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Five-Star Fridays
Friday, January 29th, 2010I’ve never heard of Andy Prieboy (though he’s apparently a fellow Hoosier). And I had no idea he wrote “Tomorrow Wendy,” the sad, gorgeous song about an AIDS-infected prostitute that Concrete Blonde made famous. And until I discovered it poking around on YouTube earlier this week, I also had no idea that Prieboy recorded his own version of the song, with Concrete Blonde’s Johnette Napolitano on backup vocals.
But holy hell. What a stunning, beautiful rendition. Anyone know where you can buy or download a higher-quality version the song? It doesn’t seem to be available on iTunes. The 1990 album it’s from is going for $45 used on Amazon. Have to say, this cut alone is damn-near worth it.
A faithful and very haunting arrangement.
I had no idea what that song was about until now, but it never fails to bring back powerful memories of a certain period of my youth.
It was really popular on KROQ. I can email you the mp3 if you want, I bought the cd almost 20 years ago and still have it.
And did you ever hear the live Concrete Blonde on the Caroline EP? Awesome as well.
WOW. Stunningly beautiful, indeed. I hope someone pops in to tell us where we can find a download.
… WOW
Haunting is exactly the word that came to mind when I listened to it.
I have never even heard of Tomorrow Wendy or Concrete Blonde and had certainly never heard of Andy Prieboy.
Glad I stopped by this morning. That tune has made it a ten star Friday for me.
Very haunting song. Never heard he tune or the bandbut must say, I’d pay hundreds for this album.
The confusion Radley created a while ago with a subtle joke linking Johnette and Janet Napolitano keeps popping up in my head! I keep seeing her smacking people around as head of homeland security while singing “Joey”.
I found a dead torrent of the album, and a website with a dead rapidshare link.
Thanks for the memories, Radley — this version of the song (indeed, I had never heard of the Concrete Blonde version) was very popular in Australia when I was younger. Indeed, this clip comes from “rage”, an Australian music video programme. I am pretty sure I have a copy of the song (maybe on cassette tape?) boxed up somewhere in my parents’ house.
I used to own the first 4 Concrete Blonde albums on CD, not sure when I lost them but they are all great. Radley, on the first CB album, Johnette does a good cover of Beware of Darkness, a George Harrison song.
See, now I have to go to Grooveshark and pull up a bunch of Concrete Blonde to listen to…and I can’t yet cause I’m at work.
Wow. Very nice version, though I still prefer the original. Was a CB fan through Mexican Moon, then lost track of them. Always thought Johnette was hot. So I’m shallow. Shoot me.
I have a file on my desktop called “Musictofind”. It is just a little bit bigger now. Thanks. Really.
#12 – Likewise, I’ve got a folder called “MusictoListenTo”.
I’ve also got “BooksToRead”, “MoviesToWatch” and “ThingsToDo”.
Ok, that last one, in all honesty, doesn’t get consulted as often…
I never post based on your song links, and I’m not the biggest concrete blonde fan…but this was spectacular…love his voice.
“Anyone know where you can buy or download a higher-quality version the song? It doesn’t seem to be available on iTunes. The 1990 album it’s from is going for $45 used on Amazon. Have to say, this cut alone is damn-near worth it.”
This always seems like the RIAA’s main issue with piracy. I never want to buy something from today’s top 40 frankly that’s on the radio enough already. I don’t usually want to buy ‘classics’ from Dylan/Stones/Beatles etc either I already own that or its again still on the radio enough. I want the grade ‘B’ artists who nobody bothers to put on Itunes but will certainly be on some torrent site somewhere.
Concrete Blonde Live in Brazil has the best version of this song I have ever heard. I believe you can get it on Amazon.
Andy Prieboy was also the singer for Wall of Voodoo when Stan Ridgway left after the US Festival.
I can’t find a cheaper CD, but if you have a turntable you can pick up the “Tomorrow Wendy” 12″ single for $8:
http://www.discogs.com/sell/item/18843099?ev=bp_titl
My favorite Concrete Blonde album (which Radley has mentioned here before) is “Still in Hollywood”. It was released probably 15 years ago, and was a good assortment of new songs, covers, and live or alternate versions of earlier hits. The last song on the album is a live version of “Tomorrow Wendy,” and when Johnette introduces it, she says “This is a song by a friend of ours, Andy Prieboy from Wall of Voodoo.”
But this is the first time I’ve ever actually heard Andy’s version, and its great.
Heh. He also has a song “Can I see your I.D.” lamenting the rise of I.D. checks; the lyrics start with: “For the love of God, is it Nazi Germany?”
http://www.andyprieboy.com/songs/id.php
Loved Andy Prieboy’s work in Wall of Voodoo.Will check out the ID song for sure.
Can I See Your ID? (written in 1980, BION)
For the love of God, is it Nazi Germany?
For the love of Mike, I’m not from the KGB
With all the bouncers, tellers, cops and check-out girls
(Mousy little check-out girls with million dollar hair…)
They eye me accusingly
All they ever ask of me:
Can I see your I.D.?
Sorry thats the policy…
If it were up to me
Id let you slide
But I cant, y’see?
God have mercy my check’s from out of town
The banks and the stores have already turned it down,
But do I look like the type who’d abandon his kid and wife
(And fly out down to Vegas with a hooker for a week?)
You eye me accusingly
All you ever ask of me
Can I see your I.D.?
Sorry thats the policy…
If it were up to me
I’d let you slide
But I can’t, y’see?
You give him your card
And he looks at it
And he looks at you
And he flips it over.
Looks at your signature
Looks at you
Looks at your signature
And he flips it over
Looks at your picture
Looks at you
Looks at your picture
And he flips it over
Looks at your signature
Looks at you
Looks at your signature
And he flips it over
Flips it over
Over Over
Over and over
Can I see your I.D.?
Sorry thats the policy…
If it were up to me
I’d let you slide
But I can’t, y’see?
Wow. Haven’t thought about Andy Prieboy in a long time. Somewhere on cassette I have “Upon My Wicked Son”. I need to dig it out.
Johnette Napolitano is a goddess. Have everything Concrete Blonde I could get my hands on, but still never managed to see them live. Never saw this before. Thanks for posting it.
[...] a nice email from the artist Andy Prieboy after I mentioned his song on Friday. Thank you so much for your kind words regarding “Tomorrow Wendy.” I am very [...]
somewhere, out in my garage, i have the cassette of the this album.