In 1968 Harmon Bethea decided it was high time to don a Lone Ranger mask. That makes me happy. Here are some songs recorded by Harmon aka "The Mask Man" along with his band-The Agents- John Hood, Paul Williams and Tyrone Grey off their "One Eye Open" lp. Big thanks to Dj Gerald McBoing Boing for this record.
One Eye Open - Yaw'll - Wigs - Roaches - The World Is A Cafeteria - It's The Thing - In A Crowded Station - Love Bandito
Don't miss part 2 here!
thank you for the great music! I love this singer and his band. And it is so fitting that I downloaded the song "Roaches" becuase my girlfriend and I decided to move and break our lease becuase of those nasty creatures. The song is perfect.
Thanks for the amazing blog!
Posted by: Taylor Franklin | July 08, 2006 at 07:02 PM
This was just some really cool stuff. Never heard this before. Loved it! Thanks so much for keeping music real.
Posted by: Chris | August 06, 2006 at 02:35 AM
These are great! The world *is* a cafeteria! Couldn't have said it better.
Posted by: drr | January 16, 2007 at 02:27 PM
Yeah!! The Mask Man! Years ago a buddy of mine had this on vinyl and made me a tape of it. The tape was eaten by a boombox long ago and I've been keeping an eye out for this ever since. Thanks for posting it!
So many great songs, its hard to chooose which one I like best, Top contenders in my book are Roaches, Wigs, and The World is a Cafeteria.
Posted by: Bri | February 27, 2007 at 12:02 AM
Looking for music by Mask Man and the Agents. Specifically , Somebody's been sleeping. Please help
Posted by: Caocoochee | June 12, 2007 at 09:35 PM
At last. after so many years i've been looking for this album.
I'm soooo lucky to have found theese magnificent music.
Theee Great Greater Greatest artist I have heard.
Thank You sooo much!!!
Posted by: Ingemar Magnusson | July 04, 2007 at 07:05 PM
In 1971 my sister and I were visiting these two boys in her class at one of their homes and they played the song "One Eye Open". I have spent the last several years tracking it down. I shared the lyrics with several friends and co-workers over the years. Thank you Mask Man and the Agents!
Posted by: Marcie | August 05, 2007 at 03:01 PM
I first heard "One Eye Open" back in the early 1970's when I was in college. It's stayed with me all this time. Since then I've known many men who met girls in a "down home church" and have had the same experiences.
Posted by: Arthur Bugg | November 08, 2007 at 12:18 PM
my name is ligeia and i been trying to find this cd but i dont know were to get it could you please let me know how ican get a copy of this cd or tape i want the one eye open tape thanks because i relly love this cd
Posted by: ligeia toliver | April 24, 2008 at 04:49 PM
This is INCREDIBLE. I have been looking for this forever. When I was a kid, we bought this 45 when we were visiting family in New Orleans. To my 10 year old ears this was songwriting at its best. The B side was the real killer though. Can you post "Talkin' Bout The Boss And I" with the classic line "I'm lookin' for a job that starts at 12, have an hour for lunch and get off at 1" I stil use that one. Can we please hear that too?
Posted by: Michael | June 25, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Oh the song I was talking about was "ROACHES"
Posted by: Michael | June 25, 2008 at 11:01 AM
does anyone have a copy of "there's gonna be some changes made"?
Posted by: larry | November 02, 2008 at 09:37 PM
This is so wonderful to see. My father was a member of this group. Paul Williams is the one in the picture. My father died when I was five years old, and he was at the young age of 35 when he died. Just decided to see what google would produce when I typed in the groups name. So this is so wonderful to see and has brought tears to my eyes just to see a picture of my father...thank you so much for this..this is beautiful.
Posted by: Angela Folson | November 04, 2008 at 01:33 PM
I was a young songwriter and producer (aged 18 to 21) when I worked with Lillian Claiborne who produced records with Harmon Bethea (Maskman and the Agents) in Washington, DC. I recall transcribing one of Harmon's songs as sheet music.
Does anyone know how I can reach Charles Barner, one of the producers and songwriters from DC Records and Achillean Records from the late 1960's?
Ernie Berger
[email protected]
Posted by: Ernie Berger | March 22, 2009 at 08:12 PM
I am so very happy with the person that allowed me to hear this group again. I have been looking for their music for many, many years. I remember back in the 1960's they made a song about a cat hitting a dog in the head with a brick, and liked ta wasted my man. I was hoping to find that song by The Masked Man and The Agents. Does anyon remember this song, I am talking about?
Thanks and kudos for keeping the oldies alive and kickin'.
Posted by: Amanda King | April 14, 2009 at 05:49 PM
'there's gonna be some changes', that ones a winner. i lighthearted paen to domestic violence. the judge says 'why you hit her with that chair?'. maskman says, "cause i couldnt pick up the fridgidaire!"
Posted by: richie1250 | June 16, 2009 at 07:25 PM
could you please put the song "talkin bout the boss and i"with the mask man other list of songs in this website i been looking for that song for almost 13 years.
thank you
Posted by: walter t snyder sr | August 26, 2009 at 12:14 AM
http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2009/09/back-by-popular-demand.html
Posted by: Debbie D | September 14, 2009 at 09:34 PM
iam asking you again could you please post (talkin bout the boss and i) with the line (im looking for a job )to mask man and the agents songs one eye open,roches and others ....please....
thank again
Posted by: walter snyder | October 18, 2009 at 11:31 PM
Harmon Bethea died December 18, 2009, according to an obituary in the Washington Post (1/10/2010, page C6.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/09/AR2010010902146.html)
Posted by: Bill Barner | January 10, 2010 at 10:57 AM
Oh No! Thanks for the info, Bill.
Posted by: Debbie D | January 10, 2010 at 11:18 AM
Talk about buckle shinin' music. Damn! I long for those thrilling days of yesteryear.
Posted by: R.J. Crisafulli | January 10, 2010 at 06:29 PM
You know what makes this doubly sad for me, was that I "Discovered" Mr. Harmon Bethea-Mask Man & The Agents from that POST Obit (which I'm gonna SCAN and keep in DIGITAL!). Now, as a 6 year old-goin'-on 7 year old spud in '70, I remember hearing ROACHES on the radio (WOL-1450, back when it was THE station!!), but not knowing WHO these wild guys were----
or the fact that they were from DC. As a kid, born and raised and still livin' in 'Da Capitol', it makes me feel good that we had Funk like that being made right here from locals. Long before Chuck Brown (also a contemporary of Mask Man) became the hipsters pride-n-joy. This is a legacy that should be preserved, and Debbie D, I thank you for keeping true music alive with your blog and station.
Long Live The Funk (and the eternal Mask Man & The Agents).
Posted by: Lawrence Wise (a.k.a. OSMOSIS) | January 10, 2010 at 06:39 PM
could you please add to this list the Mask Man's song "There's gonna be some changes around here". thank you.
LT
Posted by: LT | January 29, 2010 at 04:07 PM
LT, I added it over here on part 2!
http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2009/09/back-by-popular-demand.html
Posted by: Debbie D | February 02, 2010 at 08:53 PM