The Motels: classic or dud

They are both so cal, aren't they?

http://www.marthadavis.com/

Still doing shows and by all accounts they've been great!

"Well I don't remember
all I know is it makes me feel good now
It's like I told you
Only the Lonely
Only The Lonely can play"

That is one of my top ten fave songs of all time.

whither Total Control and Take The L Out Of Lover

Just heard "Suddenly Last Summer" over the PA at Walgreens. Wasn't really a big Motels fan back in the day, but the next time I hit a used record store with a shitload of 1980's singles, I'm definitely tracking that song down.

Along with Janet Jackson's lost classic from 1982, "Come Give Your Love To Me."

The "Behind the Music" episode is very sad.

You're going to make me pull out Only The Lonely. It's a conspiracy. But Suddenly Last Summer is really cool, too. I'd like to hear that again. Shit, I really would! :)

Look, you can't do this. I haven't signed up for my Pat Benatar brownie points yet. Hahahahahahah

Look, I'm going to put Suddenly Last Summer on the same CD as Only The Lonely and then you'll really be sorry.

That's funny, Bimble, I was just listening to those two Motels tracks yesterday! I recently checked out a best-of but was unimpressed with the rest.

I think it's safe to say there are plenty of musical coincidences between us eh, Mr. Odd? :) Yes, I tried their album from 1979 once and it completely bored me aside from one song I can't even remember the name of now. I never bought any of their other albums. Gosh, it occurs to me I don't even remember the name of their other singles right now.

I got them confused with Martha and the Muffins and found out that Martha and the Muffins were much better.

Well that's an interesting comparison. I suppose Martha & The Muffins were the better band, but they didn't have these two mega classic singles like the Motels. Oh no - I just remembered the name of their other single - "Take The L out of Lover/and it's over..." Oh gawd. I'm sorry I had to remember that. That one was awful.

take the l out of Dildo and it's Dido...

Not that it's any lost classic, but I've always had a soft spot for their debut. Besides "Total Control" (similar to, but so much better than, "Every Breath You Take") I dig "Porn Reggae," which I put on a long ago mixtape of new-wave bands messin' wid riddims, and the album closer "Counting" is ace as well; danced w/ a beautiful punkette to that one when I saw The Motels in '79.

Couple of 1982-1983 era shows got posted on Dime and I've been listening today. The 1982 show is worth snagging if you've got an account there.

"So L.A." is a lost classic. Curve could have done a terrific cover of it.

I still regret losing my Dime account! Bah.

Is it one of the most perfect pop records ever? I think so:

Only The Lonely
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uquEXROFja0

"Suddenly Last Summer" is so chilling and so drowsy/sexy at the same time.

^ cosign

back when i worked the graveyard shift that song would sometimes come on the satellite radio over the tinny speakers way up in the ceiling and was a pretty perfect alone-in-a-grocery-isle-humdrum-dead-silent-4:30am jam.

Haha, I had the same experience working Kinko's graveyard shift. That spooky little descending keyboard bit managed to make all the copy machines and fluorescent lights around me into an evocative world.

yeah it's weird. i'd be sittin there with two dozen cans of evaporated milk in my lap all like 'am i in a movie right now'

TAKE THE L OUT OF LOVER AND IT'S "OVER"

"Only the Lonely" still stirs my heartstrings.

Mine too, easily one of my personal top ten '80s hits (from a decade I mostly can't stand, much preferring what came before and after). So hold on, here we go! The lyrics perfectly described my early scattershot attempts at forming relationships, most of which were a poor facsimile of the real thing. And none of that cheezy '80s production, instead non-annoying synths, crunchy guitar at all the right moments, the guitar-then-sax interlude that actually advances the song rather than buys time, and a final reprise of the chorus and that great outro. Perfect.

there are many kinds of eighties production

there were, but i'm referring to those pre-sequenced cheesy synths and drum machines that were all over '80s records and largely abandoned by late in the decade and ever since unless seeking a retro vibe. (although I'll acknowledge there were a few acts that made great records with that aesthetic)

And I’d sell

My

Soul

For total control

Total Control.
What a great song. It sounds like if Pat Benatar fronted The Cars.

Both that one and Only The Lonely are great. When they toned down on the new wave quirkiness and went for this sort of spare sound they achieved something truly special.

Agreed. I'm still not a fan of the sax solo on Total Control though. The single edit without the solo is so much better.

What!? That Sax solo is great!

It’s probably the element that dates the song the most but it also elevates it. It would still be a classic without it but I like it for what it is. It doesn’t overstay it’s welcome and the entrance is really cool imho, replicating the synth part that appears shortly before it. I’d agree it gets too sax-y at the end of the solo.

The sax solo I don’t care about is the one on “only the lonely”

Yeah, the intro to the sax solo with the synth is cool. But it does date what's otherwise a pretty timeless song. It's so minimally constructed to the point of perfection. The space, restraint and phrasing are staggering.

Celia is also an incredible song imo.

Echoing the laugh in "Tragic Surf" is a fun car moment, as is singing along to "Bonjour Baby".

Opened this thread to enthuse about "Counting," but I already mentioned it years ago. They do sparse so well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNCryT2eL50

Yes to both Celia and Counting being great songs too!