Monday, August 25, 2014

The Archies-Jingle Jangle-1970


The Archie comics characters represent an idealized teenage characterization that never really seemed to fit me. I didn't "hang out" anywhere, I didn't tinker with cars, I didn't have girls chasing me, I didn't swim, I didn't play in a band, I didn't go to friends' houses and listen to records...well...once I did, early on, at age 11. It was early 1970 when I walked down to my 6th grade girlfriend Debbie's house to share with her a new album I had--The Archies' third album, from late 1969, JINGLE JANGLE.

I had been a fan of the Filmation TV series since it began, in spite of what I now recognize as some shoddy production values and questionable voicework. I knew, of course, that it wasn't the same folks doing the singing on the albums but I had no idea at that time that it was Ron Dante, who had also sung one of my recent favorite songs, TRACY, as "The Cuff Links."

But I still remember that day as Debbie and I sat on her bed playing the LP over and over on her little mono record player--particularly her favorite cut--S.K.O.O.B.Y.  D.O.O., and she'd dance around the room, even succeeding in getting ME to join her for a twirl once or twice! Her mother kept coming in to tell us to turn it down and also to get OFF the bed! Ahem! In reality, that was never once a consideration. We didn't even know about that stuff yet! We were having way too much fun being--perhaps for the only time in our lives...or at least mine--typical American teenagers...just like The Archies!



2 comments:

  1. He posted the comment on the wrong place but Carl C said, "I don't have the Jingle Jangle LP handy to verify, but I don't think "Feelin' So Good (S.K.O.O.B.Y. D.O.O)" was on that album. I do have the Everything's Archie LP handy, and the track is on that album. (That said, Jingle Jangle was my favorite Archies album, and one of the best albums of '69, hipsters be damned.)"

    He is, of course, correct! Which means my spooky memory is playing tricks on me and I must have had the earlier album there as well. Thanks, Carl!

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  2. I was a fan of their music also. My favorite was " Seventeen Ain't Young".

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