Tuesday, September 5, 2017

More U.K. Obscurities On U.S. Labels: The Nashville Teens

THE NASHVILLE TEENS-Words/That's My Woman US MGM  K13678 1967



















The Nashville Teens had one sole hit in the US, August 1964's "Tobacco Road" which reached # 14. By 1967 their ship had sailed both in the U.K. and the U.S. Their 8th U.K. 45 (Decca F 12542) "That's My Woman"/"Words"  was issued in Britain in January 1967.  Issued in the U.S. one month later MGM decided to flip the 45 putting the stronger "Words" on the A-side. It made little difference as it failed to chart.

"Words" is the stronger of the two in my book. Led by some slick horns and muted fuzz guitars and almost disembodied backing vocals that shriek out "Words!" it's probably one of the freakiest things they ever cut and certainly their most soulful.  The horns and fuzz guitars make it a strong contender for the "freakbeat" moniker.

















"That's My Woman" had previously been tackled by The V.I.P.'s (curiously as a US only release as "The Vipps" on Mercury the previous year). Both versions share the same formula but the Teens version starts with the blistering fuzzed out "Love Is Strange" lick as an intro and though not as strong as the V.I.P's take it's still a decent version. Though uncredited on the US release Shel Talmy produced by sides

Both tracks can be found on two out of print Nashville Teens CD comps "Tobacco Road " and "The Best Of 1964-1969".

Hear "Words":

https://youtu.be/QcmhNLv---I

Hear "That's My Woman": 

https://youtu.be/V5Ch5-Nobco


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