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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 14 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: Popcorn / & Cluster / & the flames went higher
From: Phil X. Milstein
2. Re: Pat Boone 45 "Beach Girl"
From: Eddy Smit
3. Re: Valiant Association / BobbyHart@65 / Tandyn Almer
From: Austin Roberts
4. Re: Yiddishisms
From: Chris A. Schneider
5. Re: The Movies / Mad Lads
From: Jim Shannon
6. Re: Ron Dante; Archies
From: Clark Besch
7. Re: Larry Hall album
From: Jan Kristensen
8. Re: Happy (Songwriters) Together / At This Stage Of The Game
From: Al Kooper
9. Da Doo Ron Ron soundalike
From: Craig Davison
10. Re: Before & After/Chad & Jeremy
From: Clark Besch
11. Re: Happy Together and Valentine's Day
From: Joe Nelson
12. Sugar & the Spices
From: Mick Patrick
13. Doris Troy R.I.P.
From: Artie Wayne
14. "Cherry", Darlene McCrea, The Diplomats and a psychiatrist.
From: Julio Niño
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Message: 1
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 11:43:48 +0000
From: Phil X. Milstein
Subject: Re: Popcorn / & Cluster / & the flames went higher
Clark Besch wrote:
> Now playing to Musica is Tim Wilde's "Too Many Questions"
> written by Artie Wayne and Mark Barkan. It is the B side
> ("B" standing for "better" in this case) of Tower 353
> "Popcorn Double Feature" from late 1967/early 1968.
So THAT'S what "popcorn music" is ...
Phil Chapman wrote, of "At This Stage Of The Game":
> However, I'm curious about '& The Cluster': there are some slightly
> suspect male backing-vocals with a falsetto in Theremin style, and
> a distinctly Ondiolinique keyboard under the middle 8.
Most likely the German electronic group who recorded a few
albums with Eno in the '70s ...
Saw an amusing squib in yesterday's newspaper, stating that the Cash
family has turned down an offer to feature the June-written*/Johnny-
recorded song "Ring Of Fire" as the soundtrack to an ad campaign for
a hemorrhoid ointment!
I went down, down, down,
--Phil M.
*co-, with Merle Kilgore
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Message: 2
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 08:42:49 +0100
From: Eddy Smit
Subject: Re: Pat Boone 45 "Beach Girl"
Billy wrote:
> I also wonder which version was recorded first, Pat's or the
> Rip Chords'? Anyone know the release dates? The Rip Chords'
> version always sounded like a rough demo, with a very tinny
> sounding backing track.
I have a July 1964 release date for the Three Window Coupe album by The Rip Chords, which features Beach Girl, and an August 1964 release date for the Pat Boone 45.
Eddy
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Message: 3
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 11:39:03 EST
From: Austin Roberts
Subject: Re: Valiant Association / BobbyHart@65 / Tandyn Almer
Mikey wrote:
> Yes, but at the time that the Association LPs came out, Valiant had been
> sold to WB.
Thankeee.
> Mark Hill wrote:
> Turning 65 today (Wed 02/18/04): Bobby Hart. He co-wrote Austin Roberts'
> first hit, "Something's Wrong With Me," with Danny Janssen.
God bless em both!
Al Kooper wrote:
> And let's not forget the writer of Along Comes Mary......Tandyn
> Almer. One of the greatest real names in the history of rock n roll!!!
Right up there with Mars Bonfire.
Austin R.
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Message: 4
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 07:06:18 -0800 (PST)
From: Chris A. Schneider
Subject: Re: Yiddishisms
Rashkovsky on Yiddishisms:
> the Annie Get Your Gun show-tune "Anything You Can Do" (Ethel
> Merman/Ray Middleton duet)
> Jus4duhrekkid, I'm not accepting Nathan Lane's simple "so nu" in
> "Sue Me" from Guys and Dolls. "Nu" is Yinglish already.
It does the heart good to see mention of Ray Middleton, whose "My
Defences Are Down" on the original cast album of "Annie Get Your
Gun" still has the capacity to knock a hypothetical listener's
hypothetical socks off.
Still, though, if you're gonna attribute a song to the performer
rather than individual(s) who wrote it -- a habit which continues
to rankle -- you might as well attribute that "So nu" in "Sue Me"
to the original cast's Sam Levene. Even though it *was* written
by Frank Loesser....
"You couldn't give me a lesson in long-distance spittin'!" (Merman),
Chris
P.S. As long you're talking Yiddishisms, why not mention the "Once
I was a *schlepper* / Now I'm Miss Mazeppa" sung by Faith Dane in
the Sondheim/Styne score for "Gypsy"?
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Message: 5
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 21:27:50 -0000
From: Jim Shannon
Subject: Re: The Movies / Mad Lads
Footnote to previous dispatch on BlueBeats, The #1 and The
Movies: The Movies single was called "Cinnamon Square".
While we're onto obscure bands, anyone remember The Mad
Lads "I Wanna Girl"?
Jim Shannon
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Message: 6
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 15:49:10 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Re: Ron Dante; Archies
Billy G. Spradlin wrote, of "Strangers In The Morning":
> A great record, but the subject matter is a little um..."mature"
> for a bubblegum record. Visions of Archie and Betty (or another
> girl?) waking up together after a wild night? I think it would
> have fared well on Top 40 as a Ron Dante record.
Billy, maybe it's an answer record!! "Who's your baby in the
morning, who's your baby at night...." :)
Clark
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Message: 7
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 10:12:24 +0100
From: Jan Kristensen
Subject: Re: Larry Hall album
Austin Powell wrote:
> Other than that, the album on Strand was called "Sandy and other
> Larry Hall Hits" (Strand SLS 1005) but I have no track listing.
The tracks on "Sandy And Other Hits" are:
The Stranger / A Girl Like You / I Didn't Ask To Be Born / Knick Knack Shelf /
Lovin' Tree / Rosemary / Sandy / Sweet Lips / A Hundred For Every Boy / I'll
Stay Single / Ladder Of Love / On The Street Where I Live / Rebel Heart
JanK
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Message: 8
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 06:53:09 EST
From: Al Kooper
Subject: Re: Happy (Songwriters) Together / At This Stage Of The Game
That Alan Gordon wrote:
> ... As far as how many times it has been played according to BMI
> it has now passed the 6 million performance plateau in the USA.
> And everytime I hear it I say AMEN!!!
Speaking as a one-third writer of This Diamond Ring, which has
only racked up 3 million performances, I can honestly say I'm
quite jealous, and poorer ...
Phil Chapman wrote:
> We'll get there, eventually... latest info is that it is by
> Linda Lawrence & The Cluster.
> Meanwhile, did you get to listen to "At This stage Of The Game"?
> I can see why it's still around... a neat melody, interestingly
> phrased over a 7-bar verse and 9-bar chorus, flipping to the minor
> for the payoff line. Linda's vocal is effortlessly agile....
I did get to listen. This is one of the best things about S'pop.
However, if my career hinged on writing the music for "At This
Stage Of The Game", I'd be flipping burgers in Flushing, Queens,
at this stage of the game.
Al Kooper
At THIS stage of the Game
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Message: 9
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 15:39:25 -0000
From: Craig Davison
Subject: Da Doo Ron Ron soundalike
I just picked up an old budget LP called "Beatlemania" by The Beat
Boys, on Kent (#253). It looks to be a Canadian release on a
subsidiary of the ARC label.
On side two, there is a song called "And Now You're Gone", which
sounds as if someone re-recorded the backing track to "Da Doo Ron
Ron" and then composed some new, more inane lyrics. There's even
a nearly note-for-note sax break, albeit in an abbreviated form.
Simply amazing! I love this sort of schlock ...
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Message: 10
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 15:34:40 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Re: Before & After/Chad & Jeremy
Jim Shannon wrote:
> Anyone know if these two releases by Chad and Jeremy are available
> on CD? "Before and After" was classic British Folk-Rock. "Zanzibar"
> was their final release. I have the 45 of "Before" but it is in poor
> condition.
Jim, I worked on the "Before & After" CD re-release for Sundazed and
I gotta tell ya, you're gonna love the alternate version of "Before &
After", which is one of a few bonus cuts on the CD. If you like C&J,
Sundazed has put out a few of their LPs with bonus tracks. As far
as "Zanzibar Sunset", I don't think the '83 LP has come out on CD, but
I could be wrong. I know they have put a CD out of live performances
from the mid '80s recently, so it likely has "Bite The Bullet", I'd guess,
at least. Altho Rocshire Records went bankrupt shortly after the LP,
the 45 reached the top 40 here in Lincoln, and there is even a video
for the "Bite the Bullet" 45.
Take care,
Clark
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Message: 11
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 10:52:05 -0500
From: Joe Nelson
Subject: Re: Happy Together and Valentine's Day
previously:
> Just an observation from the past week or so. Isn't it funny
> how our own "That Alan Gordon" seems to have a padlock on THE
> '60s song for Valentine's Day? I would like to know how many
> times that song aired on radio on that day. On the day after
> Val's Day, CBS' Sunday Morning program featured it exclusively
> in their piece about love -- and they began playing it 4 different
> times in that one piece!!!
Which is funny, seeing as how the song isn't about the Valentine's
ideal at all. The guy in the song is on the sidelines watching
everyone else, and wants -- but isn't getting -- a piece of the action
himself.
Joe Nelson
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Message: 12
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 18:12:21 -0000
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Sugar & the Spices
I need some help with information for a project I'm working on.
Maybe someone in S'popland can assist. Does anyone know anything
about Sugar & the Spices? Not the girl group from Swan Records,
but the outfit that had releases on the Tollie, Vee Jay and Stacy
labels. I have the records, each of which was written and
produced by the guitarist Al Casey. I know that the group played
their own instruments. Other than that ... zilch.
Where were they from? What were their names? Does anyone have a
picture of the group?
Who knows, Sugar or one of her Spices will get to see this message.
It's been known.
Their "Do The Dog" is one cool record.
Thanks in advance.
Hey la,
Mick Patrick
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Message: 13
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 12:47:29 -0800 (PST)
From: Artie Wayne
Subject: Doris Troy R.I.P.
The first time I met Doris Troy was really a special occasion.
Ben Raleigh and I were at Broadway Studios to do a piano/voice
demo on a new song......and were waiting for the clients in
front of us to finish. 10 minutes go by.......15 minutes.......
20 minutes later Ben and I were getting annoyed. Artie Ripp
runs outside to apologize to us for running over and begs for
our indulgence and 10 more minutes to finish up.
Artie, barely able to contain himself, then invites us in to
listen to Doris Troy put the last harmony part on "Just One
Look".....an experience I'll never forget!!
She has always been one of America's most under appreciated
artists. I'm glad to be part of a group who recognizes Doris
Troy as the monumental talent that she was......R.I.P.
regards,
Artie Wayne
http://artiewayne.com/
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Message: 14
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 20:48:11 -0000
From: Julio Niño
Subject: "Cherry", Darlene McCrea, The Diplomats and a psychiatrist.
Hola Everybody.
Al kooper included in his "eleven of the best":
> ...> Clarence Palmer & The Jive Bombers (Savoy 1515) You Took
> My Love/Cherry. The follow-up to "Bad Boy" was not as well-
> received, but as well sung...
I think nobody has mentioned yet that "Cherry" was included in
the movie "Cry Baby" by John Waters (I don´t know why John Waters
films always remind me Frank Capra movies, I have to ask my
psychiatrist about this).
My favourite song right now is "Don´t Worry Baby" by Darlene
McCrea included in the new, and marvelous, compilation by Mick
Patrick for RPM : "Girls Go Zonk". The selection is full of good
taste and fun. The record also includes the lovely "Tar and
Cement" by Verdelle Smith, which in my opinion is clearly based
on Françoise Hardy´s version of the Celentano´s original.
Changing the subjet, the mention of The Diplomats and Van McCoy
in some messages these days have brought to my mind "Can´t Get
You off My Mind" a great song by The Diplomats included in an old
Ace Records compilation, the song is uncredited in the compilation
but when I listen to it I always think of Van McCoy. Another
psychiatric case?
Chao.
Julio Niño.
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