Now, I'm not going to go on forever about how great Wendy & Lisa are. I've already done that a bunch of times in other entries, but I will say this... "Fruit At The Bottom" caught me completely off guard. I hadn't seen the video for 'Are You My Baby' or heard the actual song before I bought the record. If I had, I might've been prepared for some of what I was hearing. As unconventional and interesting as "Wendy And Lisa" had been, "Fruit At The Bottom" seemed to move in an entirely different direction. Some of the songs seemed to be written to appeal to an audience. To fit into a genre. There was an attempt to make this release more commercial. As a fan, I was more interested in hearing the new places I thought the two would take me as a listener. I didn't want to end up backtracking into the familiar suburban Wonder Bread sound of Top 40 pop.
When I heard 'Are You My Baby' for the first time, I was disappointed. I liked the song, but I couldn't reconcile it with what I was expecting from them. Many years later, I sorta figured out why I felt the way I did and why I was so quick to write it off. Although Wendy & Lisa weren't out as gay or as a couple, I kinda assumed they were. Or maybe my young inexperienced gaydar was responding to something I saw in them. I didn't consciously know they were gay... Nor was I completely aware of my own sexuality... But there was an awareness inside of me. Like always knowing I made my grandpa and other people uncomfortable because they could see something in me they didn't like. That quality being my sexuality. Even at a young age, I felt that awkward twinge and hearing Wendy sing a love song to a man seemed like selling out to me. Add to that the bubble gum peppiness of the song and you get one confused kid. I eventually realized they were writing and releasing music the label wanted.
Part of that was more fully embracing the Minneapolis Sound they'd contributed so heavily to during their time with Prince. You can hear some of that on this record. Despite the push for more commercial Prince sounding tracks, Wendy & Lisa still delve into the realm of magical notes and produce some stellar music on this disc.
Certain tracks were meant to be more radio accessible. These are obviously 'Lolly Lolly' and 'Are You My Baby'. I love both of these tracks, but the fact is once you get past them you discover a wealth of more complex and interesting music.
'Satisfaction' features Jesse Johnson, formerly of The Time and this gospel tinged rock number is a powerhouse track. It's totally different from anything else on the disc and more rockin' than the duo had been up to that point. 'In My Dreams' is the first track that heralds back to the sound of the previous record. I always viewed that album as jazz tinged, even though it has a strong Minneapolis vibe, it feels more like Jazz than pop music. And that's part of the reason I loved it so much. 'In My Dreams' is a straightforward ballad, but it's got such wonderful instrumentation, it feels organic. More like Jazz. 'Everyday' continues this vibe.
'From Now On (We're One)' features Lisa on lead vocals on the verses. This song became an anthem of sorts for me. As much as 'The Beautiful Ones' came to describe my longing and desire to find love, 'From Now On (We're One)' describes the love I hoped to find in my life. I can't tell you how many times I'd sit and listen to this song and wonder what it would feel like to fall in love.
'Tears Of Joy' is transformative. This is a powerful bit of music. It's about discovering yourself and finally understanding what you're looking for and what you want. I could totally relate to it. 'Someday I' is another track I think is incredible. There are other musicians who produce music I think sounds similar to Wendy & Lisa and frankly, this is the record I usually judge them against.
'I Think It Was December' is a bluesy jam that reinforces my deep, unspoken belief Wendy & Lisa were a couple. This song makes me think they were deeply in love even though there's nothing in the song or the music that points to that. I can't explain it. 'Fruit At The Bottom' is a fun tune but gender confusing again. Why would her lover have fruit at the bottom? Never made sense to me.
I've listened to this record so many times, I know each song inside and out. It's become a core part of who I am and I truly love it. I honestly think Wendy & Lisa were pressured to make this album the way they did. If they'd been given free reign, I think it'd been something radically different. No matter how you slice it, the disc did what it was meant to do. They had a couple mediocre hits and made some money on the record. Of course it would've been more interesting if they'd done exactly what felt natural and real to them. For many years, these two have lived with a mandate to conform to a corporate music market and I'm so happy that's no longer the case. Artists of this caliber need to be free to do what feels right.
Although it didn't start off being a good album for me, that changed over time and now I can honestly say, this is record everyone should own. If you don't have it in your collection, find a copy and add it. Now!!!
My final words: YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM TO GET ALL THE EXCELLENT FRUIT ON THIS DISC. JUST PICK A TRACK! A+
WENDY & LISA - FRUIT AT THE BOTTOM
01. Intro
02. Lolly Lolly
03. Are You My Baby
04. Satisfaction
05. Always In My Dreams
06. Everyday
07. From Now On (We're One)
08. Tears Of Joy
09. Someday I
10. I Think It Was December
11. Fruit At The Bottom
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