Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. CXXVI--Bachman-Turner Overdrive: Takin' Care of Business

One of the first recollections I have of this week's tune is of an air band formed in the year of its release by me (air guitar), my brother (air drums), and my brother's friend (air guitar as well) and it being one of the essential songs in our air repertoire on those few nights our parents went out and gave us the run of the house.

And yes, yes--my time as a Prince of Dorkdom began very early in my life.

Originally formed in 1971 in Winnipeg, Manitoba as Brave Belt (first good career move:  renaming band), Bachman-Turner Overdrive had a string of hits from 1974 to 1977 that are still staples of AOR radio to this day.   Led by Randy Bachman (who also had some success with the Guess Who), BTO released nine studio albums, had twelve top 100 hits, five live albums, and, uh, eleven compilation albums (the cash must be good when you're a great singles band).  In the years since their heyday, they've had roughly a zillion lineup changes, several lawsuits, and much bad blood, but they're still touring and releasing the odd single.  They also have been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, and they won several Junos (Canadian Grammy) in the 70's.

Fun Fact:  Elvis (Presley, not Costello) was a big fan of this week's tune and supposedly did a cover version of it that will probably never be released.  Bummer--it might actually be worth a listen and it certainly couldn't be any worse that some of the shit cover songs music industry cretins have released through the years....

Released in 1974 from their cleverly titled second LP, Bachman-Turner Overdrive II, "Takin' Care of Business"is considered "the Provincial rock anthem of Manitoba" (hey--you take your accolades where you can get them in this goofy old world) and is one of the ten most covered rock songs of all-time.  It reached #12 (with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100 and celebrates what has been a theme of FNJ numerous times this year:  being a musician is a much better career than being a retail manager (duh!).  Opening with some killer three chord guitar riffs, joined by a honky tonk piano, and some deft solo guitar, and livened by power drumming throughout, "Takin' Care of Business" is a joyous romp through the perks and promises of being a musician.  Bachman's throaty vocals are both light-hearted and encouraging--hell, he even tells you if you get sick of the 9 to 5 grind, that you can pick up a guitar and be a musician, too (hey, who needs this "slavin' job" anyway?).  It's a power pop gem and a perfect encapsulation of so much of what was right about music in the 1970's.

Lyric Sheet: "Get a second-hand guitar/Chances are you'll go far/If you get in with the right bunch of fellows...."

Enjoy (and please note that I own a 45 just like the one that provides the background for the video--can you say "old fart" boys and girls?):

Fuck Donald Trump,
emaycee

Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. LXXVI--The Guess Who: Share the Land

Every now and again in rock and roll's history, a "Peace! Love! Dope!" song comes along that isn't a schmaltzy soul-sapping piece of drivel like say, "We Are the World."  And "Share the Land" by The Guess Who is just such a song.

Fun fact:  In 1965, Chad Allan and the Expressions had a number one hit in Canada (#22 U.S.) with a cover version of "Shakin' All Over."  In a desperate attempt to attach some sort of mystique to the single, the label released the decidedly British Beat song as being by "Guess Who?" to attract folks who might think it secretly done by one of the British Invasion artists.  Alas, the name stuck and the band became forever known as The Guess Who.

Formed in 1959 in Winnipeg, Manitoba (that hotbed of rock and roll) The Guess Who would go through numerous incarnations before finding success in the late 60's.  They had a nice run through the mid 70's, with several hit singles (most notably their only number one hit in the U.S., "American Woman," later one of the five worst cover versions in rock and roll history by Lenny Kravitz).  After 1975, they pretty much disappeared, though various members continued touring under The Guess Who moniker.  Lead singer Burton Cummings would go on to have some solo success, and lead guitarist Randy Bachman would go onto  much similar single success with Bachman Turner Overdrive.  While I would never confuse The Guess Who with the great bands of rock and roll (though they are in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame!), I still put on their Best Of  LP and enjoy the living shit out of it--ain't nothing wrong with a great singles band.  And The Guess Who had a bunch of great ones.

And none more so than "Share the Land" a paean to the communal spirit of the 60's (which somehow brought us to where we are today in the land of extreme income inequality--no one ever said it was going to be easy).  Released in 1970 on their aptly named Share the Land album, the song would reach #10 (with a bullet!) on The Billboard Hot 100.  The song is more or less a series of questions asking if you've done your part to make the world a better place, before breaking into the catchy as all hell chorus which reminds you that one day we're all going to live in harmony.  Throughout there's wonderful gospelesque backing vocals echoing Burton Cummings heartfelt singing.  The creme de la creme, though, is the song's closing, which is Cummings wailing a scat like rap of lots of shiny happy thoughts, with all of us holding hands down by the river.  Corny drivel?  You bet--but it's cool corny drivel from some boys from the Great White North.  Good enough for me....

Lyric sheet:  "Every day coming sunshine, everyday, everybody laughin'...."

Enjoy:

Peace,
emaycee