The cover of Rosetta Stone’s single featuring their version of Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love.”
I’m going to do something I love doing here on Dangerous Minds—taking you back to the 1970s when everything was cool. Today’s time machine post concerns Irish band and sort of one-hit-wonders, Rosetta Stone (not be confused with UK goth-rock outfit Rosetta Stone, naturally).
Formed by three brothers, Damian, Terry, and Colin McKee, the lineup of what would later become Rosetta Stone also included the trio’s pal, future Bay City Rollers guitarist Ian Mitchell. After going through a few different names for the band like Bang and the poorly chosen moniker Albatross, they started calling themselves Young City Stars sometime in the mid-70s. Young City Stars opened a gig for the Bay City Rollers in Belfast in 1975, and Mitchell would leave his school friends to join them in 1976. The rigor of non-stop touring and media attention was a bit much for Mitchell, and he would return to his roots with Young City Stars bringing with him the support of the machinery behind the Rollers. After changing their name to Rosetta Stone they would sign with Private Stock (Blondie, Stevie Wonder, Nancy Sinatra)—a label formed by Larry Uttal after getting ousted by Clive Davis from his role with Bell Records.
Rosetta Stone.
In 1977 Rosetta Stone released a 7’ single with Private Stock—a disco-pop version of Cream’s 1967 psychedelic smash “Sunshine of your Love.” The band got some pretty good traction from their boogie-worthy interpretation of the song and got to perform it on Marc Bolan’s short-lived television show, Marc. Rosetta Stone would follow up with a full-length, Rock Pictures later in 1978 (which included “Sunshine of Your Love” as well as a cover of The Kinks “You Really Got Me”) and a second album in 1979, Caught in the Act. Shortly after the release of Caught in the Act, Mitchell would split from the band again, this time for good.
I have to tell you, Rosetta Stone’s cover of “Sunshine of Your Love” is really out there, and I’m sure some of you will think it’s utter trash. And since trash is my life, I LOVE Rosetta Stone’s take on Cream’s psyche-rock classic in all its car-crashy Gary Numan-like goodness. I’ve posted some images of the adorable boys of Rosetta Stone as well as footage of their appearance on Marc.
“Sunshine of Your Love” done disco style by Rosetta Stone.
The album version of Rosetta Stone’s cover of “Sunshine of Your Love” comes in at 9:57.
Rosetta Stone performing yet another variation of “Sunshine of Your Love” on ‘Marc.’
Rosetta Stone’s cover of The Kinks “You Really Got Me.”
Previously on Dangerous Minds:
‘Supersonic’: Mid-70s footage of The Damned, Thin Lizzy & T.Rex performing on UK kids TV show
Your new car jam: One hour and twelve minute megamix of JUST THE GUITAR SOLOS from Thin Lizzy
Sham Rock: Protex’s earnest Northern Irish power pop punk
‘Marc’: Every episode of Marc Bolan’s 1977 TV series, now on YouTube!