I Need You So Bad

Allan I Need You So Bad 45 (Thimble, 1972)

This I know: Allan is French. The producer, Max Gazzola, is best known for his movie soundtracks and did some library music. This record was originally released in France in 1970. It did not chart in the US.

What I am guessing: Some smart ass and/or tin ear heard it while he/she was in France and thought, "The Kids will dig this" or "I hate my job, I hate my boss, I am about to be fired, fuck them, I'll put out this Allan single."

The sound: Another vocalist straight out of the "English as a second language/I really really dig Van Morrison" school of singology. Pay attention to the instrumental break because it sounds like the band is lost. I could have played the guitar solo. The drama is riveting. The flipside is an instrumental version!

I got this at my favorite record store. The owner got to know me as "The guy who buys bad records" after I blurted, "Wha-wha-what is THAT" as he ripped the needle off a Yaphet Kotto single with a "Wow! This is bad!" Well, one man's shit is another's shinola. When I asked him to put aside "bad" records for me, I was greeted with a box upon my return. One day I walked in the store and he got really excited. "I have the perfect record for you!" He put on Allan.

(Originally posted 6/15/05)

PS After listening to this classic a thousand or so times, I've discovered one more great thing about this record: The rhythm guitar. It is one of the mostly sickly guitars I've ever heard. It sounds like a box strung with rubber bands.