________________________________________________________________________
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______________ S P E C T R O P O P ______________
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Jamie LePage (1953-2002)
http://www.spectropop.com/Jamie.htm
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There are 25 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Re: made to be bad
From: Dave
2. RIP Richard Harris
From: Ron
3. Re: made to be bad
From: Eddy Smit
4. Re: Ron & Mel
From: Ian Chapman
5. re: made to be bad
From: Harvey Williams
6. Bobby Hebb/Louis Paul
From: Eddy
7. Re: An Oldie But A Goodie
From: Paul Richards
8. Re. Ron & Mel
From: Ian Chapman
9. Re: made to be bad
From: Billy G. Spradlin
10. Tom Dowd RIP
From: TweeKid
11. Four Seasons / Monkees
From: Guy Lawrence
12. Re: made to be bad
From: Simon White
13. Re: made to be bad
From: Jeff Lemlich
14. Re: made to be bad
From: Simon White
15. Peggy Clinger/Johnny Cymbal
From: Patrick Rands
16. Re: made to be bad
From: Phil Milstein
17. Re: made to be bad
From: Phil Milstein
18. Re: made to be bad
From: Dan Hughes
19. Re: Peggy Clinger/Johnny Cymbal
From: Mick Patrick
20. new Nichols-Williams CD/Japanese liner notes
From: Leonardo Flores
21. Re: Girls in German
From: David Bell
22. Re: made to be bad
From: James Botticelli
23. The Liquid Room 10/27/02
From: David Ponak
24. Speaking of Johnny Cymbal...
From: Zombie
25. Re: made to be bad
From: Kent
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 03:47:38 -0500
From: Dave
Subject: Re: made to be bad
Phil Milstein writes:
>I'm considering compiling a CD-R of B-sides made to prompt
>programmers' to air only the A's.
Richard writes:
> I don't know if these were deliberate, but the B side of
> 'They're coming to take me away ha ha' by Napoleon XIV was
> the same song as the A side but played backwards.
so was the Yellow Balloon....
and Kasenetz/ Katz did something like that with every other 45
they put out. I'm particularly fond of 1910 Fruitgum Company's
brilliantly idiotic "Sticky Sticky" (flip of 123 Red Light) &
Crazy Elephant's wahwah freakout "Dark Side Of My Mind".
PHIL did it a lot, too....i'll let one of the experts here sort
that out... and sometimes it's not intentional...how about
"Give Me Love", the flip of Rosie & the Originals "Angel Baby"?
it's...special
-dave
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 01:34:50 -0000
From: Ron
Subject: RIP Richard Harris
Richard Harris has died. Here's the story:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=638&ncid=579&e=1&u=/nm/20021025/en_nm/people_harris_dc
Ron
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 10:35:06 +0100
From: Eddy Smit
Subject: Re: made to be bad
Phil Milstein:
> I'm considering compiling a CD-R of B-sides made to prompt
> programmers' to air only the A's.
I'm not quite sure on the exact titles, but I do remember
that several of the Ohio Express B-sides on Buddah were
complete and utter crap.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 11:58:49 -0000
From: Ian Chapman
Subject: Re: Ron & Mel
Philip asked:
> .....there was also a cover of the Van McCoy
> hit for the Reflections "In A Shabby Little Hut" - by
> Ron & Mel, produced by Mickie Most, and played to death on
> pirate radio......Does anybody know who were Ron & Mel?
> A web search reveals they supported the Stones on their
> October 1964 Paris appearance. The flipside, credited to
> Mel Williams, might be a clue?
It seems the intrepid duo were Roland and Melvyn Lines,
who had some connection with a half-hour ITV series called
"Sunday Break", which went out at 6.15pm in the early evening
religion slot in the mid-60s. It was a church-slanted look
at aspects of youth culture. Ron & Mel's connection with the
prog isn't clear (they certainly aren't listed as presenters)
but I would guess that they featured in one edition.
Ian
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 09:58:40 -0000
From: Harvey Williams
Subject: re: made to be bad
Phil Milstein wrote
>I'm considering compiling a CD-R of B-sides made to prompt
> programmers' to air only the A's.
Richard Tearle replied:
>I don't know if these were deliberate, but the B side of
>'They're coming to take me away ha ha' by Napoleon XIV was
> the same song as the A side but played backwards.
There appears to be a sub-sub-genre of records whose b-side is
the a-side played backwards. Not only the Napoleon XIV single,
but Zal Yanovsky's first solo release 'As Long As You're Here'
and Yellow Balloon's 'Yellow Balloon' 45s both did the backwards
thing. Anyone else know of any others? I mean, it's funny the
first time, but c'mon guys....
> And there was a Beach Boys single of which the B side was
> about 1.00 long, but I'm afraid I can't remember either
> A or B side...
The Beach Boys single Richard is referring to is Heroes & Villains,
b-side is the (actually magnificent, so it won't count) 'You're Welcome'.
My pick: 'Give Me Love', the b-side of Rosie & The Originals 'Angel Baby'.
The laziest, thrown-together, 'will this do?' non-song I've heard,
yet still something of a legend.
All the best,
Harvey W.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 6
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 13:26:31 -0000
From: Eddy
Subject: Bobby Hebb/Louis Paul
Does anybody have any idea who the musicians are on Bobby
Hebb's "Sunny" ? Apparently the drummer is Bernard Purdie.
Any ideas on the remainder ?
Does anybody know of any other 45's by (ex-Guilloteen)
Louis Paul on the Intro label, besides "The change will
do you good" ?
Thanks y'all,
Eddy
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 7
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 10:23:07 EST
From: Paul Richards
Subject: Re: An Oldie But A Goodie
Yeh Lynn, the track your thinking of is 'Montage' by
The Love Generation. A compilation of their work is
available on CD 'Love & Sunshine', which has to rate
as re-issue of the year for me,loads of great tracks.
It's funny someone else was trying to place the same
song a while back. Jefferson also did a great version
of this Jimmy Webb song. I've got two other versions
by The Nocturnes, produced by Norman Smith & Picardy.
Go buy The Love Generation CD, it's great!
Paul
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 17:28:05 -0000
From: Ian Chapman
Subject: Re. Ron & Mel
Philip asked:
> .....there was also a cover of the Van McCoy
> hit for the Reflections "In A Shabby Little Hut" - by
> Ron & Mel, produced by Mickie Most, and played to death on
> pirate radio......Does anybody know who were Ron & Mel?
> A web search reveals they supported the Stones on their
> October 1964 Paris appearance. The flipside, credited to
> Mel Williams, might be a clue?
It seems the intrepid duo were Ronald and Melvyn Lines,
who had some connection with a half-hour ITV series called
"Sunday Break", which went out at 6.15pm in the early evening
religion slot in the mid-60s. It was a church-slanted look
at aspects of youth culture. Ron & Mel's connection with the
prog isn't clear (they certainly aren't listed as presenters)
but I would guess that they featured in one edition.
Ian
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 9
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 17:57:42 -0000
From: Billy G. Spradlin
Subject: Re: made to be bad
Phil Milstein writes:
> I'm considering compiling a CD-R of B-sides made to prompt
> programmers' to air only the A's.
One of my favorites is the Yellow Balloon's b-side of (uh) "Yellow
Balloon" called "Noollab Wolley" which is simply the A-side played
backwards.
Another good one - Three Dog Night's "Our B Side". (I forgot which
was the "A" side but it's on MCA's "Celebrate" 2-CD compilation).
Sounds like they threw it together in 15 minutes.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 10
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 13:43:23 EST
From: TweeKid
Subject: Tom Dowd RIP
Tom Dowd
AVENTURA, Fla. (AP) - Tom Dowd, a music producer and engineer who worked with
music legends like Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Eric Clapton, Otis Redding,
the Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd, died Sunday. He was 77. No cause of
death was immediately announced.
Dowd, a Manhattan native and physicist who once worked on the Manhattan
Project, was considered a pioneer of eight-track and studio recordings. He
began working for a music publishing company in 1947, then joined Atlantic
Records later that year. Dowd was among seven recipients of the 1992 Grammy
award for Album Notes, having co-written the liner for Aretha Franklin's
"Queen of Soul - The Atlantic Recordings" album. Earlier this year, Dowd
received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Recording
Arts and Sciences, presented during the 44th Grammy Awards ceremonies.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 11
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 06:26:23 -0700
From: Guy Lawrence
Subject: Four Seasons / Monkees
From Alan Gordon:
> I don't know of any websites, but if you can get your hands on the book that
> came in the original Monkees Box-Set (the album shaped one, as opposed to the
> box-thing), you'll find a very complete session listing of most of the players
> on all their albums.
Thanks Alan, I already have the box-set and all the separate album reissues on
Rhino but I guess I just wanted MORE!!! Thanks also to everyone who sent in
adresses of decent Monkees sites. It's sometimes hard to find sites which go
into as much detail as we do here.
Talking of which, anyone seen a Paul Revere and the Raiders site that isn't
full of fan club stuff and info on the current line up?
Anyone know anything about the following CD, listed as a new release at
http://www.bim-bam.com ?
"A TRIBUTE TO THE 4 SEASONS AND THEIR SOUND-A-LIKES (27 white vocal group
masters, incs..Playground, Mickey Farrell & Dynamics, Devons, Madisons, Faces,
Larry & legends, Tony Sara, Prophets, Skunks, Tim Tam & Turn-Ons) USA ROBOMONK"
Reagards, Guy Lawrence
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 12
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 20:07:27 +0000
From: Simon White
Subject: Re: made to be bad
> ...made to be bad...
"Now", the flip of "My Boyfriend's Back" was a revalation to me years
ago with its glass crashing and banging noises!
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 13
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 20:12:52 -0000
From: Jeff Lemlich
Subject: Re: made to be bad
Phil Milstein:
> A call for title submissions: ...B-sides made to prompt programmers' to air
> only the A's...bent creativity...deliberately bad songs, off-key singing and
> playing, studio noises, idiotic titles, offensive lyrics, etc.
Allow me to add "(Love Me) Now" by the Angels to the list. The flip side of "My Boyfriend's Back" supposedly features the lovely sounds of trash cans
being flipped over among other creative bits of percussion. It sounds like
something Rod Keith and the MSR Singers might conjure up!
Jeff Lemlich
http://www.limestonerecords.com
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 14
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 20:38:23 +0000
From: Simon White
Subject: Re: made to be bad
Wasn't the purpose of the Philles instumental flips to be unplayable on the
radio to stop them being.... errr...played?
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Message: 15
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 20:42:55 -0000
From: Patrick Rands
Subject: Peggy Clinger/Johnny Cymbal
I'm wondering if anyone can help me. I've been collecting everything
to do with the Clingers that I can hope to collect and I came across
a list of songs written by Peggy Clinger and Johnny Cymbal and I
can't figure out if these were ever recorded by anyone. Peggy Clinger
and Johnny Cymbal released one lp under the name Cymbal and Clinger
and also wrote songs recorded by the Partridge Family, David Cassidy,
and the Rock Flowers. Peggy Clinger also wrote the song I Hate To
Sleep Alone which was covered by Cher. Please take a look at this
list of songs and let me know if any of them were recorded by anyone
that you know of. I'm scratching my head on this one. :Patrick
All songs by PEGGY CLINGER/JOHNNY CYMBAL
* FEED ME
* FLUFF
* HEADS OR TAILS
* ME LOVING YOU
* MOOKIE MOOKIE MAN
* ONE MORE MILE
* PICTURES (aka PICTURE YOU PICTURE ME)
* RAG A MUFFIN MAN
* RULES
* SMOKIE
* SOMEDAY MORNING
* SOMETHING TO BELIEVE
* STANDIN IN THE NEED OF LOVE
* VOO DOO WOMAN
* YOU BETTER THINK IT OVER
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 16
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 16:03:35 +0000
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Re: made to be bad
Thanks for all the excellent "B bad" suggestions. I've still got a ways
to go before I'm ready to start burning, but a nice list is starting to
take shape.
Upon further thought, I think that Sonny Bono, learning another
important lesson at the hem of our King, may well have been the master
of B bad: all those "Quetzel" titles, plus what may have been the
apotheosis of the "genre," "Hello," in which he and Cher sit around the
piano talking about how they don't have an idea for the B-side!
I'll probably bypass the backwards tracks, however. As much as I dig the
concept, including them in a comp somehow seems too easy.
Please keep 'em coming. Maybe after this one we'll take a stab at
deliberate contract-breakers.
--Phil M.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 17
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 16:54:39 +0000
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Re: made to be bad
> Wasn't the purpose of the Philles instumental flips to be unplayable on the
> radio to stop them being.... errr...played?
That's the way I've always heard it told. You're suggesting I may be
bucking the point here? If so, it wouldn't be the first time!
--Ph.M.
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Message: 18
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 16:45:55 -0600
From: Dan Hughes
Subject: Re: made to be bad
Phil, this is a hazy memory....
I remember a 45 from about 1969 or 1970 from a popular group--maybe the
Kingsmen?--whose flip side was named something like "Just Another B
Side." It was simply somebody from the group talking, saying that the
writer of the B side of a hit got paid just as much as the writer of the
A side, so they were just gonna talk their way through the B side and
collect those big bucks for it, if the A side was a hit.
But it wasn't.
Seems the label was yellow with a hint of orange, kinda like the Uni
label of that era.
Any help here?
---Dan
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 19
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 23:31:59 -0000
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Re: Peggy Clinger/Johnny Cymbal
Patrick Rands:
> I'm wondering if anyone can help me...I hope to collect...songs written by
> Peggy Clinger and Johnny Cymbal and I can't figure out if these were ever
> recorded by anyone...Please take a look at this list of songs and let me
> know if any of them were recorded by anyone that you know of. I'm scratching
> my head on this one.
I can identify two of the songs on your list:
"Mookie Mookie Man" was recorded by Cymbal and Clinger on MGM 14256 in 1971,
the other side being "Pool Shooter". The same coupling was also issued on
Marina 502.
"Ragamuffin Man" was recorded by Dallas on Marina 501 with "Take You Where
The Music's Playing" on the b-side. It was also issued on Marina 504 with
"Concrete And Clay" as its flipside.
While on the subject, I have at my side the Clingers' full page Billboard ad
for their Columbia 45 "Gonna Have a Good Time". Cool record - cool ad. Of
any interest to you? If so, strike while my new scanner is warm!
MICK PATRICK
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 20
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 22:59:59 -0000
From: Leonardo Flores
Subject: new Nichols-Williams CD/Japanese liner notes
Noticed in the liner notes to the new "Roger Nichols and Paul Williams
Songbook" CD from Universal Japan that Yoshi Nagato wrote "Thanks to Jamie
LePage and Spectropopers." Very cool. Now I just wish I could read the rest of
the liner notes!!!
Seriously, does anyone get as frustrated as I do when you are staring at a
Japanese CD and you can tell that the liner notes are giving you ultra-detailed
info on rare stuff but you can't read a word?!?!?! It would be great if
Spectropop had a Japanese liner notes database with all pertinent Japan-only CD
liner notes (i.e. Roger Nichols & SCOF, all the Millennium related Dreamsville
releases, etc) translated into coherent English. No online translations. I'm
sick of trying to decipher Japanese text through those web translators. For
some reason soft pop becomes software lock! I'm going to quote a genius bit of
translation from the Inner Dialogue debut album "Not only the software *lock*
fan, all the music fans necessary the masterpiece of listening, it is worldwide
first CD conversion. How, not to overlook!" What the.....???? Anyway, just some
wishful thinking. Until then, I guess I'll just have to take a night class!
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 21
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 18:40:13 EST
From: David Bell
Subject: Re: Girls in German
Previously:
> ...I see that there is also a book to accompany (Bear Family's 1000
> Nadelstiche) series. Would you recommend it?
Well, I don't know if your pal Ivor recommends the accompanying book but I
certainly would, Mick. It contains copies of many unusual picture sleeves and
purports to be as complete a listing of US / UK singers who recorded in German
as is humanly possible. If nothing else, it lists Susan Singer's 2 German 45s
and even has a picture of my lovely Yiddish singer in it! Can't be bad. How
about Jan Panter singing "Si Si Senor" + pic sleeve or Stu Phillips or a perky
breasted Susan Maughan or even April and Nino? The list goes on and on.
Research seems thorough and the pix of sleeves are wonderful.
Best wishes,
David.
P.S. I almost forgot the pages of illustrated Connie Francis releases,
including one cover nobody has ever seen before, and I know some real hardcore
CF fans, whose collections put mine to shame.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 22
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 19:07:52 -0500
From: James Botticelli
Subject: Re: made to be bad
Dan Hughes:
> ...this is a hazy memory....I remember a 45 from about 1969 or 1970 from a
> popular group--maybe the Kingsmen?--whose flip side was named something
> like "Just Another B Side." It was simply somebody from the group talking,
> saying that the writer of the B side of a hit got paid just as much as the
> writer of the A side, so they were just gonna talk their way through the B
> side and collect those big bucks for it, if the A side was a hit.
> But it wasn't.
A couple of hazy memories just got plucked from my personal floppy as well.
Sonny & Cher had a flip (the colloquialism for the higher-browed "B" status)
called "Hello" which was just inane conversation between the two
bell-bottomed crooners. It was so silly and meaningless that I've kept it
all these years. Another one is by Bobby Rydell wherein he implores his
potential fan club to write to him personally. He proceeds to give out his
actual Philadelphia address on the record, which, again, is just him
talking..... Bobby on Bobby.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 23
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 13:14:50 -0500
From: David Ponak
Subject: The Liquid Room 10/27/02
The Liquid Room, (usually) hosted by David Ponak (me), airs
every Saturday night from Midnight to 3AM (PDT) on 90.7FM
KPFK Los Angeles, as well as streaming at http://kpfk.org.
This past weekend's show was the "Fall Fund Drive" edition,
so the playlist featured our premium CDs (Miss Kitten with
the Hacker, Wondermints, The Negro Problem, CQ Soundtrack,
Ladytron and Bertrand Burgalat). Thanks to Smile Records
and Emperor Norton Records for their support. (The show
clocked in at 4 hours, thanks to the shift to standard time!)
The Liquid Room 10/27/2002
1.Richard Harris/Didn't We
A Tramp Shining (Dunhill)
2.Richard Harris/Sidewalk-Song
My Boy (Dunhill)
3.Richard Harris/MacArthur Park
A Tramp Shining (Dunhill)
4.Ladytron/Seventeen
Light&Magic (Emperor Norton)
5.Wondermints/Ride
Mind If We Make Love To You (Smile)
6.The Frank Mantis Group/Jet Service
Turn On! (Zippy)
7. The Negro Problem/Astro Sister
Welcome Black (Smile)
8.Nana Kinomi/Mini Mini Rock
60's Cutie Pop Collection/Suki Suki Edit (King-Japan)
9.Miss Kitten & The Hacker/Walking On Sunshine
First Album (Emperor Norton)
10.Death In Vegas/Leather & Girls
Scorpio Rising (BMG-UK)
11.Mellow/Take Me Higher
CQ Soundtrack (Emperor Norton)
12.Bertrand Burgalat/Sunshine Yellow
The Sssound Of Music (Emperor Norton)
13.Wondermints/Something I Knew
Mind If We Make Love To You (Smile)
14.Volovan/Ella Es Azul
Volovan (Lakeshore)
15.The Negro Problem/Bermuda Love Triangle
Welcome Black (Smile)
16.Ladytron/Blue Jeans
Light&Magic (Emperor Norton)
17.The Do Re Mi Childrens Chorus/Spooky
18.Betrand Burgalat/Nonza
The Sssound Of Music (Emperor Norton)
19.Jacques Tati/Play Time (travel mix)
Les Remixes De Mr Untel (Naïve-France)
20.Jacques Dutronc/Les Responsable
CQ Soundtrack (Emperor Norton)
21.Miss Kitten & The Hacker/Frank Sinatra
First Album (Emperor Norton)
22.Xantus/Dear Old Plants
People Are Wrong (cast recording) (Sidesaddle)
23.Zongamin/Serous Trouble
Tim 'Love' Lee-It's All Good (mix cd) (Keep Diggin')
24.Wondermints/On The Run
Mind If We Make Love To You (Smile)
25.The Negro Problem/Watering Hole
Welcome Black (Smile)
26.Saint Etienne/Shower Scene
Finisterre (Mantra/Beggars Banquet)
27.Lovage/Anger Management
Music To Make Love To Your Old Lady By: Instrumental
Version (75 Ark)
28.Mellow/Reviolizione Sessatone
CQ Soundtrack (Emperor Norton)
29.Bertrand Burgalat/TSOM
The Sssound Of Music (Emperor Norton)
30.Pastel Vespa/L'Anarchie Dans L'U.K.
L'Anarcie (Siesta-Spain)
31.Paul Williams/To Put Up With You
Someday Man (Reprise)
32.Wondermints/Another Way
Mind If We Make Love To You (Smile)
33.Wondermints/Out Of Mind
Mind If We Make Love To You (Smile)
34.Yuzu/????
35.Chris Lucey/That's The Wa The World Has Got Be
Songs Of Protest And Anti-Protest (Rev-Ola)
36.John Fred & His Playboy Band/Tissue Paper
37.Wondermints/Sweetness
Mind If We Make Love To You (Smile)
38.The Negro Problem/Father Popcorn
Welcome Black (Smile)
39.Thomas & Richard Frost/Where Did Yesterday Go
Visualize (Rev-Ola-UK)
40.Mellow/Codename Dragonfly
CQ Soundtrack (Emperor Norton)
41-48.Richard Harris/The Yard Went On Forver (entire album)
(Dunhill)
49.Tim 'Love' Lee/Touch It
It's All Good (mix cd) (Keep Diggin')
50.Saint Etienne/New Thing
Finisterre (Mantra/Beggars Banquet)
51.Nana Kinomi/Suki Sa Suki Sa Suki Sa
60's Cutie Pop Collection: Suki Suki Suki Edit
(King-Japan)
52.Heinz Kiessling/Petra
Birds Do It (Diggler-Germany)
53.Akiko Nakamura/La La La
60's Cutie Pop Collection: Suki Suki Suki Edit
(King-Japan)
54.Paul Williams/Mornin' I'll Be Movin' On
Someday Man (Reprise)
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 24
Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 06:52:19 -0000
From: Zombie
Subject: Speaking of Johnny Cymbal...
I've been obsessively following the truly amazing history (still
being written) of his song "A Pack of Lies." To recount it all would
take a book or two, but in short, the melody for "A Pack of Lies"
has become practically the alternate national anthem for the
nation of Japan (!!). A Japanese crooner released a version of it
in the '80s with new Japanese lyrics, which became a minor hit.
But in 2001 a Japanese novelty act called Ulfuls recorded yet
another version with yet different Japanese lyrics -- which
transformed "A Pack of Lies," a bitter break-up song, into "Ashita
ga Arusa," a song about overcoming adversity, and never giving
up in the face of hard times. Not only was it a huge hit, but it
became the theme song for a massively popular TV show, the
plot of which was in fact based on the song's lyrics. The show is
a comedy about a bunch of corporate drones who save their
skins through creative true grit -- and as a result save their
company, and by extension, bring the entire Japanese economy
out of the doldrums. It's bit hard to explain here, but for some
reason people all over Japan feel the song encapsulates the
Japanese national spirit. I even read a recent informal poll in
which Japanese students were asked to rate the most important
musicians in history. The top three winners: Michael Jackson,
Johnny Cymbal, and Elvis Presley. What makes this even more
amazing is that 99.95% of Americans have no idea who Johnny
Cymbal is, even if they are familiar with many of his songs.
My question is (and yes, I do have a question): Was "A Pack of
Lies" ever even released in 1963? Part of the myth is that a
demo version of the song was only rediscovered 20 years after it
was recorded. But is this true? I have such a strong memory of
hearing the song (or the melody at least) as a kid in the '60s, but
I can find no reference to "A Pack of Lies" except on recent
Japanese compilation CDs. Any help would be most
appreciated.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 25
Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 04:48:35 -0000 (GMT)
From: Kent
Subject: Re: made to be bad
> I'm considering compiling a CD-R of B-sides made to prompt
> programmers' to air only the A's.
"Put the Bone In" by Terry Jacks, b-side to "Seasons in the Sun" (I
suppose some might argue that the reverse is true in this case...) A
classic example, I'd say...
> offensive lyrics, etc.
Although it's ostensibly about a guy getting a free bone for the dog
at the grocers, there's the obvious double entendre.
- Kent
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
End
