Lee

"Only Once" was written by Lashier and has a drum intro that picks up speed, a cool sounding nasal vocal and good rough guitar solo. "Never Be Happy" is the other side of the coin, a steady folk-rock ballad written by Weers and Hunter. Interesting how the rhythm changes up for the solo.

This is the same Lee label out of Don Lee Studios that the Marauders from Saginaw used for their June '65 single, "Lovin" / "Nightmare". That group paid $245 for one hour of session time and 1,000 45s, it's likely the Satisfactions worked a similar deal.

Sources include: Article on the Marauders in Kicks #5.

P.B. is Paul Beecher, credited along with the Staunchmen for writing both sides of the 45, but that's all I know about this group.

"Mean Willy" is a driving track with some wild guitar breaks and screams between repetitive lyrics and droning saxophone.

All the girls they can't sympathize,
They know that he goes around telling 'em lies,
When he looks into their big brown eyes.

Less engaging musically is the flip, "Lost Generation", which sounds like it has roots in "Eve of Destruction". The lyrics are defeatist and downright depressing, if I am reading them right:

This poor war is here to say,
There's nothing you can do to keep it away,
My brother's dead, there's no denying,
This lost generation has me cryin'.
'Cause it's lost, this generation, it's gone away,
It's lost no matter what you say.

The kids are turnin', their cards are burnin',
Trying to escape this war,
The game they've lost and now they've found,
It doesn't matter anymore.

P.B. & the Staunchmen - Mean Willy
P.B. & the Staunchmen - Lost Generation

Thanks to Don Cox for the lyric correction. If anyone has photos of the group, please contact me.