I just love a rock star with a sense of humor. Let's face it, rock and roll can be a silly business. That's probably why I have a soft spot for Nick Lowe.
Nick Lowe is best known to most 'mericans as the producer of the first six or so Elvis Costello albums. He later married Johnny Cash's stepdaughter. He teamed with Dave Edmunds in the band Rockpile, which was prevented from recording as a group for several years because they were signed to different labels. They got around this by separating the songs onto each other's solo albums. When the band finally was able to record a group effort, they only lasted one LP before breaking up..
Nick Lowe's first solo effort remains one of my favorite LP's.
Nick Lowe - Jesus of Cool (Radar 1978)
Love the title. The cover features Lowe presenting various cartoonish rock stars. The photo in the bottom center is Dave Edmunds.
And some kitchy glass swans on the back cover.
Some interesting inner sleeves as well.
When it was time to release in the USA, we got some changes.
Nick Lowe - Pure Pop For Now People (Columbia 1978)
Gone is the great title. I guess Columbia was afraid to offend those in the Bible Belt who would boycott the release. Personally I believe this to be a bad marketing move. Those people would probably buy the record just to publicly burn it which would drive up sales.
Half of the cover pictures were changed as well. We still get Dave Edmunds in the bottom center.
Gone are the tacky swans. Instead we get a photo of Lowe posing like Dave Edmunds.
And the inner sleeve was replaced by a notebook drawing of our new heartthrob.
The American version made some track changes. Instead of Shake and Pop, we get the Rockpile version of the same song, renamed They Called it Rock.
It deserves a lyric reprint.
They went and cut the record, the record hit the charts
Someone in the newspaper said that it was art
The disco casanova had it heavy on the breath
The local teeny-bopper band was playing it to death
Someone in the newspaper said that it was art
The disco casanova had it heavy on the breath
The local teeny-bopper band was playing it to death
They called it rock
The telephones are ringing, the boys are getting hot
They're jettin' out to Rio and some other sunny spots
Some senorita says the singer sounds terrific
The personal appearances are stopping the traffic
They're jettin' out to Rio and some other sunny spots
Some senorita says the singer sounds terrific
The personal appearances are stopping the traffic
They called it rock
Hey long distance, it's a rock and roll romance
CBS is gonna pay a great big advance
Hey Atlantic, come on take a chance
Arista say they love it but the kids can't dance to it
CBS is gonna pay a great big advance
Hey Atlantic, come on take a chance
Arista say they love it but the kids can't dance to it
They cut another record, it never was a hit
Someone in the newspaper said it was shit
The drummer is a bookie, the singer is a whore
The bass player's silly clothes he never would have wore
Someone in the newspaper said it was shit
The drummer is a bookie, the singer is a whore
The bass player's silly clothes he never would have wore
They called it rock
In addition there is an homage to ill fated silent film star Marie Provost. She was a faded movie queen who died in her apartment. Nobody noticed for quite some time. When the police arrived, she had been devoured by her hungry dog.
This one deserves a lyric reprint as well
Marie Provost did not look her best
The day the cops bust into her lonely nest
In the cheap hotel up on Hollywood West
July 29
She'd been lyin' there for two or three weeks
The neighbors said they never heard a squeak
For hungry eyes that could not speak
Said even little doggie's have got to eat
She was the winner
That became the doggie's dinner
She never meant that much to me
Woe, poor Marie
Marie Provost was a movie queen
Mysterious angel of the silent screen
And run like the wind the nation's young men steam
When Marie crossed the silent screen
Oh she came out west from New York
But when the talkies came Marie just couldn't cope
Her public said Marie take a walk
All the way back to New York
She was the winner
That became the doggie's dinner
She never meant that much to me
But now I see, poor Marie
Those Quaalude bombs didn't help her sleep
As her nights grew long and her days grew bleak
It's all downhill once you've passed your peak
Mary got ready for that last big sleep
The cops came in and they looked around
Throwing up everywhere over what they found
The handywork of Marie's little dachshund
That hungry little dachshund
She was the winner
That became the doggie's dinner
She never meant that much to me
Woe, poor Marie
Poor Marie, poor Marie, poor poor Marie
Poor Marie, poor Marie, poor Marie
The day the cops bust into her lonely nest
In the cheap hotel up on Hollywood West
July 29
She'd been lyin' there for two or three weeks
The neighbors said they never heard a squeak
For hungry eyes that could not speak
Said even little doggie's have got to eat
She was the winner
That became the doggie's dinner
She never meant that much to me
Woe, poor Marie
Marie Provost was a movie queen
Mysterious angel of the silent screen
And run like the wind the nation's young men steam
When Marie crossed the silent screen
Oh she came out west from New York
But when the talkies came Marie just couldn't cope
Her public said Marie take a walk
All the way back to New York
She was the winner
That became the doggie's dinner
She never meant that much to me
But now I see, poor Marie
Those Quaalude bombs didn't help her sleep
As her nights grew long and her days grew bleak
It's all downhill once you've passed your peak
Mary got ready for that last big sleep
The cops came in and they looked around
Throwing up everywhere over what they found
The handywork of Marie's little dachshund
That hungry little dachshund
She was the winner
That became the doggie's dinner
She never meant that much to me
Woe, poor Marie
Poor Marie, poor Marie, poor poor Marie
Poor Marie, poor Marie, poor Marie
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