Classic Albums #7: Lemonheads 'it's a shame about Ray'

screamingskull · 07.02.2007, 10:39 AM

It's a Shame about Ray is an album by The Lemonheads. It was released on June 2, 1992 (see 1992 in music). Tom Morgan of Australian band Smudge helped author the album, and Juliana Hatfield played bass.
After its initial release, the album was re-issued with a cover of "Mrs. Robinson", originally by Simon & Garfunkel, which was released as a single. The song had been recorded after the other tracks, with a different bass player. Pressure from the record label also caused the title of the song "My Drug Buddy" to be reduced to the less-provocative "Buddy" when the album was reissued.
"Alison's Starting to Happen" refers to Alison Galloway, the drummer for Smudge.
The album also includes a cover of the song "Frank Mills" from the musical Hair.
The band performed the album in its entirety at London's Shepherds Bush Empire on September 14 and 15, 2005, as part of All Tomorrow's Parties' Don't Look Back series of concerts. The cover of "Mrs. Robinson," a song that Dando grew tired of after its popularity, was missing from the setlist.
"Confetti" and the title track were also released as singles in the UK.

Track listing

(All songs by Evan Dando unless otherwise stated.)
1)"Rockin Stroll"
2)"Confetti"
3)"It's A Shame About Ray" (Words by Dando/Tom Morgan, music by Dando)
4)"Rudderless"
5)"My Drug Buddy"
6)"The Turnpike Down"
7)"Bit Part" (Words by Dando/Morgan, music by Dando)
8)"Alison's Starting To Happen"
9)"Hannah & Gabi"
10)"Kitchen" (Nic Dalton)
11)"Ceiling Fan In My Spoon"
12)"Frank Mills" (James Rado, Jerome Ragni, Arthr MacDermot)
13)"Mrs. Robinson" (Paul Simon)

The song "Mrs. Robinson" did not appear on original versions of the album.

ALL HAIL KING EVAN

king_buzzo · 07.02.2007, 10:42 AM

awesome album!

gmku · 07.02.2007, 10:45 AM

This one slipped by me in 1992. I remember always wanting to pick it up but never got around to it. I'll have to watch for it.

screamingskull · 07.02.2007, 10:46 AM

you will love it gmku, it is pop and guitars and rock, beautiful songs.

king_buzzo · 07.02.2007, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmku

This one slipped by me in 1992. I remember always wanting to pick it up but never got around to it. I'll have to watch for it.

i took one out of the library once, it was great but i forgot to burn it

screamingskull · 07.02.2007, 10:51 AM

i bought it in 2001 based completely on the font cover! and just loved it to death, i have seen them/him 3 times now. and i have all their/his albums.

gmku · 07.02.2007, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by screamingskull

you will love it gmku, it is pop and guitars and rock, beautiful songs.

Thanks, Screamingskull. Sounds like my cup of tea.

screamingskull · 07.02.2007, 10:55 AM

you can't really call them the lemonheads though, it's really just the beautiful and talented Evan Dando, he writes everything.

Rob Instigator · 07.02.2007, 11:12 AM

here is evan dando, human turd in the toilet of popular music.
'sall I'm gonna say on this thread.

screamingskull · 07.02.2007, 01:36 PM

It's a shame, if Evan Dando was ugly you guys would probably give the lemonheads a second chance, But because he is handsome, but straight away assume their music is shit.

Savage Clone · 07.02.2007, 01:40 PM

too Soon.

screamingskull · 07.02.2007, 01:43 PM

what it has to be older that 15 years to be considered a classic?

Savage Clone · 07.02.2007, 01:45 PM

Personally, I advocate a 20 year waiting period.
Even then, this would still be pretty weak music to me.
And I never thought Dando was really all that handsome, even. Never got why he was considered such a heartthrob.

screamingskull · 07.02.2007, 01:48 PM

i don't agree with one word you just said.

Glice · 07.02.2007, 01:48 PM

I'm also in favour of a 20 year period. Mainly because I don't like a lot of early-90s music.

Hang on... I don't like a lot of things, ignore me.

screamingskull · 07.02.2007, 01:50 PM

well i also made a Todd Rundgren Something/Anything thread for the classic's list, but people didn't like that either.

http://www.sonicyouth.com/gossip/showthread.php?t=14265

that albums 35 years old.

Savage Clone · 07.02.2007, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by screamingskull

It's a shame, if Evan Dando was ugly you guys would probably give the lemonheads a second chance, But because he is handsome, but straight away assume their music is shit.

Not so.
I like Japan, for god's sake, and a bigger bunch of made-up prettyboys is hard to think of.

As for Rundgren, I don't dig that stuff personally, but I'll go ahead and agree to a couple of his albums being classics because of the techniques they employed and Todd's unique and identifiable approach to recording.

Rob Instigator · 07.02.2007, 02:12 PM

fuck the lemonheads. my distaste for them has nothing to do with evan and everything to do with the sound of soft indie-wuss-rocking GRATES on my ears. the lemonheads are everything the butthole surfers and sonic youth and dinosaur and big black DESTROYED with their abrasive ROCK!

screamingskull · 07.02.2007, 02:50 PM

yeah sure, they really destroyed it huh?

eatmychild · 07.02.2007, 02:59 PM

This is the first and only album I bought and heard of the Lemondheads (for £5) I only picked it up cuz Thurston sings Lemonheads in Screaming Skull.

It's got some inoffensive airy strummy nothing pop songs on. I guess it's ok if you're falling asleep, but classic album #7? :O

07.02.2007, 10:39 AM	#1
screamingskull invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: england Posts: 5,580	It's a Shame about Ray is an album by The Lemonheads. It was released on June 2, 1992 (see 1992 in music). Tom Morgan of Australian band Smudge helped author the album, and Juliana Hatfield played bass. After its initial release, the album was re-issued with a cover of "Mrs. Robinson", originally by Simon & Garfunkel, which was released as a single. The song had been recorded after the other tracks, with a different bass player. Pressure from the record label also caused the title of the song "My Drug Buddy" to be reduced to the less-provocative "Buddy" when the album was reissued. "Alison's Starting to Happen" refers to Alison Galloway, the drummer for Smudge. The album also includes a cover of the song "Frank Mills" from the musical Hair. The band performed the album in its entirety at London's Shepherds Bush Empire on September 14 and 15, 2005, as part of All Tomorrow's Parties' Don't Look Back series of concerts. The cover of "Mrs. Robinson," a song that Dando grew tired of after its popularity, was missing from the setlist. "Confetti" and the title track were also released as singles in the UK. Track listing (All songs by Evan Dando unless otherwise stated.) 1)"Rockin Stroll" 2)"Confetti" 3)"It's A Shame About Ray" (Words by Dando/Tom Morgan, music by Dando) 4)"Rudderless" 5)"My Drug Buddy" 6)"The Turnpike Down" 7)"Bit Part" (Words by Dando/Morgan, music by Dando) 8)"Alison's Starting To Happen" 9)"Hannah & Gabi" 10)"Kitchen" (Nic Dalton) 11)"Ceiling Fan In My Spoon" 12)"Frank Mills" (James Rado, Jerome Ragni, Arthr MacDermot) 13)"Mrs. Robinson" (Paul Simon) The song "Mrs. Robinson" did not appear on original versions of the album. ALL HAIL KING EVAN
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

07.02.2007, 10:42 AM	#2
king_buzzo invito al cielo Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 11,110	awesome album!
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

07.02.2007, 10:45 AM	#3
gmku invito al cielo Join Date: May 2006 Location: Oxford, England Posts: 15,225	This one slipped by me in 1992. I remember always wanting to pick it up but never got around to it. I'll have to watch for it. __________________ Ever notice how this place just basically, well, sucks.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

07.02.2007, 10:46 AM	#4
screamingskull invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: england Posts: 5,580	you will love it gmku, it is pop and guitars and rock, beautiful songs.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

07.02.2007, 10:51 AM	#6
screamingskull invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: england Posts: 5,580	i bought it in 2001 based completely on the font cover! and just loved it to death, i have seen them/him 3 times now. and i have all their/his albums.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

07.02.2007, 10:55 AM	#8
screamingskull invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: england Posts: 5,580	you can't really call them the lemonheads though, it's really just the beautiful and talented Evan Dando, he writes everything.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

07.02.2007, 11:12 AM	#9
Rob Instigator invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: In the land of the Instigator Posts: 27,991	here is evan dando, human turd in the toilet of popular music. 'sall I'm gonna say on this thread. __________________ RXTT's Intellectual Journey - my new blog where I talk about all the books I read.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

07.02.2007, 01:36 PM	#10
screamingskull invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: england Posts: 5,580	It's a shame, if Evan Dando was ugly you guys would probably give the lemonheads a second chance, But because he is handsome, but straight away assume their music is shit.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

07.02.2007, 01:40 PM	#11
Savage Clone invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 11,290	too Soon.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

07.02.2007, 01:43 PM	#12
screamingskull invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: england Posts: 5,580	what it has to be older that 15 years to be considered a classic?
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

07.02.2007, 01:45 PM	#13
Savage Clone invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 11,290	Personally, I advocate a 20 year waiting period. Even then, this would still be pretty weak music to me. And I never thought Dando was really all that handsome, even. Never got why he was considered such a heartthrob.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

07.02.2007, 01:48 PM	#14
screamingskull invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: england Posts: 5,580	i don't agree with one word you just said.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

07.02.2007, 01:50 PM	#16
screamingskull invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: england Posts: 5,580	well i also made a Todd Rundgren Something/Anything thread for the classic's list, but people didn't like that either. http://www.sonicyouth.com/gossip/showthread.php?t=14265 that albums 35 years old.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

07.02.2007, 02:12 PM	#18
Rob Instigator invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: In the land of the Instigator Posts: 27,991	fuck the lemonheads. my distaste for them has nothing to do with evan and everything to do with the sound of soft indie-wuss-rocking GRATES on my ears. the lemonheads are everything the butthole surfers and sonic youth and dinosaur and big black DESTROYED with their abrasive ROCK! __________________ RXTT's Intellectual Journey - my new blog where I talk about all the books I read.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

07.02.2007, 02:50 PM	#19
screamingskull invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: england Posts: 5,580	yeah sure, they really destroyed it huh?
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

07.02.2007, 02:59 PM	#20
eatmychild children of satan Join Date: May 2006 Location: The Shire Posts: 321	This is the first and only album I bought and heard of the Lemondheads (for £5) I only picked it up cuz Thurston sings Lemonheads in Screaming Skull. It's got some inoffensive airy strummy nothing pop songs on. I guess it's ok if you're falling asleep, but classic album #7? :O __________________ I survived Encephalitus Lethargica and all I got were these lousy Parkinsonian symptoms.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|