Wheres The Money? Live [Live]

 

 

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This has to be one of the best albums I was ever exposed to. it's just full of happy, fun music. the lyrics alone are enugh to make you smile, and when you add to it the harmonies and the up tempo you can't help but sing along!

The question often pops up, during bull sessions amongst fans of popular music: "What's the greatest live album of all time?" And the answers that invariably pop up are the Allman Brothers' "Live at the Fillmore" and the Grateful Dead's "Live/Dead" album; and then someone will chime in with "Frampton Comes Alive," and somebody else will opine that his/her fave is the Woodstock soundtrack, and so on. Then things will heat up, as Grand Funk's "Live Album," Hendrix' "Band of Gypsys" and the Jefferson Airplane's "Bless Its Pointed Little Head" are thrown into the mix. (And I happen to love that first Hot Tuna album; the live acoustic one.) Not cited too often, however, is "Where's the Money," Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks' marvelous live album from 1971. And yet, this wonderful disc is at least as good as any of the others, and contains 12 perfect tunes that are each little gems of songwriting and performance. What an incredible show this must have been to sit through! Recorded at the Troubadour in Los Angeles in February 1971, the energy of each of these peppy tunes is quite infectious.
I've always had a difficult time describing Hicks' music to people who are unfamiliar with it. It's not rock, not blues and not folk. There ARE elements of country and swing in it, though, and the tight harmonies by backup singers Maryann Price and Naomi Ruth Eisenberg (aka the Lickettes) will indeed remind some of the Andrews Sisters and other swing singers of the 1940s. The music is toe-tappingly irresistible, and contains invariably witty lyrics. I've seen Dan Hicks several times in concert, but have never seen a show that compares with the one recorded for posterity here (although he is still wonderful to see live). And nobody, but nobody, offers such hilarious between-songs patter as Hicks, as amply evidenced at this show.
As I mentioned, each of the 12 tunes on display here are little gems. The band is as tight as can be, and consists of acoustic guitar, violin, stand-up bass, mandolin and some percussion shakers. You wouldn't think such an outfit could swing and boogy with such, but man, do these guys ever! One of my favorite tunes on the album is "News From Up the Street," a moody and quite beautiful piece of music. "Traffic Jam" will certainly appeal to anyone who's ever been stuck in--well, you know--and "Hook or by Crook" will have your foot tapping a mile a minute. "Reelin' Down" will stick in your head for days, and "Caught in the Rain" features some really lovely backup by those Lickettes. I can't say enough about this wonderful album, actually. I have owned the vinyl copy ever since it first came out over 30 years ago, and play it three or four times a year with renewed appreciation of its many fine qualities. Each time I give this album a blast, I am blown away by how remarkable a concert this must have been. This really IS one of the forgotten great live albums of all time. Trust me on this one!

And after being a fan for nearly twenty years I recently did! What a great experience to see Dan live. Although certainly not with the original lineup, the band was tight and the Lickettes were Hot. Where's The Money is my all time favorite Dan Hicks CD. In my opinion there is not a bad song on this CD. If you do not own any DH this CD would be a great place to start.

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5.0 out of 5 stars From the Land of Happy Feet . . .
Dan Hicks enjoyed a remarkable degree of commercial success in the early '70's playing a cross-pollination of jazz, folk, and cowboy music that was decidedly non-mainstream. Read more

Published on April 2 2002 by Gary Popovich

5.0 out of 5 stars Just buy it
I've been listening to this recording since it first came out on vinyl, and it has remained fresh and fun over all these years. Read more

Published on Dec 6 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars more first-class Dan
This record and the "Original Recordings" CD are the group at its best - superb musicianship and compositions, much to enjoy at many levels - originally released on... Read more

Published on July 20 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredibly Tight, Energetic Acoustic Jazz Live CD
This CD recorded live at the troubador in Los Angeles is an incredibly fun album. Recorded at the band's peak, the harmonies and precision of the playing are studio quality... Read more

Published on Dec 11 1998

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