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Spectropop V#0284

  • From: The Spectropop Group
  • Date: 07/01/99

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       Volume #0284                              July 1, 1999   
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    This recording may be played on Monaural or Stereo equipment
    
    
    
    
    Subject:     Elusive Butterflies
    Sent:        29 Jun 1999 21:19:03
    From:        DJJimmyxxxxm
    To:          Spectropop List, spectroxxxxies.com
    
    
    I have recently re-developed a fascination with Bob
    Lind's "Bright Elusive Butterfly Of Love". Not only are
    the lyrics charmingly and naively 6T's
    Hippie-Sensibility bordering on the exploitative, but the
    melody and arrangement of the song are in a room of their
    own. I have begun a search for cover versions of this
    particularly confusing/endearing song. So far I have
    found Jane Morgan doing a "standard"-style presentation
    of it. Not only is it reduced to absurdity as a Peggy Lee
    type tune, Jane Morgan's outfit on the LP cover makes her
    appear as a male transvestite with the ultra-platinum
    hair and the dark, nearly black eyes! Draped in Faux
    White Fur, she seems to be headlining a TV act in
    Provincetown  (on Ol' Cape Cod). The other version I
    discovered is The Lettermen's interp. on the LP "Hurt So
    Bad" on Capitol which features the gentlemen of letters
    out of their trad v-neck sweater garb with hair now
    growing BELOW their ears! The whole LP cover screams,
    "There's something happening here.." (but what it is, i
    am quite sure, the Lettermen are unclear about). My
    question, and I do have one, is, Does anyone know of any
    other covers of "Elusive Butterfly"? And if not, does 
    anyone know of any other bizarre cover versions of pop 
    songs? Perhaps we can start a thread.
    
    Jimmy Botticelli
    
    "Jimmy's Easy" airs on WMBR-FM, 88.1 in Cambridge, MA on
    Tuesdays from 6-8 a.m. To hear WMBR on the web in real
    time, download Real Audio (its free) and go to
    www.wmbr.org
    
    --------------------[ archived by Spectropop]--------------------
    
    Subject:     Doc Rock/Diane Renay - fanzines
    Sent:        29 Jun 1999 12:07:06
    From:        "WILLIAM STOS" 
    To:          "Spectropop List" 
    
    Doc Rock wrote:
    
    >Well, I  for one have been keeping a log of commercials that 
    > use oldies. I started keeping track in 1978.
    
    What would you say is the most popular song used in
    jingles?  My guess would be Wild Thing. 
    
    Diane Renay wrote:
    
    >I would like to ask about the Girl Group Gazette and the 
    >other oldies publications you mentioned. What are these? I 
    >have never heard of them.
    
    The Girl Group Gazette and other publications like Cha
    Cha Charming, and Philately and That Will Never Happen
    Again are fanzines.  They cater to groups of music
    collectors who can't get enough of a certain kind of
    music, in this case, girl groups/Spector/oldies.  They
    have articles about artists, styles, etc.  They usually
    have a lot of hard to find info and memorabillia.
    
    Actually, you are pictured in the first issue of Cha Cha
    Charming on the back cover.  It looks like the photo used
    on your album cover.  Inside there is another phot of you
    while Sheila B (author/editor of Cha Cha Charming)
    writes:
    
    "Another blonde with a similar name [to Diane Ray], Diane
    Renay had two national hits, released an album, and
    disappeared soon after putting out a number of
    unsuccessful teenpop discs.  While Miss Ray had a mad
    crush on a lifeguard, Miss Renay gave her heart and soul
    to the sailor.  On the cover of her 1964 LP "Navy Blue,"
    Diane appears dressed in a sailor suit gripping onto a
    lifesaver.  Surprisingly the whole sailor gimmick worked
    as "Kiss Me Sailor," and "Navy Blue," were her only two
    songs to chart nationally. Fortunately for Diane, she got
    to work with Bob Crewe (of the Four Seasons) who produced
    and wrote some smashing records for the girl groups.
    Crewe was responsible for most of Diane's best records
    ("Unbelievable Guy," Watch Out Sally," "Kiss Me Sailor")."
    
    I'm not sure about the other fanzines, but Cha Cha
    Charming was very well done.  You can find Sheila's small
    web page at http://www.chachacharming.com
     Her latest
    
    passion is Japanese pop and 60s Japanese girl groups, but
    the second issue of Cah Cha Charming has more girl group
    stuff too.  I couldn't tell you about those other
    fanzines because I have yet to order them, although Mick
    Patrick runs Philately and That Will Never Happen Again,
    and he is an incredibly reliable source for girl group
    info!
    
    Glad to see you back Diane!  Hope your husband is doing
    well.  The biography I wrote for you a while back will be
    put up on my page along with my next series of updates!
    
    Your pal, 
    
    Will
    
    
    --------------------[ archived by Spectropop]--------------------
    
    
    Subject:     First 8 bars
    Sent:        29 Jun 1999 12:17:40
    From:        "WILLIAM STOS" 
    To:          "Spectropop List" 
    
    And Diane,that`s interesting what you mention about using
    the first 8 bars=no royalties.
    
    Here's something a little interesting.  On my radio
    station, we're allowed to play the first 30 seconds of a
    song without writing it down on our playlists.  How long
    are most commercials?  30 seconds!  This could mean a
    company could get away with using a song and not paying
    any royalties!  I don't know about other stations, but it
    seems pretty silly to me.  My intro music (Out To Getcha
    by the Mayfield Players is never listed thoguh I play
    part of it every week).  Hmmm... any thoughts.
    
    Will
    
    
    --------------------[ archived by Spectropop]--------------------
    
    
    Subject:     whereabout of Bones Howe
    Sent:        29 Jun 1999 13:48:14
    From:        delila lacevic 
    To:          spectroxxxxies.com
    
    
    As of about 18 months ago, Bones had an office at Rondor
    Music in LA where I met him briefly - nice guy!  He was
    working on soundtracks/movie consulting, that sort of
    thing.  On the walls of his office were loads of gold
    records - the Association, Fifth Dimension in particular.
    You might try Rondor Music (sorry, don't have the number
    handy) - although I vaguely remember hearing that he was
    no longer there.  But they're generally pretty nice about
    providing info, and as I'm sure he has an office
    somewhere, they would probably give you a new number.
    Good luck!
    
    John
    
    
    --------------------[ archived by Spectropop]--------------------
    
    
    Subject:     Re: Bones Howe
    Sent:        29 Jun 1999 19:13:58
    From:        docroxxxxom
    To:          spectroxxxxies.com
    
    >Does anybody know of the current whereabouts of Bones Howe?
    
    I can give you his address and phone.  Write me,
    DocRoxxxxom
    
    Doc
    
    
    --------------------[ archived by Spectropop]--------------------
    
    
    Subject:     Bones
    Received:    07/01/99 2:28 am
    From:        Carol Kaye, carolkxxxxink.net
    To:          Spectropop List, spectroxxxxies.com
    
    Mike White, 
    
    I've just let Bob Alcivar know about your request. Bob 
    arranged most of the 5th Dimension (if not all) hits for 
    Bones back in the 60s.....a wonderful man, also a great 
    arranger (did some of the Manhattan Transfer, also I 
    worked for him for his great arranging (vocal and band) of
    the "Let It Be" Bud Shank lp in 1968 and movie "Butterflies
    Are Free". You should be hearing from him, am trying to get
    him on this list too. He expressed interest in it at lunch 
    today. Good luck.
    
    Bob Alcivar's email is: balcixxxxink.net his website
    is at (new site): http://www.alcivarmusic.com/
    
    
    Carol Kaye http://www.carolkaye.com/
    
    
    --------------------[ archived by Spectropop]--------------------
    
    
    Subject:     novelty exotica vs. "serious" exotica and VDP
    Sent:        29 Jun 1999 15:49:00
    From:        wuo0xxxx.se (Stig O'Hara)
    To:          Spectropop List 
    
    Jamie LePage wrote:
    
    >I agree with you, but remember this Tiki Sampler is just
    >what it claims to be: a sampler. There are many solid CD
    >reissues that do justice to the genre. Besides, if the
    >novelty aspect loops in enough "new" fans, it will help
    >justify more exotica reissues. No market - no release.
    
    Yes, but who says the public would rather go for the
    novelty stuff than the "serious" music? I mean, you are
    definitely right in a way. Novelty artists like The Mike
    Flowers Pops probably did help Burt Bacharach and Jimmy
    Webb become popular again in the '90s (remember, it
    wasn't many years ago people would laugh at you if you
    said you liked Bacharach!) and a lot of people probably
    wouldn't have come across that type of music otherwise,
    but...hmmm, when you think about it, it's not as if the
    innovators of the genres this list is dedicated to made
    really difficult music. That's why I don't really
    understand yr point in this case. You don't need novelty
    exotica to form a platform for Martin Denny or Bacharach,
    both are already "easy listening" enough in most people's
    ears! Besides, few people could tell Bacharach apart from,
    say, (*shudder*), Klaus Wunderlich. It's the same type of
    music in the minds of most people: easy listening
    
    Sorry about the rant :)
    
    Actually, if you are reading this, Brad Elliott, if you
    ever get around to interview Brian Wilson some more for
    the BB reissues, it'd be great if you could ask him about
    Martin Denny/Arthur Lyman/Les Baxter. People are always
    going "oh, Phil Spector and The Four Freshmen" when they
    talk about Brian's influences but listening to Pet Sounds
    and most notably Smile, it IS obvious Brian must've
    listened to some of these exotica artists! It'd make an
    interesting footnote in the reissue-booklet atleast :)
    
    I'd love to hear Carol Kaye's opinion about these exotica
    artists as well. I know you come from a jazz background
    and a lot of people in the jazz world thought the likes
    of Martin Denny and Les Baxter were "sell outs"...you
    know, they supposedly made cheesy commercialized watered
    down jazz...not that I'd agree with that, though!
    
    [VDP] 
    >such an outburst. So instead I yelled out "Do 'Come to the
    >Sunshine'!" (just kidding).
    
    You should've done that! Man, I was *so* let down when
    the Song Cycle reissue came out and CTTS wasn't
    included....I never understood that, why all his sixties'
    singles were left off...
    
    Tobias
    
    
    --------------------[ archived by Spectropop]--------------------
    
    
    Subject:     Re: commercials 
    Sent:        29 Jun 1999 12:34:36
    From:        Stewart Mason  
    To:          Spectropop List 
    
    Robert Charles-Dunne wrote:
    
    >The second issue, and this one REALLY burns ME up, is the 
    >Vege-matic method employed to cull just the bits of a song 
    >they want to use, and what is excised in theprocess. A 
    >couple of blatant examples of late: Tampax is using The 
    >Zombies' "Time Of The Season" as a backdrop to pop-
    >festival footage that ends with the payoff 'Tampax Was 
    >There,' or words to that effect. Trouble is, Tampax has 
    >managed to erase a couple of lines of lyric in its hurry 
    >to hit the verse and stay within the 30 second time frame. 
    >Same with a recent Kinks song, in which several pre-chorus 
    >lines were lost, all for the sake of brevity.
    
    These can be annoying, yes, but what about the Budweiser
    ad from a couple years ago that used the Ramones'
    "Blitzkrieg Bop," not-so-subtly excising that troublesome
    "Shoot 'em in the back now" line?  I can only imagine
    what the pitch session for this ad was like: "Okay, we're
    going to get the Jewish Anti-Defamation League on our
    case about this and they won't care that at least half
    the band are Jewish themselves.  Hey, what if we just
    used the Sex Pistols' 'God Save the Queen'?  It's not a
    commercial for the UK market, so it's not like she'll
    ever *see* it..."  You really have to wonder what people
    are thinking sometimes.
    
    At least it was Budweiser using the song.  If Coors had
    been using "Blitzkrieg Bop," they not only would have
    left the song intact, they would have made "shoot 'em in
    the back now" the tag line for the entire campaign.   (Note: unless, like me, you grew up in Colorado in
    the 70s, you might not remember the antics of those wacky
    John Birchers the Coors boys, but that's a long story and
    one not entirely appropriate for this forum.)
    
    I guess it comes down to not only if the song is being
    used appropriately, but if it's being used *right*.  You
    might have seen the new AT&T ads for their 00 Info
    function, kind of like a national version of 411.  The
    commercial's tag is a re-recording of the chorus of
    Pilot's "Magic."  Now, "Oh oh, it's magic" is a perfectly
    logical tag for a service where you dial 0 twice and get
    a number for anyplace in the country without knowing the
    area code, but to those of us who have memories of and
    feelings for the original, to hear something other than
    "Oh oh OH, it's magic" sounds jarring and weird, which
    makes us say, "hey, that's not right," which clears the
    commercial right out of our short-term memory.  It's
    counter-productive.
    
    Stewart
    
    ***************************FLAMINGO RECORDS*************************
                                     
    Stewart Allensworth Mason     
    Box 40172                     "New Mexico: We stuff our dead
    Albuquerque NM 87196           governors into fireworks displays!"
    www.rt66.com/~flamingo        
                                     
    *********************HAPPY MUSIC FOR NICE PEOPLE********************
    
    
    --------------------[ archived by Spectropop]--------------------
    
    
    Subject:     TV Jingles and "The Glass Bottle" 
    Sent:        29 Jun 1999 17:47:41
    From:        "James F.  Cassidy"  
    To:          spectroxxxxies.com
    
    
    All this talk about TV commercials and pop songs brings
    to mind one of the weirder intersections of pop and
    commerce, The Glass Bottle, which some US list members
    may remember from around '68/'69 (?).
    
    US glass manufacturers decided to put out a TV spot aimed
    at youth to promote glass bottles as a superior beverage
    container (vs. aluminum cans). They apparently figured
    they could win the kids over by putting their pitch in
    the mouths of a fictional musical group called "The Glass
    Bottle" (the people were real; only the group was fake),
    an appropriately ethnically diverse bunch of long-haired
    (but neat!) young people in bellbottoms, headbands, Afros,
    etc.
    
    In the commercial, the group sang a sincere, deeply felt
    tune extolling the virtues of glass.  The spot must have
    appeared often, because I still remember both the tune
    and the sublimely ridiculous lyrics:
    
    "Soft drinks taste great in a bottle (BKGD: It's uncanny)
    You see the color in front of your eyes, (BKGD: It's
    uncanny) It's such a snap 'cause you can re-cap them, And
    bottles come in every shape and size!
    
    ANTHEMIC CHORUS: It's uncanny how many ways bottles are
    really sayin' something! It's uncanny how many ways
    bottles are sayin' something great!"
    
    The weirdest part of all is that they even went so far as
    to put out a Glass Bottle album, which I remember seeing
    in cutout bins.  No, I never heard it, and I can't
    remember if it included "You Cap-tivate Me," "Spin the
    Bottle," "Twelve Ounces of Joy," or other such tunes.
    
    Jim Cassidy
    
    
    --------------------[ archived by Spectropop]--------------------
    
    
    Subject:     Brian Wilson on A&E 
    Sent:        29 Jun 1999 09:36:22
    From:        chuck  
    To:          spectroxxxxies.com
    
    I caught the Brian Wilson 2 hour special on A & E last
    week and I was very pleased with how they handled it.  I
    especially enjoyed Van Dyke Parks being interviewed today
    and in scenes from the Smile sessions.   Over all they
    went into a lot of objective detail about Brian.  At the
    end they spoke of his recent releases and forgot to
    mention VDP's album Orange Crate Art where Brian sings
    the songs.
    
    It was a wonderful surprise last year to have VDP release
    his live album.  I really enjoyed VDP doing songs off of
    Orange Crate Art.  Jamie you are so lucky to share
    conversation with him.  My favorite VDP album is Tokyo
    Rose and my favorite song by him is the Datsun car
    commercial off of a Warner Bros sampler album in the
    early 70's.
    
    Easy listening in the Big Easy Chuck
    
    
    --------------------[ archived by Spectropop]--------------------
    
    
    Subject:     Pet Sounds & Pet Sounds
    Received:    07/01/99 2:28 am
    From:        Jamie LePage, le_page_xxxxies.com
    To:          Spectropop List, spectroxxxxies.com
    
    
    Hey all,
    
    I just received the brand new Pet Sounds reissue and have a
    few comments.
    
    First, this has to be the definitive edition. Of course, the
    Sessions Box is wonderful, and I refer to it rather often,
    but for the pure essence of the album, this single disc edition
    is tops. The wonderful liner notes are written by (fellow 
    Spectropper) Brad Elliott. Not opinionated or one-sided,
    they give details that music fans most often can only dream 
    about, and they are written in the style of a true music 
    historian. I must say it's a little spooky to see Brad's notes
    formatted in (basically) the same graphic lay out used for 
    David Leaf's notes on the first Linett reissue, though!
    
    The inclusion of the original unedited mono mix and the 
    edited and remixed stereo mix make the debate over which 
    is preferable an insignificant point. Take your choice. 
    Better yet, have them both. Lately I have been listening 
    to the tracks Let's Go Away for Awhile and Pet Sounds 
    (thanks to Toby's comparing them to Baxter and Denny). Now 
    with two complete versions of each on this CD, I am 
    listening all over again. These two instrumental tracks 
    are among my fave Brian tracks. And I'll be darned if that
    isn't Carol Kaye playing E-bass on both of 'em!
    
    I noticed from the liners that Andrew Sandoval did the
    transfers (as he has on the recent BB reissues). That's 
    always a reassuring credit when deciding whether to buy a 
    reissue CD. As usual, good work Andrew!
    
    It won't be long until Brian Wilson comes to my neck of
    the woods to play with Jeffrey and the Wondermints, and 
    I am rather excited after reading all the great reviews 
    of his recent East Coast shows. Now with the new Pet 
    Sounds, it's "Back to the Beach!"
    
    Aloha, Baby!
    
    Jamie
    n.p. Four Freshmen and Five Trombones - Angel Eyes
    
    
    --------------------[ archived by Spectropop]--------------------
    End
    
    

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