Song of the Day 8/15: Charles Manson, “Look at Your Game Girl”
Director Quentin Tarantino’s latest “let’s wish away the bad parts of history” film is tangentially related to the Manson Family murders in 1969 Los Angeles. Some critics have complained that the soundtrack is poorly fitted to the material, consisting of pop tunes instead of the psychedelic sounds emerging at the time. Surprisingly, considering Tarantino’s do-anything-for-a-shock ethos, it ignores Manson’s own music.
Most people know that Manson, who learned to play guitar in prison, was trying to break into the music scene and had been befriended by Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys. But most have never heard the songs he recorded for a demo tape. You might be surprised at his singing voice, or to learn that his tunes sound more like Laurel Canyon than death metal.
Of course Manson auditioned for Producer Terry Melcher whose Mom just passed recently. That was Doris Day. He failed the audition and then they got a limo to take both of them home. Melcher was dropped off first and Manson then knew where he lived. Several months later he got his followers to attack. He never set foot on the premises. What he didn’t know is that Melcher moved out and Sharon Tate and Roman Pulanski moved in. Maybe if they hired separate limos the massacre never would have happened although he probably would have picked some other house at random like they did with the LaBiancas.