THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD
2,163) The Left Banke — “I Haven’t Got the Nerve”
I’ve gathered up the nerve to play one of the earliest songs and recordings (late ’65/early ’66 (Andrew Sandoval, liner notes to the CD comp There’s Gonna Be a Storm: The Complete Recordings 1966-1969)) by the Left Banke, who “for a brief and exciting moment . . . were one of the best and most innovative American bands in rock & roll.” “‘I Haven’t Got the Nerve’ manages the unique feat of sounding like a convincing R&B stomper played by Bach.” (Michael Hann, https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2012/mar/23/old-music-left-banke-desiree) They “never swung or slapped as hard as they did here.” (Dave Segal, https://www.facebook.com/dave.segal/posts/gather-round-boomers-and-gen-xersand-maybe-a-few-millennials-apropos-of-nothing-/10163838495573237/) In fact, “[r]epeated listens only further hammer the decisive harpsichord riff . . . into your head” (Dandelion1967, https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/walk-away-renee-pretty-ballerina-album-appreciation-thread.948782/), a riff which Folk Implosion sampled on their ’95 #29 hit “Natural One”.
Mark Deming writes of the LB’s debut LP:
[T]he Left Banke pioneered something new with their debut single, 1967’s “Walk Away Renee,” which incorporated a small string section, harpsichord, and woodwinds to give the song a light yet dramatic Baroque flavor that was unique in rock at the time, and a perfect complement to the song’s bittersweet tale of unrequited love. The . . . follow-up, “Pretty Ballerina,” was even more striking, and while the group started to fall apart almost as soon as they achieved success, their debut album . . . was one of the best LPs released in a year full of innovation in pop music. Michael Brown, the group’s keyboard player, wrote most of the songs, and with producer and arranger Henry Lookofsky (who was also Brown’s father) he helped brainstorm the unusual sound of the Left Banke’s material, but vocalist Steve Martin-Caro also played a major role in these sessions; his vocals, which could go from the wistful “Barterers and Their Wives” to the full-on rock shouting of “Lazy Day” at the drop of a hat, are impressive, and he helped write three of the album’s best songs, “She May Call You Up Tonight” and “I Haven’t Got the Nerve,” and “Shadows Breaking Over My Head.” . . . [M]ost of the tracks were dominated by session musicians rather than actual bandmembers, and in many respects, this album was a triumph for the producers and arrangers . . . as much as the band, but they also gave this LP a remarkably diverse feel, from the Baroque sound of the hit singles and the formal-dress psychedelia of “Shadows Breaking Over My Head,” to the country-rock accents of “What Do You Know,” and the straightforward rock of “Lazy Day” and “Evening Down.”
https://www.allmusic.com/album/walk-away-ren%C3%A9e-pretty-ballerina-mw0000845255
Richie Unterberger tells their story:
The Left Banke are one of the best and most definitive examples of ‘60s Baroque pop . . . . Centered around the songwriting of keyboardist Michael Brown, the Left Banke’s membership was often shuffled, and internal tensions caused several breakups and line-up reconfigurations. . . . The Left Banke formed in New York in 1965, featuring then-teenage prodigy Brown as keyboardist and chief songwriter, and the soaring, near-falsetto lead vocals of Steve Martin (aka Steve Martin Caro), bassist Tom Finn, drummer George Cameron and guitarist Jeff Winfield. . . . When the[ir initial] recordings failed to interest companies in signing the band, the Left Banke broke up, and Brown moved to California. A backing track for “Walk Away Renee” had already been completed, and the other members overdubbed vocals in Brown’s absence. The song was released on Smash and became a hit in 1966, and the musicians reunited to tour and continue recording. Their second single “Pretty Ballerina” also had chart success, and a debut album was assembled around these two songs. . . . Due to the ornate nature of their music (which often employed session musicians), the Left Banke’s sound was difficult to reproduce on the road, and Brown wanted to concentrate on writing and recording while the rest of the musicians took to the road. . . . Brown’s bandmates wanted to oust his father as the act’s manager. In early 1967, Brown went as far as to record a Left Banke single without them, using vocalist Bert Sommer. That single (“And Suddenly”) didn’t draw much attention, and for a brief time in September 1967, the original members were recording together again. After just one single (“Desiree”), though, Brown left for good. Most of the group’s second album, The Left Banke Too, was recorded without him. While it still sported Baroque arrangements and contained some fine moments, Brown’s absence was noticeable. Brown went on to work with Baroque-psych group Montage [see #252, 1,091, 1,420, 1,952] which released some work in the late ’60s. He later teamed up to form Stories with vocalist Ian Lloyd and had a number one hit with the project’s 1973 single “Brother Louie.” . . . Brown, Martin and unknown musicians made a few recordings in late 1969; then, oddly, the original group re-formed for a fine early 1971 single on Buddah (“Love Songs in the Night” b/w “Two by Two”), although the record itself was credited to Steve Martin.
Here is Folk Implosion:
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