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The World's Foremost Amusement Newsletter
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There are 21 messages in this issue of Spectropop.
Topics in this Digest Number 394:
1. Re: Four Seasons, Tokens, Association
From: Paul Richards
2. Re: Tokens
From: "DJ Steve"
3. The Americans' two Jays
From: Dan Hughes
4. Old Email
From: Dan Hughes
5. C'mon Martha
From: "James F. Cassidy"
6. Re: Tokens
From: Mark Frumento
7. Re:Tokens Fans?
From: "Robert Campbell"
8. Re: Any Tokens Fans?
From: "JEFF MARTIN"
9. Re:Tokens Fans?
From: Paul Richards
10. Tokens; successful failures, transitions and hybrids; on the radio
From: "Paul Payton"
11. RE: C'mon Marianne
From: "Phil Chapman"
12. Aunt Norma Theme
From: Mark Frumento
13. Le Grand Mellon
From: Jason Penick
14. Re: Tokens
From: James Botticelli
15. Re: Greatest Hits... Jackson Browne
From: Michael Marino
16. Other 'straight' artists going 'Psyche'
From: "Norman"
17. "Words of Barth . . .
From: Thomas Taber
18. Re: Bee Gees going 'Psyche'
From: Mark Frumento
19. Tutles Anthology - A Great Week for Pop
From: Mark Frumento
20. Turtles / goin' psyche / Norma
From: "Robert Campbell"
21. Bob Crewe / Miss Frankie Nolan
From: Ronnie Allen
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Message: 1
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 09:23:11 -0000
From: Paul Richards
Subject: Re: Four Seasons, Tokens, Association
--- In spectropop, "Kingsley Abbott" wrote:
> For what it's worth I adore "Genuine Imitation Life
> Gazette" and rate it in my top ten 60s albums. So much
> so that I managed to convince Mojo to let me write a
> 'buried treasure' piece on it. During my interview with
> Mr Gaudio about it, we talked of other seasonish things
> (there are practically no outakes BTW) and we both
> expressed a great liking for "Everybody Knows My Name"
> from the "Working My Way Back To You" album. Strangely
> enough Mr G had been talking about that very track to
> Mr Valli a few days before!
I also love 'Genuine Imitation Life Gazette', particularly
'Wall Street Village Day' though I'm not a big fan of the
earlier falsetto stuff. Other 'straight' artists going
'Psyche' Billy J Kramer's 'Town of Tuxley Toymaker',
another brilliant BeeGees composition, I love their
psychedelic songs, particularly, 'Sir Geoffrey saved the
World', 'Turn of the Century' 'Red Chair Fade Away'.
Another 'straight goes psike' is Wayne Fontana's 'Words
of Bartholemew', really unusual record. Anita Harris'
'The Playground' & 'The Flying Machine' are pretty groovy
too. I'm gonna be racking my brains now for other
'straight goes psike'records...Vince Hill? Pet Clark?
Freddie & the Dreamers?
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 2
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 03:01:27 -0500
From: "DJ Steve"
Subject: Re: Tokens
----- Original Message from: "Kingsley Abbott"
> There are a couple of tasty reissues around the UK at
> the moment, originating from New York.
What TOKENS titles are you refering to?
----- Original Message from: Alan Zweig:
>
> I have a particular interest in records made in the
> "psychedelic era" by artists from the early sixties.
> Artists who you might not have thought would be able to
> "cross over".
THE TOKENS (INTERCOURSE) is brilliant early pop
psychedelia for a later doo-wop/early brill building
group. It is also a theme album (THEME:INTERCOURSE)
Mentioned here recently as somebody's favorite. Check it
out . I got my copy for 1 cent on EBAY (plus $2,90
shipping)!
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 3
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 05:05:50 -0600
From: Dan Hughes
Subject: The Americans' two Jays
Mike asks:
> Remember Jay and The Americans Greatest Hits? It didnt
> have 'She Cried", not only their FIRST hit but a biggie.
I'm guessing that maybe Jay (David Black) was involved in
track selection for the Greatest Hits CD, and he was not
on She Cried--that was sung by the first Jay, John
Traynor. It was a year and a half after She Cried before
they had their second hit with their new lead singer.
---Dan
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 4
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 08:14:06 -0600
From: Dan Hughes
Subject: Old Email
While going through a years' worth of old email, deciding
what to delete and what to keep, I hit Stewart Mason's
Sun Oct 21, 2001 Spectropop review of the Chiffons/David
Somerville/Gene Pitney concert.
[ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spectropop/message/2130]
Stewart said,
> when I am appointed the Grand Poobah of Rock and Roll
> History, my first act will be to declare that unless you
> have more than one original member of the group, you're
> not allowed to use the group's name.
Get this: There is a group now touring (they were in my
town this summer with tickets at $40) that calls itself
the Diamonds. Their ads mentioned all their big hits:
Little Darlin', The Stroll, etc.
And there was NOT ONE SINGLE GROUP MEMBER FROM THE
ORIGINAL QUARTET!
Evidently the members dropped out one at a time and were
replaced as they went. Until finally, it was an entirely
new group. The oldest member joined in the 1970's--almost
two decades after they were on the charts!
This situation reminds me of a story about a guy who went
into an antique shop and saw a hatchet for sale with the
sign "GEORGE WASHINGTON'S HATCHET."
He asked the owner if it was really George Washington's
hatchet. The owner replied, "Yep. It's had five new
heads and six new handles since George owned it, but it's
his hatchet."
And those were the Diamonds. After several head and
handle replacements.
---Dan
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 5
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 09:47:26 -0500
From: "James F. Cassidy"
Subject: C'mon Martha
>> Something I don't think I've ever seen mentioned is
>> that the intro. to "Touch Me" by the Doors is a
>> straight steal from "C'mon Marianne"
>I have read that observation somewhere but I forget
>which compliation. Of course the similarity is right in
>your face and a great, totally amazing FV4S song.
Doesn't "I'm Ready for Love" by Martha and the Vandellas
(1965) feature that same rhythmic pattern?
Jim Cassidy
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 6
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 15:43:17 -0000
From: Mark Frumento
Subject: Re: Tokens
"Intercourse" is like The Beach Boys meets the Rascals
meets the Zombies. A great concept album (if there is
such a thing) with some of the most original melodies on
the planet. There's a mellotron on the thing!! How many
previous Doo-Wop groups can claim that!
--- In spectropop, "DJ Steve" wrote:
> ----- Original Message from: "Kingsley Abbott"
>
> > There are a couple of tasty reissues around the UK at
> > the moment, originating from New York.
>
> What TOKENS titles are you refering to?
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 7
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 08:25:40 -0800
From: "Robert Campbell"
Subject: Re:Tokens Fans?
I am from Northern California and I enjoyed The Tokens.
"He's In Town" is one of my favorities.
----- Original Message from: "James Botticelli"
> "DJ Steve" writes:
>
> > [Any Tokens fans] Out there? I bet you are from Brooklyn.
>
> I'm actually from Boston. "Its A Happening World" is my
> fave by those guys...They're big in Japan as well.
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 8
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 11:52:20 -0500
From: "JEFF MARTIN"
Subject: Re: Any Tokens Fans?
>>> Out there? I bet you are from Brooklyn. I really love
>>> their 1st album with The Lion Sleeps Tonight and all
>>> those good doo-wopy folky songs like Sloop John B. Is it
>>> on CD yet? How about Neil Sedaka from the Brill Building?
>>> Gotta love his early writing. Anyone read his auto- bio?
>>> Does he mention the Tokens?
>>
>> I'm actually from Boston. "Its A Happening World" is my
>> fave by those guys...They're big in Japan as well. The
>> Japanese re-released the "happening world" LP onto a CD
>> format.
>
> Count me in. However I am rather confused about their
> history (just haven't taken the time to read about them).
> One of my favorite albums of all times is "Intercourse".
>
Hi all, I'm new to this group.....but am fascinated by
the music we grew up with also, and have many of the 45s
talked about in this discussion.....in response to the
Tokens..... does anyone else know more about a scenario
that record companies foisted upon us in the 60's - I
have an unopened copy of an LP (still has the plastic
wrap on it) from B.T. Puppy Records with the title: The
Happenings/The Tokens "BacktoBack". Side 1 - 06 Tokens
songs, side 2 - 06 Happenings songs. "I Hear Trumpets Blow"
being the "hit" Tokens song and "I Got Rhythm" the
Happenings hit......(plus other filler from both groups).
Just curious as to how many of these "split" albums were
put out in those days. Enjoy the discussions!
PEACE
Jeff Martin
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Message: 9
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 17:38:49 -0000
From: Paul Richards
Subject: Re:Tokens Fans?
"DJ Steve" writes:
>>> [Any Tokens fans] Out there? I bet you are from Brooklyn.
"Robert Campbell" wrote:
>> I am from Northern California and I enjoyed The Tokens.
>> "He's In Town" is one of my favorities.
"James Botticelli" wrote:
> I'm actually from Boston. "Its A Happening World" is my
> fave by those guys...They're big in Japan as well.
Cheers, I've just downloaded 'It's a Happening World'
>from audiogalaxy, a real mindblower, it reminds me a
little of 'We Can Fly' by the Cowsills with it's
fantastic harp glissandos. Was there an album from the
same period?
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 10
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 13:05:05 -0500
From: "Paul Payton"
Subject: Tokens; successful failures, transitions and hybrids;
on the radio
Re: the Tokens: the amazing thing about them is how
much territory they covered - from doowop backup of
Neil Sedaka, through "Tonight I Fell In Love" (still
1:40 of magic - not a wasted note), through the late
doo-wop of "Please Write," through their creativity
on BT Puppy ("He's In Town," "I Hear Trumpets Blow"
with no brass on the track, and a favorite - the
collaboration with the Kirby Stone Four, "Life Is
Groovy," in which both groups keep their sonic
identity and create a whole greater than the sum, of
its parts), through their outside productions like
Randy & The Rainbows (my favorite: "Happy Teenager"
- kill the lyrics, but the song is superb), through
the experimental work on Warner Brothers (yes, some
50's-60's top 40 groups made the transition credibly),
and their great covers at Cross Country on Atco (not
necessarily better, but excellent and different).
And then there are all their commercials and jingles
>from the 60's, and the Brute Force collaboration. So,
where do we begin? Try www.thetokens.com. (And Mark,
I have the "Intercourse" CD; while it's uneven,
there are certainly moments of astonishing greatness!)
Jimmy B writes:
> ...in hindsight I like the failed efforts and
> phony attempts to cash in on the zeitgeist of
> 1968-71 more than I like the "real" stuff which
> to me comes across as often as not as overblown
> arrogant elitist spoiled brat stuff...
Listening back to some of the more earnest 60's-70's
folks can indeed be rather annoying; the music of quite a
few has not aged well. (I'll get beaten up if I suggest
who, but I hope I'm not alone in thinking that Jim
Morrison's pomposity gets more and more bloated with each
ritual pass by "classic rock" stations.) The pop guys
whose transitions worked are fascinating to me: examples
include Tommy Roe's exquisite "It's Now Winter's Day,"
Brian Hyland's "Come Away," much of Dion's later output
(wonderful even if uneven), and the full-length "Porpoise
Song" (with Procol Harum-ish organ intro and long
delicious psych fade) by the Monkees. I think the failed
experiments are fun for what might have been, and many of
us on this list can hear through the failure to see the
embedded success. Anyone want to start a thread and
nominate some of their favorite "flops"?
Lindsay Martin writes:
> if something is really good it transcends genre;
> you're not thinking about which pigeon-hole it
> belongs in, you're too busy digging it.
Amen! Some of my total favorite tracks are hybrids - I
recently mentioned (prompted by checking the Monument
discography at Both Sides Now) Billy Swan's "PMS
[Physical, Mental, Spiritual" - part country, part
experimental,part doo-wop, part punk holler. Another
just hopped into my mind: "Taking Time" by "Sweet Pete"
Dunton (an RCA 45 in the US), produced by Dave Edmunds,
featuring an electric banjo solo over a driving 6/8 beat.
(Segue to Kenny Dino's "Your Ma Said You Cried In Your
Sleep Last Night" and you'll get the feel of it - but
bigger.) UK folks: was this a hit? (Shoulda been!) And
did Pete Dunton do anything else of note?
John Briggs: thanks for the Packers info. Booker T &
company - no wonder the record is so good!
Last note; there's life in the beautiful hills of
northwest New Jersey! Last night (Friday) at 10pm EST,
WNTI, a con-commercial station at Centenary College in
Hackettstown, NJ (www.wnti.com for an audio stream)
played Brian Wilson's session evolution - and then the
full version - of "Caroline No." What a treat!
Country Paul
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 11
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 20:04:51 -0000
From: "Phil Chapman"
Subject: RE: C'mon Marianne
>> that the intro. to "Touch Me" by the Doors is a
>> straight steal from "C'mon Marianne"
>Of course the similarity is right in
>your face and a great, totally amazing FV4S song.
I've always liked the Four Seasons' knack of absorbing
commercial trends into their own style, including this
particular phase of combining Motown ideas with white
rock. "C'mon Marianne" is rhythmically reminiscent of
M&V's "I'm Ready For Love", which is reminiscent of "You
Can't Hurry Love" which is etc etc.....
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 12
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 17:58:57 -0000
From: Mark Frumento
Subject: Aunt Norma Theme
Taking an incredible adventure through my cassette tapes
to record them to CD I came across this song given to me
by a friend. It's the theme show to a kids show called
Aunt Norma.
The song itself is an amazing Beach Boys influenced
thing ala Pet Sounds/Sunflower. It that good!
Does anyone know this song? I've got to know who
recorded it. It sounds like Alan Boyd to me but I can't
be sure. Any help.
If it helps to post a snippet to the files area I will.
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 13
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 16:46:08 EST
From: Jason Penick
Subject: Le Grand Mellon
Shot in the dark here... anybody ever heard anything from
the 1966 Columbia Records artist Le Grand Mellon?
According to my files, they released three 45's for
Columbia in '66, including a version of "Baby, Please
Don't Go". I've never heard any of these, but I must
admit they have a very intriguing name for '66. Makes me
speculate they might have been some sort of early
proto-psych outfit, which is my very favorite sort of
music. These singles have proved impossible to track down,
at least for me. Could anybody clue me into what this
group was all about?
Jason
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 14
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 17:21:46 EST
From: James Botticelli
Subject: Re: Tokens
In a message dated Sat, 23 Feb 2002, Paul Richards
wrote:
>
> Cheers, I've just downloaded 'It's a Happening World'
> from audiogalaxy, a real mindblower, it reminds me a
> little of 'We Can Fly' by the Cowsills with it's
> fantastic harp glissandos. Was there an album from the
> same period?
That 's the title to the LP too...and I totally agree
with the Cowsill comparison.
JB/segued them more than once on the radio
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 15
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 22:01:00 -0000
From: Michael Marino
Subject: Re: Greatest Hits... Jackson Browne
Bob Conway wrote:
> Record execs who select tracks for best-of compilations
> frequently make errors of omission. Obviously it is all
> about sucking in another consumer/fan to make money...a
> good recent example (a phenomenom really) is the "best of"
> package with extra (new songs).
Bob Conway--- agreed 100% with your assessment. Another
example of this grievous practice is Jackson Browne. His
Best Of includes two "new" songs. Without the test of
time, how do we know these are among Jackson's best?
It's a ridiculous practice.
Luckily we now have CD burners to repair this damage.
Let's compare the official "Best Of" release with
something that I put together, which IMHO is far superior...
The Next Voice You Hear: Best of Jackson Browne
1. Doctor My Eyes
2. These Days
3. Fountain Of Sorrow
4. Late For The Sky
5. The Pretender
6. Running On Empty
7. Call It A Lone
8. Somebody's Baby
9. Tender Is The Night
10. In The Shape Of A Heart
11. Lives In The Balance
12. Sky Blue And Black
13. The Barricades Of Heaven
14. The Rebel Jesus
15. The Next Voice You Hear
Marino's Opinion: Jackson Browne's Best
1. Doctor My Eyes
2. Rock Me On The Water
3. Take It Easy
4. Red Neck Friend
5. The Pretender
6. Running On Empty
7. Rosie
8. That Girl Could Sing
9. Boulevard
10. Somebody's Baby
11. Lawyers In Love
12. For A Rocker
13. Tender Is The Night
14. In The Shape Of A Heart
15. Lives In The Balance
16. I'm Alive
Opinions?
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 16
Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2002 09:55:48 +1030
From: "Norman"
Subject: Other 'straight' artists going 'Psyche'
----- Original Message from: "Paul Richards"
>
> ... Billy J Kramer's 'Town of Tuxley Toymaker',
> another brilliant BeeGees composition, I love their
> psychedelic songs, particularly, 'Sir Geoffrey saved the
> World', 'Turn of the Century' 'Red Chair Fade Away'.
> Another 'straight goes psike' is Wayne Fontana's 'Words
> of Bartholemew', really unusual record. Anita Harris'
> 'The Playground' & 'The Flying Machine' are pretty groovy
> too. I'm gonna be racking my brains now for other
> 'straight goes psike'records...Vince Hill? Pet Clark?
> Freddie & the Dreamers?
I actually came across the name of the original Italian
group that recorded "Words of Bartholemew" but in my
usual fashion omitted to jot it down. Does anybody know?
Also I would add to that list "Craise Finton Kirk" by the
Bee Gees (or Johnny Young). Or is that more bubblegum?
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 17
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 18:06:52 -0800 (PST)
From: Thomas Taber
Subject: "Words of Barth . . .
That Italian group was actually British - The Rokes,
who were quite successful in Italy. That song was
"The Works of Barth . . . which I can't spell right
now to save my life!!!
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 18
Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2002 02:34:07 -0000
From: Mark Frumento
Subject: Re: Bee Gees going 'Psyche'
--- In Spectropop, "Norman" wrote:
> Also I would add to that list "Craise Finton Kirk" by the
> Bee Gees (or Johnny Young). Or is that more bubblegum?
Bubblegum? No way. But not necessarily psych either.
What's great about that song is that it's just piano,
great singing and pure melody.
The first 3 to 4 Bee Gees albums are GREAT pop records
(of course many will argue they continued to be great a
pop act long after that. But these earlier records really
proved their creative song writing abilities, their
inventiveness and a knack for memorable melodies.)
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 19
Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2002 02:53:14 -0000
From: Mark Frumento
Subject: Tutles Anthology - A Great Week for Pop
Egged on by another Spectropoper I purchased The Turtles
Anthology against my previously considered "better
judgment"... having already what my wife would consider
"too many Turtles CDs." It was well worth it (no matter
what the wife says).
The three demos make the thing worth the price alone. All
are superior to their originals, especially "Last Thing I
Remember" and without a doubt "Marmendy Mill" which in
this version comes off like Howard Kaylan's very own
Penny Lane. Light, airy and full of that glorious voice.
Add to that "Cat In the Window" which I believe has
either never been on CD or has not been for some time.
Add great sound and a wonderful booklet and you have a
nearly perfect package.
There are two things that keep it from being a perfect
10:
1) The omission of "Like It Or Not". The odd
Bonner/Gordon song that never got completed and which has
not turned up enough. As far as I know this is only on
the Laserlight set right now.
2) The omission of the superior Howard Kaylan composition
"Think I'll Run Away."
Minor errors in my book.
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 20
Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 20:46:22 -0800
From: "Robert Campbell"
Subject: Turtles / goin' psyche / Norma
--Original Message from Mark Frumento re Turtles
> Egged on by another Spectropoper I purchased The Turtles
> Anthology against my previously considered "better
> judgment"... It was well worth it...
I will never forget the time when the Ritz Theatre in
Hayward California which was owned by the Mitchell
Brothers porn circuit, showed the "Big TNT". It was in
1976 and a midnite movie. The Ritz, during the day, was
a porno house showingstuff like Behind The Green Door,
and "CB Mamas". It was a grand old movie house, with gold
curtians and drawings on the walls.
The exterior, had authentic posters of the Big TNT with
the Ronettes posed for Be My Baby, and Petula Clark
singing Downtown.
Before the movie started, they were playing "Surfer Dan"
by the Turtles.
I could never figure that out! any comments?
--Original Message from Norman re straight artists going Psyche
> Also I would add to that list "Craise Finton Kirk" by the
> Bee Gees (or Johnny Young). Or is that more bubblegum?
how about "I still love You" by the vegetables thrown in
for sauce.
--Original Message from Mark Frumento re Aunt Norma Theme
> ...the theme show to a kids show called Aunt Norma.
> Does anyone know this song? I've got to know who
> recorded it. It sounds like Alan Boyd to me but I can't
> be sure. Any help.
how about Norma Tanega. mama of folk
Best regards
Robertgippy
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
Message: 21
Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2002 01:56:36 EST
From: Ronnie Allen
Subject: Bob Crewe / Miss Frankie Nolan
I posted a similar message to this one a few weeks back.
It's possible that someone may have responded and I may
have missed it.
Back around the summer of 1961 I seem to recall hearing
on WABC in NYC a song called "Summer All Year Round" by
an artist named Miss Frankie Nolan. It never became a hit
but was extremely catchy. I seem to recall that it was
produced by Bob Crewe. Does anyone know about or have a
copy of this 45?
Ronnie Allen
--------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]--------------------
End
