The Nude Polka Kings - Don't Smash The Punkins! Polka

 The Nude Polka Kings turn their polka instincts to the Halloween holiday with the novel song Don't Smash The Punkins! Polka. The soloist is appropriately 'evil' sounding, even his yodeling has an edge to it. Most of us here at Big And Tall records enjoyed the song, except for one associate.

Whenever we get a sound file of a new song, we have a round table meeting of available associates and discuss it.  There is never a song released arbitrarily by us - they all come under scrutiny and a vote. The one dissenting opinion over this song came about the lyrics. First of all, the term 'punkins' instead of 'pumpkins', and to take it even further, it was suggested that since the song is really about smashing jack o' lanterns, it should be named 'Don't Smash The Jack O' Lanterns'.  Of course pumpkin is the correct term, but it was pointed out to the dissenter that since this was a novelty song, a certain hominess of style in the lyric was a good thing. Next, as to why they used 'punkin' instead of jack o' lantern, it was also pointed out that what is a jack o' lantern but a type of pumpkin after all? A specific style and use for a pumpkin, but still a pumpkin nonetheless. And the rhyme of 'punkins' and 'youngkins' was also criticized, as the dissenter didn't know what youngkins meant. As was pointed out to him, the meaning of the fabricated word can be derived from the context and poetic license; a young one, a kid.  But the lone dissenter stood by their guns, and we brought it up to a vote, with the obvious outcome.

It is the autumn time of year
And soon it will be Halloween
Trick or treating lots of candy
Ghosts and goblins on the scene

Halloweens not just for children
Grown ups can enjoy it too
Come on out and dance the polka
Wear costumes, drink some brew
BUT PLEASE...

DON'T SMASH THE PUNKINS! After they've been carved!
DON'T SMASH THE PUNKINS! Children work so hard
If you smash the punkins, then all the youngkins
Will have no jack o' lanterns all because of you!

Carving punkins into faces
Lighting them evil delight
Perfect time to dance the polka
In the dark and eerie night!

Halloweens not just for children
Grown ups can enjoy it too
Come on out and dance the polka
Wear costumes, drink some brew
BUT OH NO...

DON'T SMASH THE PUNKINS! After they've been carved!
DON'T SMASH THE PUNKINS! Children work so hard
If you smash the punkins, then all the youngkins
Will have no jack o' lanterns all because of you!

All kinds of costumes that we've seen
Witches, goblins, vampires too
Women wear some that are skimpy
We appreciate the view!

Halloweens not just for children
Grown ups can enjoy it too
Come on out and dance the polka
Wear costumes, drink some brew
BUT DON'T DO IT!

DON'T SMASH THE PUNKINS! After they've been carved!
DON'T SMASH THE PUNKINS! Children work so hard
If you smash the punkins, then all the youngkins
Will have no jack o' lanterns all because of you!

Gummer Beaudine - Doomed To Never Last

This new song Doomed To Never Last by Gummer Beaudine is a departure from her usual amalgamation of styles like barrelhouse juke joint, country, raunchy, boogie-woogie, a raucous style she uses to good effect in the gin mills she's played in for years.  When she first came to Big And Tall Records after a recommendation from an associate,  we took live recordings made at her gigs for release. But after a couple of cover songs of our other artists, she began to write her own songs. A lot of her development can be attributed to Big Marv, our general producer and musician. He talked to us about her after recording this song:

 

Ms. Beaudine will always have a rough edge to her, and that's a big part of her style. For years she sang in nothing but cheap gin mills, some of them so nasty there would be chicken wire in front of the stage so the musicians wouldn't get hit by beer bottles or God knows what else! So she's earned her toughness, and gave as good as she got. She's got a regular circuit now, and the crowds love her. An example of an artist playing to what the crowd likes, and there's nothing wrong with that.

But from the beginning, I saw something more to her than that. It's taken a lot of talking and coaxing for her to change things up once in a while. But when you're used to playing certain music, and confident you can play it well, it can be hard to shift gears. So I was surprised when she came to me with this song. She wrote the whole thing, music and words, as well as worked out the instrumentation. She's known for playing with basically the some group; a piano, saxophone, drums, and her guitar. Once in a while she'd have some extra guitars. But she started to get into using a few different instruments. This song is sparse, and has no piano or saxophone, and includes a violin! She instructed the violinist in what she wanted, and eschewed playing the guitar herself. It's the first time she's been just a singer and not an instrumentalist as well. 

The song is a very personal one about a love she lost years ago, something she's not done before with us. The violin sighs and cries, the guitar lays down a steady beat, and her voice! It's got a roughness to it that underlines the pain she still feels about this lost love. I've worked with a lot of other groups and artists, but I'm most proud of Ms. Beaudine's growth. My music instincts were correct; what I saw in her was a fact.  

We here at Big And Tall Records like a surprise from an artist! We've got so many talented artists that produce so much quality music! We're lucky!

The men that have been in my life
There was some good, there was some bad
But the one that I still think of
Was the best I ever had

He understood my bitchy ways
Never did hold it against me
Said that was just the way I was
And he truly, really loved me

That was such a long time ago
I think 'bout all the days done past
He captured my entire heart
But it was doomed to never last

We had a few years together
Time moved along way too damn fast
Our life was easy and loving
It makes me dwell on the past

I hold him still in my broken heart
All the way to this very day
But the memry's starting to fade
I don't want it to go away!

Was such a long, long time ago
My heart's stuck in the sweet past
The time he done captured my heart
Doin' my best to make it last

I held him, the day that he died
Tried to protect him from all harms
But I felt his life slip away
From my lovin'...carin'...arms
 

Delmar Gentry - Don't Miss The Big City Life

 

Delmar Gentry finally makes a return to recording his own music with this song. Don't Miss The Big City Life refers to his move to Flagstaff AZ at the beginning of the year. He turned his back on an extremely lucrative law practice in Cincinnati, OH. He was just burned out representing big corporations and their executives. He was very successful in his practice, was in great demand, and his charges reflected it! He got his success relatively early in his career, and invested much of his money. By the time he turned 40, he began flirting with the idea of leaving the law. But it wasn't until 2 years later that he finally did it, and the breakup of a relationship helped him make up his mind. 

He bought the horse ranch from Doyle Harseth and his wife, and ended up letting them build their retirement house on the property, mainly so Doyle could be in contact with the few horses he still had. Delmar kept all of the help, hired more as well. We here at Big And Tall Records are proud to have Delmar as an associate, and if it wasn't for his support early on, there would be no Big And Tall Records. He's become a top notch record producer with his own recording studio he built on the ranch. Delmar has never been shy about talking, so this is his take on how things are going at the ranch:

Never been so happy as  I am now! With everything to do at the ranch and the recording studio, I'm busier than I've ever been, even in my old law practice. This song came about after one of the Saturday night communal suppers we had. Had a lot of input, and after a few more Saturday nights of working on it, we all crowded into my recording studio and got to work laying it down! Took a bit to get some folks loosened up to sing, but after a little 'lubrication' folks got into it. Doyle Harseth's bass voice adds a lot to the chorus. Amos Carter was thumpin' his ol' bass fiddle as usual and helping with the singing. Amos continues to work at the ranch, work with him a lot, and we get along right well! Had a surprise when he brought his wife Kaley along, because I didn't know she could sing so well. She took my leads like a pro and help with the solo work. Her voice added a lot to the song, for sure! I asked her why she didn't sing with her husband's band, and she said she's country all the way, and those guys play too much boogie-woogie for her! 

We had a riot of a good time recording it, even though it took us until early in the morning to get it down like we wanted. I've spent a lot of long hours in the studio, and I love it! We wanted the song to be happy, even kind of funny in spots, and I think it turned out real good!

Delmar also told us  that Marie, his housekeeper and cook, has her mother living with her on the ranch now. And Delmar's father is giving serious consideration to moving there himself! With plenty of acreage, there's room for all!

With the passing of time since spring
The horse ranch has really changed
A horse breeding trading business
To a place that's much rearranged

Got all kinds of folks call this home
Like our personal small village
We got some horses and dogs too
A rural pretty Flagstaff visage

Don't miss the hectic life of law
Don't miss the big city days
Got many things to keep us busy
Like the laid back Flagstaff ways

The place even pays its own way
A recording studio in demand
With myself as a producer
With all kinds of different bands

Don't miss the fat cat rich men
Who are sure their shit don't smell
More upright people I deal with
It's my great pleasure to tell!

Don't miss the big city life
Don't miss the traffic or the stink
Country life has its own smells
But more pleasant we sure do think!

Don't miss the fat cat rich men
Who are sure their shit don't smell
More upright people I deal with
It's my great pleasure to tell!

Keep the horses fed and healthy
They're comfortable and happy
Go for a trail ride all the tim
They all think I'm their Pappy!...

Don't miss the hectic life of law
Don't miss the big city days
Got many things to keep us busy
Like the laid back Flagstaff ways

Most every Saturday night
No matter what the weather
We all meet up at the ranch house
For a big communal dinner

We help Marie with the prep
Whether it's steak or Tex-Mex
We eat and yak all evening
And keep all our whistles wet!

Don't miss the big city life
Don't miss the traffic or the stink
Country life has its own smells
But more pleasant we sure do think!
 

Hambone Riley - Ain't Nothin' Gonna Go On! Cover

With Forgotten Bob's song Ain't Nothin' Gonna Go On, Hambone Riley's cover version is perhaps the largest change in style in what Hambone usually plays. Forgotten Bob relates how he got Hambone to expand his style to include R&B:

I sent Hambone the audio file of my song along with the chord chart and lyrics and asked him to create his cover for it. I thought I'd be interesting to compare the versions, especially in light of hearing Amos Carter's cool version. By the way, Amos' Mama is one hell of a piano thumper! Hambone got back to me after a few  days and told me the song really didn't fit his style. So I decided to tweak his nose a little. I told him if he meant in the same ol' tired style as his past songs, he's right. But if he wanted to branch out a little from his normal, the possibilities were there. Well, the tweak worked! Hambone's pretty laid back, but that got his hackles raised and he started cussin' me out! Hah!

So I let him ramble, then told him about an idea I had. Make a bigger production out of it, get a brass band to back you up, and just sing. Don't play the guitar along with it. He kind of uses the guitar to hide behind because of some sort of crazy performance anxiety he's got. The bug eyes in all the pictures of him performing shows the nervousness he has. Well, I suggested maybe if he concentrated on the singing and left the instrumental to some solid studio men he could enjoy himself more. He told me he wants to make music his way and has to lead the others. I told him I know some solid old pros in the business that would do whatever he wanted, can be as anal as he wants! So he agreed.

I set up the recording studio and studio men, and then had to practically drag his ass there! Took him a while to get loosened up, but I was delighted when after the umpteenth take he started getting into it and the musicians followed his lead! Ended up he was delighted with it as much as I was,. and was as relaxed and happy as I've ever seen him in performance! He really made the song his own, and I like his version better than my original!

Hambone removed about half of the verses, and molded the song into something very different than his usual, all with the prodding, encouragement, and advice of his mentor Forgotten Bob! 

Got support socks on, ain’t no lie
Just ‘nough aspirin to get me by
Ask to boogie, ain’t gonna fly
Do I have to tell ya the reason why

Look out pretty Mama
Ain't nothin’ gonna go on
Said lookout cute Mama
Ain't nothin’ gonna go on
Gotta pain in my back and it’s
Kept me all awake until dawn

Ain't no wonder why I got the ills
I forgot to take all my pills
Got the urge but it's just all talk
Got nothin' left to walk the walk

Look out pretty Mama
Ain't nothin’ gonna go on
Said lookout cute Mama
Ain't nothin’ gonna go on
Gotta bad case of the trots
I just feel so put upon

I know it's only ten o'clock
But I'm all wore out, really shot
Could do it all night, never quit
Now it takes all night just to do it!

Look out pretty Mama
Ain't nothin’ gonna go on
Said lookout cute Mama
Ain't nothin’ gonna go on
Ya know that I love ya babe
But ain't nothin' gonna go on

Look out pretty Mama
Wish somethin' was gonna go on
Said lookout cute Mama
Wish somethin' was gonna go on
Ya know that I love ya babe
But there ain't nothin' gonna go on

Amos Carter w Mama Carter On Piano - Ain't Nothin' Gonna Go On! Cover

As told in the post about Forgotten Bob's original version of his song Ain't Nothin' Gonna Go On, the song chord sheet and lyrics were sent to other Big And Tall Records artists to see if anyone would like to make their own version in their given styles. One of those takers was Amos Carter who offers up his Boogie Woogie version of the song. Amos has his mother sit in on the recording on piano. Rumor has it that Mama Carter is coming out with a song of her own soon!

There's also a Blues version of the song done by Hambone Riley that is a marked departure in style for Hambone, more of a R&B style with a full brass section backing him up! 

Got support socks on, ain’t no lie
Just ‘nough asprin to get me by
Got all kinds a aches and pains
Think I gotta an ankle sprain

Ask to boogie, ain’t gonna fly
Do I have to tell ya the reason why
I got the old man fidgets
All the way down to my digits

Look out pretty Mama
Ain't nothin’ gonna go on
Said lookout cute Mama
Ain't nothin’ gonna go on
Gotta pain in my back and it’s
Kept me all awake until dawn

Ain't no wonder why I got the ills
I forgot to take all my pills
Someone said the first thing to go
Don't have a clue what it was though

Got a bad case of the heart burn
Eat the wrong stuff won't ever learn
Got the urge but it's just all talk
Got nothin' left to walk the walk

Look out pretty Mama
Ain't nothin’ gonna go on
Said lookout cute Mama
Ain't nothin’ gonna go on
Gotta bad case of the trots
I just feel so put upon

I know it's only ten o'clock
But I'm all wore out, really shot
Could do it all night, never quit
Now it takes all night to do it!

Snack all night and watch some TV
Catch old movies, just you and me
Now I just lost all of my class
All it does is give me bad gas!

Look out pretty Mama
Ain't nothin’ gonna go on
Said lookout cute Mama
Ain't nothin’ gonna go on
Ya know that I love ya babe
But ain't nothin' gonna go on

Look out pretty Mama
Wish somethin' was gonna go on
Said lookout cute Mama
Wish somethin' was gonna go on
Ya know that I love ya babe
But there ain't nothin' gonna go on

 

Forgotten Bob - Ain't Nothin' Gonna Go On!

 Forgotten Bob was out of circulation for a number of years as he retired from the punk rock scene to help raise his eight kids with his wife! But he wasn't completely retired from music during those times. He took on guitar students, learned how to read music and took courses in music theory, and began writing songs. A big pile of songs, lyrics and music! Now some of that music is coming to light, with Bob sharing some of his titles with his old friend Hambone Riley. 

The song Ain't Nothin' Gonna Go On!was inspired by an event in Bob's later life. As he related the story to us here at Big And Tall Records, he was napping in his chair one evening when his wife walked in and began to put some romantic moves on him. Bob was not in the mood, and had to turn his wife away (which hasn't happened much in their marriage as eight kids will serve as proof!) As she sat on his lap some of the lyrics of  this song came to mind. 

The song is delivered in what has become Bob's classic Rockabilly style, but Bob acknowledged he was curious how the song would work in other styles. So he sent the melody and chord symbols to other artists at Big And Tall Records, and Hambone Riley and Amos Carter have come up with their own versions of the song that will be recorded and released!

By the way, it's nice to see what Forgotten Bob looks like in an actual photograph instead of an artist's rendering!

UPDATE:  We at Big And Tall Records just sent Bob the recordings of the Amos Carter and Hambone Riley covers of his song, and he's delighted!

Got support socks on, ain’t no lie
Just ‘nough asprin to get me by
Got all kinds a aches and pains
Think I gotta an ankle sprain

Ask to boogie, ain’t gonna fly
Do I have to tell ya the reason why
I got the old man fidgets
All the way down to my digits

Look out pretty Mama
Ain't nothin’ gonna go on
Said lookout cute Mama
Ain't nothin’ gonna go on
Gotta pain in my back and it’s
Kept me all awake until dawn

Ain't no wonder why I got the ills
I forgot to take all my pills
Someone said the first thing to go
Don't have a clue what it was though

Got a bad case of the heart burn
Eat the wrong stuff won't ever learn
Got the urge but it's just all talk
Got nothin' left to walk the walk

Look out pretty Mama
Ain't nothin’ gonna go on
Said lookout cute Mama
Ain't nothin’ gonna go on
Gotta bad case of the trots
I just feel so put upon

I know it's only ten o'clock
But I'm all wore out, really shot
Could do it all night, never quit
Now it takes all night to do it!

Snack all night and watch some TV
Catch old movies, just you and me
Now I just lost all of my class
All it does is give me bad gas!

Look out pretty Mama
Ain't nothin’ gonna go on
Said lookout cute Mama
Ain't nothin’ gonna go on
Ya know that I love ya babe
But ain't nothin' gonna go on

Look out pretty Mama
Wish somethin' was gonna go on
Said lookout cute Mama
Wish somethin' was gonna go on
Ya know that I love ya babe
But there ain't nothin' gonna go on
 

Brisa Caribeña - From The Ashes

Ana Molina

 The band Brisa Caribeña had the honor of playing host to a famous Flamenco guitar artist Sanchez Vajerro from Spain. Señor Vajerro agreed to play with the band on their last recording of the song Music Take Me Away with their soloist Sophia Johnson. The band and soloists blended so well that Sr. Vajerro extended his stay to make more recordings. He especially liked the way Ms. Johnson performed, and it was the thought of working with her again that kept him as much as anything else. 

Regrettably, about half way through the rehearsal of their next song, Ms. Johnson became ill and had to leave the studio. But luckily, the recording could proceed, as the band and Ms. Johnson have been  working with a young singer that may join the band, Ana Molina. Ms. Molina has rehearsed extensively with the band and could fill in for Ms. Johnson, who has been diagnosed with a stomach ailment and will be absent for a few weeks. 

Everyone was very pleased with Ms. Molina's performance, and the band went on to record more songs with the two soloists before Sr. Vajerro leaves to return to Spain. Ms. Johnson expects to be back soon, and the band will then have two soloists to work with.

Now that it's done! I'm the lucky one!
No more do I have to wonder
You did your part! To break my heart!
Like a violent storm with thunder!

You lied to my face! In utter disgrace!
I spent too many nights crying.
You can have fun! With the other one!
Soon I'll will no longer be sighing!

Getting over you, you've made easy
It was something I dreaded too long
Made me feel restless and uneasy
So for far too much I went along!

Fire in my belly! But no hate in my heart
I begin to make myself anew
Now that we'll be forever apart
I'll remake my self shiny and new!

You lied to my face! In utter disgrace!
I spent too many nights crying.
You can have fun! With the other one!
Soon I'll will no longer be sighing!

Fire in my belly! But no hate in my heart
I begin to make myself anew
Now that we'll be forever apart
I'll remake my self shiny and new!