Last night, the Lemonheads played the first of several South By Southwest shows, performing their classic album, It’s a Shame About Ray, from start to finish. The record is being reissued this month by Rhino, 16years after its original release, and judging by the average age of those in attendance — I’d guess most were in their mid- to late-30s — the nostalgiafactor was in full effect. Even the fact that the band’s current incarnationfeatures only one original member, singer and songwriter Evan Dando,didn’t matter to this downright giddy audience.
And justifiably so. Dando was in fine form — seemingly sober, focusedand, most importantly, rehearsed. Things started a little shaky when hehad a hard time reaching the high notes on the opening song, "RockinStroll," but heading into the set, which clocked in at exactly 30minutes (the perfect length for an album, I’d argue), he hit hisstride. The title track "It’s a Shame About Ray" never sounded better,and with the sing-along that ensued for "My Drug Buddy," "Bit Part,"where the crowd handled Juliana Hatfield’s part as if on cue, and aglorious rendition of the Hair number, "Frank Mills," the nightwas a runaway success. There was some chatter among the diehards as towhether the band would play their cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s"Mrs. Robinson," which was recorded to promote the video release of The Graduate (it also appeared on the soundtrack to Wayne’s World 2),then added to Ray on a later pressing. They didn’t.
Which was agood thing and it got me thinking: what is the quintessential song ofthis nearly perfect gem of a record? Is it "Rudderless," with its eerierefrain, "Hope in my past?" Is it "Alison’s Starting to Happen," whichwas a modest college radio hit? Is it my personal favorite, "Hannah & Gabi," with that killer pedal steel melody? Any Lemonheads loyalistsamong you, PopWatchers? Let’s debate like it’s 1992.
I do love “Frank Mills”, but if we’re only talking about originals, then it’s almost gotta be “Alison’s starting to happen”.
I hadn’t heard that the Lemonheads were doing this, but out of the recent trend of bands performing entire albums live, this performance is probably the one I wish I could’ve been there for. So cool.
I was a total Sassy-reading Evan Dando lover in high school, so I really envy those who got to see this. Bit Part, Rudderless, the title track…I love them all.
Wow – this is really strange.. I will have to first admit to watching October Road on Monday. I was so happy when unexpectedly the Lemonheads “Into Your Arms” was playing in one scene and I remembered what a great song that was. I use to sing Bit Part with a boy I liked and always regretted not seeing Evan and his glorious hair in concert. Two Lemonheads references in one week- I must be getting a little too close to my 20th high school reunion…
It’s “Alison’s Starting to Happen” hands down.
“She’s the puzzle piece behind the couch, makes the sky complete”
BEST LINE EVER
Oohh…that tape was stuck in my car’s busted tape deck for months and was the only thing I could listen to until we broke it free. 30 minutes is extra short in those conditions. What about Ceiling Fan in My Spoon?
I don’t know that I’m a Lemonheads loyalist, but I’ll certainly cop to being a “Ray” loyalist, it being one of my fave albums of its time. I’m having a heckuva hard time narrowing down to a definitive song; I guess for personal reasons–though NOT addiction reasons, thanks!–it’s gotta be “Drug Buddy”.
Check out specific info on the album’s reissue: http://www.amazon.com/Its-Shame-About-Ray-Collectors/dp/samples/B0013D8JIS/ref=dp_tracks_all_1#disc_1
I sing “Turnpike Down” every time I’m on the Mass Pike – “Butterscotch streetlamps mark my path”
For me, it’s Bit Part. *sigh* I miss 1992.
“Hannah and Gabi” and “Rudderless” are the two songs I always go back to on the album. I’m squarely in the Lemonheads’ late-30′s demo and saw them many times in and around Boston in the early 90′s. Too bad Evan Dando was/is such a mess. I got burned several going to concerts where he was drunk/stoned/whatever and disappointed. He was a great talent who squandered it all. For me, Buffalo Tom is the seminal 90′s power pop/alternative group. Those guys never disappoint. Check out “Three Easy Pieces” – a great disc from a great band.
My favorite song on the album is “drug buddy” by far. I love the mood it puts me in–sort of an “i’m cooler than you” vibe. The way the voices intertwine is really pretty and fun to sing along with.
either Alison’s Starting to Happen (and I agree with Mikey that that’s a great line, the one about the puzzle piece) or Bit Part.
I’m so sad that I missed this! I didn’t even know it was happening. Any word on whether Dando has any plans to do a show in LA???
(and, in my opinion, Dando IS the lemonheads…haven’t the other band members rotated in and out so much that he’s *really* the only original one?)
So many get songs, “hope in my past”, “ship without a rudder”, “a walk-on would be fine”, “between a ‘want’ and a ‘need’ to”, “i’m too much with myself, I wanna be someone else”…
but the title track is the thing which holds it all together.
This was such a perfect little jewel box of an album– so CONCISE. I’m a sucker for the pedal steel in “Hannah & Gabi” too– the only song I usually skip over is “Ceiling Fan.” something about the ten-second pronunciation of “spoooooooon” gets on my nerves.
I like all of the songs, my favorite being “My Drug Buddy”. The line “I’m too much with myself, I wanna be someone else” really gets me.
have you ever watched “how i met your mother”? there’s an ep. where a character, marshall, gets the proclaimers “500 miles” single stuck in his tape deck. you should watch…hilarity ensues!