New York Dolls w/ Buddy Bowser - "Mystery Song" (UNKNOWN, Live in Syracuse, June '74)

Calling All NY Dolls Devotees: WHAT IS this "Mystery Song"??? NOT on ANY other New York Dolls release of any kind: official, bootleg, etc. Some maintain it's a forerunner of a track by late-period "original" NYD (aka, [mid '70s, post-Thunders & Nolan departure] "Dollettes") called "[It's] On Fire," which was on the live Red Patent Leather LP (rec'd '75, released '84) & which both David Jo. & Sylvain later did solo versions of (EZ to find on YT). BUT chk/listen to "Fire" clips & then listen here/compare: NOT THE SAME SONG. This has a jump-y hook as does "Fire," yes - but it's way more up-tempo, diff. lyrics (that Johansen is barking out in full-tilt raging-rocker cadence), no harmonica, w/ enormous plus of featuring oc'l "6th Doll" Buddy Bowser (played some on 1st NYD LP) blowing great R'n'R saxophone. This Is Pretty Definitively Awesome Dolls on a Good Night, In The Zone, Straight-Up KILL-ing It: Thunders & Sylvain freely developing/ trading blooze-rock gtr licks, Nolan nailing it on drums - &, actually, some very able (better?) bass-playing from NYD tech/aide/"2nd bassist" Peter Jordan, who had subbed extensively while Arthur Kane was out w/ hand injury in '73 (gf tried to cut off his thumb) & continued to thereafter whenever Kane was unable to ... This Syracuse June '74 boot (soph NYD alb Too Much Too Soon had just come out in May) was nabbed when Dolls did a few club dates like this, in the midst of big double-headliner arena spring touring w/, yes, the ascendant KISS - who, 'cor, many say swiped certain elements of Dolls style, dumbed everything waaay down for mass consumption, tightened up their stage gimmickry & commercially viable Kiss-schtick, & made bank... It only recently surfaced in last year (or, appeared on blogs, etc. - & seemed a new item to vet Dolls fans); it's an audience recording w/ some damaged sound BUT, way, WAY worth the listen (sorry for amateur-ish vid "art" but, then again: BFD, still learning - & just wanted to get tune up!). All 17 tracks of show worth it - highly rec'd for Dolls cognoscenti ... AND, finally: to all those NYD disparagers of the '70s & far beyond (even today), who said, in a music-snobby way (as opposed to, in a sense of righteous praise, using diff. words), that NY Dolls of yore were *"not a v. good live band, barely knew how to play,"* etc.? WROOOOONG! More precious proof, right effin' here, to-wit ... But, PEOPLE: "What Is The 'Mystery SONG'?"

Category:

Music

Tags:

• New York Dolls
• Buddy Bowser
• Peter Jordan
• Mystery Song
• Syracuse
• 1974

[rfrom59]

Syl says it's called "Glass of Water," written by Syl and David in 1973.

[dstarfreestar]

@rfrom59 - Thanx MUCH for passing on that knowledge ... Only 1 Google hit 4 "Glass of Water" & "Dolls"/"Sylvain"/"Johansen"/t­he like - but, cool: the 2011 Syl interview that comes up (in Guardian/Observer UK, in recurring "Soundtrack of My Life" feature) gives excellent insight, only briefly mentioning said tune but going well beyond in presenting Sylvain's aesthetic grounding ... (BTW: young Daniel Fromberg rox!)

[rfrom59]

Thanks...I read that Syl interview, and it's priceless. Thanks also for kind words about Daniel...hope you heard his album at danielfrombergmusic.bandcamp.c­om.