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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 21 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Baby Monkey
From: Simon White
2. "Rag Doll" (French kid singer gets nuttin' for Christmas)
From: Ian Chapman
3. Name that tune
From: James Cassidy
4. "Phil's Spectre" on the front page!
From: ACJ
5. "Hard Day's Night", Peggy Lee, Cover Versions
From: Chris
6. Re: The Ventures
From: Davie
7. Privilege/Great lines
From: Teri Landi
8. Re: Burt Bacharach - One Less Bell To Answer
From: Mick Patrick
9. The Robber Barons Of Early Pop
From: C Ponti
10. A Rock N' Roll mystery ?
From: Denis Gagnon
11. Name that tune
From: TD
12. Dante's Inferno
From: Philip Hall
13. Re: Aldon Music Staffers / Burt Bacharach
From: steveo
14. Re: Orpheus
From: Orion
15. Re: The Ventures
From: Mike McKay
16. Jarmolettes - Baby Monkey's Song
From: Phil Chapman
17. Re: Orpheus
From: Rat Pfink
18. Re: Ruby and the Romantics
From: Mike McKay
19. Re: He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss)
From: Steve Harvey
20. More Lyrics: good, bad, whatever:
From: Alan Gordon
21. Re: Darlene Love / Clydie King / Ruby & the Romantics
From: Tony Leong
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Message: 1
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 08:37:36 +0000
From: Simon White
Subject: Baby Monkey
>From Country Paul:
> Anyone have any leads on a female group called the Jarmelettes?
> "The Baby Monkey Song" is acapella with just percussion in somewhat
> of a girl-group style.
Paul, thanks for bringing this one back up !
I had this on an odd compilation album of "comedy" R'n'B tunes some
years back, subsequently given to a friend because he wanted Johnny
"Darrow " Moore's "Spider Walk" which was on it too.
I can get the album back and I will. I seem to remember there was
something in the sleeve notes about the group being someone's daughters -
possibly the producer.
The track as I remember it - and I must still have it on a tape somewhere -
is a full production though and is largely "Yes, We Have No Bananas" in
a mid tempo 1964/5 dance style. Wonderful, silly stuff.
Simon
--
Rilleh !
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Message: 2
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2003 01:03:49 -0000
From: Ian Chapman
Subject: "Rag Doll" (French kid singer gets nuttin' for Christmas)
In keeping with recent threads (foreign-language versions, 04 Seasons) and now that Christmas is almost upon us, I've
just played to musica a French track from the mid-60s by a
kid singer named Le Petit Prince. The song is the Seasons'
"Rag Doll" given a new yuletide twist and I think it works
surprisingly well.
Retitled "Triste Noel", it's about a youngster lamenting the
fact that he's sure to get nothing for Christmas because he's
been so disobedient. He's certain Santa will be skipping his
chimney and all the presents he's been dreaming of will be
going to nicer boys instead. He sings it with such remorse,
you can't help feeling sorry for the little feller!
(Did I hear somebody say "serves him right"??!!!)
Ian
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Message: 3
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 08:50:54 -0500
From: James Cassidy
Subject: Name that tune
Country Paul:
> Mmm-dap, mmm-dap, mmm-wa-wa-wa. Name that tune, anyone?
Sounds like "Baby Talk" by Jan & Dean.
Jim Cassidy
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Message: 4
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 10:01:53 -0500 (EST)
From: ACJ
Subject: "Phil's Spectre" on the front page!
A few days ago I e-mailed Robert Fontenot, the "guide" at
http://www.oldies.about.com/ suggesting he check out the
"Phil's Spectre" CD. Apparently, he did so - and has put my
note, and a link to purchase the CD, on his site's front page!
Just call me A.J. - although I prefer ACJ.
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Message: 5
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 07:04:02 -0800 (GMT-08:00)
From: Chris
Subject: "Hard Day's Night", Peggy Lee, Cover Versions
steveo:
> Peggy [Lee] 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.)
The most respectable-sounding one is, I suppose, Otis Redding's.
Or, perhaps, Quincy Jones'. Anyone familiar with 'em? Of course
I'm *also* curious about the Count Basie and the Dick Contino ...
Perhaps it was Lee's early involvement with r&b material (cf.
"Why Don't You Do Right?") which allowed her some comfort with
rock material. That and, of course, her work with post-"Love Me
Tender" talent like Leiber & Stoller and Randy Newman. She also
has a version of Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" which sounds kinda
interesting.
Possible topic for a new thread: non-copycat cover versions of
Beatles tunes which work on their *own* terms.
Oh, yes, and while we're at it ... the Lee album with "My Sweet
Lord" ("Where Did They Go?" -- "Snuff" Garrett as producer!) also
has an obscure Bacharach & David tune called "My Rock and
Foundation". Worth chasing down?
Chris
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Message: 6
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 16:04:03 -0000
From: Davie
Subject: Re: The Ventures
I had a look at Joel Whitburn's "Top Pop Albums 1955 - 1992"
to check the Ventures' albums and was amazed to see that they
(up to then) had 37 albums charted. There are too many to list
but if you want to see the actual positions check the Ventures
pages at allmusic.com - here's a link: http://tinyurl.com/ys3yv
What is more interesting is that the book has a Top 500 Artists
section based on a system of awarding points based on their
highest charted position ...e.g.
# 1 200 points for first week at # 1 plus 20 points for each
additional week at # 1
through
# 11 - 20 150 points
down to
# 191 - 200 10 points
Using this system the Ventures ranked 24th - scoring more points
than Kenny Rogers (26th), Stevie Wonder (28th), Paul McCartney/Wings
(29th), Chicago (30th), Eric Clapton (32nd), Dionne Warwick (33rd),
Diana Ross solo (37th), Rod Stewart (40th), Grateful Dead (46th),
Pink Floyd (49th), Fleetwood Mac (51st), The Monkees (56th), The
Doors (62nd), Led Zeppelin (65th), the Four Seasons (75th), Michael
Jackson (87th) .........
Verrry interesting ... I'll accept the system used to calculate
the positions is arbitrary but no more arbitrary than how the
original charts were compiled. I know the books now 11 years old
but bear in mind quite a few of the artists I've mentioned haven't
had any significantly high-selling albums released since then ..
whatever, a remarkable accomplishment for a group whose last listed
chart album was 1972's "Joy : The Ventures Play The Classics" ( #146).
Incidentally the "Play Guitar With The Ventures - how to play lead,
rhythm and bass guitar" peaked at # 95 in 1965. That's got to be the
highest (if not only) chart placing for a tuition album.
OK, you can now begin typing .......:-)
Davie
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Message: 7
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 12:35:25 -0500
From: Teri Landi
Subject: Privilege/Great lines
For those in the NYC area you'll be interested to know that
the film Privilege will be playing at the Walter Reade Theater
Jan. 2nd (2PM & 9PM) and Jan. 4th (3PM). The Walter Reade is
part of the Film Society of Lincoln Center and is located at
65th & Broadway.
RE: Great lines - There are some choice ones to be found in
the tune "You Look That Good To Me" from the rockabilly great
Joe Clay:
"I wanna take my arms, wrap 'em round your frame
Kiss your lips and change your name
Oh babe, yeah babe, oh babe, you look that good to me "
"I wanna jump so high when you say 'I do'
Take five years to get on back to you
Oh babe, yeah babe, oh babe, you look that good to me"
Later, during the guitar break, he yells "get hot or go home!"
Teri Landi
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Message: 8
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 21:25:04 -0000
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Re: Burt Bacharach - One Less Bell To Answer
Geoff Kaiser:
> Does anyone know if anyone recorded "One Less Bell to Answer"
> before the Fifth Dimension, perhaps with Burt Bacharach's
> involvement?
Marc W:
> My notes on this song say:
> The 5th Dimension's third-biggest pop hit, featuring lead
> singer Marilyn McCoo, and produced by Bones Howe. Originally
> recorded as obscure singles by Keely Smith in 1967, and by
> Rosemary Clooney in 1968. In the spring of 1970, The 5th
> Dimension performed this song "live" on an episode of the hit
> ABC-TV spy series IT TAKES A THIEF, where the last note of the
> song triggered a hidden bomb. This was their second hit with
> the word "Bell" in the title; the first was 'Wedding Bell Blues'
> from 1970.
"One Less Bell To Answer" was first recorded by Keely Smith on
Atlantic 2429 in 1967. I've never seen or heard a copy, so I
don't know who produced it. Is it out on CD? If not, perhaps
some kind soul could post the track to musica.
The next version was by Rosemary Clooney on Dot 17100 in 1968.
The 5th Dimension rendition was a track on their "Portrait" LP
of 1970. The group had already enjoyed *four* hits from that
album when, after a TV performance of "One Less Bell To Answer",
their record company boss *insisted* that that track too be
issued on a 45. Good decision - it ended up at #2 in the charts.
"One Less Bell To Answer" was subsequently recorded by: Burt
Bacharach, Shirley Bassey, Terry Baxter, Joe Bourne, The Reuben
Brown Trio with Richie Cole, Vikki Carr, Sheryl Crow, Lenny Dee,
Sheila Hutchinson, Stanley Jordon, Gladys Knight, Andre
Kostelanetz, Marie McAuliffe, Christiane Noll, Rita Reys, Dinah
Shore, Lucie Silvas, The Starlight Orchestra, Barbra Streisand,
Gary Tesca, McCoy Tyner, Dionne Warwick and the Wilder Brothers,
but not in that order.
Me:
> 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.
Still waiting for a correct answer. What? no Bacharach experts
out there? :-)
Hey la,
Mick Patrick
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Message: 9
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 17:51:37 -0000
From: C Ponti
Subject: The Robber Barons Of Early Pop
For those who feel, as I do, that the business aspects of the
music industry are indisputably wed with the artistic, I would
recommend reading HITMEN by Dannen and another book, OFF THE
CHARTS. The precedents set back in the 50s and 60s to this
day affect the rights of artists and writers. It was the wild,
wild West when Pop was in its nascent stages and many of the
early record co. heads and managers essentially wrote their
own book on publishing, management and what constituted 'conflict
of interest'. In THE SOPRANOS, the character Heshie says as much.
His character is broadly based on a publisher whom anyone who
knows where the bones are buried will recognize. Writer credits
were absconded with, duress was a normal way of doing business
and it was hunting season on on songwriters' rights. Behind all
of the artists mentioned so lovingly on this site there are
horror stories of thievery and abuse. I would savour the opportunity
to swap some insights, even if we couch them in imprimaturs such
as "allegedly" and "rumoured". More to come...
C Ponti
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Message: 10
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 13:39:05 -0500
From: Denis Gagnon
Subject: A Rock N' Roll mystery ?
Hi all
I have decided to come forward on this group and ask about
what for me has been a mystery for more than 35 years.
In 1966, I was working for the largest records distributor
in Canada, at the time. This was my first job and I was barely
17 at the time. The guy who was in charge of deciding which
records we would sell, knew that I was crazy about music and
often let me hear some of the new free samples he would receive
from the record companies releasing new stuff and asking me my
opinion about it.
So, one of the record (45') that he made me hear, was "Wait a
minute" by the Vogues. I also remember that he had decided not
to buy this record and so we never distributed it in Canada and
I sincerely doubt it was ever distributed by anyone else, in Canada.
He, by the way, gave me that sample.
Many years after the 45 was gone, I remembered about the song and
began to search for it. I, finally, found the song by Tim Tam and
the Turn ons, which apparently was recorded in 1965. Obviously,
it's the same song but now, I fail to find any trace of the song
ever being recorded by the Vogues.
The 45 I had, was on Quality records, if I remember correctly.
I'm sure, "The Vogues", were shown as artists on it. Was it
simply a printing error by the record company ?
Denis
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Message: 11
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 13:55:44 -0500
From: TD
Subject: Name that tune
Country Paul wrote:
> "Mmm-dap, mmm-dap, mmm-wa-wa-wa,*
> *(Name that tune, anyone?)
"Baby Talk" - Jan and Dean
-- TD
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Message: 12
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 12:42:55 -0800 (PST)
From: Philip Hall
Subject: Dante's Inferno
I'm looking for info on a song called "Dante's Inferno",
I believe. It's probably from the late 50s or early 60s.
I've tried researching it on allmusicguide.com, but I'm not
having any luck. I can remember the tune perfectly, and some
of the lyrics are "Welcome to Dante's Inferno; Welcome you
old so-and-so. Well, you met someone you know and he told you
where to go; Welcome to Dante's Inferno." Any idea who the
artist is, or, better yet, does anyone have a copy?
Thanks,
Phil Hall
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Message: 13
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 12:45:04 -0800 (PST)
From: steveo
Subject: Re: Aldon Music Staffers / Burt Bacharach
Artie Wayne:
> Around 1963 Burt Bacharach and Hal David had offices at
> Famous Music in the Brill building.............
> ........When I ran into him a few weeks later,in London,
> we had a drink and laughed about the incident.
Artie,
cool!thanks for the interesting story.
Happy holidays to you!
Steveo
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Message: 14
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 15:55:10 -0500
From: Orion
Subject: Re: Orpheus
The nice thing about each and every one of us is.... we have
our own opinion. I think Orpheus is a much "under rated" band
and their harmonies are very good to excellent, IMHO.
Orion
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Message: 15
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 17:19:43 EST
From: Mike McKay
Subject: Re: The Ventures
Mike Edwards wrote:
> It has always seemed to me that they were a rocker's version
> of Percy Faith and/or Billy Vaughn, releasing 2 or 3 LPs a
> year loaded with their versions of the hits of the day,
> without adding anything to them......
> But all is not lost as they did put out some good 45s. I'm
> going to compile a list and post it in the New Year. The
> "2,000lb Bee" will be among them because you won't find it
> on any of the LPs listed above.
There seemed to come a dividing line c.1965 when The Ventures
did indeed evolve into the kind of act you mention. I agree that
there's not a whole lot of value in doing instrumental versions
of the hits of the day. Your Billy Vaughan/Percy Faith metaphor
is an apt one.
However, prior to this The Ventures released one of my all-time
favorite albums, "The Ventures in Space". Yes, there were (very
good) covers of "Penetration", "Out of Limits" and "The Twilight
Zone", but for the most part it contained either Ventures originals
or songs that were otherwise unknown. It's a wonderful album, full
of that weird combination of surf, sci-fi and horror movie music
that was just plain "cool" back then.
And as was pointed out on the original back cover, no electronic
effects were used in the creation of the album. It's all done
with musical instruments. I still love listening to this LP today.
Mike
P.S. The original "Apache" is by The Shadows, though I quite enjoy
Jorgan Ingman's take on it.
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Message: 16
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2003 08:13:22 -0000
From: Phil Chapman
Subject: Jarmolettes - Baby Monkey's Song
>From Country Paul:
> Anyone have any leads on a female group called the Jarmelettes?
> "The Baby Monkey Song" is acapella with just percussion in somewhat
> of a girl-group style.
Simon:
> The track as I remember it - and I must still have it on a tape
> somewhere -
> is a full production though and is largely "Yes, We Have No Bananas" in
> a mid tempo 1964/5 dance style. Wonderful, silly stuff.
I sampled this silly trifle during my last vinyl feast at Martin Roberts.
It has a slight flavour of Ikettes, with essence of Zip-A-Dee Doo-Dah.
Should give the sex & food researchers something new to suck on.
Currently on the menu at musica:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spectropop/files/musica
I forgot the label details. Martin, can you oblige?
Ring a ling a ling a ding dong ding!
Phil
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Message: 17
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 19:52:07 -0500
From: Rat Pfink
Subject: Re: Orpheus
Mike Edwards wrote:
> I first heard "Can't Find The Time To Tell You" when I
> moved to Boston in 1993. It was one of the few non-standard
> oldies on WODS 103 FM, no doubt because they were a local
> group as were the Standells.
The Standells were from L.A., the lyrics to "Dirty Water"
notwithstanding...
RP
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Message: 18
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 17:32:15 EST
From: Mike McKay
Subject: Re: Ruby and the Romantics
Mick Patrick wrote:
> To all who like Clydie's "Missin' My Baby", might I recommend
> two equally marvellous tracks by Ruby & the Romantics: "Does He
> Really Care For Me" and "Your Baby Doesn't Love You Anymore" -
> excellent songs, gorgeously smooth vocals and Righteous Brothers-
> style productions.
Am I correct in assuming that the first of the two Ruby tracks
you mention is the same song that was subsequently covered (with
an appropriate sex change) by The Searchers? If so, it's a great
one. It would be cool to hear the original.
I saw Ruby and Romantics with, as far as I could tell, all original
members on one of those Richard Nader oldies package shows in the
early 70s. Not only were their harmonies marvelously intact, they
had with them on stage what simply had to be, by the sound of it,
the very same distinctive-sounding keyboard used to record "Our
Day Will Come".
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Message: 19
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 18:15:58 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss)
Does anyone have the cover single (produced by Sam Cooke)
of Cassius Clay doing "He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Fist)?
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Message: 20
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 21:14:25 -0800
From: Alan Gordon
Subject: More Lyrics: good, bad, whatever:
Does it seem odd to anyone that the lyrics to: "Where Were
You When I Needed You?" are: Where were you when I needed "ya?"
It always seemed strange to me that there were two different
pronunciations of the same word in the same sentence. But
that's Rock and Roll I guess.
It seems even more exaggerated in the Bangles version.
And speaking of poetry. I am just listening to the
"Growing Up Too Fast" girl groups compilation. It's
amazing to me that a simple lyric like "One Wonderful
Night" becomes sublime poetry when the music is added
to one wonderful melody. Carole and Gerry have always
been poets in my book:
"Oh this has been, one wonderful night
A night I never will forget for the rest of my life
Tonight I met, one wonderful boy
And I know we're gonna share a love time can never destroy."
-The Honeybees.
I love the meter and wordplay in each second line.
Great interplay of words/phrasing and melody.
Merry Christmas and safe and warm Holidays
to all of you at S'Pop.
~albabe
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Message: 21
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2003 06:28:44 -0000
From: Tony Leong
Subject: Re: Darlene Love / Clydie King / Ruby & the Romantics
Mick:
> To all who like Clydie's "Missin' My Baby", might I
> recommend two equally marvellous tracks by Ruby & the
> Romantics: "Does He Really Care For Me" and "Your Baby
> Doesn't Love You Anymore" - excellent songs, gorgeously
> smooth vocals and Righteous Brothers-style productions.
> Did you know that Darlene Love (or Wright, as she was
> then known) made her recording debut singing background
> on a Clydie King record back in 1957?
I agree about the fine quality of those 2 Ruby and the
Romantic songs "Does He Really Care For Me" and "Your Baby
Doesn't Love You Anymore"--excellent cuts they are Mick.
I have always wondered--Do the Blossoms back Clydie King on
"The Thrill Is Gone" from 1965??
Tony Leong
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