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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: British car songs
From: Andrew Hickey
2. Re: British car songs
From: Phil X Milstein
3. Re: French covers
From: Dave Monroe
4. Ronnie Spector and The Raveonettes
From: Peter Andreasen
5. Re: British car songs
From: Mick Patrick
6. Re: Welcome Steve Propes
From: Stephen C Propes
7. Brian Hyland
From: Mike Griffiths
8. Re: French covers
From: Dave Heasman
9. Re: Central Park West
From: Austin Roberts
10. Re: British car songs
From: Bill Mulvihill
11. Bobby Vinton - a noble guy
From: Karen Andrew
12. Re: British car songs
From: Mark
13. Re: Claire Francis records
From: Steve Harvey
14. Re: British car songs
From: Bill Craig
15. Re: Brian Hyland
From: Stephen C Propes
16. Re: French covers
From: Frank
17. Re: British car songs
From: Steve Harvey
18. Re: British car songs
From: Dave Monroe
19. Re: Three wheels on my wagon
From: Simon White
20. "Silent Night"
From: Gary Myers
21. Re: Claire Francis records
From: Eddy
22. Freddie Perren, R.I.P.
From: Alan Warner
23. Fantastic DVD + Neil Sedaka, how cool was he ??
From: Lex Cody
24. Re: British car songs
From: Kingsley Abbott
25. The Arkade
From: Michael Thom
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Message: 1
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2004 22:47:47 +0000
From: Andrew Hickey
Subject: Re: British car songs
Richard Williams wrote:
> Off the top of my head, "Drive My Car" is the only credible UK
> automobile-song that I can think of.
There were a few competent car songs in the late '70s/early '80s over
here, such as "2-4-6-8 Motorway" and "Grey Cortina" by the Tom Robinson
Band, and "Driving In My Car" by Madness. The Buzzcocks' "Fast Cars" is
more representative though: "I hate fast cars / They are so depressing /
Going round and round."
Actually, The Bicycle Riders did a song (with lyrics by myself) a few years
ago called "Little Robin Reliant," a Beach Boys style car song but with
lyrics more appropriate to the British motoring experience.
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Message: 2
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2004 18:08:36 -0500
From: Phil X Milstein
Subject: Re: British car songs
Richard Williams wrote:
> Off the top of my head, "Drive My Car" is the only credible UK
> automobile-song that I can think of.
Does Tom Robinson's "2-4-6-8 Motorway" qualify as a car song?
--Phil M.
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Message: 3
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2004 14:44:05 -0800 (PST)
From: Dave Monroe
Subject: Re: French covers
Frank wrote:
> As a Frenchman, it's quite difficult to appreciate these
> French covers which I always found totally atrocious.
> But if I had to choose the only one who could get near
> to what the original versions were all about was Richard
> Anthony.
Dave Heasman responded;
> I tend to agree; his "Donne-moi ma chance" was a pretty
> good cover. But I also rather like, for its bravado and
> over-the-top-ness, Eddy Mitchell's "Be Bop A Lula".
A few of my favorites (French titles available on request, as I'll likely have
to look up a few to get them correct otherwise):
Noel Deschamps: "Bird Doggin'" (Gene Vincent)
Claude François: "Carrie Anne" (The Hollies), "Bend Me Shape Me" (The
American Breed)
Francoise Hardy: "It Hurts To Say Goodbye" (Jack Gold, Vera Miles); "Comment
Te Dire Adieu," (an even lovelier track than the Vartan "War")
Herbert Leonard: "Somebody To Love" (Jefferson Airplane)
Charlotte Leslie: "We've Got A Thing That's In The Groove" (The Capitols)
Les Linoceaux: "Nowhere To Run" (Martha & The Vandellas)
Eddie Mitchell: "Satisfaction" (The Rolling Stones)
Gil Now: "Skate" (Dean Parrish)
Pussy Cat: "Sha La La La Lee" (Small Faces), "La La Lu" (The Cat's Meow"),
"Stop" (The Moody Blues), "You're No Good" (Dee Dee Warwick et al)
Sheila: "Do Wah Diddy" (Manfred Mann)
Sylvie Vartan: "Walk Away Renee" (The Left Banke), "I Can't Help Myself"
(The Four Tops), "Turn Turn Turn" (The Byrds)
David Alexandre Winter: "I Just Can't Stop Dancing" (Archie Bell & The Drells)
Many of these are available on such comps as "Pop A Paris" (5 vols.) or
"Atomic Cuts" (2 vols.).
Dave M.
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Message: 4
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2004 23:09:43 -0000
From: Peter Andreasen
Subject: Ronnie Spector and The Raveonettes
It appears that Ronnie Spector will be part of the third album by the Danish
duo The Raveonettes, to be titled "Trashcan". The album should be out in
the early spring.
Does anybody know anything about Ronnie's own album?
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Message: 5
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2004 23:17:10 -0000
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Re: British car songs
Richard Williams wrote:
> Off the top of my head, "Drive My Car" is the only credible UK
> automobile-song that I can think of.
Might I recommend "Mighty Morris Ten" by Episode Six (UK Pye 7N 17147,
1966)? Brilliant record.
Hey la,
Mick Patrick (non-driver)
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Message: 6
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 00:49:06 -0000
From: Stephen C Propes
Subject: Re: Welcome Steve Propes
Thanks to everyone for their very kind welcomes. I think I'll be sticking
around awhile.
Happy New Year!
Steve
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Message: 7
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 01:39:42 -0000
From: Mike Griffiths
Subject: Brian Hyland
Neglected and underrated singer and songwriter Brian Hyland has
recorded for many labels and in many styles, scoring a number of pop
hits during the sixties and early seventies. Highwater mark was his
collaboration with Del Shannon from 1968 to 1971. He is still active
and performing live. Long overdue are proper reissues and a career-
spanning box set (attention Bear Family). Here's a place to discuss
all things Brian: http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/brianhyland/
Cheers,
Mike Griffiths
Moderator
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Message: 8
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2004 23:05:54 -0000
From: Dave Heasman
Subject: Re: French covers
Ah I recall another good French cover -- Petula Clark doing "Je Veux Que
Ton Coeur Sera Fidele", which was a cover of Barbara Lynn's "Second
Fiddle Girl", another great record introduced to us by D Filipacchi on SLC.
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Message: 9
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2004 18:59:38 -0500
From: Austin Roberts
Subject: Re: Central Park West
Stewart Epstein wrote:
> I think what happened was that there were two Central Park West
> bands and two Buchanan Brothers bands.
Stewart, you are correct in that there were two acts for each group; one was
the studio singers and players who actually made the records, while the other
'group' was the live group chosen to go on the road as if they had actually
recorded the records. You must've had a good group to go out with the records.
> Sooo, what I was told at the time might not have been the whole
> truth. It shouldn't surprise me. Julie Rifkind had a lot to do with
> that fake 'Australian' band called the Strangeloves who were
> actually mostly from New York City.
The Strangeloves were actually the writer/producers of the records, Feldman,
Gottehrer and Goldstein. They actually toured as the band, and claimed to be
Australian, complete with accents. (They also wrote and produced "My Boyfriend's
Back," "Hang On Sloopy" and a number of other hits). Knowing Bobby Feldman,
who is a great guy (but wired!), I have no doubt that he masterminded the ploy.
Mikey asked:
> Were the guys in Central Park West the same guys in The Chevrons?
I'm pretty sure Terry Cashman was in The Chevrons, and I wouldn't be
surprised if Tommy was in the group too. Don't know about Gene, though. If
I can remember to, I'll ask Gene (who lives here in Nashville) the next time we
talk.
Hope this helps,
Austin R.
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Message: 10
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2004 18:59:35 -0600
From: Bill Mulvihill
Subject: Re: British car songs
Richard Williams wrote:
> Off the top of my head, "Drive My Car" is the only credible UK
> automobile-song that I can think of.
If we may look a little beyond the '60s we could qualify the song "Highway
Star", by Deep Purple, as a UK automobile song classic.
Bill Mulvy
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Message: 11
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2004 16:11:23 -0800 (PST)
From: Karen Andrew
Subject: Bobby Vinton - a noble guy
from San Jose Mercury News, http://www.mercurynews.com
Bobby Vinton Nixes Statue in Pennsylvania
Associated Press
CANONSBURG, Pa. - Roses are red, my love, violets are blue. Sugar is
sweet, my love, but a $100,000 tribute is too much ado.
That's the message Bobby Vinton has for Canonsburg, the crooner's
former hometown, in nixing plans for a statue and tribute to him.
A group led by borough Councilwoman Jean Popp, who graduated from
Canonsburg High School with Vinton in 1952, had hoped to raise
$100,000 - $70,000 for the statue and another $30,000 to publicize
its dedication, including banquets, printed materials and souvenirs.
But the 69-year-old Vinton, a '60s pop idol perhaps best known for
the love song "Roses Are Red," e-mailed borough manager Terry Hazlett
saying he wouldn't support the effort.
"I feel that a tribute of this magnitude, with all that is going on
the world, and to ask the community to raise $100,000, is
inappropriate," Vinton wrote. He also noted that the honor is
"premature" because he hasn't retired.
Popp says the effort can't go forward without Vinton's blessing. She
said she's disappointed, but understood his position.
"The way he said it, that there are so many other different things
that are more important ... I have a lot of respect for the man,"
Popp said.
Several people worked on a similar tribute for another Canonsburg
crooner, Perry Como, and had begun organizing the fund-raiser,
assuming Vinton would give it his blessing. A Como statue was
erected in 1999 in the Pittsburgh suburb. Loudspeakers were added
three years later so Como's songs can be heard by those who visit
the site.
ON THE NET: http://www.bobbyvinton.com/
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Message: 12
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2004 22:43:40 -0500
From: Mark
Subject: Re: British car songs
Nashville Teens - Ex Kay One LX
The Who - Jaguar
-Mark
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Message: 13
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2004 20:44:12 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: Claire Francis records
Claire Francis wrote:
> ... I also have a faint memory of someone telling me that the
> Yardbirds recorded one of my songs.
What tune was that the Yardbirds supposedly recorded by you? Even
a time period would help.
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Message: 14
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 04:33:39 -0000
From: Bill Craig
Subject: Re: British car songs
With regard to the lack of UK car songs, it's surprising that there
are not more considering the great Britsh sportscars of the '60s:
MGs, Triumphs, Jags to name but a few.
On another topic, having been primarily a non-posting lurker lately,
it occurs to me that Al Kooper has been conspicuously absent of late.
Hope he checks back in soon.
Wishing all at Spectropop a great New Year,
(I read and learn from you all)
Bill Craig
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Message: 15
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 04:01:11 -0000
From: Stephen C Propes
Subject: Re: Brian Hyland
Mike Griffiths:
> Neglected and underrated singer and songwriter Brian Hyland has
> recorded for many labels and in many styles, scoring a number of pop
> hits during the sixties and early seventies. Highwater mark was his
> collaboration with Del Shannon from 1968 to 1971. He is still active
> and performing live. Long overdue are proper reissues and a career-
> spanning box set (attention Bear Family). Here's a place to discuss
> all things Brian: http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/brianhyland/
Let me discuss Brian Hyland here.
You could not be more correct. In the 1980s, Don Julian tried to book
him at various venues in the L.A. area, and asked me to help by
interviewing him on my R&B show on KLON.
Now, I couldn't imagine playing his music ("Itsy Bitsy..." etc) with
my audience in mind, but we caught him at a lowrider bar/restaurant in
Norwalk where Don often booked his own band. Brian floored me with
his killer rockabilly/r&r presentation. Great show. I met him after
the show. He knew I'd passed on interviewing him, but you couldn't
tell by his reaction...a very nice guy indeed.
One of the big regrets I have about my time on the air, passing on
Brian Hyland, tho I'm sure my audience would have thought I'd gone
bananas.
Steve
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Message: 16
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 09:07:07 +0100
From: Frank
Subject: Re: French covers
Dave Heasman:
> But I also rather like, for its bravado & over-the-top-ness, Eddy
> Mitchell's "Be Bop A Lula".
I worked with Eddy for more than 10 years and even he was not too fond
of his early tracks such as Be Bop A Lula, though I tend to agree with
you there was some kind of a "naïve" bravado to it. But just like
almost all of these French covers it could only work if you didn't
know the original version. Give me Gene vincent any time.
Dave Monroe:
> Many of these are available on such comps as "Pop A Paris" (5 vols.)
> or "Atomic Cuts" (2 vols.).
I won't comment on this collection (I've already stated my opinion) but
if you like those you should definitely include Herbert Leonard:
Something Got A Hold Of My Heart (Gene Pitney).
Dave Heasman:
> Ah I recall another good French cover -- Petula Clark doing "Je Veux
> Que Ton Coeur Sera Fidele", which was a cover of Barbara Lynn's
> "Second Fiddle Girl", another great record introduced to us by D
> Filipacchi on SLC.
Pet Clark was really good but hardly a French artist. Her covers stand
out among the rest of them.
Richard Williams:
> Most of them had heard it during school exchange visits with French
> families. It was the record that persuaded me to listen to French
> pop, resulting in much pleasure over the years from F.Hardy, F.Gall,
> Eddy Mitchell, Antoine and even, from time to time, J. Hallyday
> (most notably "Quelque Chose de Tennessee", a great Michel Berger
> ballad which is not about the state but about the poet and playwright
> Tennessee Williams).
"Quelque Chose Tennessee" is indeed a very good song but this one is
not a cover, it's an original like most of France Gall greatest
period. Also Françoise Hardy was definitely a true talent who never
tried to simply copy the songs she covered. I think this was basically
the problem, when they tried to do a "faithfull" copy it was almost
invariably awful. I'll try and see if I have Sylvie Vartan's "Walk
Away Renée" for you and play it (if I can find space) to Musica.
Dave Monroe:
> But here's a question for you all. On her Sylvie LP, her "L'amour
> est no. 1" is apparently a cover of what I presume is a soul number,
> called "Everything is Alright" by "Thibault/Owen."
Sylvie Vartan's vocals uneven? This must be the understatement of the
century. If you have never heard her live you have never heard
anything. Her "What'd I Say" borders on insult to Ray Charles.
As for her "Everything is Allright", don't know her version but just
for info the Thibault in question is the guy who wrote the original
"My Way" for Claude François.
Previously:
> Back in 1963, all really nice English girls had a copy of the
> Richard Anthony EP including "J'entends siffler le train" (better
> known in English as "900 Miles") close to the Dansette at all times.
How time flies, in my days it was only "5OO" Miles :-)))
Frank
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Message: 17
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2004 20:48:16 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: British car songs
Wot . . . "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" don't count, guv'nor? Howsa 'bout
Billy of Bremmer's "Loud Music In Cars"? The 'Oo's "Magic Bus"? er,
the Bonzo's "Death Cab For Cutie"?
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Message: 18
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 02:49:39 -0800 (PST)
From: Dave Monroe
Subject: Re: British car songs
Howzabout "Cortina MKII" by The Lambrettas? "You Need Wheels" by
The Merton Parkas? "Warm Leatherette" by The Normal? "Car Song"
by Elastica? Either of the "Supercar" themes (Barry Gray et al.)?
"Jaguar" by John Gregory, "Girl in a Sportscar" by Alan Hawkshaw
and "Music to Drive By" by The Joe Loss Concertium (library cuts)?
The Who's "Magic Bus"? And, of course, just plain old "Cars" by
Gary Numan ...
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Message: 19
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 08:56:51 +0000
From: Simon White
Subject: Re: Three wheels on my wagon
Richard Williams wrote:
> In Britain we had three-wheelers of various types, most prominently
> the Reliant Robin, which was usually painted orange and driven by
> the district nurse. They tended to fall over on sharp bends......
> Off the top of my head, "Drive My Car" is the only credible UK
> automobile-song that I can think of.
I alway rather liked Tom Robinson's " 2-4-6-8 Motorway".
I had a particular interest in cars and three-wheelers as a boy.
There seemed to be quite a few round about where I was brought up.
There was a Messerschmit four streets away and it really did look
like the cockpit of a fighter plane with wheels on. I'm pretty sure
there was a four-wheeled version too. The Heinkel, or 'Bubble Car',
was popular and there was a pre-war Morgan locally which was an open-
topped sports car with one wheel at the back and the engine sticking
out of the front. Significantly, the first mentioned had the one wheel
at the back but the Reliant and the Bond Bug, which was a funky wedge-
shaped version of the Reliant (and I believe was only available in
1970's orange), had the third wheel at the front,which made it look
very unstable. My girlfriend when I was 14 was called Cindy Hogg and
her father had a Reliant. I rode in it once and it was scared senseless.
I never did learn to drive but in the UK you could drive a three-wheeler
on a motorcycle licence so I decided that was the best way out for me.
I never did that either.
Now I'm going back to listen to the compilation 'The Doo Wop Girls
of Northern Soul' featuring Yvonne Baker and Patience Valentine
amongst others. It's a collection that only exists in my head.
Simon
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Message: 20
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 2004 22:22:00 -0800
From: Gary Myers
Subject: "Silent Night"
Clark Besch:
> ... It would make a great documentary to find out who these people
> were that wrote "Silent Night" and the many other Christmas hymns...
I've heard the story behind "Silent Night" a few times, so it should
be easy to find.
gem
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Message: 21
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 12:30:36 +0100
From: Eddy
Subject: Re: Claire Francis records
Claire,
Your work with Arthur Brown must have been circa 1965, when the band
was still known as the Arthur Brown Union. Polydor turned down the
tracks you recorded with him and to the best of my knowledge none of
them have turned up since.
Eddy
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Message: 22
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 04:16:33 -0800
From: Alan Warner
Subject: Freddie Perren, R.I.P.
Re: Clark Besch's note re: SAY GOODBYE TO YESTERDAY.
Surely the Freddie Perren/Christine Yarian song referred to is the one
titled IT'S SO HARD TO SAY GOODBYE TO YESTERDAY which was first a minor
R&B hit for G.C. Cameron on Motown in 1975, then a #1 R&B, #2 Pop
smash by Boyz II Men sixteen years later.
Rock on!
Alan Warner
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Message: 23
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 03:00:29 -0800 (PST)
From: Lex Cody
Subject: Fantastic DVD + Neil Sedaka, how cool was he ??
OK, for Xmas I purchased a DVD for a friend, only $10.00 (Australian)
all shrinkwrapped etc... anyways, I watched it Xmas day, here's a
tracklisting. A lot of the performances were either live on TV
(vocally), or even a couple from live concerts, all original artists,
50's + 60's. The TV stuff varied, some from NY tv stations, others
from Canadian etc... a real curio. Again $10.00 all nicely packaged.
Platters - Great Pretender, Only You, Twilight Time
Connie francis - Tweedle Dee
Brenda Lee - Im Sorry
The Diamonds - Words of Love, Little Darlin
Ivory Joe Hunter - Since I met you baby
Frankie Lymon and the teenagers - Why do Fools, Goody Goody
The Champs - Too much tequila
Conway Twitty - Its only make believe
Bobby Darin - mack The Knife
Del Vikings - Jitterbug Mary
Lil Anthony + the Imperials - I'm Alright, I'm Alright, It Hurts so Bad
Drifters - Down at The Club
Paul Anka - Diana
The Exciters - Tell Him, He's got the Power
Dion - Ruby Baby
Millie - My Boy Lollipop
Fabian - Tiger
Four Seasons - Big Girls dont Cry
Dick and Dee - Where did all the good times go
The Angels - My Boyfriends back
Bobby Rydell - Lets Twist Again
Dionne Warwick - Message to Michael
Righteous brothers - Justine
Neil Sedaka - Calender girl
The Turtles - Happy Together
Petula Clark - Downtown
Frankie Avalon - Girl Without a Boy
Gary Lewis & the Playboys - The Diamond Ring
Jay & The Americans - Only in America, Come a lil bit Closer
Del Shannon - Stranger in Town
Johnny Rivers - Maybeline, Memphis
Marty Robbins - El Paso
Bobby Vee - Pretty Girls everywhere, Night has 1000 eyes
So I watch this DVD, and you know what, after the fantastic Exciters,
and the chessy Angels, the very lame Fabian ( well lame when you watch
everything else, he comes across very manufactured), The song I must've
watched about 8-10 times was Neil Sedakas Calender Girl. There's
something really cool about that clip, I dunno weather it's the cheesy
way the girls walk in, the subtle dancing Neil does, or the fantastic
Tune, Melody and Very catchy little drum rolls at the end of each
chorus.
Ok, the DVD is Called Hits from the 50's and 60s. The Distributor is
Air, Cat# Air010DVD ... It retailed for $10.00 Aus, so in the US that
should be about .50 Cents. hahahahahahahaa
Have a great Xmas... listen to Neil Sedaka, he'll improve your mood.
- Lex
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Message: 24
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 11:30:24 -0000
From: Kingsley Abbott
Subject: Re: British car songs
Richard W wrote:
> Off the top of my head, "Drive My Car" is the only credible UK
> automobile-song that I can think of.
Hmm...I know what you mean Richard, but if you allow for the rather
nice line in self-deprecating humour there was the rather wonderful
'Mighty Morris Ten' from Episode 6 (a classic of course) and Alan
Carvell's 'All Mine' (issued as by Steve Allen on Creole Records)
which was a great harmony filled accapella extolling the virtues of
an old banger. Oh, and The Stick Shifts' 'Automobile' on Chiswick
(another accapella) and The Majority's 'Shut 'em Down in London Town'
on Decca which was I'll admit rather derivative, but still good fun.
Brooom, brooom....cough, wheeze...stutter
Kingsley
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Message: 25
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 03:26:13 -0600
From: Michael Thom
Subject: The Arkade
Austin Roberts
> Don, I can't find Where You Lead In My collection either, and I
> sang the lead on it. If you do find it, please let me know.
I sent "Where You Lead" (the stereo promo) to Don off list because
there was no room at Musica, and there is not room at the moment,
either. I will upload it as soon as possible. Who sang lead on
"Sentimental Lisa?"
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