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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 4 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: Multiple versions
From: Artie Wayne
2. Famous cover version battles
From: Austin Powell
3. New @ S'pop: The Front Porch
From: S'pop Team
4. Ray Charles: RIP
From: Mac Joseph
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Message: 1
Date: Wed, 09 Jun 2004 08:03:33 -0700 (PDT)
From: Artie Wayne
Subject: Re: Multiple versions
Dan.......How ya' doin'? I was amazed by your question about multiple
versions of recordings. I ran my own publishing companies in the
sixties, ran one of the biggest administration firms with my partner
Kelli Ross, that included the catalogs of Levine/Resnick, Quincy Jones,
Lesley Gore, Janis Ian, Geld/Udell, and Bobby Scott. My greatest
concern was to secure as many cover records as possible. If I thought
I had a hit song........I'd keep getting it cut until I thought I had
the right record. This practice would sometimes result in several
releases at the same time.......leaving quite a few artists, producers,
and record companies eager to find me and kick my ass. I believe,
however, that it made their companies work harder to make their record
a hit!!
I knew that Capitol records was coming out with a version of "Midnight
Mary", which I co-wrote with Ben Raleigh.......so I rush released my
own version with Joey Powers on Amy records which became the hit. When
I ran the professional dept. at Warner Brothers music in Hollywood we
called ourselves the "Warner Raiders". I remember one of our campaigns
got close to 40 releases at the same time on the "Theme from Summer of
42". This of course was a time when a popular title on an album helped
its marketability.
I remember when David Geffen was pissed off that his artists that we
had a co-publishing deal with, weren't getting any cover records. So as
soon as the Eagles first album was released we got B.W. Stevenson to
record "Peaceful Easy Feeling" as the follow up to his #1 "My Maria".
Talk about the shit hitting the fan!!
Regards, Artie Wayne http://artiewayne.com/
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Message: 2
Date: Wed, 09 Jun 2004 15:53:50 +0100
From: Austin Powell
Subject: Famous cover version battles
Al Kooper:
> How about a thread of famous cover battles ?????
In the U.K. "cover" versions were the order of the day, before, during
and way after The Beatles turned pop music upside down... Nearly every
American hit and some that weren't would have a "cover" version.....
here's a few to ponder:
Larry Verne's "Mr. Custer" was covered in the UK by both Charlie Drake
and Ted Lune. Both were comedians. Drake also covered and won on Bobby
Darin's "Splish Splash"....
Ray Peterson's "Tell Laura I Love her" had covers from (actor, then
singer, then actor) John Leyton and by Ricky Valance. Valance's version
made # 1 - he never had another hit !
Marty Wilde covered "Endless Sleep", "Donna", "A Teenager In Love" and
"Sea Of Love", but slowed up a bit on the cover versions after Bobby
Vee held his own on "Rubber Ball"....
Gene McDaniels' "100 Pounds Of Clay" covered by Craig Douglas who got
the hit version at a second attempt after the BBC refused to play the
song because of one line in the lyrics. Douglas re-recorded the song
with the line amended and made the top 10.
Cilla Black beat Dionne Warwick on "Anyone Who Had A Heart" and it
pains me to remember she also beat The Righteous Brothers on "You've
Lost that Loving Feeling" and Carol Deene covered both "Sad Movies"
and "Norman" from Sue Thompson...
The list goes on....and on...and on.....
Blame the publishers if you're the artist, love 'em if you're the
writer. The London offices of the publishers used to get the American
demos or original versions at a very early stage in the song's life
and would sprint around to the local a'n'r guys to get a cover version
recorded. Often these would be turned around so quickly, the UK
version would be released the same week as the US original.....
In the case of Ray Peterson, it was Decca's fault in that RCA had
scheduled the record for release, but Decca, who handled RCA, though
the whole thing to be in bad taste and sort of withdrew it. Then they
heard there was a cover version coming out and decided to go with Ray's
version, but by then Craig Douglas's version had gained a lot of
publicity and he won the day....
Of course when The Beatles and lots of the other Merseybeat groups came
along, the a'n'r guys just looked for great songs and they found them in
America. The Hollies revived The Coasters "Searchin'" as an early
release, The Big Three revived Richie Barrett's "Some Other Guy", Freddie
& The Dreamers got their start covering James Ray's "If You Gotta Make A
Fool Of Somebody" and The Searchers did The Drifters "Sweets For My
Sweet". The Drifters, perhaps, suffered more than many American artists,
Jimmy Justice "stole" "Spanish Harlem" and "When My Little Girl Is
Smiling" and Kenny Lynch got the chart honours on "Up On The Roof" up
against another cover version by Julie Grant.
Enough already, I think..
Austin Powell
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Message: 3
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2004 20:41:15 +0100
From: S'pop Team
Subject: New @ S'pop: The Front Porch
In 1970, a strange and unique 45 by The Front Porch was released
on Jubilee: a contemplative version of "Shake, Rattle and Roll"
backed with a beautiful piece of religious and spiritual imagery
in a "progressive doo-wop" setting called "Song To St. Agnes."
Who was this "phantom" group with its Dylanesque vocal and girl-
group backing? The record got rave reviews but promptly
disappeared, in part, no doubt, due to the mismatch of record
label and musical direction; Jubilee's doo-wop roots and pop
orientation made it a strange home for The Front Porch. Their
follow-up records hewed more closely to Jubilee's inherent
direction, but not the band's. Eventually their lead singer went
on to write a hit movie and their guitarist had an international
music career involving many artists familiar to Spectropoppers.
Country Paul Payton was enamored of their unique and original
musical vision when he first played them on the radio in 1970.
With the help of the internet and several months of searching, he
tracked down Charles Purpura and Marc Scott, the Front Porch's
driving forces, for a first-time-ever exclusive interview, just
posted at http://www.spectropop.com/FrontPorch/index.htm
Whether or not you are previously familiar with their music (or
have been listening to it on musica), we think you'll find Marc
and Charlie's histories and insights to be highly interesting and
entertaining reading.
Enjoy,
The S'pop Team
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Message: 4
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2004 13:23:26 -0700 (PDT)
From: Mac Joseph
Subject: Ray Charles: RIP
For those who have not heard; Ray Charles passed away earlier today
at age 73.
mac joseph
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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