Edward Bear “Last Song” / “Best Friend”

I was thinking this one might be country, based on the band name (ridiculous assumption, I realize), but no, it’s a Canadian pop band formed in 1966. Named after Winnie the Pooh. Pooh fans would, of course, know that right off, and not think there was actually a guy going around with the unlikely name of Edward Bear who started a band and insisted the band be his name—rather than doing the band thing of spending countless nights at the local pub with his bandmates arguing over whether their band is going to be called “Raw Deal” or “Whim” or “The Elastic Chocolate Regurgitator.” I’m not sure, but does the radio hit, “Last Song,” sound a little familiar? It’s a tad insipid—yet rings a bell. Did I hear this on CKLW (Detroit) on my little Sunoco-gas-pump transistor AM radio? No doubt. “Last Song” was written by bandmember Larry Evoy, and it’s an account of when, bedtime imminent, he’d leave his lights on when he went to sleep, hoping “You” would see that he’s home, and “still up,” and thus drop by. We’ve all been there. The B-side, “Best Friend,” is a much hotter song, with a bit of a T-Rex-y guitar riff and a strong B3 organ part. It’s funny, the bridge really makes me think of The Partridge Family—like David Cassidy dropped by for a cameo—“What I’m sayin’ is you are you!” He’s “writing a letter” to “You”—to whom he then proclaims, “You are… your own… best friend!”—but I’m not sure if general audiences, who typically just focus in on the repetition of the chorus, might think it’s the “universal you”—and a fine bit of wisdom. But then, I might be totally wrong—and I’m only going so far with my repeat listenings to finesse the nuances of the lyrics… sorry.

12.20.24