Way Out West

"Come on up and Rock with me," coos old-time sex star Mae West on the cover of this Tower Records release. Way Out West is one of the quintessential "non-musician celebrity makes an album" records, with West stumbling through a series of rock tunes including Day Tripper, You Turn Me On, Nervous, Boom-Boom and my personal favorite, Twist and Shout. And when they said "Way Out", they meant it: Mae West appears here completely in character, applying liberal amounts of her usual schtick to all of these songs, often forgoing the real lyrics in favor of the purrs and slogans for which she is famous. I say that's far out.

Mae West aside, Way Out West is a suprisingly solid rock album. The band, identified in the liner notes as "Somebody's Chyldren", delivers exceptional covers with an authentic garage-rock feel, mixed down with a wide stereo separation reminiscent of early Beatles releases. The stark contrast between that sound and Mae West's persona only makes the result all the more ridiculous.

Album liner notes were never known for their modesty, but producer David Mallet must have had his gall meter turned up to the max when he wrote, "It is singularly appropriate that Mae West should be recording an album of rock 'n roll hits". Goes to show you how far men will stoop for a little cleavage.

Richard (08-03-2004)

Phil Greenaway says:
well.... i have listened to it twice and shes a better actress than she is singer, and Richard Cranium.... i have read what Garage George has put and i agree with him. I have a PhD in Music and what Garage George said is very correct. so , Im afraid to tell you that you are the one who is the "frustrated rock critic", and it is you Richard who is using Guttural language (look that up). Dont try to be something you obviously aren't. Good Bye. (08-03-2004)

Richard Cranium says:
Thanks for crawling out from under your rock, "Garage George" and letting us all see you for the fool that you are.

Please, more of your witticisms (go look that one up).

took almost a month to respond....that synaptic gap in your brain must be as big as the Grand Canyon.

Oh please....I await your most intelligent repose. (07-21-2004)

Garage George says:
Hey, Richard Cranium:

I wasn't "reading" anything "into" the music, asshole. I was just describing what I heard and how it sounded to me.

Go ahead and call it "pure and simple camp" and nothing else, because apparently your ears can hear nothing else. Perhaps you resent those who can, even if their comments are as "Music 101" elementary as mine were.

And just FYI, I'm not a "frustrated rock critic." I'm an un-frustrated musician. Not that that's relevant or anything. Asshole. (07-21-2004)

Polly Williams (p_williams54@hotmail.com) says:
Hey...I was a huge Mae West fan, and I thoroughly enjoyed this LP from this delectable diva. Especially her rollicking rendition of "Twist and Shout"...actually, later on in the 70s, I have a feeling, correct me if I am wrong, that Bette Midler's breathy version of "Do You Wanna Dance?" has definite shades of Way Out West influence. A priceless find! If she were alive today, she could easily blow all these little pop princesses out of the water. (07-14-2004)

MOMD says:

While not from this album, here are a couple more
classic Mae West disasters ...

http://www.moviesofmassdestruction.com/audio/momd-vol-1/momd-01-20-sextette-theme.mp3
http://www.moviesofmassdestruction.com/audio/momd-vol-1/momd-01-10-sextette-love_will_keep_us_together.mp3
http://www.moviesofmassdestruction.com/audio/momd-vol-1/momd-01-06-myra_breckenridge-taste_all_the_fruit.mp3

and more info on the Sextette movie

http://www.moviesofmassdestruction.com/movies.php?momd=3

(07-05-2004)

cynthis (redpaintSpark) says:
you turn ME on mae west. hahahaha (07-02-2004)

Richard Cranium says:
Garage George, the frustrated rock critic...

stupid ass yap-yap about 4/4 signatures etc. Blah blah boring DIK!!

Prententious bullshit artist....piss off and leave Mae alone....

The record "works" because it is pure and simple camp. Anything else YOU or others of your "ilk" read into it is nothing but pure bullshit, George.

Go away now.... (06-13-2004)

Garage George says:
The producers probably convinced themselves they could get away with a record like this on account of Mae's genuine and well-documented affinity with the old-time bawdy house blues. "It's only a short step from the Red Hot Mama Boogie to the Mersey Beat," they must have said.

Indeed, at times this record almost works, esp. when the band abandons the straight 4/4 for more of a shuffle. If nothing else, Mae does seem to be having a good time. (06-13-2004)

Peanut Head says:
Dis is an amazin' LP..in da fact dat it wuz ever prodooced...cuz MAY kept leavin' da studio wid dose guys fer da Horizontal MAMBO!!...honest, cuz JIMMY OSMUDT tol' me....he was a backup singer for MAYD YEAST an' she ALLWAYS be grabbin' fer his dik and stuff....he say he gonna tell on her, but she get even MORE frisky fer JIMMY's dik....

So JAMMY call DOONA & MARY OSMINDT ta cum git him outta dere....MAYD start throwin' shit and wanted a menerge-ou-twat wid all o' dem (da guyz in da band too!!!).

MAYD ws pretty gud for being 150 years old...lookit da rack on her on da LP cover...da band guyz all wearin' black ta hide dere boners...

I tink MAYD dead now...but if NOT...fer sure I'd invite her for smokes an liqour an ...oops..my Mommy is calling me...bye... (05-15-2004)

Old Phuch says:
Mae West gave me head in 1936! (04-14-2004)

Doug Jones says:
Ian Whitcomb says he really produced this album...should he be proud?
My sister had this record...I thought it almost good! If you are fan of Ms. West, it's essential listening! (04-14-2004)

Phil Greenaway says:
aw man, she sounds like a Furby on Prozac!!!!! (04-10-2004)

DrLazer says:
Very interesting that Mae West's version of Day Tripper is sung in the same key as Jimi Hendrix's version. I smell a mix-em-up somewhere in the future... (04-10-2004)

bODIDDLYY says:
Ever heard a cow try to sing? (02-21-2004)

UnionPacific says:
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (02-21-2004)

Todd South (tcsouth@yahoo.com) says:
Here's more information on the backing band!

http://www.fandangosinspace.com/history.shtml

(01-23-2004)

Ray (raymond.chamberlain@ntl.com) says:
I just love her version of twist & shout, a real fun album. (12-04-2003)

Nabu Ben-Avari (nabudvd@aol.com) says:
Mae West was so way ahead of her time that most won't get what she was doing for a long time, but when they do, she will be seen and heard as a visionary A+++. (10-15-2003)

Damon Devine (damondevine@earthlink.net) says:
No one's grandmother could sing this good at age 73. Her vocal's on "When A Man Loves A Woman' are excellent and strong, and soulful. Her cool camp, made this album all the more joyful. She looks GREAT on the cover. Also, this album sold over 100,000 copies in 1966. (09-01-2003)

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