super groovy delicious bite: March 2011

Thursday, March 31, 2011

hot love

T. Rextacy took over the UK when this glittery groove hit the top of the charts in 1971. 'Hot Love' was quickly recorded and released after the success of 'Ride A White Swan' earlier that year. It was their first single as a four piece band consisting of Marc Bolan, Mickey Finn, Steve Currie, and Bill Legend. The song quickly became their first number one and the second of ten consecutive top five hits. It spent six weeks at the top of the British charts and ushered in the age of glam.

http://www.marc-bolan.com/

http://www.marc-bolan.org/

Well she's my woman of gold

And she's not very old - a ha ha

Well she's my woman of gold

And she's not very old - a ha ha

I don't mean to be bold, a-but a-may I hold your hand?

Well she ain't no witch and I love the way she twitch - a ha ha

I'm a labourer of love in my persian gloves - a ha ha

Well she's faster than most and she lives on the coast - a ha ha

I'm her two-penny prince and I give her hot love - a ha ha

Ow - ow - mh

Well she ain't no witch and I love the way she twitch - a ha ha

I'm her two-penny prince and I give her hot love - a ha ha

La-la-la-la-la-la-la ....

Ooh ooh, oh don't you do ....

Ooh ooh, lay it all down ....

Ooh ooh, jetzt kommt sie doch, mh ....

Ooh ooh, mm-ba-ba-ba ....

La la la, la la la

La la la,la la la

Ooh

It's cosmic rock

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

one toke over the line

Mike Brewer and Tom Shipley had a top ten hit with this subversive spiritual despite the fact that the song was banned by the FCC. They wrote the song backstage between shows at the Vanguard in Kansas City.

Brewer recalls, "We played there a lot. We were real bored, sitting in the dressing room. We were pretty much stoned and all and Tom says, ‘Man, I’m one toke over the line tonight.’ We were literally just entertaining ourselves. Just making ourselves laugh, really. The next day we got together to do some picking and said, 'What was that we were messing with last night?' We remembered it, and in about an hour, we'd written 'One Toke Over the Line.' We had no idea that it would ever even be considered as a single, because it was just another song to us. Actually Tom and I always thought that our ballads were our forte."

After hearing the audience response to the song during a gig at Carnegie Hall, the president of their record label insisted that they include the song on their upcoming album. The sessions for 'Tarkio' included Jerry Garcia on pedal steel guitar. When the song was released as a single, Vice-president Spiro Agnew declared the duo to be subversives and pressured the FCC to ban the song. At the same time, a wholesome remake of the song was performed on the Lawrence Welk Show by show regulars Gail Farrell & Dick Dale, who thought it was a gospel song.

"That one silly song we wrote to kill some time between sets went over like gangbusters from the first time we played it live. Who would have guessed that it would end up being a classic rock song still played all around the world, in movies and stuff. It cracks me up. ‘Cause we were just kidding, we were just entertaining ourselves. Other people chose to make a big deal out of it. We were really happy just to get a hit, even if it wasn't necessarily the one we would have picked," says Brewer. "We're really glad people still like it."

http://www.brewerandshipley.com/

An oblivious Gale and Dale sing "a modern spiritual" on Lawrence Welk:

One toke over the line sweet Jesus

One toke over the line

Sittin' downtown in a railway station

One toke over the line

Awaitin' for the train that goes home, sweet Mary

Hopin' that the train is on time

Sittin' downtown in a railway station

One toke over the line

Whoooo do you love, I hope it's me

I've bin a changin', as you can plainly see

I felt the joy and I learned about the pain that my momma said

If I should choose to make a part of me, surely strike me dead

Now I'm one toke over the line sweet Jesus

One toke over the line

Sittin' downtown in a railway station

One toke over the line

I'm waitin' for the train that goes home sweet Mary

Hopin' that the train is on time

Sittin' downtown in a railway station

One toke over the line

I sail away a country mile,

Now I'm returnin' showin' off a smile

I met all the girls and loved myself a few

Ended by surprise like everything else I've been through

It opened up my eyes and now I'm

One toke over the line sweet Jesus

One toke over the line

Sittin' downtown in a railway station

Don't you just know I waitin' for the train that goes home sweet Mary

Hopin' that the train is on time

Sittin' downtown in a railway station

One toke over the line

Don't you just know I waitin' for the train that goes home sweet Mary

Hopin' that the train is on time

Sittin' downtown in a railway station

One toke over the line

I want to be

One toke over the line sweet Jesus

One toke over the line

Sittin' downtown in a railway station

One toke over the line

Don't you just know I waitin' for the train that goes home sweet Mary

Hopin' that the train is on time

Sittin' downtown in a railway station

One toke over the line

Sittin' downtown in a railway station

One toke over line

One toke, one toke over the line

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

rock me amadeus

The Austrian Elvis became an international success with this rainbow wigged tribute to the first punk. Johann Hölzel played bass in Austrian bands Drahdiwaberl and Ganymed before embarking on a solo career as Falco. He teamed up with Dutch brothers Rob and Ferdi Bolland to write the song inspired partly by the film 'Amadeus'. In addition to reaching number one on charts all over the world, it became the first German single to top all of the charts in the US. Falco is not a one hit wonder; but this was his only top ten single in the States. Falco became a tax exile and died after a car crash in the Dominican Republic in 1998.

http://www.falco.at/

Ooo rock me Amadeus

Rock me Amadeus...

Rock rock rock rock me Amadeus

Rock me all the time to the top

Er war ein Punker

Und er lebte in der großen Stadt

Es war Wien, war Vienna

Wo er alles tat

Er hatte Schulden denn er trank

Doch ihn liebten alle Frauen

Und jede rief:

Come on and rock me Amadeus

Amadeus Amadeus, Amadeus

Amadeus Amadeus, oh oh oh Amadeus

Er war Superstar

Er war populär

Er war so exaltiert

Because er hatte Flair

Er war ein Virtuose

War ein Rockidol

Und alles rief:

Come on and rock me Amadeus

Amadeus Amadeus, Amadeus

Amadeus Amadeus, oh oh oh Amadeus

Come on and rock me Amadeus

Amadeus Amadeus, Amadeus

Amadeus Amadeus, oh oh oh Amadeus

Es war um 1780

Und es war in Wien

No plastic money anymore

Die Banken gegen ihn

Woher die Schulden kamen

War wohl jedermann bekannt

Er war ein Mann der Frauen

Frauen liebten seinen Punk

Amadeus Amadeus, Amadeus

Amadeus Amadeus, oh oh oh Amadeus

Come and rock me Amadeus...

Baby baby do it to me rock me

Ja ja ja

Baby baby do it to me rock me

Amadeus Amadeus, Amadeus

Amadeus Amadeus, oh oh oh Amadeus...

English translation:

Ooo rock me Amadeus

Rock me Amadeus...

Rock rock rock rock me Amadeus

Rock me all the time to the top

He was a Punker

And he lived in the big city

It was Vienna, was Vienna

Where he did everything

He had debts, for he drank

But all the women loved him

And each one shouted:

Come on and rock me Amadeus

Amadeus Amadeus, Amadeus

Amadeus Amadeus, oh oh oh Amadeus

He was Superstar

He was popular

He was so exalted

Because he had flair

He was a virtuose

Was a rock idol

And everyone shouted:

Come on and rock me Amadeus

Amadeus Amadeus, Amadeus

Amadeus Amadeus, oh oh oh Amadeus

Come on and rock me Amadeus

Amadeus Amadeus, Amadeus

Amadeus Amadeus, oh oh oh Amadeus

It was around 1780

And it was in Vienna

No plastic money anymore

The banks against him

From which his debts came

It was common knowledge

He was a women's man

Women loved his punk

Amadeus Amadeus, Amadeus

Amadeus Amadeus, oh oh oh Amadeus

Come and rock me Amadeus...

Baby baby do it to me rock me

Yes yes yes

Baby baby do it to me rock me

Amadeus Amadeus, Amadeus

Amadeus Amadeus, oh oh oh Amadeus...

3
full album:

"Rock Me Amadeus" (The Gold Mix) (U.S. version substitutes "The Salieri Version", spelled wrongly as "Solieri Version") (3:22/8:20)
"America" (The City Of Grinzing Version) (3:56)
"Tango the Night" (The Heart Mix) (2:28)
"Munich Girls" (Lookin' for Love) (Just Another Paid One) (4:17)
"Jeanny" (Sus-Mix-Spect Crime Version) (5:50)
"Vienna Calling" (Waiting For the Extended Mix) (U.S. version substitutes "The Metternich Arrival Mix") (4:02/7:38)
"Männer des Westens-Any Kind of Land" (Wilde Bube Version) (4:00)
"Nothing Sweeter Than Arabia" (The Relevant Madhouse Danceteria Jour-Fix-Mix) (4:46)
"Macho Macho" (Sensible Boy's Song) (4:56)
"It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" (No Mix) (4:41)

Monday, March 28, 2011

rapture

Blondie took rap to the top of the charts with this eschatological tale of Martian madness. Chris Stein and Debbie Harry wrote the song inspired by the music of Fab Five Freddy and Grandmaster Flash and added their own mix of new wave, rock, and funk. The title is a joking reference to rap music. Fab Five Freddy, Lee Quinones, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and dancer William Barnes (who plays the voodoo man in the top hat) all appear in the video. It was the band's last hit song on the US pop chart.

http://www.blondie.net/

Toe to toe

Dancing very close

Barely breathing

Almost comatose

Wall to wall

People hypnotised

And they're stepping lightly

Hang each night in Rapture

Back to back

Sacroiliac

Spineless movement

And a wild attack

Face to face

Sadly solitude

And it's finger popping

Twenty-four hour shopping in Rapture

Fab Five Freddie told me everybody's high

DJ's spinnin' are savin' my mind

Flash is fast, Flash is cool

Francois sez fas, Flashe' no do

And you don't stop, sure shot

Go out to the parking lot

And you get in your car and you drive real far

And you drive all night and then you see a light

And it comes right down and lands on the ground

And out comes a man from Mars

And you try to run but he's got a gun

And he shoots you dead and he eats your head

And then you're in the man from Mars

You go out at night, eatin' cars

You eat Cadillacs, Lincolns too

Mercuries and Subarus

And you don't stop, you keep on eatin' cars

Then, when there's no more cars

You go out at night and eat up bars where the people meet

Face to face, dance cheek to cheek

One to one, man to man

Dance toe to toe

Don't move too slow, 'cause the man from Mars

Is through with cars, he's eatin' bars

Yeah, wall to wall, door to door, hall to hall

He's gonna eat 'em all

Rapture, be pure

Take a tour, through the sewer

Don't strain your brain, paint a train

You'll be singin' in the rain

I said don't stop, do punk rock

Well now you see what you wanna be

Just have your party on TV

'Cause the man from Mars won't eat up bars when the TV's on

And now he's gone back up to space

Where he won't have a hassle with the human race

And you hip-hop, and you don't stop

Just blast off, sure shot

'Cause the man from Mars stopped eatin' cars and eatin' bars

And now he only eats guitars, get up!

Sunday, March 27, 2011

me and bobby mcgee

Pearl had a posthumous number one hit with a remake of a song by her former lover. It was written by Kris Kristofferson after Fred Foster suggested the title: "I hid from Fred for a while but I was trying to write that song all the time I was flying around Baton Rouge and New Orleans. I had the rhythm of a Mickey Newbury song going in the back of my mind, 'Why You Been Gone So Long,' and I developed this story of these guys who went around the country kind of like Anthony Quinn and Giuletta Masina in (Fellini's) La Strada. At one point, like he did, he drove off and left her there. That was 'Somewhere near Salinas, I let her slip away.' Later in the film he (Quinn) hears a woman hanging out her clothes, singing the melody she (Masina) used to play on the trombone, and she told him, 'Oh, she died.' So he goes out, gets drunk, gets into a fight in a bar and ends up on the beach, howling at the stars. And that was where 'Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose' came from, because he was free from her, and I guess he would have traded all his tomorrows for another day with her."

Regarding the classic line "freedom's just another word for nothin left to lose", Kristofferson recalls: "I was working the Gulf of Mexico on oil rigs, flying helicopters. I'd lost my family to my years of failing as a songwriter. All I had were bills, child support, and grief. And I was about to get fired for not letting twenty four hours go between the throttle and the bottle. It looked like I'd trashed my act. But there was something liberating about it. By not having to live up to people's expectations, I was somehow free."

The song was Joplin's only top ten hit.

http://www.janisjoplin.com/

Busted flat in Baton Rouge, waiting for a train

And I's feeling nearly as faded as my jeans.

Bobby thumbed a diesel down just before it rained,

It rode us all the way to New Orleans.

I pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandanna,

I was playing soft while Bobby sang the blues.

Windshield wipers slapping time, I was holding Bobby's hand in mine,

We sang every song that driver knew.

Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose,

Nothing don't mean nothing honey if it ain't free, now now.

And feeling good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues,

You know feeling good was good enough for me,

Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee.

From the Kentucky coal mines to the California sun,

Hey, Bobby shared the secrets of my soul.

Through all kinds of weather, through everything we done,

Hey Bobby baby? kept me from the cold.

One day up near Salinas,I let him slip away,

He's looking for that home and I hope he finds it,

But I'd trade all of my tomorrows for just one yesterday

To be holding Bobby's body next to mine.

Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose,

Nothing, that's all that Bobby left me, yeah,

But feeling good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues,

Hey, feeling good was good enough for me, hmm hmm,

Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee.

La la la, la la la la, la la la, la la la la

La la la la la Bobby McGee.

La la la la la, la la la la la

La la la la la, Bobby McGee, la.

La La la, la la la la la la,

La La la la la la la la la, ain`t no bumb on my bobby McGee yeah.

Na na na na na na na na, na na na na na na na na na na na

Hey now Bobby now, Bobby McGee, yeah.

Lord, I'm calling my lover, calling my man,

I said I'm calling my lover just the best I can,

C'mon, hey now Bobby yeah, hey now Bobby McGee, yeah,

Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lord

Hey, hey, hey, Bobby McGee, Lord!

Yeah! Whew!

Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lord

Hey, hey, hey, Bobby McGee.