Listening to the radio recently, I heard these two seventies hits (1972 and 1976). They came together in my mind as I like both pieces but have never bought either and have rarely heard them on radio. Both are more or less one hit wonders.
American rock band Jo Jo Gunne was formed in Los Angeles in 1971 by Jay Ferguson (keyboards, vocals, guitar) and Mark Andes (bass guitar, vocals) after they had left the band Spirit. The name is from "Joe Joe Gunne" a Chuck Berry single from November 1958.
Ferguson and Andes, with Mark's brother Matt (guitar, vocals) and William "Curly" Smith (drums, vocals, harp), were signed to Asylum Records. Written by Ferguson "Run Run Run" reached Number 6 in the UK and was from Jo Jo Gunne's first self-titled album. More albums and various personnel changes followed. The song has completely inconsequential lyrics, a very poppy tune, nice use of the slide guitar and features competent guitar band musicianship.
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Oxford born David Dundas is a genuine Lord, the son of Lawrence Dundas, 3rd Marquess of Zetland. Educated at Harrow and the Central School of Speech and Drama, twice married, he has three grown up children.
The single Jeans On was from his 1977 self-titled debut album. It reached No. 3 in the UK. It was No. 1 in the German Singles Charts and remained 19 weeks in the Top Ten. It originally appeared as a TV advertising jingle for Brutus Jeans. The popularity of the commercial eventually led to the recording of Jeans On as a full-length song, with some lyrical changes. Dundas also recorded a French language version entitled Blue Jeans. He performed the song live on Top of the Pops in 1977. Other singles followed but none was as successful as the first.
The opening piano riff was looped and sampled for British electronic musician Fatboy Slim's 1998 track "Sho Nuff" which was also used in an advertisement in 2006 for the SEAT Ibiza car. As a result, Dundas is credited as a co-writer on the track.
The song is covered by Keith Urban on the 2002 album Golden Road.
The song, written by Dundas, with assistance from the prolific Roger Greenaway, is again wonderful pop, well executed, this time electric piano driven rather than guitar led. The lyrics are slightly less inconsequential but appear to be thought up on the spot. They include these words "You and me, we'll go motorbike riding in the sun and the wind and the rain, I got money in my pocket, got a tiger in my tank And I'm king of the road again."
The single Jeans On was from his 1977 self-titled debut album. It reached No. 3 in the UK. It was No. 1 in the German Singles Charts and remained 19 weeks in the Top Ten. It originally appeared as a TV advertising jingle for Brutus Jeans. The popularity of the commercial eventually led to the recording of Jeans On as a full-length song, with some lyrical changes. Dundas also recorded a French language version entitled Blue Jeans. He performed the song live on Top of the Pops in 1977. Other singles followed but none was as successful as the first.
The opening piano riff was looped and sampled for British electronic musician Fatboy Slim's 1998 track "Sho Nuff" which was also used in an advertisement in 2006 for the SEAT Ibiza car. As a result, Dundas is credited as a co-writer on the track.
The song is covered by Keith Urban on the 2002 album Golden Road.
The song, written by Dundas, with assistance from the prolific Roger Greenaway, is again wonderful pop, well executed, this time electric piano driven rather than guitar led. The lyrics are slightly less inconsequential but appear to be thought up on the spot. They include these words "You and me, we'll go motorbike riding in the sun and the wind and the rain, I got money in my pocket, got a tiger in my tank And I'm king of the road again."
"Put a tiger in your tank" was a slogan created in 1959 by Emery Smith, a young Chicago copywriter who had been briefed to produce a newspaper ad to boost sales of Esso Extra.
The tiger wasn't his invention. It first appeared as a mascot for Esso in Norway early in the 20th century. It was at the end of the Second World War - and the resumption of petrol advertising - that the tiger made its US debut. King of the road was a single by country singer Roger Miller that came out in 1965.
