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Volume #0192 December 9, 1998
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Visual Sound Stereo
Subject: Re: Things Are Changing
Sent: 12/08/98 12:21 pm
Received: 12/09/98 7:42 am
From: R Teyes, RTXXXXXXXXom
To: Spectropop List, spectrXXXXXXXXties.com
To: Brad Elliot, Mark Landwher and Jamie LePage
From: Robert Tirado
It may be of interest to you that I have tried unsuccessfully to
contact Fitzpatrick & Fogerty re the following: Yes, there was a
45 produced in Puerto Rico with Lucecita and Julio Angel in the
60's. My buddy John Rausch (the Ronettes' webmaster) initially
brought the subject up to me. I recall the 45 in those days (I was
born in PR but raised in New York City). On one of my many trips
there, I had befriended Lucecita, for whom John Rausch has
graciously helped me develop a web page. Phil Spector and Chappel
Music along with Trio, Screen Gems, etc. were going to sue
Lucecita's manager Alfred D. Herger because he had recorded in
Spanish by Lucecita (Lucy) "Be My Baby", "Then He Kissed Me" and a
few others in the respective catalog of each company-and because
Herger had not paid licensing and royalty fees. Remember, Lucecita
was an up and coming singer and really an ingenue in the field.
Same with Julio Angel. They all went to the Tribuna (court in PR)
and all parties settled out of court. Part of Phil Spector's
settlement besides the $$$$, was that Herger record both Lucecita
and Julio Angel in "Things Are Changing". This was done
expediently in such a fashion that the nearly broke Herger asked
Phil if he could use the backing tracks of the Supremes and Phil
relented. (Rumor had it that Phil owed the IRS $$$ and he would
take this Spanish version of "Things.." as a loss not knowing that
PR favored Lucecita's version so much that bootleg copies were done
since only 80 45 copies were produced and only for the radio
stations. If you visit my web page on Lucecita, I have placed a
graphic on the 45 from a book by a buddy Javier Santiago. (This is
what I wanted to share with Fitzpatrick & Fogerty). You don't need
to go through the whole web site- just visit :
http://geocities.com/westhollywood/7415/memorabilia2.html
Lucecita told me some years ago about the court hearing that day
in the 60's and how nervous she was but how everything fell into
place. Lucecita is today considered the national singing voice of
PR much like Marion Anderson was to the mainland US...Thanks guys
and John Rausch you know how I feel about you already...Robert the
Ronette Hound (and Lucecita hound!)
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Subject: songwriting credits
Sent: 12/06/98 12:54 pm
Received: 12/06/98 10:50 pm
From: dave prokopy, proXXXXXXXXt.net
To: Spectropop List, spectrXXXXXXXXties.com
> As for the writing credit on "Things Are Changing," it can be
> argued that if you create a new melody over the rhythm track for
> another song, it's a new song and you don't have to credit the
> original song's authors.
not exactly. if the MUSIC was still written by someone else -
despite whether you changed the actual melody of the lead or not -
then they're still entitled to a partial songwriting credit.
why do you think brian was forced to give partial (well, actually,
at the time, entire) credit to chuck berry for "surfin' USA," even
though brian's version had an entirely different melody?
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Subject: Things Are Changing
Sent: 12/07/98 1:05 am
Received: 12/07/98 7:49 am
From: Mark Landwehr, msXXXXXXXXbs.com
To: Spectropop List, SpectrXXXXXXXXties.com
> Whoa! Phil may have produced it, but he certainly didn't write it!
> The unreleased Spector production was a Darlene Love version of
> "Don't Hurt My Little Sister," written by Brian and given to
> Spector.
>
OK, Brad, but you then say...
> So, in all fairness, I think the writing credit for "Things Are
> Changing" should be Wilson-Spector.
>
Actually, I think were talking "chicken-egg" stuff here...I was
referring to the "Things..." version, not the "Don't Hurt..." tune.
Whether written by Brian for Darlene or Ronnie, when Phil got
hold of the tune for the public service project, he "altered" it
enough to put himself down as co-writer (Phil did this many times
in his Philles days, and it p.o.'ed writers such as
Barry-Greenwich and Mann-Weil).
And, as for the original thread from Scott Bauman re: Brian's
lawyers possibly being informed because Spector is listed as "sole
author" of "Things..." on the Supremes anthology, remember that
this was a public service announcement...all royalties were most
likely waived, so why litigate? Lawyers don't care if $$$ ain't
involved...and Brian probably doesn't care, either.
Mark (Philles Phanatic)
http://www.toltbbs.com/~msland/Spector/index.htm
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Subject: Harpers Bizarre
Sent: 12/08/98 8:06 am
Received: 12/09/98 7:42 am
From: MUV9XXXXXXXXnt2.lu.se
To: Spectropop List, spectrXXXXXXXXties.com
Someone on the list told me a couple of weeks ago that all of HP's
albums have been reissued by Warner in Japan, and I've found stores
on the net who sell them BUT...they're all too expensive for me,
being a "poor student" and all....so would some kind person on
this list please make me a tape or two of their two first albums +
their last ("4")?? That is, every record except for The Secret Life
which I already have.
Pleeeeeeaze? I'll be yr friend/lover/pet for life :)
Tobias
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Subject: Murmaids
Sent: 12/06/98 11:00 am
Received: 12/06/98 12:33 pm
From: Paul Urbahns, PaulurXXXXXXXXom
To: Spectropop List, spectrXXXXXXXXties.com
In a message dated 11/30/98 6:12:57 PM EST, spectrXXXXXXXXities.com
writes:
>It sported the original
>Chattahoochee label and had excellent sound quality so I thought
>it was legit. . .WRONG, it was a boot. . .WHOOPS! But they all had
>a laugh 'cause the photos on the cover weren't even of them. In
>fact, since they recorded them in 1963, they hadn't even heard the
>songs until Collectables acquired them for their recent CD release.
The Collectables may be a boot too as It sounds like its made
off the same tape, only one new song (I think) I wish they had put
on the instrumental B side to Pop.. it was called Huntington Flats.
Paul Urbahns
paulurXXXXXXXXom
Did they record any songs not on the Collectables?
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Subject: Peggy March
Sent: 12/06/98 10:59 am
Received: 12/06/98 12:33 pm
From: Paul Urbahns, PaulurXXXXXXXXom
To: Spectropop List, spectrXXXXXXXXties.com
In a message dated 12/2/98 6:09:34 PM EST, spectrXXXXXXXXities.com writes:
<< Are there any other Peggy March compilations available in the
US? >>
Stay away from the Collectables CD, it's made by Special products
divsion at BMG and thay don't seem to know anything. The best one
is on Taragon. I am not impressed by Collectables, they use the
wrong versions on 45's and some of the CD's are from albums. My
Angels is even though they claim they had a tape. Of course some
may be remastered but there is no way of telling what you are
getting. They don't know oldies music. Period. I'd look elsewhere.
Paul Urbahns
PaulurXXXXXXXXom
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Subject: Peggy March
Sent: 12/07/98 2:10 am
Received: 12/07/98 7:49 am
From: Paul Urbahns, PaulurXXXXXXXXom
To: Spectropop List, spectrXXXXXXXXties.com
In a message dated 12/5/98 10:34:47 PM EST, spectrXXXXXXXXities.com
writes:
>And there are a lot of foreign-language recordings Taragon
>could have used. Because her tender years made touring in the US
>problematical in 1963, Peggy left the US and lived in Europe for
>many years. There she had numerous German, Japanese, French,
>Italian, and Spanish hits. This success gave her a great career
>overall, but left her largely regarded in the US as a "One Hit
>Wonder," which she definitely is not.
I have a German CD ,maybe on bear Family, of about 30 of her
German recordings, really good stuff even if I don't understand
the words. But if I remember right I Will Follow Him is not on it.
The german comps I've seen use the English version.
The original French version of the song was recorded by Petula
Clark (in French) and I have it on a Japanse CD.
Paul Urbahns
paulurXXXXXXXXom
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Subject: Please Be My Boyfriend
Sent: 12/08/98 6:05 pm
Received: 12/09/98 7:42 am
From: Jamie LePage, le_pageXXXXXXXXties.com
To: Spectropop List, spectrXXXXXXXXties.com
Ever since Barbara Alston joined the list, I have wanted to ask
about what might very well be the greatest unsolved mystery of the
Phil Spector story. How about it Babs? Can you fill in any of the
blanks on this? Anyone else?
The song in question is Please Be My Boyfriend, which became
widely known amongst girl group fans from a photo of a studio
tracking sheet in Alan Betrock's book on the girl group sound. The
tracking sheet indicates that a Crystals recording session was
held at Broadway Recording Studios on July 9, 1964, and an overdub
session (vocal dubbing?) was held on August 4.
What was this session? Who produced it? It sure doesn't sound like
a typical Wall of Sound Spector production. Even though "All Grown
Up" and "Little Boy" were both released in 1964, they were both
recorded much earlier the previous year, in L.A., with the typical
Nitzsche arrangement and Spector Wall production. By contrast, the
1964 Please Be My Boyfriend track is sparse in arrangement, doesn't
sound like Nitzsche and was recorded in N. Y.
Who are the vocalists? Is this the real Crystals, and if so, who
is on lead?
Also, who wrote this song? It has been suggested that it may be
written by Barry/Greenwich, and while I agree it sounds like it
could have been written by them, if memory serves Spector wasn't
very happy with Jeff & Ellie at the time due to their involvement
with Leiber and Stoller's Red Bird label. If it is Barry/Greenwich,
perhaps Phil intentionally solicited a one of their songs in
spite knowing that the recording was destined to remain incomplete.
I have not been able to find any copyright information on Please
Be My Boyfriend at all. However, in researching this I discovered
a little oddity: There is a song in the Mother Bertha catalog
entitled "I Want You To Be My Boyfriend." The writers: Spector/
Barry/Greenwich. But here is the oddest thing about this. The
first date of copyright is January 1, 1990!!! Mother Bertha
controls only Phil's share of the song. I wonder if Jeff & Ellie
have this song under copyright, and if so, is the year of
copyright 1990? I have never heard of a recording of this song; to
the best of my knowledge the song has never been released
commercially. I seriously doubt Phil wrote this with Jeff & Ellie
in 1990, and somehow I Want You To Be My Boyfriend doesn't sound
like a song title for the '90's.
Theory time! I guess these are one and the same song and Jeff
Barry produced the session in Phil's absence. If so, it could be
that no one bothered registering the song at the time because
nothing ever came of it. Then, after Alan Betrock's book drew
attention to this session, and the subsequent unofficial
circulation of the unfinished recording, Phil registered the song
with Mother Bertha but somehow mixed up the title.
This is just a theory, and if anyone can debunk or corroborate it,
please do!
And Babs! If you or any of the other Crystals can help here it
would be most appreciated. This may have been the final Crystals
session for Philles. It would be great to learn that Jeff and
Ellie indeed wrote and produced the song. Any info, please post!
Thanks,
Jamie
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Subject: Popscicles And Icicles
Sent: 12/08/98 2:00 am
Received: 12/08/98 7:18 am
From: Paul Urbahns, PaulurXXXXXXXXom
To: Spectropop List, spectrXXXXXXXXties.com
Does anybody on the list have further information on the song?
This is a post (sorry about the caps that's the way I got it) from
Mike Marvin a true oldies fan that works at a local station.
"AS PER OUR PHONE CONVERSATION, THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT
ENDINGS TO THE MURMAIDS' "POPSICLES AND ICICLES". THE ORIGINAL 45
VERSION HAD A VERY TIGHT COLD ENDING. THE VERSION THAT APPEARED ON
THE MURMAIDS ALBUM THAT WAS ISSUED IN 1980 HAS A SLIGHT FADE, THAT
IS THAT SAME ORGAN CHORD STARTS TO FADE BUT STILL ENDS COLD. THERE
IS A THIRD VERSION THAT HAS AN ADDED GUITAR NOTE WITH SOME KNOCKING
DRUMS. WITH ALL THESE, I'M SURPRISED THERE IS NO STEREO VERSION.
THE SONG WAS RECORDED AT GOLD STAR STUDIOS IN L.A.. AT THAT TIME,
THE STUDIO HAD THREE TRACKS, SO IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR A STEREO MIX
TO BE DONE. AFTER ALL ON THE MURMAIDS CD, THERE WAS A STEREO TRACK
, CALLED "HE'S GOOD TO ME". THE BASIC TRACK WAS ON THE LEFT
CHANNEL, AND THE VOCALS WERE IN THE CENTER AND RIGHT CHANNEL..
HMMM IT WOULD SOUND BETTER, IF THE VOCALS WERE ON THE LEFT AND
RIGHT CHANNELS, WITH THE MUSIC CENTERED. NOT A BAD SONG EITHER.
SOUNDS LIKE A SHELLEY FABARES SONG. "
Any comments out there?
Paul Urbahns
paulurXXXXXXXXom
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