Back in the days of double-sided vinyl singles, you always got two songs for the price of one. A lot of record companies tried to put a bad song on the flip side of the hit single, probably to save the better songs for future hit singles. But when a band is really good, they don’t make bad songs! The Standells, a garage rock band from Los Angeles, did not make bad songs. So, if you happen to own a copy of their biggest hit, Dirty Water on Tower 185 from 1966, all you need to do is flip it over and play the other side to find today’s sample of New Oldies – The Greatest Hits You’ve Never Heard!
Larry Tamblyn (organ) and Tony Valentino (guitar) formed the Standells back in 1962. They picked up a lead vocalist named Dick Dodd, who also played drums, and added Gary Lane to play bass. Larry is the brother of actor Russ Tamblyn, and the uncle of Amber Tamblyn from Joan Of Arcadia. Dick Dodd was a former Mouseketeer and drummer for a surf rock group called The Bel-Airs who had a hit with a song called Mr. Moto on Arvee 5034 in 1963. The Standells played mostly covers of California surf music until they hooked up with producer Ed Cobb, who helped them evolve into that garage rock sound that is captured so well in Dirty Water, singing about Boston’s dirty River Charles.
Rari is an intense and sexy song about a girl who just drives men crazy with her exotic dancing. It was written by producer Ed Cobb, and arranged by the legendary Lincoln Mayorga. Here are the lyrics, just in case you want to sing along!
Rari, they warned me not to fall for an island girl,
‘Cause when they dance they dance for all to see,
Drivin’ men crazy like you’re drivin’ me.
Rari, you torment me with sleepless nights,
Yeah-yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
Dreaming of a way to hold you tight, yeah,
Rari, come on and dance with me,
Dance with me, dance with me, dance with me,
Dance for your baby, yeah.
I can remember the night,
When I first saw you,
Your heavenly body,
A-dancin’ in the spotlight, yeah,
The drum began to play,
And every eye dared not stray,
Cause what man would want,
To miss, the chance,
Of watching, a beautiful girl, like, you,
Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance,
dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, dance,
Ah Rari,
They warned me not to fall for an island girl, yeah,
‘Cause when they dance they dance for all to see, yeah,
Drivin’ men crazy like you’re drivin’ me,
Ah, you’re drivin’ me, you’re drivin’, drivin’, you’re drivin’ me crazy, now Rari,
Aw, stop it baby,
Aw, don’t tease me,
Oh, Rari,
Aw, don’t do it baby,
Aw, you got to stop it, yeah,
Rari, Rari, Rari, Rari,
Ah, I want you baby,
Aw, stop it baby,
I love you, yeah I do,
Oh, oh, oh, Rari.
I remember this back in the day it actually was a better song then Dirty Water – I think I played this 45 until the grooves melted. I met Dick Dodd what a nut he is – Man they don't make them like his anymore. I also played this one day and my son heard it now he can't get enough oif it talk about retro – All his friends now are playing it on the Ipods -and in thier iphone playlists – I think that is awesome – Take care keep up the great work providing the music of our youth.
It is a great song indeed. Thanks for checking in!
The first time I listened to this song, I had just put a dime in the juke box, and two "friends" both decided they wanted to listen to something else at the same time. The result was Rari, and neither of the songs they wanted to hear. I've liked it ever since and I agree with Anonymous above, this should have been the hit.