Wednesday, July 20, 2005

The Countdown Five: Shaka Shake Na Na/Money Man (Cobblestone CB 745)

This 1969 item was the last 45 from this group (probably best known for "Uncle Kirby (From Brazil)") and it seems only fitting that it's on a subsidiary of Buddah Records, as it's got more of a bubblegum sound. But don't start getting your panties all bunched up because it's a real tough bubblegum sound we're talking about, at least for the A-side "Shaka Shaka Na Na." Under a backdrop of party noises, the band pounds away with searing organ and, best of all, blasting fuzz. That's right, the fuzz quotient is quite high here and it almost makes you forgive the record's abrupt fade in the middle of the last verse.
(The group is credited with producing the record; whatever got into them to want to fade the record out when they did? I do not get it.) The B-side's a typical period protest song about someone with too much money. Ahhh, okay. Stick with "Shaka Shaka Na Na." You'll feel much better about yourself.

2 comments:

Bushcheney08 said...

great blog!

bushisnotantichrist.blogspot.com

Larry Grogan said...

I think the Countdown 5 were a Texas garage band. One of my fave 45s is by another garage band gone bubble gum, the Shadows Of Knight 'Shake'.