They played teen clubs in the area like the Oasis and Discoteen, and a couple shows on the Hollywood strip with the Leaves and the Seeds. Their repertoire was all covers, mostly influenced by the Stones and other English groups.
Russ Johnson and Earl Shackelford wrote two songs just for the recording session, the first originals the band had ever played. They recorded at 9th Street studio in LA in August of 1966, with Richard Delvy, drummer for the Challengers engineering. Vic Gargano financed the record - he also produced the Tomorrows' La Do Da Da / Need Only You on Condor. Without the band's knowledge Gargano had a studio musician add guitar parts to enliven the sound. Although this upset the group, the resulting single is fantastic.
Pretty Little Thing features Bruce's sliding bass line, precise drumming from Soupy, and a raging organ solo by Ken Zabel. Earl's vocal has elements of Jagger's inflections but his voice is stronger. Somebody's Girl is more subdued but also powerful. Despite the quality of the record, it received little airplay.
The band returned to the studio to record more tracks for an album which was never finished. Soupy Morrow had an acetate of the sessions, but it has not surfaced since. These tracks are probably more psychedelic in nature, reflecting the influence of Earl's friend Chris Darrow on his songwriting. Earl had met Chris at the Forum Club in Montclair when Chris was with the Floggs. Earl would write three fine songs for Chris Darrow's next band, Kaleidoscope: I Found Out, Egyptian Candy, and Love Games.
Lacking success and headed in different musical directions, the band split up. Soupy died in a motorcycle accident in 1967, and Rick Edwards was killed in a car crash the following year while on tour. Earl stayed in music, notably forming Wheels with Chris Darrow and Walter Egan, and arranging vocal harmonies on Iggy Pop's New Values album.
Pretty Little Thing
The Deepest Blue Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I have seen you once before
Until that day
Just come walkin' through my door
They don't mean to trouble
Once comin' on my way
They don't mean
That's been trouble
Since I gave you that first ring
Yeah
You're still the greatest
And you're my
Pretty little thing
Pretty little thing
Don't try to fool me, I can see
Don't even try
There's just no need to convince me
I'm convinced
Of pretty little thing, which that I love ya
Don't play games
I seem to need ya, pretty thing
It's been heartache
Since that first time
You came around
Yeah
Stay by me
Pretty little thing
And don't let me down
Pretty little thing
Oh, sit with me just so
Pretty little thing
Oh, walk with me some
Yes, I want to walk inside your love
Inside
Yeah!
Yeah!
Pretty little thing
I have seen you once before
Until that day
When you come walkin' through my door
They don't mean trouble
It's just not my way
They don't mean
To add an unfarewell friend
I've been trouble
Since I gave you that first ring
Yeah
You're still the greatest
And you're my
Pretty little thing
The song "Pretty Little Thing" by The Deepest Blue talks about a relationship that is not free of trouble, but that is still worth fighting for. The first verse suggests that the singer has encountered the subject of the song before, but it wasn't until they walked through their door that they started to feel something deeper. The line "They don't mean to trouble" implies that there were outside factors that impacted the relationship, but this was not the intention of either party. Despite this, there has been trouble since the singer gave their significant other the first ring.
The chorus of the song highlights the singer's affection for their partner. They call them a pretty little thing and acknowledge that they may try to fool them, but they are still convinced of their love for them. The lines "Don't play games / I seem to need ya, pretty thing" convey a sense of vulnerability and desperation on the part of the singer. They may feel as though they have been hurt in the past by their partner and are afraid of losing them again.
The second verse repeats some of the themes from the first verse, but also adds a sense of longing and regret. The singer wants their partner to stay with them and not let them down. The lines "Oh, sit with me just so / Oh, walk with me some" suggest a desire for intimacy and closeness. Despite the challenges they have faced and the difficulties they may face in the future, the singer still holds their partner in high esteem and considers them to be their "pretty little thing."
Line by Line Meaning
Pretty little thing
Describing the person being addressed as someone attractive
I have seen you once before
The singer has seen the person being addressed before
Until that day
Just come walkin' through my door
The person being addressed unexpectedly showed up
They don't mean to trouble
Once comin' on my way
The artist believes the person being addressed didn't mean to cause any problems
They don't mean
To add it up their way of play
That's been trouble
Since I gave you that first ring
Yeah
The artist understands that the actions of the person being addressed have caused problems, but they still love them and believe they didn't intend to cause harm
You're still the greatest
And you're my
Pretty little thing
Despite any issues, the singer still loves the person being addressed and thinks highly of them
Don't try to fool me, I can see
Don't even try
There's just no need to convince me
I'm convinced
Of pretty little thing, which that I love ya
The singer sees through any attempts by the person being addressed to hide their true intentions, and their love for them is already strong
Don't play games
I seem to need ya, pretty thing
It's been heartache
Since that first time
You came around
Yeah
The artist doesn't want any games or drama, as they already feel a strong need for the person being addressed even if it's been difficult since they showed up
Stay by me
Pretty little thing
And don't let me down
The artist wants the person being addressed to stick around and not disappoint them
Oh, sit with me just so
Pretty little thing
Oh, walk with me some
Yes, I want to walk inside your love
Inside
Yeah!
The artist desires intimacy with the person being addressed and wants to be part of their life in a deeper way
They don't mean trouble
It's just not my way
They don't mean
To add an unfarewell friend
I've been trouble
Since I gave you that first ring
Yeah
The singer reiterates that the person being addressed isn't intentionally causing problems, but acknowledges that they themselves have posed challenges
You're still the greatest
And you're my
Pretty little thing
A repetition of the idea that the artist still loves and thinks highly of the person being addressed, despite any difficulties
Writer(s): Finian Greenall, Edward Guy Whittaker, Timothy William Thornton
Contributed by Riley R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@axlelford
Thanks for posting This was my group. August 1966, a_shackelford
@Bolt24HotSounds
Killer band. Thanks for the tunes
@Raitalaita
What's behind name Blue-Fin?
@goal2jtb
Question: was 'Egyptian Candy' also your band, under another name? In other words, did you record the two sides 'I Found Out' and 'Living My Love Game'? or was that a different band? And how did the connection to the Kaleidoscope come about? Did you ever receive any royalties from them or their labels?
@nortonrecords7533
SOOOO FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@BBINGHAM032352
I want to be friends with you to introduce you to Dave Bingham formerly of The Ugly Ducklings!
@walterfechter8080
That maniacal killer keyboard, that crisp and slicing percussion, that booming bassline, those sledgehammer guitar riffs, and those in-your-face vocals! This tune is just one excellent reason why 1966 was (and remains) my favorite year for sounds. This one's king tone from needle drop to the last dynamite power chord! Memories -- memories of jumping around a dance floor to this one! What a GREAT rant!
@terrygilkeson9772
RIP Earl Shackelford
@jeffersonscock8031
the best modulation under control
@daleburback
Found this 45 with pasted over labels promoting an art festival at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills Michigan in May of 69’. The record sounded so good I had to peek underneath.