Anyone out there besides me listen to them? They were a '60s counter culture folk band. Many of their lyrics were heavily drug influenced but go between being pretty witty or just weird. They are a guitar/violin duet most of the time with two singers.
On the album insert for The Moray Eels Eat the Holy Modal Rounders they mention that when they were recording it they all shot up heroin and had to delay the production because they couldn’t find one of the other musicians. He freaked out and hid in the closet for quite a while. Incidently, the above mentioned album has one of their only identifiable songs, Birdsong. It was featured in the movie Easy Rider. “So you want to be a bird…try a little flying… no denying…it get’s you high…” etc.
I Make A Wish For A Potato had such masterful work as the title track. In addition to the Synergy song that talks about Superman being on the can. Quite a nice song. There is also a pre/folk/techno song on this album. It was weird to hear how modern it sounds, especially coming from a folk band.
In I and II, The Holy Modal Rounders have a combined album. This one is probably the most professional sounding. A friend tells me that one of the songs sounds like the muppets singing it. Another song begins, “My pretty little Susie’s just half grown, she jumps on a man like a dog on a bone.” It made me laugh. That one wasn’t even the best song on the album, just the one that is in my head.
Overall they were a very quirky band. They had all sorts of drug referenced lyrics. On one of the above albums inserts, they have claims to being the first band to mention the word “psychadelic” within print or music lyrics.
Does anyone else listen to them? If so, please share a Holy Modal Rounder Story.
Nope, don’t know what album it appeared on but it was the #1 single in L. A. in 1975 according to this website http://www.efn.org/~dan_m/Weber.html My SO downloaded it for me to listen to but I’ll ask him if he knows what album it comes from and get back to you.
Hi, just heard back on that track. Unfortunately he doesn’t know what album it would be on since he taped it off the radio many years ago. Maybe it’s on one of the compilation albums? Sorry I couldn’t be of more help. Maybe some other knowledgeable dopers will chime in with the answer
What did you think about the song when you heard it? Depending on the album, I tend to think that they either didn’t know what they were doing at all (ie, too drugged up to play) or managed to pass into the realm of genius.
I thought it was hysterical! The tune alone is pretty bee-boppy, but the lyrics made me smile. “Do you wear your jock alot?” Oops, sorry, didn’t mean to make that sound like a personal question
I haven’t really heard much else by them but browsing some of the sites out there made me curious. Now I’ll have to see if I can find any of their stuff.
They are kinda hard to find. I would suggest getting I and II if you can find it since it has 29 songs on it all of varying styles. I am really going to have to find that one that you talked about.
PS. I only wear my jock at other’s requests. Mwuhahahaha
I did a quick Barnes and Noble search and found several albums–none with Boobs-a-lot on them, though. I may send for a couple for my SO because the only songs he has by them are those he taped from the radio so I’m sure he’d enjoy the CDs. Hmmm, maybe I’ll get him a jock, too.
Oops, missed laurmarlane’s link. That’s what I get for Doping during work. I’m not a big fan, I know them mainly from the Dr. Demento radio show. I like everything I can recall hearing from them, but not enough to think of of them when I’m hunting vinyl.
dorkusmalorkusmafia, do you listen to The Fugs? I know Stampfel and Weber played with/were member of The Fugs, which was a band formed by Ed Sanders, Tuli Kupferberg, and Ken Weaver. They’re kind of similar, and if you haven’t heard them, you ought to check them out.
I don’t know about The Holy Modal Rounders doing “Boobs a Lot”, the only version I’ve ever been familiar with was by The Fugs–along with Stampfel and Weber in the band, so maybe some claim it’s The Fugs, some claim it’s the Rounders? I don’t know, anyway, it’s on The Fugs first album, entitled, appropriately enough, The Fugs First Album.
Glue’s in the bottle-- Glue’s in the bottle
But there ain’t none for you!
Glue’s in the bottle, but there ain’t none for you.
I can’t abide no woman,
who goes ‘round sniffin’ glue!
I love the Rounders. They opened up bold “new” vistas for me.
I doubt I’d have ever looked up Zeke Manners & his Gang if it weren’t for HMR. Not quite as crazy, but close.
I saw the HMRs on Halloween 1985 in Portland, OregonÑback in my days at Reed College. They were great. As far as I know, Stampfel and Weber still live in Portland.
Woot. Other HMR fans. BTW, Larry, I am pretty sure they are singing “Blue’s in the bottle” rather than Glue since that is the name of the song. Incidently, that is also the song that reminds my friend of the Muppet Show.
