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Spectropop - Digest Number 1081



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               SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 19 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

      1. Jack Nitzsche at Spectropop Update
           From: Martin Roberts 
      2. Foreign language songs by English language artistes
           From: Paul Woods 
      3. Re: Better Covers
           From: Andrew Hickey 
      4. Charlotte O'Hara
           From: S'pop Team 
      5. Re: Sen Robert Kennedy and "Wild Thing"
           From: Max Weiner 
      6. Re: Foreign language songs by English language artistes
           From: Roger Smith 
      7. More on UK covers
           From: Michael Edwards 
      8. Re: Foreign language songs by English language artistes
           From: Phil Milstein 
      9. more "exotical" versions: This is My Prayer
           From: Patrick Rands 
     10. Mac Davis -- Re: A life in rock and roll
           From: Phil Milstein 
     11. Re: "You're No Good"
           From: Tony Leong 
     12. The Hardly Worth It Players, Brenda Lee song
           From: Justin McDevitt 
     13. Re. Sen Robert Kennedy and "Wild Thing"
           From: Mac Joseph 
     14. Phil Spector's Alleycats
           From: Mac Joseph 
     15. Alder Ray - 'Cause I Love Him
           From: Martin Jensen 
     16. Hello
           From: S.J. Dibai 
     17. Kennedy - Little Miss Dynamite and friends
           From: Alan Gordon 
     18. Re: This is My Prayer
           From: Steve Crump 
     19. Re: This is My Prayer
           From: Dan Hughes 


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Message: 1 Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2003 21:24:56 +0100 From: Martin Roberts Subject: Jack Nitzsche at Spectropop Update Don't miss Billy Daniels with a Nitzsche produced and arranged version of his standard, "That Old Black Magic", playing on the home page: http://www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/index.htm Nice to see that Spectropoppers are not swayed from their choice by the supposed monetary value of a record, although I must say that Bobby Day's is superb and will be given another chance. Next week, the heavier sound of The Gas Company "Get Out Of My Life", or The Palace Guard "All Night Long". On The Radio http://www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/radio.htm is playing jingle #2 "Blockbuster" mix. The new record linked to Al Hazan And Jack Nitzsche's Record Of The Week, http://www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/ahjnrotw.htm is an instrumental favourite you should all know. From Jack's "The Lonely Surfer" album, "Beyond The Surf". Al has written some more details on the recording of his composition by Jack Nitzsche. Not many months go by without records being added to Jack's discography, http://www.spectropop.com/JackNitzsche/discography.htm and I'm pleased to say this month is no exception. Martin -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 2 Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 09:20:29 +0100 (GMT Daylight Time) From: Paul Woods Subject: Foreign language songs by English language artistes David said: > ... Kiki Dee doing her best with the Italian language. > My mama would have found her accent amusing. I was studying in Granada, Spain, way back in 1968, and to my delight found in a record shop there an Italian language single by Sonny and Cher (which I assume consisted of two Italian original songs) "Camino d'ogni speranza" (I think) and "L'umanità". Quite catchy little numbers, and there was a nice picture sleeve too. When I got back home to Harlesden, I went round to my local sweet shop (which bizarrely also sold records - it was there, incidentally, that I purchased "A Christmas Gift for You" on the day of its English release!) and played my new acquisition to the shop owner, who was an Italian lady. She virtually rolled about on the floor laughing, on hearing the Bonos' pronunciation! So I bought some Sherbet Lemons, and went home... wudzi -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 3 Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 10:00:09 +0100 From: Andrew Hickey Subject: Re: Better Covers > As far as the Swinging Blue Jeans' version of "You're > No Good," I agree it's a great version, but is it > really definitive? Or do you mean definitive UK > version? I always thought the Linda Ronstadt version > was definitive, at least it's the one everyone knows. In the UK the Swinging Blue Jeans version is the one everyone knows - I only heard the Ronstadt version for the first time last month on a trip to the US. I actually know someone in the US who'd never heard of any version except Van Halen's... Personally I prefer the Swinging Blue Jeans' version to the others, but that may just be because it's the version I grew up knowing. -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 4 Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 11:18:43 +0100 From: S'pop Team Subject: Charlotte O'Hara New At S'pop Home Of The Brave The Story Of Charlotte O'Hara and Bonnie & The Treasures Part 5: Charlotte, Nita & I by Becky Hobbs, as told to Phil Milstein Becky Hobbs is a talented Nashville-based songwriter/pianist/ singer, best known for her 1988 hit "Are There Any More (Like You At Home)". Already a fan, I recently learned that in between her Oklahoma youth and her Nashville stardom Becky had spent several years in Los Angeles, where she had become friends with song-poem singers Charlotte O'Hara (Bonnie of Bonnie & the Treasures) and Nita Garfield. Via her website, I checked in with Becky to inquire about this phase of her life. A gracious lady who remembers those years, and those friends, with abiding fondness – and not a little sadness at their passing – Becky contributed not only thoughtful recollections but a batch of very personal photographs, as well. (Phil Milstein) For the full story, and pictures: http://www.spectropop.com/HOTB/HOTBpart5.htm Enjoy! The S'pop Team -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 5 Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 05:28:50 -0700 (PDT) From: Max Weiner Subject: Re: Sen Robert Kennedy and "Wild Thing" Me: > In 1967 somebody did a parody of Sen. Bobby Kennedy singing > "Wild Thing". Through my research, I found out later that > the singer was a guy by the name of "Bobby Pickett". So here > is my question: Is this the same Bobby "Boris" Pickett, from > "Monster Mash" fame, or someone else. Or was my research wrong. Rat Pfink wrote: > Your research may be wrong. According to Joel Whitburn's > Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, "Senator Bobby" was > someone named Bill Minkin of The Hardly-Worthit Players. OK, Thank you sir; That didn't sound right to me either, but I wanted to make sure. Much obliged. Mac Joseph -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 6 Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 10:54:04 -0400 From: Roger Smith Subject: Re: Foreign language songs by English language artistes David said: > ... Kiki Dee doing her best with the Italian language. > My mama would have found her accent amusing. Harry Nilsson recorded a number of songs in Italian even though I don't think he knew the language. The most familiar of these is "Per Chi" which is "Without You" in Italian. Nilsson also recorded a traditional Italian song, "Leggenda" as the b-side of a single because of some legal requirement in Italy. What's surprising is that these weren't the first tracks Nilsson recorded in Italian. Going through RCA's vaults a couple of years ago, Curtis Armstrong discovered that Nilsson recorded "Without Her" and several other songs in Italian in the late 1960s. The tracks haven't been released yet. At first we thought that he may have recorded them as demos for Italian singers, but we noticed that the songs were not all written by Nilsson and were not all published by the same company. So it remains a mystery why he recorded them. -- Roger http://www.harrynilsson.com/ -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 7 Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 16:26:43 -0000 From: Michael Edwards Subject: More on UK covers Thank you, David, for the critique of my list of the best UK cover versions of US songs during the British Invasion era. Bobby Day's "Over And Over" is indeed a gem and far better than the a-side, "Rockin' Robin". The DC5 version has an aura attached to it. It was released way after the practice of UK bands covering US material had gotten old and the DC5 themselves were coming off the boil in both the US and UK. The band went back to their Tottenham Royal roots one more time to come up with a stomping version of a little know US song. It bombed in the UK but went to # 1 in the US and became the last hit of the British Invasion. The group followed it with a Greatest Hits album; a 10 tracker that runs for about 20 minutes. But what a 20 minutes! Uptempo or beat ballads, the DC5 just charge through them all. Does that make their version of "Over And Over" better than Bobby Day's? Who knows? I recall a version by Paul Revere And The Raiders on Dick Clark's "Where The Action Is". With Mark Lindsay singing lead and using Dave Clark's arrangement, their version's impressive too. And while we're here, let's wish former DC5 lead singer Mike Smith a speedy recovery from his recent accident. > As far as the Swinging Blue Jeans' version of "You're No Good," I > agree it's a great version, but is it really definitive? Or do you > mean definitive UK version? No I rate it the best version against all comers, David. Maybe it's the Liverpudlian harmonizing or the stripped down simplicity of it all (see also the Searchers on "Love Potion # 9") that creates the right level of earnestness. And while we're over here: RIP Mr. Tony "Big Jake" Jackson, the Searchers' lead singer on "Love Potion # 9". What a blast it must have been to see you and the group belting out the tunes at Liverpool's Iron Door Club all those years ago. Ah, you mention Ramsey Lewis, David. Let's not forget that one called "Wade In The Water". Mike -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 8 Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 10:24:49 +0000 From: Phil Milstein Subject: Re: Foreign language songs by English language artistes Paul Woods wrote: > I was studying in Granada, Spain, way back in 1968, and to my > delight found in a record shop there an Italian language single by > Sonny and Cher (which I assume consisted of two Italian original > songs) "Camino d'ogni speranza" (I think) and "L'umanità". Quite > catchy little numbers, and there was a nice picture sleeve too. Were these re-recordings of songs they originally did in English, vs. songs written originally in Italian? --Phil M. -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 9 Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 16:37:41 -0000 From: Patrick Rands Subject: more "exotical" versions: This is My Prayer Italian singer Gigliola Cinquetti sings 7 of her songs in the delightful film Dio, Come Ti Amo (My God, How I Love You) from 1966. http://www.bigcobra.net/earlyyears.htm http://www.narinternational.com/inglese/biogr/cinqu.htm My question is, does anyone have or know the English version of This is My Prayer or know anything about it? Was it a hit in the UK/US at all and who had the hit version? "This is My Prayer" sold all over the world. That song gained the first positions in the hit parades in France, Swiss, Belgium, Danemark, Spain, and Mexico, the second position in Argentina and Hong Kong and the third in Germany and England. This is My Prayer has been indeed translated in several languages and mainly recorded by Gigliola in all of them, with the exception of some, more "exotical" versions." >From what I understand, there are English versions of This Is My Prayer, performed by Vera Lynn or Linda Scott. These versions don't seem easily available. Any help would be appreciated. :Patrick -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 10 Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 12:35:27 +0000 From: Phil Milstein Subject: Mac Davis -- Re: A life in rock and roll Hugo M. wrote: > Oops, Clark caught me in a dumb mistake, wrong song title. > Mac Davis wrote that Everyday People said? Reminds me of a > 45 he put out @ '65, jumping on the protest-song bandwagon; > a two-sided Sonny Bono imitation called "Bad Scene/I Protest". > Extremely funny, though I'm not sure if the humor was intentional... Woah! That record sounds promising. Are you able to play it to musica? --Phil M. -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 11 Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 16:29:34 -0000 From: Tony Leong Subject: Re: "You're No Good" Bill George wrote: > At least one exception: (Linda Ronstadt's version of) > "You're No Good" is better than the original to my ears. James Botticelli added: > Once you hear Dee Dee Warwick do it you'll swear off Linda. Peter Lerner wrote: > But I say Barbara West's version (Ronn Records) is the very best. The Swinging Blue Jeans did a fairly interesting version too-- it was patterned after Betty Everett's tame version!!!! Tony Leong -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 12 Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 12:20:17 -0500 From: Justin McDevitt Subject: The Hardly Worth It Players, Brenda Lee song Hello Spectropop, It is finally good to know who recorded this great send-up of Wild Thing, of which I have a fairly decent copy on a cassette tape. The Hardly Worth It players also did a great spoof on Donovan's Mellow Yellow. I wonder if on or both of these tracks are included on one of the Dr Dimento compilations? Finally, I need some help with a Brenda Lee track which I first heard in the summer of 1962. As I recall, the opening lines were "Oh, Oh, falling all over again". Looking forward to a response. Justin McDevitt -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 13 Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 11:57:57 -0700 (PDT) From: Mac Joseph Subject: Re. Sen Robert Kennedy and "Wild Thing" Phil Milstein wrote: > Minkin's cohorts in The Hardly-Worthit Players were Steve Baron > and Dennis Wholey. (The group name was a pun on "The Huntley- > Brinkley Report," NBC-TV's nightly news program at the time.) > Interestingly, Wholey's partner in putting the "whole" affair > together was Chip Taylor, who we all know as the author of "Wild > Thing," the group's big hit.......Other pieces on their "Boston > Soul" LP include: > King Of The Road with Mr. President (parody > of Lyndon Johnson) > The Motown Sound > Daydream with William Rebuttley, Jr. (parody of conservative > commentator William Buckley) > Mellow Yellow with Senators McKinley and Bobby > 96 Tears with Senator Bobby and the Questions > White Christmas with Bobby the Poet Thanks Phil for the info; I never knew there was a whole album, not to mention Chip Taylor's involvement.. Thanks much! Mac Joseph -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 14 Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 12:09:17 -0700 (PDT) From: Mac Joseph Subject: Phil Spector's Alleycats OK, gang; Now that you helped me solve the mystery of RFK and "Wild Thing", I have one more. Was Billy Storm (of the Valiants, I believe) the lead vocal on "Puddin n' Tain"? Also, if anyone knows, was that the "wrecking crew" in back - I am sure that is Steve Douglas doing the sax solo. Thanks again in advance guys, and if I might add, I am so happy to be a part of Spectropop! Mac Joseph -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 15 Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 20:05:37 -0000 From: Martin Jensen Subject: Alder Ray - 'Cause I Love Him Hi The other day, I took some songs from my 'Dream Babies' LP and transferred them to my PC harddrive, so I could have easy access to them when working. (I transferred the songs via my portable minidisc recorder - not the best solution, but it usally works fine). To my surprise, the otherwise superb Alder Ray track lacked the instrumental backing once I got to play it from my computer, which was very strange, since the other transferred tracks work fine. Can anyone explain why this happened? On my PC 'Cause I Love Him' is all vocals, no backing. Of course, even without backing it sounds great, but still... If anyone here has the song lying around on a mp3/wav file, and would be kind enough to email it to me, I would be very grateful. With regards Martin, Denmark -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 16 Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 20:17:39 -0000 From: S.J. Dibai Subject: Hello Hi, everyone, I've just joined your group. I think I first found out about it when I was doing a Yahoo! search for Nita Rossi--is that hard core enough for you? I'm a child of the eighties who somehow managed to get into sixties pop and rock, and as some of my friends can tell you, I do love discovering a record or an artist that nobody's ever heard of. I can see from the messages that I know a lot but still have a lot to learn, so I will chime in whenever I can. Thanks, S.J. Dibai -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 17 Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 13:38:49 -0700 From: Alan Gordon Subject: Kennedy - Little Miss Dynamite and friends Gary wrote re. Sen Robert Kennedy and "Wild Thing": > It was a comedy group called The Hardly Worth-It Players. Does anyone have an mp3 they could play to musica? I remember this version... funny stuff. James Botticelli, re. Ms. Lee: > To say nothing of seeing her... If you can, you really have to dig up a copy of the 1988(?) "The Legendary Ladies of Rock and Roll" and listen to Brenda just scream like a toonful, tearful banshee. Man, she can still rock and sentimentalize as good as anyone. The show is hosted by Grace Slick and Belinda Carlisle, who do a little performing later on, but leave most of the musical emoting to the "Legendary Ladies": Lesley Gore, Brenda Lee, Freda Payne, Shirley Alston Reeves, Martha Reeves, Ronnie Spector and Mary Wells. Great stuff, and really nice to see what seems like genuine respect and warmth for everyone, from all the galz involved. My faves are Brenda and Lesley who really tear (in every sense of the word(s) that I can think of) the place up. They really put the "grr" back in "Grrl." I love watching Lesley do this thing where it sorta seems like her tongue is just ever-so-slightly in-the-way of her pronouncing certain words... and for some weird (probably just-pubescent) reason, it really makes me all crazy... sigh. Also: Freda must be doing a little hot-tubbin' in formaldehyde. That's all I can venture, considering how amazingly sexy this gal still looked in '88. the sense-of-humour-ectomy patient formerly known as, ~albabe -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 18 Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 20:46:18 -0000 From: Steve Crump Subject: Re: This is My Prayer Patrick Rands wrote: > My question is, does anyone have or know the English version of > "This is My Prayer" or know anything about it? Was it a hit in > the UK/US at all and who had the hit version? > From what I understand, there are English versions, performed by > Vera Lynn or Linda Scott. These versions don't seem easily > available. Any help would be appreciated. Hi Patrick There may also be another recording by Leslie Uggams on US Columbia. Here in Australia, it was recorded in English by Judy Stone, then she recorded it again a few years later, this time in Italian. In searching for music - I use GEMM.com for everyone or Netsounds.com for UK dealers specifically. Failing that - I just search on Google mixing the song title, artist and record label. Vera Lynn's version is on HMV. Hope this helps Steve -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
Message: 19 Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 12:56:41 -0500 From: Dan Hughes Subject: Re: This is My Prayer Patrick, there were 2 versions of "This Is My Prayer" that charted in the USA: Theola Kilgore (Serock 2006) took it to #60 in 1963, and The Ray Charles Singers (Command 4059) took it to #72 in 1965. (By the way, the Ray Charles here was a white bandleader, not the famous Ray Charles). -------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
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