The curious thing about this clip of the Standells appearing on “Far Out Munster,” an episode of The Munsters from 1965, is that they’re playing a Beatles song when they’re obviously far more influenced by the Stones. I guess nothing, but nothing, was going to stand in the way of Beatlemania.
The rendition of “I Want to Hold Your Hand” isn’t especially interesting, and there’s waaaaaaaaaaay too much Grandpa Al Lewis in the clip. It’s almost surprising they got a real band to do the bit, they could have done just as well with actors, based on this clip anyway. Promoting LA’s own answer to Liverpool was worth something too, after all.
More fun in every way, and more typical, is “Dirty Water,” their hit from later the same year, which Red Sox fans will recognize as the serenade to the departing Fenway faithful after every Bosox victory. The song features the lyric “Oh, Boston, you’re my home (oh, you’re the number one place),” but the song makes for a strange love letter to the city, as it was inspired by a mugging and references the Boston Strangler.
“I Want to Hold Your Hand” on The Munsters:
An obviously lipsynced TV rendition of “Dirty Water”:
Previously on Dangerous Minds:
The Mods: New Jersey garage band on ‘Candid Camera’
Liar, Liar: Garage rockers The Castaways in ‘It’s a Bikini World’