T. Rex, “Jeepster”
T.Rex-tasy was in full effect when this tune hit the airwaves in 1971. It’s not the coolest track on Electric Warrior but it’s the first song I’d play for someone who’d never heard them before. The corrosive guitar part is sonic simplicity, allowing Marc Bolan to really get into the glam act when singing and playing live. Have you ever seen footage of him playing? He apes around like a sexy rock and roll palomino with all the wound-up strength of a crouching tiger and the youthful looseness of a prancing foal. Plus, he makes funny rock faces.
Ricky Nelson, “Stood Up”
One of the first teen idols, Ricky Nelson used his television star privileges to pursue a rock and roll career. This is the 1950s though, before rock and roll really came into its own and left behind some of its country inclinations. As a result, the rockabilly feel on this tune is as thick as a side of beef smoking on a grill. Legendary guitarist James Burton is smoking as well, letting his Telecaster slather some sweet and spicy sauce all over the track.
Dr. Dog, “The Beach”
Striking a balance between new and old, this song finds the band channeling the spirits of the fifth and third Beatles, Billy Preston and George Harrison. It begins with an eerie soundscape--monotone, desolate and lonely--that is harshly interrupted by simultaneously struck guitar and snare notes. A sense of understated heaviness pervades the song when, in a blink, it morphs into a vicious tête-à-tête between a bleeding-finger guitar solo and a wrath-of-god church organ. The vocal part acts as a beacon of light in the eye of the storm throughout but still follows suit and assumes the coarse quality of the other instruments, making for a truly leaden rock song.
Townes Van Zandt, “Don’t Let The Sunshine Fool Ya”
Townes was a deeply troubled man with an engaging body of work that provided a revealing glimpse into the beleaguered mind of a tormented soul. Though much of his work could be characterized by dark lyrics and ruminations on death, he still found solace in writing beautiful love songs. This spare 1972 tune pads comfortably down a gently winding road of free-and-easy feelings. I can’t help but smile when he sings, “get yourself a piece of that rainbow pie/no reason in the world that you can’t get by.”
The Leaves, “Funny Little World”
Perfect for holding hands and sharing a milkshake to, this G-rated song about young love would be considered too cheesy for almost any taste but mine. In fact, I insisted that our band include the 1966 tune in our set for a tribute event. The dudes groaned about it for a good while (they had their reservations) before being consumed by its irresistible hooks and sing-along verses. Soon enough, we were all smiling widely and playing merrily, swaying to the rhythm and reveling in the goofiness of the whole thing.
T.Rex-tasy was in full effect when this tune hit the airwaves in 1971. It’s not the coolest track on Electric Warrior but it’s the first song I’d play for someone who’d never heard them before. The corrosive guitar part is sonic simplicity, allowing Marc Bolan to really get into the glam act when singing and playing live. Have you ever seen footage of him playing? He apes around like a sexy rock and roll palomino with all the wound-up strength of a crouching tiger and the youthful looseness of a prancing foal. Plus, he makes funny rock faces.
Ricky Nelson, “Stood Up”
One of the first teen idols, Ricky Nelson used his television star privileges to pursue a rock and roll career. This is the 1950s though, before rock and roll really came into its own and left behind some of its country inclinations. As a result, the rockabilly feel on this tune is as thick as a side of beef smoking on a grill. Legendary guitarist James Burton is smoking as well, letting his Telecaster slather some sweet and spicy sauce all over the track.
Dr. Dog, “The Beach”
Striking a balance between new and old, this song finds the band channeling the spirits of the fifth and third Beatles, Billy Preston and George Harrison. It begins with an eerie soundscape--monotone, desolate and lonely--that is harshly interrupted by simultaneously struck guitar and snare notes. A sense of understated heaviness pervades the song when, in a blink, it morphs into a vicious tête-à-tête between a bleeding-finger guitar solo and a wrath-of-god church organ. The vocal part acts as a beacon of light in the eye of the storm throughout but still follows suit and assumes the coarse quality of the other instruments, making for a truly leaden rock song.
Townes Van Zandt, “Don’t Let The Sunshine Fool Ya”
Townes was a deeply troubled man with an engaging body of work that provided a revealing glimpse into the beleaguered mind of a tormented soul. Though much of his work could be characterized by dark lyrics and ruminations on death, he still found solace in writing beautiful love songs. This spare 1972 tune pads comfortably down a gently winding road of free-and-easy feelings. I can’t help but smile when he sings, “get yourself a piece of that rainbow pie/no reason in the world that you can’t get by.”
The Leaves, “Funny Little World”
Perfect for holding hands and sharing a milkshake to, this G-rated song about young love would be considered too cheesy for almost any taste but mine. In fact, I insisted that our band include the 1966 tune in our set for a tribute event. The dudes groaned about it for a good while (they had their reservations) before being consumed by its irresistible hooks and sing-along verses. Soon enough, we were all smiling widely and playing merrily, swaying to the rhythm and reveling in the goofiness of the whole thing.
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2 comments:
Well, when it comes to Townes van Zandt, almost anything can be said about him. However, this song, "Don't Let the Sunshine Fool Ya," was not written by Townes at all! It was written by his dear friend and fellow raconteur, Guy Clark, whose book of songs are far less than death-like meanderings through life and, more often, more introspective and uplifting than verging on a death wish. Just needed to set the record straight on this truly great song.
I stand corrected. Thanks for pointing out my error. It does make more sense that it's some other guy's song.
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