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:: The Lettermen - Everything Is Good About You ::

:: The Lettermen - Morning Girl ::

One of those acts I heard regularly in my Mom's car when I was a kid, I haven't had much interest in acquiring any of their records because I equate them with musical cottage cheese. Not that I mind cottage cheese. With a little salt and pepper, it's not bad stuff, but I haven't eaten any since the last time my Mom served it to me.

I've been on the lookout for a Lettermen album with "Wichita Lineman" on it, since one of our readers recommended it, but haven't found it yet. While scanning song titles on this Lettermen offering from the early 70s, I noticed it had a song called "Morning Girl" on it. And thus, my first Lettermen purchase.

"Morning Girl" was originally done by a band called Neon Philharmonic in the late 60s. Tony turned me on to them a couple of years ago because he knew I'd be all over the over the top melodramatics, the lush orchestrations and lyrics that sounded as though they had been written by Charleston Heston on acid. "Morning Girl" is a fairly tame example of Neon Philharmonic's canon, but given the Lettermen treatment, it comes off a bit more palatable than the original version.

Palatable is what The Lettermen are all about. Founded by vocalist Tony Butala in the late 50s, they're still going to this day, although they gave up their lettermen jackets long ago. And I'd be damn surprised if they still perform "Morning Girl". I just want to hear them do "Wichita Lineman", then have a bit of cottage cheese, get tucked into bed, and sleep like...

Oh never mind.


Mike

This entry was posted on Monday, May 08, 2006 at 6:49 AM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.