Category: Power Pop

Raspberries – I Wanna Be With You

This song is for Song Lyric Sunday for Jim Adams’s blog. This week’s prompt is (drum roll please…) a forgotten band. I picked The Raspberries but also talked about Badfinger and Big Star. 

I still remember the first time I heard this song on AM radio. I must have been around 7 or 8, walking into my sister’s wood-paneled room. It was playing on WMAK, a station I’ll never forget. The disc jockey, Coyote McCloud, was a legend in Nashville back in the early seventies—everyone tuned in to hear him. It’s funny how clearly I can recall that moment like it was just yesterday.

I wasn’t lucky enough to be a teenager in the 1970s, but whenever I listen to The Raspberries, it feels like I’m transported back in time. I can picture myself in 1973, driving my first car with their greatest hits blasting, feeling the freedom and excitement of the era. The music has a way of making it real.

I’ve always considered the top three power pop bands to be Big Star, Badfinger, and The Raspberries. Together, they captured everything that makes power pop great… soaring vocals, great melodies, and that perfect balance of guitar crunch and jangle. What an incredible time for the genre, with all three bands active at the same moment in history. They may not have found the level of commercial success they deserved, but their influence on music has been huge. 

These bands didn’t just define power pop… they set the standard for what the genre could be. Badfinger and The Raspberries managed to crack the Top 20 a few times, but Big Star didn’t even get that far…which is nothing short of a crime. Bands like Cheap Trick, Tom Petty, KISS, REM, The Cars, and The Replacements owe them a lot. These three bands do pop up every once in a while. The Raspberries Go All The Way was in the Guardians of the Galaxy movie, Badfinger’s Baby Blue was in the last episode of Breaking Bad, and Big Star’s In The Street was the theme song to That Seventies Show. 

The Raspberries were more than just a band…they were a Cleveland supergroup, formed from the city’s best local acts. The lineup was indeed super… Eric Carmen as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist, Wally Bryson on lead guitar with his signature crunchy riffs, Jim Bonfanti on drums, and Dave Smalley on bass. Their sound was a seamless blend of their influences—The Beatles, The Who, The Kinks, and The Beach Boys—woven together into power pop perfection.

The Raspberries did have 7 singles to chart and 4 top forty hits with I Wanna Be With You being one of them. This song peaked at #16 on the Billboard 100 and #17 in Canada in 1973.  It was the first single from their second LP, Fresh.[It became their second-greatest US hit. They broke up in 1975 after releasing their album Starting Over. Eric Carmen wrote this song. 

Their best-known song was Go All The Way which peaked at #5 in 1972. 

Alex Chilton (Big Star): “I remember when I first heard the Raspberries, Big Star was in a van traveling around doing some dates and we heard Go All the Way on the radio, and we said, ‘Wow, those guys are really doing it!’ I thought that was a great song.”

 

I Wanna Be With You

If we were older we wouldn’t have to be worried tonight
Baby oh I want to be with you so bad
Oh baby I want to be with you
Oh yeah?
Well tonight tonight we always knew it would feel so right
So come oh baby, I just want to be with you

Someday’s a long time and we’ve been waiting so long to be here
Baby oh I want to be with you so bad
Oh baby I want to be with you
Oh yeah?
Well tonight tonight we always knew it would feel so right
So come oh baby, I just want to be with you

Hold me tight our love could live forever after tonight
If you believe in what you’re doing is right
Close your eyes and be still

Baby, oh I want to be with you so bad
Oh baby I want to be with you
Oh yeah?
Well tonight tonight we always knew it would feel so right
So come oh baby, I just want to be with you

Oh I want to be with you so bad
Oh baby I want to be with you
Oh yeah?
Baby I want to be with you so bad

 

 

 

…

Stiff Records Week – Nick Lowe – Halfway To Paradise

How cool was it that Motörhead and Nick Lowe were labelmates? That shows you the diverse talent in Stiff Records. 

I’m going to wrap it up this week with some Nick Lowe. This was his second and last single for Stiff Records. You know what? I don’t think I’ve ever heard a Nick Lowe song I didn’t like. I was going to include The Damned and Lene Lovich this week but they will be coming soon. A blogger named Warren asked about Lene Lovich and I will have a post on her in the coming weeks…thank you Warren for the suggestion. I already had today’s posts written. 

Listening to this song and I’m struck by backup vocals going on. He paints a sound picture with layers of backups with a simple musical structure. Yes…I get really excited by power pop (hence the blog’s name) done right and Lowe does it right. When you listen to this song…it fits in so well with Lowes catalog that I would have thought he wrote it. But this is some Brill Building brilliance here made better by Lowe. Simple yet so likable.

Carole King and Gerry Goffin wrote the song. Tony Orlando first recorded it in 1961, peaking at #39 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and Billy Fury recorded it as well. This Lowe version was later included as a bonus track on re-releasing his 1978 album, “Jesus of Cool.” 

I hope you enjoyed this week and these posts might have introduced you to a new song. I have a new appreciation for this record label…what they were able to do and the talent they found. In the middle of disco, Led Zeppelin, reggae, Pink Floyd, and other types of music…Stiff Records made a home for these different type of artists to flourish…thank you all for reading.

And remember Stiff Records… If it ain’t stiff it ain’t worth a f***

A short bio on Nick Lowe talking about his career I thought you might like. Have a great weekend!

Halfway To Paradise

I want to be your loverBut your friend is all I’ve stayedI’m only halfway to paradiseSo near, yet so far away

I long for your lips to kiss my lipsBut just when I think they mayYou lead me halfway to paradiseSo near, yet so far away, mmm

Bein’ close to you is almost heaven (heaven)But seein’ you can do just so muchIt hurts me so to know your heart’s a treasure (treasure)And that my heart is forbidden to touch, so

Put your sweet lips close to my lipsAnd tell me that’s where they’re gonna stayDon’t lead me halfway to paradiseMmm, so near, yet so far away

Oh, uh, oh so near, yet so far awayYeah, yeah so near, yet so far away

…

Big Star – I’m In Love With A Girl

One thing the break I took a few months ago did for me was to reignite my love for Big Star. When I heard The Ballad of El Goodo on my “Break” post I reached for their albums again. This song is a short ballad by Alex Chilton on their second album Radio City. They had songs that were as good as The Beatles or The Kinks but just as not widely known.

When they started this album, a key member quit: Chris Bell. He wrote half of the debut album #1 Record. The failure of the first album was the key. Bell was a sensitive guy and took it hard. The problem was Stax Records who were going through financial hardships at the time.

When the record was played on the radio it got a huge popular response but when people went to the record stores…there was no album. Stax had a huge problem with distribution at the time. Plus…they didn’t know how to promote a power pop band. In my opinion, if they had been on Capitol or WB they probably would have succeeded. The debut album is about as perfect of a power pop album as you can get.

Radio City is a little edgier and some fans like it more than #1 Record. They decided to stay together with the three of them…Alex Chilton, Jody Stephens, and Alex Hummel. Chilton wrote this touching short acoustic song. It’s one of the most popular songs on the album. On Spotify, it’s second only to September Gurls on times being played with 5,544,493.

It’s a sweet short song that sticks with me.

A rare live version from 1974

I’m In Love With A Girl

I’m in love with a girlFinest girl in the worldI didn’t know I could feel this way

Think about her all the timeAlways on my mindI didn’t know about love

All that a man should do is true-ooh-oohAll that a man should do is true-ooh-ooh

I’m in love with a girlFinest girl in the worldI didn’t know this could happen to me

…

Buzzcocks – Orgasm Addict

This band is a blast to listen to. They have the punk edge but with power pop choruses. Along with bands, like The Jam, Small Faces, Slade, and a host of others…America just didn’t hear unless you were in the know.  These guys blended punk and pop about as well as anyone. I had a friend with their import records in the eighties. That was the only way I could hear them. Orgasm Addict was a hell of a debut single for the band. It was banned by the BBC soon after the release. Yet another song about teenage masturbation. 

The song was written by Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto during Devoto’s time with the band, though he left before it was recorded. Known for its risqué and lyrics, the track asked for controversy and limited radio play at the time of release but has since become a punk rock staple. This song was released in 1977 and was not an album track. It peaked at #56 on the UK Charts. 

They chose the name Buzzcocks after reading the headline, “It’s the Buzz, Cock!”, in a review of the TV series Rock Follies in Time Out magazine. The “buzz” is the excitement of playing on stage; “cock” is northern English slang meaning friend. They were formed in 1976 by Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto after seeing the Sex Pistols. They were able to blend punk’s spirit and sound with pop.

Nirvana invited them to open select dates on the grunge outfit’s last European tour, in early 1994. Steve Diggle told about a memory he has of Kurt Cobain: “Doing two grams of coke is one of my famous stories with him.” They also opened up for Pearl Jam in 2003.

They released 3 albums and broke up in 1981 after a dispute with their record company. They reunited in 1989 and released 6 more albums. Pete Shelley continued to play with the band until his death from a heart attack in 2018. The band still continues to tour.

Orgasm Addict

Well, you tried it just for onceFound it all right for kicksBut now you found outThat it’s a habit that sticks

And you’re an orgasm addictYou’re an orgasm addict

Sneaking in the back doorWith dirty magazinesNow your mother wants to knowWhat all those stains on your jeans

And you’re an orgasm addictYou’re an orgasm addict

Ah-huh, ah-huh, ahAh-huh, ah-huh, ah

You get in a heatYou get in a sulkBut you still keep a beatingYour meat to pulp

‘Cause you’re an orgasm addictYou’re an orgasm addict

You’re a kid CasanovaYou’re a no JosephIt’s a labour of loveFuckin’ yourself to death

Orgasm addictYou’re an orgasm addict

Ah-huh, ah-huh, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahAh-ah-ahh!

You’re makin’ out with school kidsWinos and heads of stateYou even made it with the ladyWho puts the little plastic bobins on the Christmas cakesButcher’s assistants and bellhopsyou’ve had them all here and thereChildren of God and their joy-stringsInternational women with no body hair

Ooh, so where they’re askin’ in an alleyAnd your voice ain’t steadyIf sex mechanic’s rough, you’re more than ready

You’re an orgasm addictYou’re an orgasm addict

Johnny want fuckie always and all waysHe’s got the energy, he will amaze

He’s an orgasm addictHe’s an orgasm addict

He’s always at itYou’re always at it‘Cause you’re an orgasm addictWe’re all orgasm addicts

…

Del Amitri – Not Where It’s At

I first heard Del Amitri in the 90s. I remember hanging out in West End of Nashville at that time. It’s near Vanderbilt University and was a really hip place to be. I was looking for some Roger McGuinn glasses. Those small rectangle glasses that were very popular in the ’60s. I searched shop after shop and could not find them. I finally found them around closing time. Anyway…boy that was a long story but I remember that is when I heard Del Amitri for the first time…hey it stuck with me!

Some songs I hear and I think…I wish so much I would have written this song. This is one of those songs because it’s catchy without being too sweet. Not a profound lyric (teenage angst) in this one but clever and it’s the overall sound…right up my cobbled power pop alley. The crunchy and jangly guitars mesh with each other. This wasn’t as big as their other song Roll To Me but I always favored this one by a long shot.

I would have never guessed this wasn’t an American band. They formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1980. The band was larger in the UK than here. This song is from the album Some Other Sucker’s Parade which peaked at #6 in the UK and #160 on the Billboard 100 in 1997. This song was played on our main rock station and got quite a bit of alternative play…if it came out today I would buy it.

The band was started by Justin Currie (vocals, bass) and a group of schoolmates. Currie became the constant band member over time. When they started they were influenced by Joy Division and The Cure. They switched to power pop and released their self-titled debut album in 1985. Waking Hours (1989) was their commercial breakthrough, featuring the hit single “Nothing Ever Happens”, which became a chart success and fan favorite. They have had 5 top-ten albums in the UK. They also had an astounding 15 top 40 hits in the UK. A shout out to CB who sent me a few of their songs and I’ve been happily getting reacquainted with this band.

It’s funny how some bands can get back on your radar. The Replacements are one of those bands that I rediscovered because of blogs. When I hear Del Amitri I think of a modern Badfinger because of the crunch and jangle of the guitar that feeds my inner power pop soul.

They took a break in 2002 but reunited in 2014 for a series of live shows. They continued to tour periodically in the following years. In 2021, they released Fatal Mistakes, their first studio album in nearly two decades, which was well-received by critics and fans alike.

Justin Currie: We’ve never pretended we didn’t want to be in the mainstream. I don’t mean in terms of sales, but in terms of everybody should be able to get our music. To me, that’s one of the functions of pop music. You bring everybody together in a room to sing along to a catchy tune. 

Rhythm Guitar player Iain Harvie: “Probably about 80 per cent of the songs on this record don’t have overdubs, apart from the vocals obviously, with all the harmonies, and maybe the guitar solo if there was a really dreadful mistake in the middle that we just couldn’t live with. Wherever possible, we recorded with our live format of bass, drums, two guitars and keyboards for most of the songs.”

Not Where I’m At

With some girls it don’t matter who you hang withWith some girls it don’t matter how you talkAnd some girls they are easy to be yourself withBut the one girl that I wantAin’t easy to please with what I’ve got

With some girls it don’t matter where you’re aimingWith some girls it don’t matter how you actAnd some girls they don’t care what car you came inBut the one girl that I wantShe wants that one bit of geography I lack

Yeah, she don’t want me‘Cause I’m not where it’s atYeah I’m not where it’s at

And some girls they will worry about reactionsAnd some girls they don’t give a damn for thatBut somehow I ain’t ever in on the action‘Cause the one girl that I wantShe wants that one little quality I lack

Yeah she don’t want me‘Cause I’m not where it’s atYeah I’m not where it’s at

I don’t have my finger on the pulse of my generationI just got my hand on my heart I know no better location

Yeah she don’t want me‘Cause I’m not where it’sI’m not where it’sI’m not where it’s atYeah I’m not where it’s at

…

Sloan – Keep Your Name Alive

Sometimes I forget that my blogs name is powerpop…well today I’m picking two excellent Power Pop songs.

I want to thank Christian for including this in his Chris & Max picks from 2022. I listened to this album when it was released and I loved it. Deke is the first person to get me into them. Between Deke, Dave, Randy, and CB… my Canadian music love has spread. They are a modern-day power pop band that started out as grunge. In my humble opinion, they made the right choice of switching.

They do put the power into their pop. Melodic but loud guitars along with catchy harmonies and a throwback band presence. Bands like Sloan, Tragically Hip, Blue Rodeo, and others just couldn’t get traction in America for some reason.

Sloan got its start in Halifax during the early ‘90s. The band played around the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design before moving to Toronto. They got their name from a pot-smoking musician they knew in Halifax. He worked in a restaurant as a busboy and used to be known as “the slow one.”

The band made their recording debut on the Halifax, Canada CD compilation “Hear & Now” with the song  “Underwhelmed” before releasing their debut EP “Peppermint” in 1991 on their own label Murderecords. In 1992 Sloan signed with Geffen Records and released their full-length debut “Smeared”. The album had somewhat of a grunge style. They soon switched to power pop and they have some fantastic songs.

This song is on their album Steady released on October 21, 2022. This song was written by Jay Ferguson plays rhythm guitar but like his band mates…can play bass and drums as well.

Keep Your Name Alive

I cannot lieI should have thought it overThere was a timeI opened with a closerI flew away, away, awayKept my composureAs she wavedDid I become another castaway?

If I simply turned aroundOr counted one to fiveDo you have to leave your homeTo keep your name alive?

Well, I guess I had to find out for myselfThe house remained dividedLocked the doorAre mirrors all one-sided?But the day went after dayAnd still no furtherBreaking wavesRendered me another castaway

If I simply turned aroundOr counted one to fiveDo you have to leave your homeTo keep your name alive?Whether you float far awayWhere it’s too deep to diveFailing further mention ofKeep your name aliveKeep your name alive

La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la(I flew away, away, away)La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la

If I simply turned aroundOr counted one to fiveIs there need to travel farIn order to arrive?Whether you float far awayWhere it’s too deep to dive(It’s too deep to dive)You don’t have to leave your homeTo keep your name alive

Keep your name aliveKeep your name alive (keep your name alive)Keep your name alive

…

Greg Kihn – Roadrunner

This song has a little of everything. Great crunchy guitar sound and an incredible bass that starts carrying the song in the middle. I love the harmonies on “Radio On” and he goes into what sounds like a slight ad-lib that I love. When you listen to it…listen to the complete song…it changes in the middle and it rocks. It’s very loose but that bass keeps it glued together. 

I first heard of Greg Kihn in 1981 when The Breakup Song (The Don’t Write ‘Em) was released. This was a power pop dream song. It was catchy, had some good guitar, and was immediately catchy. I just assumed the guy just came out with this on his debut album. I was totally wrong about that. He looked like a guy that would live next door to you but he had some great songs that weren’t heard. CB sent me this song and I had to looked twice at Greg Kihn…I never realized he had so many good songs. 

Kihn wasn’t just a musician either. He was also a novelist and disc jockey. He was born in Baltimore Maryland and stayed there until he was 23 and he moved to San Francisco to check out their music scene. He had regular jobs starting out but also formed a band and played in clubs. The guy released an album a year from 1976 to 1986. He would go on to release 12 more after that…he was very prolific.

He was first on the 1976 compilation album of many bands called Beserkley Chartbusters Vol. 1 with the songs All The Right Reasons and Mood Mood Number. The last track mentioned is very Nick Lowe sounding and I really like it. After that, he released his self-titled debut album in 1976. He kept releasing albums…in 1977 with Greg Kihn Again, Next of Kihn came in 1978 and was his first album that charted. It charted at #145 on the Billboard Album Charts. In 1979 it was With A Naked Eye that peaked at #114, and in 1980 Glass House Rock that charted at #167.

The next album, RocKihnRoll would do much better thanks to The Breakup Song. That album peaked at #32 and the song peaked at #15. He had his most successful release in 1983 with the album Kihnspiracy which peaked at #15 and the smash single Jeopardy which peaked at #2. His albums were a mix of original and cover songs. He covered Springsteen (Rendezvous and For You), Buddy Holly, Curtis Mayfield, and many more. Kihn was a good songwriter as well.

This song was written by Jonathan Richman of the band Modern Lovers. Their version was released in 1976. I like the Modern Lovers version but it doesn’t have the kick Greg puts into this song. This song was on Greg Kihn’s 1979 album With The Naked Eye. 

I’m going to post a bonus song…Kihn covering For Your Love live…

Roadrunner

one, two, three, four, five, six
Roadrunner, roadrunner
Going faster miles an hour
Gonna drive past the Stop ‘n’ Shop
With the radio on
I’m in love with the modern world
I’m in love with the modern girls
Massachusetts when it’s late at night
I got the radio on
Just like the roadrunner

Said welcome to the spirit of 1956
Patient in the bushes next to ’57
Well the highway was my girlfriend cause I went by so quick
Suburban trees were out there it felt like heaven
So I said
And I say roadrunner once
Roadrunner twice
We’re in love with rock & roll so lets be out all night

(Radio On!)
I got the AM
(Radio On!)
I got the modern sound rock and roll
(Radio On!)
I got the power I got the magic now
(Radio On!)
Fifty thousand watts of power now
(Radio On!)
Going faster miles an hour, Lets Go

(Bass carries the song here)

Alright
Can’t you hear out in Cleveland now?
USA when it’s late at night
Out on Route 128 down by the power lines
It’s so exciting at midnight
It’s cold here in the dark
I might explode nowhere near
I feel in touch with the modern world
I feel in touch because

(Radio On!)
I’m in love with the AM
(Radio On!)
Cause I’m feeling so alone at night
(Radio On!)
I got the power I got the magic now
(Radio On!)
Fifty thousand watts of power now
(Radio On!)
I’m alone in the cold of night
(Radio On!)
I feel in touch I feel alive I feel alone I fell so alive, alive in love
(Radio On!)
I’m in love with rock n roll
(Radio On!)
I got the, I got the, I got the
(Radio On!)

…

Matthew Sweet – Girlfriend

When I first heard this song I thought of Jimi Hendrix a little with the intro and then it dissolved into one of the best power pop songs of the 1990s.  The song has a little of everything… noisy guitar, loud drums but with a pop melody. Just like I thought with Lone Justice and some others…I just knew he would be cranking out hits for the rest of his career. He has cranked out some great songs but not many hits…but that is ok.

Great power pop song by Matthew Sweet. The song reached #4 on the US Alternative Chart in 1991. This was the title cut-off of his 3rd album…it was Sweet’s breakthrough album.

The song and the album were written during a bad period in Sweet’s life, following his divorce. The themes of longing, heartache, and new beginnings pervade the lyrics, reflecting his personal struggles and growth.

The video featured scenes from the 1980s anime Space Adventure Cobra, which caught viewers’ attention and became famous in its own right. The success of Girlfriend helped establish Matthew Sweet as a power pop alternative figure in the 1990s.

A trivia question…who is that girl on the album cover? I know it because I watched a certain older show recently.

Here is some sad news about Sweet right now from https://variety.com/2024/music/news/matthew-sweet-stroke-tour-gofundme-1236187225/

Singer-songwriter Matthew Sweet suffered a debilitating stroke while on tour in mid-October, it was revealed on Tuesday, when a representative for his management company posted a fundraising appeal on GoFundMe to support his recovery.

Sweet had been out on tour opening for the group Hanson when he was stricken in Toronto Oct. 12, in advance of a date that was to have taken place there the following night.

Catherine Lyons, who represents Sweet at Russell Carter Artist Management, posted the GoFundMe on Tuesday afternoon, with a stated goal of raising $250,000 for the rocker’s medical care. The effort got off to a good start. As of 6 p.m. PT Tuesday, about 770 individuals had contributed almost $50,000, and by 8 p.m., it was up to $85,000 from 1,400 donors.

Girlfriend

I wanna love somebody
I hear you need somebody to love
Oh, I wanna love somebody
I hear you’re looking for someone to love

‘Cause you need to
Be back in the arms of a good friend
And I need to
Be back in the arms of a girlfriend

I didn’t know nobody
And then I saw you coming my way
Oh, I didn’t know nobody
And then I saw you coming my way

Don’t you need to
Be back in the arms of a good friend?
Oh, ’cause, honey, believe me
I’d sure love to call you my girlfriend

Alright

Don’t you need to
Be back in the arms of a good friend?
Oh, ’cause, honey, believe me
I’d sure love to call you my girlfriend

‘Cause you got a good thing going, baby
You only need somebody to love
Oh, you got a good thing going
You’re only looking for someone to love

‘Cause you need to
Get back in the arms of a good friend

And I’m never gonna set you free
No, I’m never gonna set you free

Ride – Chelsea Girl

I just found this band a while back when I heard Twisterella, a great power pop song.

This song is one of the early tracks by the British shoegaze band Ride, from their debut EP titled Ride, which was released in January 1990. It reached #71 on the UK singles chart. The song helped establish Ride as a pioneer in the shoegaze genre, which combines elements of power pop, post-punk, and rock. The band consists of Mark Gardener (vocals, guitar), Andy Bell (vocals, guitar), Steve Queralt (bass), and Loz Colbert (drums).

Ride was formed in 1988 in Oxford by school friends Andy Bell and Mark Gardener, before recruiting drummer Loz Colbert at the Oxfordshire School of Art & Design and local bassist Steve Queralt.

They broke up in 1996 because of differences between Andy Bell and Mark Gardener. Gardener wanted to go forward in a more dance style of music…Bell didn’t but both wanted to go more contemporary style. Bassist Steve Queralt said: The band had two future directions open to them, and they chose the wrong option.

They reunited in 2014 and released their first album in 21 years in 2017.

Chelsea Girl

Take me for a rideAway from places we had knownIf I stay around, I’ll just remember I’m aloneThere’s someone in my memory making me move onWhat was grey and hazy, is black and white, now I have gone

Drive me up to LondonNow it’s got too dark to seeMy waiting is over, there’s no visitor for meNever let me talk to youDestroy the frozen pastIt’s a different time, now things are moving much too fast

Float by today, now it’s turning to greyRaining my doubtsLet my thoughts slip awayYou must have something andWhat it is, I don’t knowYou must have something ’cause I can’t let you go

…

Nick Lowe – So It Goes

I always liked Nick Lowe and his brand of power pop. I first heard of him with Cruel To Be Kind and then Rockpile who I wish would have made more albums as Rockpile. When I started to blog, Brinsley Schwarz came on my radar and I really then realized how talented this guy is.

This was Lowe’s first solo single following the split of the pub rock band, Brinsley Schwarz. It was also the first single released on Stiff Records, a label formed by the music managers, Dave Robinson and Andrew Jakeman. The single bore the catalog number BUY 1, establishing Stiff Records as a pioneering label in the UK punk and new wave scenes.

Although So It Goes failed to chart, it still earned a profit for the young Stiff Records. It was on the American album Pure Pop For Now People.  The album in the UK was called Jesus of Cool. It peaked at #127 on the Billboard 100 in 1978.

Lowe got the title from a recurring line (So It Goes) in Kurt Vonnegut’s 1969 novel,  The Slaughterhouse-Five. It is used every time a death occurs in the book. Steve Goulding (drums) and Nick Lowe were the only two musicians on this song.  Lowe and Jake Riviera produced the album.

Nick Lowe: “It’s not my favorite, it’s a bit too much like Steely Dan. I think I must have got it from something they’d done.”

So It Goes

Remember on night the kid cut off his right arm
In a fit to save a bit of power
He got fifty thousand watts
In a big acoustic tower
Security’s so tight tonight
Oh they’re ready for a tussle
Gotta keep your backstage passes
‘Cause your promoter had the muscle

And so it goes and so it goes
And so it goes and so it goes
But where it’s goin’ no one knows
And so it goes and so it goes
And so it goes and so it goes
But where it’s goin’ no one knows

In the tall buildings
Sit the head of our nations
Worthy men from Spain and Siam
All day discussions with the Russians
But they still went ahead
And vetoed the plan
Now up jumped the U.S. representative
He’s the one with the tired eyes
747 for the midnight condition
Flyin’ back from a peace keepin’ mission

And so it goes and so it goes
And so it goes and so it goes
But where it’s goin’ no one knows
And so it goes and so it goes
And so it goes and so it goes
But where it’s goin’ no one knows

In the air there’s absolution
In the wake of a snaky Persian
On his arm there’s a skin tight vision
Wonder why she admires she is hissin’

And so it goes and so it goes
And so it goes and so it goes
But where it’s goin’ no one knows
And so it goes and so it goes
And so it goes and so it goes
But where it’s goin’ no one knows

But where it’s goin’ no one knows
But where it’s goin’ no one knows
But where it’s goin’ no one knows

…

Badfinger – Dennis

Badfinger has always been one of my favorite bands. They had a brilliant songwriter Pete Ham and a very good one Tommy Evans. No Matter What is considered one of the earliest power pop songs.

Badfinger is the band that got me into power pop. After reading about them my interest widened into Big Star and then the Raspberries. If any of you readers have a time machine I could use…take me back to January 19, 1973, at the Chicago Aragon Ballroom…where The Raspberries opened up for Badfinger. That would be a power pop dream.

This song was featured on their 1974 album Wish You Were Here. It was written by Pete Ham and he is the lead vocalist. Dennis is on many “Badfinger Best” lists…in some number 1 over Baby Blue, Day After Day, and No Matter What. The melody in this song is very good.

The album was released in late 1974 and was pulled in early 1975 before it had time to do anything because of litigation between Badfinger’s manager (Stan Polley) and the Warner Brothers. It was released and pulled in a matter of weeks. Warner Brothers saw the money was missing (Polley took it all out of trust) and yanked the album off of the shelves. It was rising in the charts when it was pulled. They recorded another album right after this called Head First but because of litigation, it wasn’t released until 2000.

The band was basically broke. With all of their self-written hits, they should have been set financially for years.

Pete Ham didn’t have the money to pay his mortgage and with a baby on the way drunk and depressed at the fatal age (for rock stars) of 27 Ham hanged himself at the age of 27 in his garage studio in 1975. In 1983 after scrambling for gigs, Tom Evans broke and was not able to get to any of the royalties due him from co-writing Without You with Pete…hanged himself also.

Dennis

Deeper waters flowedRecently it showedTryin’ to cover your headTryin’ to frighten youTryin’ to fight with youReally gettin’ you scaredBut don’t you worry, you love of minePretty soon it will all be fineAnd we’ll just go on

Higher hills to climbClimbin’ all the timeTryin’ to find a way throughFallin’ down again, on the ground againWonderin’ what you can doBut don’t you worry, you love of oursThey look like weeds, but they’re really flowersAnd they’ll soon be gone

You won’t stand up, you won’t sit downYour head’s a mile above the groundAnd though we tend to scold you nowI couldn’t start to tell you howWe couldn’t start to tell you howThere’s just no way to say how much we love you

You, little Dennis, youYou’re full of new surpriseLove youYou, little Dennis with the rascal in your eyesYou’re a prize

It could be bad, it could be worseYou’re taking out your mother’s purseAnd though you cried when you got toldThe money there was for the oldTo keep their dogs from getting coldThe only thing that can’t be sold is love

You, little Dennis, youYou’re full of new surpriseLove youYou, little Dennis with the rascal in your eyes

Will you pick up your toys?Will you be a good boy?Will you please, please?

There’s a wayThere’s a wayIf you’ll playIf you’ll stayThere’s a way throughThere’s a way toTake away blueTake away blue

There’s a wayThere’s a wayIf you’ll playIf you’ll stayThere’s a way throughThere’s a way toTake away blueTake away blue

There’s a wayThere’s a wayIf you’ll playIf you’ll stayThere’s a way throughThere’s a way to

…

Big Star – Thirteen

Big Star was the best band never heard. This song is an absolutely perfect song about adolescence. I played it to my then 14-year-old son and it made him a Big Star fan now 10 years later. This song is the most covered song by Big Star with 49 different covers. It’s almost a perfect acoustic song. The song is about an adolescent guy and his girlfriend who are rock fans being what 13-14-year-olds are…confused and lost.

There is not a bad song on the first album. The song was originally featured on the 1972 album #1 Record. It was released as a single by Big Star with “Watch The Sunrise” as the B-Side, on Ardent Records, but was mislabeled as “Don’t Lie To Me”. Chris Bell and Alex Chilton were the two main songwriters.

Bell and Chilton wanted to emulate the Lennon/McCartney formula as much as they could, so they shared credit on many of the songs on #1 Record even though there was, in fact, little writing collaboration between the two. “Thirteen,” was entirely Chilton’s creation.

This was ranked #396 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest songs. Artists who have covered this include Evan Dando, Garbage, Elliot Smith, Wilco, and Kathryn Williams.

Alex Chilton: “I don’t know where it came from but I made up this wild bit of guitar in 15 minutes. You don’t hear many 20-year-olds doing that.”

Thirteen

Won’t you let me walk you home from school
Won’t you let me meet you at the pool
Maybe Friday I can
Get tickets for the dance
And I’ll take you

Won’t you tell your dad, get off my back
Tell him what we said ’bout ‘Paint It Black’
Rock ‘n Roll is here to stay
Come inside where it’s okay
And I’ll shake you

Won’t you tell me what you’re thinking of
Would you be an outlaw for my love
If it’s so, well, let me know
If it’s no, well, I can go
I won’t make you

Jayhawks – Quiet Corners & Empty Spaces

I first found out about The Jayhawks in 2000 or so with a song called I’m Gonna Make You Love Me and the song Blue.

The Jayhawks formed in Minneapolis–Saint Paul in 1985 and played alternative country rock. They have released 11 studio albums and are worth checking out. The band went on hiatus in the early 2000s but soon reformed and returned in 2003 with a highly regarded album Rainy Day Music and has stayed together ever since.

This song was written by Gary Louris. The song did reasonably well when released. I would hear it on our alternative channel in Nashville. They are one of those bands that never could get over the hump to a mass audience.  I always think of them, Wilco, and Big Star coming from some of the same musical territory. The Jayhawks have had a few successful albums but never became household names.

The album peaked at #75 on the Billboard Album Charts and #51 in the UK in 2016. The single peaked at #26 on the Alternative Album Charts.

Since our Kinks Weeks are coming up I thought I would mention this. They have a Kinks tie… They backed Ray Davies on his albums Americana and Our Country – Americana Act II. T

Gary Louris: Quiet Corners & Empty Spaces” started with the idea that I wanted to write a big, soaring, old-school pop song. With lyrics, I either tend to do a stream-of-consciousness or a cut-and-paste kind of thing. This one was something out of a newspaper that I cut out. I just have piles of stuff.

For me, it’s a spark to kind of throw some things together, along with other methods, like mumbling. A lot of times, when I’m writing, I sing and play and whatever comes out comes out, and these words are inferred by sounds and half-words. Then I come around and get the meaning out of that, and it’s usually coming from some place inside that is kind of revelatory in a way. It’s almost like therapy.

So, from there, I wrote a song about running away from certain things. Again, in a Proust kind of way, finding a spot where you can be introspective, away from the noise, and get your head together.

Quiet Corners & Empty Spaces

Aside the wandering eye has openedA stare all the way bare and brokenThe start of a brand new adventure

Hey nowCatch me quick before I walk awayTell me if there’s something I should sayI’ll find the quiet corners and the empty spaces

Not far a blue guitar is playingIt drew me like it knewAnd it’s saying

Hey nowCatch me quick before I walk awayTell me if there’s something I should sayI’ll find the quiet corners and the empty spaces

We drown in ups and downsNeglectingThe beauty of my sun is setting

In the end there’s no way in redemptionHey nowCatch me quick before I walk awayTell me if there’s something I should sayI’ll find the quiet corners and the empty spacesHey nowCatch me quick before I walk awayTell me if there’s something I should say

…

Bats – North By North

This New Zealand band came out in the 80s. I learned about this band through Graham on his Aphoristic Album Reviews site. I love the jangle and their power pop ways. It’s too bad they didn’t get heard more. They did tour the US a few times opening for Radiohead.

The Bats were formed in Christchurch, New Zealand. The original lineup included Robert Scott (vocals, guitar), Kaye Woodward (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Paul Kean (bass), and Malcolm Grant (drums).

This song was from their debut album Daddy’s Highway released in 1987. They would go on to release 10 albums and 8 EPs. This song was used as the theme song for a television show called The Hollowmen. It was also used in the movie: Topless Women Talk About Their Lives.

The band released Foothills, their tenth studio album in 2020. They are a band worth checking out. Daddy’s Highway was recorded at Mascot Studios in Christchurch, New Zealand. The recording sessions took place in late 1986 and early 1987.

They were on an interesting New Zealand indie label called Flying Nun.

North by North

Some people are happy most of the time
But they don’t know they’re in line
I don’t know what to do with you
I don’t know how to deal with you

North by north
I’m still following home
North by north
I know your name
North by north
I’m still wondering why

I find out what you’re meaning now
Your term is darkness anyhow
I can’t find out what it is with you
If there is one thing I can’t get through

North by north
I’m still following home
North by north
I know your name
North by north
I’m still wondering why

Absolve the waiting that you’ve done
Take away those moments of fun
There won’t be much left there for you
I’m taught we’ve a choice in what we do

North by north
I’m still following home
North by north
I know your name
North by north
I’m still wondering why (why, why)

Decemberists – Burial Ground

They’ve undid the aerialTore down the merry-go-roundThis world’s all wrongSo let’s go where we belongPack up the stereo, meet at the burial ground

***I’m slipping this in today because my business trip was moved up a day so I won’t be posting until next Friday or Saturday. Have a great week next week!***

Jangle…CHECK… Harmonizing…CHECK…Overall power pop sound…CHECK. I love the sound of this band. Put them in 1965 and they would fit…place them on the alternative scene of the 1980s…and they would fit like a glove.

I usually don’t get super excited at newer music but this band I’ve liked everything I’ve heard. I always check out eclecticmusiclover (Jeff…it’s where I found this), christiansmusicmusings (Christian),  and albumreviews (Graham) sites for newer music. They do the work so I don’t have to… by tracking these bands/artists down and I appreciate it.

This is some wonderful power pop. It has a nice Byrds/Jayhawks/Big Star sound. I could listen to this music all day and night. The Decemberists formed in 2000. They have released a total of 9 different albums since 2002. They are classified as an indie band but have had a number 1 Billboard album on the charts with The King Is Dead in 2011.

I’ve started to listen to their back catalog and along with power pop they blend in a lot of Americana with that. This American band was formed by Colin Meloy after he moved to Portland from Montana. He initially joined forces with Nate Query (bass), Jenny Conlee (keyboards, accordion), Ezra Holbrook (drums), and Chris Funk (guitar). The lineup has changed through the years, but Colin Meloy remains the main singer/songwriter with them.

Burial Ground is on their new album As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again released on June 14, 2024. The song has already charted on the Billboard Alternative Chart at #2. This song features James Mercer…a singer/songwriter for The Shins on backup vocals.

Check this band out…if you like power pop/Americana you should like this.

Colin Meloy:  “‘Burial Ground’ is in that time-honored pop song tradition, a paean to hanging out in graveyard. The melody hook came to me in a dream and I hummed it into my phone on waking. Most dream-songs are bad; this was the exception.”

Burial Ground

Oh, Len, come downAnd meet at the burial groundThey’ve undid the aerialTore down the merry-go-roundThis world’s all wrongSo let’s go where we belongPack up the stereo, meet at the burial ground

Here among the fallen leavesAre we alone, the ones that dare to breathe?Throw your worries down, they’re oh so gravely heldYou have carried them so well

Ooh, woahOoh, woah

Oh, Len, come downAnd meet at the burial groundThey’ve undid the aerialTore down the merry-go-roundThis world’s all wrongSo let’s go where we belongPack up the stereo, meet at the burial ground

You laid down below a stoneSaying, “Wherever they have gone, I long to goSomewhere out beyond these maladies in my head.”At least, I think that’s what you said

Oh-whoa, oh-whoa

Oh, Len (oh, Len) come down (come down)And meet at the burial ground (meet at the burial ground)They’ve undid the aerialTore down the merry-go-roundThis world’s (this world’s) all wrong (all wrong)So let’s go where we belong (let’s go where we belong)Pack up the stereo, meet at the burial ground

Oh, Len (oh, Len) come down (come down)And meet at the burial ground (meet at the burial ground)They’ve undid the aerialTore down the merry-go-round (merry-go-round)(Tore down the merry-go-round)This world’s (this world’s) all wrong (all wrong)So let’s go where we belong (let’s go where we belong)Pack up the stereo, meet at the burial ground

It’s a contract malarial, meet at the burial ground