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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. The Liquid Room 11/24/2002
From: David Ponak
2. Ronettes "Lovers"
From: Phil Chapman
3. Re: Shangri-Las CDs
From: Patrick Rands
4. Bergen White
From: Jeff Lemlich
5. Banana Splits
From: Stuffed Animal
6. Christmas Caroles
From: Phil Chapman
7. more new sites
From: Martin Roberts
8. Standing in the Shadows...
From: David Feldman
9. Re: Shangri-Las / Doris Troy
From: Mick Patrick
10. Gamma Goochee, vol. 2
From: Phil Milstein
11. Re: Jay & the Techniques
From: James Botticelli
12. Re: Shirley label listing
From: Phil Milstein
13. Re: Shangri-Las
From: Phil Milstein
14. Re: The Blossoms..................No, not that group!
From: John Clemente
15. Re: Artie's Song
From: Phil Milstein
16. Re: Wildweeds; New York; Craig Douglas
From: Country Paul
17. Joan Osborne / Somewhere Over The Rainbow / What A World World
From: James Botticelli
18. The Beagles
From: Matt Howell
19. Re: Jay & the Techniques and Tony Blackburn
From: Simon White
20. Honey
From: Paul Urbahns
21. Re: Standing in the Shadows of Motown
From: Shawn Baldwin
22. Re: Standing in the Shadows of Motown
From: Steve Harvey
23. Re: the Shangri-Las / Past, Present & Future
From: Mick Patrick
24. Re: the Shangri-Las / Past, Present & Future
From: Phil Chapman
25. Re: Standing in the Shadows of Motown
From: Eric Charge
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 25 Nov 2002 19:18:17 -0500
From: David Ponak
Subject: The Liquid Room 11/24/2002
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.
11/24/02 Tony Tucci: guest host in The Liquid Room
Contact Tony: radiocave@earthlink.net
1. Mello Cads/Loveland
Soft As A Rock (Franklin Castle)
2. Mashupheadz/Cuckoo Clock
Layo+Bushwacka: Ibiza Cheese-Free Mix (Muzik Magazine)
3. Hooverphonic/Sometimes
Presents Jackie Cane (Sony/Columbia)
4. Les McCann/Guantanamera
Talkin' Verve (Verve)
5. Jazzanova/No Use
Soul Sessions 2 (Giant Step)
6. Petula Clark/Dans Le Temp
C'est Ma Chanson (Vogue)
7. Fatboy Slim/Talkin'bout My Baby
The Pimp 3 (Astralwerks)
8. Buffalo Daughter/Discoteque Du Paradis
I (Emperor Norton)
9. Piero Umiliani/Centrali Termiche
Musicelettronica (Right Tempo)
10. Ladytron/He Took Her To A Movie (Remix Bertrand)
Bertrand Bergalat: The Genius Of (Bugalow)
11. Pixies/The Thing
Velouria EP (Elektra)
12. FC Kahuna/North Pole Transmission
Machine Says Yes (Nettwerk/City Rockers)
13. Smokey + Miho/Tempo De Amor
Songs By Baden Powell EP (Afro Sambas)
14. Oscar Brown Jr./Barra Limpa
Mojo Club V.11 (Universal Jazz)
15. Jiva/Love Chooses Lovers (Heart Chakra Mix)
The Love EP (Giant Step)
16. Smoove/4 Real
The New Testament Of Funk V.4 (Acid Jazz)
17. Saint Ettiene/Soft Like Me
Finisterre (Mantra)
18. Johnny Hallyday/Mal
Jeune Homme (Philips)
19. Juana Molina/Uh!
Tres Cosas (JM)
20. Mouse On Mars/Mykologics
Blip Hop (Luaka Bop)
21. Simian/Skin
We Are Your Friends (Astralwerks)
22. Mum/Boychild
The Szabotnik 15 Mission (Klein)
23. Miriam Makeba/Ring Bell, Ring Bell
Pata Pata (Reprise/Collectables)
24. Les Baxter/Mood Tattoed
Skins (Capitol/Collectables)
25. Sade/By Your Side (Cottonbelly's Fola Mix)
Red Hot + Riot (MCA)
26. Blue States/Season Song
Man Mountain (ESL)
27. Sergio Mendes/Desafinado
The Beat Of Brazil (Atlantic)
28. Little Rabbits/Le Ble Dans Les Fouilles (Major Force Mix)
Yeah! And Remixed By (Barclay)
29. Royksopp/Royksopp's Night Out
Melody A.M. (Astralwerks)
30. The Bumps/It's All Over Now Baby Blue
Northwest Battle Of The Bands V.3 (Sundazed)
31. Capa Rezza/Tutto Cio Che C'e (Cool Beat Remix)
CD Single (Virgin)
32. Asa-Chang + Junray/Hana
Blue Room (Muzik Magazine)
33. Arkestra One/How Could I Love You More
Arkestra One (Cosmic Sounds London)
34. Cafe Tacuba/Tirate
Vale Callampa EP (MCA)
35. Chico Buarque/Construcao
Construcao (Polygram)
36. United Future Organization/No Problem
V (Exceptional/Cutting Edge)
37. Fingathing/You Fly Me
Coming Home 2 (Stereo Deluxe)
38. Mr. Scruff/Valley Of The Sausages
Trouser Jazz (Ninja Tune)
39. Wes Montgomery/California Dreaming
California Dreaming (Verve)
40. Lexia/Lady Rain
Mojo Club V.11 (Universal Jazz)
41.Paul Williams/Mornin' I'll Be Movin' On
Someday Man (Reprise)
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 19:13:02 -0000
From: Phil Chapman
Subject: Ronettes "Lovers"
Earlier in the year I raised this query:
> Do we know any more about the Ronettes track "Lovers"
> from the 1981 "The Wall Of Sound" box set (WOS 001)?
> The writer credit is "unknown", but I assume it's a
> Spector/Wine/Levine tune - it has the 'sound' of
> "Black Pearl", but unfinished.
Allan Rinde has some further clues:
" I picked up your soundfile last year and played it for
Toni without telling her what it was. Her first reaction
was "Didn't I write that?". Toni thinks she wrote it
(with Irwin) and Phil [Spector] did help. A friend close
to ABKCO also thinks she did. One day we'll know for sure.
Toni is enjoying the memories, so please feel free to
conjure up some more. Allan "
Phil
PS - Allan, is there anything Toni would like to ask the group?
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 17:31:53 -0000
From: Patrick Rands
Subject: Re: Shangri-Las CDs
Doc Rock wrote:
> Like "Leader," "Give Him A Great Big Kiss" is featured here
> in mono. The rare stereo version has a drum introduction
> instead of the "When I say I'm in love, you best believe I'm
> in love, L-U-V!" intro. In another difference, the stereo
> version ends with "The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker"
> instead of "How does he dance? Close, very very close." The
> stereo version would have made a nice bonus track on this CD.
Excellent review! Where can one find the stereo version of
Give Him A Great Big Kiss?
:Patrick
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 18:50:14 -0000
From: Jeff Lemlich
Subject: Bergen White
Patrick Rands wrote:
> Jeff mentioned the Now Generation - and Bergen White - now
> Bergen White has a fantastic album and some singles I have
> on a CDR - really lovely stuff, so I was excited to see him
> mentioned in a message regarding the Now Generation.
I've not been fortunate enough to find Bergen White's SSS
International album, but I sure dig his single "It's Over Now"
- absolutely perfect late 60s summertime pop!
Very little has been written about Bergen White's early days,
which have naturally been overshadowed by his huge successes
with the likes of Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, and Tim McGraw.
One of my favorite Ronny & The Daytonas cuts is "When Stars
Shine Bright", which features three lead vocalists! Buzz,
Bucky, and Bergen all get a chance to shine here (Bobby Russell
wasn't a part of most of the tracks on the "Sandy" album).
To me, "When Stars Shine Bright" is a prototypical girl group
ballad that just happens to be by a boy group -- different
singers with differing viewpoints on the opposite sex and dating,
giving out advice, almost psychoanalyzing one another! It's
currently available on the Sundazed CD "G.T.O. - Best Of The Mala
Recordings", which also includes a remarkable photograph of Buck
Wilkin, Buzz Cason, Bergen White, Larry Butler, and Jerry Carrigan,
together in the same photo.
Jeff Lemlich
http://www.limestonerecords.com
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 19:23:20 +0000
From: Stuffed Animal
Subject: Banana Splits
The late Jimmy Radcliffe sings lead vocals on a few of the songs
from that wonderful Banana Splits album, and Ritchie Adams sings
lead on the songs he wrote with Mark Barkan (who sings background).
Yes, Barry White did write one or two BS songs, one of them being
"Doin' The Banana Split," if I remember correctly.
Stuffed Animal
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Message: 6
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 19:22:44 -0000
From: Phil Chapman
Subject: Christmas Caroles
Bit of a plug, but there's an mp3 download at Amazon.com of
Carole King's "Love For Christmas", (written by Carole King
and Carole Bayer Sager)...and it's FREE!
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00007E3H2/ref%3Dj%5Fhp%5Fcs%5F5%5F6/104-7584322-8110363
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Message: 7
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 19:04:31 -0000
From: Martin Roberts
Subject: more new sites
Trying hard to keep up with New At Spectropop, then Phil M.
recommends the very enjoyable 'Red Bird' Shangri-Las site at
http://www.redbirdent.com/
And now for all you armchair surfers, a Beach Party Movie
site, surf on over to http://beachpartymoviemusic.com
Martin
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 14:36:23 -0500
From: David Feldman
Subject: Standing in the Shadows...
Another thumbs up for this documentary. Although it promoted
the Funk Brothers' contribution to the Motown Sound, it
refrained from demonizing Berry Gordy.
Does anyone know why none of the Motown singers performed in
the movie? Martha Reeves was interviewed in the movie, yet
Joan Osbourne sings "Heat Wave" (wonderfully) in the movie.
For me, Joan Osborne and Gerald Levert were the two standout
singers. Maybe, as is said in the movie, Deputy Dawg could
sung some of these tracks and turned them into hits, but I
like Dawg's chances better than Ben Harper's.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 9
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 20:53:16 -0000
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Re: Shangri-Las / Doris Troy
Cor, a lot of messages today! Anyone would think school
teachers were on strike, or something :-)
Patrick Rands:
> Where can one find the stereo version of "Give Him A Great
> Big Kiss"?
The Shangri-Las' CD "Myrmidons Of Melodrama" (Special Edition,
2002) on RPM 506 contains TWO stereo versions of "Give Him A
Great Big Kiss". One has Mary's familiar "When I say I'm in
love, you'd best believe I'm in love, L-U-V!" spoken prelude,
while the other features the rare bongos intro and "The butcher,
the baker, the candlestick-maker" outro. Get the picture?
Curiously, the alternate version is track 26 on the CD, not 28
as indicated on the rear of the gorgeous digipack. Someone needs
a slap! More information available at your fingertips here:
http://www.rpmrecords.co.uk and here: http://www.cherryred.co.uk
Curious: the fact that no Red Bird recordings featured in
Stuffed Animal's recent list of Essential Jeff Barry Productions.
An oversight, one presumes. If not, oh well, chacun a son gout!
Ian Chapman:
> The Shirley label with the Ray Agee release ran from 1960 to
> 1963 with a total of 12 releases, the first being a duet by Doc
> Bagby and Doris Payne (who we all know and love as Doris Troy).
Yay, "Foolish Decision" by Doris Payne (aka Troy)! Great record!
Both sides feature my favourite back-up gang, the fabulous
Drinkard/Warwick clan, aka the proto-Sweet Inspirations. By the
way, both sides are Doris solos. The band of Doc Bagby provide the
instrumentation.
MICK PATRICK
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 10
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 15:38:32 +0000
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Gamma Goochee, vol. 2
Second in a planned Gamma Goochee trilogy, now up on musica,
is the flipside of Gamma Goochee's eponymous hit, "I'm Gonna
Buy Me A Dog." Any A/Bers out there care to compare the tracks
against The Monkees' (subsequent) version? Bobby Hart himself
couldn't remember if the tracks were recycled or rerecorded.
--Phil M.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 11
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 16:04:51 -0500
From: James Botticelli
Subject: Re: Jay & the Techniques
On the Rock Flowers' "Number Wonderful":
> ...later done by Jay & The Techniques as "Number Onederful"...
Bob Rashkow wrote:
> Am I missing something here--didn't Jay Proctor and his group
> break up in late '69 or early '70?
They did indeed do "Number Onederful" which I believe was on Event
along with at least one other Event single which is stored in my
45 boxes which I have to bend down to get. Nobody's gonna make me
do it, are they? It stands to reason that their two-tone/blue-eyed
soul sound would translate terrifically to disco. To hear the breathy
female backers chanting "Count it off...10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-#ONEDERFUL!"
is to hear disco bursting forth in '74
JB
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 12
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 15:44:31 +0000
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Re: Shirley label listing
Mike Edwards wrote:
> There sure is, Phil. Go to International Discographies
> http://www.recordmaster.com under the Concise Reference Guide
> tab in Spectropop. My search for "Shirley" under labels and 7"
> format brought up 20 titles including "Tin Pan Alley" and the
> Treaures' "Hold Me Tight".
Yowzah. Not only did such a search turn up a list of titles on
the two Shirley labels under discussion, but also a single single
on Little Shirley, a song-poem label I'd not previously known about.
> Spectropop really is a full service website!
In this case, fuller than full!
--Phil
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 13
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 16:06:28 +0000
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Re: Shangri-Las
Doc Rock wrote:
> "Leader of the Pack" is cut two, and Mercury wisely chose to
> use the mono 45 mix. The stereo mix invariably skips the first
> line of the second verse, "One day my Dad said find someone new".
And both mixes inadvertently left out the backing singers' obvious
retort: "New, new."
> Seems unlikely that they were censored. With "Remember"
> portraying a near-suicidal anguish; "Past, Present and Future"
> being about rape ...
I've given a lot of thought over the years to what the nature
of the "that" in "That will never happen again" might've been.
My conclusion is that the contact referred to had to have been
consensual, because no self-respecting girl would so much as
talk civilly again to a dude who had previously date-raped her.
And the Shangs were nothing if not self-respecting.
IMHO,
--Phil M.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 14
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 16:27:00 -0500
From: John Clemente
Subject: Re: The Blossoms..................No, not that group!
Hello All,
Another major mystery solved! The Okeh single is not THE Blossoms.
That is a fairly obscure track which I have always assumed was
Darlene, Fanita & Gloria, since they were normally all over the map.
Never heard it, though, which is why I didn't say much about it in
Girl Groups, except that it wasn't a hit. Thanks, Mick and Andy Rix.
Regards,
John Clemente
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 15
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 16:51:58 +0000
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Re: Artie's Song
David Feldman wrote:
> Thanks for uploading this song, which I'd never heard. What a
> great addition Artie, Allan, and Toni have been to the list.
> Thanks so much for participating.
Ditto on both counts. I mean, all three. Splendid song!
--Phil M.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 16
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 18:14:31 -0500
From: Country Paul
Subject: Re: Wildweeds; New York; Craig Douglas
The Wildweeds, Al Anderson's remarkable 1960's group (he wrote and
had the original semi-hit of "No Good To Cry" and the later "And
When She Smiles"), have had their music collected on CD recently. I
haven't had time to check out the project, but I will right after
the holiday. There's an excellent article in the Hartford Advocate,
the formerly-alternative weekly:
http://www.hartfordadvocate.com/articles/wildweeds.html
The new CD out is a compilation of all of the original 'Weeds old
tunes digitally re-mixed including two versions of "No Good to Cry" --
the original mono mix and a new stereo mix. The liner notes are very
long and pretty much cover all of the information in the article and
more. You can order the CD at:
http://www.confidentialrecordings.com/weeds1.html More Wildweeds info
and memorabilia can be found at http://www.wildweeds.net
Kingsley and Pekka had fun in Queens. As a New Yorker (okay, northern
New Jersey these days), I can tell you that the "outer boroughs" have
cool stuff to spare. Glad you liked your visits, guys; I really
enjoyed London and the West Country on trips to England over the last
few years. Incidentally, Dion is living in Florida these days, but
many 50's and 60's groups - or at least key people in them - still
perform locally, including the Duprees, Five Discs, and the Chantels
(sometimes with but usually without Arlene Smith), among others.
Wow - the Phil Spector Christmas Album is 39?! It's amazing how fresh
it sounds - a tribute to the creativity and foresight that went into
it, and to the sound's "eternal contemporariness" (to coin a phrase -
badly).
Patrick Rands, thanks for the link to http://franklarosa.com/vinyl
A tour of the site will certainly entertain you.
Tony, thanks for the Craig Douglas info, although your claim of his
"Only 16" surpassing Sam Cooke's original would be worth debating if
I heard Mr. Douglas' version. To my ears, Sam Cooke could have sung
the phone book and made great music.
Now I'm really on vacation!
Country Paul
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 17
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 17:45:54 -0500
From: James Botticelli
Subject: Joan Osborne / Somewhere Over The Rainbow / What A World World
David Feldman wrote:
> Joan Osbourne sings "Heat Wave" (wonderfully) in the movie. For me,
> Joan Osborne and Gerald Levert were the two standout singers.
I agree on the quality of Joan Osborne's voice. I DJ'd a wedding last
summer in Newport at a mansion compound the likes of which I'd never
seen. The entertainment: Yours truly on the wheels of steel and Joan
Osborne doing a short set following dinner. The reason: It was Joan's
brother getting married! Joan stood, with only an acoustic guitar and
broke it down. She DID take very slight umbrage when I asked her to
autograph my house version of "What If God Was One Of Us" and follow
her signature with "not!".
Mick Patrick wrote:
> Cor, a lot of messages today! Anyone would think school teachers were
> on strike, or something :-)
I was actually teaching today here in Boston, unlike London! Well, not
exactly teaching, but running my highly touted "Botticelli Film Festival"
which the other teachers mock me for running 'round every holiday break.
But I had a question - perhaps a bit off topic - for Spectropoppers who
may have seen "Finding Forrester". At the end is a bright and breezy
rock-steady version of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" coupled with
"Wonderful World" (the Louis Armstrong song, not the Hermits/Sam 'vehicle').
It made half the kids cry it was so beautiful, to say nothing of the
moistening mine own eyes did. Anyone know who sang it????
JB
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 18
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 15:49:45 -0800
From: Matt Howell
Subject: The Beagles
If anyone is interested I would gladly play The Beagles
"I'd Join the Foreign Legion", once there's room in musica.
Matt
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 19
Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2002 00:11:52 +0000
From: Simon White
Subject: Re: Jay & the Techniques and Tony Blackburn
I played the 45 - and a few other relevant/recent Spectropop
mentions - D.C Blossoms, Etta James - on the Soul 24-7
Metropolitan show I did on Sunday. However there was a
technical problem so it didn't go out. It will however,
be repeated and I will endeavour to find out when that is.
I suspect there's a lot more Jay than Techniques on "Number
Onederful". It was released on Polydor in the U.K. and was
nearly a chart hit due to extensive playing by our very own
deejay, Tony Blackburn who, despite his cheesy image, is a
great lover of Soul music.
As I believe they have never been mentioned here, I intend to
do it now - Tony recorded some rather good dance/pop numbers
in the 60s, the most famous/notorious being his cover of Doris
Troy's "I'll Do Anything", which features a trademark vibrato
and the forced tone which substitutes for "Soul" in so many
white boys with a prediliction for the black sound. The track
was 'covered-up' in the Northern Soul tradition as by 'Lenny
Gamble' and released as such due to an anticipated demand.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 20
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 19:20:17 EST
From: Paul Urbahns
Subject: Honey
Norman:
> Following up on Bobby Russell's "Honey" Wasn't his
> first wife called Honey?
Yes it was his first wife and I read somewhere he sang the
song to her the first time, and before he was over she was
crying buckets. He knew he had a winner.
Paul Urbahns
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 21
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 18:27:47 -0600
From: Shawn Baldwin
Subject: Re: Standing in the Shadows of Motown
David Feldman:
> Does anyone know why none of the Motown singers performed in
> the movie? Martha Reeves was interviewed in the movie, yet
> Joan Osbourne sings "Heat Wave" (wonderfully) in the movie.
That's a good question, I also don't appreciate the way one of
the musicians says that anyone could have sang the songs and
they would have been hits. They were trying to keep the focus
on the musicians, maybe they figured if they had the originals
sing the songs it would have taken the focus off the musicians.
Shawn
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 22
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 16:50:55 -0800 (PST)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: Standing in the Shadows of Motown
I suspect nobody invited the Motown singers because
they've gotten all the publicity up until now. It was
time to give the band some. By having non-Motown
singers it put more emphasis on the players.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 23
Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2002 01:30:17 -0000
From: Mick Patrick
Subject: Re: the Shangri-Las / Past, Present & Future
Doc Rock:
> "Leader of the Pack" ... Mercury wisely chose to use the mono
> 45 mix (on their CD). The stereo mix invariably skips the
> first line of the second verse, "One day my Dad said find
> someone new."
Happily, thanks to the recent discovery of the original multi-
track mastertapes, the above situation has now been resolved. A
real stereo version of "Leader Of The Pack", WITHOUT the vile
edit, is presently available on several CDs. Anyone caught
releasing the old "butchered" version deserves to be
horsewhipped!
Phil Milstein:
> I've given a lot of thought over the years to what the nature
> of the "that" in "That will never happen again" might've been.
> My conclusion is that the contact referred to had to have been
> consensual, because no self-respecting girl would so much as
> talk civilly again to a dude who had previously date-raped her.
> And the Shangs were nothing if not self-respecting.
The Shangri-Las' "Past, Present And Future" is my favourite
record of all time. But after all these years, I'm still unsure
precisely what the lyrics mean. Are you sitting comfortably?
The past:
The past? Well now, let me tell you about the past
The past is filled with silent joys and broken toys
Laughing girls and teasing boys
Was I ever in love?
I called it love
I mean, it felt like love
There were moments when...
Well, there were moments when
The present:
Go out with you?
Why not?
Do I like to dance?
Of course
Take a walk along the beach tonight?
I'd love to
But don't try to touch me
Don't try to touch me
'Cause that will never...happen...again
Shall we dance?
The future:
Tomorrow? Well, tomorrow is a long way off
Maybe someday I'll hold somebody's hand
Maybe somewhere someone will understand
You know, I used to sing
A tisket, a tasket, a green and yellow basket
I'm all packed up and I'm on my way
And I'm gonna fall in love
But at the moment, it doesn't look good
At the moment, it will never happen again
I don't think it will ever happen again
Written by Artie Butler, Jerry Leiber and George Francis
"Shadow" Morton. Published by Mike and Jerry Music/Screen
Gems-EMI Music/Tender Tunes.
My present conclusion: The love interest to whom Mary refers
in the "past" and her dancing partner in the "present" are
not one and the same person. Whatever it is she so unhappily
experienced before, Mary Weiss is obviously in no hurry to
repeat in the "future". More than that would be pure
imagination. Fortunately, I have plenty of that.
I would imagine that, of the three accredited songwriters, it
was Jerry Leiber, one of the greatest wordsmiths of modern
music, who authored the lyrics. Given the observations about
the character of Mary Weiss made by Tom Fair (ne Feyer), co-
writer of the Montage's tribute-song "I Shall Call Her Mary"
(search the archives for message #6838, Sept 19, 2002), one
cannot help but wonder if this remarkable song was custom-
scripted for her?
Has Leiber ever been asked to explain the lyrics? Perhaps
someone should pin him down and try. I missed a golden
opportunity last year when he and Mike Stoller made a public
appearance at a London Screening of the A & E documentary
Words & Music by Leiber & Stoller. The pair took to the stage
after the film to answer questions from the audience. Alas,
unaccustomed as I am to public speaking, I was struck quite
dumb.
Dunno why, but I'm really in the mood for something cold now.
MICK PATRICK
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 24
Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2002 01:40:48 -0000
From: Phil Chapman
Subject: Re: the Shangri-Las / Past, Present & Future
Phil M:
> I've given a lot of thought over the years to what the nature
> of the "that" in "That will never happen again" might've been.
> My conclusion is that the contact referred to had to have been
> consensual, because no self-respecting girl would so much as
> talk civilly again to a dude who had previously date-raped her.
> And the Shangs were nothing if not self-respecting.
Dude?? - The lyrics are not gender specific. With her charted
history of relationships ending in tragedy, she might have put
her trust in a same-sex partner, her analyst, or who knows how
sinister? All we do know is that something happened to a
relatively normal girl that could have permanently impaired her
capacity to form a lasting relationship.
Well, that was the Disappointer Sisters' alternative stage
interpretation. Shadow might have been amused.
Being slightly conservative, I've always taken it that she's
bearing her soul to some new confidant on a date, not too long
after "that" happened.
There is something strangely compelling about Mary's haunting
narrative that certifies this as classic melodrama.
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Message: 25
Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2002 05:49:32 -0000
From: Eric Charge
Subject: Re: Standing in the Shadows of Motown
David Feldman asked:
> Does anyone know why none of the Motown singers performed in the
> movie? Martha Reeves was interviewed in the movie, yet Joan
> Osbourne sings "Heat Wave" (wonderfully) in the movie."
I asked the same question and this was the response from Paul Elliott
of Elliott Scott Productions (exec producers of SITSOM):
"In most cases, it wasn't for lack of trying. Most of this had taken
place before I became involved on early 2000, but Allan, Paul Justman,
and Sandy Passman did approach many of the Motown artists, and were
turned down. Occasionally because of schedule conflicts, usually because
they just weren't interested. In some cases, the artist may not have
been made aware of our request, their management just said "No"
(speculation). On the other hand, we were trying to present the Funk
Brothers to a new generation, and the artists that did want to
participate certainly help to bridge the age gap. In addition, if we
used mainly the Motown stars, we were concerned that the film would be
more about the stars, and not the Funk Brothers. All in all, I am quite
pleased with the vocalists that we got, although the response that we
got from some of the Motown stars was surprising and disappointing. That
said, I really do have to thank Martha Reeves for her help in the film,
and Mary Wilson for her support in promoting the release."
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