Still more Gary Lewis … I find him quite relaxing after a mind crushing day at work. Well, that and a couple of wines.
In the past I have said on 2 occasions, "Most of his albums were 1/2 originals( some written by him) and 1/2 covers of recent(ish) hits. Regardless, whether original or cover, Lewis seemed to have hit after hit. I suspect cause the records are well recorded, tightly played pop rock with a consistent musical personality throughout all …… Gary had a limited vocal range and was a bit gawky looking – like some sort of uber nerd but what he had was sass and good backing. He does what he does best, allows his voice to be pushed into the background or chorused with backing vocals or a multitude of instruments. The result is a romantic, lush pop rock with lyrics that are very mid 60s California – fun, sun, happy and optimistic".
Again I have no reason to deviate from this. The musianship is solid and the production (Snuff Garrett) highlights the best aspects of the music.
There is a distinctive Lewis style sound, "a romantic, lush pop rock with lyrics that are very mid 60s california – fun, sun, happy and optimistic".
But, this is 1969!
The scars of the police brutality at the Democratic Convention in Chicago had not healed, the Panthers were up to everything, people were marching on Washington, soldiers were dying in Vietnam, the Weathermen were exercising their violent revolutionary rhetoric, the Kent State Massacre was around the corner and, in music, the MC5, Stooges and many others were prophesising of a uncertain future …. Gary on the other hand was covering "Good Morning Starshine" and doing it "straight"!
Good mornin' starshine, You lead us along
My love and me as we sing
our early mornin' singin' song
My love and me as we sing
our early mornin' singin' song
Glibby gloop gloopy Nibby Nabby Noopy La La La Lo Lo
Sabba Sibby Sabba Nooby abba Nabba Le Le Lo Lo
Tooby ooby walla nooby abba nabba
Early mornin' singin' song
Sabba Sibby Sabba Nooby abba Nabba Le Le Lo Lo
Tooby ooby walla nooby abba nabba
Early mornin' singin' song
All I can say is … God bless him.
Was Lewis ignoring what was going on around him?
At the height of his career he was drafted and went to Vietnam. There the story gets blurry – did he see combat? Did he witness friends die? Did he become addicted to drugs? His father, Jerry, has made all those claims which caused a rift with his son who has accepted it and denied it. Where is the truth I'm not sure though Lewis senior was vocal about the war:
If Lewis was affected by what was going on he didn't let on. Even Elvis was prodded to thought about what was happening around him ("If I Can dream" etc).
Lewis' sound didn't change that much … and that is a blessing or a curse depending on your take on his music. The slightly psych numbers are "poppy-ied" up, the countryish numbers are made MOR, the blues are white washed, and any controversial lyrics are sanitised. This is pure pop. Ultimately, you know what you get with a Gary Lewis album.
As Lewis said subsequently, "Well, Hard Rock had come in. When I was in the service, I started hearing on jukeboxes around the bases, people like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin. I'm saying who is this? What is this kind of music? I was kind of worried about it because I didn't want to have to play that kind of music just to stay in the business. I hate singing and playing out of my style. I don't do it even in 'live' shows. I stick with what I'm known for, what I'm comfortable with, and that's it". http://www.classicbands.com/GaryLewisInterview.html
After “Rhythm of the Rain,” which made it to #63, and “Hayride,” which did nothing, Garrett apparently told Lewis: “There is no more market for Gary Lewis & the Playboys.” Lewis self-produced two more singles and then called it quits.
It was his inability to change (for whatever reason) which ended his career.
This was his last album (or one of his last as he released three albums in 1969).
None of the albums from that year charted.
Don't despair though as he continues to play on the oldies circuit now.
There is only one loss … if he hadn't decided to quit and hung in for another year he could have hitched a ride on the back of the bubblegum hit making machine with The Archies, Ohio Express, 1910 Fruitgum Company etc who were also "pure pop" and who were also, surreally, ignoring the events unfolding around them.
Ultimately, middle America might have loved Lewis for most of the 1960s but they ditched him. And, liking Gary Lewis now is nothing if not radical, right?
Musically, Lewis remained consistent in his album format mixing covers and originals all in the mid tempo, upbeat style he is known for. His strengths are, his taste in his choice of covers, a good ear for pop, knowledge of his limitations, and working well with the right producer.
The Tracks (the best in italics)
- Rhythm of the Rain – the great Cascades hit from 1963 (#3). One of the most performed songs of the 20th century apparently. As pleasant as Lewis' version is it does not improve on the original.
- Medicine Man – a strange one to cover – a 1969 hit for The Buchanan Brothers (actually Tommy West and Gene Pistilli)
- Good Morning Starshine – perfect – a track from "Hair" … the greatly underrated Oliver lifted it from the musical and had a #3 hit with it in 1969. The original version might have been taking the piss but Gary does the song straight and has made the song even more trivial … and I love it. Instead of Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries being played as the air cavalry descends in "Apocalypse Now" I think this would have been infinitely more surreal …
- Proud Mary – a straight version of the Creedence classic. No surprises but competent.
- My Little Girl – Lewis now turns in a late 50s flavoured tune which sounds suspiciously like Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue", though that's not surprising as it was written by Sonny Curtis who was one of Holly's backing band, The Crickets.
- Hayride – now this is convoluted … I always thought this was a Australian song as The Flying Circus had a hit with it in 1969 (#3 Australia). It turns out it was written by Buzz Cason and Mac Gayden. Buzz, from Nashville, is a bit of a legend – he wrote truck loads, sang backing vocals for Elvis, and wrote another hit for the Flying Circus "La La". Obviously he was quite good at pushing his songs. Either way this is good country-ish bubblegum.
- Sugar Coated – another Buzz Cason and Mac Gayden song. Pure bubblegum.
- Back Door Key – a co-written Lewis original which turns out to be a "G rated" version of "Back Door Man" … mind you if the narrator-singer's love was "above board" as described in the song then why the need for a back door key?
- 3 Cheers – another co-written Lewis original … very Beatles circa "Rubber Soul" with a bit of the Beach Boys thrown in and quite nice. Probably the best song on the album.
- Orangutan – who said drugs weren't around amongst the nerds? I'm not sure what this song is about exactly.
- C.C. Rider – actually a interesting cover of the old trad song (popularised by Ray Charles) … not outstanding but different.
- Nothing to Be Ashamed Of – a harkening back to the type of tunes Lewis was doing in 1965. Again a pleasant tune.
And …
This is certainly one of the weaker Gary Lewis LPs but because I have the others … I'll keep this.
Sound
Rhythm of the Rain
attached
Good Morning Starshine
attached
Hayride
3 Cheers
attached
Originals
Rhythm of the Rain
Medicine Man
Good Morning Sunshine
Proud Mary
Elvis' Proud Mary
Hayride
Website
Bio
Buss Cason
Other Comments
what is Frank Listening to #22
what is Frank Listening to #72
what is Frank Listening to #88
what is Frank Listening to #96
(Originally posted: 01/11/2009)
