On the second day of LOUIE LOUIE 2020 Christmas, someone gave to me…
SMOKY & THE BEARS!
I’m not sure what to think about Smoky & the Bears. There’s nothing here that acknowledges Smokey Bear, the legendary advertising icon that spoke out on behalf of the U.S. Forest Service.
This isn’t even a real LOUIE LOUIE, but merely a cheap knock-off called “We Together Baby” that combines Richard Berry‘s unforgettable composition with “Soul Finger,” a catchy number by the Bar-Kays without giving credit to either one of ’em.
Jack Eskew took credit as the writer and arranger for this 1967 record that was released on the Dore record label
This is kind of like a present one would give when they can’t afford or find the real thing. It’s like the cheap Gucci bag being sold on the street corner or the crappy DVD of a major blockbuster movie captured by some guy with a camcorder at a movie theater.
Then again, it’s a gift. It may reek of cheapness, but it’s something.. which is better than nothing, as it is truly the thought that counts…
… and Smoky & the Bears IS a cool name for a band!
(still no partridge or pear trees, but we got 10 more days to go…)