This one from South Africa was #3 on the charts in the US, where I remember it being in high rotation (probably on WLS with Larry Lujak out of Chicago)
Apparently it’s “thing” now to use half-forgotten frothy pop songs from the Bubblegum era to ironically underscore the extreme violence in the entirely-forgettable genre of Netflix live-action graphic novels.
I’ve mixed emotions on that. I don’t know what effect they’re going for. But I can’t criticize incongruous music. In 1994’s Colonel Chaubert, a horrific calvary charge was shown underscored with Schubert’s mournful Sonata in A major D959 2nd movement, effectively conveying what old books describe as “the pity of war.” The pilot episode of The Leftovers used the same piece over a riot scene, but only came off as pretentious.
My comment was in reference to songs not getting play on terrestrial radio, not movies or TV. That’s a whole different thing.
Reading this thread, I wondered what song would, out of nowhere, pop up in my head.
I am pleased to say it was Lucy and Ramona by Mike Nesmith.
Aah, yes, sorry.
Whoa, mind blown! I was four when the Hot Butter version was all the rage, and it was inevitable for a few months and sounded very futuristic at that time (it was one of the first electronic hits). But I’ve never known that it was a cover, and how I like the original! And though there’s only a three year gap between, I know that there were fast evolutions of synths between 1969 and 1972, which makes the original (which is much more complex, I’ve always thought that the Hot Butter version is a perfect example for effective minimalist music) even more remarkable.
Thanks to this thread I’ve been rediscovering all the music I’d forgotten about in my collection and on Youtube. On the upside, I have a very expanded play list for the Summer. On the downside, if I never hear another slide guitar boogie in G it will be too soon. Southern rock of the late 70s was fun, but kinda one-dimensional.
I’m a pretty big Who fan.
I was watching some TV show recently, and the intro music was Slip Kid, and it reminded me of how awesome that song is, and that I rarely hear it.
No offense taken, MrDibble! It is interesting how many times “Mister Blue Sky” has been used in other media. Another example of that is Donovan’s 1968 hit “Hurdy Gurdy Man.” (One of my all-time fave psychedelic relics!) It’s been used dozens of times in comedies, dramas, horror films and TV shows. It’s probably not a song a lot of people remember from Donovan, but somehow it keeps showing up time and again because it fits all manner of situations. I hope he’s getting residuals for it!
There are also artist that seem to get overlooked who were quite a thing back in the day.
James Gang - Walk Away
Steve Miller - Abracadabra
Robin Trower - Day of the Eagle
Robert Palmer - Addicted to Love, Riptide
Hehe, and today I learned that there’s a connection between the two. Stan Free, the guy who fronted Hot Butter played in Kingsley’s The First Moog Quartet. They used “Popcorn” for a closer.
More accurately titled Cruisin’, though I call it Sunset Sam, so pick whichever you prefer.
Eminem just released a song sampling this. I could have gone the rest of my life without hearing it again
Abra abra cadabra
I wanna reach out and stab ya!
Just so people know, those are not the real words.
But is how I feel about whoever wrote those lyrics
It was for me a pleasure to rediscover some early Monkees tunes.
There are some real gems in the early Monkees albums. They got stuff from good songwriters.
And they had Mike Nesmith, who was a very good songwriter in his own right.
Without a doubt.
And themselves. “Randy Scouse Git” was written by Mickey and “Goin’ Down” is a jam by all four with Diane Hildebrand’s lyrics.