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| and guitar
tones. It all works, to great effect. WHO ARE THE MYSTERY GIRLS?
is...a good question. It's back to basics as David asks 'What do
you know about LOVE?' on the paean Brian Eno was asked to play on, but
foolishly declined.
The setting is the Lower Eastside for a varnished version of The Drells' THERE'S GONNA BE A SHOWDOWN. The Dolls bring the sound of Philly to Brooklyn and the result is more than adequate. But closing side one is the album's invaluable gem, IT'S TOO LATE, which stands proudly alongside FRANKENSTEIN as the very best of the Dolls. IT'S TOO LATE is dedicated to Diana Dors, said Johansen, "but to know why, you'll just have to listen. It's 4:40 of fine fettle. "PUSS 'N' BOOTS is about a person who gets into a lib movement and goes crazy." What kind of movement? "The movement to liberate pusses that were not in boots." And here we have an obvious choice for a single, but not to Phonogram of course. 'Little Rheinstone Target had to change his name/Cause all the boys and girls thought he was too easy game'. The song comes to an abrupt |
end with a ricocheting
gunshot to make way for Johnny Thunder's own CHATTERBOX.
"Doesn't he have a cute voice?" Johansen once remarked about Thunders' vocal outburst. The song is brief and underlines Thunders' creativity as a guitarist, much of which struggles for recognition on the excellent BAD DETECTIVE. Johnny's guitar always seemed buried beneath David's voice, which is a shame. At least on this track we have tangible evidence that Arthur Kane was actually awake during recording. Here his bass plods along merrily, and the oriental domain is cleverly handled by David, whose voice tackles extraneous strangulated lineage: 'Sitting there feeding your stupid face/While your Poppy goes out and he solves the case'...Charlie Chan warns his rueful offspring before dashing off to conduct a preliminary enquiry concerning the disappearance of some distraught soul's gong. The climax in a derelict warehouse is heroic as Mr. Chan makes short work of the crooks: 'First he steps on their toes/Gives a judo chop/Then he ties their hands', as Thunders interjects with a customary salute: 'Chan is in command!'. |
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