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SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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There are 6 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Moon River, etc
From: Country Paul
2. Re: Who played what on the Carpenters discs
From: Steve Harvey
3. Re: Dark End Of The Street
From: Peter Lerner
4. Re: The original "It's My Party"
From: Gary Myers
5. Re: "Moon River"
From: Gary Myers
6. Re: Carpenters
From: Artie Wayne
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Message: 1
Date: Sat, 27 Aug 2005 00:41:38 -0400
From: Country Paul
Subject: Moon River, etc
Margaret G. Still on Hogsnort Rupert:
> A little research suggested they may be Australian or New
> Zealanders. Any info on this group?
Dave Monroe:
> Taking the easy way out: http://folksong.org.nz/pretty_girl/
>From the sound of the excerpt, a very nice folky groove somewhat
transcending the novelty level. Thanks for the lead. (I'm spending
way too much on music lately, but if any of our NZ friends have a
cheap copy of the song - CD is fine - they wish to part with, please
write me off-list.)
Joop:
> In the UK Danny Williams had a NR 1 hit with "Moon river" at the
> end of 1961. Maybe Danny (sorry Andy) thought mistakenly he had
> the hit in the UK.
Let's not forget Jerry Butler's exceptional version of this song on
Vee Jay, which was also a hit, and which I believe preceded Andy
Williams. (Not sure on this - can anyone confirm or deny?)
Norm D. Plume:
> The recent postings about Link Wray coincided with an advertising
> card I just found poked through my door for a local cab firm called
> ....Link Way. I once, also, saw a courier firm called Quicksilver
> Messenger Service. Any other examples of like this (intended or
> otherwise)?
Does Ben & Jerry's "Cherry Garcia" flavor of ice cream count? There
was also a head shop in Hartford, CT called "Stiky Fingers" [sic],
after the Stones LP.
Country Paul
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Message: 2
Date: Sat, 27 Aug 2005 08:58:41 -0700 (PDT)
From: Steve Harvey
Subject: Re: Who played what on the Carpenters discs
Frank Jastfelder wrote:
> Steve, I don't want to be a know-it-all, but I guess you mean Joe
> Osborn. Strange, I can't remember any reference of Karen playing
> bass.
Frank, You're absolutely right, it was Joe Osborn. Maybe I was
thinking of Jimmy Olson from Superman? Anyway, there is mention of
Karen playing bass on at least two cuts on the first lp. It might be
mentioned on the repackaged Ticket To Ride, but not the original
version, Offering. Richard confirmed that she did play bass on the
first lp. With Osborn around it was kinda pointless for her to keep
playing bass.
Steve Harvey
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Message: 3
Date: Sat, 27 Aug 2005 18:07:20 +0100
From: Peter Lerner
Subject: Re: Dark End Of The Street
My good friend Bill commented:
> The first version (of "Dark End Of The Street") I heard ... was
> Linda Ronstadt's, and it was my favorite for years.
Percy Sledge's is the ultimate version for me. That man has a voice
which can convey tragedy and pathos surpremely.
Peter
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Message: 4
Date: Sat, 27 Aug 2005 12:23:15 -0700
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Re: The original "It's My Party"
Mick Patrick:
> I put together an article about the origins of the song "It's My
> Party" for Sheila at Cha Cha Charming a while back, which you might
> care to give the once over. Find it here:
> http://www.chachacharming.com/article.php?id=16&pg=1
Hi Mick, I enjoyed the story. Barbara English mentioned that Wally
Gold wrote the song. Herb Weiner is also credited as a co-writer, and
I'm wondering if anyone in here in is touch with him. I'm told that
he is connected with a song that is part of my Wisc. research ("It
Might Have Been" by Joe London), and I've been unsuccessful in my
attempt to reach him through BMI.
gem
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Message: 5
Date: Sat, 27 Aug 2005 11:51:23 -0700
From: Gary Myers
Subject: Re: "Moon River"
Country Paul:
> Let's not forget Jerry Butler's exceptional version of ("Moon
> River") on Vee Jay, which was also a hit, and which I believe
> preceded Andy Williams. (Not sure on this - can anyone confirm
> or deny?)
Yes, I already mentioned this in my response to the orig. post.
Actually, Williams *never* had a chart single with the song. And,
I saw him commenting on this on a TV talk show many yrs ago. He
acknowledged the real hit, but couldn't think of Butler's name at
the moment.
gem
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Message: 6
Date: Sat, 27 Aug 2005 10:49:03 -0700 (PDT)
From: Artie Wayne
Subject: Re: Carpenters
How ya' doin'? I'm glad the Carpenters are getting their
"SpectroProps". I was a fan of theirs from their first record. My
partner, Kelli Ross, and I got "Hurting Each Other" [Geld/Udell] to
Al Stanton, head of A+R at A+M. Al loved the idea [he cut an earlier
version with Ruby and the Romantics] and passed it along to Jack
Daugherty, who cut the number one record.
When I moved to Hollywood and started with Warner Brothers music, I
was determined to get more cuts by the Carpenters, but I was having
trouble meeting Jack Daugherty in person.
Then one day, while driving down La Brea, I saw Jack and Jerry Moss
[the M in A+M] waiting in line at Pinks [the famous hot dog stand].
I recognized them from their pictures from Billboard, pulled over
...leaped out and introduced myself!
They were both surprised and amused by my boldness...which led to
both of them opening the A+M doors to me. As time went by, I became
friendly with not only Jack, but with Richard Carpenter and John
Bettis. We all would sit around and discuss music and play songs for
each other.
I felt honored when I'd be invited to one of their otherwise
"closed" sessions. Although they created some of the best records of
the era, they were never given the respect they deserved from their
peers.
I was sympathetic, when Richard and Karen dropped the "The" from
their name to be considered hipper. I even got them to record Neil
Young's "I Believe You", which wasn't a typical Carpenter song, to
help with the new image.
About a year later, Jerry Moss hired me to run A+M's publishing
company, which gave me a chance to work and learn from one of my
favorite acts.
regards, Artie Wayne http://artiewayne.com
P.S. Allan Rinde just told me that he added a guest book to my
website. I'd be honored if all my Spectropoppin' pals would sign it.
the direct URL is http://artiewayne.com/guestbook/
-------------------[ archived by Spectropop ]-------------------
SPECTROPOP - Spectacular! Retro! Pop!
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