In recognition of the opening of the major motion picture The Day the Earth Stood Still, a special guest, Klaatu, has entered the Halls of Rock to pose 5 questions for earthlings. These questions can only be answered after listening to the following songs.
Klaatu, “Calling Occupants (of Interplanetary Life)”
Question 1: If this was supposed to be The Beatles, who was supposed to have been singing lead, an infant Carl Newman?
Question 2: If “California Jam” had appeared on any of those post-Brian Wilson breakdown albums that the brave pop fans among you can stomach, would it have been considered a “triumph of the post-Pet Sounds era?”
Question 3: Is the above song’s title worthy of the world-renowned standards of “Canadian humor?”
Question 4: For you, does the sound of the bass at the beginning of “Sub-Rosa Subway” nearly single-handedly justify the entire song’s existence?
Klaatu, “Sir Bodsworth Rugglesby III”>
Question 5: If you were casting the major motion picture version of Klaatu’s 3:47 EST album on behalf of Robert Stigwood – and death was not a factor – who would you cast in the role of Sir Bodsworth Rugglesby III (remember, appropriate singing ability should be considered)?
On behalf of Klaatu, thank you, earthlings.
Klaatu apologizes for my initially posting these tracks and questions with a bum URL. All is now fixed and ready for your answers, earthlings.
Why, oh why, in this age of post-ironic tail-chasing and pop culture fart-sniffing, has there not been a Klaatu cover band? Preferably where all the tunes are played on cheesy 70s synthesizers?
I must say, the original version of “Calling Occupants…” is a revelation. I’d never heard it before, and it’s quite a major Prock symphonic achievement, if nothing else.
HVB
I agree hrrundivbakshi.
It’s like a concept album in a single song.
Amazing how The Carpenters version realy adds very little to the original, except Karen’s sultry voice.
C.
Not a full-on tribute band, but the Pooh Sticks were once invited to be on a Beatles tribute album: they contributed Klaatu’s “True Life Hero.” That always amused me.
I’ve got that tribute album! It always amused me, too.
My answers are forthcoming…
TB
California Jam defintely would definitely be a triumphant moment if it was on the Love You album, even scaled down for Brian’s voice at the time.
Sub-Rosa Subway – it’s not just the bass, it’s the guitar part that shows up about 1:35-1:50 in the song. Somebody really needs to lift that line, put it in a song that’s not a goofy tribute to the inventor of the subway and have a well-deserved hit with it. I think bit is the only thing I really like about Klaatu.
Oliver Reed as Sir Rugglesby. Or Jim Henson in a rare life action role, doing his Waldorf voice from the Muppet Show.
Oliver Reed is also the actor I have in mind for Rugglesby III!
1) Stu Sutcliffe. He faked his own death and had been secretly writing all of the songs credited to Lennon/McCartney.
2) No, but it might fit well on a High Llamas album (except that the audience cheering is too cheesy even for the Llamas).
3) I used to have a blurry satellite photo of Uranus on display in my office, so that people would ask what it was and I could say “It’s a photo of your anus.” I never get tired of that joke, though some of my colleagues wished I had.
4) No. But I’ve never heard any of this stuff before, and it’s amazing that such skill was applied to material of such monumentally aggressive triviality.
5) So Oliver Reed could be Klaatu’s ‘Oliver’?
I had to dig out my disc and give it a spin, so…
My (late) responses:
1) I suppose it’s supposed to be John, but I can’t hear it for the life of me. Aside from the Beatlesque style, the lead vocal are not any of the Fabs. Perhaps they were disguising their voices so it wouldn;t be so obvious…
2) I reckon I can hear a track like this sitting on Carl and the Passions or Holland. I don’t know if I would call it a “triumph”, but it be fine enough. I suppose it rawks too hard to be a Beach Boys tune.
3) Ugh. I can’t listen to this all the way through.
4) Yes. When I tracked down this LP at a local used place, I was convinced this was indeed Sir Paul (I’m sure he’ll take credit for it sooner or later). I can certainly see what all the initial fuss was about. In light of Paul’s own crap he was laying about around this time, I guess folks just wanted this to really be The Beatles. It’s too good to be Wings. That line: “To ride a dream” is just too Paul. As a matter of fact, I love tricking unknowing folks into guessing who is singing this tune. It’s too easy to guess Paul. It’s uncanny. Unfortunately, the public were duped into buying an overall mediocre record. I like “Calling Occupants” and “sub Rosa Subway” well enough, but these guys never rise above those two. “True Life Hero” is a decent enough power pop tune. Thes rest is just blech. I’ve probably taken this topic too seriously. Sorry.
5) Oliver Reed. Yes! This is just too perfect and nailed. If I’m convinced that “Sub Rosa” is indeed Paul, I may be more convinced that this really Oliver.