"Moulty" is a song by the American band
The Barbarians, and was released in 1966 on
Laurie Records
Laurie Records was a record label established in New York City in 1958 by brothers Robert and Gene Schwartz, and Allan I. Sussel. Among the recording artists on Laurie's roster were Dion and the Belmonts (both together and as separate acts), ...
. It was written by
Doug Morris
Doug Morris (born November 23, 1938) is an American record executive. He is the current chairman of 12Tone Music Group. He previously served as chairman and CEO of the Universal Music Group from 1995 to 2011 and Sony Music Entertainment from 20 ...
, Barbara Baer, Eliot Greenberg, and Robert Schwartz, and was also produced by Morris. The lyrics refer to drummer Victor "Moulty" Moulton's loss of his left hand, and the feelings of estrangement that followed. The song was released as a
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
, and gave The Barbarians their second and final hit on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100.
History
Victor "Moulty" Moulton, the subject of the song, was
drummer of
The Barbarians, despite the impairment of his left hand. Moulton critically damaged the hand when, at the age of 14, a homemade
pipe bomb
A pipe bomb is an improvised explosive device which uses a tightly sealed section of pipe filled with an explosive material. The containment provided by the pipe means that simple low explosives can be used to produce a relatively huge explos ...
prematurely detonated while it was in Moulton's grip. The hand was amputated, and subsequently replaced with a metallic
prosthetic device that Moulton could attach a
drum stick to. When Moulton formed the group in 1964, his disability added an unusual allure to the band's rebellious image that was, in part, responsible for their popularity after their appearance on ''
The T.A.M.I. Show'' alongside
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the g ...
,
Lesley Gore, and
The Supremes
The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successf ...
.
Moulton commenced recording of the song in early 1966 in New York City while the rest of the band was situated in Boston. For the recording session, Moulton was backed by the Hawks, later known as
The Band, who were currently working as
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
's support group. The lyrics were rearranged by Moulton to include the spoken intro section of the song. The composition opens with Moulton melodramatically reflecting on the struggle of losing his left hand, while the
backing vocalists
A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are use ...
encouraged "Moulty" to "Don't turn away". It continues with "Moulty" achieving his dream, and the song shifts into a
ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
-esque structure in the third verse when "Moulty" realizes he is still lacking love. A
chorus
Chorus may refer to:
Music
* Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse
* Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound
* Chorus form, song in which all verse ...
ensues and fades out, leaving the question of whether or not "Moulty" managed to find his love. With the uncertain conclusion, a mystique remained around Moulton, which played a role in his enigmatic persona.
[
Originally, the song was only intended to be released under the consent of Moulton, who was opposed to its distribution. However, ]Laurie Records
Laurie Records was a record label established in New York City in 1958 by brothers Robert and Gene Schwartz, and Allan I. Sussel. Among the recording artists on Laurie's roster were Dion and the Belmonts (both together and as separate acts), ...
released "Moulty" along with "I'll Keep On Seeing You" in February 1966 as a single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
. Upon discovering the distribution of the song, Moulton was infuriated with president of Laurie Records, Robert Schwartz, reportedly quarreling with him, and destroying some copies of the single. Regardless, "Moulty" managed to peak at number 90 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, remaining on the charts for four weeks. The song became somewhat of an inspiration to the band's younger followers, insisting them to "never give up no matter what the odds". However, The Barbarians were so disgruntled with management for releasing the song, despite Moulton's insistence against it, that the band soon ceased relations with the company.[ "Moulty" was later immortalized in the compilation album, '' Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965-1968'', and included as a bonus track in the 2000 ]Sundazed Records
Sundazed Music is an American independent record label based in Coxsackie, New York. It specializes in obscure and rare recordings from the 1950s to the 1970s. In 2000, Sundazed had a staff of 15 and two mixing studios, including a vintage audio ...
reissue of the group's debut album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records co ...
.
References
{{authority control
1966 songs
Laurie Records singles
Works about disability