two more classic rock non-hits
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Two memorable cuts here, both dumped ignominiously at the worst spot on their respective LPs: second from last on Side 2, where duds theoretically belong. First is "Just a Matter of Time" by the the Guess Who, probably from 1965, and issued on LP first in the early 70s on their Wand (Scepter) album Born in Canada.
The Guess Who
Next is "That's What the Little Girls Do" (1979), my favorite song by The Knack. There have been several MOG posts about this group, but fortunately none has mentioned this song, so I get to share it with you.
Locating MOG account...
Comments (22)
The Guess Who sound alot like the Beau Brummels here, with the obligatory (bad) guitar solo grafted on. But what do I know? My favorite Knack song was Gotta Give The Devil His Due (or whatever)
ain't nothing like well crafted pop
deadmandeadman, they do sound like the Beau Brummels. I like how their guitar solo consists of a series of very similar chords that illustrate the accompanying chord progression, and has a minimal but architecturally perfect structure. I'm glad it was obligatory; otherwise we wouldn't have it today to listen to. You know an immense amount about music (or whatever).
inrumford, I totally agree.
As the Guess Who piece was beginning, it put me rather in mind of Herman's Hermits, actually.
And that was a BAD guitar solo - almost sounds as if they miked an unplugged Strat like an acoustic.
I dodn't get far with the Knack number; never liked them much.
The Knack was a great band when I was young.
{This may result in a double-post; if so, kill one.}
One of my own favourite somewhat-obscure 60s pure pop songs, from a band who went on to become Something Else Entirely:
fairportfan, Herman's Hermits were part of that sound that radiated out of UK in '65, and Canadians like the Guess Who jumped into it as early as any. About that badass guitar solo: my aesthetometer measures it at 37.4, which is way great shakes. Sorry.
I love it when a commenter can powerfully shift the drift of one of my posts, like here. Cool song you excavated.
RGM, they were great way back when I was only 33. Memories of youthful exuberance make the music back then seem even better.
Ain't that the truth!
It sure is.
Always liked the Guess Who in a perverse way. Maybe the same way that I enjoy Molson's Gold. As for the Knack, the less said, the better. Although I'll admit to being a part of the "Knuke the Knack" campaign when I was a lad...
Mike, if "My Sharona" had never been a hit, and if someone had dumped a few LPs on you that they wanted to get rid of, and one of them was the Knack's, which had died on release, would that have changed your outlook? Either way, you're OK.
Spike! Are you suggesting that I'm some sort of hipper-than-thou elitist who'd like something simply because it's obscure? How'd ya guess? ;-)
Just two days ago a listener called to ask about a song we played on the air. It wasn't "That's What The Little Girls Do" but "Your Number Or Your Name" from The Knack. The listener laughed and stated that he had that first album on his CD shelf and didn't realise that such a cool song was on there. Later he called back and raved about "That's What The Little Girls Do". Sometimes you just can't make this stuff up...
That Guess Who reminds me, in the pleasantest way, of all the Merseybeart second-stringers who emerged from all over the globe in 1965. They've got the template down pat, but they add something of their own (though not too much, mind you) to it. When I was 13, I made friends with a kid who'd just arrived in our college town from Melbourne (yeah, that would be Australia) with a fistful of LPs I'd never heard before, including one by the Rockin' Berries. This song would have fit in perfectly on that album.
As for the Knack, I must admit that while I admire their craftsmanship, I'm a little less charmed overall. To me they're talented pasticheurs, with all that implies. And, not to get all Alan Alda on ya or anything, I always thought their take on women was kind of poisonous....
Mike, like you, I enjoy rescuing acts from both obscurity and ubiquity. I couldn't get out of bed in the morning if I didn't somehow convince myself that I'm some sort of hipper-than-thou elitist.
The Time Machine, that story makes my day, and that guy is my kind of guy.
ivylander, I'd never heard of the Rockin' Berries, but wonder if you know of any good cuts by them. As for the Knack, I think I agree with you about their extremely uneven album, but will have to actually listen to the lyrics of the couple of good cuts to understand the promising Alan Alda angle.
What can I say? I liked them both. I like the Knack song more I think but both were just fine to me. Music to my ears by golly.
fistula, it's good to hear that you like them. Your Knack vote evens up the score somewhat.
I think they're underrated. That might be a bit strong of a statement but I do think people don't give them enough creds. My wife likes em.
MOG spreads the creds more fairly, or at least tries to.
The Rockin' Berries cut I recall immediately, through the haze of 31 summers, is "He's In Town." It somehow successfully fused Merseybeat with the Four Seasons (whom I detested as a teenager....)
The Guess Who album (reissued on cd) It's Time has some overlooked non-big hits too.
"Believe Me". starts out sounding like Paul Revere & The Raiders - hot and rockin', until the piano kicks in... ah well!
"Clock On The Wall" has knobby guitar fx and evokes garage punk.
"You Know He Did" might sound at first like The Searchers, until the fuzz guitar solo kicks in. Tasty.
"Seven Long Years" has a nice Animals - Them feel to it.
ivylander, to remember "He's in Town" through the haze of 31 summers means that it's pretty darn memorable, and so it won't escape my sweaty acquisitive grasp. The Four Seasons weren't high on my list back in the day either, but I did have a strong weakness for their single "Let's Hang On." Now I'm less picky about them.
uncle creepy, thanks for the tip. I'm on it.