Re: why all the ripping of Squeeze Box?

[Alan McKendree <amck@thenetdr.com>]

>Date: Sat, 08 Sep 2001 03:10:55 +0000
>From: "L. Bird" <pkeets@hotmail.com>
>
>
>For all that Whofans complain about this song, it's very popular for covers.
>  Must have some attraction.  Sly smut?  Easy to play?

Easy to play -- three chords, moderate tempo, and no punchy chords, key or
tempo changes or anger that might require even moderate talent or
showmanship.  The hardest thing about it musically is the banjo solo which
no cover band I've heard does, anyway.  The only redeeming things about it
are Keith's drumming and the jam opportunities in performance, but those
would be present in any Who song anyway.  Only the barest nod at a middle
eight ("She goes 'squeeze me, come on squeeze me...'")  Easy-to-learn,
shallow lyrics.  And it was a big hit for them, thus a safe one for a cover
band to play -- high audience recognition.  (No one was more surprised
about this than Pete, who said it was just a ditty he dashed off and
astoundingly  enough the US public made it a hit...daft punters.)  Sly smut
-- sure, a crowd-pleaser, however mindless <cue Beavis> huhhuhhuhhuh, he
sang "in and out".  Doesn't require any thought. In short, the very
opposite of everything I love about The Who (some slight credit for the
double-entendres, but minus for their corniness).  In short: blech.

Wa-oo,

Alan

"Never never hesitate, communicate, communicate..." --Pete Townshend