Black Oak Arkansas - Jim Dandy (To The Rescue) (1973-74)

I often say that rock began its downward slide in 1973. Maybe the music didn't die with Buddy Holly in 1959, but it sure did when Jim Croce went the same way as Buddy in 1973
(despite the fact that Jim was a folk singer). Fortunately, the more progressive folk and rock bands with some insight as to what was happening, like Fleetwood Mac and Electric Light Orchestra, were preparing the way for the 1975-79 period and the 1980's, and pop music was also undergoing some major transformations, including disco, reggae and punk (what would later be new wave).

But the start of the mid-70's weren't all bad, and there were still a lot of musical gems being recorded even as what began in 1964 crashed and burned on the rocks of 1973 and 1974. The old LaVerne Baker song from 1957, "Jim Dandy," covered by Black Oak Arkansas in 1973, was definitely one of them. Fast-paced with two dueling wild lead guitars and a sexy female vocalist, 1973 lit up like Times Square on a hot July night when this rockabilly hit skyrocketed to #12 on Cash Box for two weeks on February 9, 1974.

[rickl]

I'll never forget seeing BOA doing this song on Don Kirchner (or Midnight Special?). Jim Dandy Mangrum was the original David Lee Roth as far as I can tell...

[firefly]

Jello Biafra did a version of this song that’s surprisingly good.

[joleenjenkins]

Sounds creepy this day and age but I met him at one of his concerts in Virginia Beach when I was 17 years old and spent the weekend with him. I didn’t have any extra clothes so I wore his white spandex the next day. Don’t judge me that was 41 years ago

[dougsheldon]

I saw that band at the Terrace Ballroom people were still allowed to smoke and drink inside and were full of a lot more boogie then those girls on the video