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.
Around 1990 I was playing a club and we usually got off around 2am in the morning. Early on a Sunday morning around 2:30…the guitar player and I packed the car and headed out to Pensacola Florida. One of those spontaneous trips. On the way, we listened to a Dennis Leary comedy tape and The Rolling Stone’s Tattoo You. This is the song that stuck with me on that trip for some reason.
Tattoo You was made up of outtakes and songs that were almost a decade old going back to Emotional Rescue, Black and Blue, and the Goats Head Soup album. Tattoo You to me…was their last great album. They originally recorded this song around 1972 (that version at the bottom). They worked on this song at least 4 different times. : Dynamic Sounds Studios, Kingston, Jamaica, Nov. 25-Dec. 21 1972; Village Recorders, Los Angeles, USA, Jan.13-15 1973; EMI Pathé Marconi Studios, Paris, France, Jan. 5-March 2 1978; June 10-Oct. 19 1979. In 1981 Mick redid all of his vocals to the song.
Even though he had left the band seven years earlier, Mick Taylor’s guitar solo was left on this track and it is fantastic. Pianist Nicky Hopkins also appears on the track, as does the band’s old producer Jimmy Miller, who plays percussion.
Associate producer Chris Kimsey remembers there was a need to put an album out very quickly. A tour was already planned and Mick and Keith were not talking that much at the time. Kimsey told the band that he could probably make an album just out of the unused songs they had going back to 1972. Despite coming from different eras the songs fit together quite nicely. Personally, I think the album was much better than it’s predecessor Emotional Rescue.
The song was written by Jagger/Richards and was pulled from 10 years prior…it was one of the few not pulled as a single.
A version they recorded in 1972
The Tattoo You version from 1981
Tops
Every man is the same, come on
I’ll make you a star
I’ll take you a million miles from all this
Put you on a pedestal
Come on (come on, come on)
Have you ever heard those opening lines?
You should leave this small town way behind
I’ll be your partner, show you the steps
With me behind, you’re tasting of the sweet wine of success
‘Cause I’ll, I’ll take you to the top, baby (hey, baby)
I’ll take you to the top
I’ll take you to the top, baby
I’ll take you to the top
Step on the ladder, toe in the pool
You’re such a natural, you don’t need no acting school
Don’t need no casting couch or be a star in bed
And never, never let success go to you pretty head
‘Cause I’ll, I’ll take you to the top, baby
I swear I would never gonna stop, baby
I’ll take you to the top
Don’t let the world pass you by
Don’t let the world pass you by
Don’t let the world pass you by
You take your chance now, baby
I’m sorry for the rest of your sweet loving life, baby
Oh, sugar
Hey sugar, I’ll take you to the top
I’ll take you to the top
I’ll take you to the top, sugar
I’ll take you to the top
Oh, baby
I’ll take you to the top
I’ll take you to the top
I’ll take you to the top
I’ll take you to the top
I’ll take you to the top
The first time I heard this song, I loved it. John Hiatt always releases songs of quality, and they are all solid. Saying that, he is most remembered for his songs that other people cover. I don’t understand that because he has a fine, distinctive voice with a consistently excellent band behind him. The keyword here is distinctive, I guess, which I look for.
I first noticed Hiatt with the song Slow Turning. When Bonnie Raitt released Thing Called Love in 1989, I knew the song from Hiatt…I was just getting into him. I’m glad Raitt covered that song because it helped him. He has released 25 albums in total, ranging from 1974 through 2021, and it’s about time for another. My friend Christian does a good review of the album here...check it out if you can.
This song was the title track on his 1993 eleventh studio album. The album peaked at #47 on the Billboard 100, #34 in Canada, #67 in the UK, and #19 in New Zealand. It was his last album on A&M Records and his highest-charting album on Billboard. This album was probably the most rock & roll-oriented album of Hiatt’s career. I do like the guitar tone that Matt Wallace, the producer, got on this album. He had previously produced The Replacements.
The song peaked at #16 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Charts and #76 in Canada. The record company pulled 5 singles off of this album, and 2 were in the top 40 in the Mainstream Charts.
Perfectly Good Guitar
Well he threw one down form the top of the stairs Beautiful women were standing everywhere They all got wet when he smashed that thing But off in the dark you could hear somebody sing
Oh it breaks my heart to see those stars Smashing a perfectly good guitar I don’t know who they think they are Smashing a perfectly good guitar
It started back in 1963 His momma wouldn’t buy him That new red harmony He settled for a sunburst with a crack But he’s still trying to break his momma’s back
He loved that guitar just like a girlfriend But ever good thing comes to an end Now he just sits in his room all day Whistling every note he used to play
There out to be a law with no bail Smash a guitar and you go to jail With no chance for early parole You don’t get out till you get some soul
Late at night the end of the road He wished he still had the old guitar to hold He’d rock it like a baby in his arms Never let it come to any harm
If you want to see where we are…and you missed a few…HERE is a list of the episodes in my index located at the top of my blog.
This show was written by Gene Roddenberry and Don Ingalls
This episode gets philosophical at the end and will make you think.
While conducting a survey on a planet Captain Kirk visited several years earlier he is surprised to discover the primitive yet peaceful people he once knew are now armed with flintlock firearms. Not enough time progressed for them to be that far ahead.
As the team prepares to leave Spock is shot and seriously injured. While he is being treated a Klingon ship is sighted and Kirk is convinced that they are responsible for arming the people on the planet. Leaving Spock in the capable hands of Dr M’Benga, Kirk and McCoy return to the planet to investigate further.
Soon after landing Kirk is attacked by a creature with a poisonous venom; unable to return to the ship McCoy takes him to the village of his old friend Tyree where he is cured by Tyree’s wife. We learn that there are two main tribes; the peaceful Hill People and the Villagers who are using weapons against them. Tyree’s wife wants him to press Kirk to supply even better weapons and she with the help of a few select plants, can be very persuasive. When it is confirmed that the Klingons have helped the Villagers Kirk has a difficult decision… does he stay uninvolved or does he arm the Hill People to create a balance of power?
This isn’t a classic episode but it is entertaining. Thanks to Spock’s injury we learn more about the Vulcans… in particular how they consciously fight to heal themselves. The story on the planet was interesting too; clearly a metaphor for the various proxy wars of the cold war era where the East and West would arm allies in third-world countries rather than getting involved in direct conflict.
From IMDB:
The Mugato was called The Gumato in the original script. But DeForest Kelley kept mispronouncing it so it was changed. The closing credits still name the creature as The Gumato.
(At around 17 mins) Is the first clear close-up ever of the Sick Bay panel. The vertical scales are, from left to right: Temperature – left scale in °F and right in °C -, Brain – K3 (unknown unit)-, Lungs – no units, but it seems to measure FRC (Functional Residual Capacity) in liters, Cell Rate – no units -, Blood – Q5 (or possibly Qs; perhaps pressure; corrected to %O2 in some mock-ups/merchandise) – and Blood – T2 × 10 (Blood transverse relaxation time – ms ×10). Center symbols: Top Circle “Respiration”, second Circle “Pulse” then two legends: Adjust for Normal, Recorder. The inclusion of both Fahrenheit and Centigrade is odd.
This episode features the last production credit for showrunner Gene L. Coon who resigned halfway through Season 2. His replacement John Meredyth Lucas struggled to come to terms with the show’s unrelenting schedules and the budget cuts that Paramount was insisting on. NBC were also unhappy about the show’s implications about sex, threatening the airing of a show that was already on the borderline of cancellation.
Nancy Kovack’s character (Nona) displays her navel, despite the folklore that broadcast standards censors prohibited showing that part on a woman.
First of two appearances of Booker Bradshaw as Dr. M’Benga, the expert in Vulcan physiology. Second appearance in Star Trek: That Which Survives (1969).
The mugato was designed by Janos Prohaska, who had also created the Horta for Star Trek: The Devil in the Dark (1967).
The Star Trek Universe has been known to tackle societal, political, environmental, and other types of issues throughout the history of the franchise. This one tackled the Vietnam War head-on, not only specifically pointing out the “20th-Century brush wars on the Asian continent”, but also as portraying the Federation and the Klingon Empire as superpowers using an otherwise peaceful world as pawns in their struggle for power (a direct allegory of the Cold War at that time, between NATO and the Red Bloc).
The original writer, Don Ingalls, put the pseudonym Jud Crucis on it after Gene Roddenberry rewrote it. Ingalls’ original contained many more overt Vietnam analogies than what finally appeared. According to Allan Asherman’s ‘The Star Trek Compendium’, this script referred to Apella as a “Ho Chí Minh-type” and the tribesmen as wearing Mongolian clothes. Though friends with Roddenberry since their days as LAPD officers, Ingalls did not like the changes, and the pseudonym was his wordplay on “Jesus Crucified”.
The planet they’re on is named Neural in the script, but this name is never heard in the show itself.
This is the only episode in Season 2 to not have a happy ending music.
Janos Prohaska owned the ape suit, having acquired it from a previous film project.
An obvious reference to the western classic cliché of white and black hats (white hat = good guy, black hat = bad guy), the use of blond hair for the ‘good guys’ and black hair for the ‘bad guys’.
This episode is preceded, both in production and airing order, by Star Trek: Journey to Babel (1967). Given McCoy’s reluctance in that episode to operate on a Vulcan due to his unfamiliarity with Vulcan physiology, it is probable that, between that episode and this, he recruits M’Benga to serve on the Enterprise as a safeguard should anything happen to Spock.
It is stated a flintlock would be the first firearm developed. In fact, it was the match lock then the wheel lock, then the flint lock.
In Don Ingalls’ original story outline, the Klingon antagonist was Kor from Star Trek: Errand of Mercy (1967).
The Mugato is the same suit used as a white gorilla in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea: Fatal Cargo (1967) and as a Garboona – a cross between a gorilla and a baboon – in Here’s Lucy: Lucy’s Safari (1969). However, it did not have the spikes on its head and back in either of those appearances. All three creatures were played by Janos Prohaska.
This is the only episode in which Spock and Kirk are both incapacitated in two separate incidents, with different causes, for an overlapping time period.
Nona uses the same dagger as seen in Star Trek: Wolf in the Fold (1967).
Krell’s name is never mentioned but is shown in the script.
They shot a scene of Nancy Kovack showering semi-nude (shot from the back) and put it in the final cut presented to NBC. This aim to have Standards and Practices (the NBC censors) lock onto that scene and demand it be removed. This was to distract them from the other more sensual elements of the rest of the story that they might have taken issue with. The showering scene is shown on the blooper reels which can be tracked down on Youtube.
This takes place in 2268.
Ned Romero (Krell) also appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation: Journey’s End (1994) as Anthwara, and Star Trek: Voyager: The Fight (1999) as Chakotay’s great-grandfather.
Sulu does not appear in this episode.
When McCoy is heating the rocks with pulses from his phaser, a close up shots shows his finger is not even pushing the button on his phaser.
Summary
Kirk gets to return to the planet where, 13 years earlier as a young lieutenant, he conducted his first planetary survey. The natives live a simple Eden-like existence with little or no technology to speak of. Bows and arrows are their main weaponry. When Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam down, they find a rival tribe now has flintlock rifles, centuries ahead of normal development. With Spock almost mortally wounded and taken back to the Enterprise, Kirk and McCoy see if Klingons have been upsetting the planet’s natural development, but Kirk’s soon waylaid by a mugatu (a wild, poisonous primate), and it’s up to the wife (a healer of sorts) of his old friend Tyree to save him. She’s an ambitious, opportunistic “witch” woman who heals Kirk while also ensnaring his soul. Her price: nothing less than Kirk’s violation of the Prime Directive.
Another Age Restricted video
CAST
William Shatner … Captain James Tiberius ‘Jim’ Kirk Leonard Nimoy … Mister Spock DeForest Kelley … Dr. McCoy Nancy Kovack … Nona Michael Witney … Tyree James Doohan … Scott Nichelle Nichols … Uhura Ned Romero … Krell Majel Barrett … Nurse Chapel Walter Koenig … Chekov Booker Bradshaw … Dr. M’Benga Arthur Bernard … Apella Janos Prohaska … The Gumato Paul Baxley … Patrol Leader Bill Blackburn … Lieutenant Hadley (uncredited) Roger Holloway … Lt. Lemli (uncredited) Jeannie Malone … Native Woman (uncredited) Eddie Paskey … Lieutenant Leslie (uncredited) Roy N. Sickner … Villager (uncredited)
I can’t comment on the title…or I’d be in trouble. I will say this…this is a different song than the song written by Cat Stevens on Tea For The Tillerman.
This song was first recorded and released by Elvis Presley with The Jordanaires in 1958. A great straight-up no-frills rock and roll song. Elvis’s version was part of the soundtrack for his 1958 motion picture King Creole and was included on the record album of the same name. The song was also released as a single and in 1958 peaked at #1 on the Billboard charts and went to number two for two weeks on the R&B chart.
The song was written by Claude Demetrius, who also composed songs like “Mean Woman Blues” and “Ain’t That Just Like A Woman,” and the Christmas classic “Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me.).” When “Hard Headed Woman” first came out in 1958, the BBC restricted when it could be played on the air because of the biblical references in the lyrics.
Wanda Jackson did date Elvis in 1955. He gave her a ring to hold on to and Wanda still has it. They toured together building up their fanbase. Wanda released this song that was on the Live at Town Hall Party 1958.
Wanda Jackson:“I had never heard of him when we met, but we had a lot in common. We were two happy-go-lucky kids.”
This is Wanda’s appearance on California’s Town Hall Party TV show, calling the tune “one of the most beautiful love songs that’s ever been written.” Accompanied in the clip by guitarist Joe Maphis, Jackson recorded her sizzling version in Nashville in the fall of 1960. Among the musicians on those sessions was young guitar whiz Roy Clark.
Hard Headed Woman
Well, a hard headed woman a soft hearted man
Been the cause of trouble ever since the world began
Oh yeah, ever since the world began, ah oh oh oh oh
A hard headed woman is a thorn in the side of man
Now Adam said to Eve listen here to me
Don’t you let me catch you messin’ round that apple tree
Oh yeah, ever since the world began, ah oh oh oh oh
A hard headed woman is a thorn in the side of man
Now Samson told Delilah loud and clear
Keep your cotton pickin’ fingers out of my curly hair
Oh yeah, ever since the world began, ah oh oh oh oh
A hard headed woman is a thorn in the side of man
Well, I heard about a king who’s doing swell
Till he started playin’ with that evil Jezabel
Oh yeah, ever since the world began, ah oh oh oh oh
A hard headed woman is a thorn in the side of man
If you want to see where we are…and you missed a few…HERE is a list of the episodes in my index located at the top of my blog.
This show was written by Gene Roddenberry and Robert Sabaroff
This episode has flown under the radar of some fans. I rate it very highly and it’s one of my favorites of the 2nd season.
The Enterprise is on its way for a well-deserved rest on some planet but then they find a disruption in the Gamma VII-A solar system. The U.S.S. Intrepid, manned by Vulcans, is in the area and all on board died. Mr. Spock sensed the 400 deaths, being a Vulcan himself.
The Enterprise continues its investigation when they see a dark hole on the screen it’s not a black hole, it’s not a cloud but what is it? They are being sucked into the hole, the ship’s energy is being drained and the members of the Enterprise are being drained of their lives. it is a living organism much like a cell that is 11,000 miles wide.
Bones volunteers to go out in a shuttlecraft to inspect it closer to send back the information to the ship. Spock steps up and insists that he is the person for the job. Kirk insists that it is his decision. What is this Amoeba-like creature? Who will Kirk send out on the suicide mission?
Again I can’t say much else or I would give it away. Personally, I really like this episode.
From IMDB:
This is the last time the interior of a shuttlecraft is shown in the series.
The space amoeba optical effects were created by Frank Van der Veer of Van der Veer Photo Effects. The amoeba itself was a mixture of liquids pressed between two thin sheets of glass. As the sheets were moved, the liquid would flow, as if the amoeba were pulsating.
This is the last episode directed by Joseph Pevney who, along with Marc Daniels, holds the record for directing the most number of episodes for the series (14).
This was the last time in which Kirk’s green wrap-around tunic was used. The last time viewers would see the shirt would be in Star Trek: Bread and Circuses (1968), which had been filmed earlier but not aired for almost a year.
This is the first episode ending with a “Paramount Television” logo instead of the “Desilu” logo, after Desilu was sold to Paramount Pictures.
The end credits include a make-up test shot of Bill Blackburn (who normally played Hadley) as the android from Star Trek: Return to Tomorrow (1968) wearing a brown velour zippered top.
Although the name was cut from the final draft, the captain of the USS Intrepid was named Satak.
John Winston (Kyle) wears a gold uniform for the only time in the series. This was done so that he would match the stock footage from the captain’s chair viewpoint, showing Chekov and Hadley’s right shoulder. This was apparently arranged partway through filming, because, in the teaser, Kyle can briefly be seen at the helm wearing his typical red uniform.
The equipment inside the shuttlecraft included computer banks that were previously seen in the Starbase operations room in Star Trek: The Menagerie: Part I (1966) and the Eminian war room in Star Trek: A Taste of Armageddon (1967).
The remastered version of this episode features never-before-seen effects shots of the Enterprise in total darkness illuminated only by its windows and running lights.
This was what is known as a “bottle” episode, which is often done to save money. Star Trek was often at odds over its budget and often exceeded it due to special effects and set constructions. The network insisted they produce a “cheap” episode to save money. This one had no expensive guest stars (which saves a lot of money), no outdoor location filming, and no new set construction, and therefore came significantly under budget.
The young crew woman whom Kirk admires, as he records his log at the end of this show, appears to be the same extra who portrayed the second female Klingon in Star Trek: Day of the Dove (1968).
Kirk’s deep compassion for his crew is shown somewhat more prominently than usual at around 10:10. Due to exhaustion, Lt. Uhura is sitting with her head leaning on her hand in an uncharacteristically distracted manner. As Kirk approaches her to give her instructions to send a signal to Star Fleet, he squeezes her shoulders and pats the right one affectionately.
In the remastered version of Star Trek: The Doomsday Machine (1967), two shuttle craft are seen in Enterprise’s hangar. In this one, the “Galileo” is the only one seen. This is because Commodore Matthew Decker used the “Columbus” in a suicidal attempt to destroy the planet killer. The Enterprise had not put in for re-supply since that incident, so the “Columbus” had not yet been replaced.
The scene where Spock telepathically feels the loss of the Intrepid’s crew is famously mirrored in the original “Star Wars.” As Obi-Wan Kenobi, he suffers much the same reaction when a planet is destroyed by imperial forces.
Only episode of the series that doesn’t have a guest cast, other than semi regulars John Winston and Eddie Paskey.
The usual banter between Spock and McCoy takes on an uncharacteristically dark tone as Spock is preparing to board the shuttlecraft. His exhausted condition obviously affects his behavior, McCoy accuses Spock of ambition and spite. “You’re determined not to let me share in this, aren’t you?” Had he been thinking more clearly, he would have realized Vulcans do not act on ambition or spite. (More accurately, they *profess* not to do so.)
The CGI shots in the remastered version appear in 16:9 (widescreen), instead of the standard 4:3 (fullscreen) aspect ratio.
47 reference: Spock states that the shuttle’s shields will last only 47 minutes.
Spock explains that Vulcan was never conquered, and that Vulcan collective consciousness cannot conceive of the feeling of being conquered. However, in Star Trek: The Conscience of the King (1966) McCoy says “Now I know why they were conquered” in response to Spock’s refusal to drink alcohol. This might be explained by Vulcan never having been conquered, but one or more of their colonies having been annexed by another power at some point. Or, more likely, that McCoy just doesn’t know Vulcan history very well.
This takes place in 2268.
As Enterprise applies thrust in an attempt to break free, McCoy grabs Chapel to keep her from hitting the wall. One (possibly intentionally) botched take of this, with McCoy holding her by her breasts, can be seen in the famous blooper reels.
Summary
The Enterprise is sent to investigate the disruption of the Gamma VII-A solar system and the destruction of the U.S.S. Intrepid, staffed solely by Vulcans. When they arrive they find a large dark mass floating in space that is draining energy from everything around it, including the Enterprise. Drawn into the mass, they find a huge amoeba-like creature and Kirk must decide which of his two friends, McCoy or Spock, to send into it aboard a shuttle craft on a mission of no return.
CAST
William Shatner … Captain James Tiberius ‘Jim’ Kirk Leonard Nimoy … Mister Spock DeForest Kelley … Dr. McCoy James Doohan … Scott Nichelle Nichols … Uhura Walter Koenig … Chekov John Winston … Lt. Kyle Majel Barrett … Christine Chapel Bill Blackburn … Lieutenant Hadley (uncredited) John Blower … USS Enterprise Lt. Cmdr. (uncredited) Frank da Vinci … Lt. Brent (uncredited) Bob Johnson … Starbase 6 Commander (voice) (uncredited) Jeannie Malone … Yeoman (uncredited) Eddie Paskey … Lieutenant Leslie (uncredited)
I really like this band. Their career was split into two different sounds. In the early seventies, they were more like the Stones with blues/rock. After their singer (Roy Loney) left…they got another (Chris Wilson) and switched to power pop. They have songs that are power pop, grungy blues rock, and some great rock and roll.
The band was started in 1965 by Roy Loney and Cyril Jordan. By the end of the sixties, they clashed over where to go. Loney was more Stones and Jordon leaned toward the Beatles.
Loney left in 1971 and they got an 18-year-old lead singer named Chris Wilson. They moved to London and started to work with Dave Edmunds. With Chris, they did more power pop and that is when Shake Some Action came about with Wilson and Jordon writing it.
They would go on to be a great power pop band and also be known as an early proto-punk band…they pretty much covered the gamut. Yes It’s True was written by Cyril Jordan and Chris Wilson. It has a Beatle vibe to it and was on their 1976 album, Shake Some Action. The album peaked at #142 in the Billboard Album Charts.
The band broke up in the 80s but some of them continued with the name touring off and on. They did release an album in 2017 called Fantastic Plastic.
Yes It’s True
Every time you see me smile
I’m really blue
Because I’m wondering all the while
If you’re really true
Cause girl you know I’ve tried and tried
Everything to see your side
But I can’t forget the tears I’ve cried
Yes, it’s true
When you got a girl who thinks she’s smart
That’s not so fine
Cause they’re the kind who’ll break your heart
And leave you crying
And lovin’ them is not so nice
You better think about it twice
Or I else she’ll make you pay the price
Yes, it’s true
Well, she’s the kind of girl
Who knows what she wants to be
She knows what she wants
And she knows how to get it from me and you
I saw the smile upon your face
I felt so sure
Although there never was a place
For me and you
Every few years I will watch Maximum Overdrive for a laugh and this is the best thing about it. That movie was directed by a very high Stephen King and it showed.
Stephen King was a huge fan of AC/DC, and when he got to meet them he asked them if they would provide music for this movie. He also offered the band a role in the film, but AC/DC declined, stating they were not actors. The band agreed to do the soundtrack after Stephen King sang “Ain’t No Fun (Waiting Round to Be a Millionaire)” from their 1976 album Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. King sang the entire song from start to finish and the band laughingly agreed that if he was such a fan they would do it for him.
AC/DC performs all but two songs featured in the film, including two unreleased mixes of previously recorded songs, and the entire 1987 album Who Made Who is the soundtrack to this movie. AC/DC wrote this song and various instrumentals, only two of which appear on the album.
The rest of the songs are from previous AC/DC albums. At the time of the release many music stores had no idea the album Who Made Who was a compilation soundtrack for this movie, and many mislabeled the album as an AC/DC greatest hits. Limited pressings of the album did feature the movie’s logo, stating it was the soundtrack to Stephen King’s Maximum Overdrive, but this was later removed from future pressings.
The song peaked at #23 on the Billboard 100 and #16 in the UK and #35 in New Zealand in 1986. The album peaked at #33 on the Billboard Album Charts, #12 in Canada, #11 in the UK, and #24 in New Zealand.
Who Made Who
The video games say, “Play me”
Face it on a level, but it take you every time on a one-on-one
Feelin’ running down your spine
Nothin’ gonna save your one last dime ’cause it own you
Through and through
The databank know my number
Says I got to pay ’cause I made the grade last year
Feel it when I turn the screw
Kick you ’round the world
There ain’t a thing that it can’t do
Do to you, yeah
Who made who, who made you?
Who made who, ain’t nobody told you?
Who made who, who made you?
If you made them and they made you
Who picked up the bill and who made who?
Who made who, who turned the screw?
Satellites send me picture
Get it in the aisle
Take it to the wall
Spinnin’ like a dynamo
Feel it goin’ round and round
Running outta chips, you got no line in an 8-bit town
So don’t look down, no
Who made who, who made you?
Who made who, ain’t nobody told you?
Who made who, who made you?
If you made them and they made you
Who picked up the bill and who made who?
Ain’t nobody told you?
Who made who?
Who made you?
Who made who?
And who made who?
Yeah
Nobody told you?
If you want to see where we are…and you missed a few…HERE is a list of the episodes in my index located at the top of my blog.
This show was written by Gene Roddenberry, David P. Harmon, and Gene L. Coon
This is more of a comedy episode but I love the plot. It’s almost as if they made a parody of Star Trek…but it works and works well. I’ve given it 4 stars…not because of the sci-fi plot…but because it’s very entertaining. You just have to watch it with that in mind.
A society of people who imitate whatever they are exposed to. Someone on a ship 100 years before left a book about Chicago mobsters of the 1920s. When the Enterprise arrived.. that is what they found. A society of mobsters and submachine guns of the twenties and thirties.
This is one of those episodes which could quite easily have turned out to be an embarrassing disaster but instead, it is an amusing triumph. Seeing Kirk talking like a cliché gangster was priceless as was the reaction of a rather confused Scotty as he tried to understand him.
William Shatner was clearly enjoying himself in these scenes. Guest stars Anthony Caruso and Vic Tayback do fine jobs as the rival bosses, the delightfully named Bela Oxmyx and Jojo Krako, taking the roles just seriously enough to make this episode as good as it is. There are plenty of hilarious moments such as Kirk inventing the convoluted card game ‘fizzbin’ and later demonstrating that the ability to captain a starship doesn’t qualify him to drive a car. Overall this is a great comedy episode…definitely a lot of fun to watch.
It’s also funny watching Spock try to act/talk like the mobsters. Scotty pretty much didn’t try. My favorite scene is when, like I mentioned before, Kirk is driving a car with Spock as an unwilling passenger. They jerk, stop, and weave down the road. This conversation starts the second time Kirk asks Spock to ride with him.
Spock:[balking at the prospect of another ride in a car with Kirk at the wheel] Captain, must we?
Kirk:It’s faster than walking.
Spock:But not as safe.
Kirk:Are you afraid of cars?
Spock:Not at all, Captain. It’s your DRIVING that alarms me.
And
Spock:Captain… you are an excellent starship commander. But as a taxi driver, you leave much to be desired.
Kirk:It was that bad?
From IMDB:
This is the only time in TOS in which the Enterprise’s phasers are used to stun, and not to kill, destroy or damage. It is also the only time the Enterprise’s phasers are used for a wide proximity shot, as in this case when they are set to blanket a one city block area around a central point in order to stun a dispersed group of people.
After filming wrapped, the studio received a letter from Anthony Caruso, who played Bela Oxmyx. It was a letter from “Oxmyx” thanking the crew of the Enterprise for creating the “syndicate” and things were proceeding nicely on Sigma Iotia II. As he goes on in the letter, it is now the 1950s and he is sporting a crew-cut. He also mentioned wanting to visit Las Vegas, remarking “It seems like my kind of town”.
James Doohan provided the voice of the radio announcer.
Marvel Comics published a sequel story to this as part of their ‘Star Trek: Unlimited series’. The story, “A Piece of the Reaction”, featured the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise-E (from Star Trek: First Contact (1996)) returning to the planet to discover that its society had gone on to model itself after 23rd Century Starfleet, thanks to the communicator that McCoy left behind. The planet is now led by the tough kid Kirk and Spock met in the street, who wishes to hijack the Enterprise-E and finally gain command of a starship, just like his idol, James T. Kirk.
The car that Kirk drove to “put the bag on Krako” had a V-12 engine, as a V-12 emblem is seen on the radiator. It was a Cadillac, probably a 1931 model. Note the winged radiator cap, which Cadillacs of that vintage had. It is a nod to Chicago crime boss, Al Capone, who had a 1928 V-12 Cadillac. It also represents the only time that a member of the Enterprise crew is seen operating any kind of land vehicle within the original series.
Kirk makes up the rules of the card game “fizz bin” as he goes along. William Shatner ad-libbed the rules, so his pauses to think and the other actors’ confusion are all genuine. In Diane Duane’s novel “The Empty Chair”, McCoy invents a new version, Tournament Fizzbin, with the help of Kirk, Sulu, Scotty, and a great deal of Romulan ale.
In Star Trek: Enterprise: Horizon (2003), a hard-bound copy of a book beginning with the title ‘Chicago Gangs’ can be briefly glimpsed on a bookshelf in Travis Mayweather’s quarters on board the ECS Horizon, suggesting that Mayweather had some connection to the group which contaminated Iotian culture.
Gene Roddenberry, in his original 1964 Star Trek pitch, included a one-sentence idea for an episode titled “President Capone,” in which the Enterprise crew land on a planet which is a parallel version of 1920s Chicago where Al Capone is president. George Clayton Johnson later developed the idea into an outline titled “The Syndicate” which later became a treatment titled “Chicago II”. The concept was abandoned until producer Gene L. Coon found the treatment and worked on a script with David P. Harmon titled “Mission Into Chaos”.
This is the only episode of TOS that ends with a freeze-frame.
One of several “parallel Earth” plots in the series, contrived in part to save money, by avoiding the necessity for “alien” sets, costumes, and makeup.
The last script is credited to series writer-producer Gene L. Coon. He would, however, contribute two more scripts to the third season, but these were under the pseudonym of Lee Cronin.
John Harmon (Tepo, one of the lesser bosses) previously appeared in Star Trek: The City on the Edge of Forever (1967) as the bum Rodent. He had also appeared 20 years earlier in Fear in the Night (1946), which starred DeForest Kelley.
Ronald D. Moore wanted Deep Space 9’s tribute episode to involve returning to Iotia to see that the planet was now imitating the 23rd-century era Federation as a form of commentary on how the show became a global phenomenon in the intervening decades. Instead, the tribute episode was produced as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Trials and Tribble-ations (1996), sequel to Star Trek: The Trouble with Tribbles (1967).
This is the only episode in which Kirk calls McCoy “Sawbones” instead of “Bones”.
The script originally featured Romulans with whom Kirk has to compete in making a deal with the Iotians.
The street set is on the Paramount lot and can be seen in many television series. The steps leading up to Oxmyx’ headquarters were used in Dear John (1988).
This episode contains Chekov’s smallest speaking part in TOS, with only one line of dialogue, “Approaching Sigma Iotia II, Captain.”
The exterior street set used for Krako’s office is the same exterior of the Washington Square portion of the Paramount backlot used for Laverne & Shirley (1976) (1976). The Pizza Bowl exterior can also be seen as the Billiard Hall outside Oxmyx’ window. These exteriors were destroyed or severely damaged during the 1983 backlot fire.
Bill Blackburn’s character, Hadley, is given his name in this episode. It is also the only episode in which Hadley is referred to by name.
In the remastered version, the planet Sigma Iotia II was given a CGI-makeover, now a more Earth-like planet. Aside from orbital establishing shots, new phaser effects were created’ depicting the block-wide stun implemented from the Enterprise, replacing the more cartoonish aspects of the original.
The scene when Kirk puts his feet up on Krako’s table and declares that now the Federation is “taking over the whole ball of wax” is reminiscent of a similar scene in the classic gangster film Little Caesar (1931).
This is listed as one of the “Ten Essential Episodes” of TOS in the 2008 reference book “Star Trek 101” by Paula M. Block and Terry J. Erdmann.
In the 1990s, British science fiction authors Eugene Byrne and Kim Newman wrote a series of stories entitled “Back in the USSA,” imagining a world where Al Capone became the US President, as in Gene Roddenberry’s original TV proposal. The stories are jammed full of TV and film spoofs, including a humorous Russian soldier who closely resembles Pavel Chekov.
The ‘Star Trek Encyclopedia’ confirms that the Horizon was a Daedalus-class ship. It is later seen as a model on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) in Sisko’s office.
“Chicago Mobs of the Twenties” was published in 1992.
This is the first episode in which a site-to-site transport is performed – although due to the events of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), it is not the first time from a historical perspective.
This was one of a few times in TOS where any character is depicted using ground transportation. Another was in Star Trek: Assignment: Earth (1968), when Gary Seven hitched a ride in the trunk of a 1966 Dodge Coronet.
That big gun all the men carried was the Thompson Submachine Gun invented in 1918. It became a favorite of both gangsters and Feds during Prohibition. The big metal cans under the barrels are magazines holding 100 rounds of .45 ACP ammo, enough firepower to cut a Cadillac in half.
No stardate is logged in the episode. Stardate 4598.0 appeared in Bjo Trimble’s ‘Star Trek Concordance’, apparently using an earlier script version, and the fotonovel provides a closing stardate 4598.7.
Summary
The Enterprise visits the planet Sigma Iotia II, the first time in 100 years a Federation ship has called there. The U.S.S. Horizon was the first to visit but was soon thereafter destroyed. Their message, sent by regular radio, was only recently received. Little is known about the Iotians other than they are fast learners and very imitative. The Horizon’s visit also predated the Prime Directive, so it’s wondered to what extent cultural contamination has taken place. What they find on arrival is that the entire planet has patterned itself along the lines of violent Chicago mobs of the 1920’s, with two bosses in particular, Bela Oxmyx and Jojo Krako, both out to take control.
CAST
William Shatner as Capt. Kirk Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock DeForest Kelley as Dr. McCoy Anthony Caruso as Bela Vic Tayback as Krako Lee Delano as Kalo James Doohan as Scott Nichelle Nichols as Uhura Walter Koenig as Chekov John Harmon as Tepo Sheldon Collins as Tough Kid Dyanne Thorne as First Girl Sharyn Hillyer as Second Girl Buddy Garion as Hood Steven Marlo as Zabo
More than any other song to that time…this one seemed so different and I knew music was changing in the 80s. I still liked it and I bought the single. Just like with Bonnie Tyler and It’s A Heartache…my first thought when hearing this was Rod Stewart. I really like Carne’s raspy voice more than the pop singers at the time…and now. Now I’d love to hear a duet with Kim Carnes and Bonnie Tyler.
“Bette Davis Eyes” was originally recorded by Jackie DeShannon on her 1975 album New Arrangement. DeShannon wrote the song with the songwriter Donna Weiss. According to DeShannon, she got the idea after watching the 1942 Bette Davis movie Now Voyager. It was Donna Weiss who submitted the demo to Carnes, who along with her band and producer Val Garay, came up with the hit arrangement for the song.
With Bette Davis Eyes a major hit in 1981, the then 73-year-old Bette Davis wrote to Carnes, DeShannon, and Weiss to thank them for making her cool in the eyes of her granddaughter. She also thanked them for making her part of modern history. Carnes later performed the song for Davis live as part of a tribute to the actress. The two remained friends until Davis’ death in 1989. Joan Crawford was long gone by this time…I have to wonder what she would have thought or said?
The producer told the drummer to go out and buy the cheapest drum set he could buy (and you can tell). They ran the drums through a synthesizer called a Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 and it gave a thin-sounding drum sound. At the time it was different but it would soon become commonplace to replace drum sets altogether with electronic drums…which to me… went way too far. That is why some recordings from that period sound so dated…but that is just me. Keyboardist Bill Cuomo made significant contributions to the chord changes and arrangement, as well as coming up with that synth riff.
Kim Carnes’ version of Bette Davis Eyes came out in 1981. It was the lead single from her sixth studio album, Mistaken Identity. And despite being released at the start of the decade, it was a song that would be played throughout the 80s on radios everywhere.
DeShannon is a Kentucky-born singer-songwriter who’s been on the music scene for most of her life. She started singing regularly on the radio at the age of six and some of her biggest hits include What the World Needs Now is Love and Put a Little Love in Your Heart.
The song peaked at #1 on the Billboard 100, #2 in Canada, #2 in New Zealand, and #10 in the UK in 1981.
Jackie DeShannon:Donna Weiss and I were writing quite a bit at the time, and we both liked black-and-white movies. Donna had written many pages, and I was fooling around with the melody, and we pieced together ‘Bette Davis Eyes.
We made a demo with a much more rock-and-roll feel. That’s what I thought we were going to do, but the producer had another concept. It turned out OK. I don’t dislike it, but it was not my concept. It had been out a long time, and Donna gave it to Kim Carnes with something else on the tape. Kim liked it and that was that. Her version was much closer to the demo version.
Bette Davis Eyes
Her hair is Harlow gold
Her lips are sweet surprise
Her hands are never cold
She got Bette Davis eyes
She’ll turn the music on you
You won’t have to think twice
She’s pure as New York snow
She got Bette Davis eyes
And she’ll tease you, she’ll unease you
All the better just to please you
She’s precocious, and she knows just
What it takes to make a pro blush
She got Greta Garbo’s standoff sighs, she’s got Bette Davis eyes
She’ll let you take her home
It whets her appetite
She’ll lay you on the throne
She got Bette Davis eyes
She’ll take a tumble on you
Roll you like you were dice
Until you come out blue
She’s got Bette Davis eyes
She’ll expose you, when she snows you
Off your feet with the crumbs she throws you
She’s ferocious and she knows just
What it takes to make a pro blush
All the boys think she’s a spy, she’s got Bette Davis eyes
She’ll tease you, she’ll unease you
All the better just to please you
She’s precocious, and she knows just
What it takes to make a pro blush
All the boys think she’s a spy, she’s got Bette Davis eyes
She’ll tease you
She’ll unease you
Just to please you
She’s got Bette Davis eyes
She’ll expose you
When she snows you
‘Cause she knows you, she’s got Bette Davis Eyes
I remember this song on some Yardbirds album I had back in the day. The guitar riff is outstanding. This band had no shortage of guitarists. Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and then Jimmy Page.
This is the first Yardbirds song that Beck and Page played together. The bass player on this song, Led Zeppelin fans will know right away. John Paul Jones played bass on this song. Jones also played bass on the Yardbird’s tracks “No Excess Baggage” and “Goodnight Sweet Josephine.” The reason Jones, who was a studio musician at that point, played on these songs was that the regular bass player Paul Samwell-Smith was pursuing record production full-time.
Paul Samwell-Smith went on to be a successful producer with credits such Cat Stevens’ albums Tea for the Tillerman, Teaser and the Firecat, and Catch Bull at Four. He also produced Jethro Tull, Carly Simon, and others. A couple of years later…John Paul Jones would be part of the New Yardbirds before they morphed into Led Zeppelin. Page wisely kept the rights to the name and the band played their first shows under that name.
This song was released in 1966 as a single with the B-side Psycho Daisies. The song peaked at #43 in the UK. As the title of the B side suggests…music was going into a psychedelic period that would peak the following year with The Beatles Sgt Peppers album.
The song was credited to the band… Keith Relf, Jim McCarty, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page except for rhythm guitar player Chris Dreja and bass player Paul Samwell-Smith.
Jim McCarty: “On ‘Happenings Ten Years Time Ago,’ Keith (Relf) and I were trying to write a song about reincarnation. We’d seen everything before, and it was all happening again. That was quite an interesting viewpoint, really. Meeting people along our way that we’d seen from another day. Sort of bringing in that situation that we’d been there before.”
Jimmy Page: We rehearsed hard on all sorts of riffs to things like “Over Under Sideways Down” which we were doing in harmonies and we worked out where we’d play rehearsed phrases together. It was the sort of thing that people like Wishbone Ash and Quiver [later] perfected, that dual-lead-guitar idea.
Happenings Ten Years Time Ago
Meeting people along my way
Seemingly I’ve known one day
Familiarity of things
That my dreaming always brings
Happenings ten years time ago
Situations we really know
But the knowing is in the mind
Sinking deep into the well of time
Sinking deep into the well of time
Walking in the room, I see
Things that mean a lot to me
Why they do I never know
Memories don’t strike me so
Memories don’t strike me so
It seems to me I’ve been here before
The sounds I heard and the sights I saw
Was it real? Was it in my dreams?
I need to know what it all means
Happenings ten years time ago
Situations we really know
But the knowing is in the mind
Sinking deep into the well of time
Sinking deep into the well of time
This extended from my last chat with CB… we had Graham Parker last week and Paul Kelly was brought up. I ran out of time last week to write this one up. I really like great storytellers…and Paul Kelly is one of them. His music touches on many styles. Country, rock, folk, reggae, bluegrass, and touches of many more styles. He has been described as the poet laureate of Australian music. He writes about everyday life that many people can relate to. I’ve seen this stated about him… Paul Kelly’s songs dig deep into Australia: how it feels, looks, tastes, sounds.
Today I’m going to give you a small sample platter of this great artist.
Here is a very short bio of Paul Kelly.
Paul Kelly was born in 1955 is from Adelaide, Australia. Debuted in Hobart, Australia, 1974; moved to Melbourne and performed in pubs, 1976; formed band the Dots, released albums Talk, 1981, and Manila, 1982; moved to Sydney, 1984; released Post with Steve Connolly and Ian Rilen, 1985; formed as Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls, released Gossip, 1986; regrouped as Paul Kelly and the Messengers, released Gossip in the U.S., followed by Under the Sun, 1987; published collected writings volume Lyrics, 1993; formed new lineup with Shane O’Mara, Bruce Haymes, Peter Luscombe, Stephen Hadley, and Spencer Jones. Kelly is still releasing albums. His last album was Paul Kelly’s Christmas Train released in 2021. Altogether he had 28 studio albums, 6 live albums, 8 compilation albums, and an incredible 64 singles.
He also comments on important social and historical events and their significance to Australian identity and life. Several of his songs highlight the plight of Australia’s Indigenous people including ‘Maralinga (Rainy Land)’, a song about atomic testing by the British in Australia’s outback and its effects on the Indigenous people of that area. He and Midnight Oil were some of the artists who contributed to the album Building Bridges – Australia Has A Black History. All sales proceeds were donated to the National Coalition of Aboriginal Organisations.
The first song I listened to by Paul Kelly was “To Her Door.” It reminded me of Steve Earle or Springsteen. Not because of his voice but because of the songwriting. The story…the way lyrics flow and ebb and fit together like a puzzle. All the while this is going on the music has great dynamics that rise up to meet the lyrics head-on and punctuates it. The song was released in 1987 and was on the album Under The Sun that peaked at #14 in Australia.
That album also produced the single Dumb Things. This song has a shuffle that jumps. It starts off with a cool harmonica blasting and invites you in. This character-driven song stuck with me for days. This one peaked at #36 in Australia and #17 on the Billboard Alternative Charts in 1987.
Now it’s time for a pure rock song by Kelly called Darling It Hurts. This song was off of the album Gossip released in 1986. The song peaked at #25 in Australia and #19 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Charts.
This one is called Bradman and it’s off of Gossip as well. It has a sports connection. I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know much about Cricket but the song is great. It’s about Sir Donald Bradman, arguably…. the greatest ever cricketer (and definitely the greatest ever Australian cricketer). This one peaked at #51 in Australia and was part of a double A-sided single along with the song Leaps and Bounds.
I’m going to close this on this song or I could go on for pages. This song is called Careless. It was released in 1989 on the album So Much Water So Close to Home. It’s an incredibly catchy song but a song that means something. Like a mixture in a bottle, like a frozen over lake, Like a long-time, painted smile I got so hard I had to crack, You were there, you held the line, you’re the one that brought me back
If you liked what you have heard…do some homework and look this artist up…you won’t be sorry. He will now remain on my playlist. I’ve given you a few samples but it’s so much more to explore.
Rock Critic David Fricke: “I have had the pleasure and privilege of seeing Paul Kelly in performance more times than I can count – although it’s still not enough. I’ve seen him in performance in the Northeast and Southwest Hemispheres, unplug and plugged in, solo, with his band and, on one memorable evening in New York, on stage exchanging songs, quips and composing tips with Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Michelle Shocked and Allen Toussaint. If memory serves me right, Paul actually sang a few bars of Fats Domino’s‘Blueberry Hill’ one thanksgivings back in the mid 80s at my apartment in Manhattan as he pored over a road atlas- his forefinger on the city of New Orleans – and excitedly pointed out the route he was taking on a car trip through the southern United States”
Now here is one for the road…this song’s title appealed me right away… “How to Make Gravy.”
How To Make Gravy
Hello Dan, it’s Joe here I hope you’re keeping well It’s the 21st of December And now they’re ringing the last bells If I get good behaviour I’ll be out of here by July Won’t you kiss my kids on Christmas Day? Please don’t let ’em cry for me
I guess the brothers are driving down from Queensland And Stella’s flying in from the coast They say it’s gonna be a hundred degrees, even more maybe But that won’t stop the roast Who’s gonna make the gravy now? I bet it won’t taste the same Just add flour, salt, a little red wine And don’t forget a dollop of tomato sauce For sweetness and that extra tang
And give my love to Angus, and to Frank and Dolly Tell ’em all I’m sorry, I screwed up this time And look after Rita, I’ll be thinking of her Early Christmas morning when I’m standing in line
I hear Mary’s got a new boyfriend I hope he can hold his own Do you remember the last one? What was his name again? Ahh, just a little too much cologne And Roger, you know I’m even gonna miss Roger ‘Cause there’s sure as hell no one in here I want to fight
Oh, praise the Baby Jesus, have a Merry Christmas I’m really gonna miss it, all the treasure and the trash And later in the evening, I can just imagine You’ll put on Junior Murvin and push the tables back
And you’ll dance with Rita, I know you really like her Just don’t hold her too close Oh, brother, please don’t stab me in the back I didn’t mean to say that, it’s just my mind it plays up Multiplies each matter, turns imagination into fact
You know I love her badly, she’s the one to save me I’m gonna make some gravy, I’m gonna taste the fat Ahh, tell her that I’m sorry, yeah, I love her badly Tell ’em all I’m sorry, and kiss the sleepy children for me You know one of these days, I’ll be making gravy I’ll be making plenty, I’m gonna pay ’em all back
If you want to see where we are…and you missed a few…HERE is a list of the episodes in my index located at the top of my blog.
This show was written by Gene Roddenberry and Margaret Armen
My favorite line out of this one? You’re Out of your Vulcan Mind, Spock! It was said by McCoy and you could imagine “Vulcan” was in place of something they could not say.
Angelique Pettyjohn played Shahna in this episode. Pettyjohn later became an adult film actress which is rare for that time because not many made the jump from movies/tv shows to adult films. Is it just me or does she favor Lady GaGa?
This episode was not one of the great ones, to say the least. It’s not a terrible episode though…because it is fun. When the episode begins, Kirk, Uhura, and Chekov are being beamed by the Enterprise’s transporter.
However, instead of “sparkling” from the transporter, they disappear and are transported by a fantastic force well across the galaxy. The Enterprise looks for them but doesn’t realize that the seemingly impossible has occurred and only later does Spock play a hunch and begin searching well beyond the transporter’s range…to other star systems.
They have no idea where they are but the planet’s three suns mean they are many light years from where they intended to be. They soon learn that they are to be trained as Thralls on the planet Triskelion. Thralls are gladiators trained to fight for whichever of the unseen Providers buys them.
In this episode, we see Kirk again being a Cassanova and trying to win their freedom.
From IMDB:
The look of the character Galt was modeled after Ming the Merciless, the archenemy from the Flash Gordon comic strip.
During an interview, Angelique Pettyjohn said that when she first auditioned for the role of Shahna, she admitted to the producers that she didn’t think she fit the character. When they asked why, she said the script describes her as an Amazon, but at 5’6″, Pettyjohn said she’s hardly an Amazon. The producers all laughed and said “Look, honey, next to Shatner, you’ll look like an Amazon.”
A triskelion is an ancient symbol used in Greek, Roman and Celtic cultures. It was originally three spiral but evolved into three legs, as seen in the flag of the Isle of Man. The symbol shown on the planet is a geometric version of this design.
When Joseph Ruskin saw that his costume consisted of a long black floor-length robe, he came up with the idea of walking in an extremely fluid way (known as “glide stepping” by marching bands). He thought that combined with the robe, it might make the viewer wonder if he was even a biped humanoid, or perhaps had some other means of movement.
In the remastered version, one piece of new footage was added to this episode. The establishing shot of the planet Triskelion, shown during the opening credits, now included the system’s trinary suns.
The producers interrupted filming of this episode to tell the cast and crew that the show had been cancelled. Everyone was depressed throughout the rest of production. But then fans started protesting and writing letters until NBC decided to keep it on for another season.
Joseph Ruskin (Galt) also played Tumek in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The House of Quark (1994) & Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Looking for Par’Mach in All the Wrong Places (1996), Cardassian Informant in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Improbable Cause (1995), a Son’a officer in Star Trek: Insurrection (1998), a Vulcan master in Star Trek: Voyager: Gravity (1999) and a Suliban doctor in Star Trek: Enterprise: Broken Bow, Part 1 (2001). He has thus appeared in every Star Trek television series except Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), although Insurrection features the TNG crew. With the exception of Majel Barrett, who has appeared in every Star Trek series, he was the only actor to appear in all four of the series in question. Furthermore, given that Barrett only provided the computer voice in Voyager and Enterprise, Ruskin was the only actor to appear on screen in all four series mentioned above. Along with Barrett, Clint Howard, Jack Donner, and Vince Deadrick, Ruskin was one of only five actors to appear in both Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: Enterprise. He, Barrett and Howard also appeared in Deep Space Nine. Ruskin also worked on two Star Trek video games, lending his voice to Master Si’tann in Star Trek: Hidden Evil (1999) and to Admiral Nolotai and Vulcan Master N’Kal in Star Trek: Away Team (2001).
Angelique Pettyjohn (Shahna), real name Dorothy Lee Perrins, found that her movie career never really took off. By the early 1980s, she had developed a substance abuse and alcohol addiction. These resulted in her descent into softcore, then hard core pornographic films and striptease. Fortunately she was able to clean herself up to a degree and distance herself from porn thanks to the growing Star Trek and Sci Fi convention industry. She realized that she could make a living appearing at sci-fi conventions after the popularity of the Star Trek franchise grew, due to the release of the films. As part of her appearances, she posed for and sold two versions of a poster as her Shahna character (one in her silver costume and one where she was totally nude) as well as signing autographs and photos. However, the years of alcoholism and drug addiction finally caught up with her and probably contributed to her early death at the age of 48 (from cancer) in 1992.
The top of Lazarus’ ship from Star Trek: The Alternative Factor (1967) was recycled as the glass bubble that encases the Providers.
The original script featured Sulu. However, George Takei was unavailable due to his commitment to the movie The Green Berets (1968). The script was rewritten with Chekov taking the place of Sulu.
The original version of the script featured Kirk, Sulu, and Uhura being taken captive while traveling in a shuttlecraft. However, the production staff thought it was too similar to the Teaser of Star Trek: Metamorphosis (1967), and changed it to feature them being detained while transporting down instead.
The story of “The Gamesters of Triskelion”, relates to the Roman Empire. In ancient Rome, slaves and other captive were trained as gladiators (strictly, meaning sword-fighters but the word is used for all fighters in the arenas). They fought each other to the death in spectacles of violence and death, for the amusement and entertainment of the Roman citizens. In this episode, Kirk, Uhura, Chekov, and other alien lifeforms from across the galaxy, have been abducted and brought to Triskelion, are enslaved and trained as gladiators, and were forced to fight each other for the amusement of the Providers.
The ruins that Kirk and Shahna encounter while jogging were recycled from the planet surface in Star Trek: The Man Trap (1966).
The red stand-up collar of Galt’s costume appears to be constructed from a popular 1960s table placemat, made of tiny plastic discs embedded in a plastic sheet.
Although the unaired first pilot had shown Number One at the helm, Ensign Haines is the first woman seen at that position during Kirk’s command.
The backdrop for the Gamesters’ underground lair is a reused matte painting previously appearing in Star Trek: The Devil in the Dark (1967).
The knives are reused from Star Trek: Mirror, Mirror (1967).
The original title of this episode was “The Gamesters of Pentathalon”.
Parodied in The Simpsons: Deep Space Homer (1994).
A rare television appearance for Angelique Pettyjohn, a burlesque and hardcore adult film performer.
The “collars of obedience” are very similar to the control device placed around Dr. Zachary Smith’s neck in Lost in Space: Invaders from the Fifth Dimension (1965), aired 3 November 1965.
Scriptwriter Margaret Amen came up with the idea after having seen a re-release of Spartacus (1960) a few weeks before and used the gladiator training school scenes as inspiration.
Aside from the standard CGI replacement footage of the Enterprise, the remastered version most notably featured new effects shots of the planets Gamma II and Triskelion.
A persistent rumor is that Bea Arthur guest-starred here, using the name Jane Ross, but Arthur tried to end the confusion in 2001 when she told Television Academy Interviews that she has never guest-starred on “Star Trek” or used the name Jane Ross. But the rumor still persists, because of the physical similarities between Arthur and Ross.
This takes place in 2268.
Kirk’s conversation with Shahna is parodied in South Park: Hooked on Monkey Fonics (1999) when Kyle explains love to Rebecca in her father’s garden.
The thrall with blue makeup is identical to one of the prisoners in the season #3, “Whom Gods Destroy”.
Cameo Bob Johnson: Johnson, voice of one of the Providers, was one of America’s most famous voices for a few years: he was the tape recorded voice that gave the Impossible Missions Force its assignments at the beginning of most episodes of Mission: Impossible (1966). Mission was filmed next door to the Star Trek set, and actors from the series would often wander over to see what was happening on the Enterprise. Johnson previously did voice work on the first Star Trek pilot, Star Trek: The Cage (1966).
Dick Crockett: stunt coordinator appears as the Andorian thrall.
Summary
Kirk, Uhura and Chekov find themselves suddenly transported light years across the galaxy to the planet Triskelion. There, they are trained as thralls, slaves who engage in gladiatorial combat for the pleasure of the Providers, three faceless beings who amuse themselves by wagering on the outcomes. Outfitted with collars that inflict pain for disobedience, the thralls are submissive and pliant. Kirk eventually challenges the Providers to a wager that will either result in freedom for all or a lifetime of slavery.
CAST
William Shatner…James T. Kirk Leonard Nimoy…Mr. Spock DeForest Kelley…Dr. McCoy Joseph Ruskin…Galt Angelique Pettyjohn…Shahna Nichelle Nichols…Uhura James Doohan…Scott Steve Sandor…Lars Walter Koenig…Chekov Jane Ross…Tamoon Victoria George…Ensign Jana Haines Dick Crockett…Andorian thrall Mickey Morton…Kloog
This was a non-album single released in 1972. It was released between Who’s Next (1971) and Quadrophenia (1973).
Pete Townshend wrote this… it was part of his “Lifehouse” project, which was a film script featuring The Who in a future world where rock ‘n’ roll saves the masses. The Who scrapped plans for the concept double album and released most of the songs on Who’s Next…pretty much agreed their best album and one of the best in rock period.
Townshend’s use of the ARP synthesizer on Who’s Next was groundbreaking. He didn’t just add texture to it but the ARP became part of the structure of the songs. This was not like today’s synthesizer where you just took it out of the box. It had to be programmed and connected together…and not many people knew how to do it. He took a risk using it because technology in general always moving ahead, Who’s Next could have sounded dated a few years afterward but it still sounds fresh and interesting today…unlike some other synth music.
They played this song on the Russell Harty Show and Harty looked terrified of The Who. Harty was a gay man which was secret in the 1970s… Keith knew this and you could tell he thought Keith Moon was going to say something out loud in an interview but of course Keith didn’t. He was messing with Harty and the interview is both funny and demented to watch. I keep thinking….an interview like this would not happen today. What makes the interview funnier is how Daltrey and Entwistle just chill in the background while Moon and Townshend torment Harty.
They were joking around with Harty and you could see Harty tense up a bit when Moon stripped down to his underwear. Moon and Townshend then preceded to rip and tear each other’s shirt off.
Harty asked them some questions and if they were all married. That was when Moon started to talk about messing with Harty’s sleeves (as Pete and Keith did to each other) he said to Harty “You leave his sleeves alone… personal them ay…Can’t touch the interviewer can we?Hey he is in command isn’t he? You can make everyone else look like a right twit as long as you don’t have a go at him. How long have you been happily married? ” You have to wonder by the look on Harty’s face if he thought Moon was going to say something out loud…he did know Harty was gay…but of course, Moon didn’t…he was just having fun with him.
Someone put all the Rusell Harty short interview segments together from the documentary The Kids Are Alright…I have it below.
Anyway…a good song and it peaked at #21 in the UK, #50 in Canada, and #39 on the Billboard 100 in 1972.
Relay
You can hear it in the street, see it in the dragging feet
The word is gettin’ out about control
Spies they’ve come and gone, the story travels on
The only quiet place is inside your soul
From tree to tree, from you to me
Travelin’ twice as fast as on any freeway
Every single dream, wrapped up in the scheme
They all get carried on the relay
Relay, things are brewin’
Relay, something’s doin’
Relay, there’s a revolution
Relay, relay
(Hand me down a solution, yeah)
Pass it on, come on, a relay
Someone disapproves, what you say and do
I was asked to see what I could really learn you
Don’t believe your eyes, they’re tellin’ only lies
What is done in the first place don’t concern you
From tree to tree, from you to me
Travelin’ twice as fast as on any freeway
Every single dream wrapped up in the scheme
They all get carried on the relay
Relay, things are brewin’
Relay, something’s doin’
Relay, there’s a revolution
Relay, relay
(Hand me down a solution, yeah)
Pass it on, pass it on, pass it on, hey you, pass it on
We’re on the relay, get a movin’
Get on a movin’ on
The relay, the relay
The relay, the relay
If you want to see where we are…and you missed a few…HERE is a list of the episodes in my index located at the top of my blog.
This show was written by Gene Roddenberry and David Gerrold
This could be the most famous episode of Star Trek…the one most known. A well-earned 5 Star episode for this one. They did something that the Twilight Zone never managed to do…to make a classic episode funny…and this one is.
The Enterprise responds to a priority one distress call on a space station but Kirk is far from impressed when he learns that the call was signaled by The Under Secretary for Agriculture Baris to guard some storage compartments of a new wheat hybrid. Reluctantly, Kirk agrees but only assigns two guards, giving his other available staff shore leave on the station.
The importance of the grain is brought home to him though when Starfleet commands him into action and the Klingons turn up on the station for “shore leave”. With all these pressures on him, peddler Cyrano Jones selling a strangely enchanting creature called a Tribble doesn’t even show up on his radar. Stanley Adams does a great job playing Cyrano Jones.
These Tribbles are adorable. There is only one problem with these furry creatures. They are born pregnant so you will never have just one. They soon fill the space station and soon The Enterprise. Everyone who sees them likes them…except for one race…and that would be The Klingons.
I have one request…WATCH the episode. I don’t want to write anymore and give anything else away. Some Star Trek fans say the episode is too lightweight…I disagree…it’s very entertaining and it’s nothing wrong with having an entertaining light episode. If I had to rank episodes…I would rank this 2nd behind The City On The Edge Of Tomorrow.
Deep Space 9 did an episode built around this episode. They go back in time and see Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the Enterprise when this happens. Check that one out…the effects are great…they put this crew with the Enterprise crew and it looks great.
From IMDB:
The scene in which Kirk is buried in an avalanche of tribbles took eight takes to get right. The tribbles were thrown into the hatch by members of the production crew. The crew members were not sure when to stop because they were unable to see the scene. This is why additional tribbles keep falling on Kirk one by one. William Shatner can be seen looking perplexed as to why more tribbles keep falling on him.
To create the one tribble moving on its own, the prop supervisor bought a battery powered toy dog and stripped it down to the mechanical works. Once recovered with fur including the toy legs, the prop moved on camera along the railing on the Enterprise bridge without wires or external assistance. The toy was so noisy all the dialogue in the scene had to be looped with ADR (re-recorded after shooting).
Tribbles have made subsequent appearances in numerous different versions of Star Trek, including important plot focuses in Star Trek: The Animated Series: More Tribbles, More Troubles (1973) and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Trials and Tribble-ations (1996), and cameo appearances in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) and even Star Trek: Enterprise (2001) and Star Trek: Discovery (2017).
The noises that the tribbles make were a combination of dove coos, screech owl cries and air escaping from balloons.
During the famous “bar fight”, careful observers will note that while tables are broken, all the chairs remain intact. The tables were studio property: the chairs were rented, and if damaged would have to be paid for.
William Shatner recalled the great enjoyment all the cast had filming this episode. He noted, “The trouble we had with ‘Tribbles’ was [to] keep your straight face. It was just a lot of fun.”
Writer David Gerrold tried to pitch a sequel to this episode during the third season. But producer Fred Freiberger rejected it because he did not like the comedic tone of this episode. Gerrold’s idea eventually became an animated spin-off, Star Trek: The Animated Series: More Tribbles, More Troubles (1973).
When Dr. McCoy figures out that the Tribbles are in a perpetual state of being pregnant, this marks one of the very first instances on American TV of the use of that word. Just 15 years earlier, Desilu Productions, the original company behind “Star Trek”, was forbidden from using that word during I Love Lucy: Lucy Is Enceinte (1952), so the word “expecting” was used instead.
The pile of Tribbles near the end was actually created by gluing Tribble props around a large wire frame which William Shatner then stood in the middle of to give the illusion of mass numbers. In reality, there were only five hundred Tribbles made. This is obvious when you look at how the Tribbles are piled up, and none have landed on the floor at Spock’s feet.
James Doohan insisted on doing his own stunts in the barroom brawl.
In some scenes (and if you watch in high definition), a coffee stain is clearly visible on Spock’s velour shirt. Leonard Nimoy spilled his cup of coffee during lunch and there were no other costumes available for him.
William Campbell (Koloth) recalled that, after this episode was aired, his neighbour’s son consequently addressed his wife as “Mrs. Klingon”.
George Takei does not appear in this episode. For much of the second season, he was filming The Green Berets (1968). Many scenes written for Sulu were switched over to Chekov.
According to David Gerrold’s ‘The World of Star Trek’, Tribbles would be around the set for some time afterward, allowing for occurrences such as what was mentioned earlier or popping up in various other places as well for some months after the production of the episode.
This episode was nominated for a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation at the 1968 Science Fiction Convention.
According to Michael Okuda and Denise Okuda’s text commentary on this episode for the second season DVD set, the last fresh footage of the Enterprise was done for this episode. In every episode to follow, the shots of the ship were all stock footage.
The inspiration for the design of the tribbles came from a fluffy keyring.
At 37:10, you can get a rare glimpse of James Doohan’s missing finger as Scotty brings in an armful of Tribbies. Doohan lost it when he was wounded fighting with the Canadian forces on D-Day June 6, 1944.
The line in which Spock says that Kirk heard what Baris said, but could not believe his ears, was lifted directly from a Mad Magazine spoof of Star Trek (titled Star Blecch) that had just been published.
Captain Koloth pronounces his race, “Clingans”. As in Wilbur Clingan, Gene Roddenberry’s inspiration for the Klingons.
William Schallert appeared at one of the earliest Star Trek conventions, finding it rewarding and also confusing. Schallert recalled encountering many fans in person, who would react by calling and addressing him as Nilz Barris, and at the time he had completely forgotten the name of the character he played.
This is the first time in the series the Klingon language is mentioned. It is called “Klingonese” in the script and the DVD-subtitles. However, because actor Michael Pataki began to laugh at the end of the word, and cut himself off before finishing his consonants, the word is heard as “Klingonee”. It is spelled “Klingoni” in the Netflix subtitles.
In his first meeting with the Klingon commander, Koloth cites authority to shore leave rights as authorized by the Organian Treaty. This occurred in Star Trek: Errand of Mercy (1967) when the Organians prevented a war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. The Treaty of Organia dictates interactions between the two sides to prevent another chance of war.
The bar set, including the bartender’s costume, is recycled from Star Trek: Court Martial (1967), with slight modifications, mostly in decoration.
Writer David Gerrold intended to play the crewman who is with Scott and Chekov when the barroom brawl breaks out, but the role went to stuntman Paul Baxley instead.
Despite this episode’s popularity, producer Robert H. Justman wrote in his book “Inside Star Trek: The Real Story” that he never liked this episode. Justman felt that the humor was too over-the-top and the show became a parody of itself.
Initially Leonard Nimoy was not a fan of the episode as he felt it to be frivolous. Its deepening reputation as one of the classics of The Original Series as the years went on helped him change his mind.
In David Gerrold’s book “The Trouble with Tribbles”, he quoted a memo he wrote when the show was being prepared suggesting that the character of Cyrano Jones be changed from an unscrupulous trader to an old man who was too befuddled to realize what he was doing by importing Tribbles into a space station and on a star ship. “What a role for Boris Karloff,” Gerrold wrote in his memo. In the book, Gerrold expressed regret he didn’t pursue this idea further because it would have gotten the legendary Karloff onto Star Trek.
William Campbell makes his second appearance as an alien. His first was as Trelane in “The Squire of Gothos”, and this role as the Klingon Captain Koloth. The role of Koloth was intended as a recurring character, but the next time a Klingon was needed, Campbell was unavailable and a different character and actor was cast.
The storyline greatly resembles one subplot in ‘The Rolling Stones’, a 1952 novel by Robert A. Heinlein. Gene Roddenberry and Heinlein made an undisclosed copyright agreement before The Trouble With Tribbles aired. Heinlein conceded to David Gerrold that both he and Gerrold possibly “owed something to Ellis Parker Butler”, author of the short story ‘Pigs is Pigs’ (According to Bjo Trimble, this episode is based upon said short story, ‘Pigs Is Pigs’, although Gerrold’s first-hand account only acknowledges the similarities but does not specifically cite the short story as “the basis” for this episode, and, as the author, he should know). See also Star Trek: Charlie X (1966) and Star Trek: Operation — Annihilate! (1967), which have strong Heinlein similarities.
This is listed as one of the “Ten Essential Episodes” of TOS in the 2008 reference book “Star Trek 101” by Paula M. Block and Terry J. Erdmann.
The producers of the Remastered Edition insist to everyone that all shots of the station and ships are brand-new and not reused from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Trials and Tribble-ations (1996) as had been rumored. Comparisons reveal that no space shots were reused.
William Campbell returned to the role of Koloth 27 years later in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Blood Oath (1994).
Spock’s estimate of the tribble population (1,771,561) is mathematically accurate, given the explanation: “That’s assuming one tribble, multiplying with an average litter of 10, producing a new generation every 12 hours over a period of three days.” The population growth, counting by 12-hour intervals, would go from 1 tribble to 11; 121; 1,331; 14,641; 161,051; 1,771,561. It also assumes that tribbles have a life expectancy of at least 3 days, which is possible but not certain; a relatively short life expectancy would tally with their high metabolism, growth rate, and “multiplicative proclivities.”
On the DVD commentary for Star Trek: The Animated Series: More Tribbles, More Troubles (1973), David Gerrold, shares a story of meeting a fan visiting the Filmation Associates facility who strongly urged him to write a sequel to the original Trouble with Tribbles. He said despite telling the fan three times he had already done so and it “was in production,” the fan continued to pitch his ideas for the sequel. After the animated sequel aired, he got a letter forwarded by NBC, from that same fan, saying he wasn’t asking for money only “asking for some of the credit.” Gerrold wrote back to him, telling him “asking for half the credit is asking for half the money,” and telling the fan that he didn’t hear him say he had already written it. He explained further to the fan that this is the reason why people in the industry, especially writers, try to avoid talking to fans and amateurs because if anything even just similar is later produced, it would be deemed as “stolen.”
In the bar set, recycled from Star Trek: Court Martial (1967), many tribbles were made out of carpet as background. Most visible versions were made from off-cuts from fur garments, as revealed in the book to accompany episode. The tribbles that move had mechanical toys placed inside them.
When Kirk remarks to both Uhura and Chekov that they didn’t waste any time taking shore leave, Uhura replies, “And how often do I take shore leave?” Star Trek: Shore Leave (1966), another episode with a comedic tone, premiered exactly one year earlier. Although Uhura was in that episode, she spent it, at least onscreen, aboard the Enterprise instead of the amusement planet where some of the other crewmembers were taking shore leave.
Summary
Having received a Priority One distress call from an outlying space station, the Enterprise arrives to find they have been summoned there by a Federation commissioner merely to protect a shipment of seeds meant to sow wheat on Sherman’s planet. The planet is also coveted by the Klingons, who are taking shore leave at the station. The trouble arises with tribbles – small furry creatures that seem to multiply without end. However, their fortuitous presence reveals both a problem with the wheat and a traitor on the space station.
CAST
William Shatner…James T. Kirk Leonard Nimoy…Mr. Spock DeForest Kelley…Dr. McCoy William Schallert…Nilz Baris William Campbell…Koloth Stanley Adams…Cyrano Jones Whit Bissell…Lurry James Doohan…Scott Nichelle Nichols…Uhura Michael Pataki…Korax Ed Reimers…Admiral Fitzpatrick Walter Koenig…Chekov Charlie Brill…Arne Darvin Paul Baxley…Freeman David L. Ross…Guard Guy Raymond…K-7 Bartender
Happy Friday to you all! Today and Saturday I will be out of town but I will keep checking when I can.
This song could fit into different categories…country, country-rock, and power pop. It has a touch of the Byrds in this because of the 12-string Rickenbacker sound. Its melody is the reason that I like this one so much. This one (and a Sloan song) was going to go in Canadian Week but I ran out of days.
Blue Rodeo is a Canadian country rock band formed in 1984 in Toronto. Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor, have been friends since high school, having both attended North Toronto Collegiate Institute.
Their record company did try to break into America because they hired Danny Goldberg as their US manager. Danny Goldberg was involved in some giant bands. He got his start in the 1970s with Led Zeppelin and later on, went to The Allman Brothers and then to Nirvana. Unfortunately, Goldberg left after the Casino album was released. He didn’t end up having much to do with the band according to Jim Cuddy.
This song was on their album Casino and it was released in 1990. The song peaked at #3 in Canada, #1 in the Canadian Country Charts, and #2 in the Canadian Adult Contemporary Charts. The song was on the Casino album released in 1991. The album peaked at #6 in Canada. The song was written by Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor. Cuddy and Keelor are the two main singer/songwriters in the band.
They got Pete Anderson to produce the album. Anderson produced Dwight Yoakam, Roy Orbison, Jackson Browne, Buck Owens, K.D. Lang, and Lucinda Williams. He took the approach to Blue Rodeo as if they were recording 10 singles. He said their songs were entirely too long at that point and the band worked to tidy the songs up to under 4 minutes as you can see in the quote below.
Pete Anderson: “They loved to jam, but the songs were way too long. They were ahead of bands like Phish and The String Cheese Incident. They were not a jam band per say, but they were on the front-end of that jam-band world. Those bands are not on the radio. A programmer looks at the back of the record and sees songs that are over four minutes and they will not play those songs unless it is hippy radio. We were going for a three-minute and 20-second consciousness for this record.
Jim Cuddy: “That was a very tumultuous time. Our manager [Danny Goldberg] quit right when we had finished recording; he really never had anything to do with us. That was a lesson learned. We did not make that record to break into the U.S. market or cater it for radio. That idea was imposed on us. We thought all our records would be accessible in the States. We made Casino based on records we liked such as Dwight Yoakam’s Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc. Etc. That was a guy Anderson worked with. We wanted to sound like that sonically and artistically. Pete came up before we went to L.A., made extensive notes, and shared them with us. We did some demos on an eight-track machine in our studio on Sorauren Avenue. Those demos are interesting to go back and listen to now. For example, ‘What Am I Doing Here.’ I remember Pete cut out one of the bridges in that song. I thought that was a great suggestion. We never were good with self-editing.
Bass Player Bazil Donovan: “That’s one of Jim (Cuddy’s) songs that came out of the time when we first toured the States and we were gone so long, that we became disconnected with reality. We spent so much time on a bus, in a plane or going to a gig somewhere, and we were new to all of that. It took its toll on us, we weren’t taking care of ourselves and we were probably drinking too much, and on the long road depression sets in. The song captures that, about how you can lose your spirit. We had spent like a whole year on the road. It’s funny how a dark experience can result in a great song. People dance to it like it’s a happy rocker, but the lyrics remind me of that dark time.”
Bazil Donovan: “Pete had a concept. I remember one night we went to eat at El Pollo Loco and he said to us, ‘I want to make a record with you guys that has 10 singles on it. I don’t want to make stuff that is not going to get played. I don’t care if you have one arty tune that is an album track. My idea is to make hit songs.’ Listen to that record today and you can hear that. They are all three-minute pop-rock hits, which Pete was very good at. Some of our biggest songs came out of that record. I learned a lot from him. Before that, I didn’t know a lot about arranging. After I watched Pete work with arrangements it opened up the door for me and I thought about arranging myself. A lot of the stuff I learned there I have applied to stuff I’ve done since.”
Til I Am Myself Again
I want to know where
my confidence went
one day it all disappeared
and I’m lying in a hotel room
miles away
voices next door in my ear
Daytime’s a drag
nighttime’s worse
hope that I can get home soon
but the half-finished bottles of inspiration
lie like ghosts in my room
I wanna go
I know I can’t stay
but I don’t want to run
feeling this way
til I am myself
til I am myself
til I am myself again
There’s a seat on the corner
I keep every night
wait til the evening begins
I feel like a stranger
from another world
but at least I’m living again
There are nights
full of anger
words that are thrown
tempers that are shattered and thin
but the moments of magic
are just too short
they’re over before they begin
I know it’s time
one big step
I can’t go
I’m not ready yet
til I am myself
til I am myself
til I am myself again
I had a dream
that my house was on fire
people laughed while it burned
I tried to run but my legs were numb
I had to wait til the feeling returned
I don’t need a doctor
to figure it out
I know what’s passing me by
when I look in the mirror
sometimes I see
traces of some other guy
I wanna go
I know I can’t stay
but I don’t want to run
feeling this way
til I am myself
til I am myself
til I am myself again
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