________________________________________________________________________
______________ ______________
______________ ______________
______________ S P E C T R O P O P ______________
______________ ______________
________________________________________________________________________
"New Orthophonic" High Fidelity
------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are 10 messages in this issue of Spectropop.
Topics in this Digest Number 428:
1. Re: "toy-town"
From: "Michael Coleman"
2. Re: Randy Newman Gems
From: Mark Frumento
3. Re: Tomorrow
From: Vincent Degiorgio
4. Random notes
From: "Paul Payton"
5. Pop goes profundity
From: "Joseph Scott"
6. Response to Country Paul
From: Jimmy Crescitelli
7. Re: Randy Newman uncovered
From: Bob Rashkow
8. Re: Randy Newman Gems/Regional Hits in musica/Toomorrow
From: "Jeffrey Glenn"
9. Randy Newman Gems
From: Bill Reed
10. Randy Newman Gems
From: Michael Edwards
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Message: 1
Date: Fri, 29 Mar 2002 20:54:01 -0700
From: "Michael Coleman"
Subject: Re: "toy-town"
----- Original Message from "Mark Frumento"
> > Please elaborate on this "toy-town" sub genre.
>
> ...British pop that was being released from about
> 1967-1968...bouncy beat, extremely catchy melody
> (certainly strong hooks required in the chorus),
> storybook lyrics (or an everyday kind of lyric i.e.
> Penny Lane), and a many times a piano based production
> (decending bass lines are a plus) though a piano is not
> required.
> ..."Toyland" by The Alan Bown... probably the purest
> example of British toy-town.
thanks mark. i have just begun my harry nilsson
adventure and can see the connection with toy town
clearly. keep me abreast....
coleman
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2
Date: Sat, 30 Mar 2002 01:01:05 -0500
From: Mark Frumento
Subject: Re: Randy Newman Gems
> I have the 45 conincidentally, but that's not the point. I
> wish to uncover Randy's gems...My gem came from 1964 and
> was called "I Dont Want To Hear It Anymore"
That's a great song.
Another favorite hidden one is by the group Saturday's
Children. It's called "Leave That Baby Alone". A great pop
tune with an interesting sort of sick twist (typical of
Newman in the 60s).
A friend of mine (Steve Harvey) wrote a long article on RN
for Goldmine some years ago. I believe he covered many of
the covers. I seem to recall that an array of very diverse
musical acts have recorded his tunes.... I used to me much
more up on this topic. Of course several more obvious
covers are by Alan Price (great version of Tickle Me) and
Manfred Mann.
Mark Frumento
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3
Date: Fri, 29 Mar 2002 23:05:47 -0800
From: Vincent Degiorgio
Subject: Re: Tomorrow
Michael Sinclair wrote:
>> Is [Tomorrow] the same band that Olivia Newton-John was a
>> member of?
>
> The answer to your question is "no," but you are asking a
> most appropriate question. You must be the only person I
> have ever come acrosss this side of the 60's that actually
> knows, or remembers, the "Tomorrow" group that featured
> Olivia Newton John
I remember seeing a preview on the band in 16 Magazine.
My sister always used to buy it. I also recalled them
talking about Olivia wearing micro-mini skirts as
well...and I didn't mention it when I was sitting behind
her on a flight coming back from Sydney...
Vincent Degiorgio
Chapter 2 Productions Inc.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4
Date: Sat, 30 Mar 2002 02:11:32 -0500
From: "Paul Payton"
Subject: Random notes
Michael Sinclair sang the praises of Johnny Tillotson and
Bobby Rydell. I join him with caveats. Early Tillotson
(on Cadence) was especially innovative: Why Do I Love You
So is beautiful, especially the falsetto; Without You
(not the Nilsson song) has muscle and drama; True True
Happiness, with its spoken verse and gotta-be-kiddin'
"yeah" is innovative, pure teen, and yet works on its own.
There are more, of course, but as he mainstreamed - and
became more popular - he lost me. To me, Rydell peaked
very early artistically as a rocker: Kissin' Time, my
fave, has both rock-and-roll credibility and teen power.
(Doubters: check how he snarls "sweeter than wine and it
feels so fine.") Until his more "adult" work, like Volare,
I find most of Rydell after Kissin' Time to be pure
soul-less cotton candy; he sounds as though he would have
been more excited phoning in his part on some of them.
(Sorry if that goes counter to some of his fans I know
are in this group.) Conversely, some of Frankie Avalon's
more sentimental songs, especially "Boy Without A Girl,"
ring true for me, as do his earlier rockers like
"Gingerbread." So go figure.
Folks' wedding-music lists for Peter and Karen are
fascinating. But sorry, both "Dancin' Queen" and "Love
Train" would drive me out the door instantly. (There's
other really good Abbas, of course....) "Dancin' In The
Street" would pull me back in immediately.
I twice tried to download mp.3 songs from their site
tonight, and twice had my computer crash. Too bad - some
of the stuff posted looks good.
Tipsy Dave: Yes indeed, the Toyes' "Smoke Two Joints" is
it! Thank you. (And Chaz Hill - I'm there for the Rhino
CD - thank you, too!)
Phil Chapman writes:
> I seem to have inadvertently struck an elitist nerve
> around here [regarding Dancin' Queen]. Takes me right
> back to the 60s, when I found my choice of 45s, most
> of which are often fervently pored-over in various
> posts, continually challenged by a college-background
> groundswell of nouveau-intellectual appraisal.
At least two of us on this list went to what some
would call an elite college and learned about much of
the music on this list there (artists like the
Galaxies and producers like Gary Zekley come
immediately to mind), as well as about the
"progressive" hierarchy, blues history, jazz, folk and
much more. We were lucky to have a station - with
listeners - that embraced good music in most styles no
matter what its configuration was, 45 or 33 - or even
78. In addition to the "regulars" of progressive, we
played Brute Force, the Association, Skip Spence's
"Oar," Andy Pratt, and other artists from the
progressive edges and the pop/blues/country background.
If anything, I've found far more intolerance for musical
taste outside the prescribed norms of certain genres from
less-educated folks. Prior to discovering Spectropop, I
briefly joined a discussion group devoted to 60's-70's
progressive. I "transgressed" and spoke evil of Jim
Morrison and a few other icons of that music (including
the excruciating Styx) that had become tired over the
years (some of which was tired when it was new). The
result: I was soundly blasted for days. A response
elicited even more machine-gun fire, whereupon I
unsubscribed.
I love this group - from us college wonks to the street
folks to the younger members on the path to discovery -
because of the cool stuff we discuss in such a wide range
within our topic, and because we can agree to disagree.
Even the greatest idols we know of have laid some musical
eggs (e.g., some of Phil Spector's failed experiments),
and even the biggest turkeys have created wonders (e.g.,
Wayne Newton's "Comin' On Too Strong" and his early
doo-wop and rockabilly tracks). It's all fun to hear
about and talk about. Sorry, Phil, IMHO "Dancing Queen"
may be popular, but not on my turntable; conversely,
Frida's "Something Going On" is creatively superb
although a commercial stiff. But I'll still keep reading
your posts with avid interest!
Jimmy Botticelli: cool list of regional hits. I'm lucky
to have been in some of the regions where and when they
hit. BTW, The Remains were the first "loud" band I saw
play live - outdoors in the quad at college, by the way.
Why they weren't national stars is beyond me.
Country Paul
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5
Date: Sat, 30 Mar 2002 01:24:37 -0700
From: "Joseph Scott"
Subject: Pop goes profundity
I don't know about y'all, but profundity is something
I've very rarely found in any pop lyric. Maybe the best
quarter of a percent of pop lyrics approach the
neighborhood of T.S. Eliot, if that, and Eliot wasn't
profound all that often. As for the music itself, I'm not
sure what it would mean for it to be profound. Were
Bach's tunes profound?
On the other hand, I think we can talk, roughly, about
musical intelligence. The intro to "California Girls,"
for example, could not have been written by Joey Ramone
-- who did make very good music, dumb very good music.
I just listened to our dear old "Ice Cream Man" for the
first time in a while and I say file it under chocolate,
yum. (But I'd heard that there were two bands called
Clover and this one wasn't Huey's. No?)
Joseph Scott
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 6
Date: Sat, 30 Mar 2002 11:36:52 EST
From: Jimmy Crescitelli
Subject: Response to Country Paul
: ) Excellent! That's what I've always enjoyed about this
list... nobody slams anyone else; disagreements are
espoused in an intelligent, thinking manner. Bravo to you
for confirming this.
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 7
Date: Sat, 30 Mar 2002 16:47:54 EST
From: Bob Rashkow
Subject: Re: Randy Newman uncovered
I'll give my nod to his "Love Story", from the debut 1967
album on Reprise. Many people probably found it pretty
depressing, but he was the king of irony during that time.
What makes the song so special to me is the oh-so-ominous
final brass chords following his admission of the couple's
vulnerable mortality.
Country Paul wrote:
>I love this group.......
I do too and one of the reasons is that I'm learning so
much terrific trivia. For example, I never knew that
Newman wrote a song for the far-out Midwestern group,
Saturday's Children; I never knew that Miss Toni Fisher,
God rest her soul, died in 1999, and I never knew that
Randy & The Rainbows were the first to sing Oh To Get Away!!!!!
Hope this site lasts forever & keeps me informed!
The Bobster
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8
Date: Sat, 30 Mar 2002 08:23:54 -0800
From: "Jeffrey Glenn"
Subject: Re: Randy Newman Gems/Regional Hits in musica/Toomorrow
Jimmy Botticelli WROTE:
> > Randy penned a real nice ballad
> >recorded by the Fleetwoods, "They Tell Me Its Summer".
>
> I have the 45 conincidentally, but that's not the point. I
> wish to uncover Randy's gems...My gem came from 1964 and
> was called "I Dont Want To Hear It Anymore" about a guy
> who continually overhears through thin walls a
> neighbor couple arguing. Jerry Butler blew my mind with
> his interp. Any others?
Here's some:
1. Love Story (Randy Newman) - The Brothers, White Whale
WW-255: 1967, Produced by Ted Glasser - A Felgin & Lasseff
Production This version pre-dates Newman's own from his
first LP, and it's great harpsichord-based soft pop. The
B-side is also great, an early Warren Zevon-written song
called "The Girl's Alright."
2. Cover Me Babe (F. Karlin-R. Newman) - The Sunshine
Trolley, Trump PRO-5095: 1970, Produced by Tommy Cogbill &
Chips Moman Other than the info above, don't know much
about this, except that it's a great, very atmospheric
slice of progressive soft pop with male/female vocals
3. Debutante's Ball (R. Newman) - Tony Randall, Mercury
72797: 1968, Produced by Luchi De Jesus, Arranged by Luchi
De Jesus) OK, we all know this song, but in the hands of
Felix Unger?! Actually it's not too bad.
Also I've played to musica a couple of songs from Jimmy's
regional hits list:
1. My Love (Roses Are Red)(R. Esposito) - The "You Know Who"
Group: 4 Corners Of The World FC 4 113: 1964, Produced by
Bob Gallo at Talent Masters Studios Cool Mersey/proto
garage track; great use of reverb.
2. Dance, Dance (Karp-Whelchel-Holloway) - The Fourmost
Authority, GNP Crescendo GNP 386: 1967, Produced by 2-D
Productions This was covered by The Chartbusters (Bell 683)
soon after this original version came out and may have
caused both versions to not hit nationally. But this
original version is great uptempo pop/rock with a really
cool guitar solo.
And I can also play one or both side of the Toomorrow 45
"You're My Baby Now"/"Goin' Back" (not the Goffin/King song)
>from 1971 if anyone wants to hear it.
Jeff
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 9
Date: Sat, 30 Mar 2002 07:04:27 -0800 (PST)
From: Bill Reed
Subject: Randy Newman Gems
> "I Dont Want To Hear It Anymore" about a guy who
> continually overhears through thin walls a neighbor
> couple arguing. Jerry Butler blew my mind with his
> interp. Any others?
-------------------------------------------------------
There's Dusty Springfield's version on Dusty in
Memphis. As for other gems, but not all that obscure I
guess, but Irma Thomas singing Randy ("I Don't Want
Your Pity") Newman's "While the City Sleeps". Later
covered by Nick DeCaro on his Italian Graffiti sic. I
beleive that Thomas' version was, in fact, arr. by
DeCaro.
bill reed
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 10
Date: Sat, 30 Mar 2002 14:03:00 -0500
From: Michael Edwards
Subject: Randy Newman Gems
Jim Botticelli is looking for some Randy Newman songs.
Excluding "They Tell Me It's Summer" and "I Don't Wanna
Hear It Anymore", here's a few more from the 60s (by no
means definitive):
1. DID HE CALL TODAY MAMA
Jackie DeShannon, Liberty 55563, 1963. Flipside of Needles
And Pins
2. JUST ONE SMILE
Gene Pitney, Musicor 1219, 1966
Tokens, B T Puppy 513, 1966
3. MAMA TOLD ME NOT TO COME
Three Dog Night, Dunhill 4239, 1970
4. NOBODY NEEDS YOUR LOVE
Gene Pitney, UK Stateside 518, 1966
5. HOLD YOUR HEAD HIGH
Jackie DeShannon, Liberty 55705, 1964
6. SHE DON T UNDERSTAND HIM LIKE I DO
Jackie DeShannon, Liberty 55705, 1964. Flipside of Hold
Your Head High Also on album, Breakin It Up On The Beatles
Tour!, Liberty 3390, 1964 Brian Hyland, Philips 40263,
1965
7. SIMON SMITH AND THE AMAZING DANCING BEAR
Alan Price, UK Decca 12570, 1967
Mike Edwards
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
End
