Song of the Day 9/29: The Lemonheads, “It’s a Shame About Ray”

Somebody in the comments used this line the other day in reference to one-term state Rep. Ray Seigfried, who lost his primary earlier this month. It applies whether you’re pro- or anti-Seigfried — it’s either a shame he lost, or it’s a shame he was so graceless in defeat.

The Lemonheads are one of the college-radio alternative bands that had its career momentum stopped by grunge in the early ’90s. This tune, the single from the band’s album of the same name, was a modest mainstream hit, but the recorded version sounds punchless compared with this live version on Letterman. As Letterman explains, around interruptions by frontman Evan Dando, they were scheduled to perform their biggest hit, a cover of “Mrs. Robinson,” but Letterman suggested they play one of their originals instead.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2HzXpzI8wM

After one more successful album, Dando’s crack cocaine habit caused the band to go on a long hiatus, and though he reconstituted the group, it never regained its audience.