“Golden Shower of Hits (Jerks on 45)” (1983) – Circle Jerks * Written by Tandy Almer, Burt Bacharach, Hal David, Bill Danoff, Paul Anka, Neil Sedaka, Howard Greenfield, Bobby Braddock, Curly Putnam * 45: “Golden Shower of Hits (Jerks on 45)” / “Rats of Reality” * LP: Golden Shower of Hits * Producer: Jerry Goldstein * Label: LAX Records
The “punk version” shtick seems to only work when levels of sincerity and subtlety manifest themselves, as they do here, courtesy of a Los Angeles band who never knew the meaning of either of those concepts. Behind all the toilet and pee is a series of 5 late-sixties and early-seventies radio hits from the roster’s formative years all strung together into a concise love-found-then-lost narrative. When you’re laughing all the way through, you’re laughing to fight off nascent anxiety. (The five songs: The Association’s “Along Comes Mary,” The Carpenters’ “Close to You,” the Starland Vocal Band’s “Afternoon Delight,” Paul Anka’s “Having My Baby,” and Tammy Wynette’s “D-I-V-O-R-C-E.”)