The band was formed in 1962 by lead singer/organist Larry Tamblyn and guitarist Tony Valentino. The Standells' first hit single was Dirty Water, which reached #11 on the Billboard charts on June 11, 1966.
Other hits included Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White, Why Pick On Me, Riot On Sunset Strip (about the 1966 riots resulting from police attacks on hippies), and Try It.
Singer/drummer Dick Dodd, founding drummer of The Bel Airs, who joined the group in 1964 and sang the lead on "Dirty Water", was a former Mouseketeer, and singer/keyboardist Larry Tamblyn, who sang the lead on many of the other Standells songs, is the brother of actor Russ Tamblyn and uncle of Amber Tamblyn, star of Joan of Arcadia. Dodd replaced original drummer Gary Leeds, who went on to fame as Gary Walker of The Walker Brothers. In 1967 John Fleckenstein (formerly of the group Love), joined the Standells. The group appeared in several low budget films of the 1960s, including "Get Yourself a College Girl" and cult classic "Riot on Sunset Strip", in which they performed the movie's title song. Lowell George, who would go on to play with Little Feat, briefly played guitar in the Standells prior to their breakup in 1969.
The Standells also made an appearance on the 1964-1966 television sitcom The Munsters in the episode "Far Out Munster". The band was an integral part of the show, and performed the songs "Come On and Ringo" and The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand." Furthermore, the group appeared on the television 1964-1965 sitcom The Bing Crosby Show, in the episode "Bugged by the Love Bugs", portraying the fictional rock group of the same name. They performed the songs "Someday You'll Cry" and "Come Here".
Despite the lyrics of "Dirty Water", which states, "Boston, you're my home." The Standells are not from Massachusetts. However, in 2007 the Massachusetts General Court officially decreed "Dirty Water" to be the "Official Victory Song of the Boston Red Sox" . Since 2004, the Standells have attended most every World Series at Fenway Park, including the final winning game in 2013. "Dirty Water" was written by their producer Ed Cobb. It is played after every home victory by the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins.
Dodd and Valentino left the Standells in 2009. Dick Dodd passed away in 2013.
The Standells still are actively performing today, and have been receiving 'rave reviews' from music critics. They recently headlined in 2013 at the Adams Ave. St. Fair, San Diego, CA, and the Ponderosa Stomp, New Orleans, Lousiana. Original Members Larry Tamblyn and John Fleck are still in the group, along with co-lead singer Mark Adrian and drummer Greg Burnham. The group has recently released a new album Bump on GRA Records. They been booked on an extensive East Coast tour from April - May, 2014. Learn more about the Standells by visiting http://www.standells-official.com and http://www.facebook.com/Standells
Animal Girl
The Standells Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's an animal girl, and it's lying on the beach
It's ass can surf in the sand while it's head's asleep
It's fingers roll a reefer cigarette
It's skin can decompose beneath the sweat
I know all I need to know
I know how much girl to go
Drinking iced scotch and soda
I proclaim the ocean like a Coppertone baby
Wait and see
You don't know who I am
Fig or tree
Lex or Superman
The owners may dim the lights
The sailors may start to fight back the dinner
They wolfed at the taco joint
But maybe a blue moon will shine in the heart of the hood
It's an animal girl, and it's knees are turning black
The spitomatic flips it on it's back
There's a gathering crowd of heavy-breasted men
The burn patrol is freaking out again
I know all I need to know
I know how much girl to go
The lyrics of The Standells’ song, Animal Girl, appear to describe a scene of a wild and carefree girl enjoying life by the sea. “It's an animal girl, and it's lying on the beach,” the singer sings, suggesting that the girl is unafraid of getting her hands and feet dirty. The girl’s “ass can surf in the sand while it's head's asleep,” a testament to her comfort and ease with nature. She can even roll a reefer cigarette with her fingers, showcasing her rebellious and free-spirited nature. However, the song soon takes a more sinister turn, with the singer acknowledging that “it's knees are turning black, the spitomatic flips it on it's back,” possibly referring to the danger and recklessness that the girl is indulging in. Ultimately, the singer reaches the conclusion that he “know[s] how much girl to go,” perhaps indicating that he knows how much of this wild behavior he can handle before things get out of hand.
Despite its seemingly straightforward lyrics, The Standells’ Animal Girl is a song full of ambiguity and layers. On one hand, it is an ode to carefree living and embracing one’s wild side. On the other hand, it can be interpreted as a cautionary tale about the dangers of indulging in reckless behavior. The lyrics are deliberately vague and leave a lot of room for the listener to fill in the gaps and come up with their own interpretation of what is happening in the song.
Line by Line Meaning
It's an animal girl, and it's lying on the beach
There is a woman who behaves wild and untamed like an animal lying down on the beach.
It's ass can surf in the sand while it's head's asleep
The woman seems to be able to surf in the sand without using her hands or feet, while her mind is off.
It's fingers roll a reefer cigarette
She is skilled at rolling marijuana cigarettes with her nimble fingers.
It's skin can decompose beneath the sweat
Her skin appears to be rotting or decaying under the sweat from her wild, uncontrolled lifestyle.
I know all I need to know
The artist has observed and understood everything they needed to about the woman's behavior on the beach.
I know how much girl to go
The singer knows how much of the woman's wild behavior they can handle before it becomes overwhelming.
Drinking iced scotch and soda
The singer is drinking a cold scotch and soda beverage.
I proclaim the ocean like a Coppertone baby
The artist is enjoying the beach so much that they feel like a carefree child in a Coppertone sunscreen commercial.
Wait and see
The artist is looking forward to future events, and is asking others to be patient and see what happens.
You don't know who I am
The artist feels like others don't truly understand their identity or true nature.
Fig or tree
The singer is giving nonsensical responses, indicating they are not taking the situation seriously.
Lex or Superman
Another nonsensical response indicating that the artist is not being serious.
The owners may dim the lights
The people in charge of the setting may reduce the lighting, possibly to create a more romantic atmosphere.
The sailors may start to fight back the dinner
The sailors may feel uneasy or uncomfortable around the wild woman, and be unable to eat any more of their meal.
They wolfed at the taco joint
The sailors were eating quickly and hungrily, possibly because they were hungry and not focused on the wild behavior around them.
But maybe a blue moon will shine in the heart of the hood
There may be some unexpected event or occurrence, represented by the blue moon, that will occur in the midst of this situation.
It's an animal girl, and it's knees are turning black
The wild woman's knees are becoming discolored or dark from her time spent on the sand and her general behavior.
The spitomatic flips it on it's back
A device called the spitomatic is flipping the wild woman over onto her back.
There's a gathering crowd of heavy-breasted men
A group of men with large chests is gathering around the woman, possibly attracted to her wild, animalistic behavior.
The burn patrol is freaking out again
The authorities responsible for maintaining order in the area are becoming alarmed or panicked at the situation unfolding.
Contributed by Charlie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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@joegongora2200
The song is so amazing and totally 60’s and I do remember the Standells by listening to them on the radio. In this video that complements the song this girl is beautiful and looks like she’s from that time period. She does look familiar even though I can’t place her because there was something about girls from the 60’s and 70’s. That’s if you’re from that time period and love their style of clothing from that time period. Great song indeed and thanks for sharing it.
@marclayne9261
this channel is my Time Machine......Once I enter, i never want to come back to 2022...
@joegongora2200
Need you say more? The music was great 👍 😊 and so were people because girls were a bit down to earth. It’s good to reminisce about the good old days every once and then just as long we don’t lose touch with reality. We always need to be aware of what’s happening around us, but those were really great times. Keep Rocking, with the new musical gems you encounter because not all songs were promoted and got the proper airplay. We always know they were great songs even if it’s the 1st time we listen to them.
@alexanderstoerk262
Thank you again for this great video. The girl in this clip is the soooooo beautiful TINA AUMONT, she was a real goddess....
@WinChun78
Regarded by many at the time as the most beautiful woman in the world. I agree entirely....
@mjlotus
Tina Aumont ... Great eye makeup ...
@user-ss3dj5qd6y
used to see them on the traffic circle on Pacific Coast Highway in Long Bch. during the mid 1960s..........my favorite was "why pick on me"
@MrKalem6572
Beautiful
@christianvrilor4101
Marie-Christine Aumont, dite Tina , actrice franco-américaine née le 14/02/1946 à Hollywood , décédée de 28/10/2006 à Port-Vendres (France), le titre Animal Girl (stéreo, avec french horne) est issu de l'album "the Best of the Standells" sur le label Rhino Records.