Bobby Marchan
“There’s Something on Your Mind”
1960, Fire Records
Among the records that I intend to keep until my fateful final day on the dragstrip of life, many are 45s. I’ve even had half a mind in recent years to collect music on 45s ONLY, but have yet to commit. That’s further down the Path of Enlightenment than I am willing to go right now. It’s too much sacrifice (and it’s not necessarily cheaper, either). I’m just not gangsta enough.
There’s nothing wrong with digital formats (I use ’em, I abuse ’em), but I do think that physical records and CDs encourage more active engagement with music. And IF this is true, the 45 is the ultimate in active engagement. Because you can’t just put it on and then let it go for an hour to play in the background while you entertain house guests or masturbate on your kitchen floor (or both). Nope, a 45 is gonna be all over in a few minutes after which time you either play that sucker again, take a chance on the B-side or put on something else. You have to move and make a decision. You’ve given the act of playing that song your full attention.
You are devoted to the song.
And I can’t think of many songs that deserve devotion more than Bobby Marchan’s desperate, devastated and dangerous cover of Big Jay McNeely’s “There’s Something on Your Mind”. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever heard.
Before scoring this hit in 1960, Marchan began his singing career on the 50s Chitlin’ Circuit as a female impersonator, which might explain the high drama that he brings here. The McNeely original is a fine R&B slow sway number that mourns for lost love under the street lamps.
In Marchan’s version though, the narrator refuses to be a sad sack. No, he’s going downtown to the pawn shop to get himself a pistol and he interrupts the song with bold and original spoken word interludes that tell a story of doom for all involved.
I’m gonna make a bold statement of my own and call this the ultimate cheatin’ song.
The 45 splits it into two parts–“Part 2” begins right with the spoken word stuff–but it’s all one song. So, flip over that record immediately. Or listen to it all joined together on Youtube.
Wow! That is one amazing and bleak bit of R&B! Damn!
I’m almost reluctant to seek out more Bobby Marchan, this song is so perfect. This is the only record of his that I ever found back in my crate-diggin’ days, but he made a bunch more. I have a Marchan CD compilation sitting in my Amazon wishlist. I’ll summon it someday.