CASS JOHN MICHELLE DENNIE


DUCK-EGG BLUE WAS THE SKY
AND THE TREES FLARED
TALL IN LAUREL CANYON;
OUTSIDE WAS THE HEAVENLY FUNK-BRIGADE,
SMILING IN THE SUNSHINE
SPRAWLING IN THE GRASS
SNIFFING THE BUTTERCUPS WITH TENDER NOSTRILS,
AND SOFTLY SAVOURING LES NUAGES;
LONG BLONDE HAIR AND MINI-MINI-SKIRTS
PATTERNED HIDE BOOTS AND SHABBY DENIM
UNSHAVEN CHINS AND UNSPRAYED HAIR
GOO-GOO EYES AND CHUBBY THIGHS
AND DISTANT MEMORIES OF THE OCEAN AT MONTEREY.
AND INSIDE WAS PAPA JOHN,
TALL, THIN AND PERPLEXED LIKE A RAG DOLL,
WITH MAMA CASS,
LARGE AS LIFE AND TWICE AS NICE,
AND PAPA DENNY,
SMILING SILENTLY AS HE ALWAYS IS,
AND MAMA MICHELLE,
WHO IS BLONDE AND BEAUTIFUL
AND ANGELIC WHEN SHE WANTS TO BE.
INSIDE WAS THE STUDIO,
COLD AND CLINICAL, WITH WALLS OF WHITE
AND HALLS OF YELLOW
AND A BROKEN COFFEE MACHINE
CRASH ON, SAID MAMA CASS
SCREAM ON, SAID PAPA DENNY
SING ON, SAID MAMA MICHELLE
AND WE ALL FALL DOWN SAID PAPA JOHN
WHICH MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE TITLE
BUT IT WASN'T.
THEY WERE MAKING RECORDS AND IT ISN'T EASY
TO PLACE FEELINGS AND DREAMS
SOFT AND POETIC
ON HARD BLACK SHELLAC
SOLID AND SALEABLE
AND YOU SHOULDN'T SELL EMOTIONS
UNLESS THEY'RE HONEST.
HONEST PEOPLE DON'T BOLT DOORS
BUT THEY DID
AND THEY'RE HONEST PEOPLE.
THEIR DOOR WAS BARRED, BOLTED AND RAMPARTED
TO KEEP OUT THE BAD VIBRATIONS OF COURSE;
AND BEYOND THEIR DOOR WAS A MORASS OF
STALE HAMBURGERS
CROWN ROYAL
ELECTRIC FIDDLES
TAPES
WIRES
KNOBS
EARPHONES
BONES
ASPIRINS
DOG-ENDS
AND LOU ADLER.
NOBODY OUTSIDE KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENING
BECAUSE NOBODY OUTSIDE WAS ABLE TO GET INSIDE.
PAPA JOHN, MUMBLING AND STUMBLING LIKE A
PALM TREE IN A THUNDERSTORM,
WAS HEARD TO SHOUT SOMETHING ABOUT
"A CLOSED MIND"
WHATEVER THAT IT,
AND THE BILLING AND COOING OF MAMA CASS
SPASMODICALLY WAFTED OUT ONTO THE
CONCRETE DESERT CALLED SUNSET BOULEVARD
ON WHICH THE PULCHRITUDE OF THE SETTING SUN
IS SURELY WASTED.
MAMA MICHELLE SMILED GRACEFULLY
FROWNED ELEGANTLY
AND DULY RECEIVED THE APPROVAL SHE SOLICITED,
FOR WHO COULD NOT APPROVE OF ONE SO LONG OF LEG,
SURE OF SMILE, BLUE OF EYE AND BLONDE OF HAIR?
PAPA DENNY WAS EATING CHEESE-PUFFS
AND SAYING NOTHING
AND THE WHOLE THING SWIRLED AND SWAM
LIKE A BRAKHAGE MOVIE.
EVERY DAY OR MONTH OR HOWEVER LONG IT TOOK,
LOU ADLER WOULD EMERGE,
BEARDED AND SUNKEN-EYED,
CLUTCHING A SHINY BLACK DEMONSTRATION RECORD,
HAILED ON ALL SIDES BY ENTHUSIASTIC CATERWAULING
SUCH AS WAS NEVER HEARD AT CHAVEZ RAVINE,
AND JUBILANT CRIES IN UNISON OF:
"THE NEW SINGLE?"
"UNNNH!" HE GRUNTED AS HE ALWAYS DOES
WITH A RUB OF THE EYES
AND A STROKING OF THE SIX WEEKS GROWTH
WHICH WAS BLACK AND SINISTER.
AND ON THE TWELFTH DAY
OR WEEK
OR MONTH
IT BECAME OBVIOUS TO EVERYONE CONCERNED
AND EVEN TO THOSE WHO WEREN'T
THAT IT WOULD BE IMPRACTICAL
OR MAGNANIMOUS
OR BOTH
TO RELEASE TWELVE THINGS SIMULTANEOUSLY.
AND SO THE PHONE WIRES CRACKLED TO NEW YORK
AND BACK
AND AN ABUNDANCE OF MEMOS FLUTTERED ONTO AN
ABUNDANCE OF POLISHED MAHOGANY DESKS,
AND WHILEMAMA CASS WAS BEING PANEGYRIZED
BY MORT SAHL ON HIS LOCAL TELEVISION SHOW
AND EVERYBODY ELSE WAS CONGRATULATING
THEMSELVES,
THE LOGICAL ALTERNATIVE WAS ADOPTED.
HERE ARE TWELVE THINGS
ALL ON ONE RECORD
THANKS BE TO GOD

ANDY WICKHAM


SIDE ONE
NO SALT ON HER TAIL
J. Phillips Pub. by Trousdale music inc. BMI 2:35
TRIP STUMBLE AND FALL
J. Phillips-M. Gilliam
Pub by Trousdale Music Inc. BMI 2:35
DANCING BEAR
J. Phillips Pub. by Trousdale Music Inc. BMI 4:08
WORDS OF LOVE
J. Phillips Pub. by Trousdale Music Inc. BMI 2:13
My Heart Stood Still
Rodgers & Hart
Lauerence Harms Inc. ASCAP 1:43
DANCING IN THE STREET
Stevenson & Gaye Pub. Jobete Music BMI 3:00

SIDE TWO
I SAW HER AGAIN
J. Phillips-D. Doherty BMI 2:50
STRANGE YOUNG GIRLS
J. Phillips Pub. by Trousdale Music Inc. BMI 2:45
I CAN'T WAIT
J. Phillips Pub. by Trousdale Music Inc. BMI 2:40
EVEN IF I COULD
J. Phillips Pub. by Trousdale Music Inc. BMI 2:40
THAT KIND OF GIRL
J. Phillips Pub. by Trousdale Music Inc. BMI 2:20
ONCE WAS A TIME I THOUGHT
J. Phillips Pub. by Trousdale Music Inc. BMI 0:58

MUSICAL SOUNDS WERE MADE BY HAL BLAINES DRUMS - LARRY KNECTELS ORGAN AND PIANO - JOE OSBORNS BASS - THE GUITAR SOUNDS BY THE DOCTOR ERIC HORD, TOMMY TEDESCO AND JOHN PHILLIPS, THE ACKNOWLEDGED LEADER. AMONG THE STRANGE INSTRUMENTS USED -- ONE WAS THE ELECTRIC VIOLIN OF PETER PALAFAIN. THE FANTASTIC ENGINEER ON THIS ALBUM WAS BONES HOWE. HENRY LEWY MORE THAN HELPED ELECTRONICALLY. BOTH WERE ASSISTED BY BOWEN DAVID. THE COVER AND LINER PHOTOS WERE OF COURSE BY GUY WEBSTER. TAKEN AT 5:00 AM IN THE DESERT. THE ART WORK WAS DONE BY GEORGE WHITEMAN. ARRANGEMENTS ARE DONE BY HEAD (IMPROMPTU) ON THE SESSION WITH CONTRIBUTIONS BY EVERYONE---
LOU ADLER Producer

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