Barbershop Quartet
The Citations – They’re Off! …and Singing (1975)
I’m not sure if I enjoy barbershop quartets or not. Some days I can hum along with “Sweet Adeline” and other days it makes me want to plunge foot long knitting needles straight into my ear drums. Generally I know what I like, but today I’m just plain confused……that is until I got to track three, “Daddy Sang Bass”. Now I’m wondering where the #$&% I left the knitting needles.
Most people know “Daddy Sang Bass” as a darn fine Johnny Cash song but it was actually written by Carl Perkins, another member of the Million Dollar Quartet. That’s a moot point, however. After listening to this version, I’m not sure that I can even stomach Johnny and June’s version anymore. The song is dead to me. I’m suddenly overcome with the urge to torch my neighborhood barbershop just for sharing the name of this form of music. Maybe I’m just in a foul mood. The singing isn’t that bad but the whole thing is like the proverbial nails on a chalkboard to me today. Maybe I need more fiber in my diet……I don’t know.
“The Lord’s Prayer” had me flashing back to the 5:30 Saturday night contemporary mass that we’d periodically get dragged to as kids. You know, the one where the hippies would break out the acoustic guitar, tambourine and auto-harp and then proceed to turn “Kumbaya” into the longest 10 minutes of my life…..(shudder) They sound nothing alike but for some reason The Citations “Lord’s Prayer” has stirred up my repressed childhood memories. Ah…the joys of growing up Catholic.
At least the cover art is good and cheesey and the photo on back is fantastic. If I had a suit like that I’d wear it to the 5:30 mass and sing “Kumbaya” at the top of my lungs just so people would wonder what the hell was wrong with the crazy man in back. Maybe that would cheer me up.
I am concerned that if I flip over to side two, I’ll start having flashbacks from repressed memories of Boy Scout camp…… Please don’t make me listen to side two.
Tracks:
Side One
- 01_01 – Dixie Medley
- 01_02 – I’m Sorry I Answered the Phone
- 01_03 – Daddy Sang Bass
- 01_04 – Where or When
- 01_05 – That’s Life
- 01_06 – Nevertheless
- 01_07 – Lord’s Prayer
Side Two
- 02_01 – Mame
- 02_02 – Phoenix
- 02_03 – Brand New Gal
- 02_04 – Don’t Cry, Sonny Boy
- 02_05 – Boardwalk
- 02_06 – This is a Lovely Way
- 02_07 – Softly as I Leave You
Continue reading The Citations – They’re Off! …and Singing (1975)
