This is the back story behind the previously unknown song “White Powdered Wigs”, originally co-written in 1968 by Don Van Vliet and Peter Anders, who was then part of the duo Anders and Poncia.
Don had mentioned back in early 1968 (Melody Maker 3 Feb 1968 – Those Beefheart Blues … by Tony Wilson) that he had written a song with Peter, saying in an interview, “I wrote a song with Pete Anders. I also wrote another one called ‘Fifth Dimensional Judy’. We physically love England” but no details or confirmation had ever emerged about the track until now. He had also mentioned in later interviews about the time he met Paul McCartney in Cannes and he expressed a desire to meet him again.
Peter Anders and Don Van Vliet had gotten to know each other when Anders and Poncia and Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band were part of the Buddah Records tour contingent that travelled to Cannes, France in January 1968 for the Midem music festival. According to Peter, it was during this trip that Don and Peter, along with Peter’s musical partner Vini Poncia and singer/songwriter Bobby Bloom, spent a whole day with Paul McCartney who at one point played them an early version of the Beatles classic “Lady Madonna” – Peter stated that “the left-handed Beatle performed it upside down on Vini’s right-handed guitar!” A verse in the finished lyrics to the track describe this performance, suggesting that Don actually sang in Paul’s presence:
‘A beetle eyed a beef heart in our hotel room
Wading through the smoke to look for Doctor Bloom
The Captain howled like a wolf the prince played upside down
Presented the Madonna and let me wear his crown’
The Buddah tour then moved on to England and it was in London that the idea for the song “White Powdered Wigs” came about. Peter and Don were looking at a window display of mannequins in Parliamentary garb at Harrods department store when Don suddenly exclaimed, “White powdered wigs make me wonder.” Both men realised that Don’s utterance would make a great song title and they went back to their hotel to begin work on the track.
However, the track was never finished and so it lay on the shelf for nearly 40 years. In 2006 Peter Anders and his latest songwriting partner Rick Bellaire finally completed the track, which was then released on Peter’s 2010 album “So Far”.
Peter sadly passed away in 2016.
Here are the full lyrics for the completed track, as released on Peter’s 2010 album “So Far”.
“WHITE POWDERED WIGS”
(Peter Andreoli, Don “Captain Beefheart” Van Vliet, Mederick Bellaire)
A beetle eyed a beef heart in our hotel room
Wading through the smoke to look for Doctor Bloom
The Captain howled like a wolf the prince played upside down
Presented the Madonna and let me wear his crown
White powdered wigs make me wonder
Wonder what’s wrong and what’s right
Whether I’ll get out from under
The weight I’ll be under tonight
Department store displays depicting a life
So full of promise shining so bright
I see dark clouds I hear the thunder
White powdered wigs make me wonder
Mix 10cc of strawberries with one part bubblegum
A little shot to brace me for a hit that never comes
Motown stars in Rolls Royce cars here to get their due
Toasting everyone before it all goes down the tube
Singing sha-na, na-na-na
Sha-la-la-la, la-la
©2010 Peter Anders Music, Singing Ink Music, Mederick Music Ltd. (BMI)
You can find out more about Peter Anders at – https://peteranders.net/music/
Sam Smyth
(originally posted on the Sam’s Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/captainbeefheartandthemagicband/posts/602811924548082)
Reproduced with permission.