January 24th, 2010
Listen: Four Women / Nina Simone Nina4Women.mp3
Michael Alago signed Nina Simone to Elektra in ’92, and I’m pretty sure she made her last studio album as a result. Michael, at that point, was very friendly with her, having been an ardent fan for several years. Nina was living in LA at the time, and during October of that year, she and Michael were together doing pre-production in some studio off Hollywood Blvd.
I was in town for The Cramps as they were preparing FLAMEJOB for my label, Medicine, and had timed the trip around a three day run The Ramones were doing at The Palladium (10/14 – 16, to be exact). It was a fun one.
Both Micheal and I, as well as Johnny Ramone, Arturo Vega (The Ramones’ career long light & design guy) and Monte Melnick (their tour manager), all shared birthdays within days of each other in that exact time frame, so Alago decided to have a pre show dinner party at The Hollywood Athletic Club to celebrate all five, as well as his Nina/Elektra signing.
By then he was having a slightly difficult time getting her to record the songs he wanted. On that particular night, it didn’t help that I was enamored with her Philips period stuff. She and I sat across from each other at this long table. With Nina right next to Joey, she just got into deep details about her time with that label as soon as we asked. It was fascinating info, I was even interested in what she could recall about the actual Philips offices, which surprisingly was a lot. Plus the details of the studios, her engineers and the small, small recording budgets of the day.
‘Four Women’ was a much played single then as now, and after a LOT of champagne on her part, I suggested she re-record it for the new album. Michael at that moment was sort of standing behind her in his constant buzzing around, good host style, and just whipped his head toward me, eyes bugging and frantically hand motioned behind her head to STOP. Panicked and pissed all at once, he kept up this silent communication, but too late, she was now on a ‘Four Women’ roll. Her assistant, like Nina with back to Michael, opinioned that it was timely, and might be a good idea.
So fuck it, I threw in, “and you should make a video”.
Nina announces loudly “Michael, I want to make a video for ‘Four Women’ “.
This was about to go very wrong when he seamlessly circles round behind me and says, “Before you forget, you should get Nina to do your jukebox tab now, and you know Nina, if we redo ‘Four Women’, Philips will just try to reposition their version and not pay you like they still don’t”.
Good move Alago, as that’s all she needed to be reminded of. End of idea, end of dinner and onward to The Ramones show (with signed jukebox tab in wallet), sans Nina.
Posted in Arturo Vega, Elektra, Jukebox Tab, Medicine Label, Michael Alago, Monte Melnick, Nina Simone, Philips, The Cramps, The Ramones |
January 23rd, 2010
Listen: Honaloochie Boogie / Mott The Hoople MottHonaloochieBoogie.mp3
‘Honaloochie Boogie’ was the first record I heard upon arriving in London, June ’73. My Aunt Tess collected me at Heathrow, we went back to hers, where she prepared me a traditional English fry-up, and then went to meet Uncle Mick at the pub. It was playing when we walked in. I was more excited about racing toward the jukebox than catching up with my relatives. Very wrong.
I knew of the single, it was one of many I planned to hear/acquire while there. Things were off to a great start.
Prior, I had really tried to love Mott The Hoople. Those four albums on Atlantic (Island in the UK) were a bit of a struggle for me – they just felt a little prog rock bloated. My roomates loved BRAIN CAPERS, and so did I. Well liked, not loved, that is. Suddenly the stars lined up for Mott and they were working with David Bowie. New sound and new label (CBS). They segued onto the glam bandwagon pretty seamlessly, no easy feat considering they weren’t young or thin or androgynous. Overend Watts, like Chris Squire from Yes, always looked pathetic in crotch high silver platforms and pastel colors. Plus ‘All The Young Dudes’ was, let’s face it, all about Bowie. Most importantly, they were now making singles.
The initial one from the second album, first post Bowie, was this. And it ignited a run of strong, quite fantastic records to follow: ‘Roll Away The Stone’, ‘The Golden Age Of Rock ‘n Roll’, ‘All The Way To Memphis’ to be exact. I guess ‘Honaloochie Boogie’ is the least heard and appreciated. Maybe it was the moment for me – not sure. I can tell you this, along with Wizzard ‘See My Baby Jive’, Thin Lizzy ‘Whiskey In The Jar’ and at least one Slade single, it was on every jukebox in every pub in London that summer.
I had finally arrived in my natural habitat.
Posted in Atlantic, CBS, Columbia, David Bowie, Island, Mott The Hoople, Slade, Thin Lizzy, Wizzard |
January 22nd, 2010
Listen: From The Underworld / The Herd 03 From The Underworld.mp3
I just think this is one of the greatest singles ever made. I have loved it since the very first listen. Now considered a psychedelic classic, it wasn’t at the time, or for years. The Herd were accused of being too mainstream then. The media and public sometimes look down on you if you’re successful, usually associating it with being lower quality, simply because it’s mass appeal, I guess. I do that too I suppose. Still, I never could understand why this record wasn’t appreciated then as it is now, but at least it got it’s day.
Even the lyrics entranced me, a seldom occurrence. Stuff like “a black night’s coldness” and “into another world you will pass” gave me the creeps. I liked getting the creeps then, had a bit of a cemetery attraction. That may have been a pot smoking side effect, going there late at night, alone, stoned, to scare myself. And I really did, several times that summer. Quit the cryptic visits and smoking pot shortly thereafter.
Peter Frampton downplayed his time with The Herd for years. You couldn’t mention it to him. Now I think he realizes it was very credible, as he was super nice about doing the jukebox tab for me. I wanted to advise him while signing it, not to be too flattered. It’s just that living in the US, one never sees Andy Bown.
The above US promo-only foldout picture sleeve is nearly extinct. The only one I’ve ever seen actually. Oh and thank you Howard Thompson for the test pressing. It was a really awesome birthday present that year.
Above: Jukebox Tab signed by Peter Frampton
Posted in Andy Bown, Fontana, Howard Thompson, Jukebox Tab, Peter Frampton, The Herd |
January 13th, 2010
Listen: Ecstasy / Johnny Kidd & The Pirates JohhnyKiddEcstasy.mp3
Seems theater played quite the part for a few big UK bands from ’62 – ’64. Like Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages, Johnny Kidd & The Pirates had their schtick as well. But despite the gimmick accusations heaped on both, there was an alarming reality to it all – they were both a little believable and frightening, to a little kid at least. With his pirate eyepatch, Johnny Kidd carried the rock and roll torch right into the beat group era, keeping a very bluesy raw sound to his band, that years later would be deemed quite influential. During ’62 – ’63, Mick Green handled lead guitar duties, and it’s from this period that ‘Ecstasy’ comes. His signature playing style, very evident here, was later religiously coined by Wilko Johnson. He added a near lethal dose of amphetamine to the recipe and Dr. Feelgood was born.
Timely even at this moment, ‘Ecstasy’ being co-written by Phil Spector and Doc Pomus, I always enjoyed the absolutely coincidental double entendre of the lyrics. “take me by the hand and lead me to the land of ecstasy” or “the first time that I saw you, you showed me the door to ecstasy”. Rave on.
Posted in Doc Pomus, Dr. Feelgood, HMV, Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, Mick Green, Phil Spector, Screaming Lord Sutch & The Savages, Wilco Johnson |
January 11th, 2010
Listen: Senses Working Overtime (Single Version) / XTC [audio:
http://www.somanyrecordssolittletime.com/records/XTCSenses.mp3]
You have to hand it to Steve Lillywhite. He can produce a record alright. God, he was on a roll during this early 80′s stretch. XTC, Peter Gabriel, The Psychedelic Furs, Simple Minds, Joan Armatrading, U2. If you couldn’t make great records with that bunch, you’d be pretty useless – but seminal ones as they turned out to be – well not necessarily that easy.
Having a great engineer is the magic formula – one who can eventually learn the craft and rise to the occasion. Such the case with Hugh Padgham, Steve’s original engineer who produced this – and The Police among others.
Early on, XTC opened a US tour for The Police, the only time I got to see them. And I’m honestly not sure how many times thereafter they returned. Their saga is long. And this is a well known hit, but never one I tire of.
Posted in Hugh Padgham, Joan Armatrading, Peter Gabriel, Simple Minds, Steve Lillywhite, The Police, The Psychedelic Furs, U2, Virgin, XTC |
January 9th, 2010
It’s been one year ago today since we lost Dave Dee, therefore I’ve decided on this re-post from January 2009.
In that time, Claranelle Morris’ daughter found my remembrances of her Mom. She googled her name. Claranelle was the sweetest lady from Fontana, who would send me all things released by the label, and especially those by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, who I had originally written to her about in the 60′s (see post). One of the best communication results via SO MANY RECORDS, SO LITTLE TIME I’ve ever been lucky enough to have.
Posted in Claranelle Morris, Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich, Fontana |
January 7th, 2010
Listen: Cry Tough / Nils Lofgren NilsCry.mp3
Funny coincidence. A repeating lyric in ‘Cry Tough’ is “Doctor Feelgood”. I’m assuming he means something other than the UK band who at the very same time as this was recorded and released, were planting the seeds that would sprout punk and make tasty rock music unhip almost overnight. Somehow though, Nils Lofgren sat pretty nicely beside all that, and most friends I had, like myself, loved the entire CRY TOUGH album. Nils, as with Steve Winwood and JJ Cale, was certainly a port in the AOR storm during those few years, when anything to do with punk was kept off the airwaves.
Produced by Al Kooper meant the album was in solid shape. It was upon release of the followup, I CAME TO DANCE, that he came to town. Voice and playing were superb, lyrically a little too cliched, but his great rag/tag outfit and Keith Richard-like stage presence more than made up for it.
Posted in A&M, Al Kooper, Nils Lofgren |
January 6th, 2010
Listen: Justified & Ancient / The KLF Featuring Tammy Wynette KLFTammy.mp3
The last time Tammy Wynette played New York was October 25, 1994 at Town Hall. I’d scored a pair of tickets off a friend at Epic, Michael Alago came along with me. She was spectacular. Despite all the health scares, there were no physical signs of anything but beauty and strength. The voice was other worldly. We sat awestruck the entire time. She did all the hits and should’ve-been hits. Her stories were both personal and fun.
At one point, she thanked her label Epic for their loyalty and support since the 60′s and asked if anyone from the label was present, to please stand, asking the audience to give them a round of applause. No one stood. No one from Epic bothered to go. It was humilating for her and us. And this was a living legend.
Brilliant move on The KLF’s part getting her to vocal ‘Justified & Ancient’, also known as ‘Stand By The Jams’ in the UK. Rivals The Pet Shop Boys with Dusty Springfield as top collaboration ever.
Posted in Arista, Dusty Springfield, Epic, Michael Alago, Tammy Wynette, The KLF, The Pet Shop Boys |
January 5th, 2010
Listen: NYC / Interpol InterpolNYC.mp3
Interpol have two major assets: Paul Banks’ voice and a seminal song in ‘NYC’. Hey, it’s better to have one anthem than none.
Posted in Interpol, Matador, Paul Banks |
January 4th, 2010
Listen: The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face / Roberta Flack RobertaFirst.mp3
One of the first signs of major label desperation started to reveal itself around ’04. I worked A&R at Columbia, and it was obvious many young, debut acts were being file shared, as opposed to purchased on CD. So the making of new recordings by classic artists became the MO. Bob Dylan and Barbra Streisand were having #1 albums, after struggling to get any real sales blips for years. So Don Ienner, our chairman, suggested we find classic acts who were still relevant – even though most people had forgotten they were….still relevant. Johnny Cash, Neil Diamond, Bette Midler, Burt Bacharach and umm, Wilson Phillips.
I wanted to sign Roberta Flack.
Coincidentally, I had seen her a few weeks prior at B.B. King’s, and she was jawdropping. Voice 100% intact, beautiful and get this – hysterical. Her between song banter was a riot, more like Millie Jackson than the Roberta Flack I expected. We all blushed more than once. First rule: if she plays anywhere near you – GO. You will be knocked out.
I’m convinced I have a great idea and mention this to Vicki Wickham, figuring she may have a contact for Roberta. Sure enough she instructed me to leave it with her. A few days later, I get buzzed “Roberta Flack is on line one”. Holy shit. I pick up meagerly and she says “Kevin, this is Roberta Flack”. I apologetically put her on hold quickly, literally screamed, then went back calmly to proceed with the conversation. What a lovely lady. We talked for ages about making an album, even getting the songs Stevie Wonder had written for her and Donny Hathaway out of storage. She offered to call him, thereby inviting his voice on the potential duets now that Donny was gone. Sounded amazing.
Well Donnie Ienner passed. His gut wasn’t feeling it I suppose.
The major label world is a funny one. When you’re hot, you’re hot. Or when the boss is feeling good about you, your ideas are exciting, if not – there’s no winning. Yet the next guy down the hall can have the same idea and it flies. Who can say where Roberta and I fit in to that time line.
Posted in Atlantic, B. B. King's, Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, Bob Dylan, Burt Bacharach, Donnie Ienner, Donny Hathaway, Johnny Cash, Millie Jackson, Neil Diamond, Paula Cole, Roberta Flack, Stevie Wonder, Vicki Wickham, Wilson Phillips |
January 2nd, 2010
Listen: People Have The Power / Patti Smith PattiPeople.mp3
There was a time, around RADIO ETHIOPIA, that I stalked The Patti Smith Group. You might say the sum was greater than the parts, but not in any way to diminish Patti’s centricity. They were a perfect band. Just before heading to the UK for a ’77 tour, they came upstate to play two shows in a cathedral on the campus of Hamilton College in Clinton, NY, supposedly to raise money to get to England. We taped both shows. They were mesmerizing. One of the greatest musical exeriences of my life.
God bless Bob Seger. Shortly after returning from said tour, he gave she and her band a chance to open several of his shows, an opportunity to reach people that radio programmers blackballed her from. Unfortunately, Patti fell off the stage during a Florida performance, taking in no doubt her wild abandon, broke her neck, and the intense live energy of the band was never the same. Arista and Clive Davis turned to Bruce Springsteen and Todd Rundgren to help broaden her reach, admirably. Some of those ideas worked, some didn’t. But it is the thought that counts.
When you’re the real deal, you go through ups and downs, yet rise above. That’s the Patti Smith saga. In ’88, she bounced back with ‘People Have The Power’, possibly her strongest song yet. It was edited on 7″ for airplay, but I’ve chosen to post the full length version. It’s a song you just wish would never end.
Posted in Arista, Bob Seger, Bruce Springsteen, Clive Davis, Patti Smith, The Patti Smith Group, Todd Rundgren |
January 1st, 2010
Listen: Rock On (Single Version) / David Essex DavidEssexRockOn.mp3
‘A record to cleanse the palate’ I believe was the Melody Maker review in a sentence. Very true. This one sat around for a while prior to picking up any notice in the States, but Columbia clearly smelled a hit from the get go. You could always tell when a picture sleeve was involved prior to 1977. I have a feeling a lot of people might remember the first time they heard it. The immediate response was ‘play it again’, a handy reaction when that initial listen is from your radio.
Forest Hills native Jeff Wayne’s fantastic production (he went on the score WAR OF THE WORLDS) could easily double as incidental music to a James Bond film. You simply don’t hear records this unique very often.
The local oldies station was having a 70′s weekend recently, replaying old Casey Kasem chart countdowns and this came on. Sounded more modern than anything on the modern rock station.
Posted in Casey Kasem, CBS, Columbia, David Essex, James Bond, Jeff Wayne, Melody Maker |
December 31st, 2009
Listen: Cast Your Fate To The Wind / Shelby Flint ShelbyFlint.mp3
Even though Sounds Orchestral’s instrumental version was the bigger hit, Shelby Flint stakes claim to the classic version of ‘Cast Your Fate To The Wind’. It was her vocal version that filled the void left by Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto’s ‘The Girl From Ipanema’, well sort of. She’s still around, and living in North Hollywood, exactly here she grew up. How great is that?
Posted in American London, Astrud Gilberto, Shelby Flint, Sounds Orchestral, Stan Getz, Valiant |
December 29th, 2009
Listen: Cigarettes, Women And Wine / Chicory Tip ChicoryWinesomanyrecordssolittletime.mp3
Having scooped a UK release of ‘Son Of Your Father’ off Giorgio Moroder’s own German version, Chicory Tip ended up at #1 as a result. Not so in the US. Giorgio’s reached #48, while Chicory (as their name was shortened to for that one US single) peaked at #91. Despite the UK coup, Moroder wrote it, thereby still earning off every sale without having to schlep about in glam trousers and platforms, as the band did. In fact, Chicory Tip apparently hated their new found teen success, thus live, would deliver heavy blues rock instead. Bad career move.
Back in the studio, the Chicory Tip camp was smart enough to keep a winning formula going for a few more replicas of that lone #1, right down to having the band cover Moroder songs exclusively as A sides. A few charted, but despite heavy airplay from the influential Radio Luxembourg, BBC’s Radio 1 wouldn’t touch ‘Cigarettes, Women And Wine’, supposedly due to the cigarettes mention. Big cheat. They were a perfect mix of Glam and synth rock, and had they continued mixing the two elements, the result may have been much closer to what Manfred Mann’s Earth Band achieved, especially with Giorgio Moroder as producer.
Their sound certainly pointed to a whole musical revolution that wasn’t too many years away.
Posted in BBC Radio 1, CBS, Chicory Tip, Epic, Giorgio Moroder, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Radio Luxembourg |
December 29th, 2009
Listen: Rock Me / Steppenwolf SteppenwolfRockMe.mp3
Some great early albums, one right after the other. Their debut included ‘The Pusher’. Being able to hear anyone sing ‘goddam’ over and over on a record was a big deal at the time. As well, a song about drugs. How awesome was this?
“Rock Me’ was not as cliched as the title suggests. It’s the breakdown at exactly 2:00 lasting over a minute that, despite the cowbell, was almost gospel-like. It sounded way more happening and hip than just about anything getting Top 40 play in 1969. It didn’t take much convincing to purchase a ticket for their show in support of the 3rd album, MONSTER on March 30 of that year. The real miracle came after I’d bought it, the opening act was announced: Julie Driscoll / Brian Auger & The Trinity.
Posted in Dunhill, Stateside, Steppenwolf |
December 28th, 2009
Listen: Zabadak / Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich 05 Zabadak!.mp3
In honor of yet another year owning ‘Zabadak’, I’ve decided it’s an annual tradition to repost my original entry about the single’s history from December 28, 2008.
Posted in Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich, Imperial |
December 27th, 2009
Listen: Pain In My Heart / Otis Redding
Pain
Leave it to The Rolling Stones, they turned all us really young white kids on to the great RnB and Soul that was right here at home. Yeah it’s the oldest story in the book, but 100% true. I for one, was completely oblivious to Otis Redding until they came along. And so I started to ask for his records at WMCR, the little adult station near my parent’s house that gave me all their unusable Rock and RnB singles. Unfortunately, most of the labels only serviced them with non-RnB stuff, logically as they were playing Eydie Gorme, Dean Martin and such. Atlantic was an example, so I had to buy the occasional one, if I’d find it that is.
The first time I saw The Rolling Stones, see my Alvin Robinson post, they played this. Can remember it like yesterday. I needed this original and within days….it was mine.
Listen: Direct Me / Otis Redding
Direct
His last known TV performance was on Cleveland’s UPBEAT, a weekly pop show that rivaled any national counterpart, in fact preceeded both SHINDIG and HULLABALOO as well as outlasting them (’64 – ’71). Seems everyone passed through town, probably intentionally to get the coverage. I’ve mentioned the show in previous posts, and without question, even a partial list of performers is pretty impressive.
Well it’s hard to forget seeing that episode, watching Otis Redding, knowing what had just happened asit was never broadcast live) Despite being endlessly respected and always name checked, he’s seldom heard. Oldies radio overplaying ‘(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay’ is almost an injustice. Despite all his classics, ‘Direct Me’ comes in as my favorite. Co-written with Steve Cropper, it may have been a castoff, but I don’t care. Got it in one of those ten for a dollar boxes. Despite the B side status (‘Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag’ was the A), the single just holds a memorable place in time for me. Woolworth’s, summer ’69.
There wasn’t a bad record in that box, which also included The Pretty Things ‘Cry To Me’.
Posted in Atco, Atlantic, Dean Martin, Eydie Gorme, Hullabaloo, Shindig, Steve Cropper, The Pretty Things, The Rolling Stones, Upbeat, Volt, WMCR, Woolworth's |
December 26th, 2009
Listen: It’s My Party / Lesley Gore LesleyParty.mp3
We had a Christmas lunch today, but friends actually started showing up around 10AM. I find the simplest background music solution for these gatherings to be Music Choice, part of the Time Warner cable selections. Our setup spans the kitchen, den, living room, basically the ground floor, so everyone’s covered. For the more hardcore, it’s off to a whole ‘nother part of the house with the turntables, jukebox, record library, memoribilia, the works, but I digress.
Back at the main floor party, the 60′s channel got everyone’s vote. It was a nice if predictable mix, nothing obscure that might put off a WalMart shopper of course. On comes ‘It’s My Party’. The mood turned up a notch. An all time favorite combined with champagne at 11AM did the trick. Seriously, she sounded great, and I’d been forever meaning to spin some of her 7′s lately. Having spent the last few days trying to file a couple thousand singles that have just enveloped my existence, I happened on a nice original UK A label from Tony’s collection of ‘It’s My Party’ – a repeat play was in order.
Listen: She’s A Fool / Lesley Gore LesleyFool.mp3
I keep forgetting that the first 1/3 or so of her Mercury hits were produced by Quincy Jones just after he took over the NY Mercury offices in ’64 (Shelby Singleton and Bob Crewe divided up the last 2/3′s pretty evenly).
Yes, that Quincy Jones. If you want your mouth to drop and eyes to bug, check out his discography. A cat does not have this many lives. There’s hardly a bad one in the bunch.
‘She’s A Fool’ rivaled ‘It’s My Party’ as my favorite for ages. I’d forgotten the autographed sleeve Howard got me one time. Apparently she visited a friend at CBS often back when he was there.
Listen: Money Runner / Quincy Jones QuincyMoneyRunner.mp3
His many accomplishments included writing and producing some 33 film scores and soundtracks. I’d bet that number is even higher, but even if it’s not, wow, can you imagine? Another of Tony’s singles that almost got filed, but instead has been played about 20 times, is ‘Money Runner’ from the ’71 film/soundtrack THE HEIST. Quincy Jones even dipped his toe into Blaxploitation, with a bit of ‘Shaft’ mixed in. It was this year’s Christmas Day favorite.
Will Lord Warddd play it at Brooklyn Bowl on January 1?
Posted in Blaxploitation, Bob Crewe, Brooklyn Bowl, Howard Thompson, Lesley Gore, Lord Warddd, Mercury, Music Choice, Quincy Jones, Reprise, Shelby Singleton, Tony King |
December 25th, 2009
Listen: See My Baby Jive / Wizzard WizzardJive.mp3
This isn’t the first time SMRSLT has celebrated Roy Wood’s mere presence on this earth. Thankfully, he was awarded an honorary doctorate for his contribution to music by the University of Derby as recently as January 18, 2008. After all, the guy mastered guitar, bass, sitar, cello, double bass, saxophone, clarinet, trombone, tuba, recorders, oboe, French horn, banjo, mandolin, bassoon, drums, percussion, vibraphone, bagpipes and keyboards. And as a songwriter, well he’s an international treasure.
As much as The Move played a vital building block in my musical preferences, Wizzard contributed equally. For one thing, I’d finally gotten the 50′s RnR humor that had before passed me by. In the looks department, I was crazy about his multi-colored hair extravagance that, during the height of Glam in ’73, seemed commonplace. Luckily, when I landed in London that June, ‘See My Baby Jive’ was everywhere, on every pub jukebox, on every radio station.
Listen: Angel Fingers / Wizzard WizzardAngel.mp3
‘Angel Fingers’ raced to #1 that fall, and if you can believe it, I loved it even more. I could never understand why no one in the US cared about Wizzard. How could anyone seriously prefer The Marshall Tucker Band or Wet Willie (yes, ‘Keep On Smilin’ is great) to this bunch? Still baffling.
Listen: I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday / Wizzard WizzardChristmas.mp3
Of equal amazement at the time was the complete US musical disinterest in anything Christmas. Now, from Thanksgiving onward, we’re bombarded with seasonal music. Not so in the 70′s, bar maybe the Brenda Lee classic. Roy Wood had just signed to Warner Brothers, and in their haste, mistakenly pressed copies of what was clearly about to be a seminal record (see above – now how did they get those masters?). Harvest adamantly maintained ownership to ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday’, and so (most) of the WB vinyl was scraped, but the sleeves (in possibly the label’s first attempt to be green) were saved and passed on to Harvest, who proceeded to use them for their release despite the Warner Brothers catalog number still present on the packaging.
So some 36 years later, on December 24, 2009, as the single’s yearly re-entry sat at #45 in the UK chart, what do I hear in Bed, Bath & Beyond?: ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday’. Finally, and I lived to witness it. Despite my excitement, no one else flinched. Still, a joyous moment.
Posted in Brenda Lee, Harvest, Roy Wood, The Marshall Tucker Band, The Move, Wet Willie, Wizzard |
December 24th, 2009
Listen: Take Me For What I’m Worth / The Searchers SearchersTakeWorth.mp3
Despite their clean cut Mersey look, The Searchers made consistently good singles for years. A staple of The English Invasion, like The Beatles and Freddie & The Dreamers, their past haunted them a bit when smaller labels in the US that had issued unsuccessful debut singles trudged them out to compete with more current hits. Didn’t seem to harm them much as ‘Sugar & Spice’ fared equally well next to ‘Needles & Pins’ in ’64.
A short time later, hits became a bit of a struggle (although most were well chosen covers), with spotty airplay hindering P.F. Sloan’s ‘Take Me For What I’m Worth’ unfairly. It’s seven week run that began in January of ’66 got it to only #76. Oddly, it didn’t fare much better back at home (#20).
Listen: Have You Ever Loved Somebody / The Searchers SearchersHaveSomebody.mp3
Maybe the suits needed to go, and the adaption to an image more in line with Them, The Yardbirds or The Kinks would have kept initial fans interested. Even The Beatles dumped that look, probably in their constant effort to unsuccessfully keep up with The Rolling Stones, although for predictably klutzy flower power / Nehru gear. ‘Have You Ever Loved Somebody’, like ‘Take For What I’m Worth’ before it, was highlighted by a very unique vocal harmony that gave both singles something irresistible. Again, US airplay was playing it’s fickle hand and it’s short three week chart run found it stalling at #94, with a similar fate in the UK (#48).
Posted in Freddie & The Dreamers, Kapp, P. F. Sloan, Pye, The Beatles, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, The Searchers, The Yardbirds, Them |
