chuqui@nsc.UUCP (Chuq Von Rospach) (03/05/84)
Rhino Records (you've never heard of Rhino Records? Where HAVE you been?)
has recently released a new album titles 'Big Daddy'. The basic premise
behind this is that a rock group of the 1950's was captured in Laos and
held prisoner for 30 years. After being released, they recorded an album of
current hits. Unfortunately, since they hadn't heard any music in 30 years,
all of these hits are done in the style of the 50's.
This may be my nomination for the mind warp of the year award. It is, of
course, a gimmick album (many of Rhino's are), but like most of them, this
is a high quality gimmick. The songs are all very familiar, and the new
(old?) orchestrations are done very well. If you can imagine an electric
acoustic version of the Star Wars theme or Little Richard singing 'Ebony
and Ivory' you have an idea of what you're in for. Other songs include
'Whip it', 'Hotel California', and 'Betty Davis Eyes'. In many cases
(especially 'Ebony and Ivory' and 'Eye of the Tiger') I found I
significantly preferred this version to the original.
People who like the music of the 50's will have to find this album. The
rest of you should probably try to grab a listen to it first, but my
feeling is that it is bizarre enough and good enough to deserve a place on
many shelves, if only so you can play it at parties and watch people try to
figure out what is going on...
--
From the Citadel of the Autarch: Chuqui the Plaid
{fortune,menlo70}!nsc!chuqui P.S. Nuke Wobegon!
A relationship is like a shark. It has to keep moving forward or it dies.
What we have here is definitely a dead shark.ron@brl-vgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>) (03/07/84)
Sounds like one to file in there with the "YES NUKES" and "NO DISCO" ablums. -Ron
as@brunix.UUCP (Alex Stein) (03/08/84)
In addition to making bad songs interesting, Big Daddy has given me much pleasure and frustration trying to figure out what songs they stole riffs from. "Hotel California" is "Runaway" by Del Shannon and something else I can't think of. GO LISTEN TO THIS RECORD!
andrew@inmet.UUCP (03/10/84)
#N:inmet:6600095:000:977
inmet!andrew Mar 8 13:12:00 1984
I am also quite fond of "Big Daddy" and recommend it to any fan of musical
parody. (Stereo Review gave it quite a good review in the latest issue.)
If your idea of a good time includes:
"Star Wars" as done by Duane Eddy/The Tornadoes/Johnny & the Hurricanes
"Super Freak" (Everly Brothers)
"I Write The Songs" (Danny & the Juniors/The Monotones)
"Bette Davis' Eyes" (Chuck Berry)
"Just What I Needed" (The Fleetwoods)
"Hotel California" (Del Shannon)
"You Don't Bring Me Flowers" (The Diamonds)
"Whip It" (Roy Orbison)
and several other "mind warps", then this is the album for you!
Rhino Records is a small L.A. label devoted mostly to reissues. Among their
offerings: "Big Daddy", Allan Sherman, Nazz (all three LPs), "Best Of Louie
Louie", and several Turtles reissues (including a turtle-shaped green vinyl EP
containing the obscure but great "Outside Chance").
Andrew W. Rogers, Intermetrics ...{harpo|ima|esquire}!inmet!andrewAXLER%Upenn-1100%upenn.csnet@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA (05/07/85)
One of the funniest "muzak" versions of any Devo song is found on an album
that, in general, is one of the funniest -- the Rhino Records release of
"Big Daddy". This wacko California band takes reasonably recent tunes, and
re-arranges them in fifties stylings. Among the variations on their album,
you'll find:
"Ebony & Ivory" as Little Richard might have done it
The 'Star Wars' theme as a Ventures instrumental
"Whip It" in a truly mellow, whistling version
Barry Manilow's "I Write the Songs" in street-corner acapella form
"Hotel California" in the Pachuco-rock style of ? & the Mysterians
and seven others....
Well worth checking out.
Dave Axler