Spectropop - Digest Number 1123

• From: Spectropop Group
• Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2003

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               SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 12 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

      1. Phil Spector & the Guilloteens
           From: Amber 
      2. Re: Needles And Pins
           From: Peter Lerner 
      3. Re: Gay, Lesbian & Cross Gender GG songs
           From: Peter Lerner 
      4. Re: Lovers' Concerto
           From: Peter Lerner 
      5. Re: Elvis covers
           From: Peter Lerner 
      6. Re: Gay, Lesbian, Cross-Gender GG songs
           From: Peter Lerner 
      7. Re. Stars for Defense
           From: Ian Chapman 
      8. Re: Phil Spector & the Guilloteens
           From: Art Longmire 
      9. Re: Let It Be.......Naked
           From: Lou 
     10. Re: Let It Be...Naked
           From: David Coyle 
     11. 4 Star Radio Records
           From: That Alan Gordon 
     12. Re: Superoldies
           From: superoldies 


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Message: 1
   Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2003 20:58:08 -0000
   From: Amber 
Subject: Phil Spector & the Guilloteens

Sugars, Pumpkins, Sweethearts, Lambs,

Aaahh, I remember it well. It was the summer of 1965. 
Tragically, Mommy and Daddy were behind bars. But what the 
heck, it meant I was free. Free as a bird. I could eat what 
I wanted, wear what I wanted, listen to what I wanted, date 
who I wanted. Plus, my personality disorder had yet to 
manifest itself. I was at my happiest and my hair was at its 
most lustrous. At least once a week, I'd invite my girlfriends 
over to watch Bandstand or Where The Action Is and we'd 
wallow in fluffy memories of the good old days on the Corny 
Collins Show. Our favourite group at the time was a very cute 
looking trio from Memphis called the Guilloteens. It was never 
a hit but you all remember their "I Don't Believe", I'm sure. 
It was the ginchiest.

All this came flooding back to me this afternoon when the book 
trolley came around. Big Doris lets me have first pick. In 
return, I let her eat my lunch. Food, who needs it? I clicked 
along to my room with my new paperback, kicked off my pink 
mules and flung myself on my bed. I flicked straight to "G". 
Lo and behold, Sugars, there they were, the Guilloteens. Allow 
me to quote a few lines:

> ...Early in 1965, the band was ready for something bigger. 
> They learned that was necessary to get on Shindig!, a 
> popular rock and roll show on ABC TV in the '60s, was an 
> audition. (Their manager Jerry) Williams packed the band up 
> and took them to Los Angeles. Upon arriving, they auditioned 
> and got a job at the Red Velvet Lounge. Though their first 
> couple of nights were shaky, they were soon drawing huge 
> crowds. "We had the Righteous Brothers, Glen Campbell, Billy 
> Preston, Dick & Dee Dee - all kinds of people coming to see 
> us," says (singer/guitarist Laddie) Hutcherson. "When we 
> weren't playing at the Red Velvet, we'd go out to little 
> outlying towns with DJs like Bob Eubanks and back up people 
> like Sonny & Cher at roller rinks and places like that."
> 
> "One night the Righteous Brothers brought Phil Spector to 
> hear us, and he was crazy about the band and Louis (Paul)'s 
> voice. He invited us up to his mansion the next day to work 
> on 'I Don't Believe', a song Louis had written, which was in 
> the early stages. We drive through these gates and can't 
> believe what's happening to us. Jack Nitzsche was there and 
> played piano on the song. We went into Gold Star studio, and 
> it was unbelievable what Spector did with that song. He had 
> that Wall Of Sound going and it just blew us away! He had to 
> go to New York for a couple of weeks but said when he got 
> back he'd make 'I Don't Believe' into a hit. Man, we were on 
> cloud nine!"
> 
> Manager Jerry Williams had been in Memphis during this time, 
> getting married. Upon his return, he negotiated a deal with 
> Hanna-Barbera, and the band signed the deal. Stories differ 
> on why they did not wait for Spector to return, and to this 
> day, the band members feel their future went down the drain 
> after missing that opportunity....
> 
> "We went from the Wall Of Sound to Huckleberry Hound," 
> laments Paul. "Jerry just didn't want to wait on Spector. We 
> cut a good record for Hanna-Barbera and got pretty good 
> airplay out there, but you would have had to have heard the 
> Spector version! It was unbelievable!"....

Anyway, there's even more of the story in the book, so some of 
you might want to grab yourselves a copy. It's called Playing 
For A Piece Of The Door: A History Of Garage & Frat Bands In 
Memphis, 1960-1975, written by Ron Hall and published by 
Shangri-La Projects, P O Box 40106, Memphis, TN 38174. They have 
a website too: http://www.shangri.com

It's years since I heard "I Don't Believe". Is it out on CD, I 
wonder? I guess I'll never hear how it might have sounded 
produced by Phil Spector. I'll just have to use my imagination. 
I'm good at that. Anyway, must dash, Joey's expecting me to do
her roots.

AvT
xxx



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Message: 2
   Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2003 21:46:50 -0000
   From: Peter Lerner 
Subject: Re: Needles And Pins

Glenn confirms what I always suspected, that Jackie DeShannon 
had a hand in writing "Needles and Pins":

> My source: The Encycopedia of Record Producers:  "[Jackie De 
> Shannon] and Nitzsche... wrote many songs together, including 
> the hit single 'Needles and Pins', recorded by the Searchers in 
> 1964 and Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks in 1986. Although co-writing 
> credit is attributed to Sonny Bono, Nitzsche explains that 
> 'Sonny was having a rough time then. He was going through his
> first divorce.'"

The lyrics are very DeShannon of that period - compare for example 
with the sentiments and expressiveness of "The Prince", "When You 
Walk In The Room" and many others of that 62-64 period when Jackie 
was writing great songs with Sheeley, Nitzsche and on her own. 
Jackie's lyrics are always just that little bit special.

Peter




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Message: 3
   Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2003 21:50:04 -0000
   From: Peter Lerner 
Subject: Re: Gay, Lesbian & Cross Gender GG songs

JD writes:

> Naturally my additional motive is to spur some posts and have folks
> tell me of all the ones I've overlooked...:) Please, Please do
> that..:)

Bill George adds:

> Jackie DeShannon recorded several demos from a "boy's" perspective.

Perhaps the most intersting of these for some of our readers may be 
"There's Gonna Be A Fight", where the singer/narrator is about to 
challenge this tough boy to a fight in order to win back his/her 
girlfriend.

Peter





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Message: 4
   Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2003 21:54:25 -0000
   From: Peter Lerner 
Subject: Re: Lovers' Concerto

Phil Milstein:

> ...structurally, (the Toys' 'Lovers' Concerto') is quite unique and
> interesting. The first verse repeats twice, then nothing else repeats
> for the rest of the song. And, of course, it is all verses, with nary
> a bridge or refrain, not to mention singalongable hook.  Of course
> none of this is meant as a criticism -- the record undeniably WORKS,
> and what more than that can one ask of a piece of music?

Paul Bryant:

> Two other fab tunes spring to my mind here - is this a mini-genre?
> One is "It's Only make Believe" by Conway Twitty, which is all
> crescendo and just repeats itself, no bridges, no refrain, unless
> you count the title line, which is just the last line of the verse;
> and similarly one of my favourites, "Opus 17 (Don't You Worry 'Bout
> Me)" by the 4 Seasons - again, no bridge or chorus...

And the Everly Brothers' "Walk Right Back", where Don and Phil sing the 
fab first verse........ then sing it again! Sonny Curtis (the writer) 
later recorded a two-verse version where he adds the second verse which 
he was still writing after the Everlys had left the recording studio. 
But it doesn't have that magic.......

Peter




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Message: 5
   Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2003 21:59:48 -0000
   From: Peter Lerner 
Subject: Re: Elvis covers

Phil M:

> Does anyone know if any compilation albums of covers of 
> Elvis songs exists?

Yes! The purported soundtrack album "Honeymoon in Vegas" 
contains fab Elvis covers by Dwight Yoakam, Bryan Ferry, 
Travis Tritt, Trisha Yearwood, Bono (not often he comes up 
in Spectropop!) and more.

Peter




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Message: 6
   Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2003 21:57:53 -0000
   From: Peter Lerner 
Subject: Re: Gay, Lesbian, Cross-Gender GG songs

Bill Craig asks

> Does Bob Dylan's version of the traditional "House Of The 
> Rising Sun" count? "....and It's been the ruin of many a poor 
> girl, and God I know I'm one."

Well Bill, if you listen to British folk song albums, it's 
certainly commonplace for men to sing the woman's song and vice 
versa.  And I can quote you hundreds of traditional songs done 
this way.  Joan Baez used to do it too. JD in his original list 
quotes Yorkshire folksinger Dave Burland's version of "Da Doo 
Ron Ron" - Dave was just doing what came naturally, but I suspect 
(as he's a great guy) with tongue firmly in cheek.

Peter




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Message: 7
   Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2003 00:10:08 -0000
   From: Ian Chapman 
Subject: Re. Stars for Defense

Patrick wrote:

> Does anyone know anything about the Stars of Defense LPs? 
> I just recently discovered that Lesley Gore recorded some 
> songs with big band backing for this series (and otherwise 
> unavailable anywhere)....... Does anyone have any of these 
> or know the story behind them? I would love to know how many 
> of these shows in fact exist as well as who else may have 
> done them (any spectropop material besides Lesley and 
> Joanie?).

I don't have any, Patrick, but I do recall seeing one offered 
for sale many years ago in Goldmine that included the Crystals. 
But what they sang on it, I don't know.

Ian




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Message: 8
   Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2003 00:13:17 -0000
   From: Art Longmire 
Subject: Re: Phil Spector & the Guilloteens

Amber wrote:
> ...It's years since I heard "I Don't Believe". Is it out on CD, 
> I wonder? I guess I'll never hear how it might have sounded 
> produced by Phil Spector. I'll just have to use my imagination. 
> I'm good at that. Anyway, must dash, Joey's expecting me to do
> her roots.

By George, I have a record on Hanna Barbera by the Guilloteens. It 
may be the one you're talking about, I don't recall the title-just 
remember that it's REALLY good. Fascinating story about them coming 
so close to working with Phil Spector.

Art




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Message: 9
   Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2003 19:19:51 -0500
   From: Lou 
Subject: Re: Let It Be.......Naked

Holy Cow...When did the release of "Let It Be...Naked" turn into a division
between the Spector camp vs. the McCartney camp !!!

Like everyone else I grew up & dug the original release for what it was. In
1970 when I listened to it I wasn't concerned whether or not the final mix
was correct or not., I just listened to it and dug it.
What did we know about the politics that surrounded the original release,
all that info came way after the fact.

I loved that version and still do.

2003... and we finally have a version which is closer to the original
concept (which seems to be McCartney's idea in the first place) of the
album. I was nervous at first thinking that the "Beatle Consortium" would
try to rewrite history (ala Yellow Submarine Songbook) but to my surprise
the powers that be really tried to maintain the integrity from the original
tapes (with a few exceptions here & there) and have turned out a wonderful
addition to the Beatle catalogue. It stands as a more precise account of the
actual filmed project yet at the same time has a more polished & clean
result. You can really hear how this project picks up where the "White
Album" left off.

Now we have two version to enjoy..what's wrong with that ?

...now what's all this crap about the original film being moody melodrama.
One scene (between Harrison & McCartney) and the film's been branded to be
as much fun as getting a root canal ever since. Give me a break !!!!

Lou



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Message: 10
   Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2003 16:26:50 -0800 (PST)
   From: David Coyle 
Subject: Re: Let It Be...Naked

Actually, the version of "Let It Be" on the new Beatles CD is a 
different version. I can't think right off hand without having the 
disc to listen to what the main differences are, but I do remember 
some distinct lyrical changes, and when you've listened to a familiar 
song thousands of times, you can tell where different adlibs and 
interjections ("oohs," "uhs," and "whoas" for instance) have been 
added or left out when the singer does a different version.

But the main difference to me is the guitar solo. The original album 
version had a very loud guitar solo played by George Harrison, where 
the single version had a more subdued solo with some organ touches by
Billy Preston. The new version seems to have a more ragged take on the 
single's solo. Was the original guitar solo dubbed in by Phil Spector? 
I always thought he pretty much just mixed the album and added the 
strings. I can't picture a solo like that being Spector's idea...

Anyway, the solo here is the low point of an otherwise nice, different 
take on the song. The radio was playing this version before the 
syndicated special even aired.

As for the CD being a 2-CD set that could have fit on a single disc, 
well, it isn't the first time the Beatles have issued a set that made 
minimal use of disc space, but the "Red" and "Blue" sets were made to
replicate the original LP/cassette/8-track sequence.

I suppose the company wanted to make sure that they maintained the the 
original album feel. They could have made "Fly On The Wall" one long 
bonus track. They could have at least segmented the bonus disc, so that
one could go easily to their favorite part (like the discussion of "One 
After 909" or whatever), but they probably also wanted that to be one 
whole "you arethere" experience.

But what can we complain about them putting it out as a double disc? 
They priced it like a single disc. They didn't put it in a fancy box 
with a holographic 3D cover with a hardback booklet and put a $25 price 
tag on it. I got mine at KMart for $9.99. The highest price I saw for 
it anywhere else was $15.99...so I'm not complaining.

Right now I'm listening to a tape I once got of some Beatles outtakes 
from the same sessions. Three minutes into it, another acoustic take of 
"I Me Mine" with John adlibbing in the background, and I'm already 
bored. Anywhere else if you found a 25-minute CD of "Let It Be" 
outtakes, you'd have the same song repeated several times, with a lot 
of frustrating false starts, so I think the "Fly On The Wall" concept
was the best idea they could have come up with for official release.

David



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Message: 11
   Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2003 17:56:33 -0700 (MST)
   From: That Alan Gordon 
Subject: 4 Star Radio Records

Glenn wanted to know about my label. It was called 4 Star Radio Records.
We released 2 singles "High School Girl" by the Milky Way [Carl Hall
sang lead} and "Maybe I`m Old Fashioned", which was released in England 
on the York label. I tried my best to make the label work, but to no 
avail. But that's the way it goes. And that's the way it WENT!!! 

Best, That alan



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Message: 12
   Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2003 00:16:36 -0000
   From: superoldies 
Subject: Re: Superoldies

I was asked:
> You play any Bubblegum or Sunshine Pop?

Yes, plus:
* ALL songs that entered the TOP #100 according to CASHBOX between 
Jan. 1955 & Dec. 1969 in the USA
* US Regional hits & favorites
* West Texas R&R, Surf, Doo Wop, Rockabilly
* Canadian, UK and Australian hits & rarities
* Vintage Commercials

Anything people send in we add to the playlist. Full info is on the 
site: http://www.superoldies.com




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