Good Morning!
Today we’re listening to “Temptation Eyes” by Blake Babies
Blake Babies was a Boston-based trio formed in the mid-80s, featuring Freda Love, John Strohm, and Julianna Hatfield. They got their name from beat poet Allen Ginsburg. After listening to one of his readings, they asked him to name their band.
They went on to record five full-length records and two EPs, including 1991’s “Rosy Jack World,” where their cover of The Grass Roots’ “Temptation Eyes” first appeared (and where I first heard it.).
Strohm & Love formed Antenna, and Hatfield & Strohm both did stints in the Lemonheads.
Today, Love teaches at Northwestern University, and Strohm is the president of Rounder Records.
Hatfield continues to record and, in addition to her own work, has done a couple of records covering other artists, including The Police and Olivia Newton-John.
More:
It wasn't until 1992 that their leader, Juliana Hatfield, began getting recognition as a songwriter in more mainstream publications, but that was after the group was broken up.
Read more here.
Listen
“Temptation Eyes” by Blake Babies| Rosy Jack World, 1991
Click the record to listen on your platform of choice.
As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this track!
Thanks for being here,
Kevin—
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I've always loved Juliana's voice and it's great on those old covers. I think I might have sent you this before, but it's worth a second listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYqWwaUGl-U
I knew I heard that song before! I heard the Grass Roots version. Gréât song!!