Klaatu are a cult band, not a lot of people know very much about them, but back in 1970s they were for a time one of the most intriguing mysteries in music. In 1976 Klaatu released their debut album “3:47 EST” it was accompanied with no promotion and just appeared on radios for a time, leaving everyone wondering who were Klaatu. Something similar happened to the Guess Who, also Canadian, but in Klaatu’s case, people at least knew the bands name. Whoever was behind Klaatu had deliberately avoided declaring who they were, with the information on the album simply crediting everything to Klaatu.
Cinephiles will quickly identify “Klaatu” as the name of the robot from the 1951 classic science fiction movie “The Day the Earth Stood Still.” I love that movie.
A long time has passed since Klaatu first appeared on the radio, so we have the hindsight of knowing they are three dudes from Toronto, John Woloshcuk, Dee Long and Terry Draper. However, in 1976, no one know that, so everyone was forced to speculate as to who they were. One prevailing theory at the time was that Klaatu was none other then The Beatles.
Yes, you read that correctly, The Beatles.
If you think back to that time and examine this theory with a consideration for what little information was available, thinking that Klaatu was The Beatles is not altogether insane. The Beatles had broken up years earlier and every one of them had released solo works prior. Naturally, there was a great desire from the public to hear more from the most influential band to ever exist. There had been rumours for years that The Beatles were working in secret to produce more music. So, when a band with a strange name releases an album which sounds like what would happen if The Beatles had started taking ques from Electric Light Orchestra, some people wanted to believe that is exactly what had happened.
Polyphonic have a great video explaining all of this:
Polyphonic - The Band Everyone Thought Was The Beatles:
To be fair, when you think about it, releasing a new Beatles album under a pseudonym, and no other information, with their most progressive sounding music to date, is exactly the sort of impish thing John Lennon would have done.
If you are wondering if “3:47 EST” is good, you should already know the answer. Of course, “3:47 EST” is a great album. People mistook them for The Beatles. It is hard to imagine a greater compliment.
Science fiction is instantly introduced as a theme in Klaatu’s “3:47 EST” opening track “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft,” as one could perhaps surmise from the song title, is about communicating with an alien spaceship.
Meeting aliens is not psychedelic enough, so the opening lyrics introduces telepathy as a plot device.
“In your mind you have capacities you know,
To telepath messages through the vast unknown.
Please close your eyes and concentrate,
With every thought you think,
Upon the recitation we're about to sing.”
And the recitation:
“Calling occupants of interplanetary craft,
Calling occupants of interplanetary most extraordinary craft.”
Now this was the seventies, so humanity had not taken to hating itself yet. So, a story about first contact is not writhe with cynicism, but rather with celebration. We are not in fear of war upon the discovery of an interplanetary craft, we are excited to meet new friends. The magic of the peace and love movement is extended to the stars, and we beseech them please make contact with us.
“We are your friends.”
There was a time when the casual world view of the human race was just that, friends. This is in a post Star Trek world when Klaatu wrote this song. The beautiful image of a future with humankind leading the way of intergalactic cooperation was a sincere wish fulfillment for many. Listening to this song now, in current year, is very refreshing. It is a song of hope, unironic hope.
And just in case the opening verse was not out there enough, the final verse goes further.
“With your mind you have ability to form,
And transmit thought energy far beyond the norm.
You close your eyes, you concentrate,
Together that's the way,
To send the message,
We declare world contact day.”
This works for me. It is strange enough to be mildly humorous, but earnest enough to be enduring. Most importantly, it is like an episode of the twilight zone with a happy ending, there were a few of them, and they always felt great. “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft” is a song that makes us feel good, and to quote William Dafoe from “Platoon,” “feeling good’s good enough.” I love that movie.
You may have heard “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft” on the Netflix show “Mindhunter” recently, which was the second best soundtrack surprise in that show, the first being Led Zeppelin “In the Light,” which is favorite song of all time.
Klaatu was a band that wanted to be known for their music, and in many ways they are. It is unfortunate that the thing they are foremost known for is being mistaken as The Beatles, but that only happened because their music is exactly what Klaatu wanted it to be, interesting, mysterious, and excellent. The zeal of the The Beatles comparison is charming, but what is worth remembering is Klaatu’s music, just as the band wished, and that is exactly they deserve.
- King of Braves
P.S.
“We are your friends.”
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