STEPPENWOLF - "Monster" (1969)

 

Fifty-seven years ago Steppenwolf came out with an album titled "Monster" that expresses feelings that are still and/or as pertinent today as they were back then.

The lead song tells the whole story, and we still haven't learned a damn thing.

Even worse, and I really hate sounding like a broken record, but how in the Hell are Steppenwolf not in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame? 

Something just doesn't make sense.

So, listen to this song, and then tell me that it doesn't sound like it was written in the present day instead of the ancient past!

STEPPENWOLF - "Monster" 

CAKE - "Motorcade Of Generosity (1994)

 

Cake is one of the bands that I had an opportunity to see live, but missed out on, and I have been sorrowful ever since.

This Cake LP from 1994 titled "Motorcade Of Generosity," is just great, and here's a song that is probably about as insightful as any song ever created. 

What's right, following orders, or following your heart?

Either way, we don't know whether we're going to live or die, and Cake makes that very clear.

CAKE - "I Bombed Korea" 

THE TURTLES - "Present The Battle Of The Bands" (1968)

 

Now here's a real head scratcher for you, despite numerous hits like "Happy Together," "Elenore," "She'd Rather Be With Me, and "You Baby," The Turtles are not in The & Roll Hall Of Fame.

The song "Happy Together" was the biggest selling single of 1967 and has sold over 10 million copies worldwide, and is considered to be the key musical moment in the movie "Shrek."

Incredulous! 

Their fourth album titled "The Turtles Present The Battle Of The Bands," is chock full of fun music.

Here's a song that's more Byrds than it is Turtles, and shows how divergent their musical talent really was. 

THE TURTLES - "Chicken Little Was Right" 

Songs Named After Cities, Part 2 - "L.A., L.A." (Translator, 1983)

 

Rich here to follow up on my previous post about songs named after cities. We've recalled "Kansas City," "Chicago," "New York, New York," and even "Seattle," and we've featured Lonnie Mack's fabulous instrumental version of "Memphis." 

 

Now, Los Angeles has had a number of songs written about it over the years, and it seems to bring out a bit of oddball and quirky observations, such as Randy Newman's video of "I Love L.A." But my favorite Los Angeles-themed song may be by the criminally underknown new wave guitar band Translator, who occasionally swerve off into white boy rap territory to comment on their love of "L.A., L.A."

TRANSLATOR - "L.A., L.A." 

HUEY "PIANO" SMITH & THE CLOWNS - "Don't You Just Know It" (1960)

 

What a title!

"Havin' Fun With Huey "Piano" Smith And The Clowns." 

What the Hell could be more fun than that in 1960? This infectious song spread like the plague, and made it all the way to #9 on The Billboard Charts, and #4 on The R&B Charts that year, and deservedly so!

It was a musical circus, and one of the best 'call & response' songs ever.

HUEY "PIANO" SMITH & THE CLOWNS - "Don't You Just Know It" 

EDGAR "JONES" JONES - "Gettin' A Little Help... From... "The JoNeSeS"

 

Edgar Jones was the lead singer and bass player in The Stairs when he was going by the name Edgar Summertyme, and after The Stairs broke up in 1994, he formed other bands like The Isrites, and The Big Kids, before coming up with Edgar Jones And The Joneses.

A lot of Edgar's music is very eclectic. It's also very good, and deserves a lot more than eight views in five years like this song. That's just shameful!

I think you'll agree.

EDGAR "JONES" JONES & THE JONESES - "She Don't Know Me"

THE STAIRS - "Mexican R'n'B" (1992)

The Stairs were the best 1960's band of 1992 in my humble opinion, and their CD titled "Mexican R'n'B" proves it.

Coming across like a rockin' mixture of The Stones, The Chocolate Watch Band, and The Music Machine, this is nearly a perfect album, and here's a sample song for the eternities. 

THE STAIRS - "Mary Joanna"