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Hitsville, U.S.A.
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There are 8 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Collecting Hit Records
From: Paul Urbahns
2. Re: Connie Landers
From: Will George
3. Hit Records..will always be there
From: "Martin Roberts"
4. Erect a Spector
From: Ron Buono
5. Two new ones from Universal Japan
From: LePageWeb
6. Barry Mann?
From: Dan Hughes
7. the unknown jackie deshannon
From: Will George
8. Issue # 4 of Spanish Pop 'zine out now!
From: Inaki Orbezua
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Message: 1
Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2001 06:30:07 EDT
From: Paul Urbahns
Subject: Collecting Hit Records
Martin Roberts wrote:
> But its like choosing between The Bushey Players
> production of Hamlet in the church hall or watching
> The Royal Shakespere Company at the Barbican. You
> might choose to buy tickets for both but you know
> where you're money has been most wisely spent!
In this case its not a matter of money, it's documenting
a portion of the music industry that eased to exist when
K-tel started licensing of current material in the early
70s. In England you could buy sound-a-likes with Elton
John singing on them in department stores. In the USA we
had numerous labels that produced sound-a-likes as a
sideline and they were sold in magazines or through mail
order clubs, especially in the late 50s.
Sound-A-likes even made it on the charts occasionally,
(Robert John's The Lion Sleeps Tonight is one example, or
Terry Stafford's Suspicion). The reason I concentrate on
Hit sound-a-likes is because it was not a sideline with
them and they maintained a business that included a
modern recording studio in an upscale part of Nashville
(Music City USA), a record pressing plant, a lithographic
album and label fabrication facility, tape duplication
center all from 1962 to 1972 on the strength of selling
sound-a-likes. So they were the most successful operation
of its type in the country.
With all this experience and expertise (since many of
their writers and musicians were on the charts currently
on other labels) Hit only had one song make the national;
best selling charts, when a gospel 45 record made number
50 on the country hits chart for one week. Their
publishing firm only had one national hit , Sure Gonna
Miss Her recorded by Gary Lewis and the Playboys
(Naturally the original was on a Hit B side).
Everybody has to have a hobby, this one is mine.
Believe it or not when a collector of any artist finishes
buying all that artists releases and reissues, they
generally are interested in knowing what Hit
sound-a-likes were made of that artists songs. And I can
generally tell them.
Paul Urbahns
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Message: 2
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2001 07:41:06 EDT
From: Will George
Subject: Re: Connie Landers
She wouldnt have become Connie Van Dyke by any chance?
There was a singer-actress by that name who was in a Burt
Reynolds flick in the 70s.
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Message: 3
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2001 08:09:42 +0100
From: "Martin Roberts"
Subject: Hit Records..will always be there
In praise of Phil Spector perhaps I seemed to be too
critical of Hit Records. Not my intention, musically
they are of interest. Usually more for their differences
than when they are too similiar. Hit seemed to use Stereo
earlier than most 45 releases which led to some unuusal
mixes "Be True To Your School"is a good one, very strong
channel seperation with lead singer on left and boys &
girls almost in another room - and where else can you
hear "Be True.." backed with "Wonderful Summer"? Don't
know how many originals Hit released, one I have from the
mid 60's Amy/Jarretts "Johnny Loves Me" is great. Strong
female lead, doo wop style back up with a stroll/soul
feel. As Paul said lots of top notch people involved.
Historicaly they deserve their place and I would love to
see a Hit Records discography/history. Original artists
(did they always wait 'til a record charted before
covering it?), original songs & style etc.
p.s. Lots of sneering at 'cover groups' Shangri las,
Poni Tails etc. not always justified. I saw 'The
Coasters' with Mick Patrick in the early 80's, Bobby
Sheen was one of the group and as Mick notes in his
sleeve notes to The Dyno Voice Story CD The Invitation
toured in the 80's as 'The Original Drifters'. Not the
originals but like The Bushey Players worth seeing none
the less!
Martin
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Message: 4
Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2001 08:50:35 EDT
From: Ron Buono
Subject: Erect a Spector
In a message dated 7/17/01, Spectropop Group writes:
> Galloping drums, pounding bass, rinky dink Da do ron
> ron style piano, cavernous echo - all or some of these
> can give a record a "Spector Sound a Like" feel (pages
> & pages of them in Fitzpatrick/Fogerty's Collecting
> Phil Spector book), but what really sets the Erect a
> Spector's apart is the passion and drama found in
> almost all Phil Spector's originals.
Hello-
I found the above notation interesting, as I collect
spector-sound-alikes. Can anyone tell me the exact title
of this book, and/or where i could purchase it? Is there
a web site for the above listing of spectorish songs?
Thanks much
Ron
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Message: 5
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2001 19:50:08 +0900
From: LePageWeb
Subject: Two new ones from Universal Japan
Hi all,
A couple of noteworthy releases from Universal Music
Japan coming up that I thought I'd mention:
First is the Barry Mann Songbook (July 27, 2001 Universal
UICY-4046)
Here ya go:
1. SHE SAY--THE DIAMONDS
2. WHO PUT THE BOMP--BARRY MANN
3. FOOTSTEPS--STEVE LAWRENCE
4. THE WAY OF A CROWN--BARRY MANN
5. I LOVE HOW YOU LOVE ME--CLAUDINE LONGET
6. BLESS YOU--BARRY MANN
7. ON BROADWAY--CLYDE McPHATTER
8. YOU'VE LOST THAT LOVIN' FEELIN'--RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS
9. LOVE HER --THE WALKER BROTHERS
10. (YOU'RE MY) SOUL AND INSPIRATION--RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS
11. WALKING IN THE RAIN--WALKER BROTHERS
12. ANGELICA--THE SAND PIPERS
13. IT'S GETTING BETTER--MAMA CASS
14. SONGS--B.J.THOMAS
15. MAKE YOUR OWN KIND OF MUSIC--MAMA CASS
16. HERE YOU COME AGAIN--B.J.THOMAS
17. NEW WORLD COMING--MAMA CASS
18. TOO MANY MONDAYS--B.J. THOMAS
19. NEVER GONNA LET YOU GO--SERGIO MENDES
20. WE'RE OVER--B.J.THOMAS
21. WHEN YOU GET RIGHT DOWN TO IT--SCOTT WALKER
22. SEE THAT GIRL--RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS
The other release coming up on July 27 is Evie Sands'
"Anyway That You Want Me" album (UICY-3315)
Chip Taylor's "The Story of Evie Sands" essay is in the
CD booklet, and Evie apparently furnished all the
recording details and wrote the liners herself! Here are
a few quotes:
> Until the release of "Any Way That You Want Me," I
> had never done an album. Working together with Chip
> Taylor and Al Gorgoni, we had released only singles
> -- on Blue Cat and Cameo. Up to then, we had a
> series of mostly crushing disappointments.
>
> Although there was regional success salvaged out of
> the "Take Me For A Little While" debacle on Blue Cat,
> and tremendous radio excitement with "Angel of The
> Morning" on Cameo, before the label went down like
> the Titanic, I remember being absolutely thrilled the
> day "Any Way That You Want Me" -- the single -- first
> entered the Billboard charts! Happiness! Also, it
> was just the greatest feeling hearing "Any Way That
> You Want Me" on the radio wherever I toured in the US.
>
> As a bit of background, Al and Chip lived in New York
> and I was in Los Angeles; where A&M was located.
> Those were (mostly) great days. The A&M lot was like
> a creative beehive. It was a family-like atmosphere;
> home to a community of artists, creators, and the A&M
> staff.
>
> We did most of the recording in New York, but I was
> glad we also got to do some sessions in Los Angeles,
> at the A&M studios -- because I felt so at home there.
> "I'll Hold Out My Hand" and "One Fine Summer Morning"
> were recorded in Los Angeles.
>
> Working with Al and Chip has always been a pleasure
> -- both creatively, and personally! We had some
> great people with us on the album, and for the
> sessions in Los Angeles, we had (now legendary)
> players like James Burton...
All the sessions took place between
August, 1968 and October, 1969
Here is the track list:
01. Crazy Annie - Taylor/Gorgoni
Arranged by Lee Holdridge
02. But You Know I Love You - Mike Settle
Arranged by Lee Holdridge
03. I'll Never Be Alone Again - Taylor/Gorgoni
Arranged by Al Gorgoni
04. Any Way That You Want Me -Chip Taylor
Arranged by Al Gorgoni
05. Close Your Eyes. Cross Your Fingers - Chip Taylor/Ted Daryll
Arranged by Al Gorgoni
06. It's This I Am - Evie Sands
Arranged by Lee Holdridge
07. Shadow of the Evening - Chip Taylor
Arranged by Al Gorgoni
08. Take Me For A Little While - Trade Martin
Arranged by Trade Martin
09. Until It's Time For You To Go - Buffy Saint-Marie
Arranged by Al Gorgoni
10. I'll Hold Out My Hand - Taylor/Gorgoni
Arranged by Al Gorgoni
11. Carolina In My Mind- James Taylor
Arranged by Al Gorgoni
12. One Fine Summer Morning - Al Gorgoni
Arranged by Lee Holdridge
Bonus track
13. Maybe Tomorrow -Quincy Jones - Alan & Marilyn Bergman
>From the motion picture "John & Mary"
Recorded at Century Sound Recording Studios,New York with
the exception of : I'll Hold Out Of My Hand, One Summer
Morning recorded at A&M Recording Studios, Hollywood,CA
Engineered by Brooks Arthur and Ray Gearheart
That's all folks!
All the best,
Jamie
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Message: 6
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2001 07:44:15 -0500
From: Dan Hughes
Subject: Barry Mann?
Somebody help me here--I have a vague, distant memory of
a compilation album which included a song that I THINK
was by Barry Mann.
It was a novelty song called Teenage Has-Been, a takeoff
of Rick Nelson's Teenage Idol. Lyrics like "Some people
call me a teenage hasbeen, some people say they pity me /
My first record sold a million, my second record only
sold three."
Anybody know this song?
Thanks,
---Dan
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Message: 7
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2001 07:20:25 EDT
From: Will George
Subject: the unknown jackie deshannon
I am preparing to record some jackie deshannon tunes that
as far as i know have never been cut before. if anyone
knows of any recordings of the following songs, please let
me know! All songs are written by DeShannon,
Sheely-DeShannon, DeShannon-Nitzsche, and
DeShannon-Newman:
Cry Cry Cry
Dancing girl
Darling Darlene
Dont Say you dont love me anymore
green trees
He wont look my way
I love you in my way
Let him walk away
Little ole you
Lonely surfer boy
Keep away from me
Love for life
My love is with you
Never never land
Out in the world
Why cant you be lovin' me
Thanks!
Bill George
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Message: 8
Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2001 17:04:50 +0200
From: Inaki Orbezua
Subject: Issue # 4 of Spanish Pop 'zine out now!
OTONO CHEYENNE for lovers of
Brill Building Pop, Girl Groups, Phil Spector, Vocal
Groups, Folk-Rock, Surf music, Beat, Power Pop, Sunshine
Pop, Soft-Rock, Hot Rod music, New Wave, 70's Pop, West
Coast Sound, Psychedelia, Country Rock, Paisley Pop,
Garage, Brian Wilson, British Invasion, Americana, 70's
Punk, R & B, Bubblegum music, Alternative Country, and
much more...
OTONO CHEYENNE is a publication devoted to all of the
above. It's been out there for four years now, and is one
of the leading Spanish Pop 'zines.
Issue # 4 just out, featuring in-depth articles on JACKIE
DeSHANNON (covering her whole career up to her new album
"You Know Me"), PETER ANDERS & VINNIE PONCIA (of Phil
Spector, Tradewinds and Innocence fame), ELLIE GREENWICH
(covering the whole musical career of "The Queen Of Pop"),
ANDY PALEY (of Sidewinders and Paley Brothers fame, who
has recently worked with Brian Wilson), interview with the
great GARY PIG GOLD, the complete MICHAEL BROWN story (of
Left Banke, Montage and Stories fame), a POP THE BALLOON
RECORDS profile with an interview with label's boss
Gilles Raffier, CALIFORNIA MUSIC in conversation with
Stephen J. McParland (biographer of Gary Usher, Dick Dake,
Brian Wilson and P.F. Sloan, among others), DJANGO
REINHARDT, BOB DYLAN 1975-1978, P.F. SLOAN addenda, lots
of record reviews, fanzine reviews and much more. More
than 125 pages of pure pop...Though written in spanish,
translations in English of all the interviews are provided.
For more info contact:
Inaki Orbezua
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