ZAL YANOVSKY
“Alive and Well in Argentina”
The Beatles were often compared to the Marx Brothers, especially after the release of their first feature film, A Hard Day’s Night. And while I don’t think the comparison is without merit, the closest thing to a Marx Brother in rock ’n’ roll, in my opinion, was harbored not in Liverpool, but in Greenwich Village. Of course, I can only be referring to the quite madcap Zal Yanovsky, lead guitarist for The Lovin’ Spoonful. (Though, to be fair, Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan of The Turtles are also contenders.) Now, although most pop fans are likely familiar with Yanovky’s mugging and prancing in clips of the Lovin’ Spoonful, many may be unaware, that shortly after leaving the Spoonful, he recorded a solo album, Alive and Well in Argentina.
Yanovsky began his musical career playing folk clubs in Toronto, where he met up with fellow Canadian Denny Doherty and together they formed The Halifax Three. Both Yanovzky and Doherty relocated to New York City, where they joined Cass Elliot in the short-lived but legendary Mugwumps (famously name-dropped in The Mamas and Papas’ autobiographical “Creeque Alley”). While The Mugwumps were disbanding, Yanovsky began performing with John Sebastian and shortly thereafter The Lovin’ Spoonful were formed. Beginning as a good-time jug-band, the Spoonful were a perfect fit for the light-hearted, fun-loving Yanovsky—but when Sebastian’s songwriting became both more personal and more sophisticated, Yanovsky grew dissatisfied. Indeed, when by all critical accounts Sebastian’s material was improving, Yanovsky actually sat Sebastian down to tell him that his songwriting was going “down the toilet.” Clearly, there were creative differences. Yanovsky left the Spoonful and returned to Canada where he began recording some solo tracks, seeking to recreate the early good-time feel of the early Spoonful. The resulting album, Alive and Well in Argentina, was released on Buddah in 1968 under his full name Zalman Yanovsky.
The album opens with a sound collage of animal sounds and the Canadian National Anthem, a brief prelude to “Raven in a Cage,” a rollicking blues written by Yanovsky and his replacement in the Spoonful, Jerry Yester. It’s laden with psychedelic touches that seem to belie Yanovsky’s desire to get back to good-time music, but the next track, a cover of Joe Jones’ “You Talk Too Much,” would pretty much fit right in on one of the early Spoonful albums, except perhaps for a dirty, squawking horn section. After that comes a fairly straight guitar version of Floyd Cramer’s piano instrumental “Last Date.” Though it’s a little rough around the edges, it’s one of my favorite cuts on the album. The covers continue, with Thurston Harris’ “Little Bitty Pretty One” up next and it’s a pretty freaky take—zany, but with vocals that are strained and nearly unhinged. The title track is another highlight, a real jug-band rave-up with prominent banjo and an assortment of odd percussion effects. It’s just as good as any of John Sebastian’s jug-band numbers.
Side two opens with a cover of George Jones’ almost-novelty number “Brown to Blue.” It’s given a loose, playful arrangement punctuated with orchestral chimes, of all things. Yanovsky gives a tip of the hat to his former bandmates by covering the Spoonful’s “Priscilla Millionaira,” a song that appeared on Everything’s Playing, the first Spoonful LP recorded after Yanovsky quit the band. It’s not quite as fun as Burton Cummings’ cover of “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet,” but it’s a joyful and energetic homage. The albums closes with three somewhat less interesting tracks, a cover of Ivory Joe Hunter’s “I Almost Lost My Mind,” an undisciplined reading of Yester’s bizarre “Hip Toad,” and a meandering—and very far-out—instrumental titled “Lt. Schtinckhausen.”
No singles were released from Alive and Well in Argentina, though Buddah did release a non-album track as a single at about the same time, “As Long As You’re Here.” The B-side was the A-side’s backing track, simply played backwards. I’d be curious if any sober person has listened to the entire track—I have, but only for science. In 1970, the album was reissued on Kama Sutra, with new (and better) artwork and with “As Long as You’re Here” added as the last song on side one. The reissued album fared no better chart-wise, but did correct the error of excluding the single from the original issue.
Yanovsky would not release any more solo material. He went on to play with Kris Kristofferson briefly, but Yanovsky’s frustrations with the politics and injustices of the music business led him to pack it in. He and his wife opened a successful restaurant in Kingston, Ontario, called Chez Piggy, and although he had for all intents and purposes left the music business, there were occasional Lovin’ Spoonful reunions along the way (most notably, for Paul Simon’s movie, One Trick Pony in 1980 and for the band’s Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2000). Sadly and unexpectedly, Yanovsky died of a heart attack in 2002.
Alive and Well in Argentina was reissued on CD by Rev-Ola in 2010 and is currently in print and easy to find. The original vinyl sells for about $15-20, though copies can be difficult to come by. If you are a fan of the oddball or, of course, The Lovin’ Spoonful, this one is for you!
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Pop Pioneer and “Lost Treasures” writer, Peter Marston is the leader of long-running power pop band, Shplang, whose most recent album, “My Big Three Wheeler” has been described as “the Beatles meet Zappa in pop-psych Sumo match.” Peter has a new project in 2015 under the name MARSTON. Marston have a track on the latest “Power Pop Planet – Volume 5” compilation just out now and available at: www.PopGeekHeavenStore.com.
CHECK OUT SHPLANG out at this link: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/shplang
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LINKS:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zal_Yanovsky
All Music Guide: http://www.allmusic.com/album/alive-and-well-in-argentina-mw0001879812
Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/Zal-Yanovsky-Alive-And-Well-In-Argentina/release/3300169
Another Blog Post: http://greatbutforgotten.blogspot.com/2013/10/alive-and-well-in-argentina-music.html
VIDEO:
RAVEN IN A CAGE
ALMOST LOST MY MIND
