7.3 WORKSHEET 7

As we finish Worksheet 7, we are moving away from folk-rock, toward other subjects.

The Young Rascals. The Young Rascals were from New Jersey, and did their earlier gigging in the NJ and New York area. They were known for their "blue-eyed soul" sound and dynamic performances. Their breakout hit, "Good Lovin'," went to number one on the charts. In fact, their first album had three #1 hits in it. The group entered the R&R Hall of Fame in 1997.

JOURNAL:

68. GOOD LOVIN' - THE YOUNG RASCALS Links to an external site.

Incidentally, if you notice in the video, there is no bass player. The bass was provided by the singer/organist Felix Cavaliere, who played a key bass with his left foot. 

For fun: Bobby McFerrin is a talented vocalist who overdubs himself, creating ALL the sounds (vocals and sound effects) you hear on the recording. Here is his version:

GOOD LOVIN' - BOBBY McFERRIN Links to an external site.

The Four Seasons. Another band from New Jersey is the Four Seasons. In fact, there is a show and a movie about them called Jersey Boys. Here is the trailer for that movie: JERSEY BOYS - MOVIE TRAILER Links to an external site.When I was first teaching this class (before YouTube) I bought a Four Seasons Greatest Hits CD. There was 21 tracks on the CD, and I was somewhat shocked to see that ALL the tracks were REAL hits. Lead singer Frankie Valli sang in a high falsetto, which was combined with the other voices for a unique blend. Most people have heard Frankie Valli sing, even if they are not aware of it. He sang the title song for the movie Grease. Here is one of their earlier hits.

JOURNAL:

69. WALK LIKE A MAN - THE FOUR SEASONS Links to an external site.

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Garage Bands. What is a garage band? An amateur group, not having yet fame or fortune,  who holds rehearsals in a garage (or living room). Just about every successful group started as a garage band. Just like in sports, only a small percentage make it to the big leagues. Sometimes a garage band has just one good hit, but does not have the skills to turn that into a lasting career. Sometimes the song is so catchy and accessible, it becomes known as a "garage band classic."

"Louie Louie" The first big garage band hit, still has a life all of its own. You can find "Louie Louie" albums with perhaps 14 different versions of it, in any style. What began as a simple calypso song began to be covered by many bands in the Northwest. The Kingsmen, from Portland, Oregon was one of them. Their rough version was recorded in a one hour session, and the lead singer, being overmatched by the band, had to yell the lyrics into a slightly too high overhead microphone. He was also dealing with braces on his teeth, and had to tilt his head while singing. Whatever it was, the words of the song could not be understood fully. And the word spread throughout the country that the song contained dirty words! Back in the day, that was enough to make it a huge hit, as young people everywhere were buying the record. I remember being in the 7th grade in Texas, and an older girl told me she knew the words to "Louie Louie." When she told me, my ears turned pink!

Here's where it gets crazy. The FBI was enlisted to investigate, and they did so for 2 years! A committee in Congress was called into session, where the FBI report was presented (there is a picture of the report on the 1st page of Worksheet 7), and the final conclusion was a little disappointing.  In the words of the FBI, "the words of 'Louie Louie' are unintelligible at any speed!" And that is why we are talking about "Louie Louie" today!

JOURNAL:

70. LOUIE LOUIE - THE KINGSMEN Links to an external site.

Paul Revere and the Raiders. This group, from Boise, Idaho, was also one of the Northwest music scene, and was soon to become the most successful of the all the garage bands. The leader, Paul Revere, had a name that the group capitalized on, calling themselves Paul Revere and the Raiders, with Revolutionary War connotations. Their costumes also reflected that connection. The secret of the band's hits: very catchy, memorable  songs, with strong guitar riffs. Interesting fact: in the 1960s, Paul Revere and the Raiders appeared on TV more than any other band! One of their many hits ("Kicks," an anti-drug song.

JOURNAL:

71. KICKS - PAUL REVERE & THE RAIDERS Links to an external site.

Flashback: The same group that I was in that toured with the Who, also opened for Paul Revere & the Raiders.

I enjoyed very much playing before the Raiders. They were very entertaining, and did not take themselves seriously at all. Their drummer would play drums along with us (behind the curtain) while we were doing our show, and on the bus, he would show us some amazing card tricks. More stories later, when I have time.

See you on the next module!