Tag: Terry Anderson

Yayhoos – Monkey with a Gun

I wanted to kick off Saturday with a bang…you get no more bang than Monkey With A Gun. I love discovering songs like this. It’s catchy, full of energy, and sounds just as good today as it did when it was released. If you’re looking for polished pop, this probably isn’t your band. But if you enjoy guitar-driven rock played by musicians who clearly love what they’re doing, give The Yayhoos a listen. I have a feeling you’ll be happy before the song is over. It’s plainly a dirty little rock and roll song. Dirty as in sound…as in Monkey with a gun. It sounds like it escaped off of Exile on Main Street…and it escaped right to my playlist.

The Yayhoos were formed in the late 1990s as something of a roots-rock supergroup. The lineup featured Dan Baird, formerly of The Georgia Satellites, Warner E. Hodges from Jason & The Scorchers, bassist Keith Christopher (The Georgia Satellites), and drummer Terry Anderson (drummer and songwriter). The song’s vocals were by Eric “Roscoe” Ambel. Ambel wrote the song as well, and he’s the Del-Lords guitarist who also played with Steve Earle. All four had impressive musical backgrounds, and instead of tailoring songs for commercial success, they got together to play the kind of honest, guitar-driven rock they loved. The result was a band that blended rock, country, Southern influences, and plenty of attitude.

One thing I enjoy about digging into roots rock and Americana is finding bands that don’t sound like anyone else. That happened the first time I heard The Yayhoos. I wasn’t sitting there trying to figure out who they reminded me of because I really couldn’t. They simply sounded like a group of good musicians having a great time making rock and roll. Then I heard this…I was hooked on the song and title.

This one grabbed me right away. It’s one of those songs that doesn’t waste any time. The guitars come out swinging, the rhythm section keeps everything moving, and before long you’re tapping your foot without even realizing it. The chorus is catchy, the playing is first-rate, and the whole thing has an energy that reminds me why I still enjoy straightforward rock and roll. There are no gimmicks here. Just four experienced musicians doing what they do best. This song is about Hank Williams Jr.

What I also like is how natural the band sounds. Nobody is trying to steal the spotlight. Every member has enough experience to know when to step forward and when to support the song. That’s one advantage of putting together musicians who have already spent years on the road. They understand that great bands are built on chemistry… not ego.

The Yayhoos also did a cover of Dancing Queen (yes that one!) and I LOVE it.

Monkey With a Gun

Sorry…I could not find any. But hey…it’s a song called Monkey with a Gun…just hum along!

Georgia Satellites – Battleship Chains

I found out about The Georgia Satellites in the spring of 1985. A friend of mine who played guitar in high school with a band got a bootleg of Keep Your Hands To Yourself a year before it was officially released. His band was playing it in the gym (a spring show) before we went on. I thought they wrote it until I asked him. It’s a great-sounding song live.

Battleship Chains was the followup song in 1986 that MTV played a lot of during that time. The Georgia Satellites were like a fish out of water during the mid 80s. There were bands like the Replacements who played rock but they were not in the mainstream like the Satellites were when this album was released. Two years later Guns and Roses came out and then The Black Crowes. By that time though lead singer Dan Baird was leaving the Satellites. 

 This song was sung by their lead guitarist Rich Richards. The song was written by musician Terry Anderson. Later on, Dan Baird covered one of Anderson’s songs called I Love You Period on his solo album Love Songs for the Hearing Impaired. The song peaked at #26 on the Billboard 100 in 1992. 

The Georgia Satellites came out of nowhere with a number 2 hit in 1986 called Keep Your Hands To Yourself. In the era of synth-driven songs, it was great to hear this guitar band out of Georgia that played raw roots rock and roll without the big production.

This song was sung by lead guitarist Rick Richards. It peaked at #86 in the Billboard 100 and #44 in the UK in 1987. Battleship Chains was also covered by a band called the Hindu Love Gods, which contained REM and Warren Zevon members.

This song was on their self titled album released in 1986. On the strength of Keep Your Hands To YOurself and Battleship Chains, the album peaked at #5 on the Billboard Album Charts, #42 in New Zealand, and #52 in the UK.

Battleship Chains
You got me tied down with battleship chains 
fifty foot long and a two ton anchor
tied down with battleship chains
fifty foot long with a two ton anchor

I can’t move my arms 
to hold nobody
hold nobody but you 
I can’t move my legs s
to chase nobody
to kick nobody but you

You got me tied down with battleship chains
fifty foot long and a two ton anchor
tied down with battleship chains
fifty foot long and a two ton anchor

I can’t move eyes
to see nobody
see nobody but you
I can’t move my tongue
to taste nobody
to lick nobody but you

You got me tied down with battleship chains
fifty foot long and a two ton anchor
tied down with battleship chains
fifty foot long and a two ton anchor

I can’t move my lips
to kiss nobody
kiss nobody but you
I can’t move my heart 
to love nobody
to love nobody but you

You got me tied down with battleship chains
fifty foot long and a two ton anchor
tied down with battleship chains 
fifty foot long and a two ton anchor 
You got me tied, tied, 
whoo hoo, tied tied
don’t you know you got me 
tied tied, whoo hoo 
baby don’t you know you got me 
tied tied, whoo hoo