i picked up a coyote records compilation a few days ago, 'luxury condos.' it has a yo la tengo song on it that i don't remember seeing anywhere else, called "private doberman" -- sunsquashed says it was the third of the trio of songs recorded in their first session (the others comprising the "river of water" single). it's a really great song.
does anyone know if it appears elsewhere? i can't imagine such a great song wouldn't get thrown onto a later compilation (i can't fathom why it was left off of the 'ride the tiger' expanded rerelease). but i guess most people prefer their lulling stuff to their earlier hoboken jangle.
― Dan Gr (certain), Thursday, 29 September 2005 14:55 (twenty years ago)
Matador Records Annotated Discography
1985, "The River of Water" b/w "A House Is Not A Motel" (Egon Records E-03)
A young Dave Schramm on lead guitar; a very young Dave Rick on the bass.
Dave Rick: I was 19. In fact I think I was the first Yo La Tengo member, even before the name. We did these two songs and 'Private Doberman' in the same session at Water Music in Hoboken.
YLTG: They're working on that building now where Water Music used to be. They're gutting it and making it taller.
Dave Rick: I wish someone would do that to me.
1985, "Private Doberman" on Luxury Condos compilation LP (Coyote Records TTC 8559)
same lineup as the first single.
YLTG: How many original songs were there then?
Dave Rick: We had three original songs, and one of them was a Love cover (laughs). No, let's see, there were probably enough to fill out most of a set - we played 'Crispy Duck' back then - lots of covers. Do you guys still do 'Big Sky'?
YLTG: Not very often.
Dave Rick: Good bass part.
Dave Schramm: I don't have a lot of uproarious recollections of the first recordings. They were great fun, of course. But I was pretty oblivious I guess, just having a gas in the studio, like a kid in a candy store. I do remember Mr. Stamey always taking issue with my use of the twang bar, but since I remember playing only lap steel on "Private Dalmations"(sic), that may have been some other session. I'm looking at the photo from Condos and wincing. What's with those specs I'm wearing? And Dave Rick looks like he's twelve years old.
― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 29 September 2005 15:57 (twenty years ago)
yeah, that's pretty much all the info i could find; but it's also pretty informative. but was the song released anywhere else?
― Dan Gr (certain), Thursday, 29 September 2005 16:37 (twenty years ago)
It looks exclusive to The Luxury Condos comp, which is available here (MP3 sample and digital copy available for purchase):
http://www.tt.net/coyote/projects/8559.html
― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 29 September 2005 16:50 (twenty years ago)
wow. i have to hear this. to my ears, the coyote years = yo la tengo's best years.
― my name is john. i reside in chicago. (frankE), Thursday, 29 September 2005 17:14 (twenty years ago)