The Kinks - Mindless Child of Motherhood

You may have heard of this group, The Kinks. They released a record or two in their day. And then some. In fact, they continued to release good quality records well past that of many of their contemporaries who began to buckle under the pressure of touring, taxes, unscrupulous managers and the unbearable heaviness of the impending 1970s. 

Mindless Child of Motherhood appeared as the Flip-Side of the certifiable hit Lola in these United States of America on Reprise Records in July of 1970. In the band's native UK, the Dave Davies composition was billed as The Kinks Featuring Dave Davies and was released on Pye Records as the Flip-Side to Drivin' which was released during the Summer of 1969. 

The terribly under appreciated little brother puts forth a wonderful vocal performance and I could make a strong argument that this song is better than the A-Side of the UK release. Mindless Child Of Motherhood feels exceptionally personal. And as such, often feels like we are seeing too much into the life of the singer. The listener a muted observer to the painful tragedy unfolding in front of them.

Until next time, we'll see you On The Flip-Side!

The Sorrows - Take A Heart

The Sorrows hailed from Coventry, England and were fronted by Don Fardon. In 1965 they landed a recording contract with Picadilly Records and began releasing a number of very unique and cool records. Finding trouble distinguishing themselves from the other bands in the UK, The Sorrows relocated for a time to Italy. We feature today their third record, Take A Heart, released in the UK in August, 1965. The song was written by one Mickey Dallon.

As you can see from the scans, I also confess to having a record collecting problem. Yep, that's the UK version, as well as a rare US version and an even more rare, Mexican version of the record. All with the original company sleeves of course. It's off to Record Collector Anonymous for this Flip-Sider.

Until next time, we'll see you On The Flip-Side!

The Kinks - She's Got Everything

Here is a peculiar single from The Kinks. The single Days/She's Got Everything was released in the Summer of 1968 both in the UK (on Pye Records) and the US on Reprise Records as a desperation move by management. The previous single, Wonderboy, had bombed and Ray Davies had not yet completed his work for the album, The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society. Days is an unlikely candidate for an A-Side, for sure. A good track, but more of an album track than a lead single. But it is the Flip-Side we are looking at today (of course we are).

The Flip-Side of the single was a song recorded more than two years prior, in the Spring of '66. The Ray Davies composition, She's Got Everything, was recorded during the sessions for the album Face To Face. Why the tremendous She's Got Everything was left off that fine album is up for debate. Some have said it was too dated for 1966. It was certainly dated (in a good way) by the time it saw the official release in June of '68. Rock at the time was getting hard and heavy and She's Got Everything is light and poppy. doot do-do, doot do-do-do. Thank goodness Ray decided to reach into the way-back machine for this one.

On a side note, I just picked this one up on a road-trip through Kentucky. Who woulda thunk?

Until next time, we'll see you On The Flip-Side!

Song of the Week: Tawny Reed - Needle In A Haystack and I've Got A Feeling

 Needle In A Haystack

I've Got A Feeling

From October of 1965, we present a blue-eyed soul singer from Wales named Tawny Reed. Tawny was a big voice in a little package. She was full of potential as this double sided gem proves, but remarkably she only managed two singles in her career. This disc was her first. Released in her native UK on Pye Records, this rare American release saw her get a release on the girl-group friendly Red Bird Records. The A-Side, Needle In A Haystack is a cover of The Velvelettes single. The Flip-Side is a cover of Baby Washington's number. I've Got A Feeling (published on this disc as I Got A Feeling). We think Tawny does a fine job on both.

Check out the vid of Tawny performing I've Got A Feeling. We're pretty sure the creepy kid in the sweater standing uncomfortably on her shoulder can today be found on some sort of sex offender data base somewhere in this world. Uncomfortable. 

Until next time, we'll see you On The Flip-Side!

Song of the Week: The Honeycombs - It Ain't Necessarily So

Warning: Nerd rock is laid on thick in this post. That's because we're talking about London's The Honeycombs who were one of the many Joe Meek produced bands to be unleashed on the listening public. The Honeycombs have one of the best names you will ever hear. "What?", you say, "Honeycombs isn't very good of a name." Ahh, but wait for it my child. The band got the name The Honeycombs after their drummer, Honey Lantree who was….a hairdresser. Get it. Honey. Combs. The woman, Honey, combs hair. The Honeycombs. Sheesh, that took you too long to figure it out. The rest of this unhip combo were Dennis D'Ell singing, Martin Murray, Alan Ward, and Honey's brother, John Lantree.

We're going to feature their bizarre little cover of George Gershwin's bizarre biblical reference number, It Ain't Necessarily So. It's bizarre. That's why we like it. It was featured on the Flip-Side of their debut album, released in the UK on Pye Records and in the US on Vee Jay Records in 1964.

Until next time, we'll see you On The Flip-Side!

Song of the Week: "Act Nice and Gentle", The Kinks

The flip-side is buzzing about this week but we wanted you to hear what we're digging right now anyways. Today's SoTW is the European flip-side of The Kinks' Waterloo Sunset. It's titled Act Nice and Gentle. The song is a funky little song originating from the awkward time when the always feeling under appreciated Dave Davies was preparing for a "solo album" (but with all the Kinks playing on it). The band cut a number of Dave's songs such as Lincoln County, Susannah's Still Alive and Love Me 'Till The Shines and a host of Ray and Dave co-written songs, in pursuit of the album. The album never happened and some of the songs were released as Dave Davies singles and some as Kinks songs. Most appearing on the knock-your-socks-off album, Something Else. So, I'll dispense with the verbiage this week and just let you get to it. Click here and enjoy the Dave and Ray Davies composition, Act Nice and Gentle.