Regular readers of Balladeer’s Blog know that all – or at least most – roads lead to bad movies with me. Since 1976 the movie Track of the Moon Beast has been a cult hit for the Psychotronic-minded and for those people who were lucky enough to catch it at various drive-ins during their heyday.
Hidden away inside that piece of 1970s schlock was the song California Lady, a catchy and fun song written and performed by Frank Larrabee. In the way that the song Recipe for Romance is associated with the movie Bloody New Year (aka Time Trap) and the song More is associated with Mondo Cane, California Lady has been bound to Track of the Moon Beast.
Frustratingly, the song was not quite complete and had a few interruptions by dialogue from the film. For decades clearer versions of California Lady were incredibly rare. Mike Wolfer found and has uploaded two versions of the song at his YT Channel (subscribe HERE).
The first was the studio recording of the song (below) and the second was the entire EP from Frank Larrabee. California Lady is at the 10:03 mark and is a much smoother, less worn recording of the song and is MUCH MORE LIKE THE PERFORMANCE IN THE MOVIE. No interruptions in either case, so you can enjoy this cult item the way it was meant to be heard.
Click HERE for the EP with the song at 10:03 and HERE for the version below. FOR THE GClephMusique REMASTER, with California Lady as the first song click HERE.
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