Most irritating Exotica album and song - Tiki Music

DTG DJ Terence Gunn Member Joined: Jun 20, 2005 Posts: 250	DTG DJ Terence Gunn Posted posted on Sat, Mar 17, 2007 3:44 PM On 2007-03-17 12:21, Jeff Central wrote: Spike Jones "I Search for Golden Adventure in My Seven Leaky Boots." This was a parody on the whole Exotica scene at the time. It features a narrator searching for the lost world of Exotica complete with sound effects. Politically incorrect but funnier than hell. It was released on the Omnibust album in the 1960's and I think it is currently available on CD. Thanks for bringing to attention that song! I completely forgot about that one. I wonder how many folks on TC have heard this song? If you haven't, seek it out folks! Spike Jones is a plenty on CD. However, regarding the song as irritating, I wouldn't call it so. Funny as all get out -- yes! Irritating -- no. And I LOVE anything non-PC, and HATE anything that IS PC, so extra points for that! (After all Exotica IS non-PC in many ways, as are the lyrics to many pop jazz standards.) The song is supposed to be a mockery, of course, but then that's primarily all Spike Jones ever did -- before the Spike Jones New Band, that is. But when Spike did it, he did it with accomplished musicianship, arrangements, and vocal talent. Perhaps if I ever get round to compiling my CD of 'Exotica's Goofy Greats' (which will come with a set of foam ear plugs for those who wish to purchase it), I'll include 'I Search For Golden Adventure In My Seven Leaky Boots' betwixt Martin Denny's 'Goony Birds' and Michel Magne's 'Bahia'. As far as a previous post or two stating the irritation of the 'Hawaiian Eye Theme', I couldn't agree with you less on that. The song itself -- with its terrific arrangement of stops and starts, dynamics, layered percussion and string and brass -- is striking, strong, and emotive. I can certainly understand why somebody may get a bit irritated with the vocals, and perhaps the song is better off without them, but the vocals could've been worse: Yma Sumac could've been hired to sing the 'Hawaiian Eye - Ughs!' 'Course, I'm sure there are plenty of TCers out there who would welcome such a notion. So perhaps the original 'Hawaiian Eye Theme' would be best considered for border line irritation, simply because it is mainly the vocals that irritate. The Werner Muller instrumental version of 'Hawaiian Eye' (though I do like its Esquivel dynamics, arrangements, and craziness -- Muller being the only composer/arranger out there capable of emulating/pulling off Esquivel's style) is definitely a good candidate for irritating. But once again, it is not Exotica; it's late Atomic Age/early Space Age big band pop with a Hawaiian gesture (in the form of a slide guitar).

On 2007-03-17 12:21, Jeff Central wrote:
Spike Jones "I Search for Golden Adventure in My Seven Leaky Boots." This was a parody on the whole Exotica scene at the time. It features a narrator searching for the lost world of Exotica complete with sound effects. Politically incorrect but funnier than hell. It was released on the Omnibust album in the 1960's and I think it is currently available on CD.

Thanks for bringing to attention that song! I completely forgot about that one. I wonder how many folks on TC have heard this song? If you haven't, seek it out folks! Spike Jones is a plenty on CD.

However, regarding the song as irritating, I wouldn't call it so. Funny as all get out -- yes! Irritating -- no. And I LOVE anything non-PC, and HATE anything that IS PC, so extra points for that! (After all Exotica IS non-PC in many ways, as are the lyrics to many pop jazz standards.) The song is supposed to be a mockery, of course, but then that's primarily all Spike Jones ever did -- before the Spike Jones New Band, that is. But when Spike did it, he did it with accomplished musicianship, arrangements, and vocal talent.

Perhaps if I ever get round to compiling my CD of 'Exotica's Goofy Greats' (which will come with a set of foam ear plugs for those who wish to purchase it), I'll include 'I Search For Golden Adventure In My Seven Leaky Boots' betwixt Martin Denny's 'Goony Birds' and Michel Magne's 'Bahia'.

As far as a previous post or two stating the irritation of the 'Hawaiian Eye Theme', I couldn't agree with you less on that. The song itself -- with its terrific arrangement of stops and starts, dynamics, layered percussion and string and brass -- is striking, strong, and emotive. I can certainly understand why somebody may get a bit irritated with the vocals, and perhaps the song is better off without them, but the vocals could've been worse: Yma Sumac could've been hired to sing the 'Hawaiian Eye - Ughs!' 'Course, I'm sure there are plenty of TCers out there who would welcome such a notion.

So perhaps the original 'Hawaiian Eye Theme' would be best considered for border line irritation, simply because it is mainly the vocals that irritate. The Werner Muller instrumental version of 'Hawaiian Eye' (though I do like its Esquivel dynamics, arrangements, and craziness -- Muller being the only composer/arranger out there capable of emulating/pulling off Esquivel's style) is definitely a good candidate for irritating. But once again, it is not Exotica; it's late Atomic Age/early Space Age big band pop with a Hawaiian gesture (in the form of a slide guitar).

Post #292650 by DJ Terence Gunn on Sat, Mar 17, 2007 3:44 PM