November 19th, 2009
Listen: Cry Baby / Garnet Mimms & The Enchanters GarnetCry.mp3
I’ll admit it. I had not heard this record, nor seeked it out, until Janis Joplin recorded her version of ‘Cry Baby’ in ’71. I’d seen Garnet Mimms’ records mentioned occasionally in the obscure sections of Billboard: like Bubbling Under The Hot 100, or listed as a possible minor hit in the ‘Chart’ section of their Singles Review page (the catagories were ‘Top 20′, ‘Top 60′ and ‘Chart’, in that order). Seemed like an eternity, those eight years between his release and hers. Now it’s just a blink.
Her rendition would make anyone want to seek out the original. She just tore it apart. Certainly Garnet Mimms’ RnB version had to be great too. Taste in black music Janis Joplin certainly had.
Garnet Mimms & The Enchanters’ ‘Cry Baby’ was worth the search. Turns out he’d sang in many gospel groups, as well as with Sam Cooke, before being drafted. Once discharged in ’57, he hit the circuit again before forming The Enchanters in ’62. They cut ‘Cry Baby’, and it went on to sell a million units, peaking in Billboard’s pop charts at #4. Within a year, the group disbanded.
Composed by then struggling Brill Building staff writers Norman Meade and Bert Russell (aka Bert Burns), and produced by Jerry Ragovoy, ‘Cry Baby’ is a now perfect snapshot of New York RnB in it’s heyday.
Posted in Bert Russell, Billboard, Brill Building, Bubbling Under The Hot 100, Garnet Mimms & The Enchanters, Janis Joplin, Jerry Ragovoy, Norman Meade, Sam Cooke, United Artists |
November 18th, 2009
Listen: Walk On The Wild Side / Lou Reed LouReedWalk.mp3
Different vocal take altogether on this promo version (and in mono), something I never see any mention of in the price guides or collector’s blogs. For the trainspotters, a must have 7″.
The real shock here is that it was a hit – a massive hit – even in the US. It really happened, you could drive around, listening to Top 40 radio in 1972, with Lou Reed’s voice and lyrics were coming out of the dashboard, singing about he’s becoming she’s, colored girls, valium and head. What’s not to like? Only hip hop gets away with that now.
Credit where credit is due: Mick Ronson and David Bowie’s production is untouchable. Mick Ronson’s arrangements are untouchable. Lou Reed’s writing is untouchable. Has ever a song been more complimented by the recording? I can’t think of one.
Posted in David Bowie, Lou Reed, Mick Ronson, RCA |
November 17th, 2009
Listen: Remember Me / Rita Pavone RitaPavone.mp3
Remember Rita Pavone? Something to the effect of a sixteen year old Italian teen sensation. She was on Ed Sullivan many times, or seemingly. How her tomboy, hobo image slotted in so nicely with the English Invasion’s mini skirted and Yardley’s Slickered lipped Twiggy types in hindsight doesn’t make much sense. It didn’t last long anyways.
She did make a decent album, and a couple of good singles. ‘Remember Me’ got some radio traction here, despite the accent, which I found very exotic. The lure of a picture sleeve was too much for me to resist. In a very, very, very small way, I suppose it helped the record’s climb to #26 on the Billboard charts.
You have to hand it to RCA, they were pretty good at handing out full color sleeves: Duane Eddy, The Youngbloods, The Small Faces, Jefferson Airplane, Little Peggy March.
Posted in Duane Eddy, Ed Sullivan, Jefferson Airplane, Little Peggy March, RCA, Rita Pavone, The Small Faces, The Youngbloods, Twiggy |
November 16th, 2009
Listen: The Boy From New York City / The Ad Libs AdLibs.mp3
The Ad Libs were basically a Doo Wop act, leftover from a few years and name changes earlier, when the genre was more mainstream. I never got into the style. In hindsight, I’ve ended up collecting several genres I didn’t live through, but not Doo Wop. This sounded quite current, not at all out of place, blaring from my transistor AM radio in ’65. It’s one of those early musical memories that stuck into my little kid’s brain. I loved the line about ‘pockets full of spending loot’. Very 60′s and full of verve.
Lead singer Mary Ann Thomas had a fantastic voice, and I’m surprised the team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller at Blue Cat’s parent label, Red Bird, didn’t recognize it.
Posted in Blue Cat, Doo Wop, Jerry Leiber, Mary Ann Thomas, Mike Stoller, Red Bird, The Ad Libs |
November 15th, 2009
Listen: Anything That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll / Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers TomPettyAnything.mp3
This band got off to a slow start. Maybe it was simply his motorcycle jacket on their album cover, but Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers were thrown into the punk category by US radio programmers. Those radio gate keepers were a very intimidated, non-musical and paranoid bunch. Their heyday was nearing an end.
Proving their ineptitude, to them, Talking Heads, Blondie, Elvis Costello & The Attractions, The Ramones, Television, The Sex Pistols, The Patti Smith Group and Eddie & The Hot Rods all sounded the same: they were punk bands the American public didn’t want to hear. Wrong and wrong.
Sharing bills with both The Ramones and Blondie were probably temporary bad moves, because on to the unplayable scrapheap they went. Funny enough, fans of those bands were the first to appreciate them. Right up to the present day, it’s hard finding many folks, regardless of musical tastes, to hate on Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.
Howard Thompson was the guy who turned me on to them. He’d convinced Island in the UK to release their debut album. The single, ‘Anything That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll’, charted soon after over there, and he sent me a copy. I preferred it then, and now, to that first album’s eventual hit, ‘American Girl’ – and it unfortunately seems lost in the band’s history, never getting any mentions ever again.
Posted in Blondie, Eddie & The Hot Rods, Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Howard Thompson, Island, Shelter, Talking Heads, Television, The Patti Smith Group, The Sex Pistols, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers |
November 14th, 2009
Listen: Soulful Dress / Sugar Pie DeSanto
SugarPieSoulful.mp3
Proof that you can never have too many Sugar Pie Desanto singles.
Posted in Checker, Chess, Pye International, Sugar Pie De Santo, Sugar Pie DeSanto |
November 13th, 2009
Listen: River’s Invitation / Percy Mayfield
PercyMayfield.mp3
Don’t let his Brook Benton voice put you off, he stayed very pure to rhythm and blues. Ray Charles signed Percy Mayfield to his Tangerine label in ’61, after writing ‘Hit The Road Jack’. It’s Ray Charles playing the piano break on this, as he did with many of his recordings.
Posted in Brook Benton, HMV, Percy Mayfield, Ray Charles, Tangerine |
November 12th, 2009
Listen: Get To Steppin’ / Jackie Day JackieDaySteppin.mp3
Like the rest of the world, I know very little about Jackie Day. She had a single on UK Sue, was married to Big Jay McNeilly, and ‘Get To Steppin’ was, prior to this promo only 7″ release, never issued on a 45. It’s featured on the Ace 6TS 100 CLUB ANNIVERSARY SINGLES compilation cd – and in true form, Kent Records have made the DJ only single available in a plain white, as opposed to full colour company sleeve, just like in the 60′s.
Posted in Ace Records, Jackie Day, Kent, Northern Soul, Sue Records |
November 10th, 2009
Listen: Black Is Black / Los Bravos
Black Is Black / Los Bravos
Without a doubt, this was a signature song to my Summer ’66 soundtrack. This guy’s voice was almost scary. Between that and the lyrics, it especially sounded powerful late at night. I spent a week in Brooklyn that August, glued to the various New York City stations and heard this often. Along with The Lovin’ Spoonful’s ‘Summer In The City’, this song faithfully brings me back to that un-airconditioned summer vacation of listening to the radio by night and dragging my Aunt Nancy round the record shops by day: The House Of Oldies, King Karol and Colony basically. I spent hours in them. Thank God for her patience. Colony was really well stocked, but very expensive – list price: 98ยข! This was huge money for a kid in his single digits. Much more interesting were the shops in the East Village. Most of them sold promos for a quarter. Lots of white label Fontana’s, pink label Decca’s and the London Group’s orange swirls. You could spot those a mile away. I vividly recall getting Pinkerton’s Assorted Colours ‘Don’t Stop Loving Me, Baby’ in one such place.
Los Bravos, from Spain, big in England, well ‘Black Is Black’ was. Now big here. What a concept. Play good music on the radio, people buy it.
You still catch this one occasionally on the Oldies stations in smaller US markets and it does pop right out .
Listen: I Don’t Care / Los Bravos
I Don't Care / Los Bravos
The UK followup actually did okay, #16. It was easily a song that band and producer Ivor Raymonde worked hard on. I still would bet my last dime they all knew it wasn’t quite good enough despite the almost good enough parts, yet my guess is they needed something out quick and just went with it, hoping no one would notice.
Their US label, London Records’ offshoot Press, did notice. It never got released Stateside.
Listen: Going Nowhere / Los Bravos
Going Nowhere / Los Bravos
Instead, ‘Going Nowhere’ was the US followup to ‘Black Is Black’. Not a big showing chartwise, it peaked at #91. In a very signature Ivor Ramonde production, it sounds identical to his approach with The Fortunes. He had his sound down. I heard this a bit around Christmas of that year (see chart below). Turns out lead singer Mike Kogel was German, adding a great accent to his Gene Pitney vocal style. Spanish band and the first ever to chart in Billboard, German singer, pretty exotic for the day.
Listen: Bring A Little Lovin’ / Los Bravos
Bring A Little Lovin' / Los Bravos
What a surprise. Almost two years later, an eternity then, when no one expected it, Los Bravos finally really followed up ‘Black Is Black’ with a song equal in greatness. ‘Bring A Little Lovin’ sounded fantastic on the radio. I lit up every time I heard that intro. It was everywhere in Spring of ’68. Oddly, it didn’t chart in the UK, making the British pressing a very pricey item. Even US copies are hard to unearth now. Had they come with this straight after ‘Black Is Black’, the sky would’ve been the limit.
Posted in Billboard, Decca, Fontana, Gene Pitney, Ivor Raymonde, London Records, Los Bravos, Mike Kogel, Pinkerton's Assorted Colours, Press, The Fortunes, The Lovin' Spoonful, WNDR |
November 2nd, 2009
Listen: You Make Me Feel So Good / The Zombies ZombiesGood.mp3
The fact that my blog is pushing the two year mark, and I’ve yet to write about The Zombies is pathetic. Thought about it often, so in case I croak, now I’ll rest easier.
Luckily much praise and appreciation, despite years of delay, has been afforded this band – to the point whereby they can tour the world consistently and get the admiration for ODESSEY AND ORACLE they deserve.
‘You Make Me Feel So Good’, the B side to ‘She’s Not There’, may indeed be the first seed planted that years later would spawn androgynous 70′s rock and 90′s Britpop, who can say. But the swish and swagger in Colin Blunstone’s delivery is not deniable. At the end of the day, it was basically his normal vocal styling and not too much needed to be read into it. There’s something about the combination of his voice and Rod Argent’s hollow electric keyboard tones that are as magical as Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek’s.
In ’65, The Zombies played The Brooklyn Fox Theater with The Nashville Teens and The Hullaballoos. Way too young to even know it was happening, my parents lucked out, because I would have tortured them into taking me.
Listen: Indication / The Zombies ZombiesIndication.mp3
Of their several overlooked later Parrot / Decca singles, ‘Indication’ was my favorite, an indeed hard call to make. Subsequent anthologies and reissues all use the longer, stereo take with an extended keyboard solo at the end. This US mono 7″ version (streamed above), I think, works best.
Above: Jukebox Tab signed by Colin Blunstone
Posted in Colin Blunstone, Decca, Jim Morrison, Jukebox Tab, Parrot, Ray Manzarek, Rod Argent, The Brooklyn Fox Theater, The Hullaballoos, The Nashville Teens, The Zombies |
October 30th, 2009
Listen: The Day My Pad Went Mad / John Cooper Clarke JohnCooperClarkePad.mp3
Speaking of John Cooper Clarke (see previous post), the day a package from Howard Thompson in the UK arrived, with ‘The Day My Pad Went Mad’ inside, was the day my favorite picture sleeve list had a new entry at #1. I mean, look at this beauty.
It took me a few singles to really appreciate the genius of JCC. God, he’s so fantastic. Get as many of his records as you can. You’ll never regret it. Find him and send him money too, he deserves it. A national treasure.
Posted in Epic, Howard Thompson, John Cooper Clarke |
October 29th, 2009
Listen: Forever Now / The Psychedelic Furs PsychedelicForeverNow.mp3
I’ve been meaning to get a dedicated section on this blog for ‘Songs That Should Have Been Singles’. Some day, one day, as The Seekers once sang.
So now I have to decide, if something was pressed up on 7″ for promotional use only, is it a single? Or is a single a record that was actually released on 7″ for the public to buy? The plot thickens, given that some labels in the 60′s would promo a single to radio, then only press retail copies if it felt like airplay was possible. Feel free to discuss but I’m thinking if I can hold it as a 7″ piece of plastic, then yes it is a single.
One such promo only 7″, in a classy, almost UK type sleeve, was the (unfortunately) unedited version of The Psychedelic Furs ‘Forever Now’ (the over produced, ‘dynamic and percussively textured middle breakdown’, to quote a wordy journalist from the period, should have, in my opinion, been zapped). Despite that, the track is possibly one of their best. To hear the guitars REALLY pop, wear headphones. I’ve been listening to it almost exclusively since seeing the band for the first time in years, a few weeks back. I will not leave it so long ever again.
It’s always helpful to look great as well as sound it. Richard and Tim Butler indeed look exactly the same as they did thirty years ago. It defies logic. As importantly, they sound fantastic. Despite being the only two originals left, those integral parts Vince Ely and Jon Ashton created on this song are well reproduced in person.
And it’s those bits that make this recorded version so vital. Drummer Vince Ely flawlessly provides incredible swing underneath it all as a result of an interplay with Tim Butler’s bass that’s impeccable. John Ashton’s razor sharp guitar tones make his anthemic playing powerful and perfect. Then there’s Richard Butler’s classic vocal inflections and one of a kind lyrics: “everybody’s busy listening and pulling blinds”, beautifully marrying David Bowie with John Cooper Clarke.
‘Forever Now’ was the last song of their final encore that night, proceeded by the crowd jaw dropper, an unexpected ‘She Is Mine’. The end to a perfect evening. Only the goodnight kiss from Marianne Faithfull could top it.
Posted in Columbia, David Bowie, John Ashton, John Cooper Clarke, Marianne Faithfull, Richard Butler, The Psychedelic Furs, The Seekers, Tim Butler, Vince Ely |
October 28th, 2009
Listen: Friends Again / Janis Ian JanisIanFriends.mp3
I also find it hard to believe I love this record, given my dislike for the female singer/songwriter, should have never quit nursing school types. When I did A&R at Columbia in the early 90′s, with acts like Jewel and Sheryl Crow gaining huge success stories, there were an endless stream of wannabe-light versions coming by to play their demo – or worse yet – perform for you in the office, while manager and occasional friend/sister/brother tapped their toes and smiled along with the music. I got smart fast and soon, before they’d even start, I’d say “Are you as good as Joan Armatrading?”. Of course they would consistently wither out a “no” – so I’d politely say let’s not bother. Made it easier for everyone.
Still, I do play ‘Friends Again’ often. It wasn’t a hit, never even graced the Bubbling Under The Hot 100 chart. Expecting more political songwriting risk post her ‘Society’s Child’ smash, I suppose this just seemed like fluff. But it’s a happy song about friends, and everyone wants them, so what’s the problem? At least my local Top 40 played it a few times (see chart below). That’s how I heard it. And at 1:42, it never wears out it’s welcome.
Posted in Bubbling Under The Hot 100, Janis Ian, Jewel, Joan Armatrading, MGM, Sheryl Crow, Verve, Verve Forecast |
October 26th, 2009
Listen: October 26 / The Pretty Things PrettyThingsOctober26.mp3
I’ve been unable to even write an entry these past few days due to my loss on eBay. I desperately wanted to win the US Fontana stock copy of The Pretty Things ‘Midnight To Six Man’, which finally appeared for sale last week. In fact, I’ve wanted one my whole life. I have the US wlp, the UK copy etc – but not a US store pressing. Somehow eBay is claiming my user name/password didn’t match – mind you I’ve not changed them in probably ten years since joining. Therefore my $200.00 bid went unplaced, and a lucky fellow in Europe grabbed it for $31.00. I’ve tried emailing him, offering to buy it – but no reply. Not even a sympathy condolence. So I’ve been literally shattered. Anyone know of a copy I could buy? Name your price.
I always sent off to England for their singles starting around ’68. Lucky for me, I have nice copies of every release. I was a bit disappointed in ‘October 26′ upon arrival. It was tired sounding, and by far their weakest track of the period, logically not finding a place on their PARACHUTE materpiece. I figured just to be clever, I’d post it today, due to it’s namesake.
Listen: Cold Stone / The Pretty Things PrettyThingsColdStone.mp3
However, the B side ‘Cold Stone’ was a whole other story. It made up for the A side’s wimp. Phil May’s addictive vocal in full frontal attack, it couldn’t hide their RnB baby steps. Who the fuck was picking the A sides at Harvest then is what I’d like to know. Peter Jenner….can you answer that question?
Posted in Fontana, Harvest, Peter Jenner, Phil May, The Pretty Things |
October 22nd, 2009
Listen: This Sporting Life / Ian Whitcomb & BluevilleIanWhitcombSporting.mp3
I knew Ian Whitcomb was English, he had a huge hit as part of the British Invasion. It seems he relocated to the US quite quickly during that period. His first recordings, with Bluesville, despite being good attempts at the damp, Soho, St. James Infirmary sound, somehow lacked that final ‘something’, I’m guessing because of his vocal style. ‘This Sporting Life’, also recorded and released by Mickey Finn in ’65, finds him beautifully out of place with the music, actually becoming part of the appeal.
This one crawled slowing upward under Billboard’s Top 100, then placed for one week at #100, before returning to the ‘Bubbling Under The Hot 100′ section for a few more. It’s chart progression was as follows: 134, 122, 101, 101, 100, 104, 104, 124.
Ah the good old days of the Billboard charts, but talk about keeping an artist at the edge of their seat.
Listen: You Turn Me On / Ian Whitcomb & Bluesville IanWhitcombTurn.mp3
The balance between voice and music found the perfect match in ‘You Turn Me On’. The suggestive gasping surprisingly didn’t manage to keep it off the airwaves, and it scaled to #8 in Billboard’s Top 100 during that summer.
Listen: What Did Robinson Crusoe Go With Friday On Saturday Night? / Ian Whitcomb & His Seaside Syncopators IanWhitcombRobinson.mp3
Where Ian Whitcomb really found his footing, and a comfortable vocal home, was with the above single. More suited to the era of vaudeville and silent films, his voice worked perfectly on a remake of Al Jolson’s 1916 hit, and almost became a smash here in the US. Indeed, during the week of November 14, 1966 it was playlisted at both my local Top 40 stations (see their charts below) and sounded fantastic coming out of my transistor. If you told anyone this was a classic version by the deservedly credible Bonzo Dog Band, you wouldn’t be challenged.
Posted in Al Jolson, Billboard, Bluesville, Bubbling Under The Hot 100, Ian Whitcomb & Bluesville, The Bonzo Dog Band, Tower, WNDR, WOLF |
October 21st, 2009
Listen: Talkin’ Trash / Betty Davis BettyDavisTalkin.mp3
It wasn’t exactly her voice that attracted me – a mixture of Genya Ravan, Lydia Pence from Cold Blood and any one of The Slits. But some of the tracks were amongst the best of the day. Her NASTY GAL album didn’t seem to fit in anywhere, didn’t sell and for years became expensively sought after. The singles were even more obscure and they are must-haves.
Listen: He Was A Big Freak / Betty Davis BettyDavisFreak.mp3
Most surprising of all her work with Island, ‘He Was A Big Freak’, the non-LP 7″ b side, somehow didn’t make the album. Other than ‘Talkin’ Trash’ and the title track ‘Nasty Gal’, it’s probably her best song. Being the wife of Miles Davis conjures up many a potential person as to who this one may have been based on.
Posted in Betty Davis, Cold Blood, Genya Ravan, Island, Lydia Pence, Miles Davis, The Slits |
October 20th, 2009
Listen: I Just Learned How To Swim / Sly Stewart SlySwim.mp3
This Swim dance craze cash-in is a nice low budget rip off of The Downliners Sect’s ‘Little Egypt’, at least to these ears. Sly Stewart was at the time (1965), a hip San Francisco dj as well as overseeing in house production for the city’s Autumn Reocrds and it’s subsidiary imprints, North Beach and Loma. Seemingly more tied to the Anglo rock and psychedelic scene than RnB or soul, it wouldn’t be long before he turned down his legendary path.
Listen: Scat Swim / Sly Stewart SlyScat.mp3
It’s on the single’s b side, ‘Scat Swim’, where those first indications of the funk leanings that would become Sly & The Family Stone can be heard. Check out the bluesy jazz breakdown about one third of the way in, and that first vocal moment of what would soon become Sly Stone.
Posted in Autumn Records, Loma, North Beach Records, Sly & The Family Stone, Sly Stewart, Sly Stone, The Downliners Sect |
October 19th, 2009
Listen: I’ll Be Home (In A Day Or So) / Dream Police DreamPoliceHome.mp3
Reportedly Scotland’s Dream Police began as a psychedelic/progressive band that included future members of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band and The Average White Band. Signed to Decca in late ’69 on a tip from Junior Campbell, himself then on the label’s roster as a member of The Marmalade, their first (of three) singles for the label coincidentally included him as the band’s producer, arranger and conductor. Conductor?
The Marmalade had a sound, not unlike The Love Affair or Cupid’s Inspiration, and a whole bunch of lesser known ‘pop’ acts, all wonderfully over produced and clawing for a slot in the charts. Despite being considered manufactured fodder by the intelligent and/or hip music community, I found this stuff fascinating. Totally formula in it’s conveyor belt style, I still can’t get enough of it. Decca UK reigned king in the field. Always with a soft spot for inhouse producers or production deals, Junior Campbell, as with Jonathan King, Wayne Bickerton, Mike Hurst and others churned out endless pap to lap for the label. I’m still finding overdone stiffs from that period. One such example: Dream Police.
‘I’ll Be Home (In A Day Or So)’ could have indeed been a hit for The Marmalade (they recorded a version) had it been issued as a single. Junior Campbell’s production of the song for the Dream Police includes his obligatory rock lead guitar over the top of multi tracked vocals and string section bits galore. And quite frankly, the version deserved to be a hit.
Posted in Cupid's Inspiration, Decca, Dream Police, Jonathan King, Junior Campbell, London Records, Mike Hurst, Parrot, The Average White Band, The Love Affair, The Marmalade, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Wayne Bickerton |
October 17th, 2009
Listen: The People / John Wayne JohnWayne.mp3
Had this been released a few decades later, George Bush may have chosen it as his campaign theme. The album from which it came, AMERICA, WHY I LOVE HER, sold well and in his day, I guess he was considered the ultimate patriot.
Those of us, as few as we may have been, who stumbled on a copy of the single when current, enjoyed it for all the wrong reasons. It made for much laughter between glam records or in place of National Lampoon tracks.
Posted in John Wayne, National Lampoon, RCA |
October 16th, 2009
Listen: Him Or Me – What’s It Gonna Be? / Paul Revere & The Raiders PaulRevere.mp3
Here’s the deal. They looked ridiculous, embarrassing really, but had a load of great singles – and Mark Lindsay wrote just about every one, either solo or with someone. Terry Melcher produced (Wikipedia him for a real story). Great songs are great songs. I’d actullly forgotten how much I loved this one – until hearing it on BBC Radio 2. Pathetic, a band who only ever had hits in the US gets more airplay in other countries than here.
Posted in BBC Radio 2, Mark Lindsay, Paul Revere & The Raiders, Terry Melcher |
