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TOMMY JAMES & THE SHONDELLS - yay or nay?

pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
edited November 2008 in Strut Central
Was just sitting here listening to a Tommy James/Shondells CD and flashing on the fact that "Crystal Blue Persuasion" was such a big hit with the Chicago steppers' community, to the point where it still gets played on dusties stations every now and then...and that there were two soul versions of that song that were out almost simultaneously: Joe Bataan (on Fania) and the Kelly Brothers (on Excello). A surprising number of Shondells songs were working the white soul angle...you know, like Michael Franks or Hall & Oates. Only Tommy James was GOOD!! img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" 21b, 21b, 21b, 21b, 21But really, just about all of T.J./Shondells' records were good...the white soul, the bubblegummy numbers, even their psychedelic phase towards the end. Haven't heard enough of Tommy's solo stuff, although you Christopher Cross fans might wish to dig up "Three Times In Love," a wretched comeback hit from 1980 that you might wanna compile on your next "Mellow Gold" mix. And I have one single by Hog Heaven (the Shondells without Tommy) that is a really good stoner-rock kinda deal.

  Comments

  • overpriced_artisan_butteroverpriced_artisan_butter 318 Posts
    The first few solo lps are great. Many excellent, surprising songs. Check out "Kelly Told Ann" and "Moses and Me" on TRAVELIN, for instance.
  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
    YAYb, 21b, 21b, 21/font1
    Quote:/font1h, 21b, 21 Haven't heard enough of Tommy's solo stuffb, 21b, 21h, 21
    b, 21b, 21the "Christian of the World" LP, with the big (and awesome) hit b, 21"Dragging the Line" is pretty good, but the only solo one I've heard.b, 21b, 21param name="movie" value=""1param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"1param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"1/embed1/object1b, 21b, 21b, 21The Crimson & Clover LP has some great tracks, like "Breakaway"
  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h, 21b, 21 The first few solo lps are great. Many excellent, surprising songs. Check out "Kelly Told Ann" and "Moses and Me" on TRAVELIN, for instance. b, 21b, 21h, 21
    b, 21b, 21That was actually the last elpee he did with the Shondells, and you're right, it is good.
  • SoulhawkSoulhawk 3,197 Posts
    the long version of crimson and clover is better than anything spacemen 3 ever did
  • luckluck 4,077 Posts
    After "Crimson and Clover," the rest of their career could have sucked and I'd still give them credit for a noteworthy accomplishment.
  • funky16cornersfunky16corners 7,175 Posts
    Big YAY.b, 21b, 21'Crystal Blue Persuasion' is one of the first songs I remember hearing on the radio and liking. Cosine on 'Draggin' the Line'.
  • luckluck 4,077 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h, 21b, 21the long version of crimson and clover is better than anything spacemen 3 ever did b, 21b, 21h, 21
    b, 21b, 21I am inclined to agree.
  • waxjunkywaxjunky 1,850 Posts
    b, 21CBP is a low-rider classic for the ages, so you could never give them a nay.
  • holmesholmes 3,532 Posts
    Big yay, although I find I do have to be a bit picky about what to buy of him, i've needle dropped some pretty boring 45s by him over the years. Here are some of my faves though. (C&C/CBP already got enough shine)b, 21b, 21Mony Monyb, 21I Think We're Alone Nowb, 21Breakawayb, 21Talkin' & Signifyin'b, 21Say I Am (What I Am)b, 21Hanky Panky
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    Yay.b, 21b, 21Those early ones, Hanky Panky, Mony Mony are kinda garage bandy. b, 21b, 21People are always surprised when I say I like him and think Crimson & Clover is great.b, 21b, 21I also like the Foundation's song Build Me Up Buttercup, which sounds like it could be TJ&Sb, 21b, 21I rarely put on his records, so I mostly know just the hits, but I have given his solo records one listen when they cross my path and am always pleasantly surprised, even if I can't remember them now.
  • overpriced_artisan_butteroverpriced_artisan_butter 318 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h, 21b, 21Yay.b, 21b, 21b, 21b, 21I also like the Foundation's song Build Me Up Buttercup, which sounds like it could be TJ&Sb, 21 b, 21b, 21h, 21
    b, 21b, 21Umm, no.
  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h, 21b, 21b, 21b, 21Those early ones, Hanky Panky, Mony Mony are kinda garage bandy. b, 21b, 21 b, 21b, 21h, 21
    b, 21b, 21Agreed. "Say I Am" and "Lots Of Pretty Girls," too.b, 21b, 21As you probably know, "Hanky Panky" was originally a private-press single that came out in 1961, but became such a cult hit in Pittsburgh (thanx to Mad Mike!!) that Roulette reissued it in 1966, and that's when it became a hit.b, 21b, 21The flip, "Thunderbolt," is this INSANE surf-guitar instrumental...
  • karlophonekarlophone 1,697 Posts
    yay indeed. that cellophane symphony album is great too. "i know who i am" is somehow funny and killer at the same time. its great when he actually does crack up on the line:b, 21b, 21"Ah, here's to the guy who's got chapped lipsb, 21From eating too many potato chipsb, 21And I cracked up when he smiled at me and almost bled to death."b, 21b, 21all his "later" stuff (not counting aforementioned 1980 mess) have flashes of brilliance too. up to the mid 70s anyway.
  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    /font1
    Quote:/font1h, 21b, 21b, 21all his "later" stuff (not counting aforementioned 1980 mess) have flashes of brilliance too. up to the mid 70s anyway. b, 21b, 21h, 21
    b, 21b, 21I actually have quite a few post-Shondells singles (including "Draggin' The Line"), and most are pretty good. But, I've never taken the plunge and bought any of the solo elpees.b, 21b, 21What gets me about that 1980 record is that it came out at a time when all these punk/new wave/power pop bands were appropriating his sound. That opening bass riff on "I Think We're Alone Now" was the basis for the Cars' whole schtick (at least early on)! You'd think that Tommy would cash in on this and release a record that showed the hipsters how to do it, but instead he shows up with "Three Times In Love," this mushy, Air Supply-ish, Adult Contemporary tune. He got a hit out of it, but still...
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