Monthly Archives: July 2022

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 537) The Rolling Stones — “Blood Red Wine” A great unfinished song from May ‘68, apparently too rich for the Banquet, recorded at Olympic Sound Studios in London (Martin Elliott, The Rolling Stones Complete Recording Sessions 1962-2012). Jim Connelly says that: “Despite theContinue reading “The Rolling Stones:Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 31, 2022”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 536) The Rose Garden — “Here’s Today” To my mind, the best thing this Byrds-obsessed L.A. group ever did was “Here’s Today”, the B-side to their final single (and one of their only self-penned songs). Michael Doherty calls it “a really cool folk-rockContinue reading “The Rose Garden: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 30, 2022”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 535) Le Cirque — “Land of Oz” Leon Russell and Marc Benno made quite a team. First, with Le Cirque and then with Asylum Choir — heavenly psychedelia before Russell found fame. “Land of Oz” was the bodacious Beatlesque A-side of Le Cirque’sContinue reading “Le Cirque: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 29, 2022*”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD The perfect songs to welcome in the recession! 534) Nobody’s Children — “Good Times” The A-side of the Children’s only single (’68) is a hilarious garage rock classic from the Irving, Texas band about a hardscrabble life. Or is it? “Well, I workContinue reading “The Recession’s Here! Special Edition: Nobody’s Children/The Artwoods: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 28, 2022”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 533) Annie Philippe — “Qu’il Le Dise” (“Till He Tells Me”) This ’65 B-side is another yé-yé delight from Annie (see #206, 328), with a cool promo video of her frolicking on the ski slopes. Elephantsoundz says: Annie Philippe recorded a bunch ofContinue reading “Annie Philippe: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 27, 2022”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 532) The Haunted — “Vapeur Mauve” (“Purple Haze”)  OK, this has got to be the greatest cover of “Purple Haze” that I have ever heard — and it is sung in French by an English language Quebec band! As their last vocalist JohnnyContinue reading “The Haunted: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 26, 2022”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 531) Harbinger — “Control” This haunting song from Dave Bixby’s ultra-rare ’70 downer/loner folk album Second Coming (by “Harbinger”) sounds eerily similar to “Space Oddity”, David Bowie’s iconic song from ‘69. Bowie’s lyric is “The planet Earth is blue and there’s nothing leftContinue reading “Harbinger: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 25, 2022”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 530) The Spike Drivers — “Strange Mysterious Sounds” As to the B-side of their second (or third) and last single, Superbillie1 aptly describes it as a little like a collision between doomstruck raga rock and Mamas & the Papas harmonies”. (http://poprunners.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-spike-drivers-60s-folkrocking.html?m=1). “Mysterious Sounds”Continue reading “The Spike Drivers: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 24, 2022”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 529) The Kinks — “Drivin’” Ray Davies’ magnificent ode to escaping one’s troubles through a drive in the country was the first single off ’69’s legendary concept album Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) — and it failed toContinue reading “The Kinks: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 23, 2022”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 526) The Hellers — “This Brand Is My Brand” 527) The Hellers — “Sixteen Tongues” 528) The Hellers — “Eve of Advertising Destruction” Yesterday, I played the Hellers’ “It’s 74 in San Francisco”, which was an actual — and great — pop psychContinue reading “Mad Men Special Edition: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 22, 2022”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 525) The Hellers — “It’s 74 in San Francisco” Back when San Francisco was hale and hearty, hip and Haight, and definitely not yet San Fransicko, this breezy ’68 “enjoyable psychy-sunshine pop” (sf scene, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTDSEO95IT4) delight extolled the city’s weather. But who theContinue reading “The Hellers: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 21, 2022”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 524) Arthur Conley — “People Sure Act Funny” Arthur Conley was way more than a one (“Sweet Soul Music”) or two (“Funky Street”) hit wonder. His ’68 A-side “People Sure Act Funny” reached #58 (#17 R&B), and, as Lindsay Planer says, was aContinue reading “Arthur Conley: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 20, 2022”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 523) Hedgehoppers Anonymous — “Daytime” How was this snarling bit of freakbeat not a huge hit, at least in the UK? Its expression of sexual frustration is even more potent than the Stones’ “Satisfaction” because directed at one person. Nick Warburton nails theContinue reading “Hedgehoppers Anonymous: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 19, 2022”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD Someone once quipped that many bands could have made their careers off of Lennon and McCartney throwaways. Well, in some cases, they actually did . . . . 520) The Beatles — “Bad to Me” The best thing that Billy J. Kramer andContinue reading “Do You Want to Know a Secret? — Beloved Songs Actually Written By Lennon and/or McCartney #1: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 18, 2022”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 519) The Endless — “Tomorrow’s Song” Riveting ‘66 A-side by the Endless, an Ohio garage band formed by two brothers. Sadly, the song talks of not-so-endless love. Buckeyebeat says: The Endless were formed by brothers Jack and Patrick McAfee, who were school students.Continue reading “The Endless: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 17, 2022”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 518) Thor’s Hammer — “My Life” “My Life” by Iceland’s Thor’s Hammer entered Valhalla upon placement in the underground garage/freakbeat/psych canon by Nuggets II, which calls it a “wild yet melodic rocker, bursting with harmonies and some crackling fuzz guitar work.” (Mike Stax’sContinue reading “Thor’s Hammer: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 16, 2022”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 517) The Gordian Knot — “The Broken Down Ole Merry-Go-Round” What do a star college quarterback, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Norman Fell (“Mr. Roper”), Senator Robert Kennedy and Nancy Sinatra all have in common? — the Gordian Knot and a wondrous popContinue reading “The Gordian Knot: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 15, 2022”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 516) Group 1850 — “Zero” Mystical Dutch space-psych ’68 A-side from Group 1850 — with accordion. And they never did LSD! Per Lenny Helsing: Between 1966 and 1976 Group 1850 blazed an unforgettable path across the Dutch music scene. With mercurial singer/keyboardist PeterContinue reading “Group 1850: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 14, 2022”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD Take one fantastic failed solo A-side with one of the greatest bridges of all time by the Yardbirds’ singer and let a French icon incorporate the bridge into an enchanting confection — I’d say that THIS was the greatest Anglo-French alliance that historyContinue reading “Where’s That Confounded Bridge? Special Edition: Keith Relf/Françoise Hardy: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 13, 2022”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 513) Eric Burdon and the Animals — “Year of the Guru” This crazy, and crazy-cool, album track from ‘68 is totally unexpected and seems decades ahead of its time. One YouTube commenter says it was the first rap song. Man, does Eric disContinue reading “Eric Burdon and the Animals: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — July 12, 2022”