Hall and Oates- “Beanie G and the Rose Tattoo”
The follow-up to Hall and Oates’ 1973 blue-eyed soul classic Abandoned Luncheonette was an anomalous concept album called War Babies, produced by Todd Rundgren and featuring his backing band, Utopia. There were no hit singles on this album (that didn’t come until the following year, with “Sara Smile”), but this song, “Beanie G and the Rose Tattoo,” was their attempt at one. This album does not sound like any other Hall & Oates offering, and it definitely has the Rundgren stamp on it- psych, prog, soul and early rock’n’roll gestures all at the same time and on top of each other, and obsessively refined production values. At turns, this album can sound like Steely Dan, Sparks, or “Have a Cigar.” It’s odd, never tedious and good. The studio version of this song is better, but here is a pretty cool TV performance if you can overlook the hip-waggling.
