Tune Tag #20 with Nick S, Pt. 2: Bob Marley, Laura Nyro, Dixie Cups, Meters, Martin Mull
Buckle up for a musical journey across the Northern Hemisphere, as Nick leads us from the home of reggae to the birthplace of Crescent City fonk, and the streets of New York to the Hills of Beverly!
Hey, Nick!
Nick’s up for his sophomore effort on the Tune Tag! Witness his first TT, here:
Refreshing our memories, Nick (who’s in his late 40s and resides in NW Washington state), while not a writer on Substack, is a voracious reader on the site, and a valued friend of FR&B who reads everything we publish, and eagerly adds his valuable contributions to our comment sections!
He describes himself as “a middle-aged geek; I have interests in politics, and am enjoying reviving my interest in music. I have been interested in science fiction and role-playing games, but at this point I feel mostly nostalgia for them.”
Welcome, Nick! Let’s Tag Tunes…again!
Nick’s song #1 sent to Brad: Peter Tosh, "Johnny B. Goode," 1983 (studio; live version, 1987, here):
Nick’s rationale: I grew up around music. My parents were folkies, many of their friends were musicians, and it was familiar that people would come over for dinner, and then everyone would play music. I would listen for a while and wander off to read a book.
It was a real gift to have that exposure, but it was also intimidating. Music felt like something for adults. I was very aware that I was around people who were engaged with and cared about music, and it seemed like a huge learning curve to get to that point, so I found other interests. I liked some songs (usually because of the lyrics), but it wasn’t until I went to college in the mid-’90s that I had more space to develop my interests.
At that point, I started building a collection without much of a specific focus. An early CD was a Peter Tosh compilation. I never got particularly into reggae, but I enjoyed how much of Tosh’s personality comes through in his music (not an easy person, but clearly deeply invested in his art).
He makes “Johnny B. Goode” his own. It is complete; you don’t need the original to understand his version. Chuck Berry’s original performance is all about hustle; the joy and sweat and ferocity of hitting it big. Peter Tosh makes the story feel mythological. His Johnny is like a Jamaican musical John Henry (and, like John Henry, one doubts that his story will end well, but we meet him growing into his power).
As a Tune Tag selection, I’m curious how Brad will respond. There are a number of options to work with, but it’s such an iconic song that sets a certain standard. Last time I selected songs with an emphasis on lyrics; this starts us off with more of a groove. I’m not expecting another reggae song.
Brad’s song #1 sent to Nick: Bob Marley and the Wailers, “Sugar, Sugar,” 1969
Nick’s response: Hmm, he called my bluff. Looking it up, it’s a canny selection: Bob Marley and Peter Tosh were long-time musical partners, and it is a cover version of a song that may also be iconic (Wikipedia says that “Sugar Sugar” is “widely regarded as the apotheosis of the bubblegum music genre”) and it’s a cover released in the same year as the original recording, which is reminiscent of:
Unlike “You Were On My Mind,” this cover does not replace the original template for the song.
Nick’s follow-up: This song irritated me on first listening [Brad: Welcome to Bubblegum, Nick, a sub-genre some have described as being similar to enduring novocaine-free dentistry! Don’t worry—like brain freeze, it gets better over time].
Back to Nick: The sound was harsh, particularly in the treble. But, listening with a different, less-good pair of headphones, it sounded much better.
Brad’s rationale: Just matching reggae artists with this Archies bubblegum smash, which got to #1 on charts in 17 different countries including the U.S. and UK! I had no idea The Wailers (or any reggae artist, for that matter) had covered this 1969 Archies classic until I stumbled across it.
of “AnEarfull” Substack (and former Tune Tagger, himself), reminds me that, on The Wailers “Sugar Sugar” cover, it’s actually Peter Tosh singing lead as Bob Marley (under the alias Donald Marley) was living in Wilmington, DE, and working both as a DuPont lab assistant, as well as a fork lift operator for the Chrysler plant near Newark, NJ in the late ‘60s. He, therefore, had nothing to do with the song, according to Rolling Stone’s Timothy White.It puts me in the mind of imagining Bob Dylan covering the 1910 Fruitgum Company’s 1968 “Yummy Yummy Yummy” (frankly, a cover we’d love to hear)! From their 1969 Saturday morning network TV cartoon The Archie Show, here’s the gang with their official music video:
Andy Kim and Jeff Barry wrote “Sugar Sugar,” with Barry producing.
A decade later, Barry co-wrote and produced a complete demo recording of “Light Years Away,” a song co-written and sung by FRONT ROW & BACKSTAGE exclusive contributor, Stephen Michael Schwartz. Stephen tells the story of the song, and you can hear the rare demo here:
Nick’s song #2: Laura Nyro & Labelle, “I Met Him On A Sunday (Ronde-Ronde),” 1971
Brad’s response: Guessing we’re doing rock oldies/classics, side-stepping into the abundant girl-group lane, and I couldn’t be happier👏doo-lang doo-lang doo-lang👏. This one is huge: Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff producing LaBelle doing The Shirelles: Let that sink in. The album was recorded at Philly’s Sigma Sound with the late, legendary Thom Bell co-arranging strings and horns. More about the influential Bell can be read here:
Unusual for girl groups of the ‘60s, The Shirelles actually wrote their eventual Top 50 hit, “I Met Him on a Sunday (Ronde Ronde),” for their Passaic (NJ) High School talent show in 1958! The Shirelles were Shirley Owens (they got their name using her first syllable, tacking on the feminine “elles”), Doris Coley, “Micki” Harris, and Beverly Lee.
Nick’s rationale: Brad made a strong choice; I want to rise to the occasion. Thinking about bubblegum pop, I arrive at this 1971 Laura Nyro cover which is just pure joy. From the album’s liner notes (written by Amy Linden for the 2002 re-issue), the story of the recording process is amazing:
The studio was booked for a week, yet by the 6th day nothing had been recorded because everyone was having way too good a time vibing. The schedule grew so tight that Patti [LaBelle] actually bet Huff a sizable chunk of change that the songs could be knocked out in a few hours. ... “Gonna Take a Miracle” (album) is first takes, partly because everyone knew the songs by heart but mainly because there was simply no time.
Going back to my memory of sitting and listening to people sing together in the living room, this feels like that sort of music-making. It’s loose, collaborative, and it feels like they’re singing for each other as much as for the audience.
The first Laura Nyro album I bought was the 1997 various-artists tribute compilation, Time and Love (I believe after watching the Sports Night 1999 TV episode, “Eli's Coming,” and looked up the song). I later happened upon Gonna Take A Miracle, and immediately loved it.
Brad’s song(s) #2: The Crystals, “Da Doo Ron Ron” (recorded March ‘63, released, April) and The Angels, “My Boyfriend’s Back” (released July ‘63, likely recorded in June)
Nick’s response: Wow, I got Brad’s attention with that one! He sent back two songs, and apologized for doing so, but I think it’s great – my goal for Tune Tag is to create moments of musical connection. I dig both songs. At this point, after a round-and-a-half of Tune Tag, these would be the two songs I’ve enjoyed most, and appreciate being invited to listen closely.
I don’t see why Brad sent both of them; it’s an interesting puzzle: A connection to “Da Doo Ron Ron” is obvious: It opens with “I met him on a Monday and my heart stood still / Da doo ron-ron-ron, Da doo ron-ron,” which could be deliberate homage.
But, “My Boyfriend’s Back” (written by Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein, and Richard Gottehrer, who all became The Strangeloves in 1964) has a very different feel: We’re no longer hearing about the fun of meeting someone new. In fact, it’s not even about her relationship with her boyfriend, but another boy who’s behaving badly.
I enjoy that it’s complicated to select a response. Brad called my bluff a second time. I look for a good shift to a different genre. In fact, I decide I need to respond in kind. We’ve used various sports analogies for Tune Tag, but this feels like racquetball: Working in a small space hitting shots off the walls or ceiling, and it’s great!
Brad’s rationale: Ronde Ronde, Da Doo Ron Ron, Hey La Hey La, Doo Lang Doo Lang Doo Lang…What does it all mean? Far from meaningless choral place-holders for the songwriters, it’s the verbal expression of frustration, giddy excitement, and the longing for love for The Teenage Girl, circa 1963 (“He picked me up at 7 and he looked so fine, da doo ron ron ron da doo ron ron.” We can imagine Bill blurting out similarly unmistakable syllables when she opens the door, probably something like the time-worn “Hubba hubba!”).
The songwriters of the ‘60s girl groups gave teenage girls the world over a workable language. Think it’s all nonsense syllables? When The Angels sing, “You’re gonna be sorry you were ever born, ‘cause he’s kinda big and he’s awful strong, hey la hey la, my boyfriends’ back,” he got the message.
The insecure and awkward teen years affect our elocution skills, which become stunted to the point of meaningless utterance to the non-teen. But, in the 1960s World of The Girl, these heart-felt paeans to The Boy become the language of longing and yearning…and, sometimes earned threats to keep who was theirs.
Pete Townshend said it for the boys in his 1965 hit with The Who, talkin’ ‘bout “My Generation,” as Roger Daltrey stuttered his teen-tribe pride earnestly and triumphantly with fist in the air.
The evolution of these nonsense lyric/syllables seem to directly (and not accidentally) run alongside the emergence of 1950s doo-wop/street-corner hand-claps (which serve as an expression of celebration that also keeps time), and the lyrical veneration of The Boy: The eternal source of mystery and powerful attraction for the girl with the locker next to his.
The guys have sung about “girls” for decades, long after both have passed teen-hood, but here, in the world of the singing “ettes” and “elles,” men do not exist. For the 1960s girl-group songwriters, it was gloriously and pointedly all about The Boy…wanting him, keeping him, and daring to fight others to keep him. Hence, these ‘60s girl-group songs….all of them.
It seemed to start with The Shirelles and their “Papa doo ronde ronde,” which morphed into Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, and Phil Spector’s stunningly eloquent “Da Doo Ron Ron” (and many others), which only took a couple years to emerge as the moniker for the surf band, Papa Doo Run Run!
Nick’s Song #3: The Dixie Cups, “Iko Iko,” 1965
Brad’s response: I see Nick’s staying with classic hit-making ‘60s girl groups with The Dixie Cups, known for their Spector-Greenwich-Barry smash, “Chapel of Love,” which spent 3 weeks at #1 in the States in 1964 (and was originally intended, by Spector, for both Darlene Love and The Ronettes). The song may seem like a call-back to “nonsense lyrics,” but it has a Creole/N’awlins genesis, including the fact that the trio of sisters Barbara Ann and Rosa Lee Hawkins, plus their cousin Joan Marie Johnson, were New Orleans natives.
Nick’s rationale: A personal note: I don’t sing, play an instrument, or dance. My relationship with music is as a listener. But, for several years I got interested in making mix CDs -- doing one or two a year and putting a lot of care into them. This was a way to engage creatively and changed how I think about music.
It made me more attentive to what makes a song work, finding the core thread of the song, and how that interacts with other songs. One year, we did a collaborative family mix, sort of like Tune Tag, except with more revising to build a good flow. I opened with the Peter Tosh cover of “Johnny B Goode.” Later, my parents selected The Dixie Cups’ recording of “Iko Iko.”
As folkies, my parents appreciated that the song is folk music that sounded catchy and alive. There ended up being a 1967 lawsuit and settlement over the songwriting credits (between writer James “Sugar Boy” Crawford, shown above, and The Dixie Cups), but my understanding is that it’s a part of the New Orleans tradition.
According to Wikipedia, the Dixie Cups’ recording “was the result of an unplanned jam ... where they began an impromptu version of ‘Iko Iko,’ accompanying themselves with drumsticks on an aluminum chair, a studio ashtray and a Coke bottle.”
You can hear why they decided to keep the recording! The singing is great, the song is catchy, and the percussion sounds amazing and fits the mood perfectly. The recording feels like a gift.
Thematically, both this and “My Boyfriend’s Back” reference male figures acting as surrogates of the singer, and it matches the confidence of “I Met Him On a Sunday (Ronde-Ronde),” in which the singer is completely comfortable with both pursuing the boy, and in cutting him loose when he doesn’t show up!
Brad’s Song #3: The Meters, “Hey Pocky A-Way,” 1974
Nick’s response: Nice! I’d heard of The Meters, but hadn’t listened to them much and this is great. Another song connected to New Orleans. I mostly start with a song’s lyrics, but that is just a fantastic funk riff. I looked up a YouTube video focusing on the bass-line so I could really follow it, and you can watch it, too, by clicking here.
Brad’s rationale: Keeping it in New Orleans from “Iko Iko” to “Hey Pocky A-Way.”
Nick’s Song #4: Maceo Parker, "Shake Everything You've Got," 1992
Brad’s response: We move away from N’awlins with Maceo, but stay relentlessly funky with James Brown’s famous “Maceo”! I’m gonna guess the connection Nick’s making is nothing more or other than simply getting up and gettin’ down with “da fonk”!
Nick’s rationale: I’ve mentioned my parents’ role in my musical background. This track comes from my brother. I was on the Math team in high school, and we ended up going to Nationals in New Orleans. There was a deal on plane tickets if we bought a certain number, and we needed a couple more people. My brother was up for a trip to New Orleans (he was in his early 20s).
We didn’t end up seeing each other on the trip; I spent the whole time in the hotel with the Math team and he enjoyed the city, including seeing a Maceo Parker performance that my brother still talks about as one of the greatest shows he’s ever seen! He got me the Life on Planet Groove album, and I associate it with New Orleans.
Some of you may pause when you see that the track is 16 minutes. I wouldn’t encourage anyone to listen beyond their patience, but I note that this is track 1 of the CD. When I got the CD, hit play, this is the introduction to their style --Maceo Parker says, “We like to play 2% jazz and 98% the funky stuff,” and then the groove. I’ve never been tempted to skip the first track.
Also, my memory of my brother’s description of the show is that they started a bit late, but when they did, it was super high-energy, and the crowd was fired up and going crazy. They played for a couple of hours, stopping after midnight. The band walked off the stage, and then an announcer said, “Maceo and the boys are going to take a little break. They’ll be back for the second set.” Then the band came back and played another few hours! So a longer track is fitting.
Brad’s Song #4: Martin Mull, “Boogie Man,” 1977
Nick’s response: If I could only listen to music from a single decade, I would pick the ‘70s. I think the sixties demonstrated the cultural, creative, and financial clout of rock music and established a template for the genre. In the ‘70s, a lot of people started to experiment. Not all of which ages well, but there was a lot of playfulness and fun.
Brad’s rationale: Moving away from the funk, per se, we’re still in the R&B field, as Marty waxes Philly on this keenly and authentically smooth recreation of the Sigma Sound Studios’ output, circa mid-’1970s! Every note as if plucked by the MFSB studio players, and strings and horns as if arranged by Thom Bell!
A bullseye of a musical “impersonation” by the artist who once displayed his paintings in a museum’s bathroom, calling the exhibit, “Flush Against the Walls, or I’ll Be Art in a Minute.”
Nick signs off: Overall, five songs, all new to me, and a lot of fun!
“Nick’s response: Hmm, he called my bluff.” — from this point on, I was hooked on the back and forth of this one.
Fun game. Good work both of you :)
This was amazing. The reasoning of you both was a joy to read. So knowledgeable! Also, can I just say, reggae? I mean... is there any genre that is not covered in these fabulous Tune Tags!
I particularly liked reading about that album Patti LaBelle worked on that was recorded at the last minute. I haven't listened to it yet, but I am sure those first takes are better than the final takes of many others!