Stuck in My Head - Imaginos

A bit of background.

My friends and I, in high school, were very much into Blue Oyster Cult, and when their final album for Columbia, Imaginos, hit in 1988, our Junior year, we were all over it. It was played over and over and over again in our cars driving to and from class. We loved the album, and the concept (with Stephen King, I believe, involved conceptually - I could be wrong) even if we didn't quite "get" the whole thing.

The album was simply awesome, IMHO ( For example - the version of Astronomy on this record is definitely my preferred one over the earlier version on the Secret Treaties album). Powerful and melodic. Tending further toward a "metal" (which, yes, we were into) feel than most of BOC's catalog. Lots of hooks, even if a lot of the lyrics were, well, anywhere from "cryptic" to "outright hogwash."

It was their final Columbia album, and the final album, period, for over a decade, I believe. It's status as a "Blue Oyster Cult" album is also in a bit of dispute, as it really seems to have been a solo project for drummer Albert Bouchard (the first of a trilogy, in fact). It was recorded over eight years from 1981 to 1988, and some of the members of BOC were barely involved.

I recently found a remastered copy, and have been enjoying a lot of memories.

I'm sure someone will e-mail me a concise rundown of the concept of Imaginos, which involves an immortal knight, Frankenstein, and...well, y'know, never mind.



Imaginos
by Blue Oyster Cult

Imaginos, approached the sun
In August in New Hampshire
Singing songs, nobody knew
And stories left undone

See this fish
His scales turned green under such a sun
Such a sun, such a sun
Such a sun, such a sun
Such a sun

A tongue and pale of Texas light
Descended on the border
While the bird called Buzzardo
Rattled the bones, he picked the flesh from

See this fish
His scales turned green under such a sun
Such a sun, such a sun
Such a sun, such a sun
Such a sun

Checking the sign of the Moon fleet
Roll your wheel with mine
Sometimes in the light of day
The truth proves hard to find
Actually this Buzzardo
Was Imaginos in disguise, in disguise

Ooo, Imaginos
Ooo, Imaginos
Ooo, ooo, ooo, Imaginos
Ooo, Imaginos
Ooo, Imaginos
Ooo, ooo, ooo

Imaginos approached the sun
In August in New Hampshire
Singing songs nobody knew
And stories left undone

See this fish
His scales turned green under such a sun
Such a sun, such a sun
Such a sun, such a sun
Such a sun

I'm Buzzardo in Texas, last chance
I'm a pinwheel in Vermont, last chance
And gorge the Bungo Pony
Last chance, last chance, last chance

I'm a rocker a roller and a spinner, too
Below that scene of subterfuge
Last chance, last chance, last chance
Which is

The last chance border
Last chance, last chance, last chance
Last chance, last chance, last chance
On the border
Last chance, last chance, last chance
Last chance, last chance, last chance

On the border
Last chance, last chance, last chance
Last chance, last chance
The last exit to Texas

Stuck in My Head - Take Me Away

Take Me Away
by Blue Oyster Cult

Strange shapes light up the night
Never seen them though I hope I might
Don't ask if they are real
The men in black, their lips are sealed

Fantasy it fills my mind
To leave this place before my time
Release myself from earthly care
My dream may be your nightmare

I turn my hopes up to the sky
I'd like to know before I die
Memories will slowly fade
I lift my eyes and say
Come on, take me away
Come on, take me away

Come here, girl, close to me
A thousand stars your eye can see
First star we see tonight
I wish I may I wish I might

I turn my hopes up to the sky
I'd like to know before I die
Memories will slowly fade
I lift my eyes and say
Come on, take me away
Come on, take me away

I turn my hopes up to the sky
I'd like to know before I die
Memories will slowly fade
I lift my eyes and say
Come on, take me away

R.I.P. Allen Lanier

We lost Allen Lanier, one of the founding members of Blue Oyster Cult, yesterday.



BOC was a big band for my friends and I in High School. Much like Rush, Blue Oyster Cult represented a band who wasn't trapped in the "party, chicks, party, chicks, repeat" song cycle. There was a sense of humor, and even depth to what they did. Godzilla, in the live video above, was a personal favorite, not only because of the wit of the lyrics, but then a bit of profoundness:

History shows again and again 
How nature points out the folly of man

Which is a pretty concise thematic statement for the first Godzilla film.

 Lanier played keyboards and rhythm guitar. He also worked with Patti Smith, and even carried on a short fling with her. The band never really got HUGE, but they had their hits. Still, if you like heavy rock at all, the first seven BOC albums are well worth checking out.

Allen Lanier

1946-2013

Bear With Me Here

Hadn't heard this song in years, now it's stuck in my head...




Going Through the Motions

Too wild to care, you got that animal stare
You got stay anywhere in your eyes
And you're leading me on, but you can be anyone
'Cause I know you'll be gone 'fore I rise

And we're going through the motions
Yeah, we're going through the motions
Yeah, we're going through the motions
Going through the motions

Staying with you gave us something to do
I almost thought it was true for a while
'Cause there's love in you lies, you senility skies
You couldn't tell right from wrong if you tried

And we're going through the motions
Yeah, we're going through the motions
Yeah, we're going through the motions
Going through the motions

To thee I dedicate this photograph
I'll even sign it "love to you" again
And when it's faded and forgotten in some book
You'll sometimes look, you'll sometimes look, you'll sometimes look

It's a game, it's a game, no let's call it a shame
'Cause there's no one to blame just to pay
You were a friend for a day, so don't cry if I say
That you got what you want, it's OK

And we're going through the motions
Yeah, we're going through the motions
Yeah, we're going through the motions
Going through the motions

Yeah, yeah, we're going through the motions
Yeah, we're going through the motions
Yeah, we're going through the motions
Going through the motions

-  E. Bloom & I . Hunter