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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 15 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Connie vs. Cilla vs. Dionne
From: Jeffery Kennedy
2. Re: Labelle's "Miss Otis Regrets"
From: Chris
3. Al Kooper & The Surfer Girls
From: Mick Patrick
4. Burt Bacharach & Dick Van Dyke
From: Mick Patrick
5. Phil Spector & Freddie Scott
From: Mick Patrick
6. Al Kooper
From: Michael Godin
7. Re: Feldman, Goldstein, Gottehrer - '60s discography
From: Bob Rashkow
8. Re: Feldman, Goldstein, Gottehrer - '60s discography
From: Phil Milstein
9. The Big Hurt
From: Ed Rambeau
10. Connie vs. Cilla vs. Dionne vs. Dee Dee
From: David Bell
11. Standing in the Shadows of Motown
From: Richard Williams
12. Re: Burt Bacharach & Dick Van Dyke
From: Phil Milstein
13. Re: Feldman, Goldstein, Gottehrer
From: Norm De Plume
14. Rag Dolls
From: Ken Charmer
15. Freddie Scott Sings Gerry Goffin & Carole King - "Where Does Love Go"
From: Julio Niño
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Message: 1
Date: Mon, 02 Feb 2004 17:40:00 -0000
From: Jeffery Kennedy
Subject: Connie vs. Cilla vs. Dionne
Paul Bryant:
> I hesitate to say this, in fact here goes my credibility
> right now, but Cilla's version of "Alfie" is loads better
> than Dionne Warwick. It's because she's a worse singer.
Phil Chapman:
> Paul, I agree with your interesting comparison of the versions.
> Conversely, IMHO the worst version of "Alfie" is by Cher. I
> really like Cher from her S&C days and their Spector-sounding
> stuff, but the track to her recording of "Alfie" sounded to me
> like some escaped animal had invaded the session. And wasn't
> that the version used in the U.S. release of the film?
>
> As for credibility, don't worry about it. Re: my recent post on
> the Patti Labelle sessions, a rather thoughtful Vicki Wickham
> said to me, in conversation about some R&B records, "Phil, you
> like all the wrong things!" - Nothing's changed:-)
Talk about liking the "wrong" things: My favorite "Alfie" is by
Connie Francis. Unlike Black and Warwick, Francis gets all of the
subtleties of the lyric across. Francis's Bacharach and David LP,
with arrangements by Claus Ogerman, is one of the best B&D records
ever, IMHO.
Jeffery
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Message: 2
Date: Sun, 01 Feb 2004 17:36:59 -0800 (GMT-08:00)
From: Chris
Subject: Re: Labelle's "Miss Otis Regrets"
Rob Stride:
> For Spine-Shivering Performance and a HUGE epic ending, see Labelle
> "Miss Otis Regrets", as mentioned previously by Phil C., who worked
> on it.
Quite a performance. All you have to do now is put it on the flip-
side of Billie Holiday singing "Strange Fruit." Plus, perhaps, an
essay by Toure or Hilton Als about divas and lynching songs.
Chris
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Message: 3
Date: Mon, 02 Feb 2004 19:30:35 -0000
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Al Kooper & The Surfer Girls
Question for Al Kooper:
Hey Al, what can you tell us about the Surfer Girls? As far as
I know this outfit released just one record, "One Boy Tells
Another" (Columbia 43001, 1964), written by yourself with Bob
Brass and Irwin Levine. Steve Venet produced the track and Denny
Randell was the arranger. What great label copy! And what a way
cool record. Were the Surfer Girls perhaps another group in
disguise? We girl group anoraks neeeeeeeeed to know such things.
Hey la,
Mick Patrick
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Message: 4
Date: Mon, 02 Feb 2004 19:30:30 -0000
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Burt Bacharach & Dick Van Dyke
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.
Some time later, Phil Milstein:
> Mick, I don't believe you ever did reveal the name of Burt
> Bacharach's first production credit.
I'd not forgotten. I was just waiting for a quiet moment, for
fear of the answer getting buried beneath a barrage of
bothersome Beatles banter. I spotted some good guesses but none
were correct. I guess that means I get to save my admiration
for another time. Believe it or not, the first credited
Bacharach production was "Three Wheels On My Wagon" b/w "One
Part Dog, Nine Parts Cat" by Dick Van Dyke, released on Jamie
1178 in January 1961. Both sides were written and produced by
Burt Bacharach and Bob Hilliard. The Jamie label re-issued the
record in 1963 to cash in on Dick's success in the movie Bye-
Bye Birdie. Most Brits are more familiar with the New Christy
Minstrels' 1964 version of "Three Wheels On My Wagon" - much
played on Two Way Family Favourites on the Light Programme, I
seem to recall.
Hey la,
Mick Patrick
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Message: 5
Date: Mon, 02 Feb 2004 19:30:32 -0000
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Phil Spector & Freddie Scott
There's a new interview with the great Freddie Scott - one of the
finest ever exponents of the songs of Carole King and Gerry Goffin
- in the current issue (#33) of In The Basement magazine. Brill
Building buffs might find the following paragraph of some interest.
I did.
It was actually between Joy releases that, in 1962, Freddie
encountered the Goffin and King-penned "Hey Girl" that would be his
major vehicle as a singer. '"Hey Girl" was really done (as a demo)
for Chuck Jackson', (Freddie) said, 'but for some reason it didn't
work out with Chuck and his people. So Donny (Kirshner) and I got
in with Carole and Phil Spector. The first time I heard that song I
thought it was a little country. We were working in her house -
sometimes we'd work in the office, sometimes in her house, her and
Gerry - and we worked on it for a couple of months. After we got it
perfected, it laid on the shelf almost a year until Phil Spector
came in and said to Donny Kirshner, "You've got to put this record
out. It will be a hit". We put it out and you know the rest'. Asked
if it was true that Spector actually assisted in the production of
"Hey Girl", Freddie replied, 'We all did. Because I worked with
Carole...and Phil Spector. Wherever he is and whatever he's doing
today, I thank him so much for that'.
To read the rest of the article you'll need to look over someone's
shoulder on the Soul Train in to work, or buy your own copy of the
magazine. In The Basement can be contacted by email at
itb@basement-group.co.uk or via their website:
http://www.basement-group.co.uk
"Hey Girl" is readily available on "On Broadway", the 50-track Brill
Building double I helped make happen, not to mention numerous other
CDs. But you all knew that already.
Hey la,
Mick Patrick
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Message: 6
Date: Sun, 01 Feb 2004 14:54:11 -0800
From: Michael Godin
Subject: Al Kooper
Just wanted to wish Al Kooper a very Happy Birthday this week.
Playing a couple of his great songs on this week's show.
Cheers
Michael Godin
http://www.TreasureIslandOldies.com
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Message: 7
Date: Sun, 01 Feb 2004 18:14:44 EST
From: Bob Rashkow
Subject: Re: Feldman, Goldstein, Gottehrer - '60s discography
Wow! Thnks so much for taking the time to do that! I never realized
how prolific the "I Want Candy" guys were. I'm trying to get 45s of
many of those! Bobster
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Message: 8
Date: Sun, 01 Feb 2004 20:34:48 -0500
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Re: Feldman, Goldstein, Gottehrer - '60s discography
David L Gordon wrote:
> If anyone wants to send in additions or corrections I'd be happy to
> incorporate the information into a more complete listing which could
> be used as a Spectropop spotlight feature.
David, thanks for this incredible research! I realize the list is of
singles only, but I have a compilation LP, a career retrospective by Bob
Feldman, that might add some interesting info, as for all I know some of
this material might not have been released elsewhere. The opening cut,
for instance, is a Strangeloves version of Hang On Sloopy -- I don't see
this on your list, although I assume (?) it was on their album.
The "S.O.B." in the title, by the way, stands for Sounds Of Brooklyn,
which doubles as the label's name (and most likely a Feldman vanity
label. Not sure if a vol. 1 was ever released -- but if so I sure would
like to know what was on it. Vol. 2 bears a 1984 release date.
--Phil M.
Roots Of S.O.B., Vol. 2 :
The Strangeloves: Hang On Sloopy
The Angels: My Boyfriend's Back
The McCoys: Fever
Bassett Hand: Happy Organ Shake
The Ten Lonely Guys: Ten Lonely Guys
The McCoys: Sorrow
Freddy Cannon: Ride Roller Coaster Ride
Bassett Hand: Soul Paradise
Jerry Lee Lewis: I’m On Fire
The Strangeloves: I Want Candy
The Angels: The Guy With The Black Eye
Dion: Swingin' Street
Ronnie Dio: Gonna Make It Alone
Mary Wells: How Can I Forget Him
The Buddies: You're So Thoughtless
Jimmy Jones & Little Eva: Don't You Just Know It
Freddy Cannon & The Belmonts: Let's Put The Fun Back In Rock 'N' Roll
The Feldman Family (Mahri, Kyle & Bob): (I Love You In) That Old
Fashioned Way
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Message: 9
Date: Sun, 01 Feb 2004 23:51:06 -0000
From: Ed Rambeau
Subject: The Big Hurt
Just a note to let everyone know that the posted song on JUKEBOX
RAMBEAU for February 3rd will be a song I produced for TOM CAT
RECORDS. It's a disco version of the old TONI FISHER hit "THE BIG
HURT" and is somewhat of a collector's item. Anyone who would like
to download a copy simply go to the following link on February 3rd:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rambeau_music
Enjoy, Ed Rambeau
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Message: 10
Date: Mon, 02 Feb 2004 14:56:04 EST
From: David Bell
Subject: Connie vs. Cilla vs. Dionne vs. Dee Dee
Paul Bryant:
> I hesitate to say this, in fact here goes my credibility
> right now, but Cilla's version of "Alfie" is loads better
> than Dionne Warwick. It's because she's a worse singer.
Phil Chapman:
> Paul, I agree with your interesting comparison of the versions.
> Conversely, IMHO the worst version of "Alfie" is by Cher. I
> really like Cher from her S&C days and their Spector-sounding
> stuff, but the track to her recording of "Alfie" sounded to me
> like some escaped animal had invaded the session. And wasn't
> that the version used in the U.S. release of the film?
>
> As for credibility, don't worry about it. Re: my recent post on
> the Patti Labelle sessions, a rather thoughtful Vicki Wickham
> said to me, in conversation about some R&B records, "Phil, you
> like all the wrong things!" - Nothing's changed:-)
Jeffery Kennedy:
> Talk about liking the "wrong" things: My favorite "Alfie" is
> by Connie Francis. Unlike Black and Warwick, Francis gets all
> of the subtleties of the lyric across. Francis's Bacharach and
> David LP, with arrangements by Claus Ogerman, is one of the
> best B&D records ever, IMHO.
At last I find somebody else in the world who loves Connie's
Bacharach & David album as much as I do. I really thought that
I was the only person who even had a copy of it.
Alfie I prefer by Dee Dee Warwick, if I'm honest, but I do love
the intimate supper club feel of Connie's album too. Her late
60s work is so undervalued and yet Connie was at the height of
her vocal powers at that time. She'd left the silly hits behind
and become a chanteuse of great power. If only I'd been able to
go to Las Vegas and see her perform at that time.
All this from someone who started collecting Connie's material
in 1960 and has most everything that she ever released as well
as a ton of unreleased material too.
You've made my night by just mentioning Connie and Alfie in your
email.
David.
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Message: 11
Date: Mon, 02 Feb 2004 20:38:25 +0000
From: Richard Williams
Subject: Standing in the Shadows of Motown
Just a note to mention that the Funk Brothers appeared at the Festival
Hall in London on Friday night, as part of a tour to promote the DVD
of their excellent documentary film. There were six originals -- Joe
Hunter (piano), Eddie Willis and Joe Messina (guitars), Bob Babbitt
(bass), Uriel Jones (drums) and Jack Ashford (tambourine, vibes and MC)
-- plus seven auxiliary musicians, including Allan Slutsky, the
project's originator, on guitar. Billy Preston, replacing the billed
Isaac Hayes, sang a couple of songs pretty well; Steve Winwood sang
four, including "Shotgun" (Eddie Willis played the distinctive guitar
licks on Jr Walker's original) and "Function at the Junction", and was
outstanding not just for his performance but for the respect he showed
to the musicians. Carla Benson and Johnny Ingram were the band's
regular singers, and did well with a variety of material -- which
included Brenda Holloway's "When I'm Gone" and Jackie Wilson's "Higher
and Higher", the latter recorded in Chicago for Brunswick by a
moonlighting bunch of Brothers. In the sense of affection and gratitude
emanating from an audience including Paul McCartney and Nick Lowe, it
was very reminiscent of Brian Wilson's appearance at the same venue a
couple of years ago. I wouldn't have missed it for the world.
Richard Williams
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Message: 12
Date: Mon, 02 Feb 2004 14:54:37 +0000
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Re: Burt Bacharach & Dick Van Dyke
Mick Patrick wrote:
> Believe it or not, the first credited Bacharach production was
> "Three Wheels On My Wagon" b/w "One Part Dog, Nine Parts Cat" by
> Dick Van Dyke, released on Jamie 1178 in January 1961. Both sides
> were written and produced by Burt Bacharach and Bob Hilliard.
We knew that -- we were just testing you.
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Message: 13
Date: Mon, 02 Feb 2004 09:02:47 -0800 (PST)
From: Norm De Plume
Subject: Re: Feldman, Goldstein, Gottehrer
Hello S-poppers
Richard Gottehrer was a guest, in January 2003, on
Charlie Gillett's weekly radio show on BBC London.
The write-up is on Charlie Gillett's website:
http://www.charliegillett.com/playlist.php?date=18January03
Richard G. was then in Europe promoting the new Danish
band he'd produced, The Raveonettes (That's Rave On,
as in Buddy Holly, he said). He also gave a good
overview of his career, and his personal choice of
music he played on the show was really interesting.
Check on the link above and you even get a nice photo
of the man.
Charlie's Sat. night show really is a must - it always
shows to me the direct progression between Spectropop
era music and current world sounds, and how it keeps
evolving and just getting better. Where else would
you get to explore the musical links between Ethiopian
pop of the 1970's and Stax soul? Or hear a Madagscar
band covering The Ronettes?
Norm D. Plume
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Message: 14
Date: Mon, 02 Feb 2004 12:49:09 +0000
From: Ken Charmer
Subject: Rag Dolls
Hi
I read of recent interest in the Rag Dolls.
You will find an article in our Newsletter 39
(The 4Seasons UK Historical Group)
http://www.btinternet.com/~seasonally/
Enjoy.
Ken Charmer
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Message: 15
Date: Mon, 02 Feb 2004 21:24:11 -0000
From: Julio Niño
Subject: Freddie Scott Sings Gerry Goffin & Carole King - "Where Does Love Go"
Hola everybody.
Mick Patrick wrote today:
> ...There´s a new interview with the great Fredie Scott- one of
> the finest ever exponents of the songs of Carole King and Gerry
> Goffin- in the current issu (#33) of in The Basement Magazine..
I especially like Freddie´s "Where Does Love Go" (King/Goffin),
Colpix 1964. I love the lyrics. Are there others versions of the
this song?.
Chao.
Julio Niño.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
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