Rhinofy-Buckinghams Primer
Who?
Young people may not know, but every baby boomer does. From back when we were all addicted to AM radio, before FM infected our brains, when a well-executed pop song was not criticized, but embraced.
KIND OF A DRAG
Oh, listen
To what I gotta say
Girl, I still love you
I’ll always love you
Anyway, anyway, anyway
And there was the magic, the chorus sealed the deal. Then again, every bit of this two minute opus triumphs, even the skating rink organ in the instrumental break. That’s how they used to be made, crisp and compact, back before the FM giants exploded the formula. Unfortunately, too many of today’s acts hew to the FM formula and add no innovation atop it, boring us all the while. The Buckinghams never bored us.
DON’T YOU CARE
After the initial hit, the band hooked up with James William Guercio, who steered them to further success, once they parted ways with them they were history, on the chart anyway.
Mmm, my, my, my, my baby
The track is good, and this little excerpt makes it superlative!
And sure, the lyrics were relatable, but even more it was about the feel, the plaintive vocal, this was the opposite of the hip-hop heroes, this guy was on the losing end of distance, back when we lived in the dark ages of the pre-feminist era but we still acknowledged the power of women, especially in relationships!
You said that you’d believe me
Then why’d you ever leave me
I’m standin’ here all alone
Without a girl of my own
And there’s nowhere a guy would rather not be, especially if he wasn’t flying solo previously.
MERCY, MERCY, MERCY
Yes, the Joe Zawinul song, but with lyrics attached.
This is probably the best thing the Buckinghams ever did, it swung back then and it still swings today.
There’s no way you could listen to this without shimmying and singing along. Come on…
She got the kind of lovin’
Kissin’ and a-huggin’…
HEY BABY (THEY’RE PLAYING OUR SONG)
The one we used to hear when we used to get along
I couldn’t believe they said that in a song, it was so conversational!
My sister bought the single, as a result this is burned into my DNA. You used to play them over and over and over again. Actually, that’s the way it still is, singles rule, the listeners know, the makers oftentimes do not.
And, of course, the classic lyric:
It made us feel so groovy
We fell in love, just like in the movies
Sophomoric, but resonant nonetheless!
SUSAN
The final hit.
Susan, do you have to be confusin’?
Huh? Haven’t heard that word in a song since.
No, Genesis did “Land Of Confusion.” But that was different, it wasn’t about a girl but a situation. And when you’re young especially, the opposite sex is so confusing!
This bounces along, it’s a trifle, but it does have that hip break and the explosion thereafter, barriers were being broken, “Society’s Child” was a topic of discussion, but the ending mantra, “I love you, yes I do, I do”…I love all these songs, and there’s not much more you can say about them, other than they were joyful to listen to and they still put a smile on your face every time you hear them today.
