Barely Breaking Even
27 April 2008
Photo courtesy of snowstorm on Flickr
Universal Robot Band - Barely Breaking EvenYou could say this is "off the beaten path" in terms of what I regularly post but it reminds me of the time I went on a job interview and I was perplexed by the notion of writing about dance music without being able to discuss electro, techno, house and so forth. What do you mean? So naive it's embarrassing. Dance music comes in all forms and this is just an excellent example; a funk-soul-disco gem originally released in 1982 with an all too familiar "moog squelch" and lyrics that I think all of us Americans with our devalued currency and outrageous gasoline prices can relate to:
"Maybe it's the systemGreg Carmichael, Patrick Adams and Leroy Burgess were the trio behind Universal Robot Band who first scored a hit in 1976 with "Dance and Shake Your Tambourine" (pretty stellar cover art plus JD Twitch of Optimo previously remixed the track as well). "Barely Breaking Even" was recorded after the group had already split but then reformed in the '80s. Luckily Moonglow repressed this essential underground classic in 2005 so you can rest your crate-digging fingers. Being broke and downtrodden never felt like much of an excuse to dance, but here's one 11 minute reason to.
Maybe it's the cost of living
Every single weekend
I never know where the money goes
Still I'm always giving
And I'm just barely breaking even
I've got to get some for myself"
Posted by La Decadanse @ 00:49 |
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2 Comments:
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At 5:50 PM EDT,
Will said...
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a wonderful jam, for sure. sounds more relevant than half the new records i buy!
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At 7:19 PM EDT,
said...
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Tipping the bartenders with Canadian quarters, 1 Euro or 100 Yen coins. Is sure to get wide smiles in NYC.
