Monday, February 11, 2013

40 Year Itch : Hornswoop Me Bungo Pony





On their sophomore album Tyranny and Mutation , released February 11, 1973, Blue Oyster Cult raised the volume and kicked up the intensity for a release that would be the most raucous of their career. The album hits the ground running with their Canadian Mounties  tribute "The Red and The Black" ( later covered by The Minutemen on 3 Way Tie For Last). The song features the unforgettable lyrics:

 Hornswoop me bungo pony, dogsled on ice/ 
                  Make a dash for freedom baby don't skate on polar ice

Blue Oyster Cult doesn't take their foot off the pedal until after they've melted heads with the likes of "7 Screaming Dizbusters" and "Hot Rails To Hell". And that's just Side One ( "the red side").





Side Two ( "the black side") is less crazed but notable because it features "Baby Ice Dog"  the first BOC tune co-written by keyboardist Allen Lanier's then-girlfriend Patti Smith. Always a critical favorite, Blue Oyster Cult rewards the listener who dives deeply into the back catalog.

Patti Smith and Allen Lanier



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