Rock Goes Country: Nashville Cats

Well, it’s the second week of the month and time now for our Second Week Special. This month, it’s “Rock Gone Country” – rock and R&B bands that recorded a country song or even a country album. There are many examples of this occurring; therefore, it’s difficult just to pick seven recordings as such. But, that’s not going to deter me from trying.

Today’s song features the guitar work of Canadian Zal Yanovsky as one of the 1352 guitar pickers mentioned in the song “Nashville Cats” by the Lovin’ Spoonful. Uncharacteristic of the band’s already eclectic sound, the single managed to make it to the Top 10 in the 1967; it peaked at #8.

With the charts being heavily influenced by British Invasion bands and Motown, it is really unusual that this song was a hit; however, as the week progresses, we’ll see that the two major groups of the British Invasion, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, also recorded in the country music genre.

“Nashville Cats” appeared on the album “Hums of the Lovin’ Spoonful.” Written by John Sebastion, the song has misinformation in the lyrics. “When I heard a couple of new soundin’ tunes on the tubes and they blasted me sky high. Then the record man said, ‘Everyone was a yellow Sun record from Nashville and up north there ain’t nobody that buys them.’ And I said, ‘But, I will.’”

Unfortunately, Sun Records were not located in Nashville, but over 200 miles to the southwest in Memphis. Despite this glaring error, it’s a great song and a lot of fun to hear once again. And I bet 1352 guitar pickers had more than 1352 guitar cases as many would have had more than one ax to play.