I had no idea who this band was when I first came across them.
There are many acts in the US that just didn’t have much impact here, in Australia. Even Gary Lewis and the Playboys, who had seven Top 10s, including a #1, in the US (which is hard work as that market is big) only had one Top 10 here and nothing in the UK. And, them, I’m not sure how they even had that Top 10 here because, despite our protestations of encroaching American culture, in the 60s, at least, we were very Anglo-Centric … we seemed to get all their music, whereas the US stuff seemed a little selective. As a result Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Johnny Rivers and others were never as big here as they were in the US. So, if those acts don’t have a big presence here Every Mother's Son are positively obscure.
But, I checked them out and found out they were a “sunshine pop” band (apparently).
Search this blog for other definitions of sunshine pop but “Sunshine pop originated in the American state of California in the mid to late-1960s, beginning as an outgrowth of the California Sound and folk rock movements. Rooted in easy-listening, advertising jingles, and the growing drug culture, the music is characterized by lush vocals and light arrangements similar to samba music. Most of the acts were lesser-known bands named after fruits, colors, or cosmic concepts who imitated more popular groups like the Beach Boys, the Mamas & the Papas, and the 5th Dimension. In some ways the genre is similar to baroque pop music through being elaborate and melancholic, though it also crossed into folk pop and Brill Building styles. It may be seen as a form of escapism from the turmoil of the times. The A.V. Club's Noel Murray writes: "sunshine pop acts expressed an appreciation for the beauty of the world mixed with a sense of anxiety that the good ol' days were gone for good." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_pop
And, I think I always loved sunshine pop way back when without knowing what it was because I watched a lot of films from the 1960s as a kid and, musically, the genre reminds me of the more jangly and gentle side (a side that is often forgotten) of the Paisley Underground music movement from the 1980s. And, I was heavily into that as a teen … bands like The Three O'Clock, The Bangles, Game Theory.
Every Mother’s Son: The entire allmusic entry, “A pop group from New York City, Every Mother's Son enjoyed a brief fling with fame thanks to their 1967 hit "Come On Down to My Boat." Every Mother's Son was formed by lead singer and guitarist Larry Larden, a veteran of New York's folk music scene, and his younger brother Dennis Larden, who played the coffeehouse circuit with Larry before joining Every Mother's Son as lead guitarist. The Larden Brothers teamed up with Bruce Milner on keyboards, Schuyler Larsen on bass, and Christopher Augustine on drums, and the band's lineup was complete. Every Mother's Son was signed to MGM Records, who made the most of the band's clean-cut image and friendly sound in their publicity for the group; they also gave the band a tune written by Wes Farrell and Jerry Goldstein that had been a flop for the Rare Breed, but "Come On Down to My Boat" (originally titled "Come and Take a Ride in My Boat") was a hit after Every Mother's Son got their hands on it, becoming a favorite on radio and rising to number six on the Billboard singles charts. The group made the rounds of television variety shows and even filmed a guest appearance for the popular espionage series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (it was probably a coincidence that the show was produced by MGM's television branch). A full-length album, simply titled Every Mother's Son, was released in the summer of 1967, featuring "Come On Down to My Boat," along with ten original tunes from Dennis Larden (one of which was co-written with Bruce Milner). Later the same year, a second LP, Every Mother's Son's Back, had arrived in stores; by this time, Schuyler Larsen had left the band, and Don Kerr became their new bassist. Three singles were released from the sophomore album, but none broke the Top 40, and in 1968, Every Mother's Son called it a day. Dennis Larden went on to join Rick Nelson's Stone Canyon Band, and Christopher Augustine later recorded with Rick Derringer”. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/every-mothers-son-mn0000129131/biography
This is that first album.
It is music of its time but, it was a time which always appealed to me. This is pure pop but pop that enjoys itself. There are messages, and there is thought, but it’s not strained or in your face. The music is meant to soothe and foot tap to ….
The Sunshine Pop here is clear but there are elements of clean summer rock as espoused (two of three years earlier) by the Beach Boys, a (big) dash of folk rock, and a (largish) cupful of garage rock.
It's sunshine pop filtered through garage rock.
Think Harpers Bizarre catching a lift with the Monkees in a little deuce coupe, in a bad neighbourhood.
There is more than a little Beach Boys, The Turtles, The Lovin Spoonful, The Kinks, The Hollies, and The Monkees here but they do sound like themselves.
1967 was a perfect time for this. California in the 60s was all good times, not for everyone, but for most. Even so, the social fabric was starting to fray around the edges. By 1968 there were visible tears and it wasn’t long till everything fell apart.
But, for a while, there was the bouncy music of sunshine pop where the highs were natural, or at least appeared that way. The music exuded bouncy happiness and any drug induced joy was obtained behind closed doors.
Supposedly they were signed to the MGM Records label because management saw the band's clean-cut image as an antidote to the hippie influx. I’m not sure about that because “money talks”, so I assume the “clean cut” image wasn’t so much an antidote to any social movement but rather an attempt to broaden the music’s appeal to the biggest market possible, the mainstream. And it worked in the short term.
There were hits but it put these bands, including Every Mother’s Son, at odd with the critics and the “hip” youth.
As the very canny guy from Badcat says: "Every Mothers' Son" was actually far better than critics would have you think. Featuring largely original material written by Dennis and Lary, MGM's interest was clearly in mining the group's commercial pop potential which instantly turned the anti-establishment audience against them. The irony is that in many respects they were no different than The Mamas and The Papas, The Monkees, or scores of other "hipper" acts. That said, they sure did look white-bread establishment … While there's no way to label the collection a lost classic, it really was better than most reviewer’s would have you believe". http://badcatrecords.com/BadCat/EVERYmother.htm?_sm_au_=iVVrWF7WkQkPMN27
The great Wes Farrell produced this with Jerry Goldstein. Farrell was young (born 1939) with a good pop ear. He wrote or produced for Boyce and Hart, The Cowsills, The Poco Seco Singers, and The Partridge Family. Goldstein likewise was young (born 1940) with a good ear for rockier pop … he wrote or worked with The Strangeloves, War as well as being important to the careers of The McCoys and Sly and the Family Stone
Go lay in defused sunlight, with a gin and tonic, put this on … you will be surprised.
All songs by Dennis and Larry Larden unless otherwise noted.
Tracks (best in italics)
Side One
- Come And Take A Ride In My Boat – (Wes Farrell, Jerry Goldstein) – The single which was previously recorded by garage rock band Rare Breed (1966) under this name. On the single the song was called "Come on Down to My Boat". Melodic melodies and huge, heavenly harmonies. This is bouncy pop with a touch of garage rock awareness. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Come_On_Down_to_My_Boat
- I Won't – a great garage pop tune. I'm sure someone has covered this
- For Brandy – a nice, slightly introspective, tune. Very much of the times (think Simon and Garfunkel or Lovin Spoonful when gentle) but well done.
- Didn't She Lie – Monkees crossed with English beat.
- What Became Of Mary – (Dennis Larden) – sentimental stuff … the stuff you would hear in a film of the time. I like it.
Side Two
- Ain't It A Drag – the guy at Badcat (see below) thinks this sounds like The Mamas and the Papas … and he is 100% right. Still, it's well done.
- Allison Dozer – a touch of the Kinks with “All Day and All of the Night” but with the organ as the central pivot. I love the Kinks so … A+ from me.
- I Believe In You – "thoughtful", introspective pop. This could be a lot worse than it is. That says something about how good these guys are.
- Ain't No Use – (Peter J. Milner, D. Larden) – slight, filler but pleasant.
- Sittin' Here (Peter's Tune) – A touch of the Lovin Spoonful in gentle poppy jug band mode. This stuff is usually filler, and it is here, but it is always pleasant and usually breaks up an album well, as it does here.
- Come On Queenie – a jug band-ish olde-worlde type of song.
And …
There is a lot of referencing of other bands and music going on at the time but there is a lot of good here also. Sheer force of personality has set this apart from other bands who were just copping on to the sounds of the day. Is it a lost gem? No, but, it comes close. Wonderful (Jr). I'm keeping it.
Or, is that the Maraska Cherry Wine talking?
Nup, though cherry wine and 60s pop rock work well together.
Chart Action
US
Singles
1967 Come and Take a Ride In My Boat #6
Album
1967 #117
England
Nothing.
Sounds
Come And Take A Ride In My Boat
live
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTvUbAQIefA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmyWvGO06HU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9ViyfAneJ4
recent
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1DA6wXePs0
I Won't
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDRac6Lztds
Didn't She Lie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBK9P2V7EYQ
Allison Dozer
mp3 attached
Others
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzE5SvttKKw
Review
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Every_Mother%27s_Son_(album)
http://badcatrecords.com/BadCat/EVERYmother.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Every_Mother%27s_Son_(album)
Bio
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Every_Mother%27s_Son
https://www.historyofrecording.com/EMS1.html
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/every-mothers-son-mn0000129131/biography
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wes_Farrell
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Goldstein_(producer)
Website
—
Trivia
- "By the end of the decade, Every Mother’s Son expired and were all but a nice memory. However, singer, guitarist and songwriter Dennis Larden remained active in music, as he joined Rick Nelson’s Stone Canyon Band and lent his talents to Who drummer Keith Moon’s amazingly horrific “Two Sides Of Moon” solo album". http://somethingelsereviews.com/2012/07/04/forgotten-series-every-mothers-son-the-very-best-come-on-down-to-my-boat-1997/
- Christopher Augustine later recorded with Rick Derringer.
- According to the CD reissue liner notes: "Every Mothers' Son was born in New York City in the spring of 1966. Soon after folk-singers Larry and Dennis Larden met organist Bruce Milner at a Greenwich Village niteclub. Larry and Dennis had spent four years working as a folk duo in the New York area, playing all types of engagements from private parties to Village nite clubs. (They worked only weekends since school and homework took up the other days of the week.) Early in 1966 they decided that they would have more scope for musical growth as members of a rock group. Through a mutual friend they heard about a young musician named Bruce Milner, who, after a number of years as an organist for various groups, was looking for a permanent affiliation. Larry, Dennis and Bruce met one momentous night in Greenwich Village, took to each other, and decided on the spot to form a rock group of their own. Within a week they added a bass player, Schuyler Larsen, and a drummer Christopher Augustine. The group was now complete – Every Mothers' Son was ready for its adolescence … The group spent a month rehearsing, writing new songs, working together until they felt they were ready for their sound and ready to be seen professionally. They contracted Peter Leeds, young manager of rock acts, who knew the Larden Brothers from their old folk duo days. They asked him to watch them perform at a college fraternity party, one that the boys had booked themselves. Leed came to watch them, was strongly impressed and signed them to a management contract … Peter Leeds put them in touch with writer-producer Wes Farrell in the summer of1966. Their meeting with Farrell was their first major step on the road to fame and fortune. Farrell, writer of "Hang On Sloopy," "Boys," Come A Little Bit Closer" ad many other songs recorded by name artists such as The Beatles, Ronnie Dove, The McCoys, and Jay and The Americans, had the boys audition for him in a small studio in a ramshackle building off Broadway. After climbing three flights of stairs with the instruments and amplifiers in the 90 degree heat that July day, Every Mothers' Son was so beat that they forgot to be nervous. They came through so excitedly at the audition, that the hard bitten Wes Farrell flipped over the group and immediately signed them to record for his Senate Records Production firm. He cut twelve sides, normally an unheard of practice with a new group and took their records to a number of top record forms, Within a week five major labels were competing to distribute their records and finally a deal was completed for Every Mothers' Son records to be released by MGM."
The mono copy of the albumseems to have more pic of the band … the gatefold centre and back are the same …
