ALBUMS: Tales of the New West (1985), Van Go (1986)
MVC Rating: ‘Tales’ 4.0/$$, Van Go 3.0/$$
Now this group I haven’t listened to in more than a decade but I remember a time in the 1980s that some of my close Birmingham News friends thought this (first record anyway) was the greatest thing since sliced beets. We even had a tradition that lasted years where we passed around a can of beets. Never opened it mind you, just passed it along, the same can.
I don’t know how it started exactly but at the height of Beat Farmer mania, someone bought a can of beets to a party held by say Will and Adele. So then Bob and Tondee have a party and guess what: Will has a can of beets behind his back. Surprise! Beets! Tag you’re it!
(I know it, sounds like a B-52’s song but that’s what happens when you are living in your own private Idaho). This little beet shenanigans was going on about 1985-86
When the Beat Farmers came to Birmingham we all went to the Nick to see them. Or was it still the The Wooden Nickel at that time? Anyway, the band lived up to its reputation as being one of the best bar bands anywhere.
I have to say, and stop me if you can, but I truly believe that The Beat Farmers’ style was rootsy, and grounded in the beat.
And they were funny. If not a little profane.
Their funny songs were often sung by the now deceased Country Dick Montana, who had to be midway between 6 and 7 feet tall and had a bass voice so low, it made the china chatter when we put one of his songs on in the house. Here’s a sample lyric from California Kid with Country Dick on beat vocals (at the risk of revealing what we all thought was funny when we were 20-somethings.
She undid my boots, she untied my jeans
She untied my tubes I had tied in my teens
‘Bout that time the front door was kicked in
And there stood some scumball all covered in sin
He said “that’s my woman” I said “that’s no lie”
I blew a hole in him just as big as the sky
I got my Colt Forty Five, right by my side
I’m the California Kid, I hope you’re quite prepared to die
Whew! The Beat Farmers ladies and gentlemen.
They also had a song called Happy Boy which was silly enough to be a regular feature on the Dr. Demento show.
Country Dick died Nov. 8, 1996 with his boots on in the middle of a song, massive heart attack at age 40.
The video below will feature one of their more ‘normal’ songs.
Counting down my 678 vinyl records before I die of brain disease.