Honey Orchestra with a really lovely live cover of my favorite sort of obscure underrated George Harrison song.

I must confess I had never heard of the young lady in question until one of my FB buds posted the clip (which derives from a Wild Honey autism benefit in LA) last weekend; an internet search hipped me to the fact that she's got three albums out and will be doing a few live gigs in the not so distant future (including another LA show with Wild Honey in April.)

You can find out more about her -- and listen to a lot of her own music, which seems to be sort of countrified Joni Mitchell -- over at her website HERE.

Weekend Listomania: Special "Tolstoi Lives!" Edition

[I first posted a version of this back in 2008, which is so long ago it might as well have been the Pleistocene Era. But alas, its theme remains disturbingly relevant in an age when supposedly sane members of the World's Greatest Deliberative Body are creaming their jeans in anticipation of our launching yet another full scale conflict in the Middle East. In any case, I've done some re-writing, as well as adding a couple of new entries. Semper fi, bitches!-- S.S.]

BEST OR WORST POST-ELVIS POP/ROCK/COUNTRY/R&B OR SOUL SONG/RECORD REFERENCING WAR OR PEACE IN ITS LYRICS OR TITLE, EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY!!!!!!

Totally arbitrary rule: No folk music performances. I.e., it has to be a loud record with drums or something drum adjacent. Thank you.

Okay, that said, my totally top of my head Top Ten is:

10. Bruce Springsteen -- Last to Die

From Magic, which is the last really great album he made in my opinion. At the time it came out, I wrote that the shadow of the Iraq war seemed to hover over the entire record, and I stand by that assessment.

9. Vince Vance and the Valiants -- Bomb Iran

To be honest, I hate even bringing up this reprehensible piece of shit, but it's such an artifact of evil I'd really be remiss if I didn't include it. I should add that it was given a new lease on life by Sen. John McCain [R-Glad He's Dead], just one of many reasons to have hated that asshole, and that in a hideous historical irony, the guy who composed the original song -- the Regents' hit "Barbara Ann" -- on which this desecration is based was actually himself of Iranian lineage.

8. Stephen Colbert and Friends - (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love and Understanding?

Sorry I couldn't find the actual video for this, which I believe is now the definitive version (the friends are Elvis Costello, Toby Keith, Feist, Jon Legend and Willie Nelson). I must say, though, the idea that a wiseguy cynic like Nick Lowe actually wrote what has become the most beloved anti-war song of our time is a bit of a mind-blower.

7. Jefferson Airplane -- Volunteers

And to think, they would go on to follow this up with "We Built This City."

6. Fear -- Let's Have a War

"It could start in New Jersey!" The great Lee Ving on vocals, obviously. If memory serves, this is the song Fear were singing on SNL when some punks in the audience rioted. John Belushi loved it.

5. Fotheringay -- Banks of the Nile

The British Army in Egypt, and absolutely heartbreaking, via the great Sandy Denny.

"Oh cursed be these cruel wars, that ever they began
For they have robbed our country of many's the handsome man
They've robbed of us of our sweethearts while their bodies they feed the lions
On the dry and sandy deserts which are the banks of the Nile."

4. Terry Reid -- Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace

The oft-covered -- Cheap Trick, Christopher Milk -- classic, but the original remains the greatest.

3. Edwin Starr -- War

I mean, I don't want to belabor the obvious, but...😎

2. Creedence Clearwater Revival -- Fortunate Son

And boy, has this one not dated one whit. Unfortunately.

And the number one song about the yin and yang of man's fate, it's self-evidently obvious and if you give me any grief about it I will come to your house with a regiment of mounted cavalry and obliterate you, is...

1. Steve Simels -- I Come and Stand at Every Door

"All that I ask is that for peace/you fight today -- you fight today."

Me doing the Pete Seeger/Byrds classic. What -- like you didn't see that coming? 😎😎

Awrighty then -- what would YOUR choices be?

And have a great weekend, everybody!!!

Songs I'd Forgotten Existed, Let Alone Loved (An Occasional Series): Special "The Bird is the Word" Edition

From 2000, and their album Odd Fellows, please enjoy North Carolina power pop legends The Spongetones and their to die for cover of Sir Paul McCartney's "On the Wings of a Nightingale."

As you probably know, the song was a minor hit for the Everly Brothers on their wonderful 80s comeback album EB 84. That version was produced by Dave Edmunds and was very much in his vein, with lots of massed acoustic guitars. The Spongetones, however, reworked the song a la vintage Merseybeat guitar rock, sounding as it might have if the Fab Four had had a go at it back in the day. As you can hear, they did an absolutely brilliant job-- the basic track recalls the Fabs circa '64 or '65, but with a lovely recreation of George Harrison's All Things Must Pass lead guitar stylings on top. I think it's a knockout.

Anyway, I bring all this up because the Spongetone guys are about to drop a series of new singles on Big Stir Records; I've heard the first one, "So Long," which is absolutely wonderful in a kind of McCartney/early Who sort of way, but unfortunately I can't figure out how to embed the audio, and it's not on YouTube yet. I'll keep you posted as soon as that changes.

Songs I'd Forgotten Existed, Let Alone Loved (An Occasional Series): Special "I Don't Think This Relationship Can Be Saved" Edition

From 1982 (and Stiff Records, where it belonged), please enjoy Rockpile guitarist Billy Bremner and one of the greatest New Wave singles ever -- the utterly gorgeous and emotionally devastating "Laughter Turns to Tears."

I had the Brit import pressing of this -- was there an American version? I'm not sure -- and I remember pretty much wearing it out. I mean physically, i.e. just constantly playing it over and over.

Damn, what a brilliant piece of work on every level.

I should add -- and I had TOTALLY forgotten this -- that it was produced and co-written(!) by the great Will Birch, of power pop gods The Records.

Man, there were giants in the Earth in those days. 😎

Tuesday's Music-Themed Cartoon Chuckles

"Your child constantly addresses you as 'JACK'!" 😎

Your Monday Moment of Words Fail Me

The original Byrds. Shot in live performance I don't know exactly where or when.

I don't care if it's not really synced to the music; that's the most amazing footage of them I've ever seen.

Attentive readers are doubtless aware that those guys are pretty much my fave band of all time, so it will come as no surprise that seeing that for the first time after all these years has been something akin to a religious experience for me. 😎

I mean -- wow. 😎 😎