Quad LP/Tape Poll Archies, The: Sugar, Sugar [Q8]

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Rate "Sugar Sugar"

  • 10: Great sound, mix, content

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 9

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 7

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 6

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 4

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 3

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 2

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 1: Sux

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    3

EMB

2K Club - QQ Super Nova
Since 2002/2003
Joined
Feb 8, 2004
Messages
4,101
Location
The Top 40 Radio of My Mind
Kirshner PQKO-1002, a Q8 repackage of the 1969 Lp EVERYTHING'S ARCHIE, Calendar (and then Kirshner) KES-103.


Program 1:

Feelin' So Good (S.K.O.O.B.Y.-D.O.O.)
Melody Hill
Rock & Roll Music
Kissin'
Don't Touch My Guitar
Circle of Blue

Program 2:

Sugar, Sugar
You Little Angel, You
Bicycles, Roller Skates and You
Hot Dog
Inside Out--Upside Down
Love Light


ED :)
 
I firmly believe the Q8 has a swapped channel. I played around with channel placements and it seems that these come from a blend of 4 and 8 track multis. The 8-track songs are mixed to mimic the 4-track songs, though with a little more separation. Swapping channels puts drums front center, and bass & background vocals rear. It's a typical early RCA mix that utilizes the four sides, not the four corners.

Honestly, I'd have rather had it mixed a little more aggressively to really showcase some bubblegum Quad.
 
It's hard to rate this quad.
As a mix, it doesn't shine too much, probably due to the limited multitrack resources.
As for music, well, it is cartoon music, so there's no way to pretend it's something serious.
As a fun quad to listen, filed in the "brainwashing" category, it is perfect, and Sugar Sugar is a symbol of an era.

Sometimes we all are in the mood for something really stupid and lighter than lightweight, just for fun and relax, probably washing the dishes.
So, a round 8.
 
Hmmm...this is the ONLY bubblegum quad, isn't it?

There are two hits here, the opening track being the other. As for "Sugar, Sugar" it would turn out to be the best-selling single in the USA over the course of 1969 (#2 was the 5th Dimension's "Aquarius" with the Beatles "Come Together"/"Something" at #3). But "Sugar" wasn't an immediate hit: it actually struggled just to 'Bubble Under' in Billboard, and then slowly moved up the charts over the summer of '69 and eventually went to #1. Given that it wasn't their first hit--"Bang Shang-A-Lang" hit the Top 40 the previous fall--kinda surprising there was resistance to it, even more so considering that 'bubblgeum' hits were by this time fairly common. Curiously, the EVERYTHING'S ARCHIE album did not sell nearly so well, perhaps because the cartoon characters weren't on the front cover but a bunch of young models (both sexes) which didn't really make much sense. And by the time the album was repackaged, "Sugar" was off the charts, but some overseas pressings retained the repackage title and cheapo graphics, which carried over to the Q8.

As for the mixes...well, this one needs a little polishing to get it anywhere near its potential, so I can't really rate it at this time. The music is Ronnie Dante and a bunch of studio musicians produced and arranged by Jeff Barry, so while none of it's heavy, some of it's pleasant and rocks a little.

ED :)
 
I have a reel dub of this Q8 and played around with it about 10 years ago. It's not very impressive, and it's one of those titles you listen to and go "listen, over there, did I just hear some separation?"

Some of the songs, er, most of the songs, are very weak. VERY WEAK. I almost feel embarrased for the performers when I listen to them! The "title song", of course, really is worthy of a listen, and if you're not careful will get stuck in your brain for a while.

This is more of a curio to me, as it's borderline quad, and borderline material. IMHO
 
Borderline?
That's generous... it is cartoon music who is supposed to sound really dumb. For example,

"Kissin' is the thing to do
When your feeling sad and blue
When your feeling sad and blue
Kissin' is the thing to do".

As i said, sometimes there's the need for a brain cell washing, and for that it's ok.
 
All the Archies albums were in the same vein, but on the debut, "Truck Driver" was a decent, genuine rocker. Not many of those in the Archies canon, of course, but what could anyone have expected from an animated band?

Playing this once recently, "Hot Dog" is not only a fair rocker but a little...at the least, suggestive, maybe even perverse. Think I'll leave it for others to judge....

ED :)
 
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