Regarding the urban legends of satanic stuff . . .
Keep in mind that several of the original BOA members including Mangrum were familiar as "children" of Protestant Churches that were into snake handling as a part of their "faith" in Jesus. That said, the band was one of the original pioneers of Shock Rock or as they called it Raunch-And-Roll. They also if not preceeding the Allman Brothers with a double lead guitar setup plus a twelve-string rythm guitar, they did it independently as the NoBody Else band while the Allmans were the Hour Glass Band and Skynyrd was the coming along behind the Allmans as the One Percent Band.

 

Yeah, I know that they grew up very religiously with Christian values and what-not...
I think it's amazing to stay that way, but do what they did. You said it right RLH, they were the pioneers of shock rock. I prefer "Raunch -N- Roll" though... Sounds better.

Have a listen to "Lord Have Mercy On My Soul"... Jim Mangrum, (or Jim Dandy as they call him), and Rickie "Richochet" Reynolds wrote that song. Listen closely to what they talk about... A deal between God and the Devil over using his soul and his body for the good of human kind. It's an ingenious song if you ask me.

Not getting off on religion, but me being quite a religious man myself... I guess I see things in a different way. I can tell you by my Christian faith, what Dandy is talking about in "Lord Have Mercy On My Soul" is wrong, but with another look, it gives a good perspective on where Dandy stands... However you view that all in itself.

The main thing I want to say on this band is that I'm saddened that it ended as early as it did. Even though they only had mild chart success during the early 70's, they were a great band to me. Although they have reattempted the original Black Oak Arkansas style and persona, it will never be the same. The closest that they have come since their original group break-up in 1977 is "The Wild Bunch" album that came out in either 1999 or 2000. It's awesome if you ask me... For any former BOA fan here that doesn't have that CD, I reccomend that you go out and buy it! Half of the CD is remakes of their original hits... "Jim Dandy", "Mutants Of The Monster", "Hot Rod", "Happy Hooker", etc... They're all there! Plus, a few new ones...

Nightrain

 

Coming in late to the discussion having been Christmas-ing....

I PERSONALLY hold them responsible for my 20% hearing loss !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Too many concerts - too many LOUD replays of their songs !

 

Sounds like you're a BIG fan of BOA. Welcome, brother!

Nightrain

 

While BOA didn't have numerous singles, they were one of the top 5 money making bands from 1972-77. In fact, Aerosmith and KISS were opening acts for them in their hay-day. They sold out the LA Coliseum faster than anyone in history except for Elvis and it had a limited capacity when the "King" did it. So I wouldn't say they were moderately successful. They didn't have producers the way that commercial bands had. BOA even trained their own sound men many of whom went on to do well in the industry. To quote Mangrum: " . . . we trained sound men for the industry and we didn't know what the hell we were doing." There success was built on big "Shows" and LPs. In a since, they were/are the epitome of "alternative" rock and roll.

 

I'll tell you one thing... I never expected Aerosmith or KISS to open for them...

Touring is where the money's at, and a touring band is what they were. I think that they had three gold albums, (100,000 copies sold). I don't believe that artists collect but about 20% of the sale price of each record. So, touring is where the money HAS to be...

Another thing is like you said... They didn't have top dollar managers or producers, they had their family... That was their crew.

Nightrain

 

BLACK OAK ARKANSAS

What a cool name for a band!
I am old enough to remember when "Jim Dandy" was played on the radio.
"Go, Jim Dandy, Go!"

 

lol @ Trux.

"Jim Dandy" was a doggone-good "feel good" song. I like to listen to it for a pick-me-up! Who originally wrote that song?

Nightrain

 

Lavern Baker wrote and performed "Jim Dandy" in 1956. It is one of the few songs that BOA covered on their LPs that wasn't original. Elvis called Mangrum and told him to do it that He was Jim Dandy.

 

Hey rlh! BOA is coming to Silver Springs early in 2005. I live within earshot of the park so I'll get a free concert!

 

That's actually "Have Mercy on My Soul" and if you listen to the song the correct way, i.e. forward Mangrum says, He is God and Satan several times. What do you think its going to say backwards? Peanut Butter?

There is a line in there that says, "you have God on the one hand, and Satan on the other . . . " and there is talk about the "Hall of Commons" and then after that song it transitions into "When Electricity Came to Arkansas."