Yes, you know what we mean, don’t you?… We all have them, obscure relatively unknown songs that we feel we discovered, identify with and appreciate like no one else. Songs we believe are so unique, we simply can’t understand why the whole world doesn’t recognize and celebrate them ! Songs, when talking with friends, frequently elicits a blank stare. However when someone reacts in kind, it’s a bond, a celebration, and your friends for life!….”YOU KNOW THAT SONG ?… Yep, we’ve all been there.it’s usually a rare track your local D.J. sneaks on the air or a B-side you play while hanging out listening to music. Later, should you get lucky and hear it on the radio or stumble upon it on-line, it’s like Christmas morning! And you instantly recall the “rush” and “wow” of the first time you heard it, then you talk about it for day’s trying to convert non-believers while verbally “High Five-in’ the few folks who “GET IT”
But, most importantly, you want to share it with the world, after all it’s been part of your musical fabric since your first listen, and you know if we just pay attention we’ll get it too
Well, THAT’S WHY WE’RE HERE!…This is your place to share THAT song! You know, the one WE didn’t know, we didn’t know ?…And, of course, it must be from the 60’s !
To get things started we’re going to share our choice of an incredible song, we’re pretty sure “You didn’t know, you didn’t know” from a band you wouldn’t listen to unless there was a gun to your head! It’s an L.P. Cut from The Royal Guardsman. YES, those Royal Guardsman, a band that had several hits and made a career out of writing ridiculous songs about the characters from the popular “Sunday funnies” cartoon “Peanuts” by Charles Schultz.
The Royal Guardsman! We’re going to bet you’ve never even seen an album by these guys, but you know their hit’s especially their first hit single “Snoopy vs. The Red Baron” At best, history remembers them as a novelty act! Which makes them a prime source for a great song, that you don’t know. It sounds nothing like their first single or “The Red Baron Returns” or “Snoopy For President” or “A Snoopy Christmas”….Thank you God! No, but it has a great groove, a punchy chorus layered with Beatle harmonies and a subject and lyric that is odd and original, with a nod and a wink…
….”Bears” is the songs title! the first time we heard it was from our local D.J. who was on the brink of “Underground” radio, a new format dedicated to “Quality” artists and “COOL” two words that were never connected with TRG so, our D.J. would play this great track but NEVER mention who the artist was, lest putting his “Cool” in jeopardy. We loved this record but we had no idea who it was, probably just as well!
Take a moment and listen to “Bears” “A deep track”from The Royal Guardsman’s debut album “Snoopy vs. The Red Baron from 1966. How and why this great record was never a hit is beyond us? Maybe it was all the Snoopy B.S. that preceded it!! Ah, but we digress, Here’s our number four…
And please post a video of your pick or we’ll never know what we never knew!
P.S….What do YOU think of “Bears” ?
So here’s one “You’ve got to be loved” by the Montanas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uxySLZSJYA
and a special one for You Mr. Shoe: “The Shoemaker of Leather” by the Lemon Pipers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIwz4kWSm_I
There is also an obscure song “Can I Stay With You” by Nick Garrie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQETdqOt7As
Not sure why you can’t click on them to listen, but copy and pasting works
Hey Jules,WOW!
These are sooo great and so totally speaks to this week’s post about “The songs You Didn’t know? Of course I remember The Lemon Pipers, But I can’t believe I’v never heard the ironic…”The Shoemaker of Leather” it sounds like the perfect follow up to “Green Tambourine “ But I guess it never caught on. Thank you, an unbelieveable “Song I didn’t know, I didn’t know! Same goes for the other two songs…Who or what are The Montana’s? Never heard “You’ve Got To Be Loved” either, a perfect piece of 60’s pop fluff, but I’m guseeing it never caught on in So. Calif. which begs The Question…How did you find it? And lastly Nick Garrie, what’s his story, he has the look and voice to get some attention, but yet again “ Can I Stay with You, another great 60’s song I didn’t know I didn’t know!
Thanx Jules for furthering our 60’s musical education and “Setting the bar” for this week’s topic! Quite simply a perfect collection of songs we didn’t know, we didn’t know!
How’d you do that?
Rick…Shoemaker
Rick there is a song that I’ve really come to appreciate lately. It was written in 1965 in Germany, but reworked by Johnny Mercer and brought to America with offerings by Bobby Vinton, Wayne Newton and for a time made somewhat popular by “old Blue Eyes”. I think everybody has a vague recollection from their youth, perhaps just a remote feeling. The version I like the best is Madeleine Peyroux’s: https://www.bing.com/search?q=youtube+summer+wind+madeleine+peyroux&form=PRUSEN&pc=U452&mkt=en-us&httpsmsn=1&refig=46dae6a3f55444cdaf3e2b2fd7503869&sp=1&qs=NM&pq=madeleine+peyroux+%22the+summer+wind%22&sc=1-35&cvid=46dae6a3f55444cdaf3e2b2fd7503869
What do you think?
I think, perfect, yes, “The Summer Wind” works on so many levels and you’re right it really does conjure up a glimpse’s Of old feelings and memories. Thank you for that. However we’ve never heard Madeleine Peyroux’s version….Obviously one “We didn’t know, we didn’t know!” And it is soooo beautiful! Until this version of Madeleine’s our favorite was Frankie’s, But Madeleine takes it to a whole ‘nuther level…
Thanx Jim for a beautiful record, we didn’t know we didn’t know!
Rick
Rick, another number “you didn’t know, you didn’t know”. Not from the ’60s, but it was recorded at Abby Road Studios. I’m really into Madeleine these days.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T4SaNuxZO8
This is what I think of when I hear a song titled “Bears”.
YAAAAAAAYE Fred!
We were hoping some brilliant reader might post this great song from Lyle Lovett…
His song about Bears is a classic and we gotta believe for many people, it’s another great song they bidn’t know, they didn’t know!
Thanx Fred,
Rick
P.S. Have you got one from the ‘60’s ?
Hey Fred,
SMS has never taken a position regarding Gun rights, but after listening to The Royal Guardsman and Lyle Lovett every American should have the right to “Arm Bears”
Rick