The Merry-Go-Round, "She Laughed Loud" c/w "Had To Run Around," A&M 886 (rel. 10/1967; withdrawn)

Emitt Rhodes was a polarizing performer. Ya either love him or you don't get him. His fixation on the general vibe of Paul McCartney's songwriting style and vocal approach now seems an act of insecurity, as if the writer-singer-musician didn't trust his own instincts. It was no crime to make Beatlesque pop music in 1967: it was au courant and, in many cases, these footstep-followers left their own mark on their material.
   Rhodes' talent as a melodist and lyricist is obvious; he didn't need to resort to mimicry. He was 17 at the time these tracks were created and recorded and would find his own voice after his group The Merry-Go-Round ended in 1968 as a solo artist with three albums for Dunhill Records.
    Rhodes got into recorded music as the drummer for a popular LA garage band The Palace Guard. At 14, he pounded the skins on the group's singles, including the regional hit "Falling Sugar." None of Rhodes' original songs were recorded by the group, and he left to form a new band that would focus on his Beatle-inspirted pop material. He drafted Joel Larson, Gary Kato and Bill Rinehart, all veterans of the LA rock 'n' roll scene, and got the band signed to A&M Records. They had local hits with "Live" and "You're a Very Lovely Woman." These two singles failed to crack the national market much; "Live" got to #63 and "Very" fizzled out at #94.
    The group's album, issued in September 1967, is a favorite LP of garage and sunshine pop collectors. Its mixture of naive pop songs and more weighty ballads is a most pleasant listen. Rhodes' taskmaster personality grated on the other band members, but their recordings are solid material.
    Post-LP, Rhodes continued to write new songs. "She Laughed Loud" wears its influences on its sleeve. Elements from several Beatles songs reverberate in its story about a nervous klutz eager to make good on a first date and going all Barney Fife on his would-be girl. Despite his nebbishy behavior, the woman finds him delightful. Her laughter startles him, but hey! He's in, despite himself.
    The lyric is full of colorful details and reveals much about its main character, who narrates as if he were writing his memoirs. There's a lot to unpack in this lyric and it's delivered with a matter-of-factness that adds to its appeal. As would happen with composer Rhodes so often, the single was ignored, save a few devoted fans who got what he was doing. "She Laughed Loud" is one of the lost gems of late-stage LA folk-rock.

This is a bit late for the Jukebox, so we see a revamped Cash Box with simpler reviews still riddled with their unique jargon. A&M Records couldn't decide on a B-side for this fall 1967 single and took one of the best tracks from the group's LP. The single was soon reissued with a new catalog number and a new track which split radio play and resulted in a flop.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/0ss9hy654t6m2nn4g7gix/2246a.mp3?rlkey=zkqwj5mb12d2qktta2317a8dm&st=vdzwgamb&dl=0

From the recent LP, "Had to Run Around" was selected as the first B-side. This three and a half minute ballad is a little masterpiece of LA folk-rock. Its narrator is more confident here, as he lambasts an unscrupulous lover who won't stay true to him. This POV was stern for the year of the Summer of Love, but the delicate layers of vocal harmonies and stately tempo create a haunting recording that is unlike anything else the group made. A deep cut, to be sure, but its overall vibe is impressive and it's likely to haunt you, if you like Rhodes' music.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/4efgeulgn8dcpg1u2yrj3/2246b.mp3?rlkey=nf0tfwt3mxm5gf0nf0vwtol2q&st=uvtklddb&dl=0

The B-side was replaced with another new song, "Come Ride, Come Ride," a dramatic ballad with strings and an ambitious melody and arrangement. All to no avail; the public wasn't interested. A&M kept the group on through 1968; they understood the quality of the work. It was perhaps too understated and delicate for the current, more bombastic sounds of hard rock and soul.
    Rhodes got critical acclaim for his three solo LPs, which he produced in his home studio, where he played every part. Still living with his parents, Rhodes bought a vacant house across the street and established a studio in its garage. In essence, he was the first DIY rock 'n' roll artist. What younger musicians can now do anywhere, with minimal equipment, Rhodes achieved on one four-track reel-to-reel tape recorder. The single from the first solo LP, "Fresh as a Daisy," got to the middle of the pop charts--Rhodes' biggest hit as a performer.
    He taxed the patience of Dunhill Records by taking his sweet time to get everything just right; deadlines were ignored, though the results were considered worth the extra time. They let him go in 1973. Though Rhodes still wrote and recorded material at home, he no longer performed. In the late 1970s, he became a producer for Elektra Records, where he attempted a comeback album that was cancelled. A new female band, The Bangles, courted him as producer but he declined. They covered "Live" on their debut album. Because of the restrictive contract he had with Dunhill Records, Rhodes received no songwriter royalties from this much-heard cover. 
    In 1999, he produced a new album for Rocktopia Records; they went under before it could be released. In 2000, film director Wes Anderson used his song "Lullaby" in his film The Royal Tenenbaums. Again, Rhodes was barred from collecting royalties. Anderson and others helped him untangle the red tape in his contract and he was able to collect long-overdue payment for his music.
    In 2015 Emmit Rhodes made his comeback. The album, Rainbow Ends, was critically acclaimed; things looked good for him until he cancelled a scheduled tour. He refused to travel; this must have vexed those who'd tried their hardest to help him return to the spotlight.
    Emitt Rhodes died in his sleep in 2020. In his later years, depression and struggles with drugs and alcohol troubled him. His music is more appreciated now that it ever was in his lifetime; that seems to be the fate of some creators. And so it goes...

Tomorrow: A very early Motown recording, issued on Chess Records in 1958, that presages The Miracles' debut single. Smokey Robinson sings as half of Ron & Bill on a scarce, curious single that UK soul snobs hate with a passion.