Zharth's Music Log (Revisited)
Week 181: The Seven Dwarfs
(Originally finalized on January 17, 2026)
Preface: Doing a sequel to my Seven Deadly Sins theme from way back when got me brainstorming about other things that come in sets of seven. And then I thought about Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In the Disney adaptation, each of the seven dwarfs is characterized by a particular disposition (which is reflected in their names). I immediately began to think of songs to fit some of them. Filling out the full set was a bit challenging, however - I had to bend the rules (and stretch my imagination) a little bit. But I thought it was a clever enough theme to be worth tackling.
Monday: Humble Pie - I Don't Need No Doctor (Live) [Performance: Rockin' The Fillmore, 1971]
Comments: We'll start with Doc - who I'm taking to be the wise leader of the dwarfs. There are other doctor songs out there, but for me the choice was clear. A minor hit for Ray Charles, when Humble Pie covered this song on their legendary live album, Performance: Rockin' The Fillmore, they launched it into the stratosphere.
"I don't need no doctor, 'cause I know what's ailing me. All I need is my baby."
Tuesday: The Rolling Stones - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction [released as a single, 1965]
Comments: I can't think of a better representation for Grumpy than a man singing out his frustrations about how he can't get no satisfaction, no matter how hard he tries. An early #1 hit single for the Glimmer Twins (that must have felt satisfying), the impact of this song - with its iconic fuzz guitar riff - can't be overstated.
"I try, and I try, and I try, and I try. I can't get no satisfaction."
Wednesday: The Rolling Stones - Happy [Exile On Main St, 1972]
Comments: You should know by now that I try to avoid repeating bands within a theme (unless it's part of the concept), but how could I pass up a song that actually shares its name with one of the Seven Dwarfs? Anyway, this is a more mature band, from their creative pinnacle, with Keith Richards handling the lead vocals.
"I need your love to keep me happy. Baby, won't you keep me happy?"
Thursday: Cream - Sleepy Time Time [Fresh Cream, 1966]
Comments: Representing Sleepy (of course), I offer this suitably lethargic vamp from Cream's debut album. It may not be counted among their most recognizable tunes (and the chorus is pretty repetitive), but I think it's actually quite good. And it's such a perfect fit for the character!
"Asleep in the daytime, asleep at night. We'll have a sleepy time, time - sleepy time, all the time."
Friday: Great White - Once Bitten, Twice Shy [...Twice Shy, 1989]
Comments: I racked my brain to think of another song that would be appropriate for Bashful. Ultimately, I couldn't come up with a better one. So I made a small adjustment to an earlier theme so I could steal this faithful cover of a song by Ian Hunter, who we previously learned was a driving force in the band Mott The Hoople.
"My, my, my - I'm once bitten, twice shy, baby."
Saturday: Ted Nugent - Cat Scratch Fever [Cat Scratch Fever, 1977]
Comments: Whether you think this song is a thinly-veiled allusion to venereal disease, or just another metaphor for desire, it's probably just your allergies making you Sneezy. But this title track that opens Ted Nugent's third album is one of his biggest hits, and - like Satisfaction - we've managed to go 180 weeks without finding a spot for it. Until now!
"They give me cat scratch fever. I've got it bad - scratch fever."
Sunday: The Amboy Dukes - Down On Phillips Escalator [The Amboy Dukes, 1967]
Comments: We're doing double duty again this week, with the band that Ted Nugent got his start in. I had to scrape the barrel to find a song to represent Dopey. I considered songs about fools, but that grew into a theme of its own. Better yet, here's a song the title of which is a euphemism for marijuana, sometimes colloquially referred to as "dope".
"Goodbye, world. I'll catch you later on - for my consciousness is gone."
Honorable Mention: Blue Cheer - The Hunter [Outsideinside, 1968]
Comments: For the honorable mention, I wanted to make a reference to Snow White, but I've pretty much exhausted all my songs about snow (and the cold), and even the color white! In the story, there's an evil queen (versed in witchcraft), but I've done that theme, too. Poison apples and magic mirrors didn't get me any closer, either. But then I remembered the huntsman! One of the queen's minions, his act of mercy spares the young princess' life. To honor his courage in standing up to a petty, despotic ruler (something we could all aspire to in this day and age), here's a cover of Albert King's blues classic The Hunter, by psychedelic proto-metal pioneers Blue Cheer - which, incidentally, was a power trio!