Author Archives: georgefishman2

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 867) The Original Caste — “Highway” This ‘70 B-side to the Original Caste’s Canadian hit “Mr. Monday” (see #659) is pure pop pleasure that gives the listener a portal into the Fifth Dimension. Band founder Bruce Innis says “I wrote it for DixieContinue reading “The Original Caste — “Highway”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — June 20, 2023″

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 866) The Dovers — “What Am I Gonna Do” This is a song in “the pantheon of sixties garage rock classics. . . . [f]ew tracks of the decade are so plaintively innocent, and almost none are so perfect.” (Matt Ryan, http://strangecurrenciesmusic.com/on-distant-stations-the-dovers/) ItsContinue reading “The Dovers — “What Am I Gonna Do”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — June 19, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 865) The Kinks — “Mr. Pleasant” This “[i]nsanely catchy Music Hall whimsy” (Thomas Martinussen, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwpJGewUyYk) by the Kinks (see #100, 381, 417, 450, 508, 529, 606, 623, 753) displays Ray Davies “penchant for sarcasm. Even before the end of the song, with allContinue reading “The Kinks — “Mr. Pleasant”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — June 18, 2023″

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 864) Mark LeVine — “Going to the Country” Today I will let my freak flag fly and spin a: Steve Simels says of “Going to the Country” — no, not the Steve Miller Band song! — that: My new favorite song. . .Continue reading “Mark LeVine — “Going to the Country”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — June 17, 2023″

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 863) Embryo — “Opal” A “pure Krautrock masterpiece” (https://roundandroundrecords.com/products/embryo-opal-lp) by a band Miles Davis described as “crazy creative musicians playing really weird stuff” (https://www.jazzmessengers.com/en/87525/embryo/opal-gatefold-colored-vinyl) Maybe because “[b]and leader Christian Burchard was . . . hanging out with the Amon Duul commune of freaksContinue reading “Embryo — “Opal”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — June 16, 2023″

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 862) The Knickerbockers — “One Track Mind” No Lies, the Knickerbockers’ follow-up single “sounds even more like a Beatles recording than its predecessor” (me-n-my45, https://www.45cat.com/record/hlh10013) and “gets even closer to Beatlemania. . . . teeter[ing] on the edge of hysteria, with moptop-shaking harmoniesContinue reading “The Knickerbockers — “One Track Mind”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — June 15, 2023″

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 861) Maurice Gibb — “Railroad” The first of Maurice’s (see #353, 354, 466) two singles (the other not til ’84) is “an absolutely sensational little song” (Tim Roxborogh, https://www.roxboroghreport.com/2020/04/samantha-gibb-covers-her-dads-greatest-song-my-flashbacks-to-being-backstage-with-the-bee-gees-in-1999.html) and a wonderful “throwback to country-pop balladry”. (Richie Unterberger, https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-loner-mw0001053220 (though I don’t thinkContinue reading “Maurice Gibb — “Railroad”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — June 14, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD Ah, the team of Pete Atkin and Clive James (see #263). It’s as if Gilbert and Sullivan woke up in Swinging London. And I’m not talkin’ Gilbert O’Sullivan! Christopher Evans: In the early ’70s, the songwriting partnership of Pete Atkin and Clive JamesContinue reading “All Aboard the Pete Atkin “Midnight Special” Edition: Pete Atkin— “Girl on the Train”, Pete Atkin — “The Original Honky Tonk Night Train Blues”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — June 13, 2023″

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD John Williams (see #402, 784) was Jimmy Page’s partner in folk. As Corbin explains: John Williams was an artist in the mold of Donovan a sort of traditional folk artist with a twist. . . . He hailed from Bedford, England, a townContinue reading “All Aboard the John Williams “Midnight Special” Edition: John Williams — “C’mon Train”, John William — “Train”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — June 12, 2023″

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 856) The Stone Poneys — “2:10 Train” The last song on the Stone Poneys’ (see #751) first album is a wondrous folk rock creation, a “particularly fine vehicle for the striking vocals of [Linda] Ronstadt . . . only 20” (Paul Sexton, https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/stone-poneys-stone-poneys-album/?amp),Continue reading “The Stone Poneys — “2:10 Train”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — June 11, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 855) Poet and the One Man Band — “Ride Out on the Morning Train” (see #710) Utterly magical folk rock by some future musical luminaries, including guitar legend Albert Lee and two future members of Sandy Denny’s Fotheringay. What is it about trainsContinue reading “Poet and the One Man Band — “Ride Out on the Morning Train”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — June 10, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 854) Benjamin — “Un Train” Cool fuzz-drenched garage rock, straight outta Paris, by a mysterious tramp named Benjamin. Kevin du 77 tells us (courtesy of Google Translate) that: “Un train is an original composition released on vogue in 1966 with Jacques Dutronc andContinue reading “Benjamin — “Un Train”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — June 9, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 853) Buddy Miles — “Train” ’68 A/B side and track off the Buddy Miles Express’ first album, Expressway to Your Skull. Miles (see #112, 221, 366, 629) “was force of nature as a drummer, vocalist, and bandleader”. (Jamie Ludwig, https://chicagoreader.com/music/buddy-miles-wrings-every-drop-of-emotion-from-the-segment/) As Dusty GrooveContinue reading “Buddy Miles — “Train”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — June 8, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 852) The Souls (featuring Ann Reed) — “The Train” OK, this cool chugging rock ballad sung by Ann Reed was apparently on Mad Men Season 7, Episode 9 (“New Business”, April 12, 2015) “while Pete and Don are driving to their golf clientContinue reading “The Souls (featuring Ann Reed) — “The Train”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — June 7, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 851) The Aerovons — “The Train” The Aerovons’ (see #16) first A-side is “their poppiest number, which echoes both the Hollies and the Bee Gees” (Richie Unterberger, https://www.allmusic.com/album/resurrection-mw0000359226), the band’s “attempt at a commercial single, and we all felt bad about being upContinue reading “The Aerovons — “The Train”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — June 6, 2023″

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 850) We the People — “In the Past” This “astonishing” (Garage Beat ’66: Vol. 6: Speak of the Devil CD comp) ’66 B-side by the Orlando, Florida, garage rock “super-group” (see #495) is “way cool” (On the Flip-Side, http://ontheflip-side.blogspot.com/2012/12/song-of-week-we-people-you-burn-me-up.html?m=1), “a masterpiece” (Kurt Curtis,Continue reading “We the People — “In the Past”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — June 5, 2023″

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 849) Bryan Davies — “Watch What You Say” No “Lies”, this ’64 A-side — a spot-on Beatles pastiche by Aussie teen idol Bryan Davies — is the greatest early Beatles imitation I have ever heard. Sorry, Knickerbockers (see #718)! And, as Aaron CarterContinue reading “Bryan Davies — “Watch What You Say”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — June 4, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 848) Le Bain Didonc – “4 Cheveux Dans Le Vent”/”4 Hairs in the Wind” As Alextwist sagely notes, while John Lennon once quiped that “‘French rock is like English wine’”[, w]ell he was wrong”! (https://www.topito.com/top-chansons-rock-francais-60s) Here is one of Twist’s “10 essential FrenchContinue reading “Le Bain Didonc – “4 Cheveux Dans Le Vent”/”4 Hairs in the Wind”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — June 3, 2023″

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 847) The Humblebums — “Her Father Didn’t Like Me Anyway” This unforgettable song is my favorite by the Humblebums (see #556), and one of John Peel’s favorites too. (https://peel.fandom.com/wiki/Humblebums). Penned by Gerry Rafferty, it is “the most exquisite song I know examining theContinue reading “The Humblebums — “Her Father Didn’t Like Me Anyway”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — June 2, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 837) Sam and Dave — “I Take What I Want” This utter classic ’65 A-side was written by, of course, Isaac Hayes and David Porter, and as laid down by Sam & Dave was “[a] perfect balance of pop melody and pure churchContinue reading ““I Take What I Want” Special Edition: Sam and Dave/The Artwoods/The La De Das: Sam and Dave — “I Take What I Want”, The Artwoods — “I Take What I Want”, The La De Das — “I Take What I Want”, Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — June 1, 2023”