Fanny – Ain’t That Peculiar

I’m always on the lookout for new old music…I’ve heard this band mentioned by rock stars before like David Bowie…I see why a lot of musicians liked them. They opened up for some huge bands. They were one of the pioneer all-female rock bands.

Fanny was formed in the late sixties in Sacramento by two Filipina sisters, Jean and June Millington. Fanny would be the first all-female band to release an album on a major label (their self-titled debut, on Reprise, 1970) and land four singles in the Billboard Hot 100 and two in the top 40. The band played blues, rock, and some pop.

They never got that one big hit single to break them to the masses. The broke up in 1975 and reunited in 2018 and released an album titled Fanny Walked the Earth.

They really impressed David Bowie…he said in 1999:

“They were one of the finest fucking rock bands of their time,” “They were extraordinary: They wrote everything, they played like motherfuckers, they were just colossal and wonderful, and nobody’s ever mentioned them. They’re as important as anybody else who’s ever been, ever; it just wasn’t their time.”

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/fanny-lives-inside-the-return-of-the-pioneering-all-female-rock-band-125635/

Lowell George of Little Feat was another fan of the band and jammed with the group when they were in Los Angeles

Ain’t That Peculiar was a song written by Pete Moore, William Smokey Robinson, Bobby Rogers, and Marv Tarplin. Marvin Gaye covered it in 1965.

Fanny’s version peaked at #85 in the Billboard 100 in 1972.

Ain’t That Peculiar

You do me wrong but still
I’m crazy about you
Stay away too long
And I can’t do without you

Every chance you get
You seem to hurt me
More and more
But each hurt makes my love
Much stronger than before

I know that flowers
Grow with the rain
But how can love
Grow with the pain

Ain’t that peculiar
Ain’t that peculiar

You tell me lies that
Should be obvious to me
But I’m so much
In love with you, baby
That I don’t want to see

That the things you do and say
Are designed to make me blue
Now, it’s a doggone shame
My love for you makes
All your lies seem true

Now, if the truth
Makes love last longer
Why do lies make
My love stronger

Ain’t that peculiar
Ain’t that peculiar

You do me wrong but still
I’m crazy about you
Stay away too long
And I can’t do without you

Every chance you get
You seem to hurt me
More and more
But each hurt makes my love
Much stronger than before

I know that flowers
Grow with the rain
But how can love
Grow with the pain

Ain’t that peculiar
Ain’t that peculiar
Ain’t that peculiar
Ain’t that peculiar
Ain’t that peculiar
Ain’t that peculiar

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

50 thoughts on “Fanny – Ain’t That Peculiar”

  3. never heard the song , or the band. First quick take it sounds not bad… my home town had a pretty big Filipino population , I find they are a really musical people- the type where the whole family will be singing around the kitchen table kind of thing.

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      1. They played in KC at the Cowtown Ballroom. That’s how I know/knew of them. I didn’t go (wasn’t old enough), and I didn’t know their songs. I basically knew they were an all girl band, which I thought was so cool. I’m pretty sure I only heard some clips of their songs, nothing more.

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      2. There are some long clips of them…someone sent me a link…my goodness they were good…their music abilities were awesome.

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      4. If they would have played more pop music like the later Go Go’s or Bangles it may have been a little easier but yea…they probably had it rough.
        I read an interview with one of them talking about hanging out with Keith Moon…

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      5. I respect that they stayed serious and avoided the pop route, but agree that’s probably why they didn’t become mainstream. I love it that they hung out with Keith Moon. That’s very cool.

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  5. Those ladies could rock harder than a lot of guys could. All I had heard of them was “Charity Ball” when it came out. There’s a long video on YouTube that I think the live performance was taken from. Watch the whole thing. You’ll fall in love. Seriously…

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    1. Man they were a hell of a band also. This wasn’t the GoGo’s or the Bangles…nothing against them because they are cool pop… but these ladies filled in for Deep Purple one night.

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      2. Yes they did and made an album. Those sisters are awesome. John left a link in the comments and that blew me away. it’s long but they cover Hey Bulldog and that drummer and guitar player really are great.

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  8. That song is awesome! Thanks for the intro. I’ve never heard of them but, DAMN they can play. I love it. I can hear the influence they had on The Bangles. I was doing some reading. Suzi Quatro’s sister Patti played with them at one time.

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    1. Arent’ they great! These ladies are a step above most musically. They filled in for Deep Purple one night…not bad…

      Check some of this out…they really rock. It’s long but just the first 10 minutes are great.

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  10. Holy moly, that’s a really cool cover of that Motown tune! Not only were they an all-female band, but how often have you seen rock musicians from the Philipines, not two mention women?

    The only Filipino rock artist I know is Arnel Pineda, the excellent lead vocalist for Journey – and frankly probably one of the few guys who can hit these crazy high notes Steve Perry sang!

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    1. Thanks for looking Christian I appreciate it…I thought you would like them. There is another clip of them live on the Beat Club doing Hey Bulldog and others which is cooler than this. They rocked! This is not the GoGos or Bangles…though I love those bands…this band were rockers.

      I have heard that guy…yea he can belt those songs!

      Thanks again Christian.

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      8. Just awesome man…Everything sounds great. It warms my heart to see those ladies at it. The stories they could tell. I read an interview where they hung out with Keith Moon and some of the rock elite at that time.
        Damn they still have it.

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      12. Oh dude…they are still rocking! I knew they made an album but I never heard anything from it…That is GREAT! Strong vocal and music.

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      14. They must have been one the first if not the first who…how do I put this? Rock like the guys? I know that sounds sexist but they were not pop and they were before the Runaways and Suzi Quatro.

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      15. I know what you mean. The fact they all happen to be women shouldn’t even matter. But the reality is all-female rock bands are rare to this day. Undoubtedly, that was even more the case back then. So, yes, they were true trailblazers!

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      16. Well I’m glad I could introduce you to someone for a change! I like finding the old new ones…this one took me by surprise.

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  11. Fanny had several singles chart on the Billboard Top 100. Charity Ball and Butter Boy. Charity Ball peaked at #40 on November 5, 1971. Butter Boy peaked at #29 and April 4, 1974.

    I’ve Had It peaked at #79 on July 5, 1974. Yes, Ain’t That Peculiar peaked at #85 on May 5, 1972.

    They released five albums in the early seventies.

    Fanny Hill (3rd) peaked at No. 135 on the Billboard 200 charts.

    Charity Ball (2nd) reached No. 150 on the Billboard 200.

    So far, I did not find the positions of their first LP Fanny, their fourth Mother’s Pride, and their fifth with a different lineup, Rock and Roll Survivors.

    John Harrold – a fan since 1971.

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    1. I just did another post on them for the song Special Care. I just found them when I did this post. Fantastic musicians.
      This band should have been huge and it’s just a shame they weren’t.

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