The Bowling Balls [Belgium]

This band started out as a joke by a journalist named Billy Bertrand. The Bowling Balls was a band in a comic called "Germain Et Nous" that Bertrand created for a music magazine called "En Attendant". The popularity of the band who had a fake manager named Peyo and gave fake interviews for music magazines convinced Billy Bertrand (who may or may not have created the name "Plastic Bertrand") to start a real band. Their music was intentionally cheesy but they really did have talent. They released four singles and recorded a music video before Billy Bertrand committed suicide in New York in 1983.

The Bowling Balls - God Save the Night Fever 7" (1979)
A - God Save the Night Fever
B - Dreadlock'N'Lol (Chinese Reggae)

The Bowling Balls - Visco Video 7" (1980)
A - Visco Video
B - When You Walk in the Room

The Bowling Balls - The Boys 7" (1981)
A - The Boys
B1 - The Girls
B2 - Goys and Burls

The Bowling Balls - You Don't Know What it's Like to be Alone in the House 7" (1981)
A - You Don't Know What it's Like to be Alone in the House
B1 - R-Dance
B2 - Oh I Miss You

Billy Bertrand's journalistic talent is evident in the song "The Girls" where each line is subliminally a girl's name. Some are obvious but others are less so. Even the lyric "I'm looking for a single girl" is clever in its context.

I don't know all of the lyrics but here's what I pieced together. I will appreciate any suggestions that help me fill in the blanks.

I always grow so weak in the knees (Denise)
When I ring ringy the bell (Isabel)
I need some kind of release (Lisa)
Pull muscles from the shell (Michelle)*
I never say (?)
When I ain't got a Penny
She'd say that I can't cheat her (Conchita)
I want her for her money (Wanda)

All around me
I see beautiful girls
They don't look at me
I'd be happy with just one girl
I'm looking for a single girl

I'll travel down to Vienna
I'll find true love in Virginia
(???? something something the fairer?")
As long as I can Priscilla
I don't care if she's a deadbeat (Debbie)
(???)
Just need some heavy petting (Betty)
(????)

All around me
I see beautiful girls
They don't look at me
I'd be happy with just one girl
I'm looking for a single girl

All day long I watch TV (Stevie)
I really love I Love Lucy
I keep on counting the days (Daisy)
Someday I'll show my true aim (Amy)
I'll drink a whole litre (Alita)
Would I die for Diana?
(????)
When I kiss and I hold her (Holga)

All around me
I see beautiful girls
They don't look at me
I'd be happy with just one girl
I'm looking for a single girl

* "Pulling Muscles from the Shell"  is from the Squeeze song that was released that same year.



Either YouTube or Blogger isn't letting me post the only video they made. It's for the song "You don't Know What it's Like to be Alone in the House" but you can see it HERE.


DOWNLOAD all four singles

Vital Organs - Radio Active 7" (1982)

A - Radio Active
B - Glastonbury

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