Friday Evening Prayer Meeting

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Here's for Big Hussein Otis, who thinks Henry Mancini is the epitome of suave sophistication, and for The 59er, who wanted to hear something scary.



As I said once before, I have nothing against Mancini except when his orchestra is performing crap. Have no fear about this cut, though; it's a killer. The signature reverby/tremelo-ey bass line fits perfectly with the harpsichord (real or simulated, I don't know) melody, and the lush orchestral bridge is unexpected (if you've never heard it) and otherwise perfect---a nice soundtrack for you and your femme fatale to enjoy while sharing a martini after having strangled her husband for the insurance payoff. And then, there's the jazzy, schmaltzy outchorus for... you know what.

I happen to know this song because it was the theme for WGN-Channel 9's marquee monster movie showcase, Creature Features. I can tell you for a fact that, back when Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin were household names, this tune sounded really, really good in conjunction with some weed and some "hobo eats"  (i.e., Hostess brand snacks, potato chips, and Dr. Pepper).

One more thing: turn it up loud.

Experiment In Terror, Henry Mancini and His Orchestra (1962, "Experiment In Terror," RCA Victor LSP-2442), via YouTube, embedded for noncommercial critical discussion and educational purposes.