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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 18 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Fudge's Season
From: Charles G. Hill
2. Gordon & Bonner & Darin
From: Phil Milstein
3. Gay, Lesbian, Cross-Gender GG songs
From: JD Doyle
4. Re: Nino and April Rev-Ola CD
From: Clark Besch
5. Re: Whatever Happened To Happy
From: Bob Wallis
6. Remarkably short albums
From: Paul Bryant
7. Re: Four Tops and Spector / dykes & blazers
From: Phil Milstein
8. Re: Spector & the Four Tops
From: Steve Grant
9. The Mojo Men's version of Whatever Happened To Happy
From: Patrick Beckers
10. Karina, Alguero-Guijarro, Gay and lesbian demos.
From: Julio NIño
11. The father of folk-rock
From: Richard Williams
12. Re: Remarkably short albums
From: Billy G. Spradlin
13. Penn & co. / I dream of Monkees / WHTH x 3
From: Phil Milstein
14. Re: The father(s) of folk-rock
From: Paul Bryant
15. Re: New Rev-Olas!
From: Mark
16. Re: Kit Kats in Philly
From: Mark
17. Re: Cliff - father of folk-rock
From: Ken Silverwood
18. Re: Lovers' Concerto
From: Paul Bryant
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Message: 1
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 12:26:05 -0600
From: Charles G. Hill
Subject: Fudge's Season
Mick Patrick intoned:
> Does anyone have a copy of the Atco single "Season Of The Witch,
> Parts 1 & 2" by Vanilla Fudge? If so, perhaps you could let me
> know on which side of the record the Shadow Morton recitation
> appears? Part 2, I presume? I'd also like to know exactly how
> the 8:55 LP version is split into two, and where in the song Part
> 2 begins. The words Shadow recites are taken from the Shangri-Las'
> song (Mercury) "I'll Never Learn". Is this fact mentioned on the
> label? A label scan would be nice.
The Atco 6632 label timings are 3:30/3:14, which is well short of 8:55;
Part II opens with a brief fade-in and the Shadow recitation. No
mention is made of the Shangs; composer credit is "Donovan Leitch". I
don't have the LP version at hand for comparison, alas; I suspect that
Shadow comes in at about the six-minute mark, in which case Part I
fades at 3:30, the intervening material is skipped, and Part II fades
in at 5:40 or thereabouts.
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Message: 2
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 14:24:50 -0500
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Gordon & Bonner & Darin
Now playing at musica, vol. 3 in the Gordon & Bonner rarities series:
Bobby Darin: Whatever Happened To Happy
Bobby Darin: She Knows
Thanks for Ken Silverwood for the provision of these tracks.
Enjoy,
--Phil M.
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Message: 3
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 19:32:40 -0000
From: JD Doyle
Subject: Gay, Lesbian, Cross-Gender GG songs
Hi,
I've been watching with fascination the recent posts, prompted in
part by the Lesley Gore coming out entries, and then going on to
mention same-sex (or cross-gender) versions of Girl Group and other
songs. It's got me scurrying to try to track down (for example) Mina -
"venus" and the "Caroline Now" comp with the Pearl Fishers doing the
Honeys song.
As for my collection, well I used to be a fanatical GG collector (as
Mick Patrick, Martin Roberts and David Young will attest) but the
last few years I've gone into more of my own area, and fanatically
collect gay/lesbian recordings (by or about), and even have a radio
show and site to do it, http://www.queermusicheritage.com. From time
to time if I can justify the connection I can squeeze on GGs, like
Goldie & the Gingerbreads, Carol Shaw, a Johnny Hallyday version in
French of "da doo ron ron" come to mind.
But my old love for the GGs remain and when I can combine the two
interests it's heaven. So I love to collect those songs, GG or
related, that "happen" to be gay, just because for example, Bryan
Ferry didn't change those pronouns on "It's My Party." So I dug out
an old list I had assembled and thought I'd share it. The columns
don't fare so well, I'm afraid, in these posts, but I think you can
follow the data.
Naturally my additional motive is to spur some posts and have folks
tell me of all the ones I've overlooked...:) Please, Please do
that..:)
I list by title / artist / CD or LP title / year
baby love (baby dyke) - Kinsey Sicks - Boyz 2 Girlz - 99
be my baby - Etheridge, Melissa - Concert for R&R Hall of Fame - 96
be my baby - Fabulous Dyketones- The Fabulous Dyketones - 88
boy from new york city - Flirtations - Live & Out on the Road - 92
can't get used to losing you - Clarke, Cam - Inside Out - 98
chapel of love (locked out..) - Kinsey Sicks - Sicks In The City - '02
da doo ron ron - Burland, David Rollin - 88
da doo ron ron - Edmunds, Dave - 80
da doo ron ron - Fabulous Dyketones - The Fabulous Dyketones - 88
da doo ron ron - Flying Pickets - Flying Pickets Live - 82
da doo ron ron - Matthews, Ian - 45 - 72
golden wonder boy - Cook, Roger - 60s
he hit me - Rogala, Frank - Crimes Against Nature - 96
he's a rebel - Buena Vista - from "Word Is Out" video - 78
he's so fine - Bogdan, Tom - L'Amour Bleu - 99
he's so fine - King, Jonathan - 45 - 75
he's so fine (she's so fine) - Fabulous Dyketones - Fabulous Dyketones - 88
I met her on a Sunday - Rhythm Method - The Rhythm Method - 94
I only want to be with you - Dobkin, Alix - Lavender Jane Loves Women - 74
I will follow him - Tan, Laurance - I Will - 98
I will swallow him - Kinsey Sicks - Boyz 2 Girlz - 99
it's my party - Ferry, Bryan - These Foolish Things - 90
johnny angel - Arena, Patrick & Andy Monroe - Night Cap - 98
johnny angel - Flirtations - Live & Out on the Road - 92
johnny get angry - Mayes, Walter - Stranger Than Fiction - 98
leader of the pack - Etheridge, Melissa - Concert for R&R Hall of Fame - 96
leader of the pack - Joan Collins Fan Club - 45 - 88
my best friend barbara - Sedaka, Neil - Let The Good Times In(demos) - 61
my boyfriend's back - Bee Jays - 45 - 80
my boyfriend's back - Donut, Alice - 90
my boyfriend's back - Grant, Monica - Parodisiac - 95
my boyfriend's back - Me First & the Gimme Gimmes - Blow In The Wind - '01
my boyfriend's back - Rogala, Frank - Crimes Against Nature - 96
my guy Clary, Julian - from "My Glittering Passage" video - 93
packer of the leads - Roadies - 45 - 77
pineapple princess - Barnes & Barnes - Sicks - 86
son of a preacher man - Clarke, Cam - Inside Out - 98
son of a preacher man - Krassner, Jeff - Strong for You - 95
then he kissed me - Hollywood Brats - 45 - 79
to know her is to love her - Fabulous Dyketones - Fabulous Dyketones - 88
to know him is to love him - Flirtations - The Flirtations - 90
to know him is to love him - Flying Pickets - Flying Pickets Live - 82
where the boys are - Callen, Michael - Purple Heart - 89
where the boys are - Sedaka, Neil - Let The Good Times In (demos) - 61
where the goys are - Kinsey Sicks - Boyz 2 Girlz - 99
you don't own me - Blow Monkeys - Dirty Dancing - 87
you don't own me - Nomi, Klaus - Encore - 83
You've noticed I included Neil Sedaka's demos of his own songs. I'm
sure there are lots of this nature by the Brill Building folks. I'd
love hearing what is available and how to track them down. (and to
get mp3s in the mail...:) I tried to pretty much stay with the GG
genre here but some others crept in.
JD Doyle
jddoyle1@aol.com
http://www.queermusicheritage.com
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Message: 4
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 19:54:40 -0000
From: Clark Besch
Subject: Re: Nino and April Rev-Ola CD
Steve:
> I worked on the Rev-Ola 'All Strung Out' CD and can confirm that the
> master used was not a clone of the 1996 Varese CD. It was remastered
> by Joe Foster and Nick Robbins. Unlike the Varese version, the Rev-
> Ola CD also features the great Nino Tempo solo track "Boys Town" as
> well as an interview with Nino himself.
I helped with the Varese Cd in 96 and unfortunately, we had to go
with my vinyl 45s for the non-lp cuts. The Lp cuts sounded terrific,
but altho sound was ok, the bonus 45s were actually from vinyl. Clark
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Message: 5
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 20:22:57 -0000
From: Bob Wallis
Subject: Re: Whatever Happened To Happy
Bill George wrote:
> Now playing in musica: Jackie DeShannon's version of Whatever
> Happened To Happy. Now if someone can play the Mojo Men...
> Comparison comments anyone?
Phil Milstein:
> Now playing at musica, vol. 3 in the Gordon & Bonner rarities series:
> Bobby Darin: Whatever Happened To Happy
> Bobby Darin: She Knows
> Thanks for Ken Silverwood for the provision of these tracks.
Patrick Beckers:
> I can add the Mojo Men version when there is room.
I think the lush Lenny Waronker production of the Mojo Men's version
will be an interesting contrast to the more stark Bobby Darin and
Jackie DeShannon versions.....
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Message: 6
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 12:55:01 -0800 (PST)
From: Paul Bryant
Subject: Remarkably short albums
Dear all, once again, I venture forth with a question that's bugged me
for years concerning American pop, and if anyone can answer, surely your
collective selves can. Why were some albums so remarkably short? By 1963
Bob Dylan's albums were up to 45, even 50 minutes whilst at the same
time the Beach Boys and Simon & Garfunkel would put out Wild Honey &
Parsely Sage which were less than half that length - 22 minutes in the
case of one Beach Boys album. That's hardly long enough to make a decent
cup of tea! Were American albums in the mid-60s all short? The Beatles'
were around 35 minutes and I thought that was the average.
Curiously, pb
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Message: 7
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 15:26:57 -0500
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Re: Four Tops and Spector / dykes & blazers
Tom Taber wrote:
> I have a tape of Phil S. on a radio show commenting on "Reach Out"
> (not "Bernadette") being "Four Tops doing Dylan," and he sings along
> for a bit with the lead vocal to demonstrate his premise.
What kind of show was he on? How long (approx.) was his appearance?
Was it in-studio, or via phone? Sorry for all the pesky Q's, but your
comments leave me curious to know more about Phil-on-radio.
JD Doyle wrote:
> You've noticed I included Neil Sedaka's demos of his own songs. I'm
> sure there are lots of this nature by the Brill Building folks. I'd
> love hearing what is available and how to track them down. (and to
> get mp3s in the mail...:) I tried to pretty much stay with the GG
> genre here but some others crept in.
So Sedaka is finally out, eh? Just kidding (sort of). Along similar
lines is Shadow Morton's demo of Dressed In Black.
Do Dyke & The Blazers count?
--Phil M.
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Message: 8
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 16:32:57 -0500
From: Steve Grant
Subject: Re: Spector & the Four Tops
Martin Jensen:
> When listening to some Four Tops albums today, I began to fantasise
> about how great a collaboration between the group and Spector could
> have been....
Ray:
> I read somewhere that Phil really liked the Four Tops' sound.
ISTR hearing a radio documentary in the 70's which included "Reach Out,
I'll Be There" with a voiceover by Spector. He was talking about how
much he admired the production work. I remember him describing the
percussion at the beginning as sounding "like slapping the back of a
big leather chair."
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Message: 9
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 21:50:04 -0000
From: Patrick Beckers
Subject: The Mojo Men's version of Whatever Happened To Happy
I have just uploaded the Mojo Men's version of Whatever Happened To
Happy to the files section of Spectropop. Enjoy and compare!
Patrick Beckers
The Bonner/Gordon webpage:
http://www.geocities.com/patriczik/bonner-gordon.htm
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Message: 10
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 22:41:14 -0000
From: Julio NIño
Subject: Karina, Alguero-Guijarro, Gay and lesbian demos.
Hi Everyone,
Mick Patrick asked some days ago how Karina's " Hago mal en quererte"
(a version of "Fools Errand") compared with Barbara Chandler or Billy
Fury versions. Well, let's just say that a bit of sense of humor
helps a lot to enjoy the Spanish pop of the early sixties. Anyway, I
liked the song very much. If you are curious, I can play it in Musica.
Perhaps my favourite Karina song is "Puedo", a rather rare track from
1964 composed by the duo Guijarro/Algueró, a kind of Spanish (sub)
Bacharach/David. This pair was the engine behind most of the Spanish
ye ye girls of the early sixties, like Marisol (a child star and a
pedophile's dream in the sixties and a communist activist in the
seventies) or Rocio Durcal.
Changing the subject, JD Doyle writes about gay, lesbian and crossing
gender songs related to GG and early sixties music. He sure will enjoy
Barry Mann's demo of "My ex best friend" in which Barry sings that his
ex-best friend took his "boyfriend" away, or Carole King's demo of
"Take good care of my baby" with Carole singing about the little girl
that once was her baby. Another demo with gay connotations is Chan
Romero's "Playboy".
This is all for today.
Julio NIño.
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Message: 11
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 22:55:49 +0000
From: Richard Williams
Subject: The father of folk-rock
Much as I enjoy his better records ("Move It", "Don't Talk To Him", "We
Don't Talk Any More", and what was that one Jagger and Richard wrote for
him?), I'd be careful about claiming that Cliff Richard was actually the
father of anything...
Richard Williams
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Message: 12
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 23:07:17 -0000
From: Billy G. Spradlin
Subject: Re: Remarkably short albums
Most Pop/R&B/Country songs (besides Dylan) at the time ran under 3
minutes, so you'd wind up with a 25-35 minute LP when you stick 12-14
on a platter.
The shortest '60s album I ever had was the Dave Clark Five's "Greatest
Hits" on Epic. I copied the LP to cassette back in the 80's and
discovered both sides totalled at 19 minutes. I have never understood
why USA record companies had to chop up British Invasions albums,
besides not having hit singles on UK albums and songwriting royalties.
Billy
http://listen.to/jangleradio
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Message: 13
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 18:00:01 -0500
From: Phil Milstein
Subject: Penn & co. / I dream of Monkees / WHTH x 3
My previous listing of Dan Penn as the sole author of Solomon
Burke's "Don't Give Up On Me" was slightly in error. The
correct credit reads Dan Penn/Carson Whitsett/Hoy Lindsey.
I am happy to correct my own mistake, before someone else
could do it for me!
I had a most Spectropop dream last night. It was of one of the
musical segments of The Monkees TV show, for a song I could not
identify. In it, Davy was finally pushed over the edge by being
allowed only to sing a little and shake the occasional maraca
or tambourine. In his frustration, and with Peter off playing
keyboards, Davy picked up his bass and played wild one-finger
runs up and down the fretboard. The oddest part (besides the
fact that no one stopped him) is that these bass runs exactly
matched the soundtrack, and thus this unnamed song was the one
example of them playing "live" on their TV show.
No one need tell me I need professional help, as I'm already well
aware of that fact.
Patrick Beckers wrote:
> I have just uploaded the Mojo Men's version of "Whatever Happened
> To Happy" to the files section of Spectropop. Enjoy and compare!
Wonderful. Is this our first instance of having three different
versions of the same song on there at once?
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Message: 14
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 15:44:54 -0800 (PST)
From: Paul Bryant
Subject: Re: The father(s) of folk-rock
Richard Williams wrote:
> Much as I enjoy his better records ("Move It", "Don't Talk To
> Him", "We Don't Talk Any More", and what was that one Jagger
> and Richard wrote for him?), I'd be careful about claiming that
> Cliff Richard was actually the father of anything...
"Blue Turns to Grey", n'est-ce pas?
But anyway, as luck would have it, I was listening tonight to
Lonnie Donegan, the Father of Skiffle (that brief British
phenomenon). Now the first folk hit from the Great 50s Folk
Revival in the US is supposed to be "Tom Dooley" by the Kingston
Trio in 1958. They sing it very reverently, not to say unctuously.
Lonnie covered the song and his version takes no prisoners,
rattling along with drums, bass and electric guitar. So - er -
what makes "Tom Dooley" by Lonnie Donegan not folk rock? (That
would be 6 years before the next bunch of contenders).
pb
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Message: 15
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2003 00:12:00 GMT
From: Mark
Subject: Re: New Rev-Olas!
Hi Joe!
Just wanted to complement you on the new releases. The White
Whale and BT Puppy comps look excellent! What other labels might
you be planning to do comps on? And the website looks great!!
Apologies for my absence from the list - I've had a recurrence of
my health problems, plus my phone line was down for a couple of
weeks.
Best,
Mark
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Message: 16
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2003 00:14:23 GMT
From: Mark
Subject: Re: Kit Kats in Philly
Hey Guys!
If someone hasn't already done so, could someone please play
"Let's Get Lost on a Country Road" to musica? I've always
wanted to hear this song.
Best,
Mark
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Message: 17
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2003 00:29:20 -0000
From: Ken Silverwood
Subject: Re: Cliff - father of folk-rock
Richard Williams wrote:
> Much as I enjoy his better records ("Move It", "Don't Talk
> To Him", "We Don't Talk Any More", and what was that one
> Jagger and Richard wrote for him?).......
"Blue Turns To Grey " maybe?
Ken On The West Coast
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Message: 18
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 16:38:46 -0800 (PST)
From: Paul Bryant
Subject: Re: Lovers' Concerto
Paul brought us the lyric to "Lovers' Concerto":
Phil Milstein replied:
> Thanks for that transcription, Paul. Thematically it
> strikes me as a bit short of a full load -- a nice enough
> song of devotion, I suppose, but for all those words it
> doesn't really go anywhere. But structurally, it is quite
> unique and interesting. The first verse repeats twice, then
> nothing else repeats for the rest of the song. And, of course,
> it is all verses, with nary a bridge or refrain, not to mention
> singalongable hook. Of course none of this is meant as a
> criticism -- the record undeniably WORKS, and what more than
> that can one ask of a piece of music?
Two other fab tunes spring to my mind here - is this a mini-genre?
One is "It's Only make Believe" by Conway Twitty, which is all
crescendo and just repeats itself, no bridges, no refrain, unless
you count the title line, which is just the last line of the verse;
and similarly one of my favourites, "Opus 17 (Don't You Worry 'Bout
Me)" by the 4 Seasons - again, no bridge or chorus. So in these three
songs the real genius is in the arrangement, which has to keep moving
and intensifying, and in each case, that's exactly what happens.
When Frankie hits the high falsetto notes, finally, right at the end,
it's electrifying. And likewise, there's some lovely harmony the Toys
throw in just in the last dying seconds...
pb
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