Croc of a Different Color #2

In Part 1, I brought up Elton John’s first American hit single: “Crocodile Rock.” The short version is I always liked the angle of the song, but couldn’t get past a couple of elements in the song mix. What really gave me the idea to blog about this song is a version I heard on my local public radio station. This one is by Larkin Poe.

This version really grabbed my attention. It’s a great example of not just making the song their own, but practically RE-INVENTING it — in a good way. Instead of the “la la la” part in the original, I believe there’s a lap steel guitar playing that part. It’s really an acoustic arrangement without any keyboard that I can hear. (Larkin Poe, by the way, is made up of musical sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell. Apparently they had a distant relative who was a cousin of Edgar Allan Poe).

While researching “Crocodile Rock”, I found a completely different take on the song by a group called The Joneses.

Believe it or not, there are some similarities between the Larkin Poe version and this one. Sure, one is acoustic and one is most definitely electric, but The Joneses’ version also left out any keyboard that I can hear and did the same thing of replacing the “la la la” section with an instrument. Again, they made it their own and also RE-INVENTED it!

I have seen The Joneses described as a punk rock or sleaze rock band from Los Angeles. Their version was out in the early 80s. (They also have a cover of the Richie Supa-penned song “Chip Away the Stone” which was recorded by Aerosmith.)

So now I officially like “Crocodile Rock”. I reserve the right to revisit the song. A couple of version I didn’t care for include The Beach Boys and The Baja Men…. Who let the crocs out??

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

Croc of a Different Color

What’s the first thing that pops to mind when you hear the song “Crocodile Rock” by Elton John? Do you think about… the Seventies…his outrageous costumes and eyewear…hearing it on the radio…going to the record store to buy it? For me, this is a song I always wanted to like, but never really did.

I always think of it as a clever attempt to write a tongue in cheek tribute to dance crazes like the twist, mashed potato, swim, etc. There are some lines about Suzy’s tight dresses and rockin’ ’round the clock. Elton John shares songwriting credits with Bernie Taupin as usual.

For me, I could never get past the “la la la” parts. That, and as much as I enjoy a good Farfisa organ, I thought both parts were a little overpowering in the sound mix. Do I sound like a music snob? Maybe I’m turning into Jack Black’s character from the film “Hi Fidelity”? The song was Elton John’s first number one hit in America…so what do I know?

Apparently, Elton John was inspired to write this one after hearing an Australian band named Daddy Cool’s song “Eagle Rock.” I’d never heard of neither the band nor their song until today.

The next question: was there actually a “do the Eagle” or Eagle Rock dance to go along with it…I suppose you could always flap your arms like wings and squint your eyes. In Elton’s defense, I don’t think there was a dance to go along with his song either.

Comparing the two songs, I think I enjoy “Eagle Rock” more than Elton’s original tune. However, songs take on new lives when they’re covered by other artists. Thanks to some of those, I have learned to like “Crocodile Rock.” More in the next segment of “Croc of a Different Color.”

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

Just a Pinch

Have you ever been really confounded by the process of finding a particular song you like? I know I have. Nowadays, I use the Shazam phone app for assistance, but that didn’t used to be an option. Back in the day, I used to identify the singer or band by ear and then head to my local record shop to see if I could find it. (And, no, that’s not an exact science.)

One song which pops to my mind is a Joe Walsh song called “All Night Long.” I can remember hearing this on the radio while one of my parents was driving and I was sitting in the front passenger seat. It was probably a Top 40 station because the song was released in 1980. I can remember laughing at the line “Keep a-grinning ’til the weekend comes / Just a pinch between your cheek and gum.” The second part was part of Skoal’s advertising campaign for its smokeless tobacco back then. They had a lot of different spokesmen including Charlie Daniels and New York Cosmos soccer goalie Shep Messing if I remember correctly.

I don’t think the song is really too obscure, but here’s where it’s confusing to me. In May 1980, it was released as a single as part of the Urban Cowboy soundtrack. (Great film and soundtrack by the way!) Apparently, the traditional fiddle tune “Orange Blossom Special” by Gilley’s Urban Cowboy Band was the flip side of the 45 RPM. Then a live version of “All Night Long” was also released on “Eagles Live!” in November 1980.

In any event, I really dig this song. It’s basically a rowdy, blue collar, working class romp and I love it. Musically, there’s a guitar riff based around the E minor pentatonic scale that really grabs your ear and then Walsh’s vocals and guitar solo do most of the rest. The chant of “All Night Long” is contagious and reminds of David Bowie’s “Jean Genie” in that way. By the way, do you think the whole “Urban Cowboy” look is how most people see Americans?

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

Bassless Keys, Blue Ceiling

Sometime between 2000 and 2010 I worked in college recruiting — “admissions” is technically the department name, but I was definitely in a recruiting position. I enjoyed the work because you get to meet a lot of people from different backgrounds. Plus, most of them aren’t as jaded as your average working adults are. Sometimes you meet people who have interests similar to your own. I remember one particular “recruit” was really into music and mentioned one specific concert she was planning to attend.

At that time, I wasn’t familiar with this band by name, but now I know a couple of their songs. The band I’m referring to is The Black Keys. The particular song is “Gold on the Ceiling.”

The band name always stuck with me because she was a “music hound” like me. (Plus, the band’s name gives you the immediate visual of those black piano keys.) While I’m far from an expert on the band, I have grown to really enjoy this song. It was written by band members Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney along with producer Brian Burton (AKA Danger Mouse).

There aren’t tons of covers of “Gold on the Ceiling” out there, but I was pleasantly surprised to find one by Louisiana blues guitarist extraordinaire Tab Benoit. Apparently, this was for a tribute album.

Another interesting cover I found is by glam rock band Sweet (sometimes called The Sweet).

Their version doesn’t blow me away, but give them credit for having the taste to record it.

Getting back to the original version, Brian Burton (Danger Mouse) apparently played bass guitar on the track. I always picture The Black Keys like The White Stripes — that is, both are guitar and drum duos without bass players.

I suppose the lyrics are open to interpretation, but I think my ceiling is blue.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

Lemonheaded Leopard Lady

If you’re like me, you have any number of things on your ever-changing “to do” list. Some of those things keep getting pushed to the bottom for one reason or another so it’s difficult to get around to doing those tasks.

I have been meaning to blog about a Simon & Garfunkel song for a long time, but it seems to always get bumped. I’ve never been a super fan of the duo, but I can definitely appreciate the harmony and Paul Simon’s songwriting. The particular song I’m talking about is “Mrs. Robinson” which is associated with the 1967 film “The Graduate.” Apparently, Simon was working on the song before the film was released so the finished version isn’t heard in it.

It has a pretty catchy guitar riff in it along with the “coo coo ca-choo” reference to The Beatles song “I Am the Walrus.” There’s also a reference to The New York Yankees’ Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio and a great line that “we’d like to learn a little bit about you for our files.”

Fast forward to the early 90s and The Lemonheads put their hard driving punkish spin on the tune.

You can hear that catchy riff played on bass guitar in their version. I actually prefer The Lemondheads cover to the original version, but that’s me. I looked around to find other interesting versions out there and found an instrumental surf version by a band called The Coolies. It’s pretty groovy.

If you like The Coolies version, you might be interested to hear their take on “Cecilia” as well. What else can be said about the song? Well, I think Art Garfunkel has a version of his out there without Simon. What do you think?

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

Rockabilly Rod

When you think about the subject matter of a lot of rock n roll or rockabilly songs, you can definitely pick up on some patterns. There’s love, women, and cars to name a few. Sometimes the songs even involve two or more of those subjects simultaneously like Chuck Berry’s “Maybellene.” While that song is a good one in it own right, today I’m focusing on one that you don’t hear much any more. The song in question is called “Hot Rod Lincoln.” The definitive version to me is by Commander Cody & his Lost Airmen.

The song was written by Charley Ryan and released in the mid 50s. The fast tempo of the song and the guitar are what keeps it moving, which is an interesting contrast to the spoken word motorhead lingo. Plus, it tells a story. Recently, I found another version I really like which features the voice of actor Jim Varney and the guitar playing of Ricky Skaggs.

I’ve never seen the film, but this version was released on “The Beverly Hillbillies” (1993) soundtrack. You’ll find other versions by Johnny Bond, the bands Asleep at the Wheel and All among others. This song has a little bit of everything: story, hot rods, guitar, country, rock, and humor! Speaking of humor, Bob Rivers and Twisted Radio did an O.J. Simpson-themed version called “White Ford Bronco.”

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

2026 Sneak Preview

It’s hard to believe another year has come and gone, but that’s life! I keep some notes on my ideas for future blog entries, but I tend to alter the list according to inspiration and/or happenstance. Here are a few names/songs/movies/things you may see during the upcoming year:

-Musically speaking, what do O.J. Simpson and Jim Varney have in common?

– Who was the band Moloch and which song of theirs is blues-a-riffic?

– How come I haven’t covered any Czech stop-motion animation films yet?

– Which song by The Black Keys has been covered by a prominent Louisiana guitarist and a 1970s glam rock band?

– -Which made for TV film finally made it to free streaming so tightwads like me can watch it? Also, which character in the film resembles NHL Hall of Famer Chris Chelios?

-How come I keep putting off blogging about that one soundtrack song?

-What is the advantage of the second comer and how does it apply to films I watch?

-Which song would I remove from my favorite Beatles album “Revolver”?

-Which frozen snack has recently received my seal of approval?

If you know any of the answers, kudos to you, but please keep it to yourself for now. All will be revealed in anything but an organized fashion. Happy New Year!

Till next time keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

Shaken or Shakin’ ?

Christmas has come and gone and New Year’s Eve is fast approaching. Will you stay up past midnight to ring in 2026? If so, will you require any additional caffeine?

I ran out to the store recently and started thinking about how much soda pop used to be part of American culture. I still think it is, but there are a lot of other options for caffeine out there nowadays. (One time I had a former boss comment on all of the different soda pops I consume. He said, “It’s like you have some sort of weird bingo card.” I take that as a compliment.) Here are a couple of my thoughts and recommendations on some choices out there.

First of all, I went in search of my favorite sugar free energy drink which is the orange flavored Rip It Citrus X — it’s waayyy cheaper than Monster. I can only find these at a couple of retailers near me. One is Family Dollar, which really should be renamed Family Buck-and-a-Quarter. They carry an interesting mix of beverages there including familiar favorites and some lesser known brands. Case in point is Sprecher Charged Lemonade. The 140 milligrams of caffeine may leave you…“Shakin'” just like The Blasters’ song.

I was unfamiliar with the Sprecher brand, but they’re apparently a craft brewery in Glendale, Wisconsin. They carry over two dozen flavors of soda pop including root beer and some seasonal offerings like blueberry. Plus, they have a cool logo with a griffin on it. Also, they recently acquired the Green River soda pop brand. (It inspired the Creedence song.)

Another newer option for caffeine consumption is from Starbuck’s. I don’t really drink regular coffee, but I do enjoy some of the sweet cold coffee they offer. If you’re trying to cut back on calories, but still need caffeine, check out Starbucks Frappuccino Lite – Creamy Vanilla Gelato. The name may be “fru fru”, but the taste is wonderful.

Finally, there is an old standby with a new twist. I’m talking about 7UP, but the 7UP Cherry Zero Sugar option. No caffeine in this one, but it’s still mighty tasty. It also mixes well with vodka.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

p.s. Here is a live version featuring what looks like the Jimmy Reed Thin Twin guitar.

The Artful Guitarist

Recently I saw a headline about The Rolling Stones latest tour being on pause for the moment. The Mighty Keef (Keith Richards) has arthritis and isn’t sure about going on tour with it in his current state. Apparently they will have a new album out before too long.

One of Keef’s bandmates, guitarist Ronnie Wood, has been on my mind. Actually, his guitar playing and one specific brand of guitar is what I’ve been thinking about. The guitar brand is called Zemaitis (zuh MY tiss….although Wood pronounced it zuh MAY tiss in an interview I saw), which was named after luthier Tony Zemaitis. Wood is probably the first guitarist I remember seeing on one of these unique beauties. There are a couple of different models, but the one with the metal front is the one I remember most. You can see Wood playing one on this live cut of “I Know I’m Losing You” by The Faces.

The song is actually a Temptations cover which was written by Cornelius Grant, Eddie Holland, and Norman Whitfield.

As I mentioned there are other Zemaitis models besides the Metal Front including the Pearl Front, and the Disc Front. The whole idea of the metal front was to reduce noise from the guitar’s pickups, but it really created an opportunity for the beautiful custom artwork you see on some of them. It seems to suit Ron Wood, who not only attended Ealing Art College, but still paints today. In my mind, the guitar matches his artistic side.

Other Zemaitis players are highlighted in this video including Keith Richards, Rich Robinson, Tom Keifer, and Gilby Clarke.

There’s really nothing left to say except Zemaitis also makes basses if you’re so inclined.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

Rikki Tikki Rival?

I’m officially on holiday for a couple of weeks and I have to say it’s off to a fun, freaky start! I love great stories and definitely appreciate a good mystery involving one that’s off the beaten path. Take, for example, the story of…the talking mongoose??

Yes, that’s right….the talking mongoose. I turned on the Tubi streaming network and stumbled upon a show called Mystery Files https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28254897/ , which struck me funny. For some reason it was cued up to Season 3 so I just went with it. The first episode was about an alien encounter that I’d already heard, but the second one was about Gef The Talking Mongoose. I don’t really know how many other famous talking mongooses there are out there, but Gef lived on the Isle of Man. Gef apparently was the inspiration for song called “Eighth Wonder” by Lemon Demon.

So, what was the deal with Gef? During the 1930s he supposedly lived with the Irving family: mama, papa, and the daughter who just happened to be a bit of ventriloquist. Gef drew his share of attention from the media and paranormal investigators like Harry Price. Price visited the Irving household and noted the home’s paneling “[made] the whole house one great speaking-tube, with walls like sound boards. By speaking into one of the many apertures in the panels, it should be possible to convey the voice to various parts of the house.” Get the picture?

There’s much more to Gef’s exploits. If you REALLY want to know, you need to watch the 2023 film “Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose.”

In conclusion, I think the Isle of Man should consider adding the letters “G-E-F” to its already freaky looking flag o’ three legs. Perhaps they could print a three-dollar bill in his likeness as well.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!