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Plain and Fancy

Music gives soul to universe, wings to mind, flight to imagination, charm to sadness, and life to everything.

Plato

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

The Guess Who - Let's Go (1967-68 canada, relish beat psych)



This new take on the "BBC Sessions" concept puts a comedic spin on the act of performing live on a '60s CBC television series. Bernie Mac (The Brenie Mac Show) costars as Percy Jones, a wealthy black banker who has an overbearing love for his family. Percy is about to host a lavish party at his sprawling New Jersey home in celebration of his 25-year wedding anniversary to Marilyn (Judith Scott, Flight Plan). 

His daughter Theresa (Zoe Saldana, The Terminal) is coming home for the occasion, and she's bringing her new boyfriend, Burton Cummings (vocalist, Canned Wheat, Wheatfield Soul). Theresa has neglected to mention that her new beau is white, however, and the formidable Percy is in for a surprise. 

Though Burton does everything in his power to impress his future father-in-law, including terrific alternate versions of such hits as "No Time" and "These Eyes" as well as lesser-known but great originals like "The Key," "Minstrel Boy" and "When You Touch Me," nothing will make the imposing patriarch change his undermining disposition. Matters are further complicated because the host of the show is former Guess Who leader Chad Allan, and Burton struggles to keep the family from finding out. 

As unrest spreads, causing tension--and plenty of laughs--in the days leading up to the party, Burton and Theresa face uncertainty in their relationship while Percy and Marilyn suffer difficulties of their own. This CD is full of both hilarious and cringe-worthy moments, including an incredibly tense scene where Burton is goaded into entertaining the family at dinner with truly abominable covers of "Touch Me," "White Room," "Time Of The Season," "Blackbird" and "Hey Jude". 

The sermonizing tone of the original studio tracks are replaced with an endearing slapstick humor, and while the heartwarming family tale is present, the CD doesn't shy away from the deeper underlying issues, presenting a fresh perspective on prescient cultural foibles.

Tracks
1.  No Time (Bachman, Cummings) - 4:37
2. Touch Me (The Doors) - 2:02
3. White Room (Pete Brown, Jack Bruce) - 4:36
4. Time of the Season (Rod Argent) - 2:55
5. These Eyes (Bachman, Cummings) - 3:25
6. Ramblin' Gamblin' Man (Bob Seger) - 2:12
7. Black Bird (Lennon, McCartney) - 2:25
8. When You Touch Me (Bachman, Cummings) - 3:36
9. Along Comes Mary (Tondoyn Almer) - 2:58
10.The Key (Bachman, Cummings) - 5:51
11.Minstrel Boy (Bachman, Cummings) - 3:11
12.You Keep Me Hanging On (Holland, Dozier, Holland) - 5:27
13.Hey Jude (Lennon, McCartney) - 5:04
14.I Need Your Company (Bachman) - 2:59
15.Mr. Nothin' (Bachman, Cummings) - 2:22
16.Very Far from Near (Cummings) - 3:02
17.Heygoode Hardy (Cummings) - 3:25
18.Somewhere Up High (Bachman) - 4:38

The Guess Who
*Randy Bachman – Guitar, Sitar, Background Vocals
*Burton Cummings – Vocals, Organ, Harmonica, Piano, Guitar, Keyboards, Flute
*Jim Kale – Bass, Background Vocals
*Garry Peterson – Drums, Percussion, Tabla, Background Vocals


12 comments:

  1. Thank you very much for this!!

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  2. Great blog!!!

    http://vinilosrip.foroactivo.com/forum

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  3. this review has me confused. this is a movie soundtrack?

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  4. Prefiero los Guess Who garageros, aunque estos no están nada mal. Thank you very much.

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  5. Thank you very much Marios for another great album. Always the best here.

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  6. Top!
    Thank you very much.

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  7. I don't understand if the "review" is supposed to be funny? It's not even a review.

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  8. Please re-upload video from this enhanced CD. Thanks in advance!

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  9. @Griftrain. These are live in the studio recordings the band made when filming the "Let's Go" TV show in Winnipeg. They would record the music, then mime to the pre-recorded tracks on camera. But yes these are live in the studio recordings, with some overdubs at times. Recorded by CBC-TV in Winnipeg.

    The only Non-CBC recordings are tracks 14 to 18, which are mono dubs from the "A Wild Pair" split LP they cut in 1967. These songs were recorded by Jack Richardson and Phil Ramone at Hallmark Studios in Toronto 1967. The Guess who just used these recordings instead of re-doing them for CBC.

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  10. I remember actually 3 of these double cd retrospectives, lets go, this time long ago, I think, shaking all over. If you can reup this I'll see if I can find shaking all over as well.. (Heck, I'm on a homeboy kick right now! Started when I got a copy of an original May Blitz cassette! .. the guitarist was from two blocks over)
    Thanks..Doc

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