THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD
914) The Sparkles — “No Friend of Mine”
Straight outta Lubbock, TX, the Sparkles’ “masterpiece . . . [is] an incendiary effort distinguished by [a] snarling guitar lead and [a] remarkably anguished vocal” (Jason Ankeny, https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-sparkles-mn0000431652), with “the band . . . on fire”. (Jeff Jarema, liner notes to the CD comp Garage Beat ’66: Vol. 1: Like What, Me Worry?!) “Some of the hottest garage cuts of the ’60s came out of . . . Texas, and [this] stands near the top of the heap. . . . [with] a tough, driving sound complete with snarling fuzz guitar, while singer Lucky Floyd dishes out a soulful, screaming lead vocal that bristles with anger and hurt.” (Mike Stax, liner notes to the CD comp Nuggets (Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968)) “The passionate, Dylan-esque vocals on this track showcase the talents of Lucky Floyd, while the incredible guitar licks are provided by Gary Nunn. It’s hard to believe that this song did not break out and become a nationwide hit in 1967.” (Joe Knapp, https://musicmasteroldies.com/2011/02/18/new-oldies-no-friend-of-mine-by-the-sparkles/) The song, written by their manager, “is one crazy, snarly song with classic ‘don’t dare me’ styled lyrics. . . . telling the listener that they are not going to stand around and pull their hair out, because, woman, you ain’t no friend of theirs.” (On the Flip Side, http://ontheflip-side.blogspot.com/2011/07/song-of-week-no-friend-of-mine-sparkles.html)
As to the Sparkles, Jason Ankeny tells us that they “date back to 1957 and continued their performing career until 1972 . . . . After . . . the last remaining founding member . . . resigned circa 1965, [Lucky] Floyd and Bobby Smith recruited guitarists Gary P. Nunn and Louie Holt and drummer Jimmy Marriott to form the definitive Sparkles lineup . . . . (https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-sparkles-mn0000431652) Then, as Joe Knapp, relates:
The drummer for Roy Orbison, Larry Parks, agreed to produce the band and he got them signed to the Hickory label. Their first release, The Hip, was a major regional hit in the Austin area. They had become the hottest band in town, especially at the University of Texas. They followed this up with a couple more singles . . . . Then, in 1967, they cut this awesome track [“No Friend”]. By this time the group was very polished and tight, having played countless gigs around the Austin area. . . . . The guys put out one more single, Hipsville 29 BC, before Nunn and Holt called it quits. [The rest of the band] moved the whole band to California and changed their name to The Pearly Gate. While working there, they landed a gig playing a rock band on a TV show called Judd For The Defense. Legend has it that they were scheduled to play at a benefit for Bobby Kennedy on the same night he was assassinated. Eventually, they returned to Texas and changed the group’s name back to The Sparkles. At one point, they added a guitarist named Steve Weisberg, who later went on to play with John Denver. In 1972, when Lucky Floyd left for California to join a folk-rock group called Red Wilder Blue, the band finally had to call it quits for the last time.
https://musicmasteroldies.com/2011/02/18/new-oldies-no-friend-of-mine-by-the-sparkles/
Oh yeah, On the Flip Side was asked by Flipsider “One question, is the guy in the background saying Yeah! or is his lunch coming up? Can’t tell.” Flip-Side responded “[Y]es, Jack, I do think his lunch is coming up. If you had to smell Lubbock on a hot Summer night, your lunch would come up too. The smell of cows and their excrement is pretty dang powerful in Lubbock.” (http://ontheflip-side.blogspot.com/2011/07/song-of-week-no-friend-of-mine-sparkles.html)
Pittsburgh’s Swamp Rats also recorded a great version in ’67:
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