Quick Change Artist (1975)

Performer: Bachman-Turner Overdrive                 Writers: Randy Bachman & C.F. Turner
Highest US Chart Position: N/A                             Label: Mercury Records
Musicians: Randy Bachman, Blair Thornton, C.F. Turner and Robbie Bachman

My little brother loved Bachman-Turner Overdrive, but I think the only album he ever owned by the group was Four Wheel Drive. Of course no one could have made it through the seventies without hearing their classics like “Taking Care of Business” and “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet” on the radio. But while I was never into rock the way he was, I did borrow this album on occasion and I always thought it was terrific. Why the title track was never released as a single, I’ll never know, because it’s one of their best songs. “Quick Change Artist” was the second single released from the album and while it went to number seven on the Canadian charts, it failed to chart in the U.S., but it’s no surprise why. Though BTO always had a certain eclectic mix of songs, this one’s medium tempo and bass-centered introduction are what no doubt doomed it to obscurity. And yet it’s one of the more memorable songs on an album full of memorable songs.

The tune begins with Robbie Bachman playing a sixties-style drumbeat, snare on two and four, as well as the and of three. Then C.F. Turner’s bass enters playing an ascending line that begins each time on descending starting notes, while the guitars strum whole note chords in the background. After two times through Turner comes in singing a wonderfully inventive lyric about a woman who has no compunction at all about using her female prerogative of changing her mind. The verse is accompanied by a heavy backbeat on the drums and guitars, and ends with the ascending intro phrase into the chorus. Here the chord progression changes but that doesn’t really alter the backing rhythm. The end of the chorus charges right into the next verse, which ends on the intro stop and another chorus. Finally a drum break over whole note chords on the guitars provides something of an instrumental bridge and then the background alters on the next verse with only the drums and bass, playing repetitive eighth notes that descend every measure. That leads to yet another chorus with Robbie Bachman splashing the cymbals, a repeat of the intro, and then finally a fade chorus complete with guitar fills.

Though Bachman-Turner Overdrive had some real chart success in the early seventies, they didn’t seem to have earned a lot of critical accolades at the same time. But in terms of pure rock and roll, it’s difficult to think of anyone who is really better at that nitty-gritty style of blue-collar rock than this Canadian group. For one thing, their songs are more jazz-based than say a more blues-based group like AC/DC. They can demonstrate their jazz chops on a number like “Blue Collar,” play a three-chord power rocker like “Four Wheel Drive,” or just as convincingly provide an acoustic introduction to “Lowland Fling” from the Four Wheel Drive album. The B-side of the single is the Randy Bachman tune “She’s Keepin’ Time,” which starts with an almost Almond Brothers like dual guitar introduction before launching into a relentless guitar riff on the verse, a densely voiced chorus, and slide guitar work from Blair Thornton. Though it didn’t chart in the U.S., “Quick Change Artist” is a clever piece of work from one of the more underrated acts from the seventies.