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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 25 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: Gilbert O' Sullivan
From: Eddy
2. Re: Uptight
From: Dan Hughes
3. Re: Let's Live For Today
From: Dan Hughes
4. Re: Talk About Mi...na / Telefonando etc
From: Steve Crump
5. Re: Talk About Mi...na, Ellie & Rosy
From: Mick Patrick
6. Re: Rokes / Yardbirds
From: Fred Clemens
7. Re: Gilbert O' Sullivan
From: Alan Haber
8. Re: Orpheus
From: Tom
9. Re: Baby Jean On Stacy
From: Lee Miller
10. Re: Uptight
From: Artie Wayne
11. Re: Bewitched - Peggy Lee
From: steveo
12. Re: Gilbert O' Sullivan
From: Rat Pfink
13. Re: Snuff Garrett
From: Steveo
14. Re: Live For Today
From: Steve Harvey
15. Re: Bad Lines
From: Jon Adelson
16. Re: Rokes / Yardbirds
From: C. Ponti
17. Re: Gilbert O' Sullivan
From: Steve Harvey
18. Re: Gilbert O'Sullivan
From: Steve Harvey
19. Re: Patti Dalstrom
From: Artie Wayne
20. Beatles' 1976 aborted reunion attempt?
From: C. Ponti
21. Al Capps
From: Stuffed Animal
22. Re: Isley Meets Bacharach
From: Mick Patrick
23. Re: Rokes / Yardbirds
From: Art Longmire
24. Re: Isley Meets Bacharach
From: Steveo
25. Baby MonKey Song; Carnegy Hall; Laurie London
From: Country Paul
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Message: 1
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 11:20:45 +0100
From: Eddy
Subject: Re: Gilbert O' Sullivan
Bill George:
> Does anyone know what he is doing these days?
Actually I saw him on TOTP2 a couple of weeks ago with a song I
didn't recognise (new one or something from Little Album ?) and the
clip was dated earlier in the year (around June or something). As I
can't imagine G O'S being on the regular TOTP these days, I suppose
he must have been in the studio to tape this especially for TOTP2.
In any case, he still seems to be big in Japan, as they say,
Eddy
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Message: 2
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 04:41:28 -0600
From: Dan Hughes
Subject: Re: Uptight
I always thought that when Stevie Wonder sang, "Uptight / Everything
Is All Right" he was referring to close dancing--up tight against
your main squeeze. He also says "When we go out stepping on the
town for a while", which kinda reinforces this.
---Dan the Interpreter
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Message: 3
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 04:55:36 -0600
From: Dan Hughes
Subject: Re: Let's Live For Today
Somebody mentioned the song Let's Live For Today--am I the only one
who noticed that the chorus "La La La-La-La-La live for today"
sounds a whole lot like the Drifters' I Count the Tears and "Na Na
Na-Na-Na-Na late at night"?
---Dan
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Message: 4
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 11:36:33 -0000
From: Steve Crump
Subject: Re: Talk About Mi...na / Telefonando etc
Julio Niño wrote:
> Could you please tell me what are the four exclusive themes
> included in the Regalia record?.
Hello Julio, The LP is called "More Than Strangers". The 4
exclusives are:
More Than Strangers (Vorrei Che Fosse Amore)
Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You
This World We Love In
He Will Call Again
I agree with you about Morricone - his arrangements are quite
dramatic, and all those strings! - superb.
Se telefonando is a favourite of mine - after all it's the song that
made me take notice of Mina and want to find out more about her.
I've added the Luigi Tenco song to my wants list.
l'importante e e e e e
Steve
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Message: 5
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 11:54:43 -0000
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Re: Talk About Mi...na, Ellie & Rosy
Julio Nino wrote:
> Hi Everybody, Could anybody tell me if Mina's version of "Talk
> About Me" (Greenwich/Raleigh) was issued as a single in USA in
> the sixties?. Was it even released in Italy?. Because I can't
> find any reference of it in Mina's official discography.
Steve Crump replied:
> Hi Julio, Here's what I've managed to piece together from sites
> on the net...
Fantastic information, Steve, thanks. I had no idea Mina's fame
had spread as far as Australia. She's been much raved about here
on S'pop, as a search for her name in the archives will reveal:
http://www.spectropop.com/archive/index.html
Ellie Greenwich's original demo version of "Talk About Me" was
included as a bonus track on the CD "The Complete Raindrops"
(Sequel NEMCD 713). Ellie performs the song in the style of Connie
Francis, for whom it was quite possibly originally intended.
> I recently picked up a whole bunch of Ennio Morricone arranged
> singles on Ebay. One of them is a killer - L'Amore Gira by Rosy
> on RCA. It is the closest yet I have heard to true Italian girl
> group - the double vocals, chanting girl background and
> stuttering drums - mmmm magnifico!!!
Sounds great. Is it out on CD? If not, could you possibly post
the track to musica?
Hey la,
Mick Patrick
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Message: 6
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 12:18:34 -0000
From: Fred Clemens
Subject: Re: Rokes / Yardbirds
C. Ponti wrote:
> Remember gli Rokes? In around '66 I was in Italy and was
> really taken by their version of "(La la la la la la) Live
> For Today", originally by the Yardbirds. I often wondered,
> did the Rokes lease the track and put their vocals on it?
> Because the track is identical to the Yarbirds' original.
Rather than spell it out here, follow the link to see who really
copied who: http://www.bobshannon.com/fred/letslive.html
Fred Clemens
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Message: 7
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 09:07:31 -0500
From: Alan Haber
Subject: Re: Gilbert O' Sullivan
Bill wrote:
> "Alone Again Naturally" is one of the first songs I remember hearing
> on the radio (on a very long car vacation), and one of the first
> singles I bought. Does anyone know what he is doing these days?
Oh, my! O'Sullivan is still working like he's a kid, putting out an
album every two years or so, reissuing his old stuff, playing shows
overseas, and just generally looking and sounding like he did when
"Alone, Again Naturally" first came out. His latest album, recently
released, is Piano Foreplay, and it's really good, classic O'Sullivan,
full of catchy tunes and that great, unmistakable voice.
I think you can order his stuff from his site:
http://www.gilbertosullivan.com -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 14:19:35 -0000
From: Tom
Subject: Re: Orpheus
Mark T wrote:
> I have the double CD that came out in England years ago. Is it
> missing any essential songs?
The Ace Records / Big Beat 2CD compilation from 1995 has all the
songs from the first three MGM albums except for "Lesley's World"
from the first LP and "Don't Be So Serious" from the second. It is
also missing eight tracks from their excellent fourth album for Bell
Records.
As I think I previously stated here, I heard that the popular single
"Lesley's World" was left off the Big Beat and Varese collections
because it was written by Lesley Miller, ex-wife of Alan Lorber.
Their bitter divorce is rumored to be the reason he has buried most
of Miller's catalog. Such is love.
> I know it doesn't have a great deal of the last album on Bell but
> from what I've been told that wasn't really the full group at that
> point and they had a different sound.
The story I got was that Bruce Arnold fired backup singer, Jack
McKenes for repeatedly showing up late to gigs as well as for being
intoxicated. He also gave drummer, Harry Sandler the boot for poor
musicianship. Apparently, Sandler only played on the second Orpheus
LP. The other MGM material features the drumming of an un-credited
Bernard Purdie. I've listened to the drumming on all three MGM albums
and the difference is night and day (no pun intended).
Bassist Eric Gulliksen was also not used on the first LP, however
after complaining to Lorber, he got to play on the next two albums
with the exception of a few singles. Although Gulliksen was asked to
be a part of the fourth album, he declined. Arnold recruited bassist
Howard Hersh who would later join Joe Cocker's band and become a
noted R&B producer. The rest of the band would include longtime
Orpheus songwriter, Steve Martin on guitar and vocals, Bernard Purdie
on drums and Elliot Sherman on piano. Sherman later formed the folk
rock band, Clean Living.
So there you have it. Although there are three original members
missing, the new band still had Arnold (who seems to be the most
important), Purdie, (who played on the bulk of their studio material)
and Martin, (who Lorber calls the "the fifth Orpheus-voice").
The fourth LP is currently my favorite Orpheus album but I can't say
that I'm surprised to see it missing from most of the recent
compilations. Steve Martin takes the vocals on half of the album and
his slithery voice will no doubt turn off most "Can't Find The Time"
fans. Personally, I like his voice and think it perfectly suites the
dark, even satanic atmosphere. That being said, the biggest reason I
enjoy the fourth album the most is probably why Alan Lorber enjoyed
it the least. In short, he wasn't really on it. No offence Alan.
Tom
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Message: 9
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 14:24:35 -0000
From: Lee Miller
Subject: Re: Baby Jean On Stacy
Simon White wrote:
> Which Comp was it on?
Hi Simon, It wan't on an official comp. It was on a tape sent to me
by a German, with no track listing or other info. It just arrived on
the mat one morning earlier this year. A bit like Mr Ben's shopkeeper!
No address, name or contact details. Just a German postmark. Uncanny!
Soulful Regards, Lee
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Message: 10
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 08:05:23 -0800 (PST)
From: Artie Wayne
Subject: Re: Uptight
Phil.......How ya' doin'? As I was growing up in the streets of
the the east Bronx, "Uptight" was slang for got it all together
...... by the time Stevie Wonder used it, it changed in meaning
[at least in my neighborhood] to how we all use it today. I always
suspected the song was in the can for sometime [as many Motown
records were], recorded when the title meant one thing and released
when it became another......but, "It's all good"!!, "Nothing to get
hung about".
regards, Artie Wayne
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Message: 11
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 08:23:51 -0800 (PST)
From: steveo
Subject: Re: Bewitched - Peggy Lee
> Peggy Lee did a good rendition of the Bewitched theme song years
> ago. I have it, and it is worth looking for.
> Yes, I've heard Peggy's version of Bewitched and it's tremendous.
> It's available on a CD in the EMI '2 on 1' series - 'Pass Me By'/
> 'Big Spender'.
Ken, Peggy was a tremendous talent...."Till there was you" which
was an album cut by Peggy was taken note of by Paul McCartney of the
Beatles...and thus on their first Capitol album, "Meet the Beatles"
...the boys did a knockoff on that song, patterned right off hers
with Jack Marshall's arrangement. As far as "Bewitched" goes, I'm
sure it was a great cut. Peggy was always willing to record great
stuff that other people were afraid to record. Witness "A hard day's
night" that she did..how many other covers of that song are there?
(not many.)
steveo
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Message: 12
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 11:29:24 -0500
From: Rat Pfink
Subject: Re: Gilbert O' Sullivan
Bill George wrote:
> "Alone Again Naturally" is one of the first songs I remember
> hearing on the radio (on a very long car vacation), and one
> of the first singles I bought. Does anyone know what he is doing
> these days?
His official web site is here: http://www.gilbertosullivan.com/
RP
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Message: 13
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 08:29:56 -0800 (PST)
From: Steveo
Subject: Re: Snuff Garrett
> ...I don't really think there is much recorded in the last 25
> or so years that I would constitute as being good. What I'm
> saying is that a "raw" sound is not necessarily the most
> commercial. I learned in a sociology class in high school that
> matters of taste can never be argued. My taste is towards ultra-
> commercial, over-produced pop. Personally, I don't care for
> Elvis until his late 60s Memphis recordings. For my taste, the
> more orchestration, the better. I'm not saying that there aren't
> great songs without it, only that those songs would sound even
> better (to me) with it. Look for the name Al Capps on a record
> and you can rarely go wrong!
Mark, I certainly would agree about your Al Capps statement...I
love his and Leon Russell's arrangements for Gary Lewis and the
Playboys. Regarding the rockabilly records that Snuff Garrett made
with Ernie Freeman's strings....unusual...and magnificent!
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Message: 14
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 08:45:51 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: Live For Today
> Remember gli Rokes? In around '66 I was in Italy and was really
> taken by their version of "(La la la la la la) Live For Today",
> originally by the Yardbirds.
Methinks you are confusing the Yardbirds with the Grassroots. I
always felt the chorus of that tune was swiped from the Drifters'
"I Count The Tears".
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 15
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 17:28:47 -0000
From: Jon Adelson
Subject: Re: Bad Lines
Mike Carter quoted:
> "I love you so much 'till it ain't funny boy,
> My cloudy days have been declouded."
>
> Of course!! It's a verb. To decloud.
I love nouns made into verbs. Once I again I go to Laura Nyro:
"Can you surrey, can you picnic?" One of my favs.
Be bop a lula
Jon Adelson
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Message: 16
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 18:38:00 -0000
From: C. Ponti
Subject: Re: Rokes / Yardbirds
Fred Clemens:
> Rather than spell it out here, follow the link to see who really
> copied who: http://www.bobshannon.com/fred/letslive.html
Fred, you rule! Of course it was the Grass Roots! Mea culpa!
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 17
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 11:03:39 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: Gilbert O' Sullivan
I actually taped his show at the Academy of Music in Philly back in
1974. What stands out was him being upset with either a reviewer or
somebody at the show having questioned his masculinity. I remember
him challenging the offender to come up and duke it out onstage.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 18
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 11:06:40 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: Gilbert O'Sullivan
Eddy wrote:
> Actually I saw him on TOTP2 a couple of weeks ago with a song I
> didn't recognise (new one or something from Little Album ?) and
> the clip was dated earlier in the year (around June or something).
There was an apology for the TOTP2 appearance. His fans had been
invited for the taping only to have it canceled at the last minute,
nothing to do with Gilbert. Go to his website for the full story.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 19
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 11:07:59 -0800 (PST)
From: Artie Wayne
Subject: Re: Patti Dalstrom
Hey Steve.........I'm happy to say Patti Dahlstrom is still one of
my closest freinds. After 20 years in L.A. as a successful
songwriter, beginning as a staff writer for Motown, and a recording
artist with four albums on MCA and 20th Century Fox, Patti returned
to her hometown of Houston, Texas. When she began teaching at the
Art Institute of Houston, she successfully took on additional
responsibilities ranging from Academic Dept. Director and advisor
to internship director, developing an appreciation of the needs of
students that went beyond academic merits.
When she left the institute, Patti created Life-Skills, a seminar
series for personal direction. She also has found time to complete
a remarkable book. For more info contact lifeskills@copper.net
If you'd like to hear the song Patti and I wrote for our freind Jim
Croce on the night he passed away, "Sending my good thoughts to you",
click onto http://artiewayne.com/pg11.html.
regards, Artie Wayne
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Message: 20
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 19:43:42 -0000
From: C. Ponti
Subject: Beatles' 1976 aborted reunion attempt?
Has anyone read this story on Drudge about the disinterring of
masters from '76 cut at Davlen in L.A.? The tracks were allegedly:
1.HAPPY FEELING 2.BACK HOME 3.ROCKIN' ONCE AGAIN 4. PEOPLE OF THE
THIRD WORLD 5.LITTLE GIRL. Part of the story goes that they bulk
erased the results of the sessions, but that an unerased copy
exists in the Abbey Road vaults.It is also rumoured that there was
disharmony between the Fabs, who fought amongst themselves and
ultimately stormed out of the studio. Any S'poppers working at
Davlen at that time? I was between Clover and Westlake Audio.
C Ponti
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Message: 21
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 19:57:56 +0000
From: Stuffed Animal
Subject: Al Capps
> Look for the name Al Capps on a record and you can rarely go wrong!
His arranging credit is on most of Bobby Sherman's hits, and in my
humble opinion, "Little Woman", "La La La (If I Had You)" and "Easy
Come, Easy Go" are wonderful, upbeat records . . . the kind today's
music industry has evidently forgotten how to make. Capps also
arranged for Josie and The Pussy Cats, though you'll have to track
down their rare 1970 album to see his credit. It doesn't appear on
any of their singles.
Happy Hannukah, y'all!
Don "Stuffed Animal" Charles
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Message: 22
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 22:01:20 -0000
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Re: Isley Meets Bacharach
Simon Bell:
> Has anyone heard the new album - "Here I Am, Isley Meets
> Bacharach"? It's a masterpiece produced & arranged by Burt,
> with vocals from Ronald Isley of the Isley Brothers. He
> does staggering versions of Alfie, In Between The Heartaches,
> Make It Easy On Yourself, The Look of Love, Anyone Who Had A
> Heart & others. Check out a couple of samples at Amazon:
> http://tinyurl.com/3xvvv
I second that. The CD is magnificent, a must for Bacharach fans.
I was especially pleased to see, in amongst the uber-familiar
David/Bacharach titles you mention, Ronnie's versions of "In
Between The Heartaches" and "Windows Of The World". If only
La Warwick had looked after her voice like Ronnie Isley
obviously has.
There are also two very recent Bacharach compositions on the CD:
"Count On Me" and "Love's (Still) The Answer", both written with
lyricist Tonio K. They're both excellent songs.
A website is mentioned on the CD package. It might be worth a
gander: http://www.isleymeetsbacharach.com
Here's a poser for all you Bacharach experts. What was the first
record on which Burt was credited as producer? No prizes for the
correct answer, except my admiration.
Ah well, back to my Lou Johnson EP.
Hey la,
Mick Patrick
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 23
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 22:15:29 -0000
From: Art Longmire
Subject: Re: Rokes / Yardbirds
C. Ponti wrote:
> Remember gli Rokes? In around '66 I was in Italy and was really
> taken by their version of "(La la la la la la) Live For Today",
> originally by the Yardbirds. I often wondered, did the Rokes
> lease the track and put their vocals on it? Because the track is
> identical to the Yarbirds' original.
Fred Clemens:
> Rather than spell it out here, follow the link to see who really
> copied who: http://www.bobshannon.com/fred/letslive.html
The Rokes were English expatriates to Italy, I have their original
version as well as the one by the Grass Roots. I picked up a bunch
of other Italian groups at the same time, including one group doing
a song called "La Bomba" which features an atomic bomb blast-shades
of "7 & 7 Is" by Love!
Art
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Message: 24
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 14:48:11 -0800 (PST)
From: Steveo
Subject: Re: Isley Meets Bacharach
Mick Patrick:
> Here's a poser for all you Bacharach experts. What was the first
> record on which Burt was credited as producer? No prizes for the
> correct answer, except my admiration.
The first record that Burt Bacharach got arranging credit on was
"Make it Easy on Yourself", Jerry Butler, Vee Jay (1962).
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 25
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 17:36:48 -0500
From: Country Paul
Subject: Baby MonKey Song; Carnegy Hall; Laurie London
Me:
> Anyone have any leads on a female group called the Jarmelettes?
> "The Baby Money Song" is acapella with just percussion in somewhat
> of a girl-group style.
My error - it's the Baby Monkey Song (adding the K). Any help on this,
please?
Michael:
> And on this particular night, we're turning POP GEAR! into a MOD
> CHRISTMAS BALL by sprinkling in some psychedelic seasonal sounds
> and rare 1960s holiday recordings into the night's usual soundtrack.
Hope you played "Bells of San Francisco," by Carnegy Hall [sic] (Atco,
1967).
Me again (how self-referrential!):
> Laurie London's "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands." Was this a
> simultaneous US/UK hit? How high did it go in the UK?
Paul Bryant:
> No 12, November 1957 - later taken up as a football chant (= soccer).
Thanks, Paul - gotto check the US chart dates....
Patrick Beckers:
> I have just uploaded Garry Bonner's version of Me About You from
> 1968 to the Musica section.
THE version, IMO. Wish I'd had the equipment to play it - or anything -
to musica. Maybe next year.
Mmm-dap, mmm-dap, mmm-wa-wa-wa,*
Country Paul
*(Name that tune, anyone?)
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
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