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There are 25 messages in this issue of Spectropop.
Topics in this Digest Number 408:
1. The Lively Set on AMC this week
From: "Jack Madani"
2. Re: Jan & Dean/P.F. Sloan
From: "Justin McDevitt"
3. WTBA
From: "David Bell"
4. Re: Tony Romeo Question
From: "Mike Arcidiacono"
5. Re: Donna Loren
From: Dan Hughes
6. Lothar and the Hand People
From: Stewart Mason
7. Re: quo vadis castle sequel?
From: Michael Coxe
8. Re: Jan & Dean/P.F. Sloan/Jill Gibson
From: Mark Frumento
9. Re: Jan & Dean/P.F. Sloan
From: "Robert Conway"
10. Sharon Tandy
From: "Ian Chapman"
11. Re: Jan & Dean/P.F. Sloan
From: Billy G. Spradlin
12. Curt Boettcher page is moving...
From: Matthew Moring
13. Re: The Baby/songs using sitars
From: "Justin McDevitt"
14. Sitars 'n such
From: Bob Rashkow
15. Re: Tony Romeo/Lou Christie LP/Pledging My Love
From: Mark Frumento
16. Re: Bob Crewe Presents Dyno Voice CD
From: Michael Edwards
17. Re: two more recent electric sitar sightings
From: Billy G. Spradlin
18. Re: Merseybeats /Escorts
From: Mark Frumento
19. Ellen Mcilwaine, Big 3, Lou Christie
From: "Paul Payton"
20. Re: theremin
From: Scott Swanson
21. Re: Jill Gibson
From: "David Salter"
22. what kind of sitar
From: Alan Zweig
23. Elvis Costello the singer of songs
From: Matthew Kaplan
24. Re: I'm Gonna Make Lou Mine
From: "Martin Roberts"
25. Phil Produced Unchained
From: Alan Ackerman
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 1
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 17:32:41 -0500
From: "Jack Madani"
Subject: The Lively Set on AMC this week
Here's a heads-up on what's on AMC this week:
THE LIVELY SET
1964
Color, 101 min 11:00 /EST
Friday March 15, 2002
Starring James Darren, Pamela Tiffin (oh that snaggle
tooth!), Doug McClure, Joanie Sommers, and several fellas
listed as playing "himself"
Songs written by Bobby Darin, Darin/Randy Newman, and
Darin/Terry Melcher.
Performances by James Darren, Wink Martindale, Joanie
Sommers, the Surfaris, and Bobby Darin.
Synopsis: An ex-GI-slash-college dropout would rather
play with cars than anything else until he meets the
lovely Edie with whom he falls passionately in love. They
get engaged and go to San Francisco where he begins
working on building a prototype car for a millionaire.
When the arrogant young man ignores the millionaire's
advice and destroys the car, he is immediately fired. The
young man, determined to make his engine work, manages to
scare up enough cash to get his engine back from the
millionaire. He then goes on to enter the Tri-State
Endurance Race.
After it is all over, will the young fellow find that he
has become a serious young man? Will he then marry his
girl, and go back to college? And will Joanie actually
surrender her honor to James in a drunken binge while
being serenaded on-screen by Barney Kessel?
Dewds, this is one to watch.
jack
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 15:02:32 -0600
From: "Justin McDevitt"
Subject: Re: Jan & Dean/P.F. Sloan
Hi Robert;
I Found A Girl is one of my favorite Jan and Dean songs. I
have a 45 of this record which is in fairly good shape.
I have a couple of vinyl Jan and Dean Best-Ofs, though
this track is not included. Is it featured on a CD Best Of
compilation?
Justin
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 21:05:45 -0000
From: "David Bell"
Subject: WTBA
I got out my German Bear Family box set to get Connie's
version of the recording of "WTBA". Here's what she says:
"I called Howie and Neil and said :"Guess what? You two
guys are going to write your first song title for a motion
picture."
"What's it about?" asked Howie.
"What's the difference?"
"Well, then, give me the title."
When I told Howie it was "Where The Boys Are," he said:
"That's impossible. Call it "Where Are The Boys?" and
maybe..." But since the movie was based on a Top 10 book
we were stuck with the title and I told him "Just write
the song and get it on a plane!"
"The following week there were tons of songs caled WTBA
and I received my package from Howie. Inside were 2
different versions of their WTBA. One we all loved; the
other we all hated. At a meeting of all involved in the
production that I attended with Joe Pasternak, I played
them the first version and they immediately said: "We're
sorry, Connie...You were right...Your friends do know how
to write a hit song."
I said: "Please don't say that, because this is the better
song," and played the second version. They said "No, we
like the first one."
I said:"Please, there's no comparison."
"I then called Howie and Neil and said:"I've got good news
and I've got bad news. The good news is that you've
written the title song for my new movie. The bad news is
that it's not the great version."
The one preferred by Connie, Neil and Howie was never
recorded..."
As with Connie's book, I'm amazed at her total recall of
exact conversations from decades ago!!!
David.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 11:15:02 -0500
From: "Mike Arcidiacono"
Subject: Re: Tony Romeo Question
Mark Frumento wrote:
> Was exchanging email with another Spectropopper about The
> Partridge Family and it reminded my how great Tony Romeo's
> songs are. I love the Lou Christie album as well.
Mark, what is the name of the Lou Christie Lp that Tony
Romeo wrote for?
thanks!
Mikey
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 10:37:19 -0600
From: Dan Hughes
Subject: Re: Donna Loren
On Sat, 09 Mar 2002 Alan Gordon writes:
> Donna's site is really great... but I was wondering if any
> Spectroppers might "have," or know where a wistful old
> fanboy might find better resolution copies or those great
> Dr. Pepper ads, or calendar pieces, or just about any old
> retro thing with Donna on it that could be used as desktop
> wallpaper. All of the images at Donna's site were very low
> res.
Hi Alan,
Here are a few sites with Donna Loren photos:
http://www.briansdriveintheater.com/donnaloren.html
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1522269867
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1523085906
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=850534951
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 6
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 13:42:21 -0700
From: Stewart Mason
Subject: Lothar and the Hand People
Profrock wrote:
>Another fascinating instrument used for the first time in
>pop music in that era was the theremin. Obvious example:
>Good Vibrations, but are any of you familiar with Lothar
>and the Handpeople? "Lothar" was the name the band members
>gave to their theremin, and their spacey sound was
>attributed to it. I bought their CDs from a company in
>England because I have their vinyl. No one else around
>here is familiar with them and am just curious as to the
>extent of knowledge you Spectropoppers have of theremins
>and their use in the mid and late 60's.
I have both Lothar and the Hand People albums (actually, I
have the self-titled LP and my fiancee has the follow-up,
SPACE HYMN), and my only complaint is that they actually
don't use the theremin *enough*, especially on the first
album, which is a lot more conventional than releases by a
lot of the more out-there early electronic groups of the
era. They do get points for integrating electronic and
acoustic instruments better than most.
I'm pretty sure there's some theremin on the United States
of America album -- I just had that out yesterday and I
was struck by how really good it is.
Stewart
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 7
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 13:49:53 -0800
From: Michael Coxe
Subject: Re: quo vadis castle sequel?
>From: "Jack Madani"
>
>Did something happen to Castle Communications and Sequel
>Records? I just checked out their old web site
>(http://www.castlemusic.com) and
it's not there anymore.
>And a quick perusal of the web with dogpile doesn't come
>up with anything promising.
Jack,
Looks like they were merged in to the Sanctuary Records
Group website. Try http://www.sanctuaryrecordsgroup.co.uk.
Both Castle & Sequel catalogs are there.
- michael
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 19:01:37 -0500
From: Mark Frumento
Subject: Re: Jan & Dean/P.F. Sloan/Jill Gibson
> I Found A Girl is one of my favorite Jan and Dean songs. I
> have a 45 of this record which is in fairly good shape.
>
> I have a couple of vinyl Jan and Dean Best-Ofs, though
> this track is not included. Is it featured on a CD Best Of
> compilation?
Was just checking this out this weekend. That song is on
the Liberty, 02 CD set "All The Hits". Their version IS
great and there is some other wonderful material on this
set as well. On of my favorite J&D songs "It's A Shame to
Say Goodbye" is also included. Though it was recorded a
year or so earlier IASTSG could easily have fit on "Save
For A Rainy Day". I'm sure others will weigh in on this
topic but I highly recommend "All The Hits". Also the
Raven set of J&D LPs. "Easy As 1-2-3" is especially good,
offering 3 LPs on one CD.
Jill Gibson was cowriter on so may of J&D's great pop
songs. Did she write for other people? I know she worked
with Gary Zekley and did a brief stint in the Mama's and
the Papas. But other than that what did she do? Anyone
know where she is now?
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 9
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 18:25:04 -0600
From: "Robert Conway"
Subject: Re: Jan & Dean/P.F. Sloan
>From: "Justin McDevitt"
>
>I Found A Girl is one of my favorite Jan and Dean songs. I
>have a 45 of this record which is in fairly good shape.
>
>I have a couple of vinyl Jan and Dean Best-Ofs, though
>this track is not included. Is it featured on a CD Best Of
>compilation?
Yes sir it is. I believe it first appeared on the duo's
"Folk and Soul" LP which I believe has been reissued on CD
(maybe as a two'fer with another LP). Anyhow, I first had
it on CD when EMI released its Legendary Masters Series.
The J&D CD was just plain awesome for quality and
EMI/Liberty track selection...it had just about everything
needed in terms of singles and best-of tracks. Anyhow, I
still own it but about 4-5 years ago I bought the duo's
2-CD set on EMI with absolutely everything you could need
on EMI plus commercials/radio jingles I believe, plus the
duo's pre-EMI stuff like Jennie Lee, Baby Talk, Heart and
Soul, etc. Title is "All the Hits from Surf City to Drag
City." It is about $28 and I believe it still is
available although a few sources claim it has been deleted.
I have a package of CDs arriving very soon from Denmark
and this double may be in it. Let me know if interested.
It includes "I Found a Girl" and is hands-down the duo's
best compilation. If the set is in the forthcoming
package you can have it for $25 and that includes CD plus
postage and insurance.
Reason why I am acquiring it...sometimes I buy doubles of
CDs I really like for my car or just to have as I have
been known to lose CDs and then have to rebuy them. Also,
I oftentimes buy CDs when I heard from industry sources
that the CDs are about to be deleted. I know I have at
least two DynoVoice Story 2-CD sets arriving from overseas
and I may have another one or two coming from another
overseas source but I am not certain. I can usually sell
these types of acquisitions at a later date or else trade
for imports I need but don't need for $40 each such as
most Japanese imports. Thanks.
-BC
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 10
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 23:58:41 -0000
From: "Ian Chapman"
Subject: Sharon Tandy
Ken,
The song Sharon Tandy recorded (on Atlantic) was "Toe
Hold", not the Chris Clark song. Sharon wasn't with
Motown - could you perhaps have been thinking of Kiki Dee?
Ian
> The Smokey Robinson song you could be thinking of is "From
> Head To Toe" released in 1967 by Chris Clark on one of
> Berry Gordy,s labels. She was a white girl who went on to
> be a big wheel in the Motowm set up. She also recorded a
> number of classics whilst there, including "Love's Gone
> Bad (what an atmospheric track that is!!). "Head To toe"
> was also released by a Sharon Tandy maybe on Polydor in
> England, who if I remember correctly spent some time with
> Motown.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 11
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 00:46:05 -0000
From: Billy G. Spradlin
Subject: Re: Jan & Dean/P.F. Sloan
--- In spectropop, "Justin McDevitt" wrote:
> I Found A Girl is one of my favorite Jan and Dean songs. I
> have a 45 of this record which is in fairly good shape.
>
> I have a couple of vinyl Jan and Dean Best-Ofs, though
> this track is not included. Is it featured on a CD Best Of
> compilation?
I have it on 3 CD's:
"Surf City / Folk 'n Roll" (One Way) - Has the original
split-track stereo mix that's on the Liberty album, though
whoever mastered it moved the channels in a bit. Most J&D
albums sound very good in stereo with some inventive use
of only 3/4 tracks, I have always wondered why this LP was
mixed so wide with nothing in the middle.
"Surf City - The Best Of Jan And Dean" (EMI-USA) - Remixed
Stereo with a long fade out.
"All The Hits - From Surf City To Drag City" (EMI- USA)
Remixed Stereo, a better sounding mix. It's a nice 2-CD
set and the best J&D comp I have seen.
Billy
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 12
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 00:47:48 -0000
From: Matthew Moring
Subject: Curt Boettcher page is moving...
Hi all-
Just a heads up - Jason P's & my "Complete Curt Boettcher
Collection" discography page is moving to a new URL, which is:
http://home.attbi.com/~pinkpuzz/curt.html
Thanks,
Matthew Moring
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 13
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 14:13:54 -0600
From: "Justin McDevitt"
Subject: Re: The Baby/songs using sitars
Hi Group,
Another late 60's entry on the Songs with a Sitar list
would include Hooked On A Feeling by B. J. Thomas.
Justin
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 14
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 19:36:11 -0000
From: Bob Rashkow
Subject: Sitars 'n such
Isn't that a sitar on The Music Machine's "The People In
Me" (1967)? Granted it wasn't a smash but it didn't fare
too badly. Is their Warner Bros. output worth a listen?
Understand it's pretty interesting even if
unsuccessful......Lothar and the Hand People were just
absolutely KILLER!!! I have the repressed Capitol album
but unfortunately it's not complete. Each track is
terrific (I daresay somewhat ahead of their time), check
out "Sex and Violence" which is completely
tongue-in-cheek, "You Won't Be Lonely" and that digital
mini- freak-out at the conclusion, "It Comes On Anyhow"
which uses "IT DOESN'T MATTER" as an ongoing mantra
(reminded me of Bill Murray in MEATBALLS!!!)
The Bobster
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 15
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 00:28:01 -0000
From: Mark Frumento
Subject: Re: Tony Romeo/Lou Christie LP/Pledging My Love
--- In Spectropop, "Norman" wrote:
> Indian Lake and Path of Love by the Cowsills were Tony
> Romeo songs. The latter being a blueprint for the sound
> of the Partridge Family (give it a listen).
Yes. Those are great songs... they were the ones that lead
me to the Lou Christie material. I had always thought that
TR was a country writer.
--- In Spectropop, Mike Arcidiacono wrote
> Mark, what is the name of the Lou Christie Lp that Tony
> Romeo wrote for?
That album is called "Lou Christie" and it's on Varese
Sarabande... at least I think it is still in print. It's a
classic from start to finish. This is the album with
"Beyond The Blue Horizon". The 4 bonus tracks are also
great. And if memory serves 2 of the bonuses were written
by TR too. "Hey You Cajun" is also on that album. A great
song by Lou and his old writing partner.
If you've ever heard the Partridge Family's version of
'Mornining Rider On the Road' then you have to hear LC
singing it. David Cassidy has nothing on Lou!
There is also a great LC/TR collaboration on LC's last
album "Pledging My Love" called "I'm Gonna Wait For You
Baby". Obviously this song was left over from something
else give TR's untimely death.
Lest anyone think that Lou lost his gift in the 70s needs
to hear the wonderful PML (again on Varese). As usual the
man proves that he cares more for great song writing than
record sales. Great originals, great covers and great
singing. A genius in our midst.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 16
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 21:42:04 -0500
From: Michael Edwards
Subject: Re: Bob Crewe Presents Dyno Voice CD
Robert wrote:
> ...anybody who still doesn't own it can contact me
> and I will gladly part with the extra copy for my
> cost (CD and overseas airmail postage). -Bob Conway
Thanks, Robert. I tried Disc Collector again and they were
able to find me a copy.
Thanks again,
Mike Edwards
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 17
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 21:45:59 -0000
From: Billy G. Spradlin
Subject: Re: two more recent electric sitar sightings
--- In spectropop, Stewart Mason wrote:
> Marshall Crenshaw -- "Blues Is King" (DOWNTOWN, Warner
> Brothers 1985)
I dont think there is a Sitar on this track (it's one of
my favorite M.C. songs, too bad he didnt work with Mitch
Easter again) - but the next track, "Terrifying Love"
has one.
The Smithereens - "Kiss Your Tears Away" from
"Smithereens 11" Aerosmith - "Taste Of India"
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 18
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 00:16:14 -0000
From: Mark Frumento
Subject: Re: Merseybeats /Escorts
--- In spectropop, Ken wrote:
>
>
> The Smokey Robinson song you could be thinking of is "From
> Head To Toe" released in 1967 by Chris Clark on one of
> Berry Gordy,s labels.
Thanks. I realized though that I was wrong and that this
song was done by the Escorts... another Mersey band.
Costello's version is quite good but basically a copy of
the song with Steve Nieve's great piano line.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 19
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 20:54:11 -0500
From: "Paul Payton"
Subject: Ellen Mcilwaine, Big 3, Lou Christie
Bill Reed: nice to hear about Ellen McIlwaine. We used to
play her a lot at WHCN in Hartford in the early 70's. I'm
having a reunion with several folks from thet station this
week, and will pass along the word of her success. They'll
be gratified to know.
Rachel Michaeli: interesting that there's a Cass in your
fave, the Big Three. The first Big Three was a folk group
in NYC in the early 60's featuring one Cass Elliot, of the
Mamas & the Papas.
All this Lou Christie talk makes we want to chime in with
my two faves of his from different eras: "Make Summer Last
Forever" (great chant in the chorus: "never-ending,
no-ending, never-ending, no-ending"); and the very
different "Hey You Cajun." Country-rock at its finest!
Country Paul
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 20
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 15:20:34 -0800
From: Scott Swanson
Subject: Re: theremin
>Another fascinating instrument used for the first time in
>pop music in that era was the theremin. Obvious example:
>Good Vibrations,
My understanding is that the Beach Boys didn't actually
use a theremin -- supposedly they used a device called
the "electro-theremin", which was a modern-day (for the
'60s) contraption designed to replicate the 'theremin
sound' using a keyboard instead of having to wave your
hands in the air.
Can anyone out there confirm this?
Regards,
Scott
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 21
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 21:10:36 -0600
From: "David Salter"
Subject: Re: Jill Gibson
If you want to see what Jill Gibson is doing today go to:
http://www.gibsonarts.com
----- Original Message from "Mark Frumento"
> Jill Gibson was cowriter on so may of J&D's great pop
> songs. Did she write for other people? I know she worked
> with Gary Zekley and did a brief stint in the Mama's and
> the Papas. But other than that what did she do? Anyone
> know where she is now?
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 22
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 22:23:28 -0500
From: Alan Zweig
Subject: what kind of sitar
>From: Freeman Carmack
>
>lets not forget "Turn Down Day" by the Cyrkle,or
>"Cry Like a Baby" by the Boxtops.
The lists would be too long in either case but are you
guys talking about sitar or electric sitar? The list for
plain old sitar would be a bit shorter I think. There's a
Noel Harrison tune or two with sitar. And one by the
Buckinghams. And I think the one by the Association
that's playing in my head right now is something like
"Wanting ain't gettin". And there's Bobby Vee with
electric sitar. But like I say, I sort of "collect" these
things but it would be too much work to list them and
even then it would be nowhere near definitive.
AZ
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 23
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 16:51:46 EST
From: Matthew Kaplan
Subject: Elvis Costello the singer of songs
Here is a 90 minute tapes worth of songs of Elvis Costello
cover's of classics of lost gems:
I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MYSELF (Burt
Bacharach/Hal David-Dusty Springfield)
MY FUNNY VALENTINE (Rogers & Hart)
WHAT'S SO FUNNY 'BOUT PEACE, LOVE & UNDERSTANDING (Nick
Lowe)
I CAN'T STAND UP FOR FALLING DOWN (Sam & Dave)
I STAND ACCUSED (The Merseybeats-The Glories)
GETTIN' MIGHTY CROWDED (Betty Everett)
SO YOUNG (Jojo Zep & The Falcons)
LOVE FOR SALE (Cole Porter)
GLOOMY SUNDAY (S.Lewis/R.Seress)
>FROM HEAD TO TOE (Smokey Robinson & The Miracles- The
Escorts)
THE WORLD OF BROKEN HEARTS (D.Pomus/M.Shuman- Amen Corner)
NIGHTTIME (The Escorts-The Strangeloves)
REALLY MYSTIFIED (The Merseybeats)
DON'T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD (The Animals)
EISENHOWER BLUES (J.B. Lenoir)
THEY'LL NEVER TAKE HER LOVE FROM ME (Hank Williams)
THAT'S HOW YOU GOT KILLED BEFORE (David Bartholomew)
IT TEARS ME UP (Percy Sledge)
THE ONLY DADDY THAT'LL WALK THE LINE (Ivy J. Bryant)
YOUR MIND IS ON VACATION (Mose Allison)
YOUR FUNERAL MY TRIAL (Sonny Boy Williamson)
DAYS (The Kinks)
STRANGE (Screamin' Jay Hawkins)
HIDDEN CHARMS (Willie Dixon)
REMOVE THE DOUBT (The Supremes)
LEAVE MY KITTEN ALONE (Little Willie John)
BAMA-LAMA-BAMA-LOO (Little Richard)
POURING WATER ON A DROWNING MAN (James Carr)
THE VERY THOUGHT OF YOU (Ray Noble-Nat "King"Cole)
PAY DAY (Jesse Winchester)
I THREW IT ALL AWAY (Bob Dylan)
MUST YOU THROW DIRT IN MY FACE (Louvin Brothers)
There are more but this is the tape that I put together
for myself a few years back.
Matthew Kaplan
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 24
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 21:44:38 -0000
From: "Martin Roberts"
Subject: Re: I'm Gonna Make Lou Mine
Richard Williams wrote:
> Every now and then a Spectropopper writes something
> that makes it all worthwhile
What 'turns me on' is the snippets of info, the mention
of records that gets me digging through my boxes, the
(often dry) wit but most of all reading a Spectropper's
enthusiasm for a record, artist, concert etc. Okay, the
subject in question might not always generate that much
excitement in my soul (Soft Pop, Bubblegum, electric
sitars!) but music is first and foremost about 'feelings'.
That's why I so enjoyed Jack Madani's 'review' of Lou
Christie's "I'm Gonna Make You Mine" (b-vox Ellie
Greenwich, Linda Scott and Lou himself-although I'm sure
he knew this already).
Great reading.
Needless to say I don't agree with his choice of Lou's
top pop hit! When "If My Car Could Only Talk" finishes on
my record player I usually think this has to be the best
record ever made!
Martin
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 25
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 2002 16:29:43 -0000
From: Alan Ackerman
Subject: Phil Produced Unchained
Reading over the messages on the Carol Kaye website I
began to re- think the debate over whether Phil or Bill
produced Unchained Melody. Previously, I'd been leaning
on the side of Medley producing the Righteous Brothers
1965 version because of certain ingredients on the track
that were missing that were obviously Phil Spector's
signature at the time. I was not 100% convinced it was
Bill Medley's production either, because he had never
done anything like that at Moonglow or with the album
cuts (which he was credited) on the first Righteous
Brothers album.
In the Righteous Brothers thread that begins on 3-05-02
on Carol's message board, she states emphatically that
Phil Spector produced the version of UM that is always
played on the radio and that Bill Medley had done a
remake, years later, of UM that is not played on the
radio. Carol goes on to say: "I don't think anything
Bill produced was near anything that Phil produced in
quality, sounds, musicianship etc., difference of day and
night.....the proof is in the pudding too, what hits has
Bill had?"
One of the arguments in favor of Medley producing UM is
that Phil didn't have his name on the 45 as producer
until after the deejays began flipping over Hung on You
and UM became a hit. Then the subsequent pressings had
Phil listed as producer. This argument isn't totally
convincing. There are examples in the Philles 45 catalog
where Phil duly credited other producers. The flip side
of Puddin n Tain (# 108) had Feels So Good with a
producer credit going to Lou Adler. The Ronettes I Can
Hear Music (# 133) lists Jeff Barry as producer. It is
interesting to note (and this cinches the debate for me)
that the flip side of # 133 is When I Saw You (a Spector
production for sure, from 1964 Ronettes album) that
doesn't even have a producers credit on it! However, it
does say "From the Best- Selling PHILLES LP 4006,
Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes." Now, the Righteous
Brothers record of Philles 129 has Hung On Uou on the a-
side with the usual Spector/Nitzsche/Levine credits. The
b-side side has Unchained Melody with no credits except
"From the Best Sellign Philles LP 4008 JUST ONCE IN MY
LIFE. Very similar wording to the the Ronettes 45-133.
Furthermore, the 3 Righteous Brothers albums each have
different ways of stating the producer credits. The
Lovin' Feelin' album credits the whole album to Bill
Medley as producer expect for You've Lost That Lovin'
Feelin' which is credited to Phil Spector. The whole
second album, Just Once In My Life, is credited as a
joint venture of Phil Spector/Bill Medley as producers,
with no guidance as to who did what track. The last
album, Back to Back, separates the producer credits
individually by track, with Spector credited with Hung on
You, Ebb Tide, For Sentimental Reasons and White Cliffs
of Dover. Medley is credited with the rest.
Medley's subsequent Verve production work (modeled after
Spector for sure) do not have the aural colorings and
taste that Spector had. Even Medley's and Hatfield's
vocals are less than the best on the Verve tracks.
Spector, like all great producers, knew how to coax the
best vocals out of his lead singers. Has Sonny Charles
ever matched the performance he gave on Black Pearl?
Ditto for Carol Connors, Ray Peterson, Curtis Lee,
Priscilla Paris, Barbara Alston, La La Brooks, Darlene
Love, Ronnie. None of these artists had any kind of hit
record career once leaving Spector. Only Tina Turner
went on to a big career after Phil and that probably had
more to do with leaving Ike than anything. Still, Tina's
vocals on the Spector tracks are tremendous--very soulful,
throaty, earthy--a female Ben E. King.
Prior to signing with Philles records, Bill Medley had
never bothered with recording older, standard songs like
Unchained Melody. Phil, however, had done so many times,
going back to the Teddy Bears era (their LP is full of
standards). Bob B. Soxx's Zip-a-dee-doo-dah is another
example.
My conclusion is that Phil Spector produced the hit
version of Unchained Melody.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
End
