The Band That Played California Lady

This is California Lady WITHOUT ANYONE TALKING OVER IT what-so-ever. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The song was written and performed by FRANK LARRABEE. Respect. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The audio was taken from the original (non-mst3k) 1976 version of Track Of The Moon Beast. I had to work some "studio magic" to clean up the sound quality and get rid of the actor's voices that were all over the musical refrain in the middle of the song. It's been EQ'd, and I've even given this "mono" file a "stereo effect" so it will sound more rich coming through your speakers. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Just for fun, you can read the "fictional" biography that Mystery Science Theater 3000 did for "The Band That Played California Lady" below. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE FICTIONAL BIOGRAPHY AS TOLD BY MIKE NELSON of MST3K: The Band that Played California Lady began as a duet featuring the vocal and acoustic guitar stylings of The Fish-Lipped Guy and The Eskimo. The Band that Played California Lady achieved little commercial success, playing numerous dive bars in America's southwest. However, all that changed when they added a female backup singer known as The Friendly-Looking Backup Singer. Suddenly, their signature tune "California Lady" was everywhere, including a bad B-movie like Track of the Moonbeast, and they rocketed to sudden fame. They went from playing dusty bars found along state highways to huge venues, including Watkins Glen in New York. There they shared top billing with such bands as Wet Willy and Toots and The Maytals. Like the moon, fame is also a harsh mistress. The Fish-Lipped Guy, uncomfortable with the creative genius role his adoring public thrust upon him, took to drinking and a circle of fast friends. The Eskimo, previously an equal partner in this musical concern, found himself left in the shadow, given names like "The Quiet One" and, of course, "The Eskimo". He took to drugs to escape the pain of this public emasculation. The Fish-Lipped Guy, no longer tethered by the support and friendship offered by The Eskimo during the band's early days, took to heavier drinking and womanizing. This of course lead The Eskimo into a faster downward spiral using more drugs. The Band that Played California Lady might have ended there but they managed to drag themselves into a studio to record a follow up album. In contrast to their upbeat, and dare I say peppy California Lady, they recorded a more somber, serious, introspective work called Rhode Island Lady. Fans were unwilling to accept The Band that Played California Lady's exploration of new territory, wanting more peppy tunes about ladies in California, or at least Oregon. Their sophomore album failed to crack the charts. The Fish-Lipped Guy and The Eskimo, bitten by the fickle bug that is fame, retreated further into their addictions. Their agent felt some regrouping was in order, like having them play some smaller fan-friendly venues instead of the massive stadiums they played during the heyday of the California Lady sound. He signed them to a deal where they'd open for Brewer and Shipley. However tragedy struck when The Eskimo overdosed and fell into a drug-induced coma for several months. The Fish-Lipped Guy added gambling to his growing list of destructive vices (drinking, womanizing) after The Eskimo's overdose. The Band that Played California Lady was no more. However, they did enjoy a small resurgence in the late '90s after a small reunion tour and a new generation of fans discovered the joy of "California Lady" and The Band that Played California Lady. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hats off to you, MR FRANK LARRABEE, wherever you are.

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GummoMarx (2009-11-29)

On behalf of fans of the fish-lipped guy everywhere, thank you!