Back after a weekend off with the Hanna-Barbera Records Spotlight. So far we've featured The Five Americans, The Unrelated Segments, The New Breed and we even had Mouse and the Traps masquerading as a faux band called Positively 13 O'Clock. Today we have the Chocolate Watchband masquerading as faux band, The Hogs.
In December of 1966 someone had the bright idea of having The Chocolate Watchband record a version of Blues Theme, which was released just a month before by Davie Allan and The Arrows on Tower Records. Why I can not say. The Chocolate Watchband were apparently in studio with producer Ed Cobb recording their debut single for Tower Records subsidiary, Uptown Records. That 10-star single, Sweet Young Thing/Baby Blue wouldn't be released until a month after this release, however.
The Hogs' version of Blues Theme is quite inferior to the Arrows' original recording. It's the Flip-Side that we feature here today. The song is composed by The Chocolate Watchband's David Aguiar and Mark Loomis and goes by the obtuse name, Loose Lip, Sync Ship. The song is a bit odd and certainly has a "made up on the spot feel". It starts off as a decent enough riff and then at 1:38 David Aguilar starts an abstract rambling monologue that would make Frank Zappa proud:
Oh baby, I loved you
Please come back to me
I miss you
You're the best
Baby without you by my side
My whole complexion is a mess.
Freaks are for kids
Not for silly rabbits
Then starts the weird stuff. Ok, at least more weird than what we already had...which was weird. The song breaks down into abstract jazz riffs, coughing, caterwauls and laughing before Aguilar turns to the gospel for inspiration.
Friends, I would like all of you to turn to Chapter 37It's not for everyone, that's for sure. But HBR released it!
And we will all sing hymns
Row, row your boat
Gently down the stream.
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You ever notice this is the same song as Gossamer Wings from their debut album. Same jazzy break and everything.
ReplyDeleteI have. But that's not David Aguilar singing on that is it? Sounds more like the Bennet guy who did some of the other "Chocolate Watchband" stuff that wasn't really them. Such as Let's Talk About Girls and Midnight Hour.
ReplyDeleteNot sure about the singer on Gossamer Wings, but I do think that song could be much better with a more conventional approach to the vocals. How do you know Aguilar is delivering the lines on Loose Lip?
ReplyDeleteI recognize the voice. By my count, David Aguilar only sings on 4 of the songs from their first album:
DeleteCome On
Are You Gonna Be There (at the love-in)
Gone and Passes By
No Way Out
Ed Cobb's buddy (buddies?) sing on 4:
Let's Talk About Girls
Midnight Hour
Hot Dusty Roads
Gossamer Wings
Then you have 2 instrumentals:
Dark Side of the Mushroom
Expo 2000
I suspect that NO members of the band are on either of those.