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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 14 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Lightning Strikes!!!!!!!!!
From: Tony Leong
2. Re: Another Mystery 45 - The Jam "Somethings Gone" 1972
From: Billy G. Spradlin
3. Re: The Three Degrees
From: Eddy Smit
4. Re: Maggie Stredder
From: Keith Moore
5. Re: The Three Degrees
From: Mike Stachurski
6. Re: Jeff Barry
From: Stuffed Animal
7. Metropolitan Soul Show
From: Simon White
8. Re: Another Mystery 45 - The Jam "Somethings Gone" 1972
From: Mark Frumento
9. Laura Nyro Background Singers
From: David Feldman
10. Jack Nitzsche Update
From: Martin Roberts
11. Rare Bacharach
From: David Feldman
12. Knock Three Times
From: Sean
13. Jeff Barry song "Is It Me?"
From: Michael Edwards
14. Re: The Three Degrees
From: Mike Stachurski
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Message: 1
Date: Sat, 02 Aug 2003 04:59:33 -0000
From: Tony Leong
Subject: Lightning Strikes!!!!!!!!!
Hey gang:
It's so funny how "Lightning Strikes" just played on the radio
(and there is a bit of a monsoon here in New York), and it
reminded me of the recent posts about the background singers of
the song. Denise Ferri said it was her along with Bernadette and
Peggy singing with Lou, not Ellie and Toni, or the Tammys (whoever
they were). Well, even Lou Christie had told me himself that it
was Denise, Peggy, and Bernadette for those sessions (I often bump
into Lou in the theatre district where he lives!!!).
Many session singers today sometimes get confused on songs that
they actually sang on over 35 years ago (that's not uncommon).
Sessions tend to blur I guess, especially when there may have been
several a day back then. Then funny enough, singers tend to be
brought in to read off a battery of songs later to be released
under a different name (just ask Margaret Ross of the Coookies!!!!).
Or certain singers sang the demo or rehearsal takes, and then other
voices were overdubbed (ask those Philles girls!!!).
Ho hum, I wish that out of curiousity sake, session personnel
sheets accompanied CD booklets for these compilations that are
out now. Sure, the music is good, but I personally like to see
exactly WHO was involved in the making of the records!!!!!!
Tony Leong
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Message: 2
Date: Sat, 02 Aug 2003 10:41:46 -0000
From: Billy G. Spradlin
Subject: Re: Another Mystery 45 - The Jam "Somethings Gone" 1972
Replying to my own message - I did find a little bit of information
about the record on the Fuzz Acid and Flowers website.
"This seems to have been a one-off venture produced by Seymour Stein,
who later discovered The Ramones (???). The flip, a fine example of
baroque-pop with strong vocals, harmonies and some good upfront
Hammond organ, has resurfaced on Pebbles, Vol. 12 (LP)."
Its not really Spectropop material but the song's so catchy I had
to play it. Just don't play it before going to work in the morning
because the hook will stay in your head for hours.
Billy
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Message: 3
Date: Sat, 02 Aug 2003 12:43:56 +0200
From: Eddy Smit
Subject: Re: The Three Degrees
Mike Rashkow:
> No one, in my time with this group, has mentioned The
> Three Degrees.
Thanks for bringing up Prince Charles' favorites, Mike. But
whaddaya mean "their one big hit" ? At least in the UK it was
their only #1, but they hit top 20 with Year Of Decision (#13),
Take good care of yourself (#9), Givin' Up givin' In (#12),
Woman in Love (#3), The Runner (#10) and My Simple Heart (#9).
I'm very much surprised not seeing Dirty Old Man amongst these
as this was probably their biggest hit on mainland Europe. Does
anybody know, is that them on MFSB's "It may be Winter Outside"?
In any case, it's definitely one of the best Xmas song Spector
never made.
Eddy
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Message: 4
Date: Sat, 02 Aug 2003 12:21:12 -0000
From: Keith Moore
Subject: Re: Maggie Stredder
The e-mail address for Showbiz Publications shown in my last
message is not quite as I typed it. The last bit is shown in
the book as @AOL.com - Should be aol.com
Keith
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Message: 5
Date: Sun, 03 Aug 2003 01:03:45 +1200
From: Mike Stachurski
Subject: Re: The Three Degrees
Mike Rashkow:
> No one, in my time with this group, has mentioned The Three
> Degrees. Wonderful girls group out of Philly and did tons
> and tons of backgrounds before and after they got their one
> big hit. "When Will I See You Again" I think it was.
Well said Mike,
Yep, in '74... They also had a hit with a track called
"Dirty Old Man" - (or at least they did in NZ)
Mike Stachurski,
Librarian-in-training,
DUNEDIN, NZ
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Message: 6
Date: Sat, 02 Aug 2003 16:11:00 +0000
From: Stuffed Animal
Subject: Re: Jeff Barry
Mike Edwards:
> Incidentally, Stuff, have you heard Jeff Barry Singing
> "Welcome Home" (the Shelley Fabares/Frankie Avalon title)?
> He sounds a lot like Eddie Rambeau on this one. How about
> the Rover Boys with Barry-Raleigh's "Is It Me". Both nice.
> Let me know if there's any interest.
I have a copy of the Jeff Barry single "We Got Love Money Can't
Buy" b/w "Welcome Home". Yes, the flipside is good, much better
than the A-side . . . I can't understand how Leiber and Stoller
(the producers) would let such a pedestrian Pomus-Shuman track
see the light of day! The melody and arrangement leave me
absolutely cold. I only know "Is It Me" from the demo version
Jeff sang on the Belgian bootleg compilation that came out a
couple of years ago. Another very good song.
Stuff
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Message: 7
Date: Sat, 02 Aug 2003 17:19:00 +0100
From: Simon White
Subject: Metropolitan Soul Show
This SUNDAY at 2pm-4pm GMT on Soul 24-7
http://www.soul24-7.com/index.htm
The Worlds Greatest Soul Music URL.
The METROPOLITAN SOUL SHOW - Live every Week!
2 solid hours of NORTHERN, 60s and 70s Soul
This weeks host -
The Utterly Marvellous Simon White.
http://www.soul24-7.com/djs/djmet.htm
MORE MUSIC, LESS TALK!
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Message: 8
Date: Sat, 02 Aug 2003 19:03:42 -0000
From: Mark Frumento
Subject: Re: Another Mystery 45 - The Jam "Somethings Gone" 1972
Billy - I've been seeking the record as well. I believe there
were stock copies and I think they go for big bucks. I love
the organ on "Somethings Gone".
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Message: 9
Date: Sat, 02 Aug 2003 16:36:18 -0400
From: David Feldman
Subject: Laura Nyro Background Singers
Tony Leong asked:
> Does anybody know who the background singers were on
> Laura Nyro's original recordings of "Wedding Bell Blues"
> and "Stoney End" (yes, Laura recorded that in 1966 long
> before the Blossoms and Ms. Barbra!!!!)?
Joey G. responded:
> Hi Tony..even on the re-issue columbia LINER NOTES it gives
> no mention...Originally on Verve/Forecast....I would probably
> say the Blossoms(Verve is an MGM sub...in 1967)..only would
> make sense.
Then Tony found enlightenment:
> Joey Sir - I would've thought your name would be Joey "P"!!!!
> I got the answer about Laura Nyro's backgrounders from a Laura
> aficionado--it was a group called the Hi-Fashions that were
> signed to a DynoVoice subsidiary. No, it was not the Blossoms
> backing Laura on those great cuts of hers. Remember, Laura cut
> her earliest stuff in New York in 1966. Back then, the Blossoms
> never left Los Angeles, but true that they were signed to Verve/MGM.
And now Dave Feldman, who doesn't have much to add but wants some
payoff for the cutting and pasting, adds feebly:
Just a reminder that there are two editions of Laura Nyro's first
album. One has a full lyric sheet on the back. The other has extensive
liner notes by Bob Shelton. On the latter, Shelton mentions that Laura
has backup help by the "High Fashions" (note spelling). I wouldn't
assume that Nyro herself wasn't doing backing tracks as well; she did
so to stunning effect on her subsequent albums. It's stunning how Nyro
seemed to emerge at birth as a mature artist. Has any teenager ever
written and performed at the level of "First Songs" and "Eli & the
Thirteenth Confession?" I can't think of any.
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Message: 10
Date: Sun, 03 Aug 2003 00:30:41 +0100
From: Martin Roberts
Subject: Jack Nitzsche Update
It was a close contest between two of my favourite artists
and records, but the winner of The Record Of The Week on the
home page, http://www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/index.htm
is the gorgeous Jackie DeShannon singing "Dancing Silhouettes".
I'd guess you might be seeing Lou Christie back in the fray
another week. For next week, it's between Dodie Stevens with
"Does Goodnight Mean Goodbye" on Dolton or Timi Yuro's version
of "Could This Be Magic" on Mercury. Another hard choice!
On The Radio, http://www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/radio.htm
is playing "KHJ8 Adventure".
And the discography page has some new additions at
http://www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/discography.htm
Martin
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Message: 11
Date: Sat, 02 Aug 2003 16:46:22 -0400
From: David Feldman
Subject: Rare Bacharach
Guy Lawrence:
> An amazing new Bacharach compilation has just come to my
> attention and I don't think it's been discussed here yet.
> It's entitled "Rare Bacharach" and is brought to us by the
> good people at Raven Records http://www.ravenrecords.com.au/
I didn't know about it until your post, but I just bought it
from Amazon Marketplace, used, for $20. Several copies are
available for slightly more there and at http://half.com
(factory sealed). Thanks for the heads up!
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Message: 12
Date: Sat, 02 Aug 2003 20:07:22 EDT
From: Sean
Subject: Knock Three Times
I love this song [Knock Three Times] by Tony Orlando and Dawn
but now that someone was mentioning Ellie Greenwich possibly
singing on "Lightning Strikes", I heard that Ellie and someone
else (not one of Dawn) were backing up Tony on this song. Does
anyone know if that's true?
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Message: 13
Date: Sat, 02 Aug 2003 20:32:24 -0400
From: Michael Edwards
Subject: Jeff Barry song "Is It Me?"
Stuff writes:
> I only know "Is It Me" from the demo version
> Jeff sang on the Belgian bootleg compilation that came
> out a couple of years ago. Another very good song.
The Rover Boys' version (UA, 1961) is now playing on musica
for Brill Building fans everywhere. The group sounds like a
lite version of Jay & The Americans. Enjoy,
Mike
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Message: 14
Date: Sun, 03 Aug 2003 12:44:02 +1200
From: Mike Stachurski
Subject: Re: The Three Degrees
Eddy:
> Does anybody know, is that them on MFSB's "It May Be Winter
> Outside"?
Eddy,
And, of course, they did back-up on MFSB's "TSOP" in 74...
Mike Stachurski,
Librarian-in-training,
DUNEDIN, NZ
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