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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 8 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. More Chiffons and Millenium Women; The Chordettes
From: Country Paul
2. Re: Lady Luck & the Lullabies
From: Simon White
3. Re: The Dantes
From: Clark Besch
4. Mello Cads Webcast Tonight
From: David Ponak
5. Nina Shaw?
From: Mark Frumento
6. Helen Shapiro, US Philips
From: Mike Edwards
7. Re: Nina Shaw
From: Mike Edwards
8. Hamilton Camp, "Here's To You"
From: Art Longmire
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Message: 1
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2003 01:12:52 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: More Chiffons and Millenium Women; The Chordettes
Mike Edwards:
> Paul, you're not far wrong [Re: "What Am I Gonna Do With You"
> and "Nobody Knows What's Goin' On (In My Mind But Me)"] but the
> above two songs get a lot of attention.
I'm not saying they didn't get attention; in fact, it's refreshing
that two of the artists' best were also two of their bigger hits;
that doesn't always happen! I was referring to *stylistically*
outside the box, particular on "Nobody Knows...". "What Am I Gonna
Do With You" simply sits there and radiates beauty. (As does Tommy
Roe's "It's Now Winter's Day." It too was a moderate hit, but a
major stylistic detour.)
Mike again:
> And while we are on the subject, wasn't it an absolute joy to
> hear "Sweet Talkin' Guy" on the radio in the summer of '66?
Yep!
Will Stos:
> What I find interesting is that this record came out just after
> the lawsuit they filed against the Tokens and Bright Tunes.
I never knew about this. More details, please?
Re: http://www.millenniumwomen.net/doo-wop.htm, it should be an
interesting show if a;; the *invited* guests of honor shows up. Do
the mis-spellings absolve the producer if the artists don't come,
i.e., "Mary" Clayton (not Merry), "Grecia" Nitzsche (not Gracia),
Gaynell "Hodges" (not Hodge), not to mention "HB Barnam" (not H. B.
Barnum). OK, so sue me; my mother was an English teacher! :-)
And now for something completely different, yet not: The Chordettes!
I've been listening to some of their music again, and realizing how
many hits they had, how many styles and eras they embraced, what
excellent and complementary voices they had, and just how original
and how damn good they were! (Also - if anyone has seen the original
Cadence LP or the 1976 Barbaby reissue - how unphotogenic, although
other pictures on websites notes below are more complimentary. But
babes they weren't.) Founded as a female barbershop quartet in 1946
(!), they became known nationally thanks to Arthur Godfrey's Talent
Scouts starting in 1949, and broke through with the classic "Mr.
Sandman" (#1, 1954). Their hits included girl group sounds like
"Lollipop" (#2, 1958), "Just Between You and Me" (#19, 1957) and the
achingly beautiful ballad "A Broken Vow" (1961, owing a nod to The
Paris Sisters in its sweet softness); unique choral harmonizing like
the haunting "Born To Be With You" (#5, 1956) and "No Other Arms, No
Other Lips" (#27, 1959); and the major-7th-laden soft-jazz-of-its-time
"Soft Sands" (#73, 1957). In total, at least 14 songs were on the Top
100. One of the members, Janet Ertl (d. 1988), married Archie Bleyer,
President of Cadence and producer of their hits and those of most of
the artists on the label, especially at the beginning.
There's a webpage on the group's pop era at:
http://www.euronet.nl/users/wvbrecht/chordett.htm,
and an extensive one delving into their barbershop and jazz roots at:
http://www.singers.com/jazz/vintage/chordettes.html.
The latter site also has CD's of their barbershop and Godfrey years,
plus a greatest hits CD from the Cadence era (alas, no "A Broken Vow,"
in my opinion one of their finest performances in its original single
mono mix). You can find the stereo mix of that song, and several other
interesting tracks besides their hits, at:
http://entertainment.msn.com/album/?album=523049.
These previously-unknown-to-me tracks include a very credible but
different-sounding cover of The Everly Brothers' "That's Old
Fashioned," Roger Miller's "In The Summertime (You Don't Want My
Love)," and the early 50's hits "Hummingbird" (very pretty) and "(Oh
Baby Mine) I Get So Lonely," the latter done in barbershop acapella.
Does anyone know if any of the Chordettes are still alive? Anyone else
have anything they can add?
Country Paul
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Message: 2
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2003 08:53:07 +0100
From: Simon White
Subject: Re: Lady Luck & the Lullabies
Tony Baylis wrote:
> Anybody familiar with, or have any info on, this group?
> [Lady Luck & The Lullabies]
This 45 was the subject one of my first (if not the first)
postings to the group. It's still in the archive. The group
is still a mystery to me! Great record though! It has an
American release number of PHILIPS 40102. Horace Ott got
around a bit.
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Message: 3
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2003 15:52:49 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Re: The Dantes
David Coyle wrote:
> The Dantes had three singles between 1966-67. The second one was
> the one you (Dan Hughes) mentioned, and the flipside was "Can I
> Get A Witness", also based on the Stones version of the Marvin
> Gaye song. Their first single was a 2-sided original, "Can't Get
> Enough Of Your Love", with an instrumental called "80-96" on the
> flip. The third single was another Stones cover, this time
> "Connection" from the "Between The Buttons" LP, flipped with a
> New Vaudeville Band-type novelty called "Satisfied." Only the
> second single was on Cameo. The first was on Jamie and the third
> one was on Main Line.
Hi David,
I was not aware that all 3 of these 45s were by same group! I have
some radio chart with "Connection" at #1 or 2, but think it was
Rockford! I know a Dantes group played the Chicago are and I assume
it is same group? I always thought they were from Philly due to
Jamie connection. Anyway, I love both sides of the Jamie 45. The
first just rocks great with that great 60's garage sound, while
the "B" is a great great instrumental rip off of Yardbirds' version
of "I'm a Man" that had to blow people away at their gigs.
Definitetly shows their instrumental capabilities!
Interestingly, according to http://www.repsmusicgroup.com (who owns
the master apparently), it is "available" for leasing for Cds. Why
hasn't somebody done so????
Also, David, just read your 3 page synopsis of "Revolution #9" in
Garage & Beat #9. Really cool to see all the stuff done & said in
there!
Thanks! Clark
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Message: 4
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2003 13:36:02 -0400
From: David Ponak
Subject: Mello Cads Webcast Tonight
My act, Mello Cads will be performing Tonight at Palms Hotel & Casino
as part of the Las Vegas edition of International Pop Overthrow. Our
set will be video webcast in real time at: http://www.nowstream.com
Please tune in and check it out. Our set time will be 10PM (Pacific
Daylight Time). Tokyo folks should tune in Wednesday at 2PM.
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Message: 5
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2003 17:55:02 -0000
From: Mark Frumento
Subject: Nina Shaw?
Does anyone have information on 60s UK singer Nina Shaw? I recently
found an EP of 4 songs by her, all competent solo girl singer/bigish
production numbers.
Mark F.
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Message: 6
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2003 21:17:32 -0000
From: Mike Edwards
Subject: Helen Shapiro, US Philips
Ref: Lady Luck & The Lullabies' "Young Stranger" -
I thought the UK's Helen Shapiro's performance of "Young Stranger"
was better than the US original by Lady Luck & The Lullabies.
Fortunately, she made a habit of making some quality cover versions
in the early 60s (as did the UK's Billy Fury) and held her own
against original US versions of such songs as:
"Keep Away From Other Girls" – Babs Tino
"I Was Only Kidding" – Ann-Margret, Molly Bee
"Tell Me What He Said" – Ginny Arnell, Playmates
"Daddy Couldn't Get Me One Of Those" – Dodie Stevens
"Ole Father Time" – Milly Foster
"Tomorrow Is Another Day" – Doris Troy
Helen made an insignificant chart showing in the US and her UK chart
fortunes seemed to decline as beat groups came into being. In the
fast moving 60s, she just seemed so dated. Looking back now, it's a
pleasure to note that she put out a great catalog of which some of
the above are examples.
Simon White notes that Lady Luck's "Young Stranger" was released on
US Philips. Now there's an interesting label that seemed to start
around 1962. We have seen very little CD reissue action. From what I
can see just isolated sides by the Secrets, Brian Hyland and Bobby
Hebb. I think the rights lie with Polygram, so if anyone from that
company is reading this, "From The Vaults Of Philips' Records" would
make a fine CD compilation.
Mike
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Message: 7
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2003 21:25:14 -0000
From: Mike Edwards
Subject: Re: Nina Shaw
Hi Mark,
Don't have too much information on Nina Shaw, but with a name like
that you feel as if you should know of her. My UK database shows:
"Woven In My Soul"/"Love So Fine" (CBS, 1968)
"From Now Till Then"/"Window Of My mind" (CBS, 1968)
"Stop The Music"/"Celebration Of The Year" (CBS, 1969)
"One Fine Day"/"Somewhere In The World" (CBS, 1969)
"In One Hour"/"I Will Come To You" (CBS, 1969)
"I Believed In You"/"I Believed In You (instr.)" (Creole, 1983)
"Look At Me Know"/"Turkish Delight" (Red Bus, 1984)
Given the timespan, the above may even be by two different persons.
I wonder if "One Fine Day" is the Chiffons' song. That would be very
topical here on S'pop.
Mike
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Message: 8
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2003 22:33:04 -0000
From: Art Longmire
Subject: Hamilton Camp, "Here's To You"
Does anyone besides me remember hearing this on the radio in 1968?
This tune was one that I heard on the school bus radio when I was
twelve and only listened to subliminally. I knew nothing and cared
less about music then, but a couple of years later I became a music
fanatic and was trying to remember this one fantastic tune whose
melody I remembered but had nothing else to go on. All I could
remember was that the singer had a tenor voice and the tune had a
great orchestra riff.
Well, flash forward to 1984-I was listening to this out-of-town radio
show by a DJ named Blas Villejo who always played a lot of obscure
old records. I was about to fall asleep on my couch when suddenly I
heard it - the song I remembered from my childhood. I sat up and gave
it a careful listen - I guess you know the feeling when you rediscover
a great old song. And Blas always was careful to announce the name
and title of the songs he played - He said "Hamilton Camp, Here's To
You, now wasn't that a nice tune?" It certainly was, now I had the
song I was looking for and it only took me 16 years to track it down.
I wonder if anyone here has heard the LP this song is from. I've seen
several reviews online and most of them kind of slam the album
although the song "Here's to You" itself gets good reviews. If anyone
has heard this and has an opinion please let me know.
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