Judy Carne: Sock It To Me (Reprise 0680)

It's cash-in time again, kiddies. This time, we take you to "Laugh-In" and one of it's biggest catchphrases, "Sock It To Me." And here's the comedienne who brought it into our living rooms in the late 60s and early 70s, British damsel Judy Carne.

Carne was on "Laugh-In" for two seasons between 1968 and 1970, in which she became known for spurting out the notable catchphrase, then suffering some kind of slapstick calamity. She would find herself overshadowed by Goldie Hawn and quit after the second season, only to plummet to the obscurity of minor TV movie roles. But in between, she left behind this delightful little item in which she exploits her famous phrase to the hilt.

Actually, it's more of an instrumental record in a sense that Carne only speaks in short pauses sprinkled throughout, but it's clear whose record this is from the get-go. It opens with a barage of cheesy 60s cartoon sound effects before kicking into a 60s go-go groove with Carne announcing, "And now folks, it's definitely 'Sock it to me' time!"

Therefore, while the band is kicking up its heels with blasting brass and tinkling guitar, Carne finds about a million and a half ways to purr 'Sock it to me' within a close to 3:00 minute running time. Here are just a few examples:

"Sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it, sock it, sock it, sock it."
"Oh come on, really sock it to me."
"Oh, that's smashing, sock it to me."

You get the picture. It may sound to you like some knock-off, but it's a whole lot of fun and fun is what it's all about. Carne even sums it all up herself midway through the song: "Y'know, if this is what they call funky, it's a bit of alright!" Do tell, woman, do tell.