Here is the melodica solo you've been asking for -- The Hondells "Hot Rod high" (1964)

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Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/04/28/here-is-the-melodic-a-solo-you.html

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I have no words.

Neither did the performer second from right.

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and the reason for no words:

not really a performer.

It’s a great wikipedia article, fwiw

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Indeed! a fascinating glimpse into the music biz of the day :notes:

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Is it me?

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Jebus!

That needs a hardcore chaser…

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“We got the best rods in any town”???

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Excellent. Would listen to that ten times before anything in the Top 40 now.

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Continuing the tradition of having nearly-30-year-olds sing songs about being in high school

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It’s so short I almost missed it.

Thanks. That helped.

The top 40 were always mostly shite. But at a certain age you‘re not aware of that, so you think it all went downhill from there. A common misconception.

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[/quote]

The top 40 were always mostly shite. But at a certain age you‘re not aware of that, so you think it all went downhill from there. A common misconception.
[/quote]

Perhaps, but I speak as someone who’s mostly enjoyed the Pop Top 40 from the 10 years before I was born, and through the 40 years after. As such, and just for me, the last 10 years have fairly well stunk (though, truthfully, I’m not much of a fan of the 70s either). If I want “artistic” music, I put on something Classical.

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Love that the show’s producers chose to simply focus on the near-static image of a guy blowing into a thing, just letting us imagine all that fancy finger-work.

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Well, that guy ain’t no Augustus Pablo, that’s for sure.

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The performance is lip synced, including the solo.
That is an electric organ and not the sound of a melodica.

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First, I’d like to say a few words about delicious Dentyne…which isn’t.

That car, not a great hot rod. No hot rod needs a horse.

Dick Clark’s hair looks like some sort of perfectly formed Plasticine. That was some effort put out by his hair people. And his hairline seems to be receding which I don’t remember when he was older?

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I want my three minutes back.

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Donald Fagen knows his way around a melodica, as for instance “Time Out of Mind”

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I’m pretty sure the guy in the buggy was actually in “Beach Blanket Bingo” as one of the gang and not just part of the the talent.

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The performance is lip synced

You don’t say.

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oh wow, I have this on MP3 (probably a SoulSeek/Kazaa acquisition when looking for The Rondells, as no one knew how to type)

And the Rondells did sing about cars, so it sorta made sense…

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