D-Sides, Orphans, and Oddities
Episodes
Wednesday May 18, 2022
Yet MORE First Recordings of Famous Songs.
Wednesday May 18, 2022
Wednesday May 18, 2022
The Blue Cats - Nowhere Man (196?) I'm gonna guess 1966 since this band released three albums of covers of their time plus some instrumental originals. Probably German studio guys bringing the Western hits of the day to their homeland.
Diane and Annita - Groovey Kind of Love (1965) Fans (?) of this release propose that this might not even be the titular singers (who sound nothing like the voices on this recording) but actually the writers, Carol Bayer-Sager and Toni Wine. Annita Ray also recorded a one-off novelty single with Eden Ahbez, the writer of "Nature Boy," in 1956. It was titled "Frankie's Song" b/w "Elvis Presley Blues."
Wikipedia: The melody is from the Rondo from Muzio Clementi's Sonatina, Opus 36, No. 5. Even though Wine and Sager claim full songwriting credits, they mainly wrote the lyrics and just slightly modified Clementi's music. Bayer Sager originally pitched the song to pop star Lesley Gore in early 1965, but Gore's producer at the time, Shelby Singleton, rejected it, as he found the word "groovy" too slangy.
Gene Cotton - Let Your Love Flow (1975)
The Undisputed Truth - Papa Was A Rollin' Stone (1972) This version actually preceded the Grammy-winning version by The Temptations, and the two are pretty similar. The Undisputed Truth had their biggest hit with a song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong as well, "Smiling Faces Sometimes", which was originally recorded by The Temptations! This is another trivia question you can ask your friend.
Beau Williams - C'est La Vie (1984)
Black Magic! - Miss Jessie (1970)
Brian Wilson - Just Say No (1986)
C.W. McCall - Kidnap America (1980)
The Soul Searchers - We The People (1972)
Roogalator - Cincinnatti Fatback (1976) Note the Stiff Records logo on the upper left corner. This was one of the first Stiff releases. Danny Adler was an American ex-pat living in England. This was the second version of Roogalator (formed in 1972), and as much as this track smokes, the band got virtually no support from the label, and constant personnel changes killed the group. Could you have hung on that long with an entire movement (that you helped start) bubbling under your feet, only to be ignored and ultimately ripped off?
Cliff Bennett and his Band - Back In The U.S.S.R. (1968)
Con-Funk-Shun - Clique (1974)
Sesame Street - Cracks (1976) "Cracks" is an animated musical insert produced for Sesame Street in the 1970s. A young girl is unable to go outside to play because of the rain, and so she imagines the cracks in her wall form a camel. The camel takes her on an adventure through the wall where she meets a hen and a monkey, also made out of cracks.
The voice is the one and only Dorothy Moskowitz, who I featured on a recent show. She is mostly known as the female voice of The United States of America.
Debby Dobbins - How You Gonna Feel (1979)
A selection from the one and only album by Don Thompson - Fanny Brown/Just Plain Funk/Night Ladies/Hang Loose (1977)
God, I love this funk.
From Dusty Groove: The one and only album from drummer Don Thompson – a funky Brunswick classic from the 70s, and one of the most unique records we've ever heard from the label at the time! Don's got this style of singing that has a bit of a southern twang at times, but he works with grooves that are definitely northern in their orientation – served up in a range of styles that includes the funky drum break of the title cut, some mellow-stepping moments on a few other tunes, and the bouncing boogie that's really become the album's calling card over the years! There's loads of great bass work on most cuts, which really grounds that album alongside Don's drums – and titles include "Just Plain Funk", "Fanny Brown", "Lovin To The Bone", "Night Ladies (part 1 & 2)", and "Hang Loose".
Donny Hathaway - The Ghetto (1970) His early records were expansive and unique, and his voice was second to none. He was every bit the equal of Stevie and Marvin, but you know him from his duets with Roberta Flack.
Wikipedia: During the peak of his career, Hathaway began suffering from severe bouts of depression and exhibiting unusual behavior. In 1971, he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia for which he was prescribed various medications. At one point, Hathaway was prescribed fourteen different medications that he was to take twice a day. After Hathaway was diagnosed and began taking medication, his mental state improved. However, Eulaulah Hathaway has said that her husband became less than diligent about following his prescription regimen when he began feeling better and often stopped taking his medications altogether. From 1973 to 1977, Hathaway's mental instability wreaked havoc on his life and career and required several hospitalizations. The effects of his depression and severe mood swings also drove a wedge in his and Flack's friendship; they did not reconcile for several years, and did not release additional music until the successful release of "The Closer I Get To You" in 1978. Flack and Hathaway then resumed studio recording to compose a second album of duets.
You should investigate his discography, especially this stunning debut album, Everything Is Everything. He was brilliant.
Donny Hathaway - To Be Young, Gifted, and Black (1970)
Donnie Most - Rock Is Dead (1976)
Enoch Light and the Light Brigade - Pick Up The Pieces (1975) John Miller on bass.
Enoch Light and the Light Brigade - Puppet Man (1970)
Fleetwood Mac - Sentimental Lady (1972) POACA will remember that Bob Welch rerecorded this with a more prominent Christine McVie backing vocal part. The singing members of Fleetwood Mac circa 1977-1980 could have crapped on a cracker and it would have gone gold.
The Mothers of Invention - Help, I'm a Rock (Suite In Three Movements)
I. Okay To Tap Dance
II. In Memoriam, Edgard Varèse
lll. It Can't Happen Here (1966)
Ian Dury and the Blockheads - Reasons To Be Cheerful (Pt. 3) (1980)
Kelly Gordon - He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother (1969) First version. Beautiful.
Kid Creole and the Coconuts - Indiscreet (1983) Live. Goddammit, Carol Colman on bass.
The Residents - Die In Terror (1980)
Hoover Commercial with Brian Johnson of AC/DC on vocals. (1979)
Carpenters - Suntory Pop Jingle (1977)
Saturday Feb 26, 2022
Carpenters. Again.
Saturday Feb 26, 2022
Saturday Feb 26, 2022
My last Carpenters show got wiped for some reason. Maybe the ghost of Karen?
A sound that no one will forget once they hear it. I am talking about those tight harmonies. Richard's scholarly, clever approach to harmonies often goes unnoticed, but he was quite the craftsman. What can you say about Karen? She wasn't meant to be the star. She was a black sheep. Not meant to shine. Meant to be grounded into fine dust like the Carpenter women before her.
Wikipedia: In early 1966, Karen tagged along at a late-night session in the garage studio of Los Angeles bassist Joe Osborn, and joined future Carpenters collaborator and lyricist John Bettis at a demo session where Richard was to accompany (Dan) Friberg (trumpet player and friend of Richard). Asked to sing, she performed for Osborn, who was immediately impressed with her vocal abilities. He signed Karen to his label, Magic Lamp Records, and Richard to his publishing arm, Lightup Music. The label put out a single featuring two of Richard's compositions, "Looking for Love" and "I'll Be Yours". As well as Karen's vocals, the track was backed by the Richard Carpenter Trio. The single was not a commercial success due to a lack of promotion, and the label folded the next year.
Carpenters - Get Together (1969) Richard on vocals. You can sort of divine, even at this nascent stage, why Richard was not going to do many vocals from here on in.
Karen Carpenter - Jimmy Mack (1980) From the aborted solo album. Backed by Billy Joel's versatile group, these sessions were replete with fawners (of the good kind) like Joel, Paul Simon (who offered up his own "Still Crazy After All These Years"), and Peter Cetera of Chicago. One gets the feeling there was so much respect, almost a quiet but unmistakable hopefulness that she could get well, be free.
Carpenters - Crescent Noon (1970)
Carpenters - Get Together (1970) From a "Your Navy Presents" radio program.
Spectrum - Crescent Noon (1966)
Karen Carpenter - Midnight (1980)
Carpenters - Mr. Guder (1970)
Wikipedia: Richard and Bettis then were hired as musicians at a refreshment shop at Disneyland's Main Street, U.S.A. They were expected to play turn of the 20th century songs in keeping with the shop's theme. The shop's patrons had other ideas; many requested the musicians to play current popular music. When the pair tried pleasing their customers and honoring the requests, they were fired by a Disneyland supervisor, Victor Guder, for being "too radical". Bettis and Richard were unhappy about their dismissal and wrote the song "Mr. Guder" about their former superior.
Karen Carpenter - My Body Keeps Changing My Mind (1980)
Carpenters - Road Ode (1972)
Carpenters - B'wana She No Home (1977) I like their daring choice and also this version of the Michael Franks tune.
Karen Carpenter - Looking For Love (1966)
Carpenters - You'll Love Me (1967)
Carpenters - The Rainbow Connection (Recorded in 1980, released in 1999) Richard objected to the "syllabification", notably the first verse that Kermit the Frog sings in The Muppet Movie, for whom the song was written. That original was nominated for an Academy Award. So while they dutifully trudged on, Karen wasn't pleased with the outcome and the recording was not released in her lifetime.
Carpenters - One Fine Day (1973)
Carpenters - Piano Picker (1972)
Your Wonderful Parade (1969)
Carpenters - California Dreamin' (1967/1999)
Richard Carpenter via Obscure Media: From Joe's Studio, circa 1967. This is the one tape, 4-track or otherwise, that survives, as, for some reason, Joe gave it to me. Even though the most important ingredient on tape, the lead, is on its own track, the bass, piano, drums and string machine were all bounced to another track, leaving two open…for what, I can't remember.
As a result, in 1999, we transferred the 4-track to 48-track and re-did everything, including a reproduction of my original electric piano solo. I finally got around to putting real strings on the track instead of those on the Chamberlain Music Master that was on the demo. This is one of my favorite tracks on this collection. Karen, at 17, is a marvel. I especially like the way she jumps an octave, from chest voice, to head voice on the letter (and note) "A" in the opening and then seamlessly back to chest on "Dreamin'". There is some electronic noise on the lead track, we don't know why. And I realize now and I should have then, that we have an incorrect word in the second verse: "began to pray" should be "pretend to pray".
Karen Carpenter - I'll Be Yours (1966)
Carpenters - Morinaga Hi-Crown Chocolate Commercial (1975?) Morinaga was/is a Japanese candy company. Hi-Crown Chocolate was, as far as I can tell, a way to market sweet, sweet nicotine to kids:
From the Morinaga website:
CANDY FIT FOR AN EMPEROR
1964 - Hi‐Crown chocolate debuts, and becomes a major hit from one end of Japan to the other. This was the start of a long string of hit Morinaga candies -- including you-know-what. [ed: I don't.]
The Morinaga Group’s Corporate Philosophy
The Morinaga Group’s Corporate Philosophy is composed of Our Mission, Our Visions, and Our Commitments. Our Mission states how the Group will contribute to society, and Our Visions comprise the five visions that we will pursue toward the future.Our Commitments represent the values that we have developed during more than 100-year history since the founding of the Group and will continue to uphold as our firm belief for many more years to come. To describe the essence of our Corporate Philosophy in one word, it is “Delicious, Fun, and Healthy.”
Carpenters - Tryin' To Get The Feeling Again (1975/1994) It would have appeared on the Horizon album but Richard decreed that the album already had too many ballads. This was recorded before the version we all know by Barry Manilow. I love her version. So weary. So deep and sad. This should have been released.
The Richard Carpenter Trio - Every Little Thing (1966)
Carpenters - Suntory Pop Jingle #1 (1977)
Wednesday Jun 17, 2020
The Carpenters and Carpenter solo stuff.
Wednesday Jun 17, 2020
Wednesday Jun 17, 2020
Carpenters - Crescent Noon (Demo) (1968) This is from the Cal State University Of Long Beach chorus album, one of those that schools commission and then give or sell copies to members. Obviously, it is quite rare..probably less than 200 ever made, and who knows how many have survived. Written by Richard Carpenter.
Carpenters - Crescent Noon (1970) "Notice the lower key," I heard myself saying to no one as I glibly swirled my brandy snifter.
Carpenters - Road Ode (1972)
Carpenters - B'wana She No Home (1977) Written by Michael Franks.
Karen Carpenter - My Body Keeps Changing My Mind (1980) From Karen Carpenter's unreleased (in her life) solo album. I love Wikipedia but this account doesn't do justice to how devastated she was when she played it for Richard.
Karen Carpenter - Jimmy Mack (1980)
Karen Carpenter - Midnight (Never Let You Down) (1980)
Carpenters - Get Together (1969) Richard on lead vocals.
Carpenters - Looking For Love (1966)
Carpenters - Mr. Gruder (1970)
Carpenters - You'll Love Me (1967)
Richard Chamberlain - They Long To Be Close To You (1963) The original recording.
Carpenters - Your Wonderful Parade (1969)
Carpenters - Piano Picker (1972)
Les Humphries Singers - Niagara/Paranoid (1971)
Formed by Englishman Les Humphries in Berlin in the early '70s, the Les Humphries Singers performed a mix of gospel, R&B, pop, and rock that was not dissimilar to the work that would make Boney M European superstars. The group's biggest hits were the singles "Mexico" and "Mama Loo," released in 1972 and 1973 respectively. The ensemble also represented Germany at the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest but was to break up soon after. Other members of the Les Humphries Singers also went on to success in their own right, with Liz Mitchell going on to front Boney M, and John Lawton finding a home as the frontman for Uriah Heep. Humphries himself passed away in December of 2007.
Another member was Jürgen Drews, who later started a long-running solo career, starting with his 1976 hit in Germany, "Ein Bett im Kornfeld", a cover version of "Let Your Love Flow" by The Bellamy Brothers. Linda Thompson (Linda Übelherr), who had previously been a member of the Cornely Singers and Love Generation, was a member from 1973 to 1974, and later joined Silver Convention, and had a solo career as Linda G. Thompson.
God damn I love this.
Richard Carpenter - Say Yeah! (1987)
Les Humphries Singers - Cracklin' Rose/Carry That Weight/Travelin' Man/Keep Knockin' (1971, I think) Ripping off "Living Loving Maid" for the intro to "Keep Knockin'". Les Humphries is a hero for his balls alone.
Les Humphries Singers - Indian War (1976)
Les Humphries Singers - Mandy's Dead (1974) What the fuck is this?
Jimmy Bilsbury's Manchester band before LHS was Magic Lanterns.
Magic Lanterns - Bossa Nova 1940-Hello You Lovers (1969)
Magic Lanterns - I Stumbled (1967)
Magic Lanterns - Simple Things (1966)
Ananda Shankar - Light My Fire (1970)
Beach Boys - God Only Knows (a cappella) (1966)
Dennis Coffey & Luchi De Jesus - Theme Form "Black Belt Jones" (1972)
Buddy & Cathy Rich - The Beat Goes On (1967)
TM - Charles Lloyd (1972)