Audio CD review:
Bachman Turner Overdrive - Takin' Care of Business

Bachman Turner Overdrive - Takin' Care of Business

Band: Bachman Turner Overdrive Title: Takin' Care of Business Rating: Release Date: 2003-10-08 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Takin' Care of Business - Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Bachman, Randy 2: Welcome Home - Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Bachman, Randy 3: Hey You - Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Bachman, Randy 4: Sledgehammer - Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Bachman, Randy 5: Thank You for the Feelin' - Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Turner, C.F. 6: Blown - Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Bachman, Timothy 7: Blue Collar - Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Turner, C.F. 8: Four Wheel Drive - Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Thornton, Blair 9: Wild Spirit - Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Turner, C.F. 10: Take It Like a Man - Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Turner, C.F. 11: Not Fragile - Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Turner, C.F.

Chopped up songs I bought this CD solely because I wanted the "Blue collar" track and found that the last three minutes of the song were edited out. . Big let down. That *drivin'* bass It's a '70s classic, successful because of a great Chuck Berry-style lyrics (and CB-style vocalizing) and that drivin' bass - Mr. This collection does not contain *all* the hits we heard back in the days when "cruisin'" around and turning up the radio dial whenever "Takin' Care Of Business" came on was part of the routine. C. F. Turner really put the record over the top (with help from an engineer who understood R & R). Like all the tracks on this set, the vocals are secondary: "Thank You For The Feelin'", borders on camp, with the lead vocal a little of his league as a screamer - still a good lyric, though. The second best track, for me, is "Take It Like A Man", another 70s rocker, featuring Little Richard on piano. LR helped out many super groups during that decade (Delaney and Bonnie, Canned Heat, James Gang, Jefferson Airplane/Marty Balin); a few of these tracks remain unreleased, but fortunately this track made it onto plastic and into the Top 40. His piano really lifts the music. "Welcome Home" has four sections to it; an interesting semi-satire on the music business: the hysteria of the road and sold-out concerts still leads to the same ol', same ol' humdrum of home. "Hey You" has a Doobie Brothers-style intro. and must be a surprise for casual fans. Tim Bachman plays some nice jazz-infected guitar on "Blue Collar". This CD is a nice road-trip back to that era before drum machines and electronics. Horrendous Music For Simpletons And even then, I was intelligent enough to realize that this was unquestionably, music for morons. I first heard this ear-ravaging drivel when I was about fourteen years-old back in the mid-1970s. The vocals are mercilessly irritating and sound like a bunch of dumb jocks singing in a locker room. The lyrics sound like they were written by someone with a single-digit IQ who was intoxicated as well. How this group-or whatever they really were-got to be so popular is truly beyond me. "Taking Care of Business" ranks, in my opinion, as one of the stupidest songs ever written in recording history. And having to hear this song over and over on the radio at the time felt like some kind of punishment being inflicted upon me by God himself for whatever reason. 70's Nostalgia I actually saw BTO in concert at Hampton Roads Colosseum (Virginia) in the early 1970's. BTO did pen some popular songs after spinning off from The Guess Who. The opening act happened to be Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band (go figure. . . ). Little did I know that the bands would end up on opposite ends of the spectrum when it came to career longevity. Regardless, I like this album because it contains one gem that never got the recognition that it deserves. . . the very mellow, "Blue Collar" (cut #7). Try playing "Blue Collar" at night when you're cruising down the Interstate or a back-country road. . . the lyrics and beat really make the drive a pleasure. I only wish BTO would have drifted in that same direction with other songs. oops........we included the 45 edit of four wheel drive! (hint hint to mercury records). this cd really does have some great obscure stuff, but the most interesting one on this cd is the old 45 edit of four wheel drive! maybe the next re-issue will have the promo 45 only edit of takin' care of business! we bto collectors can only hope. You can see a complete list of all Bachman Turner Overdrive discography, or go back to the Bachman Turner Overdrive tabs