This song has been in my head for a week now and won’t get out and thats a good thing. The feel of this sounds like it crawled out of the back seat of a 1963 Rambler. It really fits in with The Swingin’ Medallions, Doug Sahm’s 60s style of music, with a tiny bit of a tame Lou Reed thrown in. You can also hear a little of Springsteen in his music at times.
I’m far from an expert on Ben Vaughn, but he shouldn’t be so unknown. Big Star is more well-known than this man. His music is instantly catchy and likable. The song I covered a few years ago, “Too Sensitve for This World,” has hit written all over it. I’m surprised no one has covered that one. Well, I double checked and someone has! Deer Tick…now that is a name that…no I won’t say it.
Vaughn is from New Jersey. He got his start in the late ’70s, playing in punk and new wave bands before forming The Ben Vaughn Combo in 1983. The Combo was everything great about mid-’60s rock and roll, reimagined with a little punk energy. The band was together for five years, releasing two albums and touring the U.S. several times. They received rave reviews in Rolling Stone and People magazine and video airplay on MTV.
This track comes from Mood Swings, the 1992 album that put Vaughn on the map as a Jersey jangle-pop garage guy with a deep record collection. It’s a compilation album that contains his best songs from 1985 to 1990. This song was originally on his 1987 album Beautiful Thing.
Vaughn started a solo career in 1988 and has released over 17 albums. He is very versatile… he plays Rock, blues, jazz, folk, soul, R & B, country, Power Pop, Bossa Nova, movie soundtracks, easy listening, and more, all with Vaughn’s musical slant.
His older albums are not on Spotify, but here is a YouTube playlist that covers a lot of this album. It really doesn’t matter because his songs are just plain out good.
I blogged about Vaughn a while back with this great song.
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“Shingaling” definitely sounds like Lou Reed. On “Too Sensitive”, I think the reverb was turned up to 11.
Yes it really envelopes his voice…I’m accustomed to it because I do it to my voice…I have to have someone tell me…Max ease up on the delay.
I was thinking about the guitar…and the organ. I had to listen to it again after your comment. I don’t think it’s too heavy on the voice.
Well when I post mine…you will hear what I mean…ok I got you. It’s almost up to surf records reverb. On the drums you can really hear it. I was thinking of the other song…he has a little more on his voice.
Very pleasant music, Max.
Thanks Jim!
‘Shi ngaling’ does sound straight out of the ’60s. I don’t think I’ve ever come across his name before but obviously he’s had a lengthy career
I’m still surprised no one has made a hit out of one of his songs Dave….it’s hard finding info on him but he is worth the search.
Another new name to me Max. Good voice though.
Thanks Glyn! Yea he is not well known but has been around since the 70s.
Ben Vaughn sounds cool. I double-checked my blog and sadly can confirm I’ve never covered him, even though he hails from New Jersey – oh, well… The fact you noted he apparently is “even less known” than Big Star were makes me feel a bit better. It once again goes to show talent sadly is no guarantee to break through!
Yea I’m just surprised that no one has covered him more…some of his songs sounds like hits but they just sit there. This album is the one I checked out because it pulled his solo and the combo stuff.
Well, someone needs to start! I’m going to write down his name!😀
That first song…just sounds like a hit.
Talent is often cruelly overlooked. Call it crap luck, bad timing, whatever. That spotlight of fame is fu- fickle.
Yes it is…I totally agree and sometimes fads or a gimmick (safety da…cough cough) is publicized instead.
Im feeling a little sensitive today so I’m going to do a little shingalinging. You put a smile on my face with some Ben. I really like Ben and have heard from some reliable music sources that he has a great podcast. Why i have never pulle dthe trigger is a mystery. Loved the take Max. Ben is the word today.
Oh I didn’t know about the podcast…I’ll have to check that out. From what I read he has a hell of a record collection. One song after another…just good stuff.
Yeah one of our fellow travellers loves his show.
I’ll have to check it out. The guy is so damn productive…with quality.
Yes and a sense of humor which always works with me. I dont know why i havent checked out his show. I know for a fact it will be worth it. He is a musicologist in the 1st degree.
No idea what is going on with my WordPress but so many comments are not going through and my app does not update most posts in Reader, among other issues. Anyway what I did say earlier was that I quite like this guy. Totally new to me so thanks for the introduction.
Oh mine stopped as well on Dave’s site. Thanks Randy…I’ll look in spam
Oh no- this sounds like WP is setting us up for another ‘improvement.’ Am I paranoid or do we get these glitches around the time as they are planning their next brilliant update. (they can put that right up their date as far as I’m concerned.)
Yep! Randy’s totally vanished. Not even in my spam…Dave found mine…mine was because of a link I guess.
Not bad. A couple of nice laid back tunes. “Shingaling” definitely has Lou Reed’s phrasing.
He is worth pulling up youtube or Spotify to hear some…talented but unknown guy
The Bob Dylan song the change of the gardes has been listening to it for over 25 years and it is not in my head but it is in my soul give it a go
On Sat, 7 Jun 2025, 13:45 PowerPop… An Eclectic Collection of P
Oh I love Bob…I’m going to see him on June 25
Too Sensitive For this World is a great tune. I love the warmth and depth of it. The production is lovely, not cloying. There’s just a touch of soulful rawness…maybe it’s the organ… that gives it authenticity.
Shingaling With Me is a bit too lifted from Lou Reed, in my opinion.
Too Sensitive is the one that really hit me the most. He is a productive guy.
It’s a bit Jonathan Richmanesque. I’d never heard of him.
I like his voice, hadn’t heard of him before.