Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Hooray, up she rises (Country Joe McDonald) # 91

Country Joe Mcdonald Save The Whales!Oh, Jamaica (Fantasy, K6355, 1975)

Country Joe had an interesting career as a solo performer after the split with the Fish. Interesting is an interesting word. It is a weasel word in some senses - his career wobbled and finally collapsed (in terms of commercial potential and critical acclaim - he's still alive and well and putting out albums) under the weight of all the increased activism after his turn at Woodstock.

His album Goodbye Blues (which I like a lot, bear in mind) is a lot like Lennon's Sometime In New York City - a potpourri of good causes but when all lumped together it comes across a little like rent-a-cause.

Still - you can't help admire the energy and the good intention that Joe puts into songs like Save The Whales.

Hidden gem: The B side comes from a previous album - Paradise With An Ocean View and it's a curious choice for a B side. It's a cod reggae paean to er...Jamaica and Jamaican weed (mon). Ho hum!


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