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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: Solomon King
From: Larry Watts, Jr.
2. Demo-A-Go-Go
From: Jeff Lemlich
3. Re: France Gall
From: Frank
4. Re: The Chiffons
From: Tony Leong
5. Kerri Downs in musica
From: David A Young
6. Photos section: Ray Peterson, Toni Wine, Jimmy Griffin
From: Clark Besch
7. Re: Ray Peterson
From: Gary Myers
8. Re: Birdlegs & Pauline
From: Gary Myers
9. Re: Antoinette
From: Scott Swanson
10. Re: "She Wears My Ring"
From: Lyn Nuttall
11. Answers, "Ya Ya" and N'awlins; no CH-BH; "Hey Ya"; on musica; "Spring"; short takes
From: Country Paul
12. Besame Mucho
From: Richard Williams
13. Re: rockin' in the basement
From: Mikey
14. Re: Besame Mucho
From: James Botticelli
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Message: 1
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2005 20:58:13 -0500
From: Larry Watts, Jr.
Subject: Re: Solomon King
Simon White wrote:
> A track apparently by him called "This Beautiful Day" was
> released under the name Levi Jackson, to make him seem
> a bit more 'hip'.
This also showed up on EMI's "Talcum Soul 4," and is one of the 5 songs
there, out of 26 total, which has no backstory in the notes. It is noted that it
was arranged and conducted by Nicky Welsh and produced by Bob Barrett.
Released in 1970.
I've been trying to find out what the original label was for close to a year.
pres
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Message: 2
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2005 23:01:40 -0500
From: Jeff Lemlich
Subject: Demo-A-Go-Go
The unreleased demos keep on coming. Now playing at musica
is a Dick Charles Recording 10" acetate of a song called
"Please Let Him Love Me". There is no artist listed on the
label, but I have a feeling the Spectropop detectives will
get to the bottom of this one, too.
Coming soon will be the third of the Kenny Young demos trilogy,
and I know Julio will be pleased. I suspect he'll be saying
"danke schoen".
Jeff Lemlich
http://www.limestonerecords.com
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Message: 3
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 05:20:11 +0100
From: Frank
Subject: Re: France Gall
Phil M. wrote:
> Frank, I feel safe in speaking for the entire Spectropop membership
> in asking you, for the next time you speak to Miss Gall, to extend our
> deep affection and admiration for her work and for her directly.
I saw France yesterday and conveyed your words. She was sincerely
pleased and asked me to thank you very kindly. By the way she gave
me a copy of the elusive "Zozoi," which I'll try to play at musica.
Frank
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Message: 4
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 05:41:54 -0000
From: Tony Leong
Subject: Re: The Chiffons
Austin Powell wrote:
> A friend loaned me Kevin Tong's "60s Girl Group" CD on
> Warner Brothers which includes a track by The Chiffons, "Doctor
> Of Hearts," released in 1962 on Reprise, though his notes suggest
> it is the "He's So Fine" Chiffons from New York. Was the "Big Deal
> Chiffons" the "He's So Fine" Chiffons, or were they different groups?
> Were the Big Deal and Reprise Chiffons the same group? Or were
> there THREE Chiffons groups?!
There is no connection between the Laurie Chiffons (Pat, Sylvia, Barbara
and Judy) and the Big Deal Chiffons. They are different groups, and John
Clemente is probably right in assuming that those Big Deal Chiffons were
from the West Coast. But anyhow, it was erroneous for several publications
to write that the Laurie Chiffons were the Chiffons that recorded "Tonight's
The Night" in 1960. The quartet of Chiffons that we all love did not record
under that name until "He's So Fine" in late 1962. Until then, they were just
three (later four when Sylvia was brought into the unit) ladies that sang
together on a demo tape that Ronnie Mack peddled around to different
publishers.
Getting back to the Big Deal Chiffons (whoever they were), their voices
sound nothing like Sylvia, Judy, Pat or Barbara, so yes, they are a different
group altogether!
Tony Leong
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Message: 5
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 05:51:57 -0000
From: David A Young
Subject: Kerri Downs in musica
Greetings,
After reading about it at http://www.chachacharming.com a
coupla weeks ago, Julio (whom I suspect doesn't like to be
kept waiting, so I apologize for my overdue response) expressed
interest in Kerri Downs's song "The Last Night in My Daddy's
Arms," described on Sheila's site thusly: "...perverted lyrics.
Very disturbing." True enough, girlfriend: Next to this one,
Marcie Blane's "Who's Going to Take My Daddy's Place" sounds
downright innocuous (although Patience and Prudence's "A Smile
and a Ribbon" still has the power to creep me out).
I'd love to know more about Kerri, who had at least five singles
from '63 through '66 (one on Vel-V-Tone and two each on Epic and
UA), the final one of which has "Last Night..." (now playing in
musica) as its A-side. Each record can be highly recommended to
girl-group aficionados for at least one of its sides.
Can anyone educate us about Ms. Downs, and did she have any other
releases I didn't cite?
David A. Young
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Message: 6
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 06:24:23 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Photos section: Ray Peterson, Toni Wine, Jimmy Griffin
Hi, now that Musica is playing up, I'll post a few photos.
Recently discussed Toni Wine, the late great Jimmy Griffin,
and the late Ray Peterson's concert review from December,
1964--just over 40 years ago!
Clark
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Message: 7
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2005 23:34:01 -0800
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Re: Ray Peterson
Country Paul:
> I always felt that the Elvis version of "Wonder" couldn't
> even find a candle to hold against Ray's gorgeous original
I agree. I backed him a couple of times - great singer and
a nice guy. He did an LP of standards around '65 called (IIRC)
"The Other Side Of Ray Peterson".
gem
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Message: 8
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2005 22:42:14 -0800
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Re: Birdlegs & Pauline
Dave Monroe:
> I'm positive I have another Birdlegs & Pauline 45.
> I'll get back to you on it.
Yes, please do! I haven't heard of it in the past 12 yrs of
WI music research. I've spoken with Sidney (Birdlegs) many
times (just last week, in fact), so maybe he doesn't even
know of it. ("Spring" was on both Cuca and Vee Jay. Could
that be what you're thinking of?)
Pauline (Chivers) had 4 releases on Expo and Opex.
gem
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Message: 9
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 06:57:36 -0800
From: Scott Swanson
Subject: Re: Antoinette
Denis:
> The first one is "Jenny, Let Him Go," possibly by an
> artist named Antoinette. I am not sure the version I
> had was by this artist, but all I could find on the 'Net
> is her version. I would like to know more about the
> artist, and also if there were other versions of the song.
Here's what I can tell you about Antoinette:
"Antoinette" was the alias of 13-year-old London schoolgirl
Marie Antoinette Daly. "Jenny Let Him Go" (Decca F 11820,
1/64) was her debut 45, and I'm pretty sure she did the
original version of the song, as both it and its flipside
("Please Don't Hurt Me Anymore") list the same songwriter:
"Lewis" (possibly Ken Lewis?). The 45 was apparently also
released in Canada (London 9642) but I've yet to see a U.S.
copy.
The single didn't sell and Decca dropped her, so she moved
to Piccadilly and released the Spectropoppish "There He Goes
(The Boy I Love)" b/w "Little Things Mean A Lot". Both 45s
were produced by Charles Blackwell. She recorded some more
singles for Piccadilly but I only know of sporadic song
titles: "Why Don't I Run Away From You," "Lullaby Of Love"
and "I'm For You".
Supposedly, she later recorded under the name Toni Daly, but
I can't confirm that. I'm pretty sure she's not related to
the Toni Dalli who released records on Decca and Columbia
(that was an Italian guy, I think). Perhaps she's the
"Tony Daly" who sang on the "Sorcerers" soundtrack in 1967?
She later forged a career as a jazz/nightclub singer under
her married name Toni [Tony?] Baxter.
That's all I know. I'm sure some other fine Spectropoppers
can fill in the missing pieces!
Scott
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Message: 10
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 17:56:18 +1000
From: Lyn Nuttall
Subject: Re: "She Wears My Ring"
Country Paul wrote:
> I knew the melody had a classical origin, although I wasn't
> aware the composer was Mexican (or Argentinian? There seems
> to be a diference of opinion).
The composer Serradell was definitely Mexican, born in Veracruz:
I don't think there's any doubt about that.
I've seen in several places the statement that 'La Golondrina'
was 'Argentinian in origin' but I've never found any supporting
evidence, in relation to either the composer or the song (known,
after all, as "The Mexican 'Home Sweet Home' "!).
In the meantime I've tentatively concluded that it's a mistake,
repeated until it's believed. As always, though, I'm happy to
be proven wrong in the interests of the truth!
Lyn
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Message: 11
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 00:50:23 -0500
From: Country Paul
Subject: Answers, "Ya Ya" and N'awlins; no CH-BH; "Hey Ya"; on musica; "Spring"; short takes
Pres, re: uniqueness of records, and said uniqueness requiring
"answer records":
> But what of "Ya Ya"? I love it and it still makes me dance
> around when I hear it but, was it as unique as, say, "Mother
> In Law" or "Runaround Sue"? Not having the benefit of being
> there, I can't really tell.
"Ya Ya" had the New Orleans flavor, which was not uncommon at the
time, Pres. Remember that Fats Domino was a regular hitmaker all
through the 50s and into the 60s, and many New Orleans artists
had multiple hits, including Huey "Piano" Smith & The Clowns,
Shirley & Lee, Lloyd Price and the amazing one-shot "I Know" by
Barbara George (which was sort of answered by the Shirelles'
"Everybody Loves A Lover" copping not only its arrangement but
the trumpet instrumental note-for-note.
"Ya Ya," while uniquely Allen Toussaint, was piano-driven, as
was most New Orleans music; and in a sense, every Toussaint
production was an answer to the one before because of the
uniqueness of his arranging and texture. So "Mother-In-Law"
in a way answered itself when Benny Spellman (the bass on M-I-L)
asked for and got his own record, "Lipstick Traces" (including
copping his own bass riff on the line "Don't leave me no more");
so many of Lee Dorsey's early records were also "movements of
the same suite" as well.
By the way, a great Harold Battiste/Toussaint-influenced New
Orleans sound of the era, unfortunately never properly discovered,
is Jimmy Jules' "Talk About You" (Atlantic), which definitely
shows its M-I-L roots (and seems to share the background chorus
of Ernie K-Doe's own follow-up, "Te Ta Te Ta Ta," also greatly
under-rated.
Austin Powell channeling Carolyn Hester's husband:
> CH has always said that although they picked some together
> at the end of the session, she never was of the firm opinion
> that they had ever been taped, and if they were, they probably
> have been lost or accidentally destroyed."
Darn.
Pres again:
> I have to wonder how much money was missed by not pressing
> singles for "Hey Ya". My mother, 56, loves that song but refused
> to buy the album and is wary of downloading anything.
It's a little past the season, but check out
http://www.suburbanhomeboy.com for an amazing Hanukkah parody.
The mp3 on the site is in stereo, or click on the flash animation
- it's worth it IMO!
But I digress....
A true gem at musica: "Unidentified Female" turns in a superbly
early Spectorian sound on "Please Let Him Love Me." This was only
a demo? How could it miss coming out exactly as is? Speculation
abounds as to who this might be; can I offer the possibility of
Maureen Gray of "Dancing The Strand" fame? This track has got it!
Also at musica, Tom "Diamond" Diehl, thanks for Jordan & Wayne's
"Find A Little Happiness" now playing at musica. This is my first
exposure to the song as well. Very sweet. Artie, are you the top
or bottom voice?
Gary Myers wrote:
> "Spring" by Birdlegs & Pauline only made #94 on the Hot 100,
> but it got up to #18 R&B, and it was Birdlegs' only single
> release, although they did have an LP on Wisconsin's Cuca label....
I have never heard this track, but the duo's name has always
intrigued me. Is it available, or could it be played to musica,
please?
Short takes:
Rob Pingel reinstates the discussion about "Frequently misheard
lyrics." Not misheard, but consciously mis-spoken was a Providence
DJ's naming of that Herman's Hermits classic, "She's A Muscular Boy."
Norm D:
> Consuelo Valazquez died this week...best known for "Besame Mucho"....
> You can read her obit here: http://tinyurl.com/6eol4
Interesting life. Thanks, Norm.
I wrote:
> By the way, what do folks feel about La Bamba, the Ritchie Valens
> movie starring Lou Diamond Phillips?
Steve Harvey:
> It was good thanks to the appearance of Marshall "Zircon" Crenshaw!
A high point, to be sure. Saw him live twice over the past year or so;
still fine.
Country Paul
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Message: 12
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 10:01:59 +0000
From: Richard Williams
Subject: Besame Mucho
Norm D wrote:
> "Consuelo Valazquez died this week, at the age of 88. She was
> a prolific composer, best known for "Besame Mucho", which she
> is believed to have written when she was 15.....
There was a year in the mid-'90s when I couldn't go anywhere
without hearing Besame Mucho: fortunately, it's one of those
rare songs that accrete value through repetition. My favourite
version is an instrumental reading by the late French pianist
Michel Petrucciani, plus string quartet, on a Dreyfus album
called Marvellous. But I can listen to it by anybody, any time,
anywhere, thanks to the marvellous architecture of its melody:
a slow rise, followed by an elegant descent (just like life,
really...).
Richard Williams
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Message: 13
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2005 21:15:32 -0500
From: Mikey
Subject: Re: rockin' in the basement
Denis Gagnon wrote:
> In 1966 I got myself my first ever job, working for an
> important record distributor in Montreal..... I bought over
> 1000 discontinued 45s during the seven months of my employment
> at that company.
Wow, what a dream job that must have been. Do you still have
the records?
Mike
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Message: 14
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2005 21:39:45 -0500
From: James Botticelli
Subject: Re: Besame Mucho
Norm D. wrote:
> Consuelo Valazquez died this week, at the age of 88. She was
> a prolific composer, best known for "Besame Mucho", which
> she is believed to have written when she was 15. There must
> be hundreds of international versions of this song. ... Any other
> great versions S'poppers would like to recommend?
For a wonderful modern Breakbeat/Latin/Electronica rendition
I refer you to one Señor Coconut, a.k.a. Los Samplers, a.k.a.
Atom Heart, a German transplant working somewhere in Latin America.
A unique drink of water if ever there was one.
JB
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