Friday 22 April 2011

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!

3 comments:

  1. I didn't buy it, beacause it's sides 3 and 4 of the 'Live at the Longbranch and more' set! Longbranch is worth the price for Ride On Down The Highway alone...

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  2. Ooh, cheers for that. I haven't got (or heard of!) the Longbranch doo-dah. Will do some Googling tomorrow.

    cheers, brogues

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  3. Which version of "Plea For Tenderness" is on this 96 Tears LP?

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