DR. HOOK & THE MEDICINE SHOW-ESSENTIAL: Before morphing into a safe as milk pop group in the late seventies, DR. HOOK & THE MEDICINE SHOW were a raunchy, rowdy, rag-tag bunch of yahoos who relied mostly on eccentric songwriter SHEL SILVERSTEIN for their best material; the aching ballad SLYVIA'S MOTHER and party time plea COVER OF THE ROLLING STONE represented both sides of their feel-good country rock repetoire. Few ditties have ever shocked like FREAKIN' AT THE FREAKERS' BALL, which gleefully namechecks S&M, substance abuse, and necrophilia all in under three minutes; considerably tamer but just as much fun are the bar fly tribute QUEEN OF THE SILVER DOLLAR and LIFE AIN'T EASY, a sentiment anyone can belly up to. The smooth SAM COOKE remake ONLY SIXTEEN and its equally tender follow-up A LITTLE BIT MORE point towards the direction DR. HOOK would soon follow (dropping "& THE MEDICINE SHOW" for good measure) but represent the very best moments from their reincarnation. ESSENTIAL is as good a DR. HOOK collection as a casual fan could ask for...unless pandering titles like SEXY EYES and BABY MAKES HER BLUE JEANS TALK are of particular importance to you.
RATING: FOUR EYE PATCHES
YOU HAD TO HAVE BEEN THERE --LOOONG TIME AGO---EXCELLENT. THEY WANT MORE WORDS, SO JUST LISTEN YOURSELVES. TAME BY TODAY'S STANDARDS.
The Essential Dr. Hook was essential in building out the playlist with song of the greatest classic rock songs of all time.