The Establishment

The first 45rpm single in Frank's Vinyl Museum is brought to us by Starday-King Records in Nashville (a city that seems to have been quite adept at producing this kind of thrift-store quality record). I was drawn to this disc by its title -- The Establishment. What a name for a band! What were these guys thinking? That they'd be the "alternative" rock band for sensible folks who didn't identify with the counterculture? Or did they once hear some hippies talking about "the establishment" and mistake it for a cool buzzword?

I didn't care much for the "A" side of this single (In My Heart I Am A Free Man), but the "B" side is a classic -- Stop Fightin' Start Lovin'. The 60's and 70's produced a lot of antiwar songs, of course, but you'd have to look far and wide to find one as powerful and eloquent as this one:

Now everyone I know is joinin' in the show
They're shoutin' out what must be done
Some say to fight for peace, while others holler "cease"
Oh, nothing's won
Too much talk and not enough doin'
Can only lead to wreck and to ruin
Come on people -- stop fightin' start lovin!

John Lennon might be best remembered for telling the world to "Give Peace A Chance", but I wouldn't be suprised if it was The Establishment that finally drove Nixon to close the door on Vietnam. Power to the People!

Thunderfudge says:
Is it just me, or does it sound like Dacid Clayton Thomas from Blood, Sweat, and Tears is singing lead? Please tell me it's just me. (01-28-2003)

John Michaelson says:
Hate to say it folks, but this a direct rip-off of "United We Stand" by The Brotherhood of Man. And I'm not even old enough to have been there, but rock history is my life. (12-29-2002)

Rick (r2400@hotmail.com) says:
Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr Lee Greewood! (11-11-2002)

Joseph Gallant (notquite@hotmail.com) says:
"Stop Fighting, Start Loving" could have been one of the great anti-war, pro-peace songs ever recorded had somebody with real talent recorded it. (08-21-2002)

Schraff (laschraff@hotmail.com) says:
Smooooooooooove. (03-29-2002)

ron (60spop@pandora.be) says:
I've said it five years ago (scroll down)... this is a good piece of orchestrated protest-pop. Found the lp and even made a cd out of it. Eat out your heart, Frank ! :) (03-10-2002)

The Lone Beatnik (cujoe76@yahoo.com) says:
They'd like to buy the world a coke while they're at it. The epitome of mediocrity! (06-17-2001)

Romann Pativ says:
In the words of the great P.J. O'rourke "lets give war a chance." (06-15-2001)

Billy says:
Did anyone of these people go on to Up With People? Reminds me of 70's soda pop commericals. (05-21-2001)

kenny says:
All I remember by them was their COLGEMS recordings that I here was 100% better than this one LP.If they did any LP's on the COLGEMS label that would be the one I would buy.That material reminded me of the band "The Sunshine Company" style. The Establishment on Colgems is the way to go if you want to hear their best material. All I have is "One Of These Days Sunday's Gonna Come On Tuesday" & their version of the theme to the TV show "Here Comes The Brides" "Seattle" both done on the COLGEMS label.Great stuff. (07-25-1999)

SueBri says:
??????????????THIS IS REAL STUFF OF THE DAY UNLIKE SOME OF THE OTHER NASHVILLE CRAP THAT IS FUNNY. (06-18-1999)

a real parakeet says:
Me and Chick toured with these guys in Eastern Europe back in the day. I recently saw these guys perform at a local Rock, Roll and Remember has-been tour. THEY STILL GROOVE!!!!!!!!! (02-20-1999)

Colleen (athenasong@isd.net) says:
Hey, Frank~~~!!!* Now that I AM......"The Establishment"......nah. In the words of the late,great Gilda Radner~~~~~~Never Mind*. *BBG* KEEP ON, FRANK! Keep on. Joy&Understanding~ Colleen (01-14-1999)

Michael says:
Frank, love your site. I was a little disapointed that Sir Droopy Drawers seems to have missed this page. (01-10-1999)

Martha Pogue says:
UP the Establishment! (09-22-1998)

Ron (60'spop@glo.be) says:
C'mon Frank, have a heart :) This is a GOOD album indeed... Please help me out here :) (10-30-1997)

Ron (60'spop@glo.be) says:
I would LOVE to have a copy of this album. This is one of those obscure late 60's orchestrated late 60's popalbums which I collect. Although put on Frank's webpages as some kind of "laughing stock" (hehe), I would loooove to have this (I'd even kill for a tape dub). Same goes for The Everyday people (10-30-1997)

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