Mink DeVille – Spanish Stroll

While talking to my friends CB and Paul…they bring up Mink Deville a lot so I decided to go check them out. I’ve heard of some of their music but I wanted more so I spent a few hours listening…I see why they bring them up…they are different and bring a lot to the table.

Mink DeVille was formed in 1974 in San Francisco but they are known for their association with punk bands at the New York club CBGB. They would go on to record six albums and Willy DeVille made 10 albums solo. The band lasted until 1986.

When I post a song of a more unknown artist to most of my readers…I try to find a song that is more commercial…maybe not their best song but a “radio-friendly” song to get people digging more. This one is radio-friendly and has a Lou Reed feel. I really like this band’s music…love the lyrics to this.

The song “Spanish Stroll” by Mink DeVille is an iconic track from their debut album, released in 1977. It’s very New York and it describes navigating around in urban life to escape the mundane and ordinary. They blend genres, I can hear Latin and punk elements, which helped propel this track into the mainstream. I can also hear some Springsteen and even Mellencamp on some of their songs.

This was on their debut album Cabretta. It peaked at #186 on the Billboard Album charts. The song Spanish Stroll peaked at #20 in the UK in 1977. The song was written by the lead singer Willy DeVille.

I learned a lot by reading Paul’s reviews of their albums on his site. He has a wide variety of album reviews to look at…and that is an understatement.

Bob Dylan on how Willy DeVille should be in the Hall of Fame: “(DeVille) stood out, his voice and presentation ought to have gotten him in there by now.”

Peter Wolf:  “He had all the roots of music that I love and had this whole street thing of R&B – just the whole gestalt … He was just a tremendous talent; a true artist in the sense that he never compromised. He had a special vision and remained true to it.”

Willy DeVille: “We were sitting around talking of names, and some of them were really rude, and I was saying, guys we can’t do that. Then one of the guys said how about Mink DeVille? There can’t be anything cooler than a fur lined Cadillac can there? “What could be more pimp than a mink Cadillac? In an impressionistic sort of way.” 

Piano player Kenny Margolis:  “I don’t think the American public had a chance to experience him because in America at that time you had MTV telling you what to like. Europe had not had MTV at that point and they were very open to different music.”

Spanish Stroll

Hey Mr. Jim I can see the shape you’re in
Finger on your eyebrow
And left hand on your hip
Thinking that you’re such a lady killer
Think you’re so slick!
Alright

Brother Johnny, he caught a plane and he got on it
Now he’s a razor in the wind
And he got a pistol in his pocket
They say the man is crazy on the West Coast
Lord there ain’t no doubt about it!
Well allright

Sister Sue tell me baby what are we gonna do
She said take two candles,
And then you burn them out
Make a paper boat,light it and…. send it out
send it out now..

Spanish Stroll
Spanish Stroll
Spanish Stroll

Hey Rosita! Donde vas con mi carro Rosita?
tu sabes que te quiero
pero ti me quitas todo
ya te robasta mi television y mi radio
y ahora quiere llevarse mi carro
no me haga asi, rosita
ven aqui
ehi, estese aqui al lado rosita
Spanish Stroll

Mira aqui!

Hey Johny! Yeah, tenth street Johny
We’ve been looking for you man
Everybody told me you had moved uptown
Hey! you wanna go for a ride
I’m going uptown myself
For what?

Yeah, ain’t it right?
Yeah, one time for Tito Puente, one time
Are you ready?
Yeah, of course we cannot leave out, Mr Ray Baretto
Are you ready?Are you ready?Are you ready?

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, 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. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

39 thoughts on “Mink DeVille – Spanish Stroll”

    1. I thought about that…ok…it’s done! I’ve really enjoyed listening to them. It’s a amazing what Bob Dylan said about Willy DeVille. Bob doesn’t heap out praise normally.

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      2. I appreciate you and CB mentioning them…why the UK play and hardly any over here? When CB mentioned them a while back I liked what I heard…and then I read about them on your site and I listened more. Very interesting music. I want to hear more of Willy DeVille’s solo stuff.
        Also Mink DeVille and Garland Jefferies led me to another artist that I’m posting tomorrow…an unknown Springsteen associated guy with that New York vibe.

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  5. Willy DeVille was a really talented and versatile songwriter. His band Mink DeVille entered my radar screen in 1983 with “Each Word’s a Beat of My Heart.” Like “Spanish Stroll”, it’s a very radio-friendly tune, I remember was frequently played on my favorite mainstream radio at the time back in Germany. I listened to Cabretta before but have yet to more closely explore DeVille’s music.

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    1. Cool Christian…I thought since you live there that you might know them..but you heard it before then! Tomorrow I’m doing another New York artist that didn’t get played much but is associated with Springsteen.

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    2. Each Word’s A Beat Of My Heart is a great choice – a fine De Ville deep cut.

      De Ville was really popular in Germany and Northern Europe in general. There is an excellent double live album of his from the Rockpalast in Köln, containing gigs from 1978 and 1981. Check it out.

      I remember walking in the centre of Bruges, Belgium with my wife early one Sunday morning and they were taking down a stage from the night before. Who had been playing there I enquired. Mink de Ville. I almost self-combusted!

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    1. Yes and it sucks…he was a fun person to see live Dave. It felt like a huge beach party along with a beach ball being tipped up all over the crowd…or several. A great date night.

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    1. It didn’t get airplay where I was or…it’s because I was 10 when it came out and just missed it. I am really liking what I’ve been hearing by them. I’m stoked that you knew them!

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  8. This is where I spent so much listening time (still do). Looking for a bigger portal try ‘Coupe De Grace’ CB did a take on it but skip his bullshit and go to the music. I did put a couple live cuts similar to the one you posted on the take. The band and performance is so cooool. Man you’re hitting my music bone today.

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    1. I’ll check that one out CB. Love the stuff I’ve heard so far. It seems like if you find one artist it leads you to another one… as far as that New York vibe. A lot of damn talent in that era.
      Willy DeVille… is a little different from his peers… a different approach and I like it. Some of his lyrics or whatever reminds me of Zevon a little… great stuff

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    2. My top ten De Ville tracks for CB and Max –

      1. Mixed Up Shook Up Girl
      2. Can’t Do Without It
      3. Spanish Stroll
      4. Just To Walk That Little Girl Home
      5. I Broke That Promise
      6. This Must Be The Night
      7. Little Girl
      8. Guardian Angel
      9. Love and Emotion
      10. You Better Move On

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    1. I just got into him in the last few months…and a lot recently. There are so many artists that orbited around New York at that time that were really good.

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  11. Incidentally, I have several cuts of Spanish Stroll, on Cabretta, on best of compilations and also several live versions and nowhere have I heard these fade-out lyrics that are quoted in the main review –

    “Hey Johnny! Yeah, tenth street Johny
    We’ve been looking for you man
    Everybody told me you had moved uptown
    Hey! you wanna go for a ride
    I’m going uptown myself
    For what?

    Yeah, ain’t it right?
    Yeah, one time for Tito Puente, one time
    Are you ready?
    Yeah, of course we cannot leave out, Mr Ray Baretto
    Are you ready?Are you ready?Are you ready?”

    CB – what do you think? All I have ever heard at the end is “hey Johnny they lookin’ for you men – ah-ah, oh-oh….” and a few whoops.

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  14. Willy deVille has always been a sad story to me. This was the first thing of his I heard, and it got some air play. But you know? It was great music at a bad music time. It just didn’t fit in.

    And then the dope

    My favorite vocal performance from him is way different. He sings the lead song (can’t really call it a theme song) at the end of The Princess Bride. Knowing his story, it brings me to tears every time.

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