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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 7 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Richard Thompson
From: Kingsley Abbott
2. Re: Chip Taylor/Sonny Curtis
From: David Coyle
3. Re: 4 Seasons Gazette / Saturday's Father
From: Billy G. Spradlin
4. Re: Dusty y Raphael Christmas songs.
From: Ian Chapman
5. Re: Canadian Re-issues
From: Superoldies
6. Re: Dusty & Lesley Christmas songs?
From: David A. Young
7. Re: Gay, Lesbian & Cross Gender GG songs
From: Ian Chapman
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Message: 1
Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 15:28:23 -0000
From: Kingsley Abbott
Subject: Richard Thompson
Wudzi wrote:
> And I *still* think that were Ronnie Spector to cover
> Richard's "Wall of Death" with a Phil Spector-type backing
> it would be a mammoth success, even today...
Well spotted! I totally agree! In fact Richard and I spoke about
just that track when I interviewed him for Record Collector earlier
this year and I put very much the same suggestion to him. He does
indeed realise the sixties vibe that track has - not entirely
surprising as he always was a huge fan of Spector's records. Indeed,
during the early Fairport days of '67/'68 when I was driving for
them, I had standing 'instructions' from him to try to get Spector
albums as he hadn't been able to afford them when they first appeared.
I found him, nay I ordered for him as they were still on catalogue
at that stage, the Xmas album and The Crystals album. I also searched
out most of the Rick Nelson albums for James Burton's playing - he
studied widely! Richard is a lovely man. I'd commend his music to
anyone, and he's actually far from being all doom and gloom, though
I'd agree that he's had his down moments!
Kingsley (playing the Lisa Mychols album again)
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Message: 2
Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 11:53:58 -0800 (PST)
From: David Coyle
Subject: Re: Chip Taylor/Sonny Curtis
What's even more amazing about Chip Taylor is that so
many of his hard/soft songs are in the same basic
"Louie Louie" type chord pattern. You can play "Wild
Thing" or "Anyway That You Want Me" by the Troggs or
"Angel Of The Morning" by Merrilee Rush and never
change your finger positions!
As for Sonny Curtis, having grown up loving Buddy
Holly's music, and being supremely bored whenever "The
Mary Tyler Moore" show came on, I never imagined
finding out that the same guy was responsible for both
that insipid (I thought) theme song and much of the
vibe on songs like "Peggy Sue" and "That'll Be The
Day."
Even more haunting to me was his composition "The
Collector," recorded by the Everly Brothers on their
"Two Yanks In England" LP. Did the Hollies, who
supplied many of the songs and most of the backing for
the LP, also record that song?
David
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Message: 3
Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 20:56:05 -0000
From: Billy G. Spradlin
Subject: Re: 4 Seasons Gazette / Saturday's Father
Andrew Jones wrote:
> A side note to the 4 Seasons "Gazette" discussion: I have the single
> "Saturday's Father," which (if I'm not mistaken) was the only single
> released from the album. The B-side was a tune called "Good-Bye
> Girl," which sounds like a leftover track from their "golden era"
> (and which, as far as I can tell, hasn't been released before or since).
"Goodbye Girl" was originally on their 1967 album "New Gold Hits". It
sounds like Gaudio (or maybe Crewe?) was going through a painful
divorce during this time.
I think the last really great track they cut was "Raven", a great
side in their old "Big Girls Don't Cry" formula that got dumped on
the flipside of "Watch The Flowers Grow" and didn't get reissued until
Rhino's "Rarities Volume 2" CD. I still love "Will You Love Me
Tommorow"; some people can't stand it but I love the over-the-top
arrangement. Dave Marsh wrote it was almost like the Seasons saying
farewell on wax, and I agree with him. (It was their last 60s Top 40
hit).
Billy
http://listen.to/jangleradio
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Message: 4
Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 23:48:09 -0000
From: Ian Chapman
Subject: Re: Dusty y Raphael Christmas songs.
J.D:
> Can anyone please tell me if Dusty Springfield and Lesley
> Gore recorded any Christmas songs, and if so, where I might
> find them. I'm putting together a radio show, my annual Queer
> Christmas Special...
Julio:
> Dusty Springfield released a single with Christmas songs in
> 1964. O Holy Child / Jingle Bells (Philips BF 1381). I haven't
> heard it.
This was a charity single, the proceeds of which went to Dr.
Barnardo's Homes. Came in a pic sleeve too, a real rarity for
a UK 45 at the time. The a-side was Dusty solo and the flip
was by the Springfields.
Ian
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Message: 5
Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 23:50:17 -0000
From: Superoldies
Subject: Re: Canadian Re-issues
Mark:
> How about The Big Town Boys? Staccatos? Original Caste, 3s a
> Crowd, Octavian, Craig Ruhnke, Susan Jacks solo...
Products are generally released as there is demand. Record execs
don't read these boards and I personally believe (as much as I LOVE
Susan Jacks, etc.) that sales on these acts would be very limited.
After licensing, packaging, etc., you're really lucky if you break
even. That's all I'm hoping with the JB & The Playboys package
too...who hates losing money?
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Message: 6
Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 23:59:33 -0000
From: David A. Young
Subject: Re: Dusty & Lesley Christmas songs?
JD Doyle wrote:
> Can anyone please tell me if Dusty Springfield and Lesley Gore
> recorded any Christmas songs...
Hi, J D,
The Springfields released a Christmas single in 1961 featuring a
group-harmony approach (with Dusty very audible) on the A-
side, "Bambino," and a Dusty lead on the flip, "Star of Hope." The
following year saw the issue of an EP, "Woman's Own Presents
Christmas with the Springfields," apparently as a magazine-related
premium. On side one, Dusty leads the lads in "The Twelve Days of
Christmas" and has a slightly less prominent role in "Mary's Boy
Child." The flip side contains "Away in a Manger" and "We Wish You a
Merry Christmas," both in the "group" vein. I'm unaware of any
subsequent reissue, on vinyl or CD, of these tracks, or of any
holiday tunes recorded by Lesley Gore or the post-Springfields Dusty.
David
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Message: 7
Date: Sat, 29 Nov 2003 00:20:02 -0000
From: Ian Chapman
Subject: Re: Gay, Lesbian & Cross Gender GG songs
Bit late with this thread, but does anyone remember the "Bionic
Gold" album from '77? This was a Spector tribute comp on the
Big Sound label. I was disappointed when I first got it, since
none of the tracks even attempt to go for the Spector sound - all
are done in various contemporary rock styles. However, there's
a tongue in cheek element to the whole thing and it's kinda fun.
But to get to the main point, the album opens with Robert Orsi
(of the Scratch Band) doing "He Hit Me", and also includes Philip
Rambow tackling "All Grown Up" (yep, he has his high heels on and
he's a-ready to go......) Closing the album is an out-and-out
70s punk version of "To Know Him Is To Love Him" by Mick Farren.
On the same topic, J.D. already listed a couple of male singers
(Roger Cook, Neil Sedaka) singing demos of songs intended for
girl singers. There's another one on the Sundazed Bruce & Terry
comp - they do a version of "Here Comes Summer" with the lyrics
appropriately altered. It's a great girl-group styled track,
real surf-meets-Spector, complete with jangling piano. And in
the bridge and final verse, Terry Melcher sings:
I've been in school for a long, long time,
Reading history...
And dreaming of the boy that I hope I'll find
That's why summer means so much to me
We'll go walking...
On the beach some starlit night
And he'll kiss me....and maybe he just might
Say let's go steady
And he'll make everything alright....
The production is fab - wonder which girl or girl group it was
intended for?
Ian
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