Pour A Little Sugar On Me

I’ve recently been going down nostalgia lane and dug out a bunch of those old bubblegum tunes from the mid to late sixties. This is the music from from my youth and after listening to these ooey gooey delights, I came to the conclusion that my earliest music obsession, the music that I credit as my greatest influence was filled with sex and sleaze barely masked in a sugary psychedelic coating. “Wang Dang Sweet Poontang” has nothing on this stuff.

Just listen to my favorites, The Banana Splits. These singing animals not only featured a member named Snorky with a phallus trunk but their songs explored topics like foot fetishes ("Don't Go Away Go Go Girl") or an ode to the joys of lovin' large and lovely ladies such as “Two Ton Tessie.” It has lyrics like She's got big red lips and I love every pound…When she holds me tight it feels so nice, we can't get it on ‘less I go ‘round twice. This is taboo breaking stuff that predates The Velvet Underground (whose Lou Reed penned the bubblegum tunes “Cycle Annie” and “Do The Ostrich” which have their share of innuendo as well).

The Splits were tame compared to The Archies. These Riverdale teens had a group sex sing -along called “Bang Shang-A-Lang” and the bestiality anthem, “Hot Dog”. The song “Hide and Sneak” borders on promoting date rape. It doesn't stop with The Archies, no way, practically every one of my age four faves is nothing but Penthouse Forum disguised as tyke tunes.

Just look at some the lyrics:

Yummy, Yummy, Yummy
I got love in my tummy
That your love can satisfy
Love, you’re such a sweet thing
Good enough to eat thing
And sweet thing, that ain’t no lie

The Ohio Express's ode to oral sex is just a prime example, but it is unmatched by Pawnee Drive and the tune, “Love Tunnel.”

Gonna take a ride in the love tunnel
Gonna have some fun in the love tunnel
Maybe shoot my gun in the love tunnel
Gonna have some fun
Bang, Bang, Bang
Come on Baby
Bang, bang, bang
I'm Goin' Down on your tunnel baby

The Lemon Pipers were more direct. They even had an LP called Hard Core which contained the song “Jelly Jungle” and it hides very little.

Take a trip on my pogo stick
Bounce up and down, do a trick
I'll beat on your pumpkin drum

There I did it. I tarnished your vision of cucumber castles on the banks of cranberry seas where the wind blows peppermint and spice. I am sorry I destroyed your faux childhood innocence. I have now made you question what really went on at Riverdale High. “Sugar Sugar” no longer is the same is it?

Pour your sweetness over me.
Oh pour a little sugar on me honey
Pour little sugar on me baby

Article by Casetta


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