Clark's One-Hit Wonder of the (Every) Day (Or So)

[[deleted user]]

The constant search and craving for that stop-dead-in-my-tracks feeling that set my world on fire as a kid is fruitless, a non-starter, an exercise in futility, and a complete waste of time and energy. I may as well be searching for the dirt-napping Jimmy Hoffa.

So I live in the past - hold all calls - drowsy with drink and destiny and a soft spot for bands who pestered the charts briefly, punched all of my neurons, then faded into the ether. Keep your twee indie pop, lame rap tunes cobbled together from real musicians' efforts then passed off as original, and singer/songwriters strumming guitars they can't afford and don't deserve whilst intoning songs all about Themselves and how They feel about events affecting Them in Their lives, all in the trepidant tenor of God pondering whom He might next consign to eternal damnation. I'll be over here by the turntable.


Wild Cherry - "Play That Funky Music". Top Billboard position - #1 on 9/18/76.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe1Sco...

[ms.petra]

tell us how you really feel, Clark. :)

[Scout]

I watched that video and smiled all the way through. Those guys were jamming.

[[deleted user]]

"Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" - Steam, a chart topper in 1969.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsaTEl...

You haven't lived until you've screamed this one at Patricia Roy as he skated to the bench after being pulled during the second period of Game 7 of the Wings-Avalanche 2002 playoff series, down 6-0.

[Cynthia]

Two GREAT songs Clark. Not really a one-hit wonder, but I sure miss the thrill of discovering the Pousette-Dart Band. Then in college I was able to book them at the club I worked at. It doesn't get much better.

[[deleted user]]

"Keep Your Hands to Yourself" - Georgia Satellites, #2 on the charts in 1986 and kept from the top spot by Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer." Pardon me while I set myself on fire.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdpAop...

[ms.petra]

Clark wrote: ""Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" - Steam, a chart topper in 1969.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsaTEl...

You haven't lived until you've screamed this one at Patricia Roy as he skated to t..."

ha! Patricia!

[Cynthia]

Clark wrote: ""Keep Your Hands to Yourself" - Georgia Satellites, #2 on the charts in 1986 and kept from the top spot by Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer." Pardon me while I set myself on fire.

http://www.yout..."

LOVE that song, Clark. Great memories.

[[deleted user]]

Cynthia wrote: "Clark wrote: ""Keep Your Hands to Yourself" - Georgia Satellites, #2 on the charts in 1986 and kept from the top spot by Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer." Pardon me while I set myself on fire.

htt..."

Saw them on a double bill with Jason and the Scorchers at Harpo's. What a show! Stayed out all night but still answered the bell for work the next morning.

Just thinking about it now makes me tired.

[[deleted user]]

Two-fer Tuesday.

"Working Girl" - The Members, #1 in Australia (Hey Gail!), 1982.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MuuTj...


"Who Listens to the Radio?" - The Sports, #35 in Australia (Hey Gail!), 1978.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAVzYL...

[Michael]

Clark wrote: "Two-fer Tuesday."

Never heard of either of them before but I love the Georgia Satellites!

[Cynthia]

I remember "Working Girl," love the video.

[[deleted user]]

Odd, I am only familiar with the second one.

Not so odd really, in 1982 I was head down arse up studying, and my mother remarried. To a hermit.

[[deleted user]]

"The Salt in My Tears" - Martin Briley, #36 in 1983.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=netMRf...

[Cynthia]

Wicked good break up song.

[Karen K.]

I listen to country music and the group that comes to mind is Ricochet with the song "Daddy's Money."
Though I do recognize most of the songs you mentioned.

[[deleted user]]

"Dead Skunk (in the Middle of the Road)" - Loudon Wainwright III, #16 in May 1973. Road pizza, anyone?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W95qOO...

[Phil]

Clark wrote: ""Dead Skunk (in the Middle of the Road)" - Loudon Wainwright III, #16 in May 1973. Road pizza, anyone?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W95qOO..."

I sing that all the time -- every time I encounter the title situation.

[Scout]

Thanks. One that I'd forgotten I ever knew, but the chorus was still in my head, and singing along was fun.

[[deleted user]]

"Birth School Work Death" - The Godfathers, #38 in 1989. Life summarized in four words by five very pissed-off Brits with sharkskin suits and three chords.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO5dcW...

[ms.petra]

Thanks, Clark! perfect song to describe how I am feeling this morning. I love the suits and the pearl inlay on the guitar on the left end.

[Cynthia]

Love it, Clark. They really do seem pissed.

[Michael]

The lead singer looks a little bit like a young Gene Rayburn.

[[deleted user]]

Michael wrote: "The lead singer looks a little bit like a young Gene Rayburn."


Now that you mention it, he does.

[[deleted user]]

Cynthia wrote: "Love it, Clark. They really do seem pissed."

"Been abused and been confused and I've kissed Margaret Thatcher's shoes"

Now that's some serious piss and vinegar.

[[deleted user]]

"Wish I Had a Girl" - Henry Lee Sumner, #20 in 1988 then directly back to Palookaville er, Indiana (sorry, Kevin...) and a raftload of DUI and methamphetamine problems. That mullet should be assigned its own zip + four code.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnPZeV...

[Michael]

I liked that one. Never heard it before.

[Karen K.]

Clark wrote: ""Dead Skunk (in the Middle of the Road)" - Loudon Wainwright III, #16 in May 1973. Road pizza, anyone?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W95qOO..."

I used to sing that song every time we hit a skunky smell when my kids were little.


How about that song by Johnny Horton, "The Battle of New Orleans." My husband likes that song.

[Scout]

"Birth School Work Death" I like it. A lot. Makes you wonder where these guys are now.

[[deleted user]]

"People Who Died" - Jim Carroll Band, 1980. Chock-full of berserk sleaziness and bad craziness, Carroll’s amphetamine, amphibian warble and stripped-down paean to living fast, dying young, and leaving a beautiful corpse might not be everyone’s cup of joy, but “People Who Died” is a masterpiece of resistor-frying chaos.

If you don’t hear it soon, hair will grow on your palms.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mcloY...

[ms.petra]

Clark, I love your descriptive commentary!
song's not bad either.

[Cynthia]

Love love love that song. Heartbreaking.

[[deleted user]]

ms.petra wrote: "Clark, I love your descriptive commentary!
song's not bad either."

Thanks! The guy always reminded me of a lizard.

[Cynthia]

He reminds me of all the addicts I ever had crushes on.

[[deleted user]]

Cynthia wrote: "He reminds me of all the addicts I ever had crushes on."

Personal crushes or crushes from afar?

[Cynthia]

Both.

[Jammies]

The NE Ohio band Wild Horses, whose one hit was "Funky Poodle". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UII7RA...

[[deleted user]]

"Autobahn" - Kraftwerk - #25 in 1975. Originally taking up one entire side of the vinyl album of the same name, this one was whittled down from around 22 minutes to three and released as a single.

The machines have truly taken over.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45Z3gY...

[Kevin]

Clark wrote: ""Wish I Had a Girl" - Henry Lee Sumner, #20 in 1988 then directly back to Palookaville er, Indiana (sorry, Kevin...) and a raftload of DUI and methamphetamine problems. That mullet should be assig..."

when i was a kid henry lee summer was the shnit. i saw him many times in various venues. here he is from last year. i guess he is still playing beer joints and county fairs. the guy with him in this video is jimmy ryser.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxQahT...

jimmy ryser played lst saturday night at a 50th birthday party of a friend that i went to. about 23 people in a Grotto. it was sad. when he played on of his "hits" from the 80's all the drunken lushes got up and stagger danced. henry lee looks like rif raf from RHPC in this video

[Michael]

In a battle of Indiana musicians, Henry Lee Summer would kick John Cougar's ass.

[Kevin]

thank you michael. and roadmaster was the king band of that time. above both those guys. chicks went crazy for mac, the lead singer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uZIbJ...

[ms.petra]

I guess mac was hot in 1980, but today I kook at that video and say omg what were they thinking with that hair :) music is good though

[Michael]

Roadmaster is alright, but this is how we roll up in Minnesota:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvLruy...

The piano player is Bruce McCabe and he used to play with a band called The Hoopsnakes but I couldn't find any good Hoopsnakes videos. My apologies for the cement-footed fans.

[[deleted user]]

The Fabulous Armadillos are OK, but this is how we roll up in The D:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVQT9e...

The Ramrods, now all growed up.

[Michael]

That's a good song. Anyone else I can offer up is going to be someone I know you don't like so I got nothing except for this post-Replacements Paul Westerberg with some tremendous lyrics:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCBdgE...

[Cynthia]

The Ramrods are awesome. Wish they were on stage tomorrow at the straw poll. At least I get to see the CRICKETS (Buddy Holly And the) One more time! With the Big Bopper's kid! That will be worth all the simpering God and Country talk.

[[deleted user]]

Michael wrote: "That's a good song. Anyone else I can offer up is going to be someone I know you don't like so I got nothing except for this post-Replacements Paul Westerberg with some tremendous lyrics:

http:/..."

Love the Replacements, at least up until those last two albums.

[[deleted user]]

Cynthia wrote: "The Ramrods are awesome. Wish they were on stage tomorrow at the straw poll. At least I get to see the CRICKETS (Buddy Holly And the) One more time! With the Big Bopper's kid! That will be worth al..."


Old guys rock!

[[deleted user]]

"In a Big Country" - Big Country, #17 in 1983. Guitars as bagpipes? Still holds up pretty well for me. RIP, Stuart Adamson.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bw2o_G...

[ms.petra]

oh my .... that brings back club memories. :)