EVIL SQUIRREL: What’s going on here, Scratchy?

SCRATCHY: I’m training Mr. Fox on how to be a deejay!  I think he’s got a voice that was made for radio.

ES: I don’t think he has a voice made for any kind of media.

SCRATCHY: Yeah, well you wouldn’t know talent if it hit you between those beady eyes.  Get a load of this…

Scratchy drops the needle on “Smoke on the Water.”  The iconic guitar intro plays….

♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫

MR. FOX: …………………………………………….

We all came out to Montreux
On the Lake Geneva shoreline

SCRATCHY: Perfect!  You can talk as long as you want over the musical intro, just make sure you shut up when the first line starts!  We’ll just have to work on your elocution a bit…

ES: I’ve seen and HEARD enough of this nonsense!  Sponkies, who’s up next in the countdown?

SPONKIE 1: Next up is….

SPONKIE 2: Ummmm…..

ES: Well?  Who is it?

SCRATCHY: Fox got your tongue?

SPONKIE 1: Miss Scratchy, I’ve never heard of this critter before.

SPONKIE 2: Yeah, who’s “Caper?”

ES: Let me look at that….

The Sponkies bring the list up to the booth…

ES: That’s got to be a mistake…

SCRATCHY: Who made up this stupid list?  Oh, that’s right…. you did!

PEPPER: There’s no Caper on the Shelf, is there?

TINA: Of course not!  Besides, that’s such a dumb name!

CAPER: (Waving middle fingers all around) ‘Scuse me, bitches!  I got a song to play!

SQUIRREL MOM: Was Caper one of my children?  I’ll have to check under the crawlspace….

CAPER: YAY!!!  You picked ME!!!!!!!!

ES: I guess I’m going to have to scratch this entry off the list and see who I wound up leaving off….

SCRATCHY: Can my mom have a request?  She’s a big fan of Kanye…

CAPER: Don’t worry guys, I can put my own record on!  I’m totally a professional.

SPONKIE 2: This is so awkward, Uncle ES!

SPONKIE 1: Yeah, I hope it doesn’t ruin the countdown…

CAPER: (Takes the empty mic) Ladies and gentlemen, presenting a song chosen by CAPER SKUNK, everyone’s favorite Shelf Critter!!!!

In 1964, a band named The Beatles became international superstars and put the sound of British rock and roll on the map.  One of the many acts from England who followed in the very large footsteps of the lads was the Rod Argent Five, otherwise known as The Zombies.  And long before Night of the Living Dead made zombies an enduring part of pop culture, this band of living undead found great success in late ’64 with their debut single “She’s Not There”…

“She’s Not There” is among the many mid 60’s songs to feature those totally groovy sounds of early synthesizers…

Stop playing immediately, or I’ll kill this wretched beast with fire!

The Zombies didn’t really carry over the success this song brought them.  “She’s Not There” is rather amazingly their only UK Top 40 hit, and just #12 at that.  They were somewhat more successful on this side of the ocean, with this song reaching #2.  They followed up in 1965 with another goodie, “Tell Her No,” a #6 hit.  And then there was the crazy success with the song we remember them best for, “Time of the Season,” which became an iconic hit of the psychedelic era (#3 on the US charts) in 1969…… a full year after it was initially released as a single that got ignored…

Being ignored…. hey, I totally feel ya’ there, Zombies!!!

And yet, despite the lukewarm results, The Zombies are official members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as of 2019…

Come back next Monday for more music…. this time, hopefully from a real Shelf Critter…