Song of the Day 4/10: The Turtles, “Outside Chance”

Donald Trump has always skated beyond the law’s reach, and this has always been his motto: You don’t stand an outside chance, but you can try. They seem to be trying harder than ever.

Stone walls surround me
I’m surprised that you even found me

Whatever you do girl
You know that you can’t get through girl
Can’t bring me down

This number, called “a slick, pulsing rocker” in a Cash Box review, appeared as the B-side to two different singles in 1966, as well as on the compilation LP “Golden Hits.” It was co-written by Warren Zevon, who was hanging out with co-head Turtle Howard Kaylan and working as a contract songwriter for White Whale Records, the same independent company that subsisted on the band’s hits.

Kaylan said they enjoyed the then-newbie’s company and tried to help him out by putting his composition on the B-side of a hit. But “Outside Chance” was a prophetic title — neither A-side charted. So they repeated the process with another Zevon tune, a rather sappy ballad called “Like the Seasons.” Its A-side stalled at No. 89, so they tried again. “Happy Together” reached No. 1 and earned Zevon a hefty bit of cash.

“Outside Chance” was later covered by the Bangles, but it didn’t make an LP so the recording didn’t surface until years later.