Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Chew on this

Today we're talking about bubblegum.

Not the chewy pink stuff, but the musical genre.

In my ongoing exploration of Australian gems, I came across this:



Isn't that the most perfect bubblegum song? Touches of the Arches, the Mixtures, a dash of Marmalade, throw in some Edison Lighthouse and you get this.

There's nothing much not to like about bubblegum. It's the happiest music around. If you're feeling upbeat - and gosh, today I am - then nothing goes better than this. Right from when I was given Sugar Sugar when it reached the end of its shelf life from my grandma's pub jukebox, I've been a fan of throwaway pop. I've got two volumes of a superb series that includes everything from Bobby Sherman to the Partridge Family to The Five Americans (the super-catchy Wester Union), Edison Lighthouse, the 1910 Fruitgum Company, Boyce & Harts peerles I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight, The Cowsills with the very much of the time Hair:



as well as their superb Indian Lake, and many, many more. Some of it's even quite soulful and relaxing, crossing over massively with sunshine pop. Volume three which is as the sunshine pop crossover one is now going for over £100 pounds on eBay. It's things like this:



But really, bubblegum music polarises people because of things like this:



But think of it as bright, shiny, sunny optimistic and of course very, very late Sixties/early Seventies. It can include things like the Small Faces, Strawberry Alarm Clock, all big hits (especially Stateside) and all designed to make your life better.

Like this. Love those girls.

5 comments:

Cocktails said...

Well of course I like a bit of bubblegum. Quelle surprise.

That Australian track isn't too shabby - I've never heard of them!

I do take issue with you though on the Cowsills. 'Rain, the park and other things' is a fab piece of sunshine/bubblegum pop but Hair isn't. Hair is just a load of novelty rubbish from an appalling musical.

Mondo said...

Did you ever have the K Tel comp - Goofy Greats? What a winner, I got a copy for Christmas aged 8 (I think) and it's almost a template for all I listen to Yummy Yummy Yummy - Ohio Express is peachy..There's also a great Atlantic bubblegum comp - something to do with Sing in Rainbows I'll post the link later

The full Goofy track list is here if you fancy a peep - it's the back of my original cover.

Cocktails said...

... Do, do, do the funky gibbon
The funky gibbon
We are here to show you how
Ooo, ooo, ooo...

Sorry - it's Mondos fault.

That Lou Christie track is ace. I never knew that was him.

Jon Peake said...

I never had that Mondo, but I'm loving the track listing. About time that was released on CD.

Glad you like that Aussie one Cocktails. Look at me telling you about OZ rock.

Kolley Kibber said...

So much sugar, I think I've now got Type 2 Diabetes. That first one looks like a Flight of the Conchords spoof. The singer's even got Germaine's lips.

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