The Modern Lovers "96 Tears"

"We must shift America from a needs- to a desires-culture. People must be trained to desire, to want new things, even before the old have been entirely consumed. [...] Man's desires must overshadow his needs."

Paul Mazer* (Lehman Brothers, circa 1930s)

Unexpectedly, this quote popped into my head earlier when trying to decide if I should purchase the "96 Tears" (Vinyl Lovers) l.p. by The Modern Lovers at some point.  I've seen it recently behind the counter in Monorail and been tempted to buy it a coupla times but each time the nagging doubt that I didn't really need to own live or early versions of much loved Modern Lovers songs prevented me from doing so.  Then, earlier tonight, @notirakaplan mentioned it in a tweet and that sent me scurrying off to YouTube to find out once and for all.  When I heard this version of "96 Tears" desire turned to need:

See, I do the opposite of what corporate America wants - I buy when I need not when I desire (or so I like to kid myself!).  But, come on, even the count-in is lusty and emphatic and the whole affair is groovy beyond belief.  I'll bet the young Jonathan Richman would cut some serious rug while performing it and I can totally imagine Ian Svevonius blasting it in his dressing room to achieve a higher state of groovyness prior to Chain and The Gang shows.  Need!

* - I first encountered this quote in the wonderful Adam Curtis documentary The Century of the Self which is, unsurprisingly, on YouTube and well worth watching!