__________________________________________________________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ S P E C T R O P O P __________ __________ __________ __________________________________________________________ Volume #0270 June 9, 1999 __________________________________________________________ A spectacularly complete kind of music-making Subject: Re: Vogues "You're The One" Received: 06/09/99 12:29 am >From: Michael Coxxxx1.com To: Spectropop List, spectxxxities.com Stewart's and Dave's comments about the Vogues rendition of "You're The One" brings back lots of memories. Though Petula Clark's version did appear on her "I Know A Place" lp, it was never released as a single. The Vogues single hit my neck of the woods (Raleigh, NC) like a ton of bricks, with almost every local combo (we didn't call them/us "bands"), doing their own cover - its was sooo danceable and sooo garage-pop - a popular song with the crowds and so fun to play. The Vogues began in Pittsburgh as a doo-wop group called the Val-Aires (they returned to that sound with "Turn Around, Look At Me" and "My Special Angel"). Man, Pittsburgh of the early 60's must have been a hoppin' place, with the Caravelles, the Marcels, the Del-Vikings, Lou Christie, Chuck Jackson and Val-Aires/ Vogues. A wonderful fusion of R&B, R&R and pop - my kind of sound... - michael --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- Subject: Soft Pop's Birth Received: 06/09/99 1:18 am >From: chuck, chxxxo.com To: Spectropop List, spectxxxities.com Hello to the list and thanks for all the intelligent and fun posts I've read so far. I'm a new member and a short introduction I think is in order. My first record was "He's a Rebel" and I have enjoyed the wall of sound and 50/ 60s music ever since. I have an enormous 45 record collection from that time. I live in New Orleans. I have developed a recent interest in the concept of soft rock/pop music, (I've always liked the songs) I've been thinking about the origins of this soft pop music and I personally believe you can look to big band ballads of the 40's or doo wop songs of the 50's and catch a glimpse at grandparents of soft pop. It recently came to my attention that Patience & Prudence released their 2 singles in 1956. It seems to me the best definition of these 2 songs is soft pop or soft rock. I can't imagine calling them anything else. Please help me with any insights you have on this. Could these be the first soft pop songs? One more observation. For those of you that own the Rhino box set, "Nuggets", isn't it amazing how it comes to a screeching uturn when "Sit Down I Think I Love You" comes on, followed by a couple of other soft pop songs. Thanks for a great list Chuck Michael "Doc Rock" Kelly, docxxx.com wrote > > The trio taped a seven-minute version called "Come Softly." > When the professional version was recorded, the title > was changed for reasons of taste, and Soft Rock was born! --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- Subject: Claudine Longet/King Cousins Received: 06/09/99 12:29 am >From: Ian Chapman, iaxxxalnet.co.uk To: Spectropop List, spectxxxities.com Tobias wrote: > .................the flyer lists two > artists I haven't heard of. Claudine Longet's "Love Is > Blue" (A&M, 1968) and The Four King Cousins' "Introducing..." > (Capitol, 1968)...the covers look great...what kind of > music did they make? The heading says "soft rock - late > sixties dreamy pops [sic]. dedicated to roger nichols"..... > > Come to think of it, I have The Four King Cousins's cover > of Love So Fine on tape, and it's brilliant! Is it from > "Introducing..."? > > Tobias Tobias: I'm sure this won't be the only reply to tell you that Parisian-born Claudine Longet was once the wife of Andy Williams, and she made several albums and singles for A&M in the late 60s/early 70s. She sang in a wispy French accent (had Priscilla Paris been born in France, she would have sounded like this!) and her repertoire sat comfortably next to the likes of Sergio Mendes and Burt Bacharach. Several nice tracks to choose, my personal faves being " Small Talk" (better known by Lesley Gore) and the terrific "I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You". After she and Andy had divorced, things went rapidly er, downhill you might say, for Claudine. In 1976, in Aspen, she shot her boyfriend, champion skier Vladimir "Spider" Sabich, who, it was believed, was about to end the relationship. She was convicted of "criminally negligent homicide" and it was labelled a misdemeanour. The outcome of the trial was a controversial one, and the media was awash with "accidental or deliberate?" theories at the time. Claudine spent just 30 days in jail. Some - especially Sabich's family - believed she got off lightly. Claudine had reason to be thankful she had a high-powered defense attorney in her corner - in fact she later married him! Apparently the couple still live in Aspen. The King Cousins? Am I correct in thinking these were the collective offspring of the King Sisters? No whiff of scandal there, I'm sure......... Ian (Spectropop Babylon rules!) --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- Subject: Introducing the Four King Cousins Received: 06/09/99 12:29 am >From: Jack Madani, Jack_Mxxxk12.nj.us To: Spectropop List, spectxxxities.com spectxxxities.com writes: >Come to think of it, I have The Four King Cousins's cover >of Love So Fine on tape, and it's brilliant! Is it from >"Introducing..."? yes, Tober. It's a fantastic album, just outtasite. They do a marvelous job on the Beach Boy classic God Only Knows --they change the phrasing on the opening couplet so that it makes far more sense to the listener. But every cut on their album is good. It'd make a natural twofer with Roger Nichols' Small Circle of Friends. and leave us not forget the 4KC's include one Tina Cole, Robbie Douglas's wife and mother of the triplets on My Three Sons. All my friends were going gaga over Jeannie and Samantha Stevens; my total heartthrobs were Katie Douglas and Mrs. Maxwell Smart (aka 99). Oh Katie! BTW, just saw Tina Cole on an episode of Adam-12. Her hair was all different, almost skanky, but you couldn't hide those bright eyes and perky disposition. Officer Malloy had the hots for her. One other quick note: Robbie Douglas was in the Yellow Balloon. But I think we may have already covered that before. jack ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jack Madani - Princeton Day School, The Great Road, Princeton, NJ 08540 Jack_Mxxxk12.nj.us "You knew the job was dangerous when you took it, Fred." --Henry Cabot Henhouse III ------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- Subject: Claudine Longet Received: 06/09/99 12:29 am >From: Paul Urbahns, Pauluxxxcom To: Spectropop List, spectxxxities.com Tobias, I have most everything Claudine Longet recorded, she had a very light (almost whispering voice that was very popular with DJ's (most of which were guys) in the 60s. I am still looking for "Sugar Me" if anyone on the Spectropop List has it please let me know. She co-starred with Peter Sellers in The Party and sang the title song for the movie "A Flea In Her Ear" which starred Rex Harrison. Paul Urbahns pauluxxxcom --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- Subject: Claudine Longet/Hamilton Camp Received: 06/09/99 12:29 am >From: Stewart Mason, flaxxx.com To: Spectropop List, spectxxxities.com Tobias asked: >I found a flyer a Japanese guy once sent me along with a >tape of Roger Nichols' album. Next to RN, Harpers Bizarre, >Chris Montez and The Free Design, the flyer lists two >artists I haven't heard of. Claudine Longet's "Love Is >Blue" (A&M, 1968) and The Four King Cousins' "Introducing..." >(Capitol, 1968)...the covers look great...what kind of >music did they make? I have the lovely Claudine's LOVE IS BLUE and it's excellent late-60s adult pop somewhere between the late albums by Astrud Gilberto and PORTRAIT OF PETULA-era Pet Clark. Besides a wonderful rendition of Paul Mauriat's classic title track (fans of this song should find Future Bible Heroes' 1997 EP LONELY DAYS, which has a beautiful synth-based version), the album's highlight is Randy Newman's "Snow," a remarkably pretty song delivered in Claudine's endearing voice, which has both a heavy French accent and a noticeable lisp, which makes everything she sings sound like baby talk. I think her voice is adorable, but if you're not a fan of either Astrud or the current crop of artless female indiepop singers with wispy voices and wobbly pitch, you might find it kinda irritating. Fans of the 70s golden age of Saturday Night Live might remember an incredibly mean-spirited and very funny piece called "The Claudine Longet Invitational," aired sometime after Claudine (she claimed accidentally) shot her professional-skier boyfriend. The sketch is nothing but film clips of skiers wiping out, accompanied by gunshots and an announcer exclaiming, "Oh no! He's just been accidentally shot by Claudine Longet!" Other biographical trivia: during her fairly brief late-60s recording career, Claudine was married to Andy Williams. And then Dave Feldman shares in my joy: >> Hamilton Camp -- "Here's To You" / "Leavin' Anyhow" >> >But I love the "Here's To You" album. To me, it opened up >Camp emotionally in the same kind of way that "Pleasures >of the Harbor" did to Phil Ochs. I have to admit my >favorite Camp song is his most commercial and pop-ish -- >"Here's To You" -- and it just killed me when this wasn't a >big hit single (I think it rose to the nether-regions of >the Hot 100), but I'm fond of the whole first side of the >album. I'm right with Dave on this one, "Here's To You" is an incredible single, with this unbelievably catchy scatted chorus that will not leave your head for hours. The closest analogue I can think of would be Nilsson's first two albums, which may help explain why, sadly, the song was not a hit; it's wonderful but it's just slightly too odd to really break through big. >The sound of Here's To You is quite different from >all of his earlier albums -- you might recognize a few of >the names: Van Dyke Parks; Larry Knechtel; Hal Blaine >AND Earl Palmer; Bud Shank, used to great effect on flute, >among others. Along with some of Tim Hardin's best work, >this album includes some of my favorite folk-jazz fusions. And here Dave says the magic words. What does my idol Van Dyke do on this album? I suppose a CD reissue is too much to hope for, but is the vinyl at all easy to locate? Oh, and I forgot to mention two of my other finds of the singles spree: Dino, Desi and Billy's "I'm A Fool" is now one of my favorite "Louie Louie" ripoffs, and I'm amazed that Adam Faith's delirious "It's Alright" didn't become a frat-rock perennial. Stewart NP: Where's You Learn To Kiss That Way? -- The Field Mice --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- Subject: Ladybug Transistor Received: 06/09/99 12:29 am >From: Dave Mirich, Dmxxxcom To: Spectropop List, spectxxxities.com How funny, reading my post about Ladybug Transistor, I noticed that I didn't do a very good job editing. Because I use a voice dictation system, sometimes things slide past me. For example, I said in my post that their sound "is unique to might years". Obviously, the voice dictation systems must have known that what I really was saying was "it is unique to my ears". Also, I meant to say that their most recent CD is very worthwhile, whereas their first CD is a bit too conceptual for me. Dave Mirich --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- Subject: music to watch [the] girls [go] by Received: 06/09/99 12:29 am >From: Jack Madani, Jack_Mxxxk12.nj.us To: Spectropop List, spectxxxities.com Having now become interested in .mp3, I have managed to find an awesome file somewhere in the internet of Andy Williams singing the Bob Crewe number, "Music To Watch The Girls Go By." [sic] It's a bit more uptempo than Crewe's instrumental version, and it has something of the air of a Julius Wechter number, but it still rocks, and it's got the fuzz guitar on the opening. The lyrics are kinda groovy, too: "...which is the name of the game watch a guy watch a dame on any street in town...." On the middle section, Andy breaks into two-part harmony a la Skeeter Davis or Vikki Carr on her early poppish numbers, or even Andy Williams on "Can't Get Used To Losing You." Oh wait, I already *am* talking about Andy Williams, aren't I? Has to be Hal Blaine on the drums, too. How many scores of great recordings in the "big beat" "young" style are there by such older generation singers as Williams, Carr, Dean Martin, and so forth? I bet there's a bazillion. I even like those Sonny Burke-arranged Sinatra numbers. Note to Tobywan Kenobe: Andy Williams was married to Claudine Longet when she did that thing she did that nobody talks about in polite company..... jack ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jack Madani - Princeton Day School, The Great Road, Princeton, NJ 08540 Jack_Mxxxk12.nj.us "You knew the job was dangerous when you took it, Fred." --Henry Cabot Henhouse III ------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- Subject: Re: The Case Of The Missing Vocals Received: 06/09/99 12:29 am >From: Big L, xxxetmail.com To: Spectropop List, spectxxxities.com > I have a question which occured to me today while I was > listening to my local oldies station--they were playing > The Mamas and the Papas "California Dreamin" and the > vocals had somehow all but been wiped off the track, along > with some of the backing. This is from a few issues back - sorry, just getting caught up on my e-mail. The M's & P's were one group, that for some reason, always seemed to monkey with the mix on stereo album versions as opposed to the mono single version. I never noticed it that much on "California Dreamin'," but take "I Saw Her Again Last Night" - on the stereo mix, the lead vocal is almost non existent. Other songs of theirs that were changed when issued in stereo were "Words Of Love" and "Creeque Alley." Re The 5th Dimension: I had a 8 track of "Stoned Soul Picnic" that I wore out. My favorite cut: "It'll Never Be The Same Again," one of the few that featured a solo lead by Billy Davis, Jr. A powerful song. "Lovin' Stew" is also very good. I wish I could find that album again, or get a taped dub. I dubbed the 8 track in it's later days, but hiss and drag do not a good listening experience make. == Big L Check out my Radio Legends pages at: xxxetmail.com http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/9816 --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- Subject: Records I picked up today Received: 06/09/99 12:29 am >From: Ygdrasil Ivanisevic, wuxxxet.se To: Spectropop List, spectxxxities.com xxxrlog.com Found some really great records today: *** V/A - "Easy Listening Moods - A Classic Compilation" (A&M). The title is *very* misleading, it should say "Soft Rock Moods" instead! Probably the greatest compilation I've heard in a long long time...the tracklisting is: Alan Copeland Singers - "This Guy's In Love..." Sergio Mendes - The Fool On The Hill Liza Minelli - Leaving On A Jet Plane [this one is AMAZING!!!] Chris Montez - The More I See You The Sandpipers - Guantenamera B. Bacharach - South American Getaway Claudine Longet - A Man And A Woman [so *this* is what she sounds like!] Nick De Caro & Orchestra - Happy Heart A. Copeland Singers - Classical Gas [written by "Williams". Paul Williams?] BJ Thomas - "Raindrops Keep Falling..." Sergio Mendes - Look Of Love We Five - Cast Your Fate To The Wind Bacharach - Make It Easy On Yourself The Sandpipers - Quando M'Innamora Paul Williams - Just An Old Fashioned Love Song We Five - You Were On My Mind Nick De Caro & Orchestra - Caroline, No Liza Minelli - For No One Jimmie Rodgers - Child Of Clay Chris Montez - Call Me I could go on at length on how great almost every track on this compilation is but it will just clutter up the list, so please pick this record up if you don't already have it! Did you, Carol Kaye, play on any of these songs? I assume most of them were recorded for A&M in Los Angeles. *** Edmundo Ros - "Ros Album of Calypsos" Perhaps not a Spectropop-list type of record, but....fans of Van Dyke Parks' "Discover America" *will* love it as the music is *very* similar! It's fairly obvious it was this type of music that influenced VDP. Ros' album is from 1969, btw. As the title implies, this is great calypso music from the west indies. I miss the steel drums though. *** Stan Getz - What The World Needs Now, Getz Plays The Music Of Bacharach & David. This is pretty good, but not the best Bacharach covers album I've heard. It's quite hard to hear the original songs sometimes during all the jazz workouts...and the idea to speed up A House Is Not A Home and turn it into swing jazz was probably not the best in hindsight. The emotions you hear in, say, Warwick's versions of the same songs sometimes get lost on this record...fans of jazz music will probably like it though. From 1967. Tobias --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- Subject: Same tune, different lyrics Received: 06/09/99 12:29 am >From: Ian Chapman, iaxxxalnet.co.uk To: Spectropop List, spectxxxities.com Will Stos wrote: >Not being alive back in the 50s, 60s, and 70s, I was >wondering how common it was to use a tune and write new >lyrics to it. Darlene Love recorded "Christmas Baby Please >Come Home," and "Johnny Baby Please Come Home," and the >Sapphires did it with "Slow Fizz," and "Baby You've Got Me." >What other examples are out there? Hi Will, Well, apart from the famous "Don't Hurt My Little Sister"/ "Things Are Changing" example we all know, there was also the Beach Boys' "County Fair", which Brian re-molded into the Castells' "I Do" on Warner Bros.....although unlike the examples you quote, neither used the same backing tracks. One that did, however, was Maxine Brown's girl-group styled Wand single "Little Girl Lost", which had a lyrical re-write and became "Hands Off, He's Mine", cut by the Shirelles, but left in the vaults until 1987, when it came out on the "Lost & Found" UK album of unissued tracks. Motown used to do it, but again, their "alternative" versions weren't usually released at the time. However, some have surfaced over the years with occasional openings of the vaults. A few examples that come to mind are Kim Weston's "I'll Never See My Love Again", which was alternatively done as "Do Like I Do". There was also the Velvelettes' "These Things Will Keep Me Loving You"....... in the 70s a UK Motown Chartbusters album (Vol. 6) mistakenly used an alternative version that had totally different lyrics to the original single version. The Supremes also cut "My World Is Empty Without You" as "We Couldn't Get Along Without You", an in-house tribute to Berry Gordy that later appeared on their 25th Anniversary set. And slightly off-topic, but Abba (well, they did do some nice 60s-inspired stuff) re-did "Happy Hawaii" as "Why Did It Have To Be Me" in the 70s. Seems that as a general rule, the alternatives were kept in the can. Ian --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- Subject: So Goes Love Received: 06/09/99 12:29 am >From: Ian Chapman, iaxxxalnet.co.uk To: Spectropop List, spectxxxities.com Stewart wrote: >...............of Goffin and King's wonderful "So > Goes Love." Did anyone else record this song and was any > version ever released at the time? Hi Stewart, In the UK, a version of "So Goes Love" was issued in 1967 by Shirley Abicair on the Pye label. You can find it on Sequel's "Here Come The Girls" Vol. 6. Ian --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- Subject: Sunshine Pop Received: 06/08/99 12:22 am >From: DJ JimmyB, DJJimxxxcom To: Spectropop List, spectxxxities.com WMBR-FM in Cambridge, MA, 88.1 will feature a "Sunshine Pop" show on Tuesday, June 22 from 6-8a.m. with DJ Jimmy Botticelli on his weekly show "Jimmy's Easy", easy and busy listening, cool and strange instrumentals and over the top sunshine pop every week --------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------- END
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