Author Archives: georgefishman2

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 732) Joe Tex — “Looking for My Pig” “Where you at, Rufus?” JT’s ’64 novelty homage to Rufus Thomas’s big novelty hit “Walking the Dog” is a hoot, coming months before “Hold What You’ve Got”, his big pop hit breakthrough single. As RichieContinue reading “I’m Not Walking My Dog, I’m Looking for My Pig! Special Edition: Joe Tex/Ray Hoff and the Offbeats: Joe Tex — “Looking for My Pig”, Ray Hoff and the Off Beats — “Lookin’ for My Pigs”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 15, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 731) The Electric Banana — “Eagle’s Son” This is classic stuff. Don’t take my word for it — Tim Sendra calls “Son” “ferocious post-psych meets hard rock” (https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-complete-de-wolfe-sessions-mw0003305801), David Wells calls it “awesome” and “simply irresistible” (liner notes to The Electric Banana: TheContinue reading “The Electric Banana — “Eagle’s Son”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 14, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 730) The Buckinghams — “It’s a Beautiful Day (For Lovin’)” As we approach Valentine’s Day, let me play one of the Buckinghams’ (see #409, 413, 632) greatest love songs/their last charting single (albeit #126 in Sept. ’69). Jim Newsom calls it a “pleasant,Continue reading “The Buckinghams — “It’s a Beautiful Day (For Lovin’)”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 12, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 729) The Nuchez — “Open Up Your Mind Now” Mike Dugo calls this ’66 Chicago Rembrandt Records A-side a “classic psychedelic opus with a nice organ base and free flowing fuzz”. (liner notes to Garage Beat ’66: Vol. 5: Readin’ Your Will!) DaveContinue reading “The Nuchez — “Open Up Your Mind Now”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 11, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 728) Jack Grunsky — “Catherine” This unforgettable ’68 folk pop A-side (well, in Austria, Germany, Denmark and Spain) is an irresistible portrait of Catherine. Was the enigmatic woman a prostitute, a pin-up girl, a seductress, a siren? Only Jack Grunsky (see #566) knows.Continue reading “Jack Grunsky — “Catherine”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 10, 2023″

https://www.allmusic.com/album/chariot-rising-mw0000378044 THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 727) Dantalian’s Chariot — “Sun Came Bursting Through My Cloud” After featuring Zoot Money (see #726), I had to play his glorious nine-month ’67 psychedelic world detour with Dantalian’s Chariot. Here comes the beautiful “Sun Came Bursting Through My Cloud”! What, youContinue reading “Dantalian’s Chariot — “Sun Came Bursting Through My Cloud”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 9, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 726) Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band — “Big Time Operator” Zoot Money was “quite simply the biggest character on the British rhythm and blues scene since the early 1960s” (http://zootmoney.org/bio/), but this 45 was his only one to hit the money (#25 inContinue reading “Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band — “Big Time Operator”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 8, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 725) The Merseybeats — “Don’t Turn Around” This delightful Mersey ballad reached #13 in the UK in ’64 but is pretty unknown in the U.S. Richie Unterberger calls “much of the [their] best stuff [including “Don’t Turn Around”] among the better unknown (inContinue reading “The Merseybeats — “Don’t Turn Around”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 7, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 724) Les 5 Gentlemen – “LSD 25 Ou Les Metamorphoses De Margaret Steinway” Can you guess what “LSD 25” is about? Here’s a clue: Fou de Rock says this psych/garagey number from “the best French band of the mid-60s” has “fuzz guitars andContinue reading “Les 5 Gentlemen – “LSD 25 Ou Les Metamorphoses De ok I’m Steinway”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 6, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 723) Parliament — “Red Hot Mama” Red hot ‘71 Parliament A-side that, as Ned Raggett says, has “an explosive Eddie Hazel solo, turning into a slow monster riff that rivals whatever Jimmy Page and Tony Iommi were coming up with in 1970.” (https://www.allmusic.com/album/first-thangs-mw0000092023)Continue reading “Parliament — “Red Hot Mama”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 5, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 722) Michael Polnareff — “Qui A Tué Grand’ Maman” A stunning and achingly beautiful song that Michel (see #120, 157) wrote in reaction to the suicide of his mentor and friend. Lauren Fay Levy writes: Nudge your Serge Gainsbourg record over a smidgeContinue reading “Michael Polnareff — “Qui A Tué Grand’ Maman”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 4, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 721) Georgie Fame — “Fully Booked” This song is one of Georgie’s (see #103, 169, 634, 695) hilariously randy classics, like Dr. Kitch. I count 23 woman who have got him all booked up: Milly, Molly, Mona, Molene, Mandy, Cindy, Shelia, Sally, Cherene,Continue reading “Georgie Fame: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 3, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 720) Mojo — “Beside Me” An utterly gorgeous ballad from San Francisco’s Mojo (formerly the Mojo Men). As Matthew Greenwald writes: A fine, elegant pop statement, “Beside Me” crosses sunny Southern California pop with a strong, East Coast urban “city” feel. Extremely well-writtenContinue reading “Mojo — “Beside Me”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 2, 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 likeContinue reading “Kaplan — “I Like”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — February 1, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 718) The Knickerbockers — “High on Love” The Knickerbockers were more than a one-hit wonder — no Lies! This awesome power poppy number reached #94. Andrew Sandoval tells us that: “In the ’60s it was all about being high,” says songwriter Keith Colley,Continue reading “The Knickerbockers — “High on Love”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — January 31, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 717) The Bee Gees — “Melody Fair” The Bee Gees (see # 291, 353, 354, 439, 466, 484, 497, 570, 594) outdid themselves with this Beatlesque and “ethereal ballad[]”. (Bruce Eder, https://www.allmusic.com/album/odessa-mw0000192945) Uncut says that it is “perhaps the most fetching cut inContinue reading “The Bee Gees — “Melody Fair”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — January 30, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 716) Dave Clark Five — “19 Days” I love the Dave Clark Five (see #208, 320, 411, 412, 565) for their glorious hits and underappreciated ballads. Richie Unterberger says that “Nineteen Days” “was the only hit [’66] single [from their ’67 U.S. albumContinue reading “Dave Clark Five — “19 Days”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — January 29, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 715) Cavaliers — “Seven Days of Crying” Blistering ’66 garage track from Lynwood, in L.A. County, California. When love turns to hate . . . Back from the Grave says: [T]he group of high school pals began in 1964 as a surf instro[mental]Continue reading “Cavaliers — “Seven Days of Crying”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — January 28, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 714) Andwella — “Four Days in September” Grand Irish ballad from People’s People, Andwella’s third and last album. It sounds so ahead of its time — it would have been a hit ten for twenty years later. Radio stations would play it soContinue reading “Andwella — “Four Days in September”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — January 27, 2023”

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD 713) The Beau Brummells — “Two Days to Tomorrow” Coming after their commercial prime, this warm and wonderful ’67 A-side by the Beau Brummells is, as Alex Palao says, “a “glorious single, perhaps their finest hour in the studio.” (liner notes to LoveContinue reading “The Beau Brummells — “Two Days to Tomorrow”: Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! — January 26, 2023”