The Standels “Let’s Go” turns the Animals’ “I’m Crying” into edgy, forbidding territory:
Well me and my baby go to a show
And we get there … (?)
And me and my baby leave the show,
And we go out on this dark road.Well here comes someone down the road,
They’re comin’ up behind us, not too slow.
Oh go, I see a red light flashing.
Well I guess we’d better get out of here fast.Let’s go
According to Teen Beat Mayhem, the Standels came from Catoosa, Oklahoma, just east of Tulsa. I knew nothing about the band, nor any of the members names, but Max Waller alerted me that according to an interview with Ron Cortner, the band was originally called the Roustabouts. By the time of the 45 the group consisted of:
Boyd Bogle – lead vocals
Tommy Bradley – lead guitar
Ron Cortner – rhythm guitar
Blaine Trumbold – bass guitar
Eddy Cortner – drums
The band’s members changed frequently, so please check Blackwell & Lake’s research for the full story.
Pla-Me Records was located at 903 Louisiana in Muskogee, 40 miles to the southeast.
The original A-side “Love Comes Once In a Lifetime” is a fine, slow ballad.
The T4KM-9713/4 RCA custom pressing code indicates a release date from the first half of 1966. The labels credit Bobby McBride and Curtis Long with A&R, both had their own singles on Pla-Me Record. Curtis Long ran the publishing for Vilena Pub. Co. BMI, but neither of these songs were registered with BMI or the Library of Congress.
Pla-Me Records of Muskogee is not related to the Ohio label Pla Me, though both were releasing records at the same time. The Muskogee label had a 666P prefix to its RCA custom pressings, while the Ohio label’s account was 804B.
Jim O’Bryan sent in the photo at top and wrote to me:
Their lead singer, Boyd Bogle, was my cousin. He also played drums. Boyd passed away a few years ago and is buried in the National Cemetery in Muskogee. Here is a photo of the band, recently posted by Boyd’s twin sister. No info yet on the one who signed as “Ronny.” I haven’t heard either song on the record since the last time Boyd played it for me in probably 1968 or ’69.
Thank you to Jim and to Boyd Bogle’s sister for providing the photo of the Standels.
Of course, this band is not the Standells of “Dirty Water” fame.
