LYRICS AND SOUND FILES
streaming RealAudio sound file
For several months, the band had only an unlabled cassette of Robert Johnson's classic Delta blues sessions, and without titles they mistakenly thought this song was named "Cheechin' Blues" after comedian "Cheech" Marin. Imagine their surprise!
The bar napkin didn't provide enough space for the lyrics of this tune so Job's DeSoto dictated all original 27 verses to a blind cab driver who punched them in braille on a postcard depicting Turlock, California. The card later blew out the cab window and was retrieved on median strip of Highway 99 South by a trucker who returned it to the band's address with a note reading:
my cousin used to roadie for Hank Williams Jr. This is a great song. You all should call him.
streaming RealAudio sound file
"You can't do that song," said the band's manager, who had a keen sense for business and had also managed an Arby's. "Lou Reed would have your head, and you'll never do anything as great as the Velvet Underground. It's like covering a Beatles song."
"Who's Lou Reeves?" said the vocalist.
"Who's the Beatles?" said the bass player.
In the lengthy preparation process for this single release, the band went on a shopping spree at the GoodWill, where they purchased a vintage Royal typewriter and a box of two-inch ball bearings. By pitching the bearings at the typewriter from across the room, they composed a basic chord chart for the tune, adding lyrics and florishes later.
In the recording of this number, there was a problem with the bass guitar that made it fuzz out every two or three notes. "Right on," said the recording engineer, who was an Amway salesman for his day gig. He provided free ham sandwiches at all the band's sessions, so who could argue?
During a two-month period of extreme poverty, the band decided to orchestrate a major sell-out and go commercial. As part of the financial plan they elected to pattern a song after someone else's hit single. Unfortunately they chose Jonathan Richman's "She Cracked," which was never much of a money-maker for Jonathan or anyone else.
streaming RealAudio sound file
Originally written for the independent musical "Burn Rubber," this song was removed from the final production when a female dancer injured a groin muscle during a routine. She later complained that the band members leered at her suggestively and were a distraction around the rehearsal stage. Formal charges were filed, then dropped.
The original lyrics to this track were submitted to the band by a 16-year-old fry cook. The band initially wanted to sing them over the chord changes to the hit television program "CHiPs," but the idea was scrapped when the bassist's VCR ceased functioning and no one could hum the "CHiPs" tune well enough to transcribe the chords. The fry cook later returned to collect royalties on his lyric, but the band refused and threw his ten-speed bicycle under a bus in protest.
