DO YOU LIVE IN THE CITY?

 

Rich here. By the late '70s, punk and new wave already had been percolating under the surface for 4-5 years with punk pioneers like The Ramones and The Sex Pistols leading the way. But as the '70s waned, the alternative sounds started bubbling above ground and influencing suburban garage rock bands who were attracted by punk's aggressive embrace of aggression and new wave's quirky singing and angular melodies with lyrics saturated with disdain for the straights who populated the Adult World.

 

Mainstream radio tended to ignore this new crop of quirky bands who emerged in the late '70s, but many found the perfect home in the new televised music channel MTV, who were searching high and low for videos to broadcast on the network.

 

One such band that found a temporary home on MTV was a new wave group from Santa Cruz, California, who'd started out in 1976 as The Mysterious People, but in 1979 they changed their name to The Humans and had an MTV "hit" with "I Live for the City," which was a catchy mockery of sophisticated City Life.

THE HUMANS - "I Live For The City" 

TODD SNIDER - "Step Right Up" (1996)

 

Todd Snider made music in the direction I wish commercial country music had gone, but I guess it was just too real.

This release of his titled "Step Right Up" from 1996 is a good example of what I'm trying to say. 

I'm sad to say that Todd passed away last year, because I believe he still had a lot more good songs in him that he could have shared with us, but in the meantime, here's a real fave of mine! 

I believe it too! 

TODD SNIDER - "I Believe You" 

JACOB MILLER - "Tenement Yard" (1976)

 

Jacob Miller was a killer Reggae artist who died in 1980 at the age of 27. While I've never seen his name listed as one of the members of the 27 Club, he sure should be included as he was a very influential musician!

Who do I need to petition? 

Here's one of his better known songs, the title of this 1976 release.

JACOB MILLER - "Tenement Yard" 

THE CHARLATANS - "32-20" (1966)

 

Back in 1966, bay area band The Charlatans released this Leiber & Stoller penned song "The Shadow Knows." 

Just in case you somehow don't know who Leiber & Stoller are, here's just a couple of samples of their compositional skills. I'm talking "Jailhouse Rock" and "Hound Dog" by Elvis, almost every hit by The Coasters, and the über classics, "Kansas City," and "Love Potion Number 9" just to name a few.

Supposedly, just "Love Potion Number 9" has been recorded over 180 times. Pretty incredible!

So I'm sure The Charlatans figured "The Shadow Knows" would be a guaranteed hit, but no such luck, apparently the Shadow didn't know.

This early version of The Charlatans included Dan Hicks, who would go on to lead one of the best bands I've ever seen live, Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks.

So here's a much better song, the flip side of "The Shadow Knows."

THE CHARLATANS - "32-20" 

SUPER DELUXE - "Famous" (1996)

 

Straight out of  Seattle in 1996, this album titled "Famous" by the band Super Deluxe, had a song on it that was named Power Pop Record Of The Year by Melody Maker magazine, and was also used in the film "Kingpin," which you would think would make it memorable, but alas that was 30 years ago, so there's a good chance you've never heard it or maybe forgot you ever heard it even though they were "famous" for a while.

So, here you go....it's back!!

SUPER DELUXE - "She Came On" 

BIG DADDY SUN & THE OUTER PLANETS - "Rockabilly" (1981)

 

Weird Rockabilly Clash cover by Big Daddy Sun and the Outer Planets from 1981.

The Clash's song was one kind of Rockabilly, and this saxophone driven version is something else again, but still Rockabilly. 

Confusing no doubt, but I dig it right down to the "Twilight Zone" ending.

BIG DADDY SUN - "Brand New Cadillac"

KING BISCUIT BOY - "Gooduns" (1971)

 

Probably not the most politically correct song in the world, but it sure does rock, so here's a great cut from this 1971 LP called "Gooduns" by King Biscuit Boy.

I don't suppose it's any worse than these lyrics by John Lennon, 

"You better run for your life if you can, little girl
Hide your head in the sand, little girl
Catch you with another man
That's the end, little girl."

KING BISCUIT BOY - "Boom Boom (Out Go The Lights)"