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Jamie LePage (1953-2002)
http://www.spectropop.com/Jamie.htm
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There are 20 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Stars over 45
From: Mike Edwards
2. Deltairs' "I Might Like It"
From: John Clemente
3. Re: WKBW website
From: Nick Archer
4. Re: Hang On (a bit longer) Sloopy
From: Clark
5. Watering down lyrics
From: Richard Gagnon
6. Re: < < < < Party Talk > > > >
From: Hans Ket
7. Re: (not) The 4 Seasons
From: Andrew Jones
8. Everly Bros.; more Condello; Kansas (just this once); Shaggy Boys
From: Country Paul
9. Re: Jerry Cole - Midnight Mary
From: Jeffrey Glenn
10. Re: < < < < Party Talk > > > >
From: Carol-Anne Lennie
11. Re: Sly Small Fries
From: Simon White
12. Re: "less music being heard"
From: Jack Madani
13. Re: James Brown & Lyn Collins
From: Simon White
14. Re: Four Seasons-alikes
From: Rex Strother
15. Re. 4 Seasons etc.
From: Martin Roberts
16. Last chance to attend the Bubblegum Achievement Awards
From: Kim Cooper
17. Re: < < < < Party Talk > > > >
From: Elisabeth
18. Re: Gorshin's Riddler / Batmania
From: Guy Lawrence
19. Re: Spector or Wilson? Chicken or egg?
From: Sven Olsen
20. Ginger
From: Simon White
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 06 Jan 2003 00:47:52 -0000
From: Mike Edwards
Subject: Stars over 45
Jack Madani writes:
> something that I've been meaning to bring up now for months
> and months… is the fact that back in the day it wasn't all
> that rare for music groups to be willing to tackle standards
> and current Broadway tunes. A couple other examples might
> include Len Barry's "Somewhere" from West Side Story, the 4
> Seasons' "I've Got You Under My Skin" (one of my two favorite
> 4 Seasons tunes, along with Girl Come Running), and even the
> Beatles' "Til There Was You." Of course, we also mustn't
> forget the Stu Phillips-produced "Blue Moon" by the Marcels.
He may not be a group but Rod Stewart's latest CD, "It Had To Be
You... The Great American Songbook" contains all standards. Indeed
one of the tracks, "The Way You Look Tonight" was on the party's
playlist, albeit by Judy Clay. Rod made the Billboard top-10 album
chart with this CD. More importantly (at least for those of us
nearing retirement), he is currently on the US album charts with
Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Elton John, U2,
Bruce Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac, Tony Bennett, Barry Manilow and
Carlos Santana.
Which reminds me, one of my Bacharach wants is Diana Trask's "Long
Ago Last Summer" from about 1963. Could anybody help with this?
Thanks.
Mike Edwards
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2
Date: Sun, 05 Jan 2003 20:31:21 -0500
From: John Clemente
Subject: Deltairs' "I Might Like It"
Hello All,
In reference to the question on the Deltairs' I Might Like It",
this song was released on Ed Portnoy's Ivy Record label out of NYC
in 1958, the group's second single for the label. This single,
flipped with group member Carol Stansbury's composition of "Standing
At The Altar", was pressed on the green label with the picture of ivy
at the top, with the letters in each leaf, as opposed to the plain
yellow label with block print, used on "Lullaby of the Bells". George
Weiss wrote the song. Weiss, I believe, was a veteran songwriter who
continued writing into the R&R era to keep up with the times. He
published this song through ASCAP, which may mean that it existed
before the Deltairs recorded it. As far as it being the same song as
the Shirelles recording, I don't know. Will someone check writing
credits please? Thanks.
Regards,
John Clemente
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Message: 3
Date: Sun, 05 Jan 2003 20:10:05 -0600
From: Nick Archer
Subject: Re: WKBW website
There is a great WKBW website at http://www.davidfill.com/wkbw2.htm You can
hear one of their DJs, Joey Reynolds, theme song, sung by the Four Seasons!
Nick Archer
Check out Nashville's classic SM95 on the web at
http://www.live365.com/stations/nikarcher
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Message: 4
Date: Mon, 06 Jan 2003 04:01:31 -0000
From: Clark
Subject: Re: Hang On (a bit longer) Sloopy
Bob Beason:
> Today my local classic rock station played a version of the
> McCoys' "Hang On Sloopy" with an additional verse that I'd
> never heard before. It began, "Sloopy put your red dress on..."
Bob Anthony:
> The version of Hang on Sloopy that you speak of
> appears on Hang On Sloopy best of The Mc Coys on the
> Epic/Legacy label which was released in 1995 and is
> still in print
Bob, the original long version appeared only in mono on the 66 Bang
records LP entitled "Best of Bang" (I think) which was a various
artists comp only issued in mono. It was also found in mono on an
early 70s KOIL Omaha radio 2 LP various hits LP (go figure!). Dick
Bartley began playing this version in the eraly 80s on his "Solid
Gold Saturday Night Show", which gave it fame nationally. Then, Bob
Irwin got to master the McCoys CD in stereo in early 90s.
Unfortunately, it sat for a few years mixed in stereo. During that
time, I often talked with Bob about it. He really felt it might not
get released in stereo, as the producers (Goldman/Feldman or whatever
their names were) felt that record and the Strangeloves (also mixed
for stereo at the time) should not be issued in stereo. Their
comments included "No one was ever supposed to be able to hear the
lyrics to 'I Want Candy' anyway". Eventually, (like the long awaited
and well worth it PF Sloan tapes), it came out. Now, hopefully,
Sundazed will go ahead and issue the individual LPs someday on CD.
Now, Varese' Cary Mansfield: WE WANT MORE PF SLOAN TAPES!
Clark
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5
Date: Mon, 06 Jan 2003 19:07:38 -0500
From: Richard Gagnon
Subject: Watering down lyrics
>Frank wrote:
>Well if you have not heard the ridiculous French lyrics as sung by Johnny
>Hallyday which was a huge hit in France, you haven't heard anything.
He's often much worse, actually. Funny, though, he got around to a
couple of quite decently passionate and rugged vocal performances
when he got a little older. I'm thinking of "J'ai oublié de vivre",
specifically.
>One of
>the much too numerous watering down of English lyrics in France.
Hey, that street runs both ways! It'll take a lot to match the crimes
against Jacques Brel perpetrated by Mr Rod McKuen. And Paul Anka's
english lyrics to Claude François' poignant "Comme d'habitude" when
he turned it into the dire "My Way".
Aside from teenybopper covers of American and English hits, French
lyrics had more *substance* to be watered down than the American hits
of the day. Brel is a prime example, as are folks like George
Brassens, Léo Ferré, Boris Vian...
Just balancing the debate, that's all. ;)
Richard
--
"It takes a long time before we cease to feel proud of being wanted.
Though God knows why we should feel it, when we look around and see
who is wanted too".
******Graham Greene, "The Quiet American"******
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 6
Date: Mon, 06 Jan 2003 19:42:00 +0100
From: Hans Ket
Subject: Re: < < < < Party Talk > > > >
A January Monday morning is more gray than usual after a colorful weekend
in London, with as highpoint a Spectropop party in Shepherds Bush. It was
a great evening with good music, videos, a live performance by Elisabeth,
the dancing Actionettes, food, drinks and a lot of nice and interesting
chats with new and "known by email" Spectropoppers. Not to forget Mick,
who, since the early seventies, has been a kind of lifeline to information
(Philately/That Will Never Happen Again) and music (remember the Roxy
albums) of the more obscure girls. Thanks to Phil for demonstrating
how to turn "Da Doo Ron Ron" into "Happy Birthday".
Last but not least, the Team themselves who gave me a glimpse into the
work of a "Spectropop moderator" before the "daily digests" drop into
our mailboxes. (Don't think it's all automatic, it's hard work every day).
To all of you,
Thanks for the hospitality.
Hans Ket
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 7
Date: Sun, 05 Jan 2003 23:16:46 -0500 (EST)
From: Andrew Jones
Subject: Re: (not) The 4 Seasons
Mike Edwards: I don't know if any of the other Seasons were involved in
this, but I have an old promo 45 (on the Smash label!) of Frankie Valli,
"You're Ready Now" b/w "Cry for Me." Both sides are produced by Bob
Crewe, Side A is written by Crewe-Gaudio and Side B by Gaudio, and it
sounds just like an average Four Seasons single except that the
background singers sound more like overdubbed Frankie than the other
Seasons.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8
Date: Mon, 06 Jan 2003 01:37:34 -0500
From: Country Paul
Subject: Everly Bros.; more Condello; Kansas (just this once); Shaggy Boys
More catching up:
Alan mentioned bonus tracks on the Everly Brothers two-fer WB CDs a while
back. What are the additional tracks, please? (Incidentally, I think those
albums have some outstanding work on them - the Everlys' version of
"Sleepless Nights" is, to my ears, the authoritative one. Apologies to Gram
and Emmylou, whose version I also love.)
Steve Harvey - I think a typo gremlin crept into your message - "Love
Karvitz" was really the horrendously punny and sexist "Lovey Kravezit",
which even the EB's couldn't save despite a valiant effort.
Thank you, Roland, for the Condello info. A search led to a
recently-established website, http://www.mikecondello.com. His bio page
is "coming soon", but apparently Mike Condello passed away in the not-too-
distant past, as did his third ex-wife (there's a notation you don't see
everyday!). The discography cuts off in 1967, but it notes two 45's on Viv,
founded by Lee Hazlewood, and two later ones on LHI, Hazlewood's Decca- and
ABC-distributed label. Not in the discography but in a llink to Bill Spooner,
later of the Tubes (http://www.billspooner.com), is a note that Spooner
played with Condello in a group noted as Phase 1 (or maybe that was the
album title) on Scepter in 1966. (Incidentally, the Spooner site links to
one of my all-time favorite satires - but not quite - "Prozak for Lovers"
by Bruce Lash. Even if you're not going to buy it, go here and listen:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/prozak )
Peter Lerner mentioned Matt Monro's "Softly As I Leave You". Till I knew
better, I'd thought it was Sinatra - then Sinatra did it, and not as well;
I could see how it would grab you. On a related note, find an early 1970s
movie called "Heroes" with Henry Winkler and Sally Field (an obscure
low-budget Viet Nam-era flick, but with some excellent moments, especially
the powerful finale). It closes with Kansas' "Carry On My Wayward Son".
Again, hardly my favorite song, but it clinched the final scene perfectly,
as if it had been written for it; I've never felt that song that way before
or since.
Ted, Jeff and Tony: I also have the Shaggy Boys 45 on UA - excellent Beach
Boys-style track. A Google search came up with only the following: "You and
Me" (no label mentioned) was #49 on a WFIL, Philadelphia survey from
December 12, 1966; and several mentions of a Red Bird release, 10-074, Stop
The Clock/In The Morning (1966). No trace of an album on Mercury. (There is,
however, a new a capella group of the same name at Iowa State University!)
Finally, apologies for the repetition on my earlier post re: radio. Hope
there was enough new stuff to be interesting anyway.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 9
Date: Mon, 06 Jan 2003 06:12:24 -0800
From: Jeffrey Glenn
Subject: Re: Jerry Cole - Midnight Mary
Mike:
> I wonder if we can squeeze one more in there while we are still in
> Artie's good graces. That would be "Midnight Mary" by Jerry Cole.
> Jerry was a big time session player in LA in the 60s and Sundazed
> have released a CD entitled "Power Surf - The Best Of Jerry Cole &
> His Spacemen". Midnight Mary is not on it. Can anyone help?
I can help out on this; I'll play it to musica once enough space opens up.
And thanks also to Mike Dugo for the Parade interview on
http://www.60sgaragebands.com
I thought that the "Freddie Allen" version of "We've Only Just Begun" had to
be the original; now I know for sure. :-)
I can also play this to musica if anyone is interested (and if Mr. Roberds
doesn't mind).
Jeff
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Message: 10
Date: Mon, 06 Jan 2003 18:43:28 -0000
From: Carol-Anne Lennie
Subject: Re: < < < < Party Talk > > > >
Mick Patrick wrote:
> Well, my head's a little clearer now, but my liver is still
> aquiver. Thanks for coming along, Carol-Anne. It's always nice
> to see a new face at such gatherings, especially a female one.
> Planet Spectropop can be a bit of a boys domain sometimes.
I am used to that, no worries!
> Keith B slaved over two VCRs to put together the video entertainment.
Loved the all-US (TV, that is) clips in the first half - much
entertainment value derived from the some of the clothing on show
(were the Merseybeats bribed into those shirts?!). Wonderful clips of
the Beach Boys and Sonny and Cher. Sadly had to make a dive for the
tube during all the fab 'RSG!' stuff later. Anyone recommend a CD
comp that's home to 'Cara-Lin'?
Thanks,
C-A x
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 11
Date: Mon, 06 Jan 2003 17:09:09 +0000
From: Simon White
Subject: Re: Sly Small Fries
Phil Milstein wrote:
> You cats are being given fair notice: until you take to repopulating
> musica, we fiends will continue flooding it with novelty trash! Now
> occupying precious space there is "Small Fries", a 1968 B-side by The
> French Fries, aka Sly & The Family Stone, recorded Chipmunks-style.
> Quite incongruously, the song itself seems to be about the respective
> band members' military experiences!
Loathe as I am to impart this info....the A side, "Danse A La Musique",
was a Northern Soul play....In the same vein, The Matta Baby "Do The
Pearl Girl".
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 12
Date: Mon, 06 Jan 2003 10:41:44 -0500
From: Jack Madani
Subject: Re: "less music being heard"
>...less music being HEARD. Most people are reluctant to buy a CD they have
> never heard. There is some great music being made out there. It's just that
> nobody gets to hear it without really searching it out.
On a related, if slight, topic, I note with sadness the gobbling up of
cdnow.com by amazon. Cdnow used to have way lots more music samples
available for listening, in addition to which the sound quality was better
as they offered windows media files as well as realaudio files. Now that
cdnow has been overtaken by amazon, however, they have adopted amazon's
database of sample sound files, which is far less complete, and which is
only in realaudio. Cdnow used to be a good way to listen to that music
before deciding whether to buy; sadly, no more. That's the way it goes, I
guess.
jack
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 13
Date: Mon, 06 Jan 2003 16:33:42 +0000
From: Simon White
Subject: Re: James Brown & Lyn Collins
Alexandra Dillard:
> I am also trying to locate a song by James Brown and Lyn Collins:
> This Guy's/This Girl's In Love With> You, based on the classic jazz
> song. This came out in 1972, I believe. Back then, side B was "What
> My Baby Needs Now Is A Little More Lovin". If you are able to
> communicate with the Godfather himself please tell him that I want
> this song.
Alex,
this one gets played [the flip ] a little on the "Modern Soul" scene in
the U.K. It's not too difficult to locate - I beleive I have one
[I certainly did have it] and I will keep an eye out for another for you.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 14
Date: Mon, 06 Jan 2003 08:54:37 -0700
From: Rex Strother
Subject: Re: Four Seasons-alikes
I've got a Four Seasons sound-alike question. I found a copy
of "Bermuda" in my perennial search for cover versions of this
song - but this one was done by KOOL CAD & THE TAILFINS on the
Crystal label (Germany? 1979?) It seems like a pretty straight
remake of the Four Seasons' doo-wop version of "Bermuda" on Gone,
which I already had. Can anyone tell me ANYTHING about Kool Cad
& The Tailfins?
Rex Strother
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 15
Date: Mon, 06 Jan 2003 18:31:59 -0000
From: Martin Roberts
Subject: Re. 4 Seasons etc.
Good to read Mike's posting on the Four Seasons: -
> Maybe it is time for the "on what songs did the 4 Seasons
> sing back-up" thread to unravel a little.
Maybe my earlier mention of Wade Flemons and Evan Mitchell
Four Seasons backed recordings of "Pollyanna" were just ahead
of the thread!
The Four Seasons were involved in so many. From memory (poor at
best) the following records I wrongly or rightly recall have a
Four Seasons backing:
The Four Kings - One Night - Can Am (one of my favourite, surprise
labels) is a blinding Four Seasons record in all but name.
Hal Miller/ The Rays - beside "An Angel Cried" already mentioned
by Mike - Are You Happy Now/Bright Brown Eyes - Perri and others.
Evan Mitchell - Dirty Lies - Mala (The B-Side, "I'll Wait" is a fab
clip cloppy Crewe production but with loud girly backing. Rag Dolls
anybody?)
Vic Thomas - Down The Stream To The River and Napoleon Bonaparte -
both on Philips. (Or was it thought to be the Four Evers on these?)
I guess these are enough to be getting on with/argued about, and all
are fandabedosey.
Martin
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Message: 16
Date: Mon, 06 Jan 2003 10:55:23 -0800
From: Kim Cooper
Subject: Last chance to attend the Bubblegum Achievement Awards
Dear Spectropoppers,
Just a quick note to alert anyone interested that 1-8 is the
deadline for getting tickets to the Bubblegum Achievement Awards
at the Magic Castle in Hollywood on 1-18. We're honoring Ritchie
Cordell, Artie Ripp, Mark Volman & Howard Kaylan (Mark is accepting
for Howard) and Toni Wine, and will have performances from Bobby Conn,
Monotrona, magician David Lovering, burlesque cutie Ginger Goldmine,
and (just added) Canned Hamm. Tickets including dinner and main stage
magic show are $69, or we have a limited number of Awards-only tickets
for $39. Please email me to reserve if you want to come, as tickets
are going fast.
regards,
Kim Cooper
editrix
Scram
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 17
Date: Mon, 06 Jan 2003 19:51:16 -0000
From: Elisabeth
Subject: Re: < < < < Party Talk > > > >
My turn!
First of all, the weather was on our side. After a rainy week,
Saturday turned out to be cold but sunny. This was a relief for
myself and the 'Nettes, who had to battle against melting liquid
eyeliner and wilting hairdos in the heat of the August party.
Third time lucky, they say - and it's true! This had to be the best
of all the S'pop parties I've gone to so far. Maybe it was the post
Christmas cheer, maybe it was the hairspray fumes...but there was an
extra crackle of excitement in the air. The icing on my cake had to
be getting to see lovely Sheila B. after a two year (and too long!)
break. The old partner in crime habits didn't take long to show up,
and we could have kept the party going way into the night if they'd
let us. Hic!
As for our set, we went for a whole slew of new songs, both seasonal
and non:
Christmas (baby please come home) (Actionettes)
Gee whiz it's Christmas (Actionettes)
It may be winter outside ('Nettes & Elisabeth)
Walking in the rain (Elisabeth)
Too many fish in the sea (Actionettes)
The bubble broke ('Nettes & Elisabeth)
*^*Da doo Happy Birthday!*^*
These boots are made for walkin' (Actionettes)
I feel love comin' on (Elisabeth)
The birthday song was for Mr. Patrick, of course - how we managed to
keep it secret from the guy who was throwing the party I'll never
know, but it was worth it to see the look of surprise on his face.
Well done Phil for thinking of it in the first place!
Big thanks to:
Phil - for running the technical side of things for our set on the
night, but especially for all his hard work on recording and mixing
my cd in time for the party. I am one lucky girl. (thank you to
everyone who snapped one up, too!)
MC Ian C - for his "bingo calling" extraordinaire.
Gwen - for creating my hairstyle - what a star! You know, I think it
even looked a bit like Julie Christie's 'do from the party scene in
Darling. And it lasted for two whole days! @((:-)
The 'Nettes - who, as usual, not only put on a fantastic show but
could be relied upon for last minute "does this look ok?" advice and
gluing on of eyelashes, i.e. girly moral support. Extra special
thanks go to Delia for whipping up the Lesley Gore and Felice Taylor
routines on top of her already busy Christmas show schedule.
It was also brilliant to finally have proper chats with Martin R.,
Keith B. and Peter L. amongst many others as well as meeting new
faces like Charlotte G. and so many others. And hello to cute little
Fred, who must have been the tiniest partygoer ever.
Others have already mentioned lots of other lovely things about the
night, such as the video screens and amazing music upstairs. So I
won't repeat except to say that it just created the most fabulous,
delicious and friendly atmosphere. I just wish Carole & Michael could
have been there too. And Keiko too!
What else can I say? 2002 has been well and truly fantastic, and a
lot of that has to do with Spectropop. Here's to another fab year.
Elisabeth x
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 18
Date: Mon, 06 Jan 2003 20:09:07 -0000
From: Guy Lawrence
Subject: Re: Gorshin's Riddler / Batmania
"Tymespan" wrote:
> Frank Gorshin Riddler is also on the Varese Sarabande CD : Batmania Songs
> Inspired by The Batman TV Series. A great compilation of Batman related
> tracks by Adam West, Burgess Meredith, Jan & Dean and LaVern Baker "Batman
> to the Rescue" done to the tune of Jim Dandy.
Just been on the Varese website at http://www.varesesarabande.com and
unfortunately it's now listed as out of print. Shame - the tracklisting's
still there and it does look excellent.
Regards,
Guy.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 19
Date: Mon, 06 Jan 2003 12:10:10 -0800 (PST)
From: Sven Olsen
Subject: Re: Spector or Wilson? Chicken or egg?
Previously:
> Correct me if the chronology doesn't check out, but This Could
> Be The Night always struck me as Spector's response to Pet Sounds
> - that chromatic harmonica, in particular.
> ... and the organ and bassoon(?) on the verses of "Walking In
> The Rain" by the Ronettes always struck me as the inspiration
> for some of the arrangements on Pet Sounds.
I think "Is This What I Get For Loving You Baby?" most obviously
influenced the instrumentation on Pet Sounds.
--SvenErik Olsen.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 20
Date: Tue, 07 Jan 2003 01:26:14 +0000
From: Simon White
Subject: Ginger
A question from an old friend of mine for the team -
> Was Ginger Commodore, who recently toured here with Judy Craig
> as the Chiffons (Laurie variety), anything to do with Ginger &
> the Chiffons ( a group much loved by girl group loonies).
Any help would be muchly muchly appreciated.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
End
