Acid Bangles

You didn't know you wanted, no, needed, an acid house reworking of Walk Like An Egyptian by The Bangles did you? You'd never listened to the song in all its Los Angeles 1986 glory and thought you needed it redone in huge acid chug style but, as they say, here we are- and you do. Thank Rich Lane who produced just such an artefact for a DJ gig he had a couple of weeks ago at The Evil Acid Barons Weekender in Devon. You can find it here- it was available for a limited time as a download but I think Rich may have switched that off due to potentially problematic copywrite issues. 

I think this is the ideal opportunity to post this snippet of video heaven- the Susanna Hoffs side eye. 

Written by Liam Sternberg the song was first offered to Toni Basil, then Lene Lovich (who recorded a version but didn't release it) before The Bangles got to record it. In September 1986 they played it while appearing on Whistle Test. The decision by producer David Kahne to have drummer Debbie replaced by a drum machine for the song caused ructions within the group and they didn't work with him again. It may have Rich's job a little easier though. 

September Gurls

I've posted this song before on 1st September but not since 2018 and it's a song I can't imagine anyone would ever get tired of hearing. September Gurls was both a single and a song on Big Star's second album Radio City, released in 1974. Alex Chilton's lyrics are economical, painting a lot of yearning and heartbreak with only a few words (two verses, a brief chorus of 'December boy's got it bad' and a bridge). The song's beauty comes as much from the performance and the recording, the crunchy jangle of the guitars, those swooning chord changes, the melodic bassline pushing things on and Alex's vocal. 

September Gurls

The September gurl Alex sings about seems to be unobtainable to him. They were together (I think) and now she's gone. There's some thing very autumnal about the song- it isn't a summer song, it's not about the flush of teenage love, it's the regret and longing once it's gone. That's autumn too- no matter how much we say we love the rusty colours of the leaves and the cooler, crisp autumnal days, they don't last long and winter waits. Possibly the song describes the length of the relationship, from September to December, the whole thing done in less than a quarter of a year, Alex looking back at the end of the year at what's gone. 

Maybe we shouldn't try to pin down or describe what makes a great song great. Maybe I should just enjoy it. 

In 1986 The Bangles covered September Gurls for their Different Light album with Michelle Steele on lead vocals. The Rickenbackers jangle, the backing vocals coo away and a controversial* backwards guitar solo hints at the mid- to- late 60s. It's fine enough if not a patch on the original. 

September Gurls

* The band had a difficult time with producer David Kahne and all of them except Michelle found their parts at one point or another were played by replacements Kahne brought in. Guitarist Vicki Peterson returned to the studio from an emergency and found that Kahne had 'had some guy show up and do a solo'. That was the backwards guitar solo on September Gurls. 

I Was Just In The Middle Of A Dream

Sometimes the songs that seem to be the obvious songs to post are indeed the ones that are obvious songs to post. It is Monday. Prince wrote Manic Monday for Apollonia 6 but pulled it and offered it to The Bangles.They then Banglified it, turning it into a number two hit in both the UK and the US in 1986.

Manic Monday

This Top Of The Pops performance has Susanna Hoffs achieving peak Hoffsness.

September Gurl

I've never quite been able to figure out quite why Big Star are held in such high esteem by certain middle aged men. The first album baffled me when I first got it, twenty years ago. It just sounded like southern boogie to me and I expected so much more. On the other hand there are some great tunes on the second album (Radio City) and Third/Sister Lovers has got its moments.

September Gurls is an absolutely beautiful little guitar song, ragged and yearning, a real head turner (and yes, it did provide Teenage Fanclub with the template for Bandwagonesque, but that's fine). George posted September Gurls a few weeks ago, so I'll provide you instead with this cover version by The Bangles, from back in the mid-80s. They smoothed it out, glossed it up a bit, Rickenbackers chiming away.

September Gurls

Susanna Hoffs didn't actually sing September Gurls, fellow Bangle Michael Steele did. Susanna isn't a September gurl, she's a January gurl, birthday-wise. I just looked it up. It has stunned me somewhat to realise that Susanna Hoffs is 55.

As of today we're off on holiday for a week, back late on Easter Monday, so most likely I won't post anything until the Tuesday. Hopefully you can manage without my meandering waffle for a week. However, if you do happen to pop in here while I'm away you will get to look at this picture of Susanna Hoffs, so it's not all bad is it?

All The Cops In The Doughnut Shop

Summer 1986. Mexico World Cup. Long summer holiday. Teenage boy. Bangles video for Walk Like An Egyptian on TV at friend's house. Susanna Hoffs.

Walk Like An Egyptian