#22: You’re So Square by Uranus

City: London, ON
Radio Station: CJBK
Peak Month: April 1980
Peak Position in London ~ #8
Peak position in Vancouver ~ did not chart
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ did not chart
YouTube: “You’re So Square”
Lyrics: “You’re So Square”

Uranus was a rock ‘n roll band from London, Ontario. They formed in 1977. The band consisted of drummer Dexter Clayton Beaugregard. On keyboards and guitar was Frank Risdale.  On bass guitar and rhythm guitar was Jerry Fletcher. While Jack Whiteside was also on guitar. The four bandmates took turns with vocals, and all were born in the London area. In 1978, the band released a 45 EP with four tracks: “’53 Buick / Handcuffs / Tommy Get Your Gun / I’m Wonderful”. It got some local airplay.

Next, in 1980, Uranus released a cover of the late 50s pop song “You’re So Square”.

“You’re So Square (Baby I Don’t Care) was co-written by the songwriting team of Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller. The duo wrote over 70 songs that made the pop charts across three decades. Jerry Lieber was born in Balrimore (MD) in 1933. Michael Stoller was born in Queens (NY) in 1933. Both were raised in Jewish families. After school, Stoller played piano and Leiber worked in Norty’s, a record store on Fairfax Avenue, and when they met, they found they shared a love of blues and rhythm and blues. In 1950, Jimmy Witherspoon recorded and performed their first commercial song, “Real Ugly Woman”.

Lieber and Stoller’s first real hit was in 1952 with “Hard Times”, which became a Top Ten R&B hit that year for Charles Brown. Lieber and Stoller’s last hit record was “I Keep Forgettin’” recorded by Michael McDonald in 1982. In between they collaborated with Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil to compose “On Broadway” for The Drifters. They also co-wrote “There Goes My Baby” for The Drifters with Ben. E. King. When King went solo, they co-wrote “Stand By Me”, Leiber and Stoller had one of their best successes with The Coasters who recorded the duo’s “Searchin’”, “Yakety-Yak”, “Charlie Brown” and “Poison Ivy” among others. But Leiber and Stoller struck gold writing songs that are now part of Elvis Presley’s most memorable tunes. These include “Hound Dog”, “Jailhouse Rock”, “Don’t”, “King Creole” and “She’s Not You”.

“You’re So Square” was sung by Elvis Presley in the 1957 film Jailhouse Rock. Presley’s original recording climbed to #14 on the Billboard R&B chart. It was a minor posthumous hit in North America for Buddy Holly in 1961. Though Holly’s cover peaked at #12 in the UK later that year. Joni Mitchell has also recorded the song.

“You’re So Square (Baby I Don’t Care)” is about someone who is out of fashion, or square, as the slang word at the time implied. They don’t like hot rod racing, driving late at night, crazy music or rocking bands. They don’t even know any new dance steps. But in spite of, or maybe because of these things, their love keeps on growing. The song was one of the shortest for a 45 RPM, even at the time, lasting just one minute and thirty-five seconds.

Uranus’ cover of “You’re So Square” peaked at #8 in London (ON) in April 1980.

Uranus released a third disc, “Maybe Baby”, which was a cover of a Buddy Holly and The Crickets hit in 1958. Uranus continued to perform until 1982 when they split up.

Risdale, Whiteside, Fletcher, and Beauregard formed the Sci-Phonics in the mid-80s. Risdale was one half of a duo named Hank ‘n Frank from the late 80s into the early 90s. Dexter Clayton Beauregard went on to join The Livin’ Blues Band in the 90s. Frank Risdale and Jack Whiteside formed a duo they called Slugfest in the mid-2000s.

February 17, 2025
Ray McGinnis

References:
William Grimes, “Jerry Leiber, Rock ‘n’ Roll Lyricist, Dies at 78,” New York Times, August 22, 2011.
David Fricke, “Leiber and Stoller: Rolling Stone’s 1990 Interview With the Songwriting Legends,” Rolling Stone, August 22, 2011.
Leiber and Stoller – About, Leiber Stoller.com.

CJBK 1290-AM London (ON) Top Ten | April 10, 1980