Althouse: Bubblegum pop.

August 6, 2005

Bubblegum pop.

Heard today on the 60s channel of XM Radio: Tommy Roe's "Sweet Pea."

What it reminded me of: How much I love the purest examples of bubblegum pop music.

Bloggable question that formed soon after: What are the very greatest examples of bubblegum pop?

Obvious problem perceived in answering this question: Where is the line between bubblegum and nonbubblegum?

Solution: Don't get sidetracked into defining the term. Just try to find the quintessential bubblegum pop song!

24 comments:

PORTSIDER said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 8/6/05, 5:24 PM
PORTSIDER said...: I can't speak for the 60's, but bubblegum pop is making a comeback. I'd offer Annie's song (could there be a better title?) "Chewing Gum."; 8/6/05, 5:25 PM
Finn Alexander Kristiansen said...: "Mmmmmm Bop" by Hanson; 8/6/05, 5:36 PM
Ann Althouse said...: Finn: I certainly think "Mmmm Bop" is the right answer for the last 25 years.; 8/6/05, 5:39 PM
Ann Althouse said...: John: That's a perfect choice:

Oh, when we walk, it seems like paradise
And when we talk, it always feels so nice

We can derive the definition once we have the great examples. "Denise" has that typical happiness of just being in love.

"Denise" makes me think of the great parody of bubblegum on "Cruising With Ruben and the Jets": "Desiri":

When I'm dancing with Deseri
All the boys are jealous of me
I'm as happy as I can be
Oh, Deseri; 8/6/05, 5:52 PM
Ann Althouse said...: Roaring Tiger: I think you just hit all the ones I had in mind. I was thinking "Sugar, Sugar" as the answer.; 8/6/05, 6:38 PM
Brian O'Connell said...: Sugar, Sugar, yes. But also Yummy, Yummy, Yummy by Ohio Express. (lyrics)

Which is not to say that bubblegum pop has to be about sweets.

Another group, along with the Archies and the Partridge Family that defined the genre: KC and the Sunshine Band.; 8/6/05, 6:45 PM
P_J said...: All the ones mentioned so far are great.

The Early Pioneer award:
"Lollipop" by The Chordettes

Also, "I Want You Back" - Jackson 5; 8/6/05, 8:09 PM
Unknown said...: "I Wanna Hold Your Hand."; 8/6/05, 8:50 PM
Ann Althouse said...: John: The Wikipedia article I linked to lists 1910 Fruitgum Company as the source of the term bubblegum. They were never a significant group though.

There were other terms before bubblegum took off. I think I remember something like "pimple music" -- really disparaging! The idea was: things associated with young teens.

So I'd question the "Fruitgum" etymology. I've heard it before and it's been around a long time, but it doesn't seem quite right to me.; 8/6/05, 8:57 PM
XWL said...: What no Monkees? the Davey Jones sung songs like 'Daydream Believer' have to be high on the list (doh!, was editing as Miklos made his comment)

And who in their thirties doesn't find snippets of songs performed by the Brady Bunch kids floating through their head from time to time.

But my vote for the quintessential bubblegum song would be 'Hey, Ya' by Outkast.

My reasons, strong hook (check), repeatable lyrics ('shake it like a polaroid picture'(double check)), high-energy(triple check), and played to death across many radio stations and TV shows.; 8/6/05, 11:28 PM
chuck b. said...: Check out The Orange Peels.; 8/7/05, 1:07 AM
Roger Sweeny said...: Ah, the Cowsills.

"I love the flower girl.
She was so sweet and kind;
She crept into my mind."

My sister used to sing it:

"I love the flower girl.
She was so sweet and nice,
just like Italian Ice."

Sounds just as good.; 8/7/05, 6:45 AM
Ann Althouse said...: Flamenn: "Yeah, but "Cruisin' with Ruben and the Jets" is primarily doo-wop stuff."

Right, but Deseri is a pure bubblegum song. Another example of Zappa's connection to bubblegum is the use of "Happy Together" on the "Live at the Fillmore East" album.

"I'm tellin' ya, Anne, if you know anyone who happens to have that Ruben vinyl LP,have them burn you a disc. The mix that is on all the new copies is unfortunately severely lacking."

What makes you think I don't have the vinyl? Not sure if I ever bought the CD, but I've had the vinyl in my collection ever since it came out. It's one of my most played albums. For all the comedy, the music is beautifully in love with the styles it parodies.; 8/7/05, 7:24 AM
Mom said...: Don't forget "Chewy, Chewy," Ohio Express, 1968:
"Chewy, Chewy, Chewy, Chewy, Chewy, Chewy, Chewy Baby
Always got a mouthful of such sweet things to say
Chewy, Chewy, Chewy, Chewy, Chewy, Chewy, Chewy Baby
Chewy's full of sugar and I love her that way . . . "; 8/7/05, 8:32 AM
Ann Althouse said...: Flamen: Which came first Zappa appreciating the bubblegum or Flo and Eddie getting into his group? Anyway, the moment when they burst into "Happy Together" is one of the coolest moments ever. The only thing comparable for me is when Patti Smith starts singing "Gloria" (which I heard for the first time in person at a small club before anyone had ever heard of her). Oh, and Patti Smith doing "Hey, Joe" at the height of the Patty Hearst media fest. That was just brilliant. (And I have the vinyl, my best piece of vinyl.); 8/7/05, 10:50 AM
Ann Althouse said...: A propos of Mark Bolan and vinyl: I have one of the world's most-played copies of "Unicorn."; 8/7/05, 1:40 PM
Squints said...: Ohio Express and 1910 Fruitgum Company both came out of the same hit factory in the late 1960s (K-something-or-other and Katz). Out-freaking-standing stuff. And the guy who cited "1-2-3 Red Light" is right. That one nails it, just epitomizes the genre. And is an awesome song, to boot.

Whoever cited the Jackson Five, I see where your coming from, but they weren't an invented act. (I guess "not prefab" would be more accurate. No more invented than any act of self-imagination.) And THAT Michael Jackson was an Elvisian force of nature. GOOD God, y'all.

What I find striking after all this time is how these songs stand up. Given some of the people involved, seeing this stuff as an extension of the great Brill Building sound of the early 1960s isn't far-fetched.; 8/7/05, 2:18 PM
Pancho said...: I saw K.C. and the Sunshine band mentioned in the rundown here.

I would more aptly term KC as Disco Bubblegum. Incidentally I saw them perform here last year and they still sound great and I actually enjoyed them enough to go see them again when they return next month.; 8/7/05, 2:50 PM
Ann Althouse said...: Flamen: I saw Patti Smith pre-Patti Smith Group. In fact, she was booked as a poet and in the middle of a poem she started singing "Gloria." We had gone to see Happy and Artie Traum, a folk duo, and she was the opening act. She had a guitarist (Lenny Kaye) sitting on a chair behind her idly playing while she recited poems. It was quite something. I was actually pissed that there was an opening act, a damned poet, but it turned out to be the coolest thing ever.

And I still have "Hey Joe/Piss Factory." Far from mint though.; 8/7/05, 10:08 PM
Ann Althouse said...: Going out to hear music and finding out the opening act is a poet was something I strongly objected to. If I could have fast-forwarded over it, I would have. So no, I didn't deliberately seek out poets. I did see Allen Ginsberg one time when I was in college. Ironically, he insisted on singing. There's only so much harmonium music I can take.; 8/7/05, 10:44 PM
CGHill said...: Katz' partner was Kasenetz.

"96 Tears" (and its follow-up single, "I Need Somebody") can be found on the Cameo/Parkway box set from Abkco (yes, Allen Klein's label).; 8/8/05, 11:22 AM
Squints said...: Thanks, CG. I knew that but didn't want to mangle the spelling. Because this is historically imPORtant, d*** it. 8^); 8/9/05, 7:34 AM
Unknown said...: Some new bubblegum pop for yr brains to gaze & dream on- Crystal Coast "Glitter"

soundcloud.com/indi_go/crystal-coast-glitter

you'll mos def thank me when you hear this

(:; 2/24/13, 7:19 PM