No Sugar Tonight / New Mother Nature

The Zoo Crew is spinning the classic track "No Sugar Tonight / New Mother Nature" by The Guess Who, a standout from their 1970 album American Woman. This song, a medley born from a real-life encounter, has a wild story behind it. According to Randy Bachman, the inspiration struck while he was walking in California, clutching a stack of records. Three tough-looking biker guys approached, making him nervous, but a small car pulled up, and a woman, about five feet tall, jumped out, tearing into one of the men. She chewed him out for leaving her with the kids, neglecting chores, and eyeing other women, finishing with, "And one more thing, you ain’t getting no sugar tonight!" That line stuck with Bachman, who turned it into a song in the key of F♯. When he presented it to Burton Cummings and RCA, they said it was too short, so Bachman and Cummings fused it with Cummings’ own F♯-keyed track, "New Mother Nature," creating the seamless medley we know today. The lyrics were tweaked to soften the sexual undertones, adding "in my coffee" and "in my tea," though some fans still speculate about hidden LSD references, despite Bachman’s well-known anti-drug stance.

Another layer of trivia comes from the song’s reception and covers. Released as the B-side to "American Woman," the single, officially titled "American Woman/No Sugar Tonight," hit #1 on both the RPM charts and Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks, though "No Sugar Tonight" alone reached #39 on Cash Box, which ranked single sides separately. The song’s raw energy resonated widely, leading to covers by artists like The Shirelles on their 1971 album Happy and in Love and by Bang on their 1972 album Mother/Bow to the King. Reggae artist Nicky Thomas also covered it as "Lonely Feelin’" in 1970, keeping a nod to "New Mother Nature" in the fadeout. In 2001, the song was honored by a Canadian music association for surpassing 100,000 plays on Canadian radio, cementing its enduring legacy. A 2024 remaster keeps it fresh for Zoo Freaks tuning in.

The Guess Who, hailing from Winnipeg, Manitoba, started as a scrappy local act in the early 1960s. Originally led by Chad Allan under names like Chad Allan and the Reflections, the band cycled through monikers and lineups, finding their groove with Burton Cummings on vocals and Randy Bachman on guitar. Their big break came with a 1965 cover of "Shakin’ All Over," which hit the Canadian charts and got them noticed. By the late 1960s, they were crafting original hits like "These Eyes" and "Laughing," blending rock, pop, and raw energy. The 1970 release of American Woman, with its title track and "No Sugar Tonight / New Mother Nature," catapulted them to international fame. Despite lineup changes—Bachman left in 1970 to form Bachman-Turner Overdrive—the band’s core sound, driven by Cummings’ vocals and their knack for catchy hooks, kept them relevant through the mid-1970s with songs like "Share the Land."

You can keep up with The Guess Who through their official Facebook page, where they share tour updates and throwback photos, or on Instagram for behind-the-scenes shots. Their X account posts about new releases and fan interactions, like a 2024 post from Randy Bachman’s RandysVinylTap sharing a rare 1970 photo of the band at Sardi’s Restaurant after a Fillmore East gig, when "American Woman" and "No Sugar Tonight" were topping the charts. Fans, or Zoo Freaks, looking to connect can check out the Guess Who Fan Club on Facebook, a lively group sharing memories, vinyl finds, and concert stories. For deeper dives, fan sites like The Guess Who Fan Club offer discographies and rare photos, perfect for diehards spinning along with the Zoo Crew.