V04-T03 Surfing And Spying

.....I can't believe it took this long to get to an example of this odd little novelty format. There was a time when the three-inch CD was being abandoned by those few labels who experimented with the questionable idea of marketing a single length format of a technology whose selling points were expanded playing times and track maneuverability. As titles were deleted I scrambled to find those with exclusive tracks, or at least tracks not otherwise available on CD. This was one.

Volume 4: "THE LITTLE BROWN ONES ARE THORAZINE, GEORGE", track 3

• 01:50 "SURFING AND SPYING" (Charlotte Caffey)
• performed by The Go-Go's
• original source: B-side 7" I.R.S. 9901 (US) 6/81
• and my source: CD3 I.R.S./A&M CC 31073 CSIG 152 (US) 1988

.....Around the time I was putting together the compilation with Volumes 5 and 6, I.R.S. released a long overdue hits-and-rarities collection, 2CD RETURN TO THE VALLEY OF THE GO-GO'S I.R.S. 7243 8 29694 26 (US) 10/94. This mostly instrumental number was the first track on the second disc. (I say 'mostly' because the title contains the only lyrics.) This single (the A-side was "OUR LIPS ARE SEALED") is often listed as their first release, but that's not exactly true. The previous year in England Stiff Records released two songs from a demo cassette that the Go-Go's had sent trying to get signed, not intending for those takes to be official releases. They released eight more I.R.S. singles. Not counting the Stiff debut, it was three 7"s for each of their three early albums, including one non-album track per set of three. The other two non-album tracks were "SPEEDING" (also on the CD3) and "GOOD FOR GONE". All three are on RETURN...

.....I've always had a soft spot in my heart (or my head) for The Go-Go's. Belinda Carlisle's subsequent drug-and-Republican addled career often distracts people from the fact that they were a killer band live or studio. It's more of an unfortunate comment on the music industry than on the band itself that they were sold as a novelty 'girl-group'-- especially since they were writing retro material like this themselves , doing the occasional period cover (such as "COOL JERK", twice) only rarely. Belinda, for her part, had a genuine punk credential, if you can call it that. As a teenager she hung out with the Germs, the band that gave the world Darby Crash and Pat Smear. Of course, back then her name was Dottie Danger.

.....I don't always bother to mention the names of producers in these notes, although that can sometimes be helpful in distinguishing between different versions of songs when you're shopping and don't always have the option of listening to multiple versions. In this case, the producers Rob Freeman and Richard Gotteher provide a link to another song later in this volume. But first we'll segue to something that makes a smoother transition rhythmically and texturally.

V04-T02 64 Ford

.....I was able to get in at least one good car song before changing plans on the fly.

Volume 4: "THE LITTLE BROWN ONES ARE THORAZINE, GEORGE", track 2

• 03:37 "64 FORD" (Phranc)
• performed by Phranc
• original source: LP "POSITIVELY PHRANC" Island 422-848-282(US)1991
• and my source: CD5 64 FORD c/w SURFER GIRL Island PRCD 6675-2(US)1991 [promo only]

.....I'm going to recall my original notes and update/correct them afterwards:

"Billed as the All-American Jewish Lesbian Folksinger, Phranc paradoxically expands her identity in the studio even while she narrows it in her press releases. She is one of a number of women who snuck into public view as part of a rediscovery of folk (Suzanne Vega, Michelle Schocked, Tracy Chapman) and surprised everyone by demonstrating a versatility of styles and command of technical abilities, neither of which are traditionally held in great regard in folk circles.

"This definitely falls under 'surf music' and will never be confused with 'I DREAMED I SAW JOE HILL LAST NIGHT'. My source for this was a promotional CD that also included an alternate mix of her remake of 'SURFER GIRL', which doesn't too much stray from the tone of the Beach Boys' original version."

.....Shortly after I wrote that, the remark about her press identity narrowing became obsolete. Phranc started showing up in wire news reports as a high-achieving Tupperware sales representative. She also did some one-woman Neil Diamond tribute shows. At the time I put the cassette together she had managed to turn the phrase "All-American Jewish Lesbian Folksinger" into something close to a trademark. And while that never ceased to be an accurate description, she managed to avoid it becoming a limitation without abandoning it. Bravo.

.....Next, not being able to follow a lyrical theme as I had planned, I follow a musical one instead. From turf to surf then.

V04-T01 A Door Is Ajar

.....A new year, a new volume. Let's dive in, shall we?

Volume 4: "THE LITTLE BROWN ONES ARE THORAZINE, GEORGE", track 1

• 00:40 "A DOOR IS AJAR"(Traditional, arranged by Kronos Quartet)
• performed by Kronos Quartet
• original source: CD WINTER WAS HARD Elektra/Nonesuch 79181(US)1988
• and my source: the same

.....According to my notes from 1994:

"This is not an excerpt-- this is an entire and complete track which closes what I think is Kronos' third album for Nonesuch. I've used it to open part four because I think that it's far more appropriate-- this is essentially what is heard when someone has just entered a car, and that implies that a journey is about to begin. What most intrigued me about this track (typical archivist) is the credit-- 'Traditional'. Is this not the new folk music?

"The person who actually wrote the exact words used labored in corporate anonymity and is not credited anywhere in owners' manuals or other company publications. The car's manufacturer probably never thought to copyright the recording. The process of establishing a claim of ownership (let alone pursuing it in the courts should someone 'steal' it) would probably cost more than exclusive ownership would generate. Even though it doesn't create a profit, the recording is played over and over, heard by millions, recognized instantly.

"Is this not the new folk music? Also curious is how this could be 'arranged' for a string quartet.

"This was supposed to kick off a theme of car songs, but many key selections were missing from my collection, so I did some stream of consciousness reprogramming."

.....The next track suggests where the car theme might have taken us.