Kaplan — “I Like”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 1, 2023

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD

719) Kaplan — “I Like”

This ultra-cool and hypnotic ’68 B-side by a British character (and character actor) bears an affinity to the Kinks’ and Dave Berry’s “This Strange Effect” (see #606), and its refrain “and I like it”. I most definitely like it.

Who is Kaplan “Kap” Kaye? Quite the Renaissance Man! Wikipedia tells us that:

[T]he son of actor and entertainer Davy Kaye, Kaplan ‘Kap’ Kaye[‘s] . . . . television debut was as Young Scrooge in an adaptation of A Christmas Carol (1958), part of the Tales from Dickens series. Other television appearances include roles in The Charlie Drake Show (1961), Henry in six episodes of William (1963), Eagle Rock (1964), The Saint (1964), the mini-series The Three Musketeers (1966), Armchair Theatre (1967), Z-Cars (1968), The First Lady (1968), and Journey to the Unknown (1968). Film roles include Corridors of Blood (1958), Passionate Summer (1958), Carlton-Browne of the F.O. (1959), Charles in Night Train for Inverness (1960), and Jimmie Noonan in The Whisperers (1967). Theatre appearances include Oliver! (1960), Siddy Blitztein in the original production of Blitz! (1962) . . . and ‘Puck’ . . . in . . . A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1966). . . . In 1994 Kaye won the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) award for ‘Best British Song’ at the Cavan International Song Festival with his song “You Will Find Me There”. Kaye co-wrote the song “If I Was President”, which was recorded by Wyclef Jean, and also worked on the song “Take Me With You”, which was recorded by L.L. Cool J and featured 50 Cent in 2009. With Bill Dare he is half of the ukulele duo ‘The Ukaye Ukes’. Kaye was King Rat of the British show-business charity the Grand Order of Water Rats from 2006 to 2008, and was ‘Rat of the Year’ in 2004.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaplan_Kaye

The icing on the cake for Kaplan is his ’82 song that reached #19 in the UK by mocking John McEnroe’s temper tantrums! The Guardian writes (in a story about one-hit wonders) that:

The Brat
Chalk Dust: The Umpire Strikes Back
No 19, July 1982
Line-up: Kaplan Kaye and Roger Kitter (vocals and commentary)

Kaplan Kaye: McEnroe hated it! It was the year McEnroe was headlining the news with his tantrums and he said we were jumping on the bandwagon, which was quite true. He wasn’t impressed when we sneaked into his press party in Kensington, London. Roger went to the loo, quickly got changed and came out in his McEnroe headband. He stormed the photo shoot and started singing “You cannot be serious!” while I shouted “The ball was OUT!” We got so much press coverage the record took off and stayed in the charts for eight weeks. It was even number one in Belgium. We didn’t make a follow-up. I now run Kaplan Kaye Enterprises, a theatrical agency, management, music publishing and recording company. Roger tours with Jim Davidson doing stand-up comedy and he also has a leading role in the new film Suzie Gold.

https://www.theguardian.com/arts/page/0,,1074166,00.html

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