The Left Banke – Walk Away Renee / I Haven't Got The Nerve

Mine says "Smash Mercury" on the label...anyone know why mine would have "Mercury" added to it?

To say that the song “Walk Away Renee” was anything other than captivating would be disingenuous to say the least ... the song was filled with lush harmonies, was hypnotic, almost slo-core, and for that whole summer I sang it at the top of my lungs walking across the golf course on my way to the swim club. I for one find it difficult to tell if The Left Banke were foreshadowing The Beatles, or vise versa, all that I do know is that the band of classically trained artists pushed the boundaries, developing something that was quintessential for the Summer of Love in 1967, and it’s ridden in the back of my head ever since. Of course with The Beatles releasing songs like “Eleanor Rigby” in 1966, and “Yesterday” in 1965, the door was opened for more artistic uses of stringed instrumentations in rock n’ roll, never the less, The Left Banke developed a Baroque style The Beatles had yet to define, using an actual sting section that included a harpsichord, along with woodwinds to give the song a strikingly airy atmosphere, as if it were merely blowing on the breeze. And with lyrics that bespoke such bittersweetness, and unbridled heartache, I had no idea what my short life was going to bring. The flip side, “Pretty Ballerina” was equally as strong, is even a bit more psychedelically spirited, and sadly for the most part are the only numbers the majority of people know from this great pop band who created a mere twenty-seven songs filled with “Good Vibrations” Beach Boy pop sensibilities.

Now, there’s a caveat which tosses much into the air regarding timeline and who influenced whom, with “Walk Away Renee” originally being released in 1966 with “I Haven’t Got The Nerve” on the flip side. The single was released for a second time here in the States in 1967, which is the version most people know, with “Pretty Ballerina” as the B-Side ... though I’ll keep my picture sleeve Import version, as I was in Europe in 1966 for the original airing.

*** The Fun Facts: Renee was Renee Fladen, the girlfriend of Tom Fin, who simply mesmerized Michael Brown, who was so smitten that he could do nothing but write a song about his bandmates girl. She was also the genesis of the band's second hit "Pretty Ballerina."

Review by Jenell Kesler

The cover pictured here is a Swedish one. Needs to be corrected.