I had a few free minutes this afternoon, so I swung by the trusty Goodwill to see what kind of dusty old vinyl I could score. I found a couple of old Paul Revere & the Raiders 45s I’d never heard before, and plunked down 50 cents. Score! The extent to which I enjoyed these singles got me thinking about this silly band, and I headed out into the wilds of the InterWeb to explore a bit. I found the following video, which further made me realize how much I prefer Mark Lindsay’s message to Arthur Lee’s. Talk about Winner Rock!
Here are the Revere numbers I found in the 45 bin today — all of which totally kick Love’s pathetic, two-steps-removed-from-Skip-Spence, bong-water-stain-in-the-Oriental-rug asses. The first, “Leslie”, is a foot-stompin’ ode to, uh, Mark Lindsay’s maid (check out the spoken word bits in the outro). The second, “The Great Airplane Strike”, is about as good a Stones raver this side of the actual Rolling Stones. And the last thrifty track, “Ups and Downs”, coincidentally, features a bullfighter trumpet section!
Come on, Mod — are you with me? Up Raiders! Down Love!
HVB
It’s no contest, Hrrundi. I even know which Paul Revere & the Raiders song I’d choose for my mix CD.
Ups and Downs has always been a favorite of mine. That breakdown at the end — “I’ve been up down ALL around” — is totally cool.
Fortunately I don’t have to pick between the Raiders and Love. They’re both good in completely different ways.
I think PR & R is worthy of critical upgrade. I find a good 12-15 of their songs to be top-notch. They all have cool hooks in them -either good harmonies, or percussion or something in the structure. And Mark Lindsay is a very manly singer. maybe the best Jagger-influenced pop singer. I think my current PR & R favs are either “Let Me” or “Him Or Me”
You know, a Critical Upgrade may be in store for these cats. I always gave them major points off for their Look. I’m pretty much down with silly uniforms, but that Revolutionary War Look crosses the line. These guys are MUCH better than The Dave Clark Five.
I had no idea “Ups and Downs” was originally by these guys. As some of you probably have guessed from mix tapes I’ve handed you over the years, that’s my favorite song by The Flamin’ Groovies.
I’m a solid fan of Paul Revere and the Raiders too and agree that they’ve got 12-15 songs I’m happy to crank at an afternoon beer bash around the barbecue. I’m not surprised bakshi prefers their frat boy Go America lunkhead 60s power pop to Love, but I think I’d take early Love over them, barely, on coolness and style points and relegate the great Forever Changes to another context entirely. But if Love loosely leads to Patti Smith and Husker Du, it’s certainly fair to say that PR and R loosely leads to Nugent, Gary Glitter, and AC/DC. Points to andyr for noticing the “manliness” of the singing; for the broadchested button-down shirt bunch, it’s definitely a touchstone.
Dr. John calls PR % R AMC Gremlin Rock. I want to hear why.
What’s Dr. John know, driving around in that rock ‘n roll Opel GT of his? Everybody knows Paul Revere & the Raiders is Dodge Dart Rock.
Look, if we could only answer questions around here based on what we know, there wouldn’t be a whole lot left. I want his reasoning, however removed it might be from the harsh, non-nonsense street level reality of debating the merits of Love and Paul Revere.
In my memory, the AMC Gremlin was an econo version of a sports car. It tried to be both sensible and rebellious.
Bands that try to have it both ways earn that title.
Okay, I’ll take a shot. Mod brought up 5d because what he hears when he listens to Forever Changes is vocal harmonies, orchestral arrangements and an overall soft-pop focus, but with a driving beat.
Now that IS what 5D sound like, so for Mod it is a vaild comparison to make.
Hey, I like your AMC Gremlin explanation, Dr. John. Sorry for the joking shoot-down.
Close, on your 5D rationale, Dr. John, but no cigar. You hit on some of what I was getting at, although I think the 5D has much more driving beats.
That RTH Actual-Prize hangs in the balance!
Hey, Dr. John — do you actually drive an Opel GT? If so, my sincere congrats on piloting one of the most beautiful bits of autmotive bodywork this side of a ’69 Dino. Mind you, they were mechanically crappy cars, and didn’t deliver on what the Look promised, but still.
If you *don’t* actually drive one, then kudos to Mod for putting you, if imaginarily, behind the wheel of a car that would quite suit you, I think.
And Mod — come on. PR&tRs weren’t the Dodge Darts of rock… unless you’re talking about the “Superbee” model. You might have something there.
This is inspiring a post…
HVB
p.s.: jeers to Mwall for typecasting PR&tRs as “frat-boy, Go-America” rock or whatever he called it. Show me, mwall!
It’s in almost all their well-known songs, bakshi. I don’t hate it; I said I like the band. But the sort of rowdy, barely tuneful group shouting that they do frequently, from Louie Louie onward, is unmistakable. If ever a band should have been in Animal House, this is it. Is it only me who hears a Beastie Boys style vocalizing in them? I doubt it.
And jeers in return for your mindless one-dimensional hippie cliches.
And what’s even funnier about this exchange is that of the two of us, I’m the one who can play a mean game of football.
Hey, Dr. John — I need to be clear — my last Opel GT comment was *not* meant as a slam, along the looks-great-but-doesn’t-live-up-to-the image line of thought. You may also look great, but I make no assumptions about your get up and go as I do about the Opel GT. I just think it’d look good on you; that it would suit you, oh scarf-wearing professor.