Meet the Bagels

It's been a while since I posted a novelty record.

Meet the Bagels - Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, (Yeah, Yeah, Yeah) b/w I Wanna Hold Your Hair  Warner Brothers 1964)

A parody of 'you know who.'   As most of these things, the focus was on the things that were least important to the music.   We're talking hair and background vocals.  As we are all aware, these are the only things The Beatles were known for.

I Guess Those Were Different Times.

Rock and Roll in any incarnation has always had the element that existed just to shock and provoke.   Regardless of the artistic merit in the music, the promotion of shock is as old as the genre.  The shock image was played up in the press as a way to sell the music.   Elvis hips, Little Richard flamboyance, Beatles long hair, Rolling Stones bad behaviour, Bowie androgyny all played a part in the marketing.  (I'm not dissing any of these artists, their music has endured). 

Enter punk rock - a genre heavily influenced by The Rolling Stones and the British Invasion.  It started in the garages in the late '60's and had a lot of attitude.  It was not groomed by the industry.  The bands were raw and real.  We'll start with The Stooges.  Move on to The New York Dolls.  In the late '70's punk emerged as an alternative to snoozy arena rock which was force fed to us via corporate FM radio.  I'm looking at you REO Speedwagon.

Punk was no stranger to shock value over substance.   This is what caused punk to be ridiculed by mainstream music fans.  I'll give the following as an example and let the photo speak for itself.

The Ultimate Twist Record!

I love twist records.  I saw this at the Orange County (CA) Record Swap.   It was on Atlantic, so I was pretty sure it would be legitimate rather than a cash in record.

Carl Holmes and Commanders - Twist Party at the Roundtable (Atlantic 1962)

The record did not disappoint.

The energy of a seasoned R&B band playing twist music is stunning.   Remember that scene in Animal House when the frat went to see Otis Day and the Nights?  This has that level of excitement.

According to the back cover, everybody is twisting!

It had been said that rock and roll was in the doldrums between Elvis and The Beatles.   Play this record and prove those folks wrong.   It existed, but wasn't force fed to us on the radio.

Oh yeah, it's got a cool early Atlantic label.

Danny Kaye - Creepy Man Boy

I saw this at a thrift store recently. I found it so creepy that I had to buy it.

Danny Kaye  - Mommy, Gimme a Drink of Water (Capitol 1958)

It's a collection of Danny Kaye doing songs for children.  Harmless stuff, I know, but it's the cover that gets my mind going a bit.

So here we have Danny dressed like a cartoon version of a kid.  My first thought is some for some sort of game like 'Plumber and Lonely Housewife' or 'Airline Pilot and Stewardess Stranded in the Mountains After a  Rough Landing Trying to Keep Warm'

Yeah, little fun games like this can be fun amongst consenting adults.  'Playing on the See Saw' and 'Bathtub Admiral' have potential.

Add 'mommy' to the mix and it gets a little creepy in my book.

I once heard a comedienne years ago complain of a date where the gentleman wanted her to mother him.  She spit on a handkerchief an rubbed his face vigorously. 

My wife is downstairs as I type this.  Let's see how this plays out..  'Mommy, Gimme a Beer!"

I'll tell you later.

Roxy Music Cover Models #5 - Jerry Hall on Siren

After a brief break with tradition, Roxy Music returned to using a cover model Bryan Ferry was carrying on with.  The previous album featured two random German tourists in Portugal. This time out we get Jerry Hall

Roxy Music  - Siren (Island 1975)

Jerry, at the time, was soon to be engaged to Bryan Ferry.  So smitten with her that he recorded a solo single of Let's Stick Together which became a hit for him.

But the romance was not to be.  Jerry left him after a hear to hook up with Mick Jagger.  Ferry went on to record the bitter The Bride Stripped Bare solo album - sticking with his image as a hopeless romantic who never gets the girl.

The back features pencil sketched photos of the band.  A first for them as they've been relegated to the inner gatefold on previous releases.

At the time this was released, I was not a fan of ATCO pressings in the USA.  They were noisy and didn't possess a decent range.  At the time I was also a big fan of Roxy Music.  I had a US version of their previous LP Country Life which I traded someone for a German import.  I didn't want to chance an ATCO pressing on a Roxy Music album again.   So I opted to wait for a UK import to arrive.    Glad I did as it comes with a a special label.

Do You Think This Artist Would Have Gotten a Record Deal If They Didn't Have a Famous Family Member? #6 - Gary Lewis

Gary was the son of the famous Jerry Lewis.  He was discovered playing at Disneyland and quickly ushered into the studio.   Top notch session musicians were brought in.  One hit was penned by an outside songwriter.  An album quickly pulled together with sure fire covers.....

Gary Lewis and the Playboys - This Diamond Ring (Liberty 1965)

But, Let's check out the credits on this one.    Produced by Snuff Garrett.  Arranged by Leon Russell.  Hal Blaine on drums.  Carol Kaye on bass.  This Diamond Ring was written by Al Kooper.   Not slacker people by any means.

Ed Sullivan and Jerry Lewis on the cover - just in case you didn't know Gary was pedigreed with papers! 

Highlight for me is his cover of The Kinks' All Day and All Of the Night.  A great exciting riff offset by Gary's three note nasal vocal delivery.   

Allow me to get off topic. It was not uncommon at the time for teenagers to write their names on records.  This ensured the record got returned to the rightful owner after a party or sock hop.

In this particular case, the owner included their address and phone number.  Sometimes when the address is in my local metropolis I have the desire to drive by.  At the very least I look in Google Maps and take a gander at the house.  This record is over 50 years old.  Wouldn't it be fun to show up at the door.  " Hi, I have something that belongs to you.  Can you ever forgive me for not returning it sooner."

Nixon's the One

Nixon's campaign wanted a catchy campaign song.  In 1968, Vic Caesar pulled one together incorporating Nixon's campaign slogan of "Nixon's the One."    A 45  - with a picture sleeve no less - was handed out at rallies.  No record company was associated with it.  Not sure how many were pressed.

Fast forward to 1974.  We get this release.

The Vic Caesar Orchestra & Chorus - Nixon's the One b/w Nixon's the One (Instrumental) (Capitol 1974).

Why 1974 you ask?  He'd already won re-election for a second term in 1972.  He wasn't running for anything. 

Well, a certain break in with all fingers ultimately pointing at The President was in the public eye.  Many folks thought Nixon was the mastermind.   There was now radio station demand for the 1968 campaign song which now prophetically chanted "Nixon's the One."  Since no label was associated with the original, in steps Capitol to make it available commercially!    It was now a novelty record.

Mad Magazine in 1972 ran a list of rejected campaign slogans.  Nixon's was:  "Nixon was the one in 1968.  He'll be a bigger one in 1972."

Sinatra Sings for JFK

At a recent rummage fest through a pile of '45's I came across this little curio.  Knowing exactly what it was,  I got aroused and had to get my spindle into it right away. 

High Hopes with Jack Kennedy b/w Jack Kennedy All the Way (No label   1960)

What we got here is Frank Sinatra doing a campaign song for JFK!   I saw one for sale the other day for $750.   I paid far far less for it as I the seller had no idea what it was.

Backstory:

Only 1,000 of these were pressed.   They were given out at rallies - presumably to big donors - and local radio stations.   These were pressed by Capitol on vinyl (rather than styrene) which is fortunate as it held up nicely.

Sinatra takes his popular hit 'High Hopes' and reworks the lyrics in support of his candidate.  As history would have it, JFK won the election by defeating Richard Nixon.  Perhaps Nixon thought he lost because he didn't have a campaign 45.   He wouldn't repeat this shortfall in '68.  More on that in a Future post.

In the meantime, here are the lyrics.

Everyone is voting for Jack 
Cause he's got what all the rest lack 
Everyone wants to back -- Jack 
Jack is on the right track. 
'Cause he's got high hopes 
He's got high hopes 
Nineteen Sixty's the year for his high hopes. 
Come on and vote for Kennedy 
Vote for Kennedy 
And we'll come out on top! 
Oops, there goes the opposition - ker - 
Oops, there goes the opposition - ker - 
Oops, there goes the opposition - KERPLOP! 
K--E--DOUBLE N--E--D--Y 
Jack's the nation's favorite guy 
Everyone wants to back -- Jack 
Jack is on the right track. 
'Cause he's got high hopes 
He's got high hopes 
Nineteen Sixty's the year for his high hopes. 
Come on and vote for Kennedy 
Vote for Kennedy 
Keep America strong. 
Kennedy, he just keeps rollin' - a - 
Kennedy, he just keeps rollin' - a - 
Kennedy, he just keeps rollin' along.