I was perusing through the used vinyl at the record store yesterday when I came upon an old Wall of Voodoo album from 1985 titled Seven Days in Sammystown. I looked at the track listing on the back of the LP and noticed the first song, Far Side of Crazy. I then I had one of those " I remember that song" moments. I recalled seeing the video for the song on a Sunday Morning music show on the CBC called Switchback, thinking it was really cool, and then never hearing it again.
Wall of Voodoo will always be remembered for both their lead singer Stan Ridgeway and for their hit song Mexican Radio. The band broke up after the US Festival in 1983 and Ridgeway went on to forge a successful solo career. It didn't take long for the band to be revived with the help of new lead singer Andy Prieboy. The album Seven Days in Sammystown was a critical failure, except for the lead single Far Side of Crazy which did well in Australia.
The song lyrics are really dark and try to delve into the mind of John Hinckley, the murderer who killed John Lennon. The music is really cool and has guitar that is reminiscent of the Enrico Morricone spaghetti western sound.
Watch the video below and don't be creeped out too much by the weird clown.
Mark David Chapman killed Lennon. John Hinckley Jr. shot Ronald Reagan.
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