A small secret nightclub, where subversives sit and talk … and smoke Georgian Gold.

BB Gabor – “Moscow Drug Club”

“Moscow Drug Club” (1980)

This great waltz tune was in some ways typical of the torrent of exceptional music that came from the streets of our cities and towns in the late 1970s / early 1980s. 

Is it Art?

Songs such as “Moscow Drug Club”  were played only in small venues or by college radio and small alternative stations that focused on the punk and new wave music of those few years. But was this punk? Clearly not.  

It’s Art, and it’s Fine

Was it new wave? Was it alt-pop? Was it east-euro-trad-pop? Or was it just some excellent music written by an Eastern European expat who happened to be a denizen of the vibrant music scene around Toronto’s Queen Street West, circa 1980.    

Probably the latter, cuz it’s now 2019, and we can still listen to this song and enjoy it immensely. Clearly, “Moscow Drug Club”  is fine musical art that has stood the test of time.    _{(Image source)}

BB Gabor

BB Gabor was a Hungarian expat who moved to Toronto, Canada (via the UK). His real name was Gabor Hegedus, but he adopted the “BB” of the great bluesman BB King, and retained the name “Gabor” in a nod to his fellow Hungarian Zsa Zsa Gabor. 

DIY

As a child, Gabor had been interested in music. However, he refused to study music formally, preferring the do-it-yourself formula of the rock and pop bands of the 1960s.   

Over 1980–81, BB Gabor released 2 albums. At Canada’s “Juno”  music awards, he was nominated in the category of “Canada's Most Promising Musician.”      

A Brilliant Artist, a Great Lyricist

Carole Pope, of the Toronto band Rough Trade, said that Gabor was “a brilliant, underrated artist … a great lyricist in the style of Elvis Costello.”  

Throughout the 1980s, he continued to work in music, most notably with Todd Rundgren, but was unable to revive his music career. He died on 17 January, 1990, apparently by his own hand.   _{(Image source) note – While researching this post, I learned that there is a band in the UK that calls itself “Moscow Drug Club.”  They even do a rendition of this song. Soon enough, I’ll feature it as a Cover Version in this “Music to Your Ears”  series.}

Underneath the grey streets, where the grey people walk
There's a small secret nightclub, where subversives sit and talk
Listening to illegal jazz, 10 years behind the Western fads
Smoking Georgian Gold, they refuse to do what they are told – "Nyet!"

Moscow Drug Club, secret rendezvous
Moscow Drug Club, where the Reds play the blues
La la la la la, La la la la la
La lala la, La lala la
La la la la la la la la laaaaaaa la la!

You don't hear balalaikas, because they're playing saxophone
They ignore the party line, and disconnect the telephone
They do the shimmy and the shake
They take little “red” pills to stay awake
Under the Kremlin's gaze
Being a beatnik Russkie's risky now-a-days

Moscow Drug Club, secret rendezvous
Moscow Drug Club, where the Reds play the blues
Moscow Drug Club, the 5-Year Plan is just a joke
Moscow Drug Club,
Comrade, come on iiiiiiiiiiiiiinnn, and have a toke

"Ho ho!”
“Oh, ho ho ho!"
"Ah yi"
Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey … hey hey hey hey hey!!!
Songwriters BB Gabor / Leon Stevenson / Denis Keldie, courtesy of “Indy Diver” – YouTube
Reference – Wikipedia
Reference – Wikipedia
Reference – PopMatters

Into your ears … through 5 channels

 The various posts are categorized into 5 channels _{(Right-Click to see details)}
         1 – “Music to Your Ears” (MTYE)
         2 – “Cover Versions”
         3 – “Honor Roll”
         4 – “Documentaries”
         5 – “Mock’n’Roll”

More “Music to Your Ears” ...

          Previous posts in this series – "MTYE posts 1–20"
          Previous posts in this series – "MTYE posts 21–40"

Links to my other series ...

          Lou Reed – "Anthology of Memorable Lyrics, Part 1"
          Lou Reed – "Anthology of Memorable Lyrics, Part 2"

          Great Lyrics, a compilation – “Part One – My Lyrics Posts 3~30”
          Great Lyrics, a compilation – “Part Two – My Lyrics Posts 31~60”  

          Vocab-Ability – "Introduction to Vocab-Ability"  
          Vocab-Ability – "Index"  to all Chapters and Sections  

          Notes from Under the Tatami Mats – "Part One – Notes 1~50"  
          Notes from Under the Tatami Mats – "Part Two – Notes 51~87"