an ever growing collection of short commentary on memorable tracks
“Meridian Leeward” (1968) – Nazz * Written by Todd Rundgren * LP: Nazz Nazz * Produced by Nazz * Label: SGC
We can assume some sort of Animal Farm or youth culture angle inspired this Nazz song about a human who used to be a pig. It stands out among other tracks on the group’s sophomore Nazz Nazz album, though, because of the bewildered discomfort in singer Stewkey Antoni’s delivery. No wonder the group’s clearly mismatched songwriter Todd Rundgren moved on after this album.
“Acostumbrado a ver T.V. los Martes 36” (1968) – Los Shakers * Written by Hugo Fattorusso and Osvaldo Fattorusso * LP: La Conferencia Secreta del Toto’s Bar * Label: Odeon Pops
Los Shakers, who sang in heavily accented English, were Uruguay’s very own mop tops, and they enjoyed a pan-South American following during the sixties. In spite of their brazenly derivative approach, the group’s knack for hooks and cheerful guilelessness – featuring the kind of vibrato-free vocals typical of children – is both endearing and addictive. Their La Conferencia Secreta del Toto’s Bar, long title and all, aims for the Sgt. Pepper album’s levels of philoso-poetry, but ends up winning listeners over with its bossanova-tinged hooks and ESL charm. “Acostumbrado a ver T.V. los Martes 36” is one of its highlights, using a “Day in the Life” news motif (the title translates to “I used to watch TV on Tuesday 36”). “Here I am in my chair,” they sing with gusto. “I try to found the channel that I used to watch, a special one that never has commercial talk.”
“Achmed” (1969) – Heads, Hands and Feet * Written by Tony Colton and Ray Smith * LP: Home from Home (The Missing Album) * Produced by Tony Colton * Label: Pucka
Here’s a short but punchy trifle from the underappreciated supergroup Heads, Hands and Feet’s posthumously released Home from Home (The Missing Album) (1995). It was actually the second album recorded by their earlier incarnation, Poet and the One Man Band. MGM/Verve, who released that group’s debut, ended up shelving this follow up, after which the newly re-christened quintet considered using it for their own debut on Capitol, opting instead to record something new. Both incarnations of the band included chicken pickin’ guitarist Albert Lee, so he usually gave their songs his instrumental signature. This one, though, is all about Pat Donaldson, a tall, mutton-chopped bassist who went on to become a fixture on the British folk rock scene. His foundational groove on this will certainly be sampled someday and turned into a powerhouse dance/rap track. Also featured: politically incorrect faux-Arabic that mostly references cuisine. Future “cockney rock” practitioner Chas Hodges ended up taking Donaldson’s place shortly after this was recorded.
Born in New York City to Armenian immigrant parents, oud master John Berberian introduced the fascinating sounds of his heritage to many an American ear during the 1960s. His music’s immediate danceability, too, didn’t compromise any of its authority. What ever happened to the once-prolific Berberian, whose prodigious output appeared on labels like MGM, Roulette, and Verve? Nothing dramatic. He still makes music, but he simply allowed his life to diversify in other directions.
“Don’t Make Promises” (1967) – Gary Puckett and the Union Gap * Written by Tim Hardin * 45: * “Woman, Woman” / “Don’t Make Promises” * LP: The Union Gap Featuring Gary Puckett * Produced by Jerry Fuller * Label: Columbia
The costume gimmick didn’t match the sound of Gary Puckett’s group at all: his big casino voice and the records’ bloated arrangements (mostly by Al Capps) catered, with financial savvy, to the other side of the generational divide. Then as now, kids were likely to change the station on parent-friendly hit songs like “Woman, Woman,” “Lady Willpower,” and “Young Girl.” But in the Union Gap’s hands, Tim Hardin’s “Don’t Make Promises,” a song admittedly hard to go wrong with, gets an ideal commercial treatment.
“Cozumel” (1969) – Los Sonor’s * Written by Flores and Mari * 45: “Cozumel” / “El Tudel” * Label: Peerless
This Michoacan organ + sax attack, a tribute to the Caribbean island near Cancun, came out in 1969, sold big, and became a party staple south of the border by 1970. You’ll feel even more like dancing if you watch Los Sonor’s (The Sounds) perform it. The songwriting is credited to “Flores and Mari,” who are mysteries for now. If you go hunting for more from this group’s catalog, you’ll come across rock ‘n’ roll en español records by Los Sonor, a group from Spain. This is a different entity from our cumbia combo in question (who always used an apostrophe s). Los Sonor were, in fact, an early incarnation of Los Bravos (“Black is Black”).
“Act Nice and Gentle” (1967) – The Kinks * Written by Ray Davies * 45: “Waterloo Sunset” / “Act Nice and Gentle” * Produced by Shel Talmy * Label: Pye
Jug-rock flipside for the UK version of the Kinks’ “Waterloo Sunset” single. This is a song that would have suited the Lovin’ Spoonful nicely, but perhaps they’re the ones that inspired Ray Davies. Covered by the Black Keys in 2004, who demonstrate it to be suitable sludge material.
“All Night Long” (1966) – The Animals * Written by Frank Zappa * LP: Animalism * Produced by Tom Wilson * Label: MGM
The Animals arrive at LAX. This is one of the last tracks recorded by the first incarnation of the Birmingham blues rockers, including aviophobic organist Alan Price, before they would disband and reform as “Eric Burdon and…” Written and arranged by Frank Zappa (who also plays guitar), the song stands out for its jet-fueled, raga-psych instrumental breaks that punctuate the blues verses lifted from Jimmy Reed.
“After the Fox” (1966) – The Hollies * Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David * 45: “After the Fox” / “The Fox-Trot” * LP: After the Fox (soundtrack) * Producer: A.I.R. (London) Ltd. * Label: United Artists
“After the Fox” is a lesser known Burt Bacharach/Hal David movie theme featuring harpsichord and beguiling chord changes. Released the year after What’s New Pussycat, the song plays during a candy-colored, animated intro (linked below). Leading man Peter Sellers provides comical interjections between the Hollies’ lead vocals. The After the Fox film, more appreciated today than in 1966, serves as a cineaste’s field day with its numerous industry in-jokes.
“Strand” (1967) – Boudewijn De Groot * Written by Boudewijn De Groot and Lennaert Nijgh * Netherlands 45: “Strand” / “Referein Voor…” * Label: Decca
A Dutch singer-songwriter with a successful 50+ year career, Boudewijn de Groot’s first single appeared in 1964. It’s called “the beach” and enumerates, in rapid-fire fashion, all the memorable things that can happen there: sunburn, fights, poker, hanky panky, crosswords, car crashes, french fries, keggers, arrests, and if translations are reliable, swimming “like a rat.” The Beach Boys this ain’t.