Comments on: Adventures Through the Mines of Mellow Gold 49

By: JP

JP — Thu, 14 May 2009 04:49:50 +0000

strangely enough, i remember hearing “dancin' shoes” more times in a k-tel commercial than i do on the radio

By: JP

JP — Thu, 14 May 2009 00:49:50 +0000

strangely enough, i remember hearing “dancin' shoes” more times in a k-tel commercial than i do on the radio

By: JP

JP — Wed, 13 May 2009 23:49:50 +0000

strangely enough, i remember hearing “dancin' shoes” more times in a k-tel commercial than i do on the radio

By: GW

GW — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 20:13:17 +0000

I discovered Jason's old site yesterday and eventually found my way here. I laughed so hard at the “bearskin rug” line in the review of David Gates's “Goodbye Girl” I had wait 20 minutes before brushing my teeth.

Some impressive knowledge amidst the levity — I bow down before you who can credibly discern “key changes” and “middle eights” in pop songs. Oddly, I see I have almost *never* payed attention to rock-era love-song lyrics in any kind of serious way. My bad. I missed out on years of cheap entertainment, as these “Adventures” amply demonstrate. But now I am paranoid. Are “Whole Lotta Love” and “Baba O'Riley” wimp songs in disguise? How about “We're An American Band”? Juuuuuust kidding. Time to revert back to semiconsciousness …

A history of mellow gold is definitely called for. When did she-men start giving away their balls? There is a fine line here. One can be devastated from an actual or impending breakup and still retain some dignity. When did watching TV as an OK alternative to sex even become a possibility? Inquiring minds want to know. I came up with Terry Stafford's “Suspicion” (not to be confused w/ Eddie Rabbitt's song) ca. 1966 an early mellow gold candidate. I am sure there are earlier ones. Which brings us to …

Go to the front of the class, those of you who recalled mellow HoF'er Paul Davis's “breakthrough” being “A Little Bit of Soap” in 1970. Did it make the national top 40? It made the local top 30 in Boston for a few weeks — one of those deals where a song goes from 30 to 27 to 25, and then the musical director goes “WTF?? Outta here!”

The original version of “Soap” has a catchy '50s-ish arrangement. The words say “you broke my heart and the scars may never heal entirely” but the music says there will be joy again. Davis's version, OTOH … Long before he hit the mellow motherlode with “I Go Crazy” and “Cool Night” his “Soap” remake registered a 98 on the wimp-scale. That Nigel Olsson basically re-remade Paul Davis's remake is inexplicable. Or *was*. Now made aware of all the self-titled LPs, it suddenly makes sense in a weird kind of way.

As for “Dancing Shoes” … always liked the song well enough. It certainly never suffered from overexposure. The comparison with the Eagles version of “Ol' 55″ is a good one. Did not notice that before … which I find I am somehow able to forgive myself for.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 03:10:22 +0000

Just so glad this feature is back. I'd almost given up checking on it! Great work, as always.

By: breadalbane

breadalbane — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 07:00:34 +0000

Nigel's version is there too. As is the hit version by UberMellowGoldenMensch Paul Davis. But exercise caution — too much Mellow Gold in one sitting may cause inadvertent harshing of your mellow.

By: breadalbane

breadalbane — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 06:46:36 +0000

What, no embedding allowed? Drat!

Okay, go to youtube and type in “Little Bit Of Soap”. The original Jarmels version is actually a cool little tune. You'll also find a not-bad version by Garnet Mimms.

By: breadalbane

breadalbane — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 06:40:48 +0000

Keep it to myself? Faugh, I say! While the dangers of Too Much Mellow Gold can't be overemphazised, there are not one but TWO hit Mellow Gold versions of the song! Mellow Gold Guru Paul Davis had his first hit with the song in 1970.

Nigel's 1979 version, meanwhile, sneaks a little “What A Fool Believes” riff into the proceedings.

For those who want to hear how far the material deviated from its source material, here's the original Ben E. King-like hit, by the Jarmels from 1961:

By: jasonhare

jasonhare — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 06:07:54 +0000

Bite your tongue, Sharon.

By: Sharon

Sharon — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 05:07:05 +0000

I don't know about you, but I think Jason may be a closet Fozz fan. He can't seem to stay/get away from Foster. I believe Terje is creating a movement (not like a Jarreaumas movement) on Popdose.