Spectropop - Digest Number 1063

• From: Spectropop Group
• Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003

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               SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 25 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

      1. Jack Nitzsche Update
           From: Martin Roberts 
      2. Re: Randy Newman
           From: Dave Heasman 
      3. Re: Melancholy Music Man
           From: James Botticelli 
      4. Re: Randy Newman / Alan Gordon
           From: That Alan Gordon 
      5. Re: Pruning electrically
           From: Preston Ritter 
      6. Re: That Alan Gordon
           From: That Alan Gordon 
      7. Re: Whatever Happened To Happy
           From: Ken Silverwood 
      8. Re: Melancholy Music Man
           From: That Alan Gordon 
      9. Re: THAT Alan Gordon, Preston Ritter, Playboy Records, "You Can Count on Me"
           From: Mark 
     10. Two Famous Alan Gordons?
           From: Mark Frumento 
     11. Re: The Hudson Brothers
           From: Rat Pfink 
     12. Re: grrr
           From: That Alan Gordon 
     13. Re: Multiples
           From: Mark Frumento 
     14. Re: Instrumentals with lyrics
           From: jerophonic 
     15. Wall of Soundalikes/Mike Smith update/Tim Gilbert
           From: Clark Besch 
     16. Re: Who Was Lois Fletcher?
           From: Phil Milstein 
     17. Re:  Canadian Rogues
           From: Jeff Lemlich 
     18. Re: Instrumental Toons
           From: jerophonic 
     19. Re: Instrumentals with lyrics / Walk Don't Run
           From: Jeff Lemlich 
     20. Re: Happy Together / the two Mr. Gordons
           From: Richard Havers 
     21. Those other Prunes
           From: Andrew Jones 
     22. Re: What is this song? (SOLVED!)
           From: Tom 
     23. Re: Instrumental hits
           From: John Rausch 
     24. Re: The Hudson Brothers
           From: JJ 
     25. Yet another query for That Alan Gordon
           From: Deena J Canale 


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Message: 1
      Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 22:33:59 +0100
   From: Martin Roberts 
Subject: Jack Nitzsche Update

It's been a while coming, but with thanks to the 
S'pop Admin Team, the new Record Of The Week at 
Jack Nitzsche At S'pop is the Cinders with "The 
Cinnamon Cinder (It's A Very Nice Dance)" on Warner 
Brothers, is now playing on the home page: 
http://www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/index.htm

Next week, the choice is between Billy Daniels' 
"That Old Black Magic" (Liberty) or Bobby Day's 
"Pretty Little Girl Next Door" (RCA).

Jingle #3, "The Wall Of Sound" mix, is now playing at 
On The Radio: 
http://www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/radio.htm

Al Hazan's Early Days page is not big enough to hold 
all the records that Al Hazan and Jack Nitzsche have 
worked on. So, I'm very pleased to announce a new page, 
Al Hazan And Jack Nitzsche's Record Of The Week:
http://www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/ahjnrotw.htm

The format of the page is as before with Al Hazan adding 
comments to a record. Instructions given on how to listen 
to it on Al's own site. This week is one of my favourites, 
Yolanda and the Charmanes' "Hootchy Cootchy Girl" (Smash).

Enjoy!

Martin



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Message: 2
   Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 23:43:00 +0100
   From: Dave Heasman 
Subject: Re: Randy Newman

Harvey:
> A couple of examples I can think of are Linda Ronstadts cover of 
> "Sail Away" in which she chages the line "Climb aboard, little 
> wog..." to the somewhat less "offensive" (ie accurate) "Climb aboard, 
> little one..". 

Ray Charles did  that, too, probably first..



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Message: 3
   Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 19:56:45 -0400
   From: James Botticelli 
Subject: Re: Melancholy Music Man

That Alan Gordon:
> I was in a group called the Magicians.

Is that the same Magicians that did "Invitation To Cry"?



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Message: 4
   Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 16:36:24 -0700 (MST)
   From: That Alan Gordon 
Subject: Re: Randy Newman / Alan Gordon

Harvey wanted to know if "She Knows" was covered by any 
artists other than Bobby Darin. The answer is no, I hope one 
day it will be used in a movie soundtack. 

Just a side note - When Bobby was recording the song, on the 
instrumental break I pleaded with him to throw in a few "hey 
hey heys" He said he'd done that already and resisted - I 
implored him: "C'mon Bobby you gotta do it". He gave in and 
now everytime I listen to it I have to smile, 'cause he did 
it for me. If I'm not mistaken, Don Peake did the charts.
Best 

That Alan Gordon  




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Message: 5
   Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 00:24:39 -0000
   From: Preston Ritter 
Subject: Re: Pruning electrically

Steve Harvey wrote:
> How did you like the piece on the Prunes that Mojo recently 
> did? And what's the story on the live tape from Sweden? 
> Who recorded it?

Hi Steve,
I liked the MOJO article except for one thing.  None of the photos
they used had me in them!  The pics they used had a drummer and rhythm
guitar player that wasn't on any of our hit records.  Don't know how
that happened.

I was already out of the band for a few months by the time the Prunes
went to Sweden and did that show that became the recording.  So I
really can't speak to that with any authority, since I don't know much
about it.  I think it was originally a bootleg recording from a radio
station, or so I heard.  After that, I can't say.

Look at http://www.spectropop.com/htoc2.html#new
the "New at Spectropop" section, for a good interview with 
Annette Tucker, who wrote our two biggest hits, "I Had Too 
Much To Dream Last Night" and "Get Me To The World On Time",
as well as other songs on our first LP.
Annette and I are teaming up again with a new band I'm forming 
now. I hope good things come of it.

Preston



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Message: 6
   Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 17:01:42 -0700 (MST)
   From: That Alan Gordon 
Subject: Re: That Alan Gordon

Clark, you are right. We are playing "Happy Together" on the 
Turtles' video. We did that at the N.Y. Jets' training camp 
at Hofstra. Jim Pons, former member of the Turtles, handles 
the videos for the Jets and he produced that shoot at Hofstra. 
Thanks for  the kind words.      
Best.
That Alan Gordon




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Message: 7
   Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 00:13:43 +0100
   From: Ken Silverwood 
Subject: Re: Whatever Happened To Happy

Michel Gignac:
> "Whatever Happened To Happy" was also recorded by Mojo (aka Mojo 
> Men). This is my favorite Mojos' track.

Didn't the Mojo Men also do "Me About You" as well?

Ken On The West Coast.



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Message: 8
   Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 17:10:32 -0700 (MST)
   From: That Alan Gordon 
Subject: Re: Melancholy Music Man

Peter wanted to know if the Righteous Brothers session was 
a one-off deal. I think that is correct.I`d have to check 
with Joe Wissert or Don Rubin, they would know better than I.
Take Care
Best 
That Alan Gordon       




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Message: 9
   Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 00:05:27 GMT
   From: Mark 
Subject: Re: THAT Alan Gordon, Preston Ritter, Playboy Records, "You Can Count on Me"

Hey Guys!

Apologies for not having posted in a couple of weeks. I 
recently went through a bout of gastritis during which I 
could barely eat or drink. When this is going on, I don't 
have much interest in anything except getting well--have 
went through this several times in the past. I'm feeling 
much better now.

Welcome to Alan Gordon! I have only heard "Invitation to Cry" 
(through its inclusion on the original "Nuggets" double LP),
but it's quite a tune and I'd like to hear more Magicians tracks!

The Turtles' version of "Happy Together" is the best by far, 
but lately I've been getting a kick out of two campy, loungy 
versions: one by Vikki Carr on a Hip-O CD I picked up not too 
long ago, "Fun and Lounging in Las Vegas", and another by none 
other than Frank Sinatra, Jr., on a Dora Hall LP that's lying
around my house somewhere.

Also a big welcome to Preston Ritter: I also think your drum 
work on "I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night" kicks a##!

Re Playboy Records: I have the Stak-O-Wax discog here in front 
of me. Here are some other famous folks who've cut sides for 
the label: Pat Upton (Spiral Starecase lead vocalist), Tim Rose, 
Bobby Scott, Willie Henderson (arranger on a lot of great Chicago 
soul records), Joey Scarbury (of "Greatest American Hero" fame), 
The Newbeats, Major Lance, Wynn Stewart, Brenda Lee Eager (one-
time duet partner of Jerry Butler), Denny Doherty, Bo Donaldson 
and the Heywoods, and two interesting yet minor country performers: 
Sunday Sharpe and Little David Wilkins.

I don't remember who wanted to hear "You Can Count on Me" by 
Sammy Davis Jr., but there is an RA of it (and countless other 
Northern soul tracks) on this site: http://the.soulclub.org 
It's under "S" for Sammy.

"I Think It's Going to Rain Today": it's not the original 
version, but I do have a version of it by none other than 
that great vocalist Leonard Nimoy!

Best,

Mark



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Message: 10
   Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 01:39:25 -0000
   From: Mark Frumento 
Subject: Two Famous Alan Gordons?

I wrote:
>I don't know if I'll be so accomodating when the more 
> famous Mark Frumento shows up.

The Also Famous, Other Alan Gordon wrote:
> "More famous???!!!"  Whyyyy, I oughta...
> (Obviously you're not a comic fan, pally)

Err, ah.... I meant to say.... "the more musically famous" 

Alan, are you the same Alan Gordon who did the Thirteenth Night?



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Message: 11
   Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 21:49:19 -0700
   From: Rat Pfink 
Subject: Re: The Hudson Brothers

Scott Charbonneau wrote:
> A couple of their tunes, Rendezvous and So You Are A Star, did 
> receive a fair amount of airplay in the mid 1970s. Been a long 
> time since I've heard either of them but I remember them as 
> being well crafted pop with a very strong Beatles influence. 

"So You Are A Star" was definitely Beatles/Badfinger style pop, 
however "Rendezvous" was more of a Beach Boys pastiche.



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Message: 12
   Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 17:15:31 -0700 (MST)
   From: That Alan Gordon 
Subject: Re: grrr

Albabe. We all know it takes a real HERO to create a 
super hero! So There!!!                          
Best 
nala nodrog  




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Message: 13
   Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 02:17:40 -0000
   From: Mark Frumento 
Subject: Re: Multiples

James Botticelli wrote:
> I heard the two Alans are taking on the four Arties at a party.

That's good because Mark Wirtz, me and a bunch of the other 
Marks aren't up for it.

That Mark Frumento



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Message: 14
   Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 02:39:09 -0000
   From: jerophonic 
Subject: Re: Instrumentals with lyrics

Ken Silverwood wrote:
> Which then made me think how many other instrumentals were later
> given lyrics. Just two off the top of my head: The Drifters' 
> "Stranger On The Shore" and Bobby Rydell's "Telstar" or "Magic Star".  
> Any others?

The Dovells put lyrics to Phil Upchurch's 1961 jazz/soul instrumental
"You Can't Sit Down Part 2" and reached No. 3 pop in 1963.

Hugh Masekela's jazz instrumental "Grazing in the Grass" hit No. 1 pop
in 1968, and the underrated Friends of Distinction's radical vocal
rearrangement reached No. 3 a year later.



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Message: 15
   Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 02:56:28 -0000
   From: Clark Besch 
Subject: Wall of Soundalikes/Mike Smith update/Tim Gilbert

Hi, sorry for the multi-posts lately.  Just wanted to thank 
Mick Patrick for allowing me to help out a bit on your fantastic 
Ace "Wall of Soundalikes" CD! Some cool stuff I'd not heard 
previously!  I know Jimmy Holvay will be very pleased to have 
a song of his on such a terrific package!  I certainly feel 
his "He Will Break Your Heart" is the closest thing to the 
Righteous Brothers anyone could get in 1966 including that 
cool song by the Wall of Sound which also graces the package.  
"Missin' my Baby" is great! The Nino/April track is a 
masterpiece. Helping with their Varese CD was fun and Cary 
Mansfield included the mono 45 version (Phil S. asked us to
--just kidding) on the "Best of White Whale" Cd for a little 
variation.  Thanks again, Mick!

Can't remember if it was posted about DC5 lead singer, Mike 
Smith, last month or not here.  He was injured in a very 
serious fall in his home in Spain.  In late September, he 
had surgery to repair 3 broken verabrae in his neck.  The 
operation was successful, but a new note today on his website 
states that he is still in intensive care because of a high 
fever and difficulties breathing.  They are hoping to stablize 
him and move him to a rehab hospital as soon as possible.  
Certainly all of Spectropop wishes him the best I'm sure.  
I still love listening to the DC5 music and have always called 
their songs "the most powerful 2 minutes in rock".  I recently 
was watching the Phil Spector show "Live at PJ's" with Phil 
hosting an all DC5 show.  What a great moment in video 60's 
music!  Get well soon, Mike-- you already have dates lined up 
for next year and we want to hear that snarling voice!

On the Tim Gilbert front, Gear Fab Records has just released 
on CD, a 1969 LP of songs all written by Carter-Gilbert on 
White Whale Records originally by a group called The Horses.  
Apparently, the group featured a young Don Johnson (Miami Vice).  
I have not heard this.  Anygood???

A special shout back at cha, MopTop Mike!  Good to have you 
here!  Hope you enjoy your stay in pop-mania!



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Message: 16
   Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 21:19:47 -0400
   From: Phil Milstein 
Subject: Re: Who Was Lois Fletcher?

Clark Besch wrote:
> Thanks, Bobster!  I believe they were based outta Colorado?  
> A less popular version of New Christy Minstrels?

I found this phrasing on a merchant website that had a CD 
entitled "The Best Of The Back Porch Majority" available:

"Formed by Randy Sparks, founder and leader of the New Christy
Minstrels, as a "farm team" for the NCMs, the Back Porch Majority 
sent several of their membership to the NCMs, but also established 
a pretty good following of their own. This 26 song collection is 
culled from the 5 albums the group recorded during the sixties."`

--Phil M.



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Message: 17
   Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 22:32:34 -0400
   From: Jeff Lemlich 
Subject: Re:  Canadian Rogues

Michael Gessner:
> Does anyone remember a Florida 60s group called the Canadian 
> Rogues? I found one of their songs on a compilation but was 
> wondering if they released any 45s or LPs.

The Canadian Rogues were a Lakeland, Florida band that 
released five 45s between the years 1965 and 1967.  One of 
their singles was released on both Charay (out of Texas) and 
Palmer (out of Michigan), even though they were from neither 
state. Their charismatic lead singer, Willie Metts, is no longer 
with us, but a couple of the band members are still playing in
Florida, in a band now simply known as "The Rogues".

Jeff Lemlich
just back from game 5 of the National League Championship Series



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Message: 18
   Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 03:15:18 -0000
   From: jerophonic 
Subject: Re: Instrumental Toons

Phil Milstein wrote:
> Here is the list so far.

Glad to see Booker T & MGs well-represented on your list; be sure 
to add one of their nastiest, "Boot-Leg", with the proto-fuzz guitar.
We used to sit around and argue which was the first "heavy metal"
record. "Hush"? "You Really Got Me"?  "Boot-Leg"?  "She's a Woman"?
Something by Link Wray or Mitch Ryder?  The entire Muddy Waters
catalogue?  It's one of those great unresolvable discussions.



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Message: 19
   Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 22:26:12 -0400
   From: Jeff Lemlich 
Subject: Re: Instrumentals with lyrics / Walk Don't Run

Tom Taber wrote:
> I've wondered if "Walk, Don't Run" ever had lyrics - 
> if not, here goes:
> Walk, don't you run, better walk don't you run now;
> Walk, don't you run - Better walk, don't you run now.
> Walk and don't run - better walk, don't run, don't run, 
> don't ru-u-u-n!"
> Now perhaps you all will be cursed with having to sing 
> along as I have since these came to me a few years back.

That's as bad as the one I'm forever cursed to sing along with:

"Well sometimes I drink tequila, and sometimes I drink alone.
Well sometimes I drink tequila, and sometimes I drink alone.

(chorus)
We drink te-qui-la.   We drink te-qu-ila.   We drink te-qu-ila.
Ev-ery night and day.
TEQUILA!

Jeff Lemlich
who doesn't really drink tequila



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Message: 20
   Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 07:39:18 +0100
   From: Richard Havers 
Subject: Re: Happy Together / the two Mr. Gordons

Phil Milstein wrote:
> With all due respect to all the Alans and Marks involved, I suspect
> that what Mark F. meant was "more famous than me", not more famous
> than Alan Gordon.

Which is exactly why I wrote...."the more famous, impossible!" a few 
days ago. Mark F. No.1 you'll always be the most famous Mark F. to me.

Best

Richard



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Message: 21
   Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 00:25:00 -0400 (EDT)
   From: Andrew Jones 
Subject: Those other Prunes

Preston Ritter: First of all, a belated welcome to S'pop. 
Secondly, can you shed some light on one of my favorite 
rock-music mysteries?

For some reason, after recording two albums, the original 
Electric Prunes - your group - disappeared, and a completely 
different group, with different members and a different sound, 
took over the name and the Reprise contract. Were you involved 
in any this? Outside of the Drifters, I've never heard of such 
a thing happening. Thanks!



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Message: 22
   Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 05:25:28 -0000
   From: Tom 
Subject: Re: What is this song? (SOLVED!)

Orion:
> The song you are talking about is "As They All Fall" by Orpheus. 

That's it! Just listened to an online sound sample and that is 
definitely the song. The television commercial version is of course 
abbreviated and repeats the chorus until the end. Looks like I got to 
track down the import version of their CD to get it.

It certainly is a snazzy little pop tune. I wonder if it ever charted.

Thanks.

Tom



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Message: 23
   Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 06:13:36 -0500
   From: John Rausch 
Subject: Re: Instrumental hits

Phil Milstein:
> Any thoughts on which is the definitive instrumental 
> version of "Night Train"?

Sammy Kaye and his orchestra have a killer version of 
Night Train, cicra 1965 on Decca. This is the version 
I grew up on. If the Munsters had a third season, this 
could easily have been the opening theme. That's how cool 
Sammy Kaye's version is.

John Rausch



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Message: 24
   Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 09:15:27 -0000
   From: JJ 
Subject: Re: The Hudson Brothers

Scott Charbonneau wrote:
> A couple of their tunes, Rendezvous and So You Are A Star, did 
> receive a fair amount of airplay in the mid 1970s. Been a long time 
> since I've heard either of them but I remember them as being well 
> crafted pop with a very strong Beatles influence. During the mid to 
> late 60s they recorded several singles as the New Yorkers, with one 
> classic track in Mr. Kirby which has appeared on a few collections 
> of obscure garage/psych material. 

**"The Land of Ur" by the New Yorkers, is incl on the NEW(out next 
week!) Fading Yellow vol 6 cd comp....."The Land.." = a FAB slice of 
Pop-sike! MORE pop than psych!

JJ



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Message: 25
   Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 08:26:25 -0400
   From: Deena J Canale 
Subject: Yet another query for That Alan Gordon

Hi there Alan,
I know a lot of people have been bombarding you with questions 
and I'm sorry to add to the barrage, but if you don't mind my 
asking...could you elaborate a little on your impressions of 
NYC's rock & roll scene in the '60s? I.e., what clubs did the 
Magicians play and/or hang out at, what were the scenes like 
(including Steve Paul's Scene if applicable), what bands did 
you fraternize with, that sort of thing.  The liner notes to 
the Magicians' Sundazed comp are tasty indeed but if you've
anything more to add I'd be truly appreciative. Inquiring NYC 
expats want to know!

Signed D.C.



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