La Fin de La Semaine Essay Question: Special "The Times They Are A-Changin' -- Into What, I Have No Freaking Idea" Edition

A friend writes:

Wow.

So I went back and read the lyrics to "Dawn of Correction" - the answer record to Barry McGuire's Top Ten 1965 protest hit "Eve of Destruction." By a studio group called The Spokesmen.

"DOC" was seen at the time as the ultimate anti-hippie song.

But in light of where we are now...It's wild at how far the MAGA Goons have gone.

Complete verses here - check the underscored/bolded lyrics:

You tell me that marches won't bring integration
But look what it's done for the voter registration
Be thankful our country allows demonstrations
Instead of condemnin', make some recommendations
I don't understand the cause of your aggravation
You mean to tell me, boy, it's not a better situation?
So over and over again, you keep sayin' it's the end
But I say you're wrong, we're just on the dawn of correction

You missed all the good in your evaluation
What about the things that deserve commendation?
Where there once was no cure, there's vaccination
Where there once was a desert, there's vegetation
Self-government's replacing colonization
What about the Peace Corp. organization?
Don't forget the work of the United Nations

Whew.

Wow indeed.

I mean really -- I remembered "DOC" as a laughable right-wing unhip Archie Bunkerish piece of shit, but upon relistening it seems like...jeez, the voice of sensible reason, at least in the context of the times we're currently enduring/living in. Kind of a mind boggler, actually,

And speaking of mind bogglers, have I mentioned that "DOC" was written by -- wait for it -- the team of John Medara and David White, who earlier wrote Danny and the Juniors' immortal anthems "At the Hop" and "Rock-and-Roll is Here to Stay"(!) and (later) Lesley Gore's proto-feminist(!) classic "You Don't Own Me."

Have I said wow?

Okay, moving right along, and politics aside, I must confess that I wasn't a fan of the original Barry McGuire record.

I thought the lyrics were trite, McGuire's vocal an unintentional parody of earnest folkie bullshit, and that the instrumental backing (granted, by the incomparable Wrecking Crew) was vastly inferior to the kind of then current Dylan-inspired folk-rock I dug, i,e, The Byrds or The Turtles.

In fact, my old band The Floor Models used to do an obviously tongue-in-cheek live version of it back in the day -- courtesy of our twelve-string genius Andy Pasternack, who switched one of the lyrics to...

"You may leave here for four days in space/
But when you return you can't find a parking place."

Heh.

Bottom line is, I never took the original as anything more than borderline kitsch. Until, that is, this 1984 cover by New Orleans punksters Red Rockers showed up on my MTV..

...and blew me away. I mean -- that's just fucking great, on every level. And I remember thinking -- why didn't we have the smarts to do it like that first?

Oh well. C'est la vie.

Which leads us to the weekend's business. To wit:

(A)...and your favorite (or least favorite) post-Elvis protest song (or topical song in general) is...???

And (B)...as recorded by who???

My fave, in case you haven't guessed, is Pete Seeger's great anti-nuclear war song. In the version by some mook whose name rhymes with Sleeve Nimels.

Discuss.

And have a great weekend, everybody!!!

[h/t Roadmaster]

Closed for Monkey Business: Special "If Only I Had Taylor Swift's Work Ethic" Edition

Friday's Weekend Essay Question post has turned out to be a much bigger and more time-consuming effort than anticipated, so nothing today. Sorry.

It'll be worth the wait, honest.

You Can't Copyright a Title (An Occasional Series)

From 1971, it's The Rolling Stones and "Bitch."

And from 1997, it's Meredith Brooks and, er, a "Bitch" of a different collar, if you'll pardon the rather too forced Oz joke.

I bring this up because I had completely forgotten the Brooks song until yesterday, when it came on the sound system at my local watering hole and I thought -- is Alannis Morissette making a comeback?

In any case, I decided that it's pretty cool that there are actually two different great guitar-driven rock songs with the same moniker.

Well, okay -- a great one and and a not terrible one.

Interesting historical irony: Apparently Brooks opened for the Stones in Argentina in 1998 on two consecutive afternoons, and on day one she got booed off the stage for some reason. The following day, she was booed off again, but before exiting, she performed her "Bitch" as a Fuck You! to the audience. I have not been able to determine if the Stones did their "Bitch" later in the show.

Today We Are a Blurb: Special "Klaatu Barada Nikto!" Edition

In case I haven't mentioned it previously, the incomparable Willie Nile has a brilliant new live album out...

...and as you can see, I am honored to have my review -- succinct and, I think, accurate -- gracing the shrinkwrap.

Here's my favorite track, "The Day the Earth Stood Still." An epochal rocker (originally on Willie's 2021 studio album of the same name)...

...that not only kicks major ass but whose lyrics do total justice to the great sci-fi film of the same name. (The 1951 original, not the misbegotten Keanu Reeves remake).

Long-time readers are aware of my enthusiasm for Willie's work; I remain convinced that his eponymous 1980 debut LP is one of the great folk/rock/punkish/jangle artifacts of its decade, and he's made several others easily in the same league. I should add that a glorious live show he did soon after said debut with his non pareil original band (recorded in Central Park for a radio broadcast that aired in NYC on the old WNEW-FM, if memory serves) is also eminently worth hearing; a CD of it can be ordered at Amazon over HERE, along with the rest of Willie's extensive catalog, and -- of course -- the new one.

BTW, if you're a creaky old person like me, and can't quite make out what I said about Live at Daryl's House Club -- as immortalized in that attractive yellow cover sticker -- without reaching for your reading glasses, just click on the photo and enlarge it. Sorry, I'm too lazy to reproduce it as text here.

POINT-COUNTERPOINT!!!

The Strokes, in 2006. "You Only Live Once."

Nancy Sinatra, in 1967. "You Only Live Twice."

How do you say "Jane, you ignorant slut!!!" in Yiddish?

Weekend Listomania: Special "Who Could Have Predicted That a Porn Star Would Save Democracy?" Bad Girls Edition

Well, it's Friday, and you know what that means.

Yes, it's time to take a pre-Passover break from the unprecedented morality play taking place in a courtroom in New York City for the next several weeks. I mean, I don't know about you guys, but I'n old enough to remember when a President got impeached over a blowjob, so despite my Trumpian animus (I couldn't get on the current jury, alas) the entertainment value of this new Trial of the Century is wearing a little thin for me.

Although I'll concede that Stormy Daniels is more fetching (heh) than Monica Lewinsky.

Okay, but with that out of the way, it's on to business. To wit:

Best or worst post-Elvis song featuring a disagreeable, mean, disreputable, disloyal or frankly criminal woman (of overly easy virtue) -- fictional or real life -- in its title or lyrics!!!

No arbitrary rules, although if you nominate the Donna Summers' hit or that Taylor Swift thing I'm tossing them just because.

And my totally Top of My Head Top Seven is...

7. Respectable (The Rolling Stones)

"She's a rag trade girl, she's the queen of porn/She's the easiest lay on the White House lawn"

Heh.

6. Centerfold (The J. Geils Band)

Your blood runs cold? Oh puhleeze guys -- are you boasting or complaining?

5. Maneater (Hall and Oates)

I dunno, I always thought the girl in this particular song was getting a bad rap.

4. Femme Fatale (The Velvet Underground + Nico)

Inspired by tragic Warhol superstar Edie Sedgwick, who I would definitely liked to have met. If you know what I mean.

3. You Know I'm No Good (Amy Winehouse)

This one gets bonus points for honesty, obviously. Equally obviously, Amy could have had me if she'd played her cards right, nice Jewish girl that she was.

2. She's So Mean (Matchbox Twenty)

I'm, shall we say, not (er) remotely a fan of this band, so as far as I'm concerned they deserved the titular beyotch.

And the Numero Uno shady dame in the history of recorded music absolutely has to be...

1. Stormy (Classics IV)

C'mon -- if you don't know why, you really haven't been paying attention.

Alrighty then -- what would YOUR choices be?

And have a great weekend, everybody!!!

Roll Over Jerry Lewis

Okay, this is too cool for words. Our friends The Lemon Twigs just made the cover of Rolling Stone -- the Gallic edition!!!

And while you're letting that sink in, here's the kids' latest song. Tres formidable, n'est-ce pas?

Now the only real question is how do you say "Gonna send five copies to my mother" in French?

Closed for (Ocular) Monkey Business

Had (non-emergency) laser surgery on my right eye yesterday.

Not walking into walls at the moment, so the chances are good that regular posting resumes on the morrow.

That Kool Kinks Kover I've Been Threatening to Post. Finally!!!

From just a few weeks ago, please enjoy unlikely supergroup Tall Poppy Syndrome and (IMHO) a verging on transplendent remake of The Kinks' 1970 album track "This Time Tomorrow."

The song itself first impinged on our consciousness on the fab/gear Kinks commercial comeback LP Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround Part One. This new version, which has a becomingly "Can't Explain"-power chord vibe, is performed by one of the more interesting and unexpected all-star assemblages of recent years, including guitarist Vince Melouney(!), original member of the (psych-era) Bee Gees, and the incomparable Clem Burke, of Blondie, and more recently of indie faves The Tearaways(!!), on drums. Guitarist Jonathan Lea, of the critically-acclaimed The Jigsaw Seen, and singer Paul Kopf and bassist Alec Palao of Strangers In A Strange Land and the current version of garage rock royalty The Seeds, are in there as well.

I dig the cover the most, but here's the original Kinks version by way of comparison. I think the new one more than does it justice, but YOU make the call.

I should add that if these Tall Poppy guys drop any other stuff in the not too distant future, I'll let you know toot sweet.

The Greatest Song Ever. I'm Not Kidding About This!!!

Okay, I realize this has nothing to do with the mission statement of this here blog, but it's so fabulous I couldn't resist.

Gay Frogs!!!!

And don't worry, despite the news and stuff happening in the real world, I'm not gonna go all political on you.

For example, that interesting new Kinks cover I mentioned last week is up tomorrow -- promise!!!

Have I mentioned GAY FROGS!!!!!????????