THE GREATEST RECORD EVER MADE: 7 And 7 Is

This is a variation of a previously-published piece, modified ever-so-slightly to serve as a chapter in my long-threatened, probably doomed, but not dead yet book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1).

An infinite number of songs can each be THE greatest record ever made, as long as they take turns. Today, this is THE GREATEST RECORD EVER MADE!

LOVE: 7 And 7 Is

Written by Arthur Lee
Produced by Jac Holzman
Single, Elektra Records, 1966

I had discovered the music of Arthur Lee's group Love in the early '80s. I'd read about them somewhere, and snagged a used copy of their eponymous debut album literally off the floor at Brockport's Main Street Records around, I dunno, '82 or so. I picked up a greatest-hits set called Love Revisited after moving to Buffalo, and became enthralled by this furious, fascinating proto-punk tune called "7 And 7 Is." 

If I don't start cryin' it's because that I have got no eyes
My father's in the fireplace and my dog lies hypnotized
Through a crack of light I was unable to find my way
Trapped inside a night
But I'm a day and I go
Oop-ip-ip, oop-ip-ip
YEAH!

Yeah, I had no idea what the hell it was about, and I woulda sworn that last bit above was an eloquent Batman-inspired Boom-biff-biff, Boom-biff-biff YEAH! rather than some [chuckle] non-sensical "oop-ip-ip" jazz. Obviously. But it didn't matter what the words were or what the song meant. It was a freakin' force of nature, it demanded high volume, and I played that damned track with manic devotion. I wasn't using the phrase yet in the '80s, but damn, this was clearly The Greatest Record Ever Made.

Researching the group to the extent one could research such things in the '80s, I learned a little, little bit about Love, and about the group's embattled leader Arthur Lee. I read comparisons to the Byrds, to the Doors, even to the Beach Boys, none of which seemed entirely accurate. I read of Love's album Forever Changes, said to be one of the essential masterpieces of '60s rock. I don't recall seeing any reference to Lee's race, though the notion of a black man fronting a mostly-white rock group was certainly unusual in that scene. The most rewarding research was just to listen to the music Love made. 

A friend who was dating the girl who lived upstairs from me gave me his copy of Love's 1970 album False Start, which featured Jimi Hendrix on its leadoff track "The Everlasting First." I don't remember how long it was before I acquired a copy of Forever Changes. But I had that debut album, and I had Love Revisited. My turntable got to know "Can't Explain," "She Comes In Colors," "Signed D.C.," "Alone Again Or," and "My Little Red Book" very, very well. It most especially got to know "7 And 7 Is."

This may seem a non sequitur, but it's relevant: In 1985, I saw the Bangles for the first time. Their live set included an incendiary rendition of "7 And 7 Is." My jaw dropped. My fist raised itself without needing me to will it so. The Bangles. Love. "7 And 7 Is." It was unexpected. And it was awesome!

Looking back, it shouldn't have been all that unexpected. I knew of the Bangles' roots in '60s nuggets, and I wasn't exactly shocked that they chose to cover Love. It was still a surprise, a pleasant surprise. That night, the Bangles said their version of "7 And 7 Is" would be on their next album. I regret that did not come to pass.

The Ramones also covered "7 And 7 Is," on their 1993 all-covers album Acid Eaters. When I interviewed the Ramones for Goldmine in 1994, I mentioned to C. J. Ramone that I'd seen the Bangles cover the song live in 1985, and that they'd intended to record it. He was surprised. "That's wild!," he said, clearly impressed with the notion that the Bangles did a song as cool as "7 And 7 Is."

They did indeed, C. J. And yeah, it was unexpected, but it shouldn't have been. The Bangles loved the '60s. The Bangles loved Love. 

And I loved Love. I played their original version of "7 And 7 Is" on my first attempts to host radio shows in the '80s, my basic training for This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio in subsequent decades. Then, as now, Love makes my world go around.

Oop-ip-ip, oop-ip-ip, YEAH!

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