This week we play and discuss six (6!) songs by The Mascots, also known as the Swedish Beatles! Before there was ABBA, there were The Mascots, whose songs had that early Lennon/McCartney fairy dust. Tune in and you'll find your new favourite song!!

Too much freedom can be a bad thing, but not when it's us giving you several versions of The Rolling Stones' "I'm Free" from 1965! The original is a carefree song that strolls along, with a moment where the tune gets tripped up but quickly recovers. Then we have All-American boys The Lovin' Kind, whose version is organ-soaked, with a chorus really explodes! Next up is an amazing soul interpretation by Wilmer & The Dukes. Just listen to it, it'll knock your socks off! We feel obliged to do The Soup Dragons hit version from 1990 but ain't no way it's getting the BDA ... We cleanse the palate with The Ar-Kaics, a retro version from 2014. No whammy in that one!

Everyone's a winner in this episode, well, almost - only one will get the coveted Bo Diddley Award. At pole position is the original version by The Turtles, who could be tough when they wanted to be. And it's also the original cowbell clanger- take that, Blue Oyster Cult! The second horse in the race came out the same year as the original and it's by The Sounds Like Us. We waltz around this one a bit with a crucial digression about Motley Crue's original singer. The Bangles 1981 demo of the tune comes down the track and shows no signs of slowing down - they capture the rush to the finish line of the original. Also-rans include The Total Rejection and The Melvins - will they be first past the post? 

Each version of Jackie DeShannon's "Each Time" is a treasure! We start with Jackie's original 1964 demo, which swerves from the Spectorian template and adds Mexican mariachi horns ... with backing vocals by The Blossoms, it's a winner! The same year, The Bon Bon's made the song a proper Girl Group Great with some nice doo-wop touches and cash register percussion!(?)! The Searchers brought their 12-strings and harmonizing to the song and it's especially heartbreaking in the outro. Argentina's Grupo Uno translated the song into Spanish ("Vuelvete") and their intro really wows us - the whole song is velvety! In the early 80s, Seattle's new wave chick Leslee Swanson made a nice kitchen-sink version that follows the Searcher's recipe closely. Finally, in '88 Marti Jones came out with a rockin' version that cuts away a lot of the melancholy, to great effect! Always good, it's with us you belong!

This week we're listening to Huey "Piano" Smith & The Clowns 1958 hit "Don't You Just Know It" - an ebullient call-and-response rocker that's also a Goofy Great! The Fendermen's 1960 cover gives the song some Midwestern hillbilly hyuks and Cramp-y guitar. The song then crossed some ponds when Casey Jones & The Governors added the tune to their repertoire and changed the title to "Don't Ha Ha!" But they did! Oh, and Screaming Lord Sutch adds to the pandemonium and it's even produced by Joe Meek! It's fast and energetic. Finally, The Kingsmen slop the song up in their inimitable frat style in 1965 - you could have guessed! Bonus BDA version by Jimmy Jones & Little Eva - you can't lose with the stuff we use!

What the heck is Keith Richards doing on the Rolling Stones' "Empty Heart"? If you know him, ask him. The tune is a down n dirty bluesy number from the band's early days and even Ian Stewart gets in on the action. Thee Midniters did a groovy rendition in '65 - but are the happy horns too much? Later that same year The First Four covered the tune and hoo-boy! is it garagey!! Totally rockin' - and we rename the whole band to fit their sound ... Prepare for FUZZ!  when Florida's The Mods get their clean hands on the song. The lead singer has some lung power! The Wallflower Complexion had three guitarists and two of 'em are noodlin' all over their version, but all you need is that string-slingin' rhythm guitarist ... The Laughing Kind put out a weird take on the song that kinda sounds like The Hombres and features FUZZ Organ!! No stick!!

By request from Chris & Val of the Cavern Club, we're playing "Searchin'"  by The Coasters! It's a Table-Topper and a Goofy Great with an oompah beat and an amazing vocal performance by Billy Guy - what else do you want? On New Year's Day 1962, The Beatles recorded a version that wasn't released for years and that's because it stinks! Isn't the story that they honed their sound in the dirty clubs of Germany? They musta had too much NYE grog because you can't hear it here ... Next up is The Hollies who do a decent British Invasion verzh but it doesn't have the fairy dust it needs. Back to the States for Dick Dale's "Surfin'" - yes it's an adaptation but it doesn't really shoot the curl. Paul Revere & The Raiders's rendition leaves out the Mountie which might be a statement? Neal Ford & The Fanatics offer a subdued take that goes double-time, "Shout"-style at the end. Is 7 the lucky number? No! It's a 1968 (shudder!) track by The Tow-Away Zone and the best thing about them is the name ... stick to the original!!!

On this episode, we honour the 60s music of our home province, Alberta. We start on Jasper Avenue in Edmonton with two songs by The King-Beezz: a cover of The Kinks' "I Gotta Move" and their original "Found & Lost." Then we drive down Highway 2 to Calgary to hear The 49th Parallel's "Laborer." Maybe we'll stop at Peter's for a burger and shake before we go back to Edmonton and the rooftops of the local A&W drive-in's for "There Ain't No Doubt About It" by The Lords - Weldon's Mom & Dad used to dance to these cats at Varsity Hall in Sylvan Lake and at Ma-Me-O Beach! The final song is not garage or soul, but it was a big hit by Calgary's Original Caste - the ubiquitious oldies station staple "One Tin Soldier." Now get out of town!!

John & Bobby from The Gruesomes are not only back on the podcast, they are back with a NEW LP!! -- "The Dimension of Fear," which comes out on September 5 on Soundflat Records. To celebrate the joyous occasion, we listen to and discuss the insane garage classic, "Fluctuation," originally by Texas horndogs The Shades of Night- along with a 1982 cover by The Chesterfield Kings and a spankin' new rendition by The Gruesomes from the new platter. Plus, you get a preview of another, original tune by these Montreal marauders that'll damage your dome! If you got anything better than this episode, I'll buy a bunch of it!

Hark! What song through yonder window breaks? It is "(Just Like) Romeo & Juliet" by The Reflections, from 1964. It may be the last gasp of doo-wop, but what a way to go out! You wouldn't believe how many other houses have covered this song - let's start with The Fadin' Colours from the land of Shakespeare. They add fuzz!, horns, and a turbulent arrangement that matches the dramatic subject matter. Little Caesar & The Consuls are some Canucks who sped the song up and affixed some hillbilly hiccupin'! Lovers of Nuggets will expect Michael & The Messengers version and we won't disappoint - a great organ-driven garage number that deserves your ears, countrymen! Ultimate Spinach are strong to the finish with their '68 rendition - surprisingly tasty! Finally, the Fallen Angels revived the song in '75 (too bad they couldn't do the same for the main characters) and it's wisely slow - they stumble that run fast! (that's from the Bard himself!!) These violent delights have violent end!