Video: Merry-Go-Round @ The Hollywood Palace

Wow, here's one I didn't expect to see. From the Hollywood Palace in 1967, it's the Merry-Go-Round doing a medley of "Live" (famously covered by the Bangles ), "You're a Very Lovely Woman" and "Listen, Listen." The cute singer is none other than power pop god Emitt Rhodes , seen here not long after his testicles descended. I bring all this up because a few weeks ago I went to YouTube hoping [...]

At the zenith of the Beatles popularity, the Merry-Go-Round was riding the stylistic coat tails of the Fab Four. Emmit Rhodes and the group are shown here in perfect Sgt. Pepper's style on a variety show singing "Listen Listen." It also looks like they stole the wardrobe of Paul Revere and The Raiders. The Beatles had inspired numerous imitators of thier style, but the Merry-Go-Round did it with class and folk-rock overtones. Don Knotts introduces them, and it looks to me like the group is lip syncing to a recording (likely a very common practice on TV in 1967). [...]