The Roches - Mr Sellack (Live 1985)

[@christophrieger]

so so great...

[@Robutube1]

A knock out rendition of one of their most iconic songs. As their compatriots might say, they knocked it out of the park with this one. How greater fame eluded them beggars belief. RIP Maggie.

[@yveslatorte7925]

The Roches were themselves, and dare it be said, didn't need to be famous. Fame ruins most, but Time vindicates everything. They were clearly gifted, they were funny, pretty, and they were smart; smart enough to comment on life in a way no one did or could at the time. I saw them twice in Baltimore, at Shriver Hall on the campus of Johns Hopkins and at The Senator Theatre uptown. The second time in particular was ear opening. They sang without stage jitters, but with a relentless pure command of rhythm and timing. They had you from the moment they opened their mouths, which was, of all songs, that night, the not-easy (and maybe the hardest of all from their catalog!), the largest Elizabeth in the world. Out of the gates they sang it with a swing that seemed stronger, more daring, yet even more patient than the perfect studio recording. Simply amazing. Most bands get too hyped before an audience, its natural... they didn't. Its one thing to sing clear perfect vibrato-less harmonies and another to 'put time in your pocket' like they could on stage. Family musicians always have graces that other groups do not, like, intense chemistry, inner unity, mutual intuition. Anyone can tell they loved to sing together, because, let's face it, they sounded great, like no one else.... Its the open harmonies. I still marvel all these years later at the song Losing You, the poetry of those 8 block chords of the refrain that are exactly what they are word speaking. This performance is no surpise. Exactly what I remember; they had presence and a mission: goodwill, sonic beauty, and great, interesting songs. Lady bards to make you smile think and wink.

[@notthebannerboys]

The line that lifts this up into art is "Let the other forty million three hundred and seven / people who want to get famous" which is clearly a sentence fragment, and SO very clearly not.

[@howard5992]

I adore "I worker here, last year, remember ?'

[@caseygreyson4178]

Can you explain? Sorry my English isn’t the best but I love the Roches so I always try my hardest to understand their beautiful lyrics.

[@auroraborealis7379]

​@@caseygreyson4178 Sorry, I'm doing a bad job of explaining this but it's like, let the other forty million three hundred and seven people, who want to, get famous. Like, let the people who want to get famous get famous. At least, that's how I think about it.

[@harmonium8198]

No, it's not a sentence fragment. It is an imperative sentence (i.e., an instruction) that, reduced to its essential elements, says, "Let the people get famous." That is a complete thought.

[@johnbonaccorsi5378]

Another line is similarly odd: "Since I've seen you last, I've waited for some things that you would not believe to come true." The "to come true" jars because it comes after the sentence seems complete. (This line, in other words, seems complete when it yet isn't, while the line you mentioned doesn't seem complete when it already is. One line continues when it seems it shouldn't; the other doesn't continue when it seems it should.)

[@deborahlivingston336]

Glad to see this

[@sanjulienne]

Genius!!

[@pommelhorsepommelhorse8731]

they were so good. suzzy was the ozzy osborn of folk

[@WhatWouldZappaSay]

I have LOVED these girls since I discovered them in the early 80s. Linda Ronstadt & Phoebe Snow did a rendition of Married Men on SNL...I had to check in to the writers....life long fan ever since. But I'm wondering what made them choose this the song to showcase on Johnny Carson as opposed to The Married Men or the Hallelujah chorus? Because I figure "Big Nuthin'" is about their debut on Johnny Carson....thoughts?

[@BenDowdy]

"Big Nuthin'"was about their appearance on SNL in 79, or so I've read. They sang "Bobby's Song" & "Hallelujah chorus"; imo, they should've sang "Mr. Sellack", or "Hammond Song" on that first SNL performance instead.

[@WhatWouldZappaSay]

@@BenDowdy - I just have a gut feeling that Big Nuthin' is about being on Johnny Carson's show. I mean, that was more prestigic than SNL by a long shot...just my thoughts on it.

[@yveslatorte7925]

Throughout their career, Terre and Suzzy, at least, could not hide their experience and deep perceptions of men. BN seems to about the clarity after getting your hopes up in a relationship when the other has overplayed his eligibility.

[@franko6677]

Soooo good, but sadly I think they were just too quirky and original for mass consumption. Carson seemed to really like them.

[@Zarina1634]

Crossing Delancy the lead singer.

[@warrenmowry8215]

Don’t get it, Um? If so, your loss.

[@richierichit]

Ummm.