I once called Charlie Parker a hack. I was a kid. It was the seventies. My favorite bands were Mott The Hoople and Roxy Music. Jazz, to me, was anything without lyrics. "Yakety Sax" by Boots Randolph? Jazz. "Love Is Blue" by Paul Mauriat? Jazz. What did I know? (Amanda Traeger, if you're out there, I'm sorry. Charlie Parker is not a hack.)
I'd like to say that I learned my lesson, that wisdom and age have made me choose my words carefully, simply to win friends and influence people. But that's not so. Still a putz. My heart takes over and my head takes a nap. Like this, for example. I think the Beach Boys Today, is a better album than Pet Sounds. I love Pet Sounds. One of the greatest albums ever made. Just ask Paul McCartney (before he heads to Israel). Yet, pound for pound, Today has everything that made the Beach Boys the Beach Boys. It's short and powerful, and packs both a rock and roll wallop with "Do You Wanna Dance" and "Dance Dance Dance" (check out that bass line,) and breaks your heart with ballads like "Please Let Me Wonder," "Kiss Me Baby," and "She Knows Me Too Well." Plus, you get "Help Me Rhonda" and "When I Grow Up" for good measure. This was their peak, not Pet Sounds.
So in honor of next week's deluxe reissue of one of my favorite records of all time, Graham Nash's Songs For Beginners, I'd like to say that I think The Hollies' (of which Graham Nash was a member) Butterfly is a better record than The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper.
Again, I love Sgt. Pepper. One of the greatest records ever made. Just ask Brian Wilson (before he goes on about how much he loves Paul McCartney). But, I think we've all come to realize that it was the two records before, Rubber Soul and Revolver, where The Beatles made their moves that will forever keep them as the greatest band ever.
Butterfly, released the same year, 1967, was The Hollies' Sgt. Pepper. The band had made their move from cutesy pop tunes and Motown covers, to an album full of original material, ranging from the upbeat hit "Dear Eloise," to the psychedelic haze of "Try It" and "Elevated Observations." The album took chances, but never was at a loss for melody and direction like..say...The Rolling Stones' Their Satanic Majesties Request, also released in 1967. There are many gems on Butterfly. The wall of sound production on the big ballad "Would You Believe," would make Phil Spector put down his gun, and the absolute pop perfection and three part harmonies of "Step Inside," should have given The Hollies another monster hit. It did catch the ears of Madison Avenue where "Step Inside" found it's way into a Planter's Peanut commercial 40 years later.
Listen for yourself and keep your hate mail brief.
And didn't you refer to "Pet Sounds" as "one of the greatest albums ever made." And you said "Today" was even better. YOu didn't single out numero uno but you put them on the short list of Best Albums of Al Time, right? I assume #1 is blank just to avoid being silly.
Sometimes I'm not even sure "Sgt. Pepper" is the best Beatles record released in 1967, let alone the greatest album ever made. Thank you for coming out of the "Pepper" closet and emboldening me to do the same.