Dan, why am I reading this while having breakfast when you know I will choke? This essay is brilliant (and of course, I’m looking at The Puck in a more seasoned light). “Man-tastic?” That word alone has brought your analysis into an entirely other hemisphere. Let me ask: was any of this brought up then? Why was this acceptable or was this genre as I’m guessing most would say, of it’s time? 🤔
I think it was just business as usual in those days. Gary wasn’t the only guy on the late ‘60s charts serving up this kind of creepy shit – he just did it more consistently than anyone else!
Awww poop. The beauty of Tony Bennett isn't just his talent, but the fact that I don't think I've ever seen anyone, in any line of work, who loved what they do more than he loved what he did. I saw him at the Newport Jazz Festival about 10 years ago in a rainstorm and he just made the stage glow.
True I guess, but let's not overrate the "in those days" factor. In the mid-70s I was listening to this song for the first time and going "Wait what?" (Of course, I was also thinking "Yeah I bet she's not actually into you, and you're just wishcasting.")
Thought experiment: Would you want to have had his discography? You get to be a reasonably famous pop star all your life and not go back to Hibbing, Minnesota to your old job at the Whatever Mart, but what you're known for is ... this stuff. Generally, I'm firmly in the "better a one-hit wonder than a no-hit wonder" camp, but I'm really not sure in this case.
Great (and hilarious) post. Just the other day I was listening to Cathie Taylor’s great answer record “Baby, Baby, Have You Got Cheating On Your Mind?” - nice to know that at least one member of the opposite sex decided to answer him in song!
Also, I can’t think of Gary Puckett without recalling David Peel’s calling him “Gary Fuckett and the Union Clap”. You’re welcome 😁
As a youngster (probably '67-'69) my family lived in the same apartment building as the Puck...also San Diego Rocket John Q. Trapp and minor league hockey player Jim Cardiff--it was a scene, Man!
Excellent essay! The legendary Chicago disc jockey Larry Lujack used to back announce “Young Girl” as “Young Girl (Get Out Of My Car), which pretty much summed it up in the tight vernacular of the Top 40 DJ
Forgive me. I couldn’t even get through your post because the songs were so creepy and horrible. Why would I spend time time listening to that when I had so much else to listen that was GOOD if not GREAT! I love you ( really) but 🤮 Blech
Please spend time listening to and writing about Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks and The Lickettes 😂🥳
The Young Girl video is amazing, especially at 0:45-050 where the barbed wire comes into focus!
Right on "now it hurts to know the truth"!
Dan, why am I reading this while having breakfast when you know I will choke? This essay is brilliant (and of course, I’m looking at The Puck in a more seasoned light). “Man-tastic?” That word alone has brought your analysis into an entirely other hemisphere. Let me ask: was any of this brought up then? Why was this acceptable or was this genre as I’m guessing most would say, of it’s time? 🤔
I think it was just business as usual in those days. Gary wasn’t the only guy on the late ‘60s charts serving up this kind of creepy shit – he just did it more consistently than anyone else!
I just think that The Puck was a Tony Bennett-wannabe of a perverse time. Oh, this just in.. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/tony-bennett-dead-1123737/
Thanx for the heads up Rod. R.I.P. Mr. Bennett.
Awww poop. The beauty of Tony Bennett isn't just his talent, but the fact that I don't think I've ever seen anyone, in any line of work, who loved what they do more than he loved what he did. I saw him at the Newport Jazz Festival about 10 years ago in a rainstorm and he just made the stage glow.
True I guess, but let's not overrate the "in those days" factor. In the mid-70s I was listening to this song for the first time and going "Wait what?" (Of course, I was also thinking "Yeah I bet she's not actually into you, and you're just wishcasting.")
Thought experiment: Would you want to have had his discography? You get to be a reasonably famous pop star all your life and not go back to Hibbing, Minnesota to your old job at the Whatever Mart, but what you're known for is ... this stuff. Generally, I'm firmly in the "better a one-hit wonder than a no-hit wonder" camp, but I'm really not sure in this case.
I suspect that’s why he was doing a Hendrix medley the night I saw him – “See? I’m not JUST about creepy and inappropriate pop songs. I’m a MUSICIAN!”
Stay away from Jason!
Hey!
Great (and hilarious) post. Just the other day I was listening to Cathie Taylor’s great answer record “Baby, Baby, Have You Got Cheating On Your Mind?” - nice to know that at least one member of the opposite sex decided to answer him in song!
Also, I can’t think of Gary Puckett without recalling David Peel’s calling him “Gary Fuckett and the Union Clap”. You’re welcome 😁
Wow, mentioning David Peel in the same post as … anyone. Except John Lennon…
I loved The Puck because I knew what he was singing about and I endorsed all of it.
If you had to ask…🙄
😂
I didn’t know that I needed to rundown of Mr. Puckett and his Gap, but yet I feel that this is just exactly what I needed to get me going today.
The Power of The Puck compels you!
"charms" as code for "boobs" and "desperately in need of a good stool softener" made me LOL!
As a youngster (probably '67-'69) my family lived in the same apartment building as the Puck...also San Diego Rocket John Q. Trapp and minor league hockey player Jim Cardiff--it was a scene, Man!
Wow! Must have been quite the swingin' spot!
Yes. I wrote a piece on Medium about this "phenomenon" a while back: https://medium.com/1ntune/the-creepiest-band-ever-7bc9695066f5?sk=f587e7d56681afb5ce1ef3be6b8957be
You had me at the title! Someone else told me they saw him perform not too long ago, and said he still had it!
I'm sure that's not all he still has!
Laughed out loud. Did he really play a two handed tapping guitar solo??
I wouldn't — COULDN'T — make up such a thing.
I like the pucks voice and a nice reminder down memory lane.
The guy could really sing, no question!
Brilliant
Excellent essay! The legendary Chicago disc jockey Larry Lujack used to back announce “Young Girl” as “Young Girl (Get Out Of My Car), which pretty much summed it up in the tight vernacular of the Top 40 DJ
Oh, Uncle Lar!
Forgive me. I couldn’t even get through your post because the songs were so creepy and horrible. Why would I spend time time listening to that when I had so much else to listen that was GOOD if not GREAT! I love you ( really) but 🤮 Blech
Please spend time listening to and writing about Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks and The Lickettes 😂🥳
I hear ya - but sometimes repulsive music is as interesting to me as the good stuff!
I don’t wanna reuse I hear ya, but you sure make a good point!