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June 11, 2008
Retrohump Night: Sparks Heaven
Of all the records in my collection, old and new, the one getting the most consistent play these days might be Sparks' lean six song masterpiece No. 1 in Heaven (1979). I've been fairly evangelical on this site about my love for the neo-disco flooding in from the Italians Do it Better and DFA labels, but trust me when I say that this is stronger stuff still. "Giorgio Moroder just did twelve lines of coke and he needs the song to be tighter!" strong. Of course, this won't come as a surprise to long time readers of the site, as Prof. Klein did grant the unstoppable title track the great honor of launching Numerology. But with my own obsession currently in full swing, it seemed time to consult the web for footage of the always visually.....uh....compelling Ron and Russell Mael in their prime.
Sparks - "The No. 1 Song in Heaven"
This video's version of heaven is basically just a cloud with two extra Ronalds. As that means he can play all of the crazy synth parts at once and provide three times as many deeply disturbing glances straight into the camera, I commend the vision. On the other hand, the last thing I want to see after I "die crossing the street" is three synth Hitlers staring me down.
Sparks - "No. 1 Song in Heaven"
The creep factor for "Young Girls," a stand out from the band's second Moroder produced album Terminal Jive was already pretty high. I mean, the lyric sheet goes like this:
I like their arms I like their legs I like their lips Their widening hips Their radios They live at home They don't have cars I have a home I have a car They like that, they like thatYoung girls haven't seen the whole night
And they hold you, though it might not be tight
And they will kiss you, though it might not be right
Because they're young girls
Clearly, it doesn't need any help being skeevy, but YouTube just couldn't leave well enough alone...
Sparks - "Young Girls"
(fan video)
This is perhaps the only thing creepier than seeing the dudes perform it themselves would have been.
After the jump some more odds and ends, including the Maels' rad cameo from the now dearly departed Gilmore Girls and a two song performance from the 1977 disaster film Rollercoaster, in which we learn A: that diffusing a bomb is a lot tougher to concentrate on when Ronald is smashing a piano stool in the distance and B: that the loathsome Helen Hunt was once sort of cute...
Sparks perform "Perfume" on Gilmore Girls
Sparks perform "Fill 'er Up" and "Big Boy" from the 1977 film Rollercoaster
(part 1)
(part 2)
Posted by Jeff Klingman at June 11, 2008 09:00 PM
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Comments
As much as I tried to hate No.1 (oh JK...you know it's got some major uncool styles to it) I couldn't help but find my moneymaker movin' to the grovin'.
Posted by: Kelli Douglas at June 11, 2008 11:07 PM
I think Sparks is way cool.
Posted by: Jeff K at June 11, 2008 11:16 PM
Hitler dude looks like Eamon a bit. Kelli you are a big nerd!
Posted by: Sebastian at June 12, 2008 12:55 AM
Drinking while working late can cause odd comments to come up on Merry Swankster. The guy looks more like a Hitler Daniel Day Lewis.
Posted by: Kelli at June 12, 2008 09:40 AM
