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American listeners tend to remember Shocking Blue as the one-hit wonder behind the chart-topper "Venus," a melting pot of rock rhythms, country guitar licks, organ riffs, and Mariska Veres' heavily accented vocals. Sounding something like a cross between "96 Tears" and "Sugar, Sugar," "Venus" was not entirely representative of the group's first album, At Home. Like their fellow countrymen Golden Earring, Shocking Blue purveyed a mild strain of psychedelic rock, but leaned more toward country and folk music than bubblegum. Guitarist and principal songwriter Robby Van Leeuwen was already preoccupied with Americana at this early stage, from "Harley Davidson" and "California Here I Come" to a surprising rendition of the folk song "Boll Weevil" that sets the traditional lyrics to music reminiscent of the Easybeats' "Good Times." (The group's country music fixation would manifest itself more overtly on later albums). Van Leeuwen's sitar is pictured on the album cover and dominates the instrumental "Acka Raga," but, thankfully, is not overused. "Mighty Joe" and "Never Marry a Railroad Man" were minor U.S. chart hits that few people remember, but "Love Buzz" gained a measure of fame decades later when Nirvana covered it. Veres has great presence -- like a gypsy incarnation of Grace Slick -- but Van Leeuwen's English-language lyrics can be awkward at times. On "Venus," all the components clicked perfectly into place, but there is much more to Shocking Blue than their biggest hit.
]Shocking Blue
At Home
2000.09.27; Repertoire (Germany); REP 4041
TITLE COMPOSER
1. Boll Weevil ······························· Robby van Leeuwen
2. I'll Write Your Name Thru The Fire ········ Robby van Leeuwen
3. Acka Raga ·········································· J. Mayer
4. Love Machine ······························ Robby van Leeuwen
5. I'm A Woman ······························· Robby van Leeuwen
6. Venus ····································· Robby van Leeuwen
7. California Here I Come ···················· Robby van Leeuwen
8. Poor Boy ·································· Robby van Leeuwen
9. Long And Lonesome Road ···················· Robby van Leeuwen
10. Love Buzz ································· Robby van Leeuwen
11. The Butterfly And I ······················· Robby van Leeuwen
12. Harley Davidson ··························· Robby van Leeuwen
13. Fireball Of Love ·························· Robby van Leeuwen
14. Hot Sand ·································· Robby van Leeuwen
15. Wild Wind ································· Robby van Leeuwen
[/pre]
Made under license from Red Bullet International B.V.
Restored and remastered by EROC at the Ranch
Originally released in 1969 on Pink Elephant Records.
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