A Fairy Tale
by Gloria Stavers
(As appears on the back cover of
"A Scratch In The Sky")

"FairyTale"

Once upon a time in a far-out land called Chicago there
dwelled five very groovy cats - and a Toad. These were not your
ordinary back-fence stray-type cats - for they were exceptionally
gifted musicians, destined to become rural files among the
royalty of rock and roll. And, of course (as everyone found out
later), the Toad was really a Prince. Anyway, the five cats and
the toad played and sang their young hearts out in and around
Chicago and its environs, making an especially big dent in that
mythical magical kingdom called the Midwest. But, being young
and ambitious, the cats and the Toad were very dissatisfied with
their lot in life, prompting one of them to remark, "What’s
happening to us is a cryan’ shame" - and so that’s what they
called themselves.
One prodigious night two fairy godfathers (cleverly disguised
as record producers Jim Golden and Bob Monaco) happened by a
teen club where the Cryan’ Shames were holding court. When they
saw them (pow!) and heard them (wow!) their eyes lit up like
three oranges on a slot machine, they signed them on the dotted
line and Bob rushed off to borrow $90 from his dad (who is not
the King of Monaco!). They rented a studio and threw the Cryan’
Shames into it, shouting, "Work! Work! Work!" and they did. Two
flops later the cats and the Toad emerged smiling with a winner
called "Sugar and Spice" in their hot little hands. In fact,
"Sugar and Spice" was so good that Columbia Records signed up
the whole kit and kaboodle.
And that closed chapter one of what all we little kiddies hope
will be an unending book of hit records. The magic wand has
been waved and all the cats -- and the Toad, too – have been
turned into Princes.
With the exception of"Up On The Roof" and"Dennis Dupree From
Danville", all the tunes in this Cryan’ Shames LP were written by
Jim and Lenny (with a little bit of help from the rest of the guys),
so this is truly their "best thing" – and it is not only very, very
groovy, it is also very, very beautiful (just try"the Sailing Ship" for
a taste and you'll see what I mean). But the Cryan’ Shames feel
that this – their second Columbia LP – is really just the beginning
(they call it A SCRATCH IN THE SKY). Hope so, for that means
there’s even more to come. Great – for what they call "the
beginning" is really the end!
Gloria Stavers / Official Fairy Godmother
16 Magazine

Homepage comments: e-mail at: pmalott@netnitco.net

Fans of the Cryan' Shames can send mail to: 72174.3351@compuserve.com