tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-120891332024-03-19T18:47:14.665+10:00PopArchives: The BlogMusic and sidetracks of the 50s, 60s and 70s, more or less related, or not, to my Australian song history site "WHERE DID THEY GET THAT SONG?"Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.comBlogger165125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-55796873823212537302024-01-27T09:24:00.042+10:002024-02-02T17:00:53.754+10:00Only in Oz* (19): John D. Loudermilk - Callin' Doctor Casey (1962) <p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic;">Another in my </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/search/label/ONLY%20IN%20OZ" style="color: #3367d6; font-style: italic; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;"><u>series of posts</u></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic;"> about tracks that were more popular in Australia than in their countries of origin. See also: <a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/search/label/ONLY%20IN%20MELBOURNE" style="color: #3367d6; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;"><u>Only in Melbourne</u></a>. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic;">*Again, a case of Only in Oz and NZ.</span></p><p><span><span><b>19.</b> </span><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">John D. Loudermilk</span><b> - Callin' Doctor Casey</b></span><br /><span>(John D. Loudermilk)<br />USA <b>1961</b></span><br /><span><u><a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/478054us"><b>RCA Victor single</b> (USA)</a></u> </span>#47-8054<br /><a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/101322"><u><b>RCA single</b> (Australia)</u></a> #101322, <a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/460304"><u>New Zealand</u></a> #4/60304</p><p><span style="background-color: #f4cccc;"><b>US charts</b>: <b>#83</b></span> [<i>Billboard</i>]<br /><span style="background-color: #d0fffd;"><b>Australian charts</b>: <a href="https://www.top100singles.net/2013/02/every-amr-top-100-single-in-1961.html#show"><b><u>#4</u></b></a></span> [#6 Sydney, #2 Melbourne, #10 Brisbane, #10 Adelaide, #6 Perth]<br /><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><b>New Zealand charts</b>: <b>#9</b></span> [<a href="https://natlib-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/fulldisplay?vid=NLNZ&docid=NLNZ_ALMA21271289440002836&context=L&search_scope=NLNZ"><u>Freeman</u></a>]</p><p style="text-align: center;">___________________________</p><p>Doctor Casey was the fictional neurosurgeon in <i>Ben Casey, </i>a popular TV series<i> </i>that debuted in the US in October 1961 and ran until 1966. <b>Callin' Doctor Casey</b> was released in June 1962 during <i>Ben Casey's</i> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Casey#Reception"><u>peak ratings</u></a> of 1961-1963. </p><p>This is not any kind of official tie-in with the series. The lovesick singer is <a href="https://www.ihesm.com/jdllyr/LyCasey.html"><u>calling on Dr Casey</u></a> to mend his broken heart. The deep voice that answers, "Ye-e-es?" is a comical Ben Casey that sounds nothing like the character played by Vince Edwards. (Is it a parody of some old horror movie star? Boris Karloff maybe? Bela Lugosi?)</p><p>There was clearly something about the <a href="https://nashvillesongwritersfoundation.com/Site/inductee?entry_id=2737"><u>songwriting of John D. Loudermilk</u></a> that appealed to Australians.</p><p>At least three Loudermilk compositions recorded by others also did better in Australia than in the US: <br /></p><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Mark Dinning</span></b> - <b>Top Forty, News, Weather And Sports<sup>1</sup></b> (1961, <span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">#81 USA</span>, <span style="background-color: #d0fffd;">#17 Australia</span>)</p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Sue Thompson</span></b> – <b>James (Hold The Ladder Steady)</b> (1962, <span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">#17 USA</span>, <span style="background-color: #d0fffd;">#6 Australia</span>, <span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">#15 NZ</span>)</p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Sue Thompson</span> </b>- <b>Paper Tiger</b> (1964[USA]-1965, <span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">#23 USA</span>, <span style="background-color: #d0fffd;">#3 Australia</span>)<b><sup>2</sup></b></p></blockquote>Loudermilk's<b> Midnight Bus </b>was first recorded in the US by Billy Graves then by Loudermilk<b><span style="color: #990000;"> </span></b>himself,<b><span style="color: #990000;"> </span></b>but the song became better known in Australia, thanks to a classic local version:<div> </div><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Betty McQuade</span> </b>- <b>Midnight Bus</b> (1961, <span style="background-color: #d0fffd;">#29 Australia</span> [#6 Melbourne]; 1963 reissue, <span style="background-color: #d0fffd;">#69 Australia</span> [#17 Brisbane, #1 Perth) See my <a href="https://poparchives.com.au/betty-mcquade/midnight-bus/"><u>history of <b>Midnight Bus</b></u></a>.</div></div></blockquote><div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As well as <b>Callin' Doctor Casey</b>, another of Loudermilk's own records was popular down under (especially in New Zealand):</div></div><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><div><div><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">John D. Loudermilk</span></b> – <b>The Language Of Love</b> (1961, <span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">#32 USA</span>, <span style="background-color: #d0fffd;">#21 Australia</span>, <span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">#8 NZ</span>).</p></div></div></div></blockquote><div><div><p>In fact, in a world where most songwriting credits went unnoticed, Loudermilk would have been known down here mainly as a singer. For connoisseurs of the fine print, he was an extraordinarily prolific and diversifying songwriter.</p><p>When he died in 2016, obituarists tried to summarise Loudermilk's huge songwriting repertoire in a few lines. Many started by mentioning two or three well-known and contrasting compositions, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/23/arts/music/john-loudermilk-dead.html?_r=0"><u>typically</u></a> <b>Tobacco Road</b>, <b>Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye</b> or <b>Indian Reservation</b>. </p><p>When I <u><a href="https://poparchives.com.au/betty-mcquade/midnight-bus/">attempted a list</a></u> of "better known recordings" of Loudermilk's songs I tried to keep it short but I ended up with 27. I wanted to convey the volume of familiar songs he had written, but I was also struck by the wide range of styles and ideas they took in. </p><p>An economical way of dramatising Loudermilk's versatility is to pair one of his songs with another that is markedly different from it. Like this:</p><p><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>Top Forty, News, Weather And Sport </b>(Mark Dinning)<br /><b>Abilene<span style="color: #990000;"> </span></b>(George Hamilton IV)</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><b>Talk Back Tremblin’ Lips </b>(Johnny Tillotson)<br /><b>Tobacco Road</b> (The Nashville Teens)</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye</b> (The Casinos)<br /><b>Norman </b>(Sue Thompson)</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><b>The Language Of Love</b> (John D. Loudermilk)<br /><b>Indian Reservation (The Lament Of The Cherokee Reservation Indian)</b> (Raiders, Don Fardon, Marvin Rainwater: title varies)</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>Thou Shalt Not Steal</b> (Dick & DeeDee)<br /><b>This Little Bird</b> (Marianne Faithful)</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><b>Midnight Bus</b> (Betty McQuade)<br /><b>Callin' Doctor Casey</b> (John D. Loudermilk)</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b><i>Listen to the list on this playlist</i></b></span></span>:</p><p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="352" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/6zyhHEOXBHVWUmcI7tDYgb?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe></p><p><span><b>Footnotes<br />1. Top Forty, News, Weather And Sports </b><span>was on Volume 3 of Glenn A. Bakers <i>Hard To Get Hits, </i>a<i> </i>series that includes the same premise as <i>Only in Oz. </i></span></span><span><b><br />2. </b>Two other </span>Sue Thompson<span><b><span style="color: #990000;"> </span></b>records written by </span>Loudermilk <span>were hits both in the US and in Australasia: </span><b>Sad Movies (Make Me Cry) </b>(1961, <span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">#5 USA</span>, <span style="background-color: #d0fffd;">#6 Australia</span>, <span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">#2 NZ</span>) and <b>Norman</b> (1961, <span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">#3 USA</span>, <span style="background-color: #d0fffd;">#4 Australia</span>, <span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">#1 NZ</span>), later adapted in Australia as <a href="https://poparchives.com.au/donna-gaye/norman-normie/"><b><u>Norman-“Normie"</u></b></a> (1966), a tribute to local pop idol Normie Rowe </p><p><b>Essential reading</b>:<br />Kees van der Hoeven's <a href="https://www.ihesm.com/Loudermilk1.html#mb"><u>John D. Loudermilk site</u></a> is the definitive, indispensable source where the ultimate aim is to document every Loudermilk song and recording. He must be getting close.</p><p><b>Further reading</b>:<br />John D. Loudermilk <a href="https://nashvillesongwritersfoundation.com/Site/inductee?entry_id=2737"><u>at Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame</u></a>.</p></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t4eDaPbBRng?si=rrhX8SJTnIAAcqzi" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><div><br /></div>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-52059238468722194722023-12-15T21:06:00.127+10:002023-12-22T08:29:27.858+10:00Only in Oz (18): Johnny Burnette - Big Big World (1961)<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic;">Another in my </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/search/label/ONLY%20IN%20OZ" style="color: #3367d6; font-style: italic; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;"><u>series of posts</u></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic;"> about tracks that were more popular in Australia than in their countries of origin. See also: <a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/search/label/ONLY%20IN%20MELBOURNE" style="color: #3367d6; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;"><u>Only in Melbourne</u></a>.</span></p><p><span><span><b>18.</b> </span><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">Johnny Burnette</span><b> - Big Big World</b></span><br /><span>(Fred Burch - Gerald Nelson - Red West)<br />USA <b>1961</b></span><br /><span><a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/f55318"><u><b>London single</b> (USA)</u></a> </span>#F-55318<br /><a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/hl2164"><u><b>London single</b> (Australia)</u></a> <u>#HL-2164</u></p><p><b>US Charts</b>: #58 <i>Billboard</i>, #49<i> Cash Box</i><br /><b>Australian charts</b>: #38 Sydney, #19 Melbourne (Ryan), #14 Melbourne (Guest), #37 Brisbane | <a href="https://www.top100singles.net/2013/02/every-amr-top-100-single-in-1961.html#show"><b><u>#37 Australia</u></b><u></u></a></p><p style="text-align: center;">___________________________</p>
<p>Not a dramatic case of <i>Only in Oz, </i>but<i> </i>the lower reaches of Australia's Top 40 do beat the lower reaches of Top 60 <i>Billboard </i>and Top 50 <i>Cash Box. </i></p><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb6h7gDeF-GJMgi175_uxKqveSkikKEy0PU7-Z_uJsRzRweDpohu9puo2n7yLkIq1fbTk0Zyk46u4_54wPSc4fkuMvhC7f2L-6vx8oSwTOpDHGkXL6kCyTsyfHFMBhs98YVXEUE1XtsUc2cgB81_I7FveO8NGpi_qXN7EvAF34TGXzZ4MUwA/s243/jb%20sleeve%202%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="243" data-original-width="156" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb6h7gDeF-GJMgi175_uxKqveSkikKEy0PU7-Z_uJsRzRweDpohu9puo2n7yLkIq1fbTk0Zyk46u4_54wPSc4fkuMvhC7f2L-6vx8oSwTOpDHGkXL6kCyTsyfHFMBhs98YVXEUE1XtsUc2cgB81_I7FveO8NGpi_qXN7EvAF34TGXzZ4MUwA/s1600/jb%20sleeve%202%20-%20Copy.jpg" width="156" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Johnny Burnette</td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://tims.blackcat.nl/messages/johnny_burnette.htm"><span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>Johnny Burnette's</u></b></span></a> three biggest hits <b>Dreamin'</b> (1960),<b> You're Sixteen</b> (1960), and <b>Little Boy Sad</b> (1961) all charted at least Top 20 in the US, the UK, Australia, and NZ but Australia is the only one where <b>Big Big World </b>made Top 40. </div><div><br /></div><div>In 1961 I was listening to Melbourne radio, so I remember <b>Big Big World </b>as well as <b><span style="color: #990000;">Burnette's</span></b> better-known songs. Depending on the chart compiler, <b>Big Big World</b> charted in Melbourne at<b> #19 </b>(Gavin Ryan)<b> </b>or <b>#14 </b>(Tom Guest). (For a plunge into the metaphysics of retrospective charts see my post <i><a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiIiITO94uDAxUI8WEKHeyyB_AQFnoECA4QAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpoparchivesblog.blogspot.com%2F2021%2F02%2Ftoppermost-of-poppermost-charts.html&usg=AOvVaw19WMueeihJeSQGBZlfkIW3&opi=89978449"><u>Toppermost of the poppermost: the charts</u></a></i>.) </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">___________________________<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Big Big World </b>evokes the feeling of searching for one person among millions and being defeated by the vastness of the city. </div><div><br /></div><div>In <a href="https://tims.blackcat.nl/messages/snuff_garrett.htm"><span style="color: #990000;"><b><u>Snuff Garrett's</u></b></span></a> production the elements meld perfectly, all contributing to the final effect: composition, arrangement, performances. There are no jarring distractions.<b><sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">1</span></sup></b> </div><div><b><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></b></div><div>I admire the way the story is told economically, in colloquial language, without any wasted words. It takes place in two locations, an apartment block - <b><i>Nine one, 27th Avenue</i></b> - and a phone box. </div><div><br /></div><div>At the apartments, where the searcher tells them he is <b><i>just looking for a friend living in Apartment 10</i></b>, he has no luck: <i><b>You say she's gone. Please, how long has it been?</b></i></div><div><br /></div><div>In the phone box, the futility of his quest is brought home to him when he consults the telephone directory. </div><div><br /></div><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><b>Joneses, Joneses<br />Oh, I see,</b> <b>page 19 to 23</b></blockquote><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><b>Big, big world can be unkind<br />The phone just took my last dime</b></blockquote><br /><p>I love the sound of <i style="font-weight: bold;">Joneses Joneses</i>. Every "s" has a /z/ sound, setting up a nice percussive effect with the repetition. </p><p>This is a song of numbers: the address and the apartment number (<b>Nine one</b>, <b>27th</b> Avenue... Apartment<b> 10</b>), the pages of Joneses (<b>19</b> to <b>23</b>).</p><p>I assume the numbers that open the song - <i><b>Nine one, 27th</b> </i>- were carefully chosen, as they are perfect. </p><p>I am reminded of that much-repeated story about the comedy writers on Sid Caesar's TV show deciding which <a href="https://archive.org/details/irememberme0000rein/page/56/mode/1up"><u>number on a roulette wheel</u></a> would be funniest. (The final choice was <i>thirty-two</i>). </p><p><b>Big Big World </b>isn't comedy, but I can imagine a similar process going on for <i><b>Nine one, 27th</b></i>, as well as for the numbers of the telephone directory pages <i><b>19 to 23</b></i>.</p><p>Clearly, the rhythm of the words is a factor. And although the selection might have been intuitive, I wonder whether the result has something to do with the repeated sounds in <b><i>nine one twenty-seven</i></b>: the /n/, the short "e" (/e/) and the /w/?</p><p style="text-align: center;">____________________________</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFPxxolzuxQaGEUvVOuE0w-HUmiGjBGjOItsBkQNZWeYUqj5d10Q9XsHy1KoUWxG7aEni5uPMOu12B8nL-HueeyAzoid-3jrc5hBNiA5ZVqSauzNtnjk869Q_E4xlx41B0tdyRjuEICJAO09oWgbbSegtGUMK0mlbXzK-io3vUOmhDZjxHQ/s454/big%20big%20world%20copyright.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="91" data-original-width="454" height="64" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFPxxolzuxQaGEUvVOuE0w-HUmiGjBGjOItsBkQNZWeYUqj5d10Q9XsHy1KoUWxG7aEni5uPMOu12B8nL-HueeyAzoid-3jrc5hBNiA5ZVqSauzNtnjk869Q_E4xlx41B0tdyRjuEICJAO09oWgbbSegtGUMK0mlbXzK-io3vUOmhDZjxHQ/s320/big%20big%20world%20copyright.jpg" width="320" /></a>The composers of <b>Big Big World </b>are<b> </b><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">Gerald Nelson</span> (1935-2012), <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Fred Burch</b></span> (c.1932- ) and <b><span style="color: #990000;">Bobby "Red" West </span></b><span style="text-align: justify;">(1936-2017).</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">Red West</span></b><span style="text-align: justify;"> was a long-time associate of </span><span style="color: #990000; text-align: justify;"><b>Elvis Presley</b></span><span style="text-align: justify;"> from high school days, and a member of </span><span style="color: #990000; text-align: justify;"><b>Elvis's</b></span><span style="text-align: justify;"> entourage. He worked successfully as a bodyguard, stuntman, movie extra, actor, songwriter and artists' agent. <b><span style="color: #990000;">West</span></b> would be the most visible of the three writers of </span><b style="text-align: justify;">Big Big World</b><span style="text-align: justify;">, partly through the </span><b style="color: #990000; text-align: justify;">Elvis Presley</b><span style="text-align: justify;"> connection, but also through his <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0922307/"><u>many appearances</u></a> in </span>films<span style="text-align: justify;">, sometimes uncredited but also credited alongside some well-known names. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span><span style="text-align: justify;">There are </span></span>138 <b><span style="color: #990000;">Red West</span></b><b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;"> </span></b>compositions<span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><span><a href="https://repertoire.bmi.com/Search/Catalog?num=BIm7YFVjzpL9InQRtBSRxQ%253d%253d&cae=LILIYJJYinxW%252ber%252ft8IAOg%253d%253d&partType=WriterList&search=%7B%22Main_Search_Text%22%3A%22If%20Every%20Day%20Was%20Like%20Christmas%22%2C%22Sub_Search_Text%22%3Anull%2C%22Main_Search%22%3A%22Title%22%2C%22Sub_Search%22%3Anull%2C%22Search_Type%22%3A%22all%22%2C%22View_Count%22%3A100%2C%22Page_Number%22%3A0%2C%22Part_Type%22%3Anull%2C%22Part_Id%22%3Anull%2C%22Part_Id_Sub%22%3Anull%2C%22Part_Name%22%3Anull%2C%22Part_Cae%22%3Anull%2C%22Original_Search%22%3Anull%2C%22DisclaimerViewed%22%3Anull%7D&resetPageNumber=True&partIdSub=kJU0oBsMXpxafbSwXsKwYQ%253d%253d" style="text-align: justify;"><u>listed by BMI at Songview</u></a><span style="text-align: justify;">. He wrote or co-wrote several songs recorded by </span></span><b><span style="color: #990000;">Elvis</span></b> including <a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/740815us"><b><u>Separate Ways</u></b></a><b><a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/rca2304"></a></b> (1972, #20 USA) and <a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/apbo0280us"><b><u>If You Talk In Your Sleep</u></b></a><b><a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/apbo0280"></a></b> (1974, #17 USA). He co-wrote <a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/0367"><b><u>I'm A Fool</u></b></a><b><a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/0367"></a></b> which charted for <b><span style="color: #990000;">Dino, Desi & Billy</span></b> (1965, #17 USA) but was <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/12073869-Rick-Nelson-Spotlight-On-Rick"><u>first released</u></a> by <b><span style="color: #990000;">Rick Nelson</span></b> (1964).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">Gerald Nelson</span></b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"> and </span><span style="color: #990000;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Fred Burch</b></span> were <a href="https://www.45cat.com/45_search.php?sq=nelson+burch&sm=cm"><u>frequent collaborators</u></a>. They were both from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paducah,_Kentucky"><u>Paducah, Kentucky</u></a>,<b> </b><span>where </span><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700;">Nelson</span> was in <span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700;">The Country Gentlemen</span>, <a href="http://doo-wop.blogg.org/escorts-2-c28810006"><u>later known as <span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700;">The Escorts</span></u></a>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Nelson</span></b> and <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Burch </b></span>started writing together when <b style="color: #990000;">Burch </b>was at the University of Kentucky in 1958. Their composition <b>Tragedy </b>charted for <b><span style="color: #990000;">Thomas Wayne</span></b> (1959, #4 USA), <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Fleetwoods</span></b> (1961, #10 USA), and <b><span style="color: #990000;">Bryan Hyland</span></b> (1969, #56 USA). A version by <b><span style="color: #990000;">Paul McCartney</span></b> appeared as a bonus track on a <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/12907622-Paul-McCartney-And-Wings-Red-Rose-Speedway">later reissue of <u><i>Red Rose Speedway</i></u></a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/695535-Fred-Burch" style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Jm6y8ZGF1xKklPh67QTWW1lqXB4zWBLbUIgtnR4z4trxKqosLJVz2AIAYhofJKaPzf3GopxprIGm-owfrccj0Su2wz56dM6KJgzW1gRy4bsij5AiGImP5hg6ALgs0xW1wbyccqIwwJYVXK4wXRwDN79k4KxAVzbh_I979HE8Ebn-PXSlWA/s670/Fred%20burch%202.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="420" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Jm6y8ZGF1xKklPh67QTWW1lqXB4zWBLbUIgtnR4z4trxKqosLJVz2AIAYhofJKaPzf3GopxprIGm-owfrccj0Su2wz56dM6KJgzW1gRy4bsij5AiGImP5hg6ALgs0xW1wbyccqIwwJYVXK4wXRwDN79k4KxAVzbh_I979HE8Ebn-PXSlWA/w157-h249/Fred%20burch%202.jpg" width="157" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption"> Fred Burch</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><u>Fred Burch</u></a></b>*<b> </b>was a <a href="https://repertoire.bmi.com/Search/Catalog?num=pD0cv49HQiyMGL%252fVkcyOhg%253d%253d&cae=eAq%252b8IyOoucDy8wMprw9dg%253d%253d&partType=WriterList&search=%7B%22Main_Search_Text%22%3A%22burch%2C%20fred%22%2C%22Sub_Search_Text%22%3A%22%22%2C%22Main_Search%22%3A%22Writer%2FComposer%22%2C%22Sub_Search%22%3Anull%2C%22Search_Type%22%3A%22all%22%2C%22View_Count%22%3A100%2C%22Page_Number%22%3A0%2C%22Part_Type%22%3Anull%2C%22Part_Id%22%3Anull%2C%22Part_Id_Sub%22%3Anull%2C%22Part_Name%22%3Anull%2C%22Part_Cae%22%3Anull%2C%22Original_Search%22%3Anull%2C%22DisclaimerViewed%22%3Anull%7D&resetPageNumber=True&partIdSub=YO0HedHMatLb45JzS23DVw%253d%253d"><u>prolific</u></a> songwriter <span>based in</span><b> </b>Nashville where he was a staff writer for Cedarwood Publishing Co. He collaborated, for example, with <b><span style="color: #990000;">Marijohn Wilkin</span></b> on <b><span style="color: #990000;">Jimmy Dean's</span> P.T. 109</b> (1962, #8 USA, #29 Australia). </div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="color: #990000;"><a href="https://musicrow.com/2012/11/songwriting-great-jan-crutchfield-dies/" style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Jan Crutchfield</u></span></a></span> was <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Burch's</b></span> co-writer on <b><span style="color: #990000;">Perry Como's</span></b> <b>Dream On Little Dreamer </b>(1965, #25 USA). <span style="color: #990000;"><b style="color: black;"><span style="color: #990000;">Crutchfield</span></b><b> </b></span>was also from Paducah, and he was in <span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700;">The Country Gentlemen</span>-<span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700;">Escorts</span> with <b>Big Big World </b>co-writer <b><span style="color: #990000;">Gerald Nelson</span></b>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>Strange</b>, recorded by <b><span style="color: #990000;">Patsy Cline</span></b><b> </b>(1962, #97 USA), was a <b><span style="color: #990000;">Fred Burch </span></b>-<b><span style="color: #990000;"> </span></b><a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mel-tillis-mn0000407300#biography"><u><b style="color: #990000;">Mel Tillis</b></u></a> composition. <b><span style="color: #990000;">Tillis</span></b> was also contracted to Cedarwood Publishing and they wrote several songs together.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span>It didn't surprise me to read in the archives that </span><b><span style="color: #990000;">Burch </span></b>was<b><span style="color: #990000;"> </span></b>a "student of journalism" who<b><span style="color: #990000;"> </span></b><span>studied English at university before turning to professional song writing. Clearly, at least one writer who knew their way around words had a hand in <b>Big Big World</b></span>, and as a songwriter<span><b> </b></span><b style="color: #990000;">Burch </b>seems to have specialised in lyrics. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">For example, it was <b style="color: #990000;">Burch</b> who started off <b>Tragedy</b> with some lines of verse.<b><sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">2</span></sup></b> Local press in Paducah (1962) gives him credit for being the lyricist of <b>P.T. 109 </b>and numerous other songs including <b>Big Big World</b>,<b><sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">3</span></sup></b> although in the Tennessee press <b style="color: #990000;">Burch </b>himself acknowledges co-composer <b><span style="color: #990000;">Marijohn Wilkin's </span></b>role in polishing the lyrics of <b>P.T. 109</b>.<b><sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">4</span></sup></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">___________________________</div><p><b>Selected sources, further reading</b>:<br /><b>1. </b>I wrote something similar about Snuff Garrett's production of <a href="https://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/2013/11/only-in-oz-15-gene-mcdaniels-its-lonely.html"><u>Gene McDaniels - It's A Lonely Town (Lonely Without You)</u></a>. That post also has a list of some of Garrett's notable productions.</p><p><b>2.</b> <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tennessean/136846908/"><u>"Burch, Helms on High Road"</u></a>: background on Burch & Nelson and the writing of "Tragedy", <i>The Tennessean</i>, Nashville, 12 November 1961.<br /><b>3.</b> <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-paducah-sun/136846869/"><u>"P.T.109... Former Paducah Man Writes Hit Song"</u></a>, <i>The Paducah Sun,</i> Paducah, Kentucky, 3 June 1962.<br /><b>4.</b> <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tennessean/136884848/"><u>"PT 109: How It Came About"</u></a>, <i>The Tennessean</i>, 20 May 1962.</p><p><b>Item of interest</b>:<br /><a href="https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-leaf-chronicle/136846737/"><u>"Composers Take Cruise"</u></a>: songwriters Marijohn Wilkin and Fred Burch with Wilkin's husband and son on a cruise trip to Paducah on the Wilkins' houseboat, <i>The Leaf-Chronicle</i>, Clarksville, Tennessee, 7 August 1961.</p><p><b>*Don't confuse</b> Fred Burch with<i> Don </i>Burch who wrote The Shields'<b><span style="color: #990000;"> </span></b>hit "You Cheated" (1958) or<i> John</i> Burch who wrote<b> </b>Georgie Fame's "Preach And Teach" (1964) and "In The Meantime" (1965).</p><div><br /></div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/11McA0qAGJM?si=G-auq3olkSSm9u57" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><p></p>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-41929355345536835052023-10-21T09:58:00.114+10:002024-03-17T11:36:50.352+10:00Only in Oz* (17): José Feliciano - Adios Amor (Goodbye, My Love) (1967, 1969)<p><span style="font-style: italic;">Another in my </span><span><a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/search/label/ONLY%20IN%20OZ" style="font-style: italic;"><u>series of posts</u></a></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span> about tracks that were more popular in Australia than in their countries of origin. See also: <a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/search/label/ONLY%20IN%20MELBOURNE"><u>Only in Melbourne</u></a>.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-style: italic;"><span><b>*</b>In this case, Only in Oz and NZ.</span></span></p><p><span><span><b>17.</b> </span><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">José Feliciano</span><b> - </b></span><b>Adios Amor (Goodbye, My Love)</b><br /><span>(Tom Springfield - Norman Newell)<br />UK <b>1967</b>, <b>1969</b></span><br /><span><b>• RCA Victor single</b> (UK) <a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/rca1640"><u>#1640</u></a>, reissued on <a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/rca1794"><u>#1794</u></a> </span><span><br /><b>• RCA Victor single</b> (Australia) </span>#101806: 1967, <a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/101806">reissued 1969</a><span><b><br />• RCA Victor single</b> (New Zealand)</span> <a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/60474" target="_blank"><u>#60474</u></a> </p><p><b>UK charts</b>: <a href="https://www.ukmix.org/forum/chart-discussion/chart-analysis/82039-1966-to-1969-uk-singles-chart-bubbling-under-breakers"><u>"Bubbled Under"</u></a> Top 50 (= #51), <i>Record Retailer,</i> 22 Apr 69 <br /><span><b>Australian charts</b>: </span>#4 Australia (<a href="https://www.top100singles.net/2013/02/every-amr-top-100-single-in-1968.html#show"><u>Kent</u></a> and <i><a href="https://gosetcharts.com/1969/19690423.html"><u>Go-Set</u></a></i>);<br />#2 Sydney #5 Melbourne, #26 Sydney, #2 Brisbane, #2 Adelaide, #7 Perth (Gavin Ryan)<br /><b>New Zealand chart</b>: #3 (<u><a href="https://natlib-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/fulldisplay?vid=NLNZ&docid=NLNZ_ALMA21241387390002836&context=L&search_scope=NLNZ">Scapolo</a></u> and <u><a href="https://natlib-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/fulldisplay?vid=NLNZ&docid=NLNZ_ALMA21271289440002836&context=L&search_scope=NLNZ">Freeman</a></u>)<br /><b>USA charts</b>: no single released</p><p style="text-align: center;">___________________________<br /></p><p><span><b>Adios Amor (Goodbye, My Love)</b></span>: American artist, British record, Australasian hit.</p><p><span>It charted in Australia early </span>in <span><b>1969</b> (</span>mid-'69 <span>in NZ</span>), a few months after <b><span style="color: #990000;">José Feliciano's</span></b> breakthrough hit record <b>Light My Fire </b>(<b>1968</b>, #14 Australia, #16 NZ, #1 USA, #6 UK). </p><p><b>Adios Amor </b>was probably seen as a follow-up recording to <b>Light My Fire </b>(<b>1968</b>)<b> </b>but in fact <b>Adios Amor</b> came first. It was initially released in <b>1967</b> then re-released in <b>1969</b>, presumably in response to <b>Light My Fire's </b>success. An ad for <b>Adios Amor's </b>reissue in Britain's <i>New Musical Express</i> <a href="https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-New-Musical-Express-IDX/IDX/1969/New-Musical-Express-1969-02-15-OCR-IDX-5.pdf#search=%22adios%20amor%22"><u>in February 1969</u></a> overlooked its history and billed it as <b><span style="color: #990000;">Feliciano's</span></b> <i>smash new single.</i></p><p>The two songs are quite different from each other. <b>Light My Fire</b>, released in<b> July 1968</b>, was a jazz-soul-flavoured reworking of <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Doors'</span></b> #1 US hit from the previous year. <b>Adios Amor </b>is a more conventional orchestration of an original ballad, but no less affecting for that, as Australasian audiences clearly found. Just read the heartfelt memories of the song from Australians <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yjza5xjAH8M"><u>at YouTube</u></a>.</p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6W1_M6aVQHOGmaP2ud8scsJOmtF_b5yO76PVa3bBCG1GQLDdlprEaaLYP1LTNfm1asdZfI_2V7AoObC-mQEbJL-XHKBK2z5e4hHxSXyTuFcBtxDUw33CMJA0MK5IXBTfEUui8HpZBeO1Zpb8Hy6wox3hmvGnk-07bTSToZ_JdIvnXCqvFaw/s977/Screenshot%202023-10-21%20115244.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="977" data-original-width="382" height="556" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6W1_M6aVQHOGmaP2ud8scsJOmtF_b5yO76PVa3bBCG1GQLDdlprEaaLYP1LTNfm1asdZfI_2V7AoObC-mQEbJL-XHKBK2z5e4hHxSXyTuFcBtxDUw33CMJA0MK5IXBTfEUui8HpZBeO1Zpb8Hy6wox3hmvGnk-07bTSToZ_JdIvnXCqvFaw/w217-h556/Screenshot%202023-10-21%20115244.png" width="217" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>NME </i>15 Feb 1969 [<a href="https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-New-Musical-Express-IDX/IDX/1969/New-Musical-Express-1969-02-15-OCR-IDX-5.pdf#search=%22adios%20amor%22">link</a>]</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>In spite of its Spanish title, <b>Adios Amor</b> has mainly English lyrics. (There are some spoken Spanish words at the very end, as the track fades out.)<div><br /></div><div>It is a British composition, recorded in the UK during <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Feliciano's</b></span> sojourn there in <b>1967</b>, along with <a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/rca1608"><u>another single</u></a> <b>My Foolish Heart</b> / <b>Only Once.</b><div><b><br /></b><div><b>Adios Amor </b>was released in the UK (and in Australia, NZ, <a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/49590"><u>France</u></a>, <a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/7415116"><u>Germany</u></a> and <a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/310409"><u>Spain</u></a>) but there was no US single. As far as I can see, it has not been included on any American <b><span style="color: #990000;">José Feliciano </span></b>compilation, nor did it appear on any regular album at the time. It was on at least one compilation <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/14869551-Jos%C3%A9-Feliciano-Legendary"><u>from Australia</u></a>.</div></div><b></b><p></p><p>The entirely plausible story goes that producer and co-writer <b><span style="color: #990000;">Tom Springfield </span></b>first<b><span style="color: #990000;"> </span></b>proposed <b>Adios Amor</b> as a song for <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Seekers</span></b> but the group turned it down. In later years <b><span style="color: #990000;">Seekers </span></b>lead singer <b><span style="color: #990000;">Judith Durham </span></b>(1943-2022) did perform <u><a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/7203025-Judith-Durham-Mona-Lisas">and release</a></u> the song, <a href="https://www.noise11.com/news/the-seekers-revert-to-their-original-roots-with-michael-cristiano-announced-as-new-singer-20190521"><u>as did</u></a> a latter-day line-up <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Original Seekers</span></b>.</p><p>The <b><span style="color: #990000;">José Feliciano</span></b> we hear singing <b>Adios Amor</b> from a London studio in <b>1967 </b>was yet to take off in mainstream markets, but he was already a popular Spanish-language artist amongst Latino audiences in the US and South America. He had also released three English-language albums of his own takes on standards, folk songs and pop hits on RCA Victor 1965-1966. </p><p>One of those songs, <b>Hi-Heel Sneakers</b>, on <i><a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/5983386-Jos%C3%A9-Feliciano-The-Voice-And-Guitar-Of-Jos%C3%A9-Feliciano"><u>The Voice And Guitar Of José Feliciano</u></a></i> (1966), was recorded again to become <b><span style="color: #990000;">Feliciano's </span></b>second Top 40 hit in the US (1968, #25 USA, #24 Australia). The B-side, a cover of <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/1165556-Dunn-And-McCashen-Mobius"><b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Dunn & McCashen's</u></span></b></a> <b>Hitchcock Railway</b>,<b> </b>co-charted in Australia and later had its arrangement openly <a href="http://www.richieunterberger.com/whoexc3.html"><u>borrowed</u></a> by <b><span style="color: #990000;">Chris Stainton</span></b> for <b><span style="color: #990000;">Joe Cocker's</span></b> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocker_Happy"><u>well-known version</u></a> (1971).<sup><b>1</b></sup></p><div style="text-align: center;">___________________________</div><p><br />The composers of <b>Adios Amor</b>, <b><span style="color: #990000;">Tom Springfield</span></b> and <span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">Norman Newell</span>, were both English. <b><span style="color: #990000;">Springfield</span></b> also produced the record. </p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">Tom Springfield </span></b>(<b><span style="color: #990000;">Dion O'Brien</span></b> 1934-2022) and his sister <b><span style="color: #990000;">Dusty</span></b> (<b><span style="color: #990000;">Mary</span></b>) had been in <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Springfields</span></b> who had hits with <b>Silver Threads And Golden Needles</b> and<b> Island of Dreams</b>.<span style="color: #990000;"><b> Tom </b></span>produced and wrote hit songs for<b><span style="color: #990000;"> The Seekers</span></b> including<b> <a href="https://poparchives.com.au/the-seekers/the-carnival-is-over/"><u>The Carnival Is Over</u></a></b>, <b>I'll Never Find Another You</b>, and <b>World Of Our Own</b>.</p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">Norman Newell</span></b> (1919-2004) was a prominent record producer and songwriter from the post-war 1940s until his retirement in 1990. He worked mainly in the middle-of-the-road segment of the market, often collaborating with arranger and conductor <b><span style="color: #990000;">Geoff Love</span></b>, and often with such major names of post-war British show business as <b><span style="color: #990000;">Shirley Bassey</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #990000;">Russ Conway</span></b>, and <b><span style="color: #990000;">Des O'Connor</span></b>. He had a hand in numerous hits, for <b><span style="color: #990000;">Petula Clark</span></b> (<b>Sailor</b>), <b><span style="color: #990000;">Laurie London</span> </b>(<b>He's Got the Whole World in His Hands</b>), <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Adam Faith</b> </span>(<b>What Do You Want?</b>),<b> <span style="color: #990000;">Matt Munro </span></b>(<b>Portrait of My Love</b>) and<b> <span style="color: #990000;">Ken Dodd</span></b> (<b>Tears</b>). His obituary <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/norman-newell-23509.html">in <i><u>The Independent</u></i></a> gives a good overview of his varied career.</p><div style="text-align: center;">___________________________<br /></div><p><br />British group <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Casuals</span></b> released a version of <b>Adios Amor </b><a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/f12737"><u>in February 1968</u></a> with an arrangement similar to the original. They would finally find success later in the year with <b>Jesamine</b> (#2 UK).</p><p>As an album track, <b>Adios Amor </b>was released by <b><span style="color: #990000;">Vanity Fare</span></b> on <i><a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/3784478-Vanity-Fare-The-Sun-The-Wind-And-Other-Things"><u>The Sun, The Wind, And Other Things</u></a></i> (UK, 1969) and by <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Ed Ames</b></span> on <i><a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/3903479-Ed-Ames-Sing-Away-The-World"><u>Sing Away The World</u></a></i> (USA, 1970). See the list at <a href="http://SecondHandSongs.com"><u>SecondHandSongs.com</u></a>.<br /></p><div style="text-align: center;">___________________________<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><b>Thanks to Marc</b> for clarification around British chart positions; details now edited to reflect his comments.</span></div><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Footnote<br />1.</b> <b>Chris Stainton</b> tells about how he got to play on <b>The Who's</b> <i>Quadrophenia</i> [from <a href="http://RichieUnterberger.com">RichieUnterberger.com</a>]: <i>"<b>Pete (Townsend)</b>… seemed to be very impressed by the piano riffs I was playing in (<b>Joe Cocker's</b>) 'Hitchcock Railway,' which I lifted from <b>José Feliciano's</b> version," says <b>Stainton</b>. "He never forgot it and years later asked me to play in that style on the Quadrophenia album."</i> </span></p><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Yjza5xjAH8M?si=GCtJKnVDLPLnuKim" title="YouTube video player" width="420"></iframe><br /><b><span style="color: #990000;">José Feliciano</span></b> - <b>Adios Amor </b><b>(Goodbye, My Love) </b>(<a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/rca1640"><u>UK single</u></a> 1967, 1969)<br /></p><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R6Jr-RW9_nM?si=BqIIQVbHHhD3QjE-" title="YouTube video player" width="420"></iframe><br /><b><span style="color: #990000;">The Casuals </span></b>- <b>Adios Amor </b><b>(Goodbye My Love)</b><b> </b>(<a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/f12737"><u>UK single</u></a> 1968)<br /></p><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dbphcPvIJoU?si=w5-_RDsFSHpvUdAw" title="YouTube video player" width="420"></iframe><br /><b><span style="color: #990000;">Judith Durham </span></b>- <b>Adios Amor </b>(album <i><a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/7203025-Judith-Durham-Mona-Lisas"><u>Mona Lisas</u></a></i>, 1996)</p></div></div>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-91912718906541859732023-08-22T15:16:00.155+10:002024-02-24T07:07:49.446+10:00Only in Oz (16): Murry Kellum - Long Tall Texan (1963)<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic;">Another in my </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/search/label/ONLY%20IN%20OZ" style="color: #3367d6; font-style: italic; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;"><u>series of posts</u></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic;"> about tracks that were more popular in Australia than in their countries of origin. See also: <a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/search/label/ONLY%20IN%20MELBOURNE" style="color: #3367d6; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;"><u>Only in Melbourne</u></a>.</span></p><p><span><span><b>16.</b> </span><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">Murry Kellum</span><b> - Long Tall Texan</b></span><br /><span>(Henry Strzelecki)<br />USA <b>1963</b></span><br /><span><b>M.O.C. single</b> (USA) <a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/45653"><u>#45-653</u></a></span><br /><b>US Charts</b>: #51 <i>Billboard</i>, #51<i> Cash Box</i><br /><b>London single</b> (Australia 1964) <a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/hl2164" target="_blank"><u>#HL-2164</u></a><br /><b>Australian charts</b>: #7 Sydney, #7 Melbourne, #2 Brisbane, #45 Adelaide <a href="https://www.top100singles.net/2013/02/every-amr-top-100-single-in-1964.html#show"><b>#6 Australia</b></a></p><p>On the B-side is <span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700;">Glenn Sutton</span><span style="color: #990000;"> - </span><span style="white-space: normal;"><b>I Gotta Leave This Town.</b></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i>___________________________</i></div><br /><p>In February<b> 1964</b>, when <span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">Murry Kellum's</span> <b>Long Tall Texan</b> was <a href="http://las-solanas.com/arsa/survey.php?sv=73013"><u>peaking at #4</u></a> at Sydney station 2UE, <i>two</i> <span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">Beatles</span> songs were at #1, and there were three other <span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">Beatles</span> songs in the Top 10 plus one by <span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">The Dave Clark Five</span>. </p><p>The British Invasion was under way, but a lot of Australians were also going for a comical country song about a hick sheriff who sounds like a Wild West prototype for Private Gomer Pyle. </p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Long Tall Texan</b> charted <b>Top 10</b> in our three biggest cities (converting to a <a href="https://www.top100singles.net/2013/02/every-amr-top-100-single-in-1964.html#show"><b><u>#6</u></b> Australia</a></div>) but in the US <span style="text-align: left;">it peaked outside the Top 40 at <b>#51</b> </span><a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=SgsEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA34&dq=%22murray%20kellum%22&pg=PA16#v=onepage&q=%22murray%20kellum%22&f=false" style="text-align: left;"><u>on <i>Billboard's</i> Hot 100</u></a><span style="text-align: left;"> (21 Dec 1963), also at<b> #51</b> </span><a href="https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/60s/1964/CB-1964-01-04.pdf" style="text-align: left;"><u>on <i>Cash Box's</i> Top 100</u></a><span style="text-align: left;"> (4 & 11 Jan 1964). </span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMySPRh-w9tfWnKIrxKM1T6DAmFQq8JmIt6WpfVCdBa3aqXJpC2fE5Dfc5qbuJl39HvqAhvUEpO6ljMxwOgj6lBR8JLXXFHH2KNLlb1_D2ibaP00thY2PELi7HQfcnQGokGtCxGP8l_BQY0zqDNSYM5ecmXOSHiS6x6yBQpEigEAftCs70w/s482/bb%20oz%2014%20mar%2064%20ENHANCED.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="292" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMySPRh-w9tfWnKIrxKM1T6DAmFQq8JmIt6WpfVCdBa3aqXJpC2fE5Dfc5qbuJl39HvqAhvUEpO6ljMxwOgj6lBR8JLXXFHH2KNLlb1_D2ibaP00thY2PELi7HQfcnQGokGtCxGP8l_BQY0zqDNSYM5ecmXOSHiS6x6yBQpEigEAftCs70w/s320/bb%20oz%2014%20mar%2064%20ENHANCED.jpg" width="194" /></a></td></tr><tr></tr></tbody></table><span style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-small;">'Hits of the World', <i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Billboard</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif;">, </span><a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=A0UEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA31&dq=Australia+%22long+tall+Texan%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwin4IywqfGAAxX2bvUHHW-DCRUQuwV6BAgGEAY#v=onepage&q&f=false" style="background-color: white; color: #3367d6; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;"><u>14 Mar 64</u></a></span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>___________________________</i></div><br /><p></p></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">There are examples in the US newspaper archives of </span><a href="https://www.newspapers.com/clippings/?user=3647598%3Alynnmn&tag=LongTallTexan_surveys" style="text-align: left;"><u>locally published surveys</u></a><span style="text-align: left;"> that have </span><span style="text-align: left;"><b>Long Tall Texan</b> </span><span style="text-align: left;">in their Top 10. See also, </span><a href="http://las-solanas.com/arsa/survey.php?sv=26818" style="text-align: left;"><u>at ARSA</u></a><span style="text-align: left;">, a #1 at KMEN San Bernardino CA.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;">Murry Kellum</span><span style="text-align: left;"> was not the first to record </span><b style="text-align: left;">Long Tall Texan</b><span style="text-align: left;">. </span><u style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/nc183683us">The original version</a></u><span style="text-align: left;"> was a </span><b style="text-align: left;">1959</b><span style="text-align: left;"> B-side, recorded in Memphis by </span><span style="color: #990000; text-align: left;"><b>The Four Flickers </b></span><span style="text-align: left;">with composer </span><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;">Henry Strzelecki</span><span style="text-align: left;"> on lead vocals.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=oyIEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA46&dq=%22four+flickers%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiEsfa3vvGAAxU-TGwGHZr6CB0Q6wF6BAgGEAE#v=onepage&q=%22long%20tall%20texan%22&f=false" style="text-align: left;"><u>According to <i>Billboard</i></u></a><span style="text-align: left;">, in 1957 the 17-year-old </span><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;">Strzelecki</span><span style="text-align: left;"> encountered country star </span><b style="color: #990000; text-align: left;">Tex Ritter</b><span style="text-align: left;"> in a diner in Bessemer, Alabama and was inspired to write </span><b style="text-align: left;">Long Tall Texan</b><span style="text-align: left;">. A further version was released by </span><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;">Jerry Woodard</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/nc638144us" style="text-align: left;"><u>in 1960</u></a><span style="text-align: left;">.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">In </span><i style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://archive.org/details/definitivecountr00mccl/page/786/mode/2up?q=%22murray+kellum%22+%22long+tall+texan%22"><u>Definitive Country</u></a> </i><span style="text-align: left;">(1995), Barry McCloud suggests that in 1963 US radio stations declined to play </span><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;">Murry Kellum's</span><span style="text-align: left;"> record in the wake of President Kennedy's assassination in Dallas. It is hard to judge how widespread that might have been, and it is easy to find examples of the song in record reviews or local surveys during the weeks after 22 November 1963. The story is certainly plausible when you consider that author John M. MacDonald <a href="http://jdmhomepage.org/travis-mcgee-novels-1-9.html"><u>changed the name</u></a></span><span style="text-align: left;"> of </span><span style="text-align: left;">a </span><span style="text-align: left;">major character </span><span style="text-align: left;">from Dallas McGee </span><span style="text-align: left;">to Travis McGee over similar concerns. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Even if it was never a big national chart hit, </span><b style="text-align: left;">Long Tall Texan </b><span style="text-align: left;">became a much performed and recorded song in the US.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">A 1968 </span><i style="text-align: left;">Billboard</i><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=oyIEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA46&dq=%22four+flickers%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiEsfa3vvGAAxU-TGwGHZr6CB0Q6wF6BAgGEAE#v=onepage&q=%22four%20flickers%22&f=false" style="text-align: left;"><u>tribute</u></a><span style="text-align: left;"> to </span><b style="color: #990000; text-align: left;">Tex Ritter </b><span style="text-align: left;">noted that </span><b style="text-align: left;">Long Tall Texan</b><span style="text-align: left;">, the song he inspired,</span><i style="text-align: left;"> </i><span style="text-align: left;">had already been</span><i style="text-align: left;"> recorded some 28 times and … included in some five million dollars' worth of singles and albums sold</i><span style="text-align: left;">.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">The website Cover.info </span><a href="https://cover.info/en/song/The-Four-Flickers-Long-Tall-Texan" style="text-align: left;"><u>lists</u></a><span style="text-align: left;"> about 15 examples from the 1960s and 70s, including those by </span><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;">The Kingsmen</span><span style="text-align: left;">, </span><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;">The Chad Mitchell Trio </span><span style="text-align: left;">and </span><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;">John Denver</span><span style="text-align: left;">. It was included in live sets by </span><span style="color: #990000; text-align: left;"><b>The Beach Boys</b></span><span style="text-align: left;">,</span><span style="color: #990000; text-align: left;"><b> </b></span><span style="text-align: left;">as heard on their album </span><span style="text-align: left;"><i><a href="https://www.45worlds.com/vinyl/album/tao2198"><u>Beach Boys Concert</u></a></i> (<b>1964</b>) and on other collections</span><span style="text-align: left;">.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Searches of old US newspapers from the months following </span><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;">Kellum's </span><span style="text-align: left;">release</span><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;">show examples of kids and other amateurs performing </span><b style="text-align: left;">Long Tall Texan </b><span style="text-align: left;">at local concerts and gatherings, a handy indicator of a song's familiarity in the community.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;">Lyall Lovett</span><span style="text-align: left;">, </span><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;">Bob Luman</span><span style="text-align: left;"> and </span><span style="color: #990000; text-align: left;"><b>Conway Twitty</b></span><span style="text-align: left;"> all</span><span style="color: #990000; text-align: left;"><b> </b></span><span style="text-align: left;">released versions of </span><b style="text-align: left;">Long Tall Texan </b><span style="text-align: left;">in the 1990s. It had clearly held its nostalgic appeal, probably amongst country music fans especially. As recently as 2011, </span><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;">Ben Folds</span><span style="text-align: left;"> included a live version from 2008 on his album </span><i style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/2023/08/only-in-oz-16-murry-kellum-long-tall.html"><u>The Best Imitation Of Myself: A Retrospective</u></a>.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRyupHnVm-0nY9tAxtplaXGVeYXfupMFlSGjTgJGxbI2pDcU3k0w1BmiyV3sfSXFUQCd84_6XpS3FX7_NOtwdcEAFmamMfMXTUyOOHGgzWRiJ2nSYsmY4LgCJ0S6RdKU2uZXeKfI7VqJMFydxdoMxVCTEXvD8i8z8yKfawD0lKrdXp5A9DUw/s528/The_Buffalo_News_1963_12_07_page_31.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="528" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRyupHnVm-0nY9tAxtplaXGVeYXfupMFlSGjTgJGxbI2pDcU3k0w1BmiyV3sfSXFUQCd84_6XpS3FX7_NOtwdcEAFmamMfMXTUyOOHGgzWRiJ2nSYsmY4LgCJ0S6RdKU2uZXeKfI7VqJMFydxdoMxVCTEXvD8i8z8yKfawD0lKrdXp5A9DUw/w200-h195/The_Buffalo_News_1963_12_07_page_31.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p><h1 class="h6 mb-0" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "helvetica neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>The Buffalo News</i> <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-buffalo-news/130484504/"><u>7 Dec 63</u></a></span></h1><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>_</i><i>___________________________</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div>Country singer-guitarist-songwriter<span style="color: #990000;"><b> Murry Kellum</b></span> (1942-1990) grew up in Plain, a locality <a href="https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/Jackson,+Mississippi,+USA/Plain,+Richland,+MS+39218,+USA/@32.2641074,-90.2175294,13z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x86282b7f90741b21:0x713cde441f038a0!2m2!1d-90.1848103!2d32.2987573!1m5!1m1!1s0x862831c5857a6359:0xfc460cace4483b2!2m2!1d-90.1617541!2d32.2318146!3e0?entry=ttu"><u>near his birthplace Jackson, Mississippi</u></a>.* His most successful single was <b><a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/510741"><u>Joy To The World</u></a></b> (1971, #26 <i>Billboard</i> Country), produced by fellow Jackson musician <b style="color: #990000;">Glenn Sutton </b>who had occupied the B-side of <b>Long Tall Texan</b>. <b style="color: #990000;">Kellum's</b> best known composition, written with <span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700;">Dan Mitchell</span>, is <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_You%27re_Gonna_Play_in_Texas_%28You_Gotta_Have_a_Fiddle_in_the_Band%29"><u>If You're Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)</u></a></b>, a country hit for <span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700;">Alabama</span> (1984, #1 <i>Billboard</i> Hot Country Songs). <span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700;">Kellum </span>was still touring in 1990 when he died in a small-plane crash en route to Nashville.</div><div><br /></div><div>The composer of <b>Long Tall Texan </b>was Alabama-born <a href="https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofco0000unse_p1w5/page/516/mode/1up?q=%22murry+Kellum%22"><u>bassist</u> <span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700;"><u>Henry Strzelecki</u></span></a> (1939-2014). <span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700;">Strzelecki</span> is heard on lead vocals on the original version by <b style="color: #990000;">The Four Flickers</b>, a group he formed with his brother <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Larry </b></span>along with <span><b style="color: #990000;">Jerry Adams</b> and </span><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Leon Ethridge</b></span>. <b style="color: #990000;">Henry</b> became a respected <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Strzelecki"><u>studio and touring musician</u></a> in Nashville where he was based from 1960. His name is badly misspelt on the <span style="color: #990000; font-weight: 700;">Murry Kellum</span> single and others as <i>Stegelecki. </i>See his <a href="https://www.45cat.com/45_search.php?sq=Henry+Strzelecki&sm=cm"><u>repertoire of recorded songs</u></a> at 45cat.com. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">*Some sources prefer Jackson, Tennessee or Plain, Texas or both. I suggest you pay them no attention. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>___________________________</i></div><div><div><br /></div><div><b style="background-color: #ffe599;">Musicological footnote</b>:</div><div><br /></div><div>Philippe (<a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/search/label/FRENCH%20POP" target="_blank"><u>correspondent in France</u></a>) detects similarities between <b><a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/458308" target="_blank"><u>She's About A Mover</u></a></b> by Texas band <b style="color: #990000;">Sir Douglas Quintet</b> (February 1965, #13 USA) and<b> Long Tall Texan</b>, and by golly I think he's right. </div><div><br /></div><div>Compare, for example, these verse-endings:</div><div style="font-style: italic;"><br /></div><div><b>1. </b><b style="color: #990000;">Murry Kellum -</b><b> Long Tall Texan</b> (1963)</div><div><span style="font-style: italic;">Well people look at me and say</span> (pause)</div><div style="font-style: italic;"><b>Hurrah hurrah </b></div><div><span style="font-style: italic;">is that your horse<b>?</b> </span>(instrumental backing resumes)</div><div><b><u><a href="https://poparchives.com.au/contents/uploads/2023/10/long-tall-mover-mk.wav" style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">Listen to clip</a></u></b> [wav, 6 secs]</div><div style="font-style: italic;"><br /></div><div><b>2. </b><b style="color: #990000;">Sir Douglas Quintet</b> - <b>She's About A Mover </b>(1965)</div><div><span style="font-style: italic;">If you have love and conversation </span>(pause)</div><div style="font-style: italic;"><b>Whoa, yeah,</b> </div><div><span style="font-style: italic;">what'd I say<b>?</b></span> (instrumental backing resumes)</div><div><a href="https://poparchives.com.au/contents/uploads/2023/10/sir-doug-better.wav"><b style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><u>Listen to clip</u></b></a> [wav, 7 secs]<br /><br /></div><div>This way of pausing at the end of the verse is also heard in <b style="color: #990000;">The Coasters' </b><b>Searchin'</b> (March 1957, #3 USA), written by <b style="color: #990000;">Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller</b>:</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>3. </b><b style="color: #990000;">The Coasters </b>- <b>Searchin'</b> (1957)</div><div><span style="font-style: italic;">But I'm like the Northwest Mounties </span>(pause)</div><div><span style="font-style: italic;">You know I'll bring her in some day </span>(instrumental backing resumes)</div><div><b style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><u><a href="https://poparchives.com.au/contents/uploads/2023/11/coasters-searchin-USE.wav">Listen to clip</a></u></b> [wav, 10 secs]</div></div><div><br /></div><div>This appears to be a particular use of a musical device called <b>stop time</b>, also known as a <b>break</b>. It is heard in ragtime, jazz and blues compositions, sometimes as a series of breaks throughout a verse as in <b style="color: #990000;">Muddy Waters' </b><b>Hoochie Coochie Man</b>, and in <b style="color: #990000;">Elvis Presley's</b> <b>Trouble</b>, another <b style="color: #990000;">Leiber & Stoller</b> composition. </div><div><br /></div><div>It was much used by <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Leiber & Stoller </b></span>as a <b>punchline</b> (their word) at the end of a verse, for example in <b style="color: #990000;">Coasters</b> hits<span style="color: #990000;"><b> </b></span><b>Charlie Brown</b>, (1959, #3 USA) - <i>Why is everybody always pickin' on me?</i>- and <b>Young Blood</b> (1957 #8 USA, B-side of <b>Searchin'</b>, written with <b style="color: #990000;">Doc Pomus</b>) - <i>Look a-there Look a-there! Look a-there.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div>Michael Campbell, in <i>Popular music in America : the beat goes on</i> (2009), <a href="https://archive.org/details/popularmusicinam0000camp_f0s3/page/177/mode/1up"><u>describes</u></a> the phenomenon as it appears in <b>Young Blood</b>:</div><div><blockquote>... <b>breaks</b> that showcase the Coasters' trademark humorous asides that drop down the vocal ladder, with bass singer Bobby Nunn getting in the last word ... </blockquote><p>In an <a href="https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19762/m1/#track/3"><u>episode</u></a> of John Gilliland's <i>Pop Chronicles</i> featuring <b style="color: #990000;">Leiber & Stoller</b>, they discuss their writing process including</p><p></p><blockquote>... the <b>breaks </b>and so on, especially with the joke material, you know, where the timing and the <b>punch lines </b>were so critical.</blockquote><p></p></div></div><div><p></p><p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="///www.youtube.com/embed///MBX3uaZnxQQ?si=ZPq-XoUENZeFBtKG&t=124" width="420"></iframe></p><div><b><span style="color: #990000;">Murry Kellum</span> - Long Tall Texan (1963)</b></div><p></p><p></p><p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="///www.youtube.com/embed///ReL1cyf4fcc?si=QyNstRcenXYf7hk9&t=161" width="420"></iframe></p><div><b><span style="color: #990000;">The Four Flickers</span> - Long Tall Texan (</b><b>1959) </b><span style="background-color: #fcff01; color: #cc0000;"><b><br />Song starts at 2:40</b></span> (second in a medley of two)</div><p></p><br /><p><br /><br /></p></div><br /><br /></div>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-2584688815692775352023-05-28T17:38:00.009+10:002023-06-02T21:55:07.547+10:00A literary burglary Not long before Christmas 1987 I read a review of Evan Eisenberg's new book <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Recording-Angel-Aristotle-Explorations-Phonography/dp/0300099045"><i>The Recording Angel</i></a> and resolved to look out for it. It is just the sort of book I like, a deep and insightful history of recorded music.<br /><br />This was before instant online ordering and speedy delivery of books, before you could read a new book on your Kindle a few minutes after reading a review.<br /><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFx4Ys9m7fGzuLFaOaIxhVFHaGosPXOVi_D_R334GTFFysoV-3W08WqJPcRb_SM3epHCnKqyJGHGkKDcZxdY3QE58EcvfMCjran87C6hcE6nnHgehGt-q5EdxOxnh-dh6d8RfVtuhfMkb8rw28fkc8iT6Tp_WsqcZGaOowiqfsndAIdIM/s515/rec%20angel.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="515" data-original-width="369" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFx4Ys9m7fGzuLFaOaIxhVFHaGosPXOVi_D_R334GTFFysoV-3W08WqJPcRb_SM3epHCnKqyJGHGkKDcZxdY3QE58EcvfMCjran87C6hcE6nnHgehGt-q5EdxOxnh-dh6d8RfVtuhfMkb8rw28fkc8iT6Tp_WsqcZGaOowiqfsndAIdIM/s320/rec%20angel.jpg" width="229" /></a></div>I was living in Toowoomba, a provincial city where there were a couple of good bookshops, but I would also look forward to browsing the bigger bookshops in Brisbane now and then.<br /><br />This was not a bestseller, it probably appealed to a limited demographic, and my feeling was that I probably wouldn't come across it locally.</div><div><br />So, I would look out for <i>The Recording Angel</i>, but it was more likely to show up in one of the Brisbane bookshops like The American Bookstore.</div><div><br />A couple of days after Christmas Day I went into a local second-hand bookshop and looked through the old paperbacks with their bent covers and yellowed pages. </div><div><br /></div><div>In amongst them I found <i>The Recording Angel</i>, fresh and unopened. As a second-hand bookseller would classify it, As New.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was astounded - no - I was spooked by how unlikely and coincidental it was, but I contained myself and took it to the cash register. </div><div><br /></div><div>Later I thought that it must have been an unwanted Christmas gift. Pretty quick to get down to the second-hand bookshop so soon after Christmas Day, but maybe they were desperate.<br />---<br />I got the Internet at home 11 years later, in 1998, and some time after that I saw a forum comment about <i>The Recording Angel</i> by a woman from the Toowoomba area. That was coincidental itself, on the <i>Worldwide</i> Web.<br /><br />She had bought a copy of the book when it first came out, but it had been stolen during a burglary, swooped up with some other things before she had time to read it.<br /><br />I replied to her comment and told her the story and yes, it had been in late 1987. She agreed the timing was right. I offered to give her my (her?) copy but she declined.</div>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-16899814597959198122023-05-11T09:06:00.014+10:002023-05-11T14:12:57.314+10:00What's the matter with "kids"?<div>As the song from <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bye_Bye_Birdie" target="_blank">Bye Bye Birdie</a></i> went (1960), without the quotation marks.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've never minded calling children "kids". It's a friendly sounding word with no historical baggage as an epithet. To my mind, its connotations are positive.</div><div><br /></div><div>Over the years I've occasionally met someone who objected along the lines of, "They're not baby goats, they're children," but that's like chiding a French speaker for using the endearment <i><a href="https://frenchaffliction.com/2017/03/27/word-of-the-week-chou/" target="_blank">mon chou</a><a href="http://petiteanglaise.com/2004/10/06/terms-of-endearment/"></a></i>: "He's not a green leafy vegetable..." There are many colloquialisms that sprang from figurative speech, and we don't insist on users being literal.</div><div><br /></div><div>In many contexts, of course "children" sounds better. "Student" has replaced "pupil" which seems to have gone out of fashion, and it does suggest 1950s officialese. In Queensland, pupil-free days became student-free days at some point. </div><div><br /></div><div>Teachers have various ways of addressing a class: "people", "guys", "folks". Some of these sound better coming from a teacher seated on a reversed chair. I once heard an able student referred to as a "good little unit" but the small-school principal who said that was a bit unhinged.</div><div><br /></div><div>I used to slip facetiously into "peanuts", "bananas", "ladies and gentlemen", "ladles and jellybeans". Context was everything. When I first started teaching you would hear some old-timers using "youse" but that's rare these days.</div><div><br /></div><div>Long before gender neutrality became the norm I gave up "girls and boys" and would say, "Good morning everyone," probably influenced by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Haas#Adventures_in_Good_Music" target="_blank">broadcaster</a> Karl Haas's "Hello everyone". (I hated hearing a class chanting "good morning" in reply so in later years I would dispense with a greeting and say something like, "Okay, let's get this show on the road," or just jump in and start talking about whatever needed our attention. The sky didn't fall in.) </div><div><br /></div><div>One novel variation I heard came from a parent who worked for the RAAF. When he was President of the Parents & Citizens Association he talked to the school assembly one morning and referred throughout to children as "personnel". Force of habit. </div><div>--- </div><div><i>I found this 2011 draft for a proposed blog about my adventures in teaching. I've tweaked it a little.</i></div><div><br /></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="///www.youtube.com/embed///GH5ZpuV6KtU" width="420"></iframe><div><b><span style="color: #990000;">The Kirby Stone Four</span> - Kids (1960)</b></div>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-82022516266296796342023-03-13T21:10:00.059+10:002023-09-29T08:15:31.773+10:00Why wasn't this a hit?<p>This is often asked by astounded commenters at YouTube. (See my earlier post <a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/2023/03/when-oldies-stream-oldies.html" target="_blank"><i>When oldies stream the oldies</i></a>.)</p><p>Somebody has discovered an amazing song from the past that they missed in their youth. It's so good: why wasn't it all over the radio and racing up to the top of the charts? YouTube comments on <b><span style="color: #990000;">Gwen Stacey's</span></b> excellent <b>Ain't Gonna Cry No More </b>(1964) include <b><i>Superb! Why wasn't this record huge? </i></b>and <b><i>Great song. This should have been a hit</i></b>. <span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://youtu.be/GRpF3EeFe4I" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: white;"><b>YouTube</b></span></span></a></span></p><p>It could be down to how well a song was marketed (it's the music <i>business</i><strong><sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">1</span></sup></strong>), or the quirks of radio programmers in your hometown at the time. </p><p>Often, though, it's to do with experiencing new music as it emerged, as it was heard at that point in musical history. </p>
<p>I love listening to newly-discovered oldies, but I'm listening to them out of historical context. One of my favourite non-hits, <b><span style="color: #990000;">Margaret Mandolph's</span> If You Ever Need Me</b>, was released in <b>December 1964</b>. It was surrounded by a unique collection of current songs, and it followed whatever music was available to listeners up to that point.</p>
<p></p><p>When I enthusiastically commented on <b>If You Ever Need Me</b> at YouTube in 2022, I had heard it after listening to thousands of songs in countless genres over several decades, songs that were unimaginable when it was released. </p><p>I have no idea how I would have reacted to it if I'd heard it in December 1964. It's like tasting a wine when your palate has been prepared by different foods.</p><p>I tried to find some clues in the songs that were in or around <i>Billboard's </i>Top 20 in the month <b>If You Ever Need Me </b>was released. </p><p><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><b>British Invaders</b></span></span><br />
• <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Zombies </span>-</b> <b>She's Not There</b>:<br /><i>This innovative British record entered the Billboard chart in November 1964, only 10 months after the Beatles' first US hit. A lot had changed since then.</i><br />• <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Beatles</span></b> <b>-</b> <b>I Feel Fine</b> and <b>She's A Woman</b>:<br /><i>I suspect that just the opening of <b>I Feel Fine</b> would have sounded unusual a year earlier when such <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Beatles</b></span> songs as <b>I Want To Hold Your Hand</b> were taking off.</i><br />• <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Kinks </span>-</b> <b>You Really Got Me</b>:<br /><i>Again, would this new sound have made #7 at Billboard a year earlier, or would it have just sounded weird?</i><br />• On <i>Billboard's</i> Hot 100 for <b>28 Dec 1963</b> there was <b>one</b> British act in the Top 20 (<b><span style="color: #990000;">The Caravelles</span></b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"> </span><b>-</b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"> </span><b>You Don't Have To Be A Baby To Cry</b>). A year later, <b>26 Dec 1964</b>, there were <b>nine</b>. So, <b>5%</b> British to <b>45%</b> British in 12 months.</p><p><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><b>Brits doing American songs</b></span><br />• <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Rolling Stones </span></b>- <b>Time Is On My Side</b> and<br />• <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Searchers - </span>Love Potion Number 9</b>:<br /><b><span style="color: #990000;"><i>The Stones</i> </span></b>took <i><b>Time On My Side </b>to #6 USA</i>, <i>but earlier US versions <a href="https://cover.info/en/song/Kai-Winding-Time-Is-On-My-Side" target="_blank">by Kai Winding</a> (<b>1963</b>: the original)<a href="https://cover.info/en/song/Kai-Winding-Time-Is-On-My-Side" target="_blank"></a> and <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Irma Thomas</b> </span>(a<span style="color: #990000;"> </span><b>July 1964 </b>B-side) never charted</i><i>. <span style="color: #990000;"><b>The Clovers'</b></span> original of<b> Love Potion Number Nine</b> (<b>1959</b>) charted #29 Billboard, <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Searchers' </span></b>version got to #3.</i></p>
<p><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><b>American groups</b></span><br />• <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Beach Boys</span> - Dance, Dance Dance</b><br />• <b><span style="color: #990000;">Little Anthony & The Imperials</span> - Goin' Out Of My Head</b><br />• <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Larks</span></b> - <b>The Jerk</b>:<b> </b><br /><i>Soul-r&b dance track.</i><br />• <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Impressions </span>-</b> <b>Amen</b>:<br /><i>Written by Jerry Goldsmith for a film, Lilies of the Field</i>. </p>
<p><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><b>Women</b></span><br />• <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Supremes</span> -</b> <b>Come See About Me</b> and<br />• <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Shangri-Las</span> - Leader Of The Pack</b>:<br /><i>Both of these reflect a development from the pre-Beatles girl-group<b><b><span style="color: #990000;"> </span></b></b>sounds<b>. </b>Things were moving on quickly at this stage.</i><b><br />• <span style="color: #990000;">Marianne Faithful</span> - As Tears Go By</b>:<br /><i>Sedate but up-to-date <b><span style="color: #990000;">Rolling Stones </span></b>cover.</i></p>
<p><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><b>Survivors</b></span><br />•<b style="font-weight: bold;"> <span style="color: #990000;">Gene Pitney</span></b><b style="font-weight: bold;"> - I'm Gonna Be Strong </b>and<br />• <b><span style="color: #990000;">Bobby Vinton </span></b>- <b>Mr Lonely</b>:<br /><b style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: #990000;">Pitney</span></b><b style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: #990000;"><i style="color: black; font-weight: 400;"> and </i>Vinton </span></b><i>resisting the British wave. </i><b style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: #990000;">Pitney</span></b><i> managed to stay hip, helped along by his association with </i><b style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: #990000;">Andrew Loog-Oldham</span></b><i> and </i><span style="color: #990000; font-style: italic;"><b>The Rolling Stones</b></span><i>. </i><b><span style="color: #990000;"><i>Vinton's</i></span></b><i> </i><span style="font-style: italic;"><b>Mr Lonely </b>was </span><i>a #1 hit, and he would keep having hits into the mid-70s.</i><b><span style="color: #990000;"><i> </i></span>§ </b><i>The aforementioned</i><b><span style="color: #990000;"><i> Beach Boys </i></span></b><i>not only survived, they thrived, and became much more than, well, beach boys. And <b><span style="color: #990000;">Little Anthony & The Imperials</span></b> had their first Top 5 hit in 1958 and two in the Top 10 1964-65.</i></p>
<p><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><b>Squares</b></span><br />• <b><span style="color: #990000;">Julie Rogers</span></b> - <b>The Wedding </b>and<br />•<b> </b><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">Robert Goulet </span><b>-</b><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;"> </span><b>My Love Forgive Me</b>:<br /><i>It's easy to forget that there were always middle-of-the-road tracks on the charts of the 60s.</i> <i>I'm assuming they weren't put there by teenage pop fans.</i></p>
<p><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><b>Outlier</b></span><br />• <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Lorne Greene</b> - </span><b>Ringo</b>:<br /><i>The charts often included such curiosities</i><i> as this Western-themed record, spoken by Lorne Greene over an instrumental and vocal track. The title didn't hurt, even though it has nothing to do with the <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Beatles</b></span>.</i></p><p>Make of it all what you will! It's what the musical palate of December 1964 was savouring. </p><p>At this distance it is hard for me to imagine <b>If You Ever Need Me</b><b> </b>being introduced into this mix. </p><p>As much as I love the song, I hear it as a continuation of the female pop sounds of 1962-63, the era of<b><span style="color: #990000;"> The Ronettes</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Crystals</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Chiffons</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Murmaids</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Raindrops </span></b>and<b><span style="color: #990000;"> Lesley Gore</span></b>. Fine by me, sitting up here in the 2020s when an overlooked, sophisticated development of the genre is like a gift. But in December 1964 it might have sounded too much like an echo of the past. In pop music, twelve months can be a long time ago. </p><p>Really, we will never know. You had to be there.</p><hr /><p><b>1.</b> Al Hazan recalls producing a record <a href="https://poparchives.com.au/judy-stone/hello-faithless/#dora-hall:hello-faithless" target="_blank"><u>by vanity artist Dora Hall</u></a>, paid for by her wealthy husband: <i>as far as I was concerned, her husband had hired me to do a job and I was doing it. That’s why it’s called the music business</i>.</p><p><b>Sources</b>:<br /> • Anthony Reichardt's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AnthonyReichardt/playlists" target="_blank"><u>YouTube playlists</u></a>.<br /> • <i>Billboard</i> Hot 100, <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books/content?id=LiAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA26&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U3lCnUv2b5s9628b08NHNqhn1SfCw&w=1280"><u>26 December 1964</u></a> and <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books/content?id=LiAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA24&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U00sJ6rS5LCcdM8R5cx8PNBUDiADQ&w=1280">28 December 1963</a>.</p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="///www.youtube.com/embed//CzxfmKk3rkE" width="420"></iframe><br /><b><span style="color: #990000;">Margaret Mandolph</span></b> - <b>If You Ever Need Me
</b></p>
<p>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="///www.youtube.com/embed//-PtKKdF1EHw" width="420"></iframe><br /><b><span style="color: #990000;">The Zombies</span></b> - <b>She's Not There
</b></p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="///www.youtube.com/embed///xLBVgnZyuic" width="420"></iframe><br /><b><span style="color: #990000;">The Beatles</span></b> - <b>I Feel Fine</b></p><p>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="///www.youtube.com/embed//3iYJwy77FPM" width="420"></iframe><br /><b><span style="color: #990000;">The Supremes</span></b> - <b>Come See About Me</b></p><p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="///www.youtube.com/embed//4Q4rl0jFwGE" width="420"></iframe><br /><b><span style="color: #990000;">The Searchers</span></b> - <b>Love Potion Number Nine</b> (UK 1964)</p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="///www.youtube.com/embed//Dg1cn-UIAhQ" width="420"></iframe><br /><b><span style="color: #990000;">The Clovers</span></b> - <b>Love Potion No. 9</b> (USA 1959)</p><p></p>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-32937505020133953712023-03-13T21:09:00.004+10:002023-03-19T16:45:07.859+10:00New old music<p>It's great to find old favourites on streaming services, but even better is finding old songs you never knew about. </p><p>In recent years I've discovered numerous tracks that I never heard of as a teenager. They might have been on obscure labels, or never issued in Australia. Australian radio might have ignored them, as they did with <b><span style="color: #990000;">Archie Bell & The Drells' </span>Tighten Up</b> (1968): #1 in the US, nowhere down here. They might even have remained unreleased until some enthusiast got hold of tape or an acetate. </p><p>Spotify and Apple Music do well here, but YouTube is an essential source for tracks that haven't been reissued, along with the occasional track that never was released. </p><p>Pop music is always hit and miss, so you have to dig around for the gems, but when I find a track like <b><span style="color: #990000;">Margaret Mandolph's </span>If You Ever Need Me</b> (<b>1964</b>), the excitement is equal to when I first heard a classic<b> </b>song<b> </b>on the radio, back in its day. Just as I might have done in 1964, I played it over and over and it was on my mind for days. I was surprised to find that this was written and produced (and probably arranged) by <b><span style="color: #990000;">David Gates</span></b>, who also owned the label. </p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">Gates</span></b> was later famous in the 1970s through the trio <b><span style="color: #990000;">Bread</span></b>, but at this time he was turning out meticulously produced pop singles like this. His only hit in this era was with his composition <b>Popsicles And Icicles</b>, a 1963 #3 single by<b><span style="color: #990000;"> The Murmaids</span></b>, produced by <b><span style="color: #990000;">Kim Fowley</span></b>. <b><span style="color: #990000;">Margaret Mandolph</span></b> recorded the demo for <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Gates</b></span>.</p><p><b>If You Ever Need Me</b> is just one track I found among the playlists of Anthony Reichardt, a good example of the serious collectors posting tracks to YouTube. In <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AnthonyReichardt/about" target="_blank"><u>his own words</u></a>, he posts <i>mostly obscure tracks between the years of 1959 to 1969 with an emphasis on the middle of the decade and many in the style of Phil Spector's 'Wall Of Sound. </i>Say no more, this places me squarely in the target audience.</p><p><b>Links</b>:<br /> • Anthony Reichardt, record collector: his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AnthonyReichardt/playlists" target="_blank"><u>YouTube playlists</u></a> and an <a href="https://cuecastanets.wordpress.com/2015/01/04/anthony-reichardt-interview/" target="_blank"><u>interview at Cue Castinets</u></a>.</p><p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="///www.youtube.com/embed//CzxfmKk3rkE" width="420"></iframe></p><div><b><span style="color: #990000;">Margaret Mandolph</span></b> -<b> If You Ever Need Me</b>, posted by Anthony Reichardt.</div><hr /><div><b><p>Bonus track: </p></b></div><p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="///www.youtube.com/embed///GRpF3EeFe4I" width="420"></iframe></p><p><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Gwen Stacey</b></span> - <b>Ain't Gonna Cry No More</b> (1964): written and arranged (but not produced) by <b><span style="color: #990000;">David Gates</span></b>. Another lost gem resurfacing on YouTube.</p>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-60052792414646955322023-03-10T17:25:00.078+10:002024-03-03T09:20:50.490+10:00When oldies stream the oldies<p><br /></p><b>oldie </b><span style="font-size: x-small;">[</span><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Macquarie Dictionary</span></i><span style="font-size: x-small;">]</span><br />• someone regarded as old by the speaker...<br />• something old, especially a popular song <div><br /><p><b>1. Real music: are we there yet? </b><br />You can listen to a lot of oldies at YouTube now, and they attract a lot of comments from oldies.</p><p>Some YouTube commenters of my generation can't celebrate the music of their youth without adding that, by contrast, artists these days<b><i> can't sing</i></b>, <i><b>c</b></i><b><i>an't play</i></b>, and <b><i>don't know how to write songs.</i></b> (Oh, and they are not as well groomed. Probably not a musical issue.) </p><p>Of course it's not true: the sounds are different, but every generation has its geniuses and their mediocre imitators. It's doubtful whether the commenters have actually listened to much current music, which I admit is now dizzyingly fragmented and does take some effort to get a handle on. The days are long gone when "current music" pretty much meant the few songs that were being played on the radio this week.</p><p>In any case, it sounds too much like reactions from our parents' generation to rock'n'roll (to take one inter-generational scenario). </p><p>Examples are easy to find. From <b>1964</b>, a feature writer sums up the <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Beatles</b></span>: <b><i>This badly-in-need-of-a-haircut group can't sing.....period </i></b>[<a href="https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120416254/the-greenwood-commonwealth/" target="_blank">link</a>; my hyphens]. And from <b>1965</b>: a music publisher complains that <i><b>lyrics this day and age are appalling</b> </i>and are<b> <i>rendered by </i></b><i><b>so called singers</b> </i>with <i><b>so called voices</b>....</i> [<a href="https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120407751/" target="_blank">link</a>], and a columnist hopes for a revival of big band music for <i><b>those of us who still enjoy dancing to real music</b>...</i> [<a href="https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120408283/" target="_blank">link</a>].</p><p>At YouTube today you will see the phrase<b><i> real music</i></b> used to boost the music of the past. A comment addressed to <b><i>youngsters</i></b> advises them that a<b><i> </i></b><b><span style="color: #990000;">Billy Preston</span></b> track from 1974 is <b><i>real music</i></b>.</p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UTRNq7nt0XF7MZJhzjqIj93BRz33vM23VZtuJ5X0_iFaiBSzdALXeajZbptrb27lW6jeZACgA34DSYlg6s4ZtgwZmcpjnhOIb7dt9K3QbobVcX1kopOd69IN8Dr96mD7ZHw2YaqgxJu_jYqFbEmji4T_WviV56Qp7h_T6mypKbf0ihE/s1430/gramophone%20daily%20tele%201904.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="1430" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UTRNq7nt0XF7MZJhzjqIj93BRz33vM23VZtuJ5X0_iFaiBSzdALXeajZbptrb27lW6jeZACgA34DSYlg6s4ZtgwZmcpjnhOIb7dt9K3QbobVcX1kopOd69IN8Dr96mD7ZHw2YaqgxJu_jYqFbEmji4T_WviV56Qp7h_T6mypKbf0ihE/w296-h230/gramophone%20daily%20tele%201904.jpg" width="296" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Daily Telegraph </i>(UK) 1904 [<a href="https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122339734/" target="_blank">link</a>]</td></tr></tbody></table>This concept of <b><i>real music</i></b> goes back at least as far as <b>1910</b>. A show is recommended by the Sioux City<br /> Journal because it will feature <b><i>not ragtime nor "popular" music but real music </i></b>[<a href="https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120422370/" target="_blank">link</a>]. (My impression is that <b><i>real music </i></b>c.1910 could also mean live as opposed to recorded music, still relatively new-fangled but gaining popularity.)<p></p><p>---</p><p><b>2. When too much is barely enough.</b><br />You'll see comments under an old song at YouTube where the user "misses" the music of their youth. They pine for the 60s when the music was great. They want to go to back to the 70s just so they can hear all these great songs. </p><p>It would too clever of me to point out that they have just listened to one of those great songs, right there at YouTube. They can repeat the track or save it for later, or browse thousands of others. How could they be missing it? </p><p>Through streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, as well as YouTube, we can now access mountains of recorded music from any time in the history of the recording industry. Blimey, here's Billy Murray from <b>1911</b>, off an Edison cylinder: <span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/3sN5qmi94OTPszQafvilhE?si=49e26c1e6d7b4040" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: #1db954;"><span style="color: white;"><b>Spotify</b></span></span></a></span></p><p></p><p>It's true that Spotify and Apple Music don't stream unreleased material or tracks that have never been reissued. </p><p>Luckily though, YouTube has g<span style="background-color: white;">one </span>beyond its remit of being a video site to become a repository of music so vast that you seem to be able to find almost any track you can think of. </p><p>This has happened partly because many serious record collectors have posted their collections to YouTube, often with just a still photo of the 45 on the video screen. </p><p>If you want to avoid the ads, and the amateurish slideshows and animations that accompany many songs, you can upgrade and listen on the Spotify-styled YouTube Music app. </p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnsyzaDXQaPUlhgM1c6Nrbdjt2BZk7Y0yzCQJH80lHv4sF3AZAnqz_gjQu_vJIjIZK2YaV6HeOLGWSLqwJvUoSr7mK_vAQjPgSfzWkYSVEv-mMF3YcTl7k4GDYbkDCkYhfL952fedNiVaDNzvcokbPErjzrVhLlxv9l_tjSpgh6kGlKk/s329/genres%20every%20noise.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="307" data-original-width="329" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnsyzaDXQaPUlhgM1c6Nrbdjt2BZk7Y0yzCQJH80lHv4sF3AZAnqz_gjQu_vJIjIZK2YaV6HeOLGWSLqwJvUoSr7mK_vAQjPgSfzWkYSVEv-mMF3YcTl7k4GDYbkDCkYhfL952fedNiVaDNzvcokbPErjzrVhLlxv9l_tjSpgh6kGlKk/w295-h276/genres%20every%20noise.jpg" width="295" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>British Invasion cloud at Every Noise</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="text-align: right;">At streaming services like Spotify it's not all current pop hits and 1960s oldies. I've rarely been</span> disappointed when I've searched for tracks from any decade in any genre: try jazz, classical, folk, bluegrass, swing, blues, or hillbilly. <p></p><p>If you're short of genres, you could take a peek at the clouds of <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/69fEt9DN5r4JQATi52sRtq" target="_blank"><u>over 6,000</u></a> of them at <a href="https://everynoise.com/" target="_blank"><u>Every Noise At Once</u></a>, each with a link to a Spotify playlist. <a href="https://everynoise.com/engenremap-japanesechillrap.html" target="_blank"><b><u>Japanese chill rap</u></b></a>? No problem, and <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/15np3AD89wmZNE1pXavg8C?si=cae705fde8c94f96" target="_blank"><u>here's the playlist</u></a>, with links to 15 related playlists including <b>Guatemalan pop</b> and <b>Malaysian Hip Hop</b>.</p><p></p><p>At this point, I'm starting to sympathise with the YouTube commenters. Part of me does miss switching on a Top 40 radio station deep in the 60s and listening to whatever they played, song after song, without any choices apart from twiddling the dial across to a rival station.</p><p></p><p></p><p>---</p><p><b>3. You mean there never was a golden era?</b><br />Years ago I wrote to <b><span style="color: #990000;">Graham Evans</span></b> at the ABC's Saturday night radio show <i>Sentimental Journey</i>. I posted a letter, in an envelope with a stamp: it was 1983. I was looking for the name of a 1930s song I'd heard. (It was <b><span style="color: #990000;">Bunny Berigan </span></b>-<b><span style="color: #990000;"> </span>I Can't Get Started</b>, which shows how little I knew at that stage.)</p><p>I also commented on the surprisingly high quality of music that he was playing from the 30s. When <b><span style="color: #990000;">Evans</span></b> wrote back with the name of the song, he surprised me by adding that there was plenty of bad music in the pre-WW2 era, and he was selecting the cream of it for his program. So my impression of a golden age was flawed, and I admired his candour.</p><p>When it comes to the music of our youth, we curate our listening so that we select our idea of the best of the era. We forget the sentimental balladry and corny novelties that sat side-by-side with the some of the grooviest songs in history.</p><p>There were second rate and third rate artists in our youth just as there are now. Try listening to an album by some of our idols from the 60s that had one or two hits filled out with mediocre copycat compositions, or pedestrian covers of other people's hits.</p><p>I'm sure that in Bach's or Mozart's time there were hacks churning out paint-by-numbers compositions, but we tend to stick with Bach and Mozart and their gifted contemporaries. </p><p>---</p><p><b>4. You had to be there.</b><br />I sympathise on one other point with my contemporaries who wish they could travel back in time, even though I go along with the killjoys who reply with lists of diseases and injustices you would endure if you did manage to slip back to 1965. </p><p>Replaying the music of your youth lacks the experience of hearing the music unfold as it appeared, in the context of the times. </p><p></p><b><span style="color: #990000;">The Beatles</span></b> delivered surprise after surprise during my teenaged years, from the first trickle of singles on Australian radio in 1963, through a series of albums that (for me) culminated in the scintillating <i>Abbey Road</i> in 1969. <p></p><p></p>The 3,000 mainly teenaged fans who swarmed Carnegie Hall in 1938 to hear <b><span style="color: #990000;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgueueLSOBLglo_tHbqwxmG0Zf5gsMasoj3jFZ8q4uiOUvqPEAZBgxb4xkGy_t6e7rj6Xr2Ae1bee-3gP3QZso4KAdamv1ll9gQTmi9agXd6H2_AwFVeMhm5jPXaSFkTpa6PV-ubjyrobNBbOexNMOAk5d6jnuXw180IZd1C3HYFprQcVY/s1343/Daily_News_1938_01_18_page_391.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="1343" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgueueLSOBLglo_tHbqwxmG0Zf5gsMasoj3jFZ8q4uiOUvqPEAZBgxb4xkGy_t6e7rj6Xr2Ae1bee-3gP3QZso4KAdamv1ll9gQTmi9agXd6H2_AwFVeMhm5jPXaSFkTpa6PV-ubjyrobNBbOexNMOAk5d6jnuXw180IZd1C3HYFprQcVY/w305-h134/Daily_News_1938_01_18_page_391.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>Benny Goodman's</span></b> orchestra were having that same experience, and although I have listened to a lot of <b><span style="color: #990000;">Goodman's</span></b> records from that time, I can never replicate the joy of being there, at that time, as the narrative unfolded. <div><br /><div><br /><p></p><p><b>Link:</b><br />• <a href="https://everynoise.com/" target="_blank"><u>Every Noise At Once</u></a>: over 6,000 musical genres mapped with playlists and artist clouds</p></div></div><p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="///www.youtube.com/embed///0NigiwMtWE0" width="420"></iframe></p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">Benny Goodman And His Orchestra (Gene Krupa, drums)</span></b> - <b>Sing, Sing, Sing </b>(Carnegie Hall Concert, 1938)</p>
</div>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-56453821914684446912023-02-26T23:23:00.152+10:002023-09-29T08:22:59.814+10:00Lost in the 30s<p>I was born into the target audience for rock 'n' roll: <b><span style="color: #990000;">Bill Haley</span> </b><a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/sp45886" target="_blank">in Grade 1</a>, Beatlemania <a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/a8093au" target="_blank">as I turned thirteen</a>, and soul, folk-rock and psychedelia <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/8500815-The-Jimi-Hendrix-Experience-Axis-Bold-As-Love" target="_blank">by the end of high school</a>. </p><p>In my 30s, though, I went for months when I listened to almost nothing but the music of the 1930s, bookended by a little late 20s and early 40s. </p><p>I knew when I'd wandered too far into maudlin 40s dancehall ballads or cheesy novelties from the 20s. I was mainly drawn to the swinging big bands, the golden age songwriters, and the sweet British dancebands (<i>sweet</i> isn't my word: it names a genre).</p><p>My pathway was through the ABC's Saturday evening radio show <i>Sentimental Journey</i>. I used to hear some of it when I left the station on after the 7 o'clock News. I ended up staying for its full two hours every week. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuFw22vjwS8treMDFZMz7NYLBQa9M86SZ3X1KDBtPAko6hp-alOBojXS-0OvjD-kS-yYJC56sF6veXv9yg6ACEaJMhVQJltUv_eaypfTxEuQz63SdpL9_1UDl1QqlH4zMxmcjq5S9SQxmifv7o_0i2awHSS3hrXyal1zOFsF3H1tcY4E/s1437/sj%20c90.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="1437" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuFw22vjwS8treMDFZMz7NYLBQa9M86SZ3X1KDBtPAko6hp-alOBojXS-0OvjD-kS-yYJC56sF6veXv9yg6ACEaJMhVQJltUv_eaypfTxEuQz63SdpL9_1UDl1QqlH4zMxmcjq5S9SQxmifv7o_0i2awHSS3hrXyal1zOFsF3H1tcY4E/w200-h129/sj%20c90.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>I could not miss one episode, and I recorded many of them on C90 cassette. One Saturday after the News, the ABC neglected to switch its regional network across to the city network that carried <i>Sentimental Journey</i>. I phoned the ABC in Brisbane and was put through to a sceptical technical chap who finally took a look and fixed it.<p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">---</span></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchxJi6g7LaTu_1LnTGvTky2NSXcefKGL6WIomvOtDkKWUqNdvh-zYTyjZ-FJ6QYRxJ1Wh19NhYdfcHuuV2K_uJ8V4tPTRvhJ193AONYVP9e4O9fdJaKC69xFWY4Q0kECuXAHtWOFttQgfBBry0Ou2r8mbgiC9yE-N9Ml66RB1l7yBLIA/s602/ABC%201984.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="290" data-original-width="602" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchxJi6g7LaTu_1LnTGvTky2NSXcefKGL6WIomvOtDkKWUqNdvh-zYTyjZ-FJ6QYRxJ1Wh19NhYdfcHuuV2K_uJ8V4tPTRvhJ193AONYVP9e4O9fdJaKC69xFWY4Q0kECuXAHtWOFttQgfBBry0Ou2r8mbgiC9yE-N9Ml66RB1l7yBLIA/w277-h133/ABC%201984.jpg" width="277" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>ABC Radio 1984 </i>[<a href="https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119803653/" target="_blank">link</a>]</td></tr></tbody></table><i>Sentimental Journey’s</i> music was pre-rock 'n' roll but skewed to the wartime 40s and to its true heart, the 30s, with forays into the late 20s. <p></p><p>The title <i>Sentimental Journey</i> was from <a href="https://www.originals.be/en/originals/5402" target="_blank">the song</a> of that name, first recorded by <b><span style="color: #990000;">Doris Day </span></b>with the orchestra of co-writer <b><span style="color: #990000;">Les Brown</span></b> in 1945. It suggests that the program was aimed at my parents' generation for whom returning to the music of the 30s and 40s might indeed have been a sentimental journey. </p><p>But that was the only hint in that direction. As I recall, the word <i>nostalgia</i> or notions of reliving the good old days were rarely, if ever, mentioned (although <i>nostalgia</i> was <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119779802/" target="_blank">in presenter John West's own vocabulary</a>). There were no cliches like <i>What you were doing when you first heard this?</i> or <i>Ah the days when you could get an ice cream cone for a halfpenny!</i> Certainly nothing like <i>They don’t write songs like that any more</i>.</p><p><br />In fact, this was its strength. There was this unspoken integrity about treating the music with respect, and allowing it to stand on its own merits, always. </p><p>The enthusiasm was for the music and its creators, not for its association with anyone’s golden memories. That was left to the listener to fill in for themself. Or not, as in my case. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8TOAmJwAzcAqIeNfCtBQYypmJIS811sd8vVhp4nEKIWJm85JZmKtVBVnTGNOSxYHsP7QLS1G1wZ4UWDygjQ4brW3nkfZmhcfxyd3sI4hrL4ZkLrZUnfLkJZbmmw83aP1NKgbxlxmf-EhHzu65QI41M1vfU5cYAETTgCmqvKJj1OmovA/s791/kern%20LP.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="790" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8TOAmJwAzcAqIeNfCtBQYypmJIS811sd8vVhp4nEKIWJm85JZmKtVBVnTGNOSxYHsP7QLS1G1wZ4UWDygjQ4brW3nkfZmhcfxyd3sI4hrL4ZkLrZUnfLkJZbmmw83aP1NKgbxlxmf-EhHzu65QI41M1vfU5cYAETTgCmqvKJj1OmovA/w214-h214/kern%20LP.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>For a newcomer like me, this was perfect. Because there was no assumption that the listener was here to relive the past, I was able to experience the music directly, without feeling I was eavesdropping on the reminiscences of another generation.<p></p><p>If at first some of the arrangements and productions sounded old-fashioned, the more I immersed myself in the era the more it felt like familiar territory, free of any superficial cultural associations.</p><p>As a primary schoolteacher I used to run a lunchtime movie club where I played black and white silent-era comedies to 8- to 10-year-old film buffs. At the first session I told them these would be unlike other films they’d seen, and I had them mime putting on their "old-time movie glasses", like putting on sunglasses for the beach. </p><p>At first it was like that with me and 1930s music. It wasn’t exactly the same as listening to any genre that was familiar to me: I was adjusting my ears by putting on an imaginary pair of custom-made 1930s headphones. </p><p><span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">---</span></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRdiL2n8FpN7oB9ceY8LieVoSvu1oaciChmU7cZl9GC7q_HJ6BXk-55zo7Wi4huFc14JyAyGkajeB9Noah1pMM5Cy03mZ2KkrIBduwkz4mqSlz_Dtdm-oEvFy6VCffxkRirlkKyaDge5hZ4QRw-5L-k5Lf222O9MA_0YesoIabY8tqndg/s1805/The_Sydney_Morning_Herald_1989_07_01_Page_73.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1605" data-original-width="1805" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRdiL2n8FpN7oB9ceY8LieVoSvu1oaciChmU7cZl9GC7q_HJ6BXk-55zo7Wi4huFc14JyAyGkajeB9Noah1pMM5Cy03mZ2KkrIBduwkz4mqSlz_Dtdm-oEvFy6VCffxkRirlkKyaDge5hZ4QRw-5L-k5Lf222O9MA_0YesoIabY8tqndg/w158-h140/The_Sydney_Morning_Herald_1989_07_01_Page_73.jpg" width="158" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>John West 1989</i> [<a href="https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119779802/" target="_blank">link</a>]</td></tr></tbody></table>The host of <i>Sentimental Journey,</i> <b><span style="color: #990000;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_West_(theatre)" target="_blank">John West</a> </span></b>(1924–2008), covered theatre for the ABC for many years through his program <i>The Showman</i>. He was urbane and briskly articulate - he never wasted a word - and he had a mischievous wit that he never overdid.<p></p><p></p><p>Also presenting segments were collectors or aficionados of old records, notably <b><span style="color: #990000;">Graham Evans </span></b>whom I remembered from Melbourne commercial station 3AW. Other features would appear, including a fine series of reminiscences by golden age songwriter <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Sammy Cahn</b></span>. (His recurring phrase <i>the</i> <i>phone rang</i> inspired my website’s catchphrase <i>eventually, someone emails</i>.)</p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWezjafRAlZLrsXOvJnn9U5FXZBH1PbIMUqy2wq2ahmJuLt2L_uJQkngTzQ427JDLiwmnehQBkt4yblLr6dA1S4RuTBbLzZKh2rS3nCiZOWtZQP0Y4ahiqBAbanwDuNYQxF6rspngMA6F7xlgn-J0tN-jGmbgzM7fIMk4815eP6lgFG_Y/s2498/IMG_3639.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2498" data-original-width="1554" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWezjafRAlZLrsXOvJnn9U5FXZBH1PbIMUqy2wq2ahmJuLt2L_uJQkngTzQ427JDLiwmnehQBkt4yblLr6dA1S4RuTBbLzZKh2rS3nCiZOWtZQP0Y4ahiqBAbanwDuNYQxF6rspngMA6F7xlgn-J0tN-jGmbgzM7fIMk4815eP6lgFG_Y/w121-h195/IMG_3639.jpg" width="121" /></a></div>British danceband singer <b><span style="color: #990000;">Al Bowlly</span></b> (who was new to me) popped up regularly. This reminded me of the 1970s <a href="https://www.classicalwcrb.org/blog/2019-09-09/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-academy-of-st-martin-in-the-fields" target="_blank">cartoon</a> in <i>Stereo Review</i> showing a man listening to a radio. <i><b>Played now by the orchestra of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields</b></i> says the announcer, and the parrot answers back <b><i>Neville Marriner conducting</i>.</b> If that same parrot had heard the words <i><b>Al Bowlly</b></i> on <i>Sentimental Journey</i>, it would have squawked out <i><b>Ray Noble And His Orchestra</b></i>. </div><div><br /></div><div>In the request segment at the top of the program, the most popular track was <b><span style="color: #990000;">Cole Porter's </span>Begin The Beguine</b> as sung by <b><span style="color: #990000;">Chick Henderson</span> </b>with<b><span style="color: #990000;"> Joe Loss And His Band</span> </b>(1939). I'm sure this became the definitive recording of the song for <i>Sentimental Journey</i> listeners like me.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_u6F57POUc4xV6MU-Rk_RO_PVBwoiSNv2rOILXgqWK8U6wpKTfVOPPqeohg2NsNU7UwVIGytNjiTzGUvWdOvbvqG7Rj1YEY1O9G9LhMOZpivCl8BTjjHIygOKIZRKMO8p6zHu4n4srdjdFsWYfYZfgtMKZrS8ubzPpVH4nKifvZQUsk/s2734/IMG_3634.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2734" data-original-width="2721" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_u6F57POUc4xV6MU-Rk_RO_PVBwoiSNv2rOILXgqWK8U6wpKTfVOPPqeohg2NsNU7UwVIGytNjiTzGUvWdOvbvqG7Rj1YEY1O9G9LhMOZpivCl8BTjjHIygOKIZRKMO8p6zHu4n4srdjdFsWYfYZfgtMKZrS8ubzPpVH4nKifvZQUsk/w214-h215/IMG_3634.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>It wasn't all British dancebands, though, and the playlists ranged widely. Among the highlights was discovering the likes of <b><span style="color: #990000;">Annette Hanshaw </span></b>and<b><span style="color: #990000;"> Ruth Etting</span></b>, good-humoured pioneers of electric recording who were able to tone down their delivery to a more intimate, conversational level (<b><span style="color: #990000;">Hanshaw </span></b>would finish a song with a cheery "That's all!"). <b><span style="color: #990000;">Bing Crosby's</span></b> forthright, less mannered early recordings were a revelation, as I had known him only from later years when he had adopted the almost self-parodying persona of a senior crooner. I fell for <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Artie Shaw</b> </span>and<span style="color: #990000;"> <b>Benny Goodman</b></span>, and reflected on how exciting it would have been to be hearing their music when it was new, just as it was exciting for our generation to have heard <b><span style="color: #990000;">Elvis Presley</span></b> or <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Beatles</span></b> or <b><span style="color: #990000;">Aretha Franklin</span></b> for the first time.</div><p><i>Sentimental Journey </i>continued after <b><span style="color: #990000;">John West’s</span></b> retirement in 1989 but ended early in 1996 (to some <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119804014/" target="_blank">crotchety reactions</a>). It was eventually replaced by a flashback show that was all about remembering the good old days. Unlike <i>Sentimental Journey</i>, the word "nostalgia" was mentioned early, and I soon tuned out.</p><p><span style="font-size: large;">---</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_Gdi8Vnnturi70Zized-teouPWXFUt_RPsEdeRfWk6Yf6-WP7t1sGeFfwpsbyE0pfYN-_CwvPGICx8RbWBqX9Q8hB_kHG47m8ibpQ9VJAHJKvIxcPfwQW_bBdbRekaVe4S-kDyCbQJmgpd3Zs9u0Q0P75qZzT4JNX5Ps5qi9h3bgL78/s373/defy.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="367" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_Gdi8Vnnturi70Zized-teouPWXFUt_RPsEdeRfWk6Yf6-WP7t1sGeFfwpsbyE0pfYN-_CwvPGICx8RbWBqX9Q8hB_kHG47m8ibpQ9VJAHJKvIxcPfwQW_bBdbRekaVe4S-kDyCbQJmgpd3Zs9u0Q0P75qZzT4JNX5Ps5qi9h3bgL78/w221-h225/defy.jpg" width="221" /></a></div>This affinity with old-time records didn’t come completely out of nowhere. I had been softened up by hearing the <b><span style="color: #990000;">Red Onion Jazz Band</span></b> a few times at Melbourne University from 1969. They played good-humoured trad jazz at its joyous best. When I sought out a song they played, <b>Diga Diga Doo</b>, I found it on <i><a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/3402499-Duke-Ellington-Flaming-Youth" target="_blank">Flaming Youth</a></i>, a renowned album of <b><span style="color: #990000;">Duke Ellington</span></b> tracks from the 1920s that I ended up playing as often as any other LP I owned.<p></p><p>My parents bought a lot of LP records in the 1950s, so they would have been able to hunt down reissues of music from their teens and twenties. But the only authentic pre-war music I ever heard in our house was on an LP released in the wake of the film <i>The Glenn Miller Story </i>(1954). They were early adopters of stereophonic sound, so when the old songs turned up they were often in orchestral versions that exploited stereo to full effect (<b><span style="color: #990000;">Clebanoff</span></b>, <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Mantovani</b></span>), and sometimes by other recyclers of old tunes such as <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/1030944-Ray-Conniff-S-Wonderful" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Ray Conniff</b></span></a><b><span style="color: #990000;"> And His Singers </span></b>or<b><span style="color: #990000;"> Mitch Miller And The Gang</span></b>. I'm assuming that for my parents, and many others, a return to the authentic music of their teenage years - the years of Depression and the outbreak of war - did not offer a sentimental journey.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7GyJQ1C9ZpPOtPw_0mdbxFbvRLfAX6Waja77KmTMb186h_TEsTHQHZj_iIEenWflZ_XD9sp3JanVftLvNVarVeNxIK9fd7XwrAM2e0B0ev2Aly6KcbdZLCDC41RUNVrU06x6fWv-5VdtxffXK1hDW1VbeTzYgLqz7JLePxbyRYeEc67I/s2723/IMG_3633.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2707" data-original-width="2723" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7GyJQ1C9ZpPOtPw_0mdbxFbvRLfAX6Waja77KmTMb186h_TEsTHQHZj_iIEenWflZ_XD9sp3JanVftLvNVarVeNxIK9fd7XwrAM2e0B0ev2Aly6KcbdZLCDC41RUNVrU06x6fWv-5VdtxffXK1hDW1VbeTzYgLqz7JLePxbyRYeEc67I/w220-h218/IMG_3633.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>This meant that I heard a lot of music during my school years, but not much from the pre-war years. By the early 80s my whole collection of 20s-30s-40s music had been <b><span style="color: #990000;">Ellington's </span></b><i>Flaming Youth</i> and one album each by <b><span style="color: #990000;">Fats Waller</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #990000;">Django Reinhardt</span></b>, and <b><span style="color: #990000;">Count Basie</span></b>. Oh, and one outlier by British comic actor and talented ukulele player <span style="color: #990000;"><b>George Formby</b></span>, known to me from TV reruns of his old films from the 30s. (I recently rewatched his 1935 film <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026784/reference/" target="_blank">No Limit</a></i> to groans from the other half of the household.)<p></p><p></p><p>When I discovered <i>Sentimental Journey </i>in the 1980s it was a good time to be buying good quality reissues of records from the era of 78 rpm discs. </p><p></p>I bought an audiocassette of <i><a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/915403-Various-The-Songs-Stars-Of-The-Thirties" target="_blank">The Songs & Stars Of The Thirties</a> </i>(1980) an anthology that covered similar territory to <i>Sentimental Journey</i>, including vocalist <b><span style="color: #990000;">Sam Browne's </span></b>stirring version of<b><span style="color: #990000;"> Irving Berlin's</span></b> <b>Let's Face The Music And Dance</b><i>. </i>A World Record Club double LP set <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/15500395-Various-The-Great-British-Dance-Bands-Play-Jerome-Kern-1926-46" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">The Great British Dance Bands Play Jerome Kern 1926-46</a><i> </i>(1983) had 38 <b><span style="color: #990000;">Kern </span></b>compositions including the excellent <b><span style="color: #990000;">Denny Dennis </span></b>singing <b>The Folks Who Live On The Hill</b>, a definitive version with <b><span style="color: #990000;">Roy Fox And His Orchestra</span></b>. Those two fine and prolific vocalists, <b><span style="color: #990000;">Browne </span></b>and<b><span style="color: #990000;"> Dennis</span></b>, were previously unknown to me and probably familiar only to the aficionados these days. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLDoddcMbDo14sG3f_Oz5IUAIkhfWHa2AfEzEke10WERGhTYrtgr4tbtG3st5RQtzJpztDNZut9I9sTUteRFiR1EVwvSL_QFA5oNdE-Tw7Ypeq4zodvWwW4Gz82K7bocQi4JI6R0l6yxIx9KTJYOFKBZRr0LbqsNRfMBttyKuWKKI6OWw/s2392/IMG_3630.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2392" data-original-width="2392" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLDoddcMbDo14sG3f_Oz5IUAIkhfWHa2AfEzEke10WERGhTYrtgr4tbtG3st5RQtzJpztDNZut9I9sTUteRFiR1EVwvSL_QFA5oNdE-Tw7Ypeq4zodvWwW4Gz82K7bocQi4JI6R0l6yxIx9KTJYOFKBZRr0LbqsNRfMBttyKuWKKI6OWw/w215-h215/IMG_3630.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>The ABC itself put out some fine series of albums curated by <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/803717-Robert-Parker-3" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Robert Parker</span></b></a> including <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/595499-Jazz-Classics-In-Digital-Stereo" target="_blank"><i>Jazz Classics in Digital Stereo</i></a> (from 1984) and <i><a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/1214338-The-Golden-Years-In-Digital-Stereo" target="_blank">The Golden Years in Digital Stereo</a></i> (from 1986): nicely restored 78s with just a touch of stereo.<p></p><p><span>In Dennis Potter's TV musical series </span><i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077060/reference/" target="_blank">Pennies From Heaven</a></i><span> (1978-79) </span>the characters <span>frequently mimed lesser-known British songs from the 30s. Although Potter seemed to me to be taking the mickey a bit,</span><span> the collections of songs that spun off from the series bore names that I'd never heard of until </span><i>Sentimental Journey </i><span>but were now familiar:</span><span> </span><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Carroll Gibbons And The Savoy Hotel Orpheans</b></span><span>, singers</span><b><span style="color: #990000;"> Denny Dennis</span></b><span> and </span><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Elsie Carlisle</b></span><span>, and orchestra leaders </span><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Roy Fox</b></span><span>, <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Bert Ambrose</b></span>, </span><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Lew Stone</b></span><span>, and </span><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Jack Hylton</b></span><span>. And yes, the ubiquitous </span><b><span style="color: #990000;">A</span></b><span style="color: #990000;"><b>l Bowlly </b></span><span>with </span><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Ray Noble And His Orchestra.</b></span></p><p><span>Since <i>Pennies From Heaven</i>, <b><span style="color: #990000;">Al Bowlly</span></b> has become something of a go-to voice of the 1930s for filmmakers. For example, <span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">Stanley Kubrick's</span> <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081505/soundtrack/" target="_blank">The Shining</a> </i>and French favourite<b> </b><i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0211915/soundtrack/" target="_blank">Amelie</a></i><b> </b>(2001) each used two <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Bowlly</b> </span>tracks, and another one appears in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094336/soundtrack/" target="_blank"><i>Withnail And I</i></a><b> </b>(1987). The Internet Movie Database lists <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0101286/?ref_=ttsnd" target="_blank">over 40 films and TV series</a></span> that have used <b><span style="color: #990000;">Bowlly's</span></b> records on their soundtracks since 1980.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL0VhAO-87HVm9_Y9gBhe0T6rWvI7MzdHO3uWAk6NGZvuNMiNhpJPxzDoCSbnhJ8fO3wxWQPju4fnCrs_hHDS6Jms-xSV0vPJx4GKeLjRsYpGUPj_Cn2YvkMhnOZdXq-xCZWFugk-Zg4NJ9qE9Bt6TcTD7PzCl61FnCFxCfOz1GbuEMzI/s2199/IMG_3640.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2199" data-original-width="1447" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL0VhAO-87HVm9_Y9gBhe0T6rWvI7MzdHO3uWAk6NGZvuNMiNhpJPxzDoCSbnhJ8fO3wxWQPju4fnCrs_hHDS6Jms-xSV0vPJx4GKeLjRsYpGUPj_Cn2YvkMhnOZdXq-xCZWFugk-Zg4NJ9qE9Bt6TcTD7PzCl61FnCFxCfOz1GbuEMzI/w120-h182/IMG_3640.jpg" width="120" /></a></span></div><p></p><p></p><p><span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">---</span></p><p></p><p>As a child of <b><span style="color: #990000;">Buddy Holly</span></b>, <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Beatles</b> </span>and (to keep up the alliteration) <b><span style="color: #990000;">Big Brother & the Holding Company</span></b>, I was surprised to see how deeply I had become immersed in the works of <b><span style="color: #990000;">Al </span></b><b><span style="color: #990000;">Bowlly</span></b>, <b><span style="color: #990000;">Benny Goodman</span> </b>and<span style="color: #990000;"> <b>Billie</b> </span><b><span style="color: #990000;">Holliday</span></b>.</p><p>When you think about it, though, it is not impossible to find links between pre-rock 'n' roll music and post-<b><span style="color: #990000;">Beatles</span></b> pop. For a start, we had the ironic approximations of old music by the likes of <b><span style="color: #990000;">The New Vaudeville Band </span>(Winchester Cathedral) </b>and even <span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">The Beatles</span> (<b>Honey Pie</b>,<b> Your Mother Should Know</b>). More than that, as <a href="http://www.milesago.com/Artists/wheels.htm" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Keith Glass </span></b>tells it</a> in a Melbourne context, the beat and r&b bands of the 1960s were often formed by folk, skiffle and jazz musicians who adapted to the British Invasion sounds. </p><p>Indeed, three former members of the <b><span style="color: #990000;">Red Onion Jazz Band</span></b>, including vocalist <b><span style="color: #990000;">Gerry Humphreys</span></b>, formed Melbourne's <b><span style="color: #990000;">Loved Ones</span></b>, a critically and commercially successful r&b-oriented pop-rock band far removed from the sound - and visuals - of the <b><span style="color: #990000;">Red Onions</span></b>. </p><p>Far removed except for one thing: strong foot-tapping rhythm was a feature of popular music in both the 60s and the 30s. Anyone from my generation who thought the music of the old days was all slow, syrupy ballads got it badly wrong. </p><p><b>Further reading</b>: My post about the rhythmic 1930s <a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/2006/04/jazzing-it-down.html" target="_blank">"Jazzing It Down"</a></p><p><b>See also</b>: <b>1. </b><a href="https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119779802/" target="_blank">"The ABC of West's Journey"</a>, <i>The Age</i>, 1 July 1989, on John West's retirement. <b>2.</b> Posts at this blog labelled <a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/search/label/30s%20MUSIC">30s music</a>, <a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/search/label/20s%20MUSIC">20s music</a>, <a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/search/label/40s%20MUSIC">40s music</a>.</p><hr /><p><b>Spotify playlist (</b><b>𝟑</b><b>𝟑 </b><b>tracks):</b></p><p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="352" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/69mYloWOlfvGhBHfzVRJdH?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe></p><p><br /></p><p>
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</p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">Sam Browne And The Rhythm Sisters</span></b> - <b><a href="https://cover.info/en/song/Fred-Astaire-Let-s-Face-The-Music-And-Dance" target="_blank">Let's Face The Music And Dance</a> </b>(1936)</p><p><br /></p><p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="///www.youtube.com/embed//fKCozjGub_M" width="420"></iframe></p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">Les Brown And His Orchestra, Vocal Chorus by Doris Day</span></b> - <b><a href="https://www.originals.be/en/originals/5402" target="_blank">Sentimental Journey</a></b> (1945)</p><p><br /></p><p></p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="///www.youtube.com/embed//TFVASVcq9Qg" width="420"></iframe><div><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">Joe Loss And His Band (Vocalist: Chick Henderson)</span> </b>- <b><a href="https://www.jazzstandards.com/compositions-2/beginthebeguine.htm" target="_blank">Begin The Beguine</a></b> (1939)</p><p><br /></p><p> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="///www.youtube.com/embed//2ua9xZCiMlw" width="420"></iframe></p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">Duke Ellington</span></b> - <a href="https://www.originals.be/en/originals/9283" target="_blank"><b>Diga Diga Doo</b></a> (1928)</p><p><br /></p><p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="///www.youtube.com/embed//2FAjadOX49U" width="420"></iframe></p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">Lew Stone And His Band</span></b> - <a href="https://www.originals.be/en/originals/14967" target="_blank"><b>P.S. I Love You</b></a> (1934)</p><p><br /></p></div><p></p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="///www.youtube.com/embed//YI-yrmKgVN8
" width="420"></iframe><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="color: #990000;">Annette Hanshaw</span></b> - <b><a href="https://cover.info/en/song/Guy-Lombardo-and-his-Royal-Canadians---Vocal-chorus-by-Carmen-Lombardo-We-Just-Couldn-t-Say-Goodbye" target="_blank">We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye</a> </b>from <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1530482/soundtrack/" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">Captain Henry's Radio Show</a> (1933)</div>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-73421701149459942492023-02-15T06:30:00.198+10:002023-12-17T21:46:41.399+10:00Only in Oz (15): Glen Campbell - The Universal Soldier (1965)<p><span style="font-style: italic;">Another in my </span><span><a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/search/label/ONLY%20IN%20OZ" style="font-style: italic;">series of posts</a></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span> about tracks that were more popular in Australia than in their countries of origin. See also: <a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/search/label/ONLY%20IN%20MELBOURNE">Only in Melbourne</a>.</span></span></p><p><span><span><b>15.</b> </span><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">Glen Campbell</span><b> - The Universal Soldier</b></span><br /><span>(Buffy Sainte-Marie)<br />USA <b>1965</b></span><br /><span><b>Capitol single</b> (USA) <a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/5504"># 5504</a></span><br /><span><b>US charts</b>: #45 <i>Billboard</i>, #61 <i>Cash Box</i><br /><b>Capitol single</b> (Australia) <a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/cp1622" target="_blank">#CP-1622</a></span><br /><span><b>Australian charts</b>: #5 Melbourne, #26 Sydney, #11 Brisbane, #3 Adelaide, #8 Perth (Kent: #16 Australia)<br /><b>Co-charted </b>with version by Donovan in </span><span>Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide (see end of page)</span></p><p>On the face of it, <b>The Universal Soldier</b> seems like an unlikely song for <b><span style="color: #990000;">Glen Campbell</span></b>. <a href="https://cover.info/en/song/The-Highwaymen-Universal-Soldier" target="_blank">Written by</a> pacifist folk artist and activist <span style="color: #990000;"><b><a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/buffy-sainte-marie-mn0000626268/biography" target="_blank">Buffy Sainte-Marie</a></b></span>, it fitted into the current genre of the protest song, and it carries an uncompromising anti-war message. <b><span style="color: #990000;">Campbell</span></b> was a conservative kind of guy, as songwriter <b><span style="color: #990000;">Jim Webb</span></b> found upon first meeting him: <i>I had long hair. I'll never forget the first thing he said to me. He said, "Why don't you get your hair cut?" He and I were on the opposite sides of, I guess, the political spectrum at that time. </i>[Listen to <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/2RfPMS9RuES6bXTpYzNA5a?si=92df71183bcc499a" target="_blank">Webb's full anecdote</a> at Spotify]</p><p>Campbell's works, though, defied pigeonholing. Many of his hits had a country sound, and he did well on the country charts, but he could also record<b> Guess I'm Dumb</b>, a sublime piece of classic pop written and produced by Brian Wilson [<a href="https://youtu.be/a83wrXtcgqE" target="_blank">YouTube</a>]. An artful creation like <b>Wichita Lineman </b>comfortably sat on both the country and the pop charts.</p><p>I suspect that <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Campbell's </b></span>reputation widened over the years as pop connoisseurs became aware of how much skillful, uncredited session musicians contributed to the familiar recordings of the 60s. A fine example is the loose LA group now known as <span style="color: #990000;"><b>The Wrecking Crew</b></span> which <b><span style="color: #990000;">Campbell</span></b> played in before his solo career took off.</p><p><span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">---</span></p><p><b>In Australia </b>in <b>1965</b>, military conscription had just been re-introduced the year before. Australia's commitment to the Vietnam War was not far off, and soon after that it would be made possible to send conscripts to Vietnam. The Australian tradition of anti-conscription sentiment was also stirring although the bitter divisions over conscription and Vietnam were still to come. </p><p>One station where I heard the song in <b>1965 </b>was<b> </b>ABC Radio, back-announced with <b><i>That was Glen Campbell, repeating the fallacy that it takes two sides to start a war</i></b>. Being realistic, it's hard to argue with that, and my father, a WW2 veteran, warmly agreed with the announcer. Even so, some younger audiences might have found some idealistic hope in Buffy Sainte-Marie's uncomplicated vision of soldiers ending all wars by declining to fight. </p><p>In<b> 1965 </b>Australians didn't mind a song with topical or political themes. The obvious example is<b><span style="color: #990000;"> Barry McGuire's</span></b> recording of<b> <span style="color: #990000;">P.F. Sloan's</span> Eve of Destruction </b>which takes aim at conscription, nuclear arms and racial prejudice (<b>1965</b>, #1 USA #6 Sydney #2 Melbourne #1 Brisbane #2 Adelaide #1 Perth). A more interesting case is <b>Wake Up My Mind</b>, a band original by Birmingham's <b><span style="color: #990000;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Gibbons_(musician)#The_Ugly's" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">Ugly's</span></a> </span></b>(their apostrophe). Their song about middle-class complacency in the face of war and injustice was a hit only in Australia (<b>1965</b>, #6 Sydney #34 Melbourne #9 Brisbane #1 Adelaide #4 Perth), earning it a place in Glenn A. Baker's <i><a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/461919-Hard-To-Get-Hits" target="_blank">Hard To Get Hits</a></i> compilations of similar cases.</p><p><b>The Universal Soldier</b> might even have reminded some listeners of <b><span style="color: #990000;">Ed McCurdy's</span></b> song <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Night_I_Had_the_Strangest_Dream" target="_blank">Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream</a></b>, first recorded by <b><span style="color: #990000;">Pete Seeger</span></b> (<b>1956</b>, as <b>Strangest Dream</b>) and then by many others including<b><span style="color: #990000;"> Simon & Garfunkel</span></b> (<b>1964</b>):<b> </b><i><b>I dreamed the world had all agreed / To put an end to war... / And guns and swords and uniforms / Were scattered on the ground</b>.</i></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">---</span></p><p><b>The Universal Soldier</b> has been overshadowed by later <b><span style="color: #990000;">Glen Campbell </span></b>hits such as <b>Galveston </b>(1969), <b>Honey Come Back</b> (1970), and <b>Rhinestone Cowboy </b>(1975). His 1967 recordings of the<b><span style="color: #990000;"> Jim Webb </span></b>compositions <b>By the Time I Get to Phoenix </b>(1967) and<b> Wichita Lineman </b>(1968) are landmarks in<span style="color: #990000;"><b> Webb's</b></span> distinguished songwriting career. </p><p>By the time of his first Top 10 hit in Australia with <b>Galveston </b>(1969),<span style="color: #990000;"><b> Campbell</b></span> had already had four Top 5 hits in the US, beginning with <b>By the Time I Get to Phoenix</b> (1967). His Australian chart performance had been surprisingly lukewarm before <b>Galveston</b>, when even his US #1 and towering classic <b>Wichita Lineman</b> (1968) made only the lower end of the Top 20 in Australia.</p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Further listening and viewing:</b> <a href="https://youtu.be/1hRCw0vB5OI" target="_blank">Glen Campbell commentary and appreciation</a> by Wings of Pegasus at YouTube.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">---</span></p><span></span><p><span><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">• Donovan</span> </b><br /><span style="background-color: white;">A version of </span></span><b>The Universal Soldier </b><span style="background-color: white;">on an EP by British folk singer</span><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><b><span style="color: #990000;">Donovan</span> </b><span style="background-color: white;">co-charted with </span><b><span style="color: #990000;">Glen Campbell</span></b><span style="background-color: white;"> in four of the five Australian cities covered by Gavin Ryan's chart books (only Melbourne stuck with </span><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Campbell </b></span><span style="background-color: white;">alone). The track was not released as a single in Australia.</span></p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">Donovan's</span></b><span style="background-color: white;"> EP, also called </span><i><a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/nep24219" target="_blank">The Universal Soldier</a>,</i><span style="background-color: white;"> was a hit on the UK EP charts. N</span><span style="background-color: white;">o single was released in the UK </span><span style="background-color: white;">but the</span> EP also did well on the singles chart (#14 UK).</p><p><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Donovan's</b></span> version was released as a single <a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/7n15946nz" target="_blank">in New Zealand</a>, and <a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/451338" target="_blank">in the US</a> where <b><span style="color: #990000;">Donovan's </span></b><span style="background-color: white;">and </span><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Campbell's</b> </span><span style="background-color: white;">versions were on both the<i> Billboard</i> and<i> Cash Box </i>charts at the same time. Neither was a big hit there.</span></p><p><span><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">• The Roemans</b><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><b><span style="color: #990000;">Tommy Roe's</span></b> backing band <span style="color: #990000;"><b>The Roemans</b></span> <a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/4510723" target="_blank">released a version</a> of <b>Universal Soldier</b> in </span><b style="background-color: white;">August 1965</b><span style="background-color: white;">, the month before </span></span><span><b><span style="color: #990000;">Glen Campbell</span> </b>and </span><b style="color: #990000;">Donovan</b> released theirs. It was reviewed well <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=PykEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA79&dq=roemans+universal+soldier&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjqhr-q-Zr9AhUWtlYBHS3JC6cQ6AF6BAgKEAI#v=onepage&q=roemans%20universal%20soldier&f=false" target="_blank">in <i>Billboard</i></a> but made little impact (with at least one exception in <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Roe's </b></span>hometown of Atlanta GA). Florida band <b style="background-color: white; color: #990000;"><a href="https://poparchives.com.au/m-p-d-ltd/you-might-as-well-forget-him/#tommy-roe-and-the-roemans:you-might-as-well-forget-him" target="_blank">The Roemans</a> </b><span style="background-color: white;">had</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #990000;"> </b><span style="background-color: white;">tweaked their name from </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #990000;">Romans </b><span style="background-color: white;">when they started working with </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #990000;">Tommy Roe</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #990000;">.</span></p><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F3RHOf_KbQk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</p><p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="///www.youtube.com/embed//3xRzy-7fssY
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<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span>(4) </span><span style="color: #990000;">Gene McDaniels</span> <span style="color: #990000;"></span> </span> - <span style="font-weight: bold;">It's A Lonely Town (Lonely Without You) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">(Doc Pomus - Mort Shuman</span><span style="font-size: 85%;">) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">USA 1963</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;"><a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/55597" target="_blank">Liberty single</a> (USA) #55597<br /><a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/lib555970" target="_blank">Liberty single</a> (Australia) #LIB-</span><span style="font-size: 85%;">55597</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">Australian charts: #10 Melbourne #58 Adelaide (<b><a href="https://www.top100singles.net/2013/02/every-amr-top-100-single-in-1963.html#show">#43 Australia</a></b>)<br />US charts: #64 <i>Billboard</i></span><br />
<br /><a href="http://las-solanas.com/arsa/" target="_blank">
ARSA's</a> random samples of radio surveys show <span style="font-weight: bold;">Lonely Town</span> charting at half a dozen stations in the US: a #8 at KOSA Odessa TX, a #15 at WRIT Milwaukee WI... It's a familiar story: a scattering of regional chart placings, but only enough to make it a minor national hit (#64 on Billboard).<br />
<br /><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-weight: 400;">Because I was in Victoria at the time, listening to Melbourne radio, I've always had a false idea of its overall popularity. </span><span style="color: black; font-weight: 400;">A #10 in Melbourne is respectable, but it was no more a national hit in Australia than it was in the US.</span><br /><br />Gene McDaniels</span> was a staple of pop radio in Australia in the early 60s. To stick with Melbourne as an example, he had eight Top 40 hits there, notably <span style="font-weight: bold;">A Hundred Pounds Of Clay</span> (1961, #4), <span style="font-weight: bold;">Tower Of Strength</span> (1961, #4), <span style="font-weight: bold;">Chip Chip</span> (1962, #2) and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Point Of No Return </span>(1962, #8). The pattern was similar in the other Australian capitals, and it pretty much reflected his US chart record. (In the UK, he managed to chart only once, with <span style="font-weight: bold;">Tower of Strength</span> at #49.)<br />
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For me, this is a perfect pop record. Writing, arrangement, production and performance are all immaculate: every detail counts. <div><br /></div><b><span style="color: #990000;">McDaniels'</span></b> singing here is superb, and showcases why he was so popular down here. It's an assured, disciplined, but nuanced performance: note how his voice falters ever so slightly at the end of the line <i>I feel like crying</i>. <div><br /></div><div>The rest of the personnel are distinguished. You can read their biographies elsewhere, but even a selection of credits tells us a lot. </div><div><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>The writers</b> <b><span style="color: #990000;">Doc Pomus</span> </b>and <b><span style="color: #990000;">Mort Shuman </span></b></span>(together):</div><div><div><b>A Teenager In Love</b> (<b><span style="color: #990000;">Dion & The Belmonts</span></b>)</div><div><b>I Count The Tears</b> (<b><span style="color: #990000;">The Drifters</span></b>)</div><div><b>Save The Last Dance For Me</b> (<span style="color: #990000;"><b>The Drifters</b></span>)</div><div><b>This Magic Moment</b> (<span style="color: #990000;"><b>The Drifters</b></span>)</div><div><b>Little Sister </b>(<span style="color: #990000;"><b>Elvis Presley</b></span>)</div><div><b>Sweets For My Sweet </b>(<span style="color: #990000;"><b>The Drifters</b></span>, <span style="color: #990000;"><b>The Searchers</b></span>)</div><div><b>Suspicion </b>(<span style="color: #990000;"><b>Elvis Presley</b></span>,<b> <span style="color: #990000;">Terry Stafford</span></b>)</div><div><b>Viva Las Vegas </b>(<span style="color: #990000;"><b>Elvis Presley</b></span>)</div><div><span style="color: white;">• </span>See <a href="https://www.shrout.co.uk/shuman%20pomus.html" target="_blank">Pomus & Shuman</a> resources at shrout.co.uk</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>The producer</b> </span><b><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Snuff Garrett</span></span></b></div><div><b style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #990000;">Johnny Burnette </span>- You're Sixteen</b></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Gene McDaniels </span>- A Hundred Pounds Of Clay</b>,<b> Tower Of Strength</b></span></div><div><b style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #990000;">Bobby Vee </span>- Take Good Care Of My Baby</b><span style="background-color: white;">, </span><b style="background-color: white;">Run To Him</b><span style="background-color: white;">, </span><b style="background-color: white;">The Night Has A Thousand Eyes</b></div><div><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Gary Lewis and the Playboys</b></span><b> - This Diamond Ring</b>,<b> Count Me In</b>,<b> Everybody Loves A Clown </b></div><div><span style="color: white;">• </span>See Tom Simon's <a href="http://tsimon.com/garrett.htm" target="_blank">Snuff Garrett</a> page</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>The arranger and conductor </b><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Ernie Freeman</b></span></span></div><div><b><span style="color: #990000;">Bobby Vee</span> </b>- <b>The Night Has A Thousand Eyes</b></div><div><b><span style="color: #990000;">The Blossoms</span> </b>- <b>That's When The Tears Start</b></div><div><b><span style="color: #990000;">Dean Martin</span> </b>- <b>You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You</b></div><div><b><span style="color: #990000;">Johnny Burnette</span> </b>- <b>Little Boy Sad</b></div><div><b><span style="color: #990000;">Frank Sinatra </span></b>- <b>Strangers In The Night</b></div><div><b><span style="color: #990000;">Petula Clark </span></b>- <b>This Is My Song</b></div><div><b><span style="color: #990000;">Vikki Carr</span> </b>-<b> It Must Be Him</b></div><div><b><span style="color: #990000;">The Vogues</span></b> - <b>Turn Around, Look At Me</b></div><div><div><span style="color: white;">• </span>See Richie Unterberger's <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ernie-freeman-mn0000806447/biography">Ernie Freeman</a> bio at All Music</div><div><br /></div><div>I was surprised to discover that another <i>Only in Melbourne</i> track from 1963, <b><a href="https://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/only-in-oz-10-julie-london-im-coming.html"><span style="color: #990000;">Julie London's</span> I'm Coming Back To You</a></b>, was also <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>produced by</b> </span><b><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Snuff Garrett</span></span></b> with <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>arranger and conductor <span style="color: #990000;">Ernie Freeman</span></b></span>.</div></div></div><div><br />
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<br /></div>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-52522350427742116462023-02-13T14:02:00.027+10:002024-03-12T11:13:16.592+10:00Only in Melbourne: (update) Nick Lampe - Flower Garden (1970)<p></p><div><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">Nick Lampe</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> - Flower Garden </span><span style="font-size: 13.6px;">(Nick Lampe) </span></div><div><span style="font-size: 13.6px;">USA 1970</span></div><span style="font-size: 13.6px;"><b><a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/4544066" target="_blank">Cotillion single</a></b> (USA) </span><span style="font-size: 13.6px;">#44066</span><span style="font-size: 13.6px;"><span style="font-size: 11.56px;"><br /></span><b>Cotillion album</b> <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/554551-Nicholas-Lampe-It-Happened-Long-Ago" target="_blank">It Happened Long Ago</a></span></span><span style="font-size: 13.6px;"><span style="font-size: 11.56px;"><br /></span><b><a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/ak3740" target="_blank">Atlantic single</a></b> (Australia) #3740<br /><b>Australian charts</b>: #16 Melbourne #52 Australia <br />Chart positions from Gavin Ryan's Melbourne chart book and Grant Dawe's <a href="http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1970/19700926.html" target="_blank">Australian Top 100 site</a>.</span><p></p><p><span><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="color: black;"><b>2023</b></span><span style="color: black; font-weight: 400;"> This was an obvious candidate for my </span><i style="color: black; font-weight: 400;"><a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/search/label/ONLY%20IN%20MELBOURNE">Only in Melbourne</a> </i><span style="color: black; font-weight: 400;">series (</span></span></span>about tracks that charted Top 40 in Melbourne but not in their countries of origin), but I'd already written about <b><span style="color: #990000;">Nick Lampe</span></b> and his song <span><b>Flower Garden</b></span> in detail <a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/2006/02/at-last-nick-lampe-story_11.html">here</a> and <a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/2005/07/flower-garden-by-nick-lampe-aka.html">here</a>, so I didn't want to go over old ground.</p><p><span>When I first wrote about <b><span style="color: #990000;">Nick </span></b>in <b>2005</b> and<b> 2006</b> it was hard to find audio of <b>Flower Garden</b> online. Now of course there are several YouTube posts with the audio of the song. </span><span></span><span></span></p><p><span>Below is one of the current YouTube posts of the original <b>1970 </b>track. Direct link:
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://youtu.be/o_9_FxLMipE" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: white;"><b>YouTube</b></span></span></a></span></span></p><p><span>You can also listen to it at <span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/4wNnu4kBYkx34L7QooWupr?si=35614041452f4698" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: #1db954;"><span style="color: white;"><b>Spotify</b></span></span></a>.</span></span></p><p><span>The second YouTube video below plays </span>a version that <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Nick</b> </span>recorded in more recent years and released in <b>2016</b>. I know that he wasn't satisfied with the original release, so perhaps this later version gives some insight into how he sees the song. Direct link: <span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://youtu.be/FyPlYODu6mA" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: white;"><b>YouTube</b></span></span></a></span></p><div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="///www.youtube.com/embed/FyPlYODu6mA" width="420"></iframe><p></p></div>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-68357635233949396152023-02-04T15:21:00.033+10:002023-11-15T15:56:06.590+10:00The greatest song in the universe?<p><b><i>This is the greatest song in the universe</i></b>, our youngest son recently said to me in a dream, and I awoke with the song still playing in my head. </p><p>You can allow some hyperbole in a dream, but it was <b><span style="color: #990000;">Bryan Ferry's</span> Don't Stop The Dance</b>, and there are days when I do believe it is the greatest song in the universe. </p><p class="MsoNormal">In the late 1980s when I was almost 40, two university students used to babysit
for us. Rosie had worked with me as a student teacher in my classroom, and her friend Sam turned out to be
our neighbour's boarder. Rosie was a serious<b><span style="color: #990000;"> Beatles </span></b>fan, at a time when a student was more likely to be a fan of… what? <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Michael Bolton</b></span>? <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Bros</b></span>?<o:p></o:p></p><p>One winter vacation they asked us to babysit<i> their </i>children (as they said), and they lugged over some crates of their most cherished vinyl LPs. They were worried about burglars making off with them while they were away. </p><p>Big responsibility, but I was welcome to listen to them. It was clear that, as well as the <b style="color: #990000;">Beatles</b>, Rosie was into <b><span style="color: #990000;">Bryan Ferry</span></b> and <span><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">Roxy </span><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">Music</span>. </span></p><p><span>These<b> </b></span>albums were a revelation. I mainly knew them through hits like <b>Love Is The Drug </b>(<span style="color: #990000;"><b>Roxy,</b></span> 1975), and <b><span style="color: #990000;">Ferry's</span> </b>retro-remakes <b>Let's Stick Together</b> and <b>The Price of Love</b> (1976), but I'd never explored them properly. </p><p>The stand-outs for me were<span style="color: #990000;"> </span><b><span style="color: #990000;">Roxy's</span> </b><i>Flesh And Blood</i> (1980) and<b><span style="color: #990000;"> Ferry's</span></b> <i>Boys and Girls </i>(1985). Tracks like<b> Slave To Love</b>, <b>Don't Stop The Dance</b>, and <b>Flesh And Blood</b>, with their layers of instruments and inventive arrangements, felt close to a multi-sensory experience.</p><p>Although<b> Don't Stop The Dance</b> appeared in a dream as the greatest <i>song</i> in the universe,<i> recording </i>or<i> track</i> or might be more accurate. I'm not surprised that there are few covers of the song,<span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"> </span>because its attraction seems inseparable from the production.<sup><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">1</span></b></sup></p><p>When we say we love a song, we often mean we love a recording, whether it's an original version or an inspired remake. That's been true ever since a hit song stopped being measured in sheet music sales. When I say I love <b>Be My Baby</b> I mean that extraordinary artefact from 1963, the <i>recording</i> by <span><span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">The Ronettes</span>, not the unadorned melody and lyrics. </span></p><p>The great pop producers of the 50s and 60s, people like <b><span style="color: #990000;">Bob Crewe</span></b>, <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Phil Spector</b> </span>and <b><span style="color: #990000;">Brian Wilson</span></b>, understood that it was the <i>recording,</i> that unique one-off artefact,<i> </i>that was important.<sup><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">2</span></b></sup><b><span style="color: #990000;"> </span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">Spector </span></b>had a genius for an arranger,<b> <span style="color: #990000;">Jack Nitzsche</span></b>, who is usually overlooked by the average listener, but in a way <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Spector's </b></span>name was shorthand for a collaborative enterprise that included songwriters, arrangers, session musicians, producers, engineers as well as the upfront talent. </p><p>It's extraordinary that I still listen to <b>Don't Stop The Dance</b> at least once a week some 35 years later, and hard to imagine that the five- and six-year-olds I was teaching at that time would have turned 40 themselves last year.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">---</span></b></p><span></span><p><b>1. </b>Ferry himself may have been following this line of thought when he remade <b>Don't Stop The Dance</b> in an instrumental trad jazz arrangement on<i> <a href="https://www.discogs.com/release/4131250-The-Bryan-Ferry-Orchestra-The-Jazz-Age">The Jazz Age</a></i> (The Bryan Ferry Orchestra, 2012). He was "fascinated to see how [the songs] would stand up without singing" (interview in <i>Daily Telegraph</i>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jazz_Age_(The_Bryan_Ferry_Orchestra_album)">quoted at Wikipedia</a>).</p><p><b>2. </b>Michael Campbell & James Brody cite songwriter-producers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller: <i><b>"We don't write songs, we
write records."</b></i> (<i><a href="https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781305307872/page/n1/mode/1up?q=%22write+records%22+">Rock and Roll: An Introduction</a></i>, course notes, University of Minnesota, 1999, 2008.)</p><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9zR27EEmsM0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p><br /></p><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BqfFuTaUcys" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p><br /></p><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sTJlCrbR1no" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-54320280608703205882023-02-01T10:27:00.030+10:002023-03-07T07:56:24.034+10:00Disappearing acts<p>The other day some bloke tweeted, "Anyone remember <b><span style="color: #990000;">Dionne Warwick?</span></b>"</p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">Dionne Warwick </span></b>answered, "Doesn't ring a bell."</p><p>When I wrote about a Top 20 hit by Sydney singer <b><span style="color: #990000;">Jennifer Ryall </span></b>I said that she was "lost to history". I hadn't been able to find out much about her, and there was nothing after the mid-1970s. </p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;"></span></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiewE5cV9TlZwvOhEyl5J91pmneMEEwMgB88rprDyG0_sL_ZvszjIVgaFt-SkYg8RQkbRrpYvrOLUgle7zj1iommFagrtHB-WlldMSlaFgWqUyrhDx8lK0SPK0jSnOsjBGX9n9U4afxLqY9cgFT_mOs4wtlp4EXCxwPXUNZ4u2Tdw____Y/s261/JENNIFER%20for%20blog.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="261" data-original-width="210" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiewE5cV9TlZwvOhEyl5J91pmneMEEwMgB88rprDyG0_sL_ZvszjIVgaFt-SkYg8RQkbRrpYvrOLUgle7zj1iommFagrtHB-WlldMSlaFgWqUyrhDx8lK0SPK0jSnOsjBGX9n9U4afxLqY9cgFT_mOs4wtlp4EXCxwPXUNZ4u2Tdw____Y/w161-h200/JENNIFER%20for%20blog.jpg" width="161" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jennifer Ryall</span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="color: #990000;">Jennifer Ryall </span></b>finally emailed to tell me she wasn't lost, and her own history turned out to be rich and varied. In the following days she gave me a lot of information, full of interest, which I used to write up a decent account of her career. <p></p><p>I now avoid suggesting that people are lost, or that they disappeared or vanished, just because they haven't released any music for a while. </p><p>It's a trap that fans can easily fall into. When a performer we know only through their media persona stops performing, there is a sense that they have literally disappeared. </p><p>We might even sympathise with them for their downfall, even if we have no idea what they are doing these days. However fulfilling their life away from the music (or film or TV) business might be, their absence suggests that they no longer do anything. They exist for us on the public stage and when they've gone it's as if they don't exist. </p><p>The jazz trumpeter, composer and bandleader <b><span style="color: #990000;">Red Perksey </span></b>migrated to Sydney via France in 1951. He soon established himself on radio and records, and in live gigs, and he became Musical Director for a Sydney record company.<b><span style="color: #990000;"> </span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">Red</span></b> and his orchestra had a hit with<b> (A Little Boy Called) Smiley </b>from the film <i>Smiley Gets A Gun</i> (1958), and they backed <span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">Vic Sabrino </span>on his version of <b>Rock Around The Clock</b> (1955), a record some call as the first Australian rock'n'roll record. He was clearly a bright and likeable personality who pops up here and there in the newspaper archives. </p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnPF1E2DQcM5S8ZI7jh40Ippzn826RzWOF672Cx_EHNPL_SIqDKac_cjeL9wcbvb1NQ44PvGDsmoUyArdBcAFJXWVr6r2Cd6KtP9Dj4p3xYBCCTlg5sUYF4uh5AxwCbtmMJhyBpSj9zWHTiRXpSrJEcObCNXtgkC0G0eJpGe8udnNBx08/s340/Red%20for%20blogpost.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnPF1E2DQcM5S8ZI7jh40Ippzn826RzWOF672Cx_EHNPL_SIqDKac_cjeL9wcbvb1NQ44PvGDsmoUyArdBcAFJXWVr6r2Cd6KtP9Dj4p3xYBCCTlg5sUYF4uh5AxwCbtmMJhyBpSj9zWHTiRXpSrJEcObCNXtgkC0G0eJpGe8udnNBx08/w176-h200/Red%20for%20blogpost.jpg" width="176" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Red Perksey 1950s</span></td></tr></tbody></table>In 1958 he was photographed joshing around poolside at a deejays' convention, and he was giving lunchtime concerts at a Sydney music store. <div><br /></div><div>Then there is nothing. No more listings in the radio guides, no more gigs advertised, no more affectionate write-ups. He disappeared?<p></p><p>I had written what I believed was the definitive biographical sketch of <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Red Perksey</b></span>. He was born <b><span style="color: #990000;">Siegbert Perlstein</span></b> in Berlin in 1921, of Jewish German-Polish background. I traced his progress from Berlin in the 30s, to Palestine in the mid-40s and Paris in the late 40s. He and his wife Zizi came to Australia by refugee ship in the early 50s, and were later naturalised here. The only later date I had was his death, in 1995, but from 1958 until then, nothing. </p><p>Eventually, someone emails. A niece, his closest living relative, emailed from Paris with some answers. </p><p>To Australian audiences, to the Sydney newspapers, and (retrospectively) to this archival forager, <b><span style="color: #990000;">Red Perksey </span></b>had disappeared. </p><p>Meanwhile, a couple known as Bert and Anne were living in a remote French village where Bert painted, sculpted and made furniture. They grew vegetables and spoke to their dog Lassie only in English. Bert was also a musician, and sometimes he joined in with local groups.</p><p>To us, they had disappeared; in France, <b><span style="color: #990000;">Red Perksey</span></b> and his wife were in plain view to their fellow villagers. </p><p>I guess my point is, there are more places in this world than the public stage. </p><p><b></b></p><hr /><p></p><p><b>Links</b></p><p>• My series <a href="https://poparchives.com.au/obscure-originators-dept/"><u>Obscure Originators</u></a> collects pieces about lesser-known artists who recorded a song that was later covered in Australia. Most of them fit into the theme of this post.</p><p>• <a href="https://twitter.com/dionnewarwick/status/1619831628985147392?s=20&t=3SMDIXL2ookDnk5McV3CGw"><span style="color: black;"><u>Dionne Warwick's tweet</u></span></a> 30 January 2023</p><p><b>Full stories at my website</b>:</p><p>• <a href="https://poparchives.com.au/jennifer-ryall/everythings-alright/"><span style="color: black;"><span><u>Jennifer Ryall</u></span> - Everything’s Alright (1972)</span></a></p><p>• <a href="https://poparchives.com.au/red-perksey-and-his-orchestra-vocals-by-ray-dickson/a-little-boy-called-smiley/"><span style="color: black;"><span><u>Red Perksey & His Orchestra</u></span></span></a> - (A Little Boy Called) Smiley (1956)</p></div><p><b>Images</b>: Jennifer Thomson, Mia Cahen, with thanks.</p><p><b></b></p><hr /><p></p><p><b>Update</b>: Thanks to Jamie for alerting me to a parallel in novelist Thomas Pynchon who has intentionally disappeared himself from public scrutiny. He carries on an unremarkable life in a Manhattan neighbourhood and dismisses the idea that he is reclusive. Pynchon <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Pynchon#cite_note-cnn1997-123"><u>told CNN</u></a> he believes recluse is a "code word generated by journalists... meaning, 'doesn't like to talk to reporters.'" (linked <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Pynchon"><u>from Wikipedia</u></a>).</p><div><br /></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-17861532449411064182022-12-22T17:53:00.104+10:002023-03-02T22:12:48.544+10:00When did that record come out? <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPSTyiwOchip3YriV2Qjx3GCzU-57mOLEKNwphHnSPHF-L6VJao1Y35QE4dsqgKLMvqJhyETzKQxB-UfixrV5xa9BxV2rzBNh43fT6dSQitn04D9miAEwrxaDafq8NsSjoFlcLoUI29mBlrJXKGzVlpWMPNMnsInReWMM5gKxJCqEugcQ/s725/spotlight.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="725" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPSTyiwOchip3YriV2Qjx3GCzU-57mOLEKNwphHnSPHF-L6VJao1Y35QE4dsqgKLMvqJhyETzKQxB-UfixrV5xa9BxV2rzBNh43fT6dSQitn04D9miAEwrxaDafq8NsSjoFlcLoUI29mBlrJXKGzVlpWMPNMnsInReWMM5gKxJCqEugcQ/w392-h235/spotlight.jpg" width="392" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Billboard</i> singles reviews: useful for locating a record in time</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><b>1. Why</b><b>? </b></div><div><br /></div><div>Knowing the absolute original version of a song is probably not important to many music fans. <b>Blue Suede Shoes</b> is an <b><span style="color: #990000;">Elvis Presley</span></b> song, and the fact that it was first recorded by <b><span style="color: #990000;">Carl Perkins</span></b> is of limited interest.</div><div><br /></div><div>Similarly, unless they are pub trivia enthusiasts it is also enough for most listeners to know roughly which year a record was released. Give or take a year or two is probably good enough for historic or nostalgic context. Even, say, late 60s or mid-70s will do.</div><div><br /></div><div>Some of us, though, cannot rest until we know who first performed or recorded a song. The sport of tracking down original versions often demands more than the year a record came out. We might need the month, or the week, or (surely not!) the <i>day</i> a record was released. </div><div><br /></div><div>Part of the urge is worthy, to give credit where it's due, credit to the original composers, arrangers and artists. I can't deny there is also the satisfaction of being the smart alec who has knowledge that everyone else has missed. </div><div><br /></div><div>At the back of the mind, too, is the hope that the undiscovered original version will turn out to be the best, an authentic gem that reveals the raw vision of the creator, unspoilt by the tinkering of the cover versions. That happens, but it often turns out to be the opposite, when the cover version has added something to the original work, even revealed something about it. </div><div><br /></div><div>As with fanatics of any sport, though, it is hard to explain to an outsider why we are so caught up in it. We keep looking, digging around the archives until we find even a tiny clue. Because the data is limited, though, you might still be left with an approximation or just circumstantial evidence.</div><div><p>- - -</p><p><b>2. </b><b>When did my canary get circles under his eyes?</b></p></div><p><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktSRzqjH4_tP9BKWYSViga2k77cY9Pq5h_zuzl-zOcqLxvjliinjUFHIGQBR8ypHfGCC-xEV8kIzmpwHKS0IPlctRiC5XGqj0knRxxAiv1YF6hMAaMafFcv2OohOYCZsf6e08Yyn8Q8hFlGevTBMOVAiDmNMbuD9iiAaYchv0GXt_Vis/s397/canary-sheet.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktSRzqjH4_tP9BKWYSViga2k77cY9Pq5h_zuzl-zOcqLxvjliinjUFHIGQBR8ypHfGCC-xEV8kIzmpwHKS0IPlctRiC5XGqj0knRxxAiv1YF6hMAaMafFcv2OohOYCZsf6e08Yyn8Q8hFlGevTBMOVAiDmNMbuD9iiAaYchv0GXt_Vis/s320/canary-sheet.jpg" width="97" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sheet music (clip)</td></tr></tbody></table><b>My Canary Has Circles Under His Eyes </b>became known in Australia through the <a href="https://poparchives.com.au/captain-matchbox-whoopee-band/my-canary-has-circles-under-his-eyes/"><b>1973 </b>version</a> by <b><span style="color: #990000;">Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band</span></b> which charted moderately around the country. <p></p><p></p><p>It first appeared in<b> 1931. </b>Most sources will tell you that British bandleader<b><span style="color: #990000;"> Debroy Somers </span></b>released the original version, but I believe the British release by American singer <b><span style="color: #990000;">Marion Harris</span></b> has a good claim to being the original. </p><p>I can't prove it, and the evidence is limited and partly circumstantial, but the case for <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Marion Harris</b></span> is enough to avoid calling either as the original release.</p><p>Both records came out in the period <b>April-May 1931</b>, so my aim was to narrow it down:</p><p>• In the limited number of British newspaper mentions of the records, only<span style="color: #990000;"><b> Marion Harris </b></span>appears in<b> April</b>, and there are no mentions of <b><span style="color: #990000;">Debroy Somers</span></b> until <b>May</b>. (<b>The flaw</b>: I don't have access to the archives of every newspaper in the universe.) </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREpao453ZziRAd99uR0r0tddWSU7OUvNbXZl2s1l68DoJa1fsr6QrhPLKu2KBBQyV37LpeynIiW3bTq_ZWtjfEGoTronUNYV0cxTXEDWVLdaLQKJjRKJxxz3avRS1pABOqoVrMf5Nm_h00hZOn6UAcEFWOG6jL7CtxetqlX0zbLW7FX4/s186/jack-golden-1938.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="186" data-original-width="140" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREpao453ZziRAd99uR0r0tddWSU7OUvNbXZl2s1l68DoJa1fsr6QrhPLKu2KBBQyV37LpeynIiW3bTq_ZWtjfEGoTronUNYV0cxTXEDWVLdaLQKJjRKJxxz3avRS1pABOqoVrMf5Nm_h00hZOn6UAcEFWOG6jL7CtxetqlX0zbLW7FX4/s1600/jack-golden-1938.jpg" width="140" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack Golden</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="text-align: right;">• Composer</span><b style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #990000;"> Jack Golden </span></b><span style="text-align: right;">had previously been accompanist to </span><span style="color: #990000; text-align: right;"><b>Harris</b></span><span style="text-align: right;">, which may explain her early access to the song. It </span><span style="text-align: right;">might even have been exclusive to her for a while before any records came out. (</span><b style="text-align: right;">The flaw</b><span style="text-align: right;">: circumstantial, not proof.)</span><div><p></p><p>• Harris appears on the cover of the sheet music. (<b>The flaw</b>: it's common but not necessary that the sheet music carries the song's originator.)</p><p>In the meantime, I did find evidence of <b><span style="color: #990000;">Marion Harris </span></b>performing <b>Canary </b>on stage and radio in the US in <b>January 1931</b>. After that there are no other mentions of the song in the news archives until <b>April 1931 </b>when <b><span style="color: #990000;">Harris's</span></b> record is mentioned. For the rest of <b>1931</b> the song title often pops up in various contexts. This was enough for me to call <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Harris</b></span> as having the <span style="color: #cc0000; font-weight: bold;">Original version: live performance</span>, at least until contradictory evidence comes up. </p><p>As I always say about the website, <i>Eventually, someone emails. </i>The page will stand until then. Or until someone comments here, I guess. It does happen.</p><p>- - -</p><p><b>3. Where do I find out? </b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheBAPMIoC9rjTXGT9j28RviREyOd-6HwXkm27C-s_M9wbeT22oHnQ6REHSnXMWSCTC-OKc89eVcTpsxlr8r26nqSpCSlF6Quo1Je6Bx0pCVdhQ4pYR4sAwfVIXBjRbT8aURkgvDCiRZ4eH8DB8hOtYAflFzZ9XdSiaNP0kOjeyGeELPRQ/s598/barr%20cover.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="489" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheBAPMIoC9rjTXGT9j28RviREyOd-6HwXkm27C-s_M9wbeT22oHnQ6REHSnXMWSCTC-OKc89eVcTpsxlr8r26nqSpCSlF6Quo1Je6Bx0pCVdhQ4pYR4sAwfVIXBjRbT8aURkgvDCiRZ4eH8DB8hOtYAflFzZ9XdSiaNP0kOjeyGeELPRQ/w204-h249/barr%20cover.jpg" width="204" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steven C. Barr dates the 78s</td></tr></tbody></table>• 45s and EPs: <a href="http://45cat.com"><b>45cat.com</b></a>. and for other formats e.g. albums and 78s: <a href="http://45worlds.com"><b>45worlds.com</b></a></div><div><br /></div><div>• All formats but best for albums:<b> <a href="http://Discogs.com">Discogs.com</a></b></div><div><br /></div><div>• Huge music magazine archive at <a href="https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/search.cgi"><b>World Radio History</b></a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>• Newspaper and magazine archives: <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/search/advanced/category/newspapers"><b>Trove</b></a> (Australia), <a href="https://go.gale.com/ps/start.do?p=GDCS&u=bccl"><b>Gale</b></a> (mainly British), and <a href="http://Newspapers.com"><b>Newspapers.com</b></a> and <a href="http://NewspaperArchives.com"><b>NewspaperArchives.com</b></a> (mainly USA, paid subs).</div><div><br /></div><div>• Archived books and magazines at <a href="https://archive.org/"><b>Internet Archive</b></a>. Just search.</div><div><br /></div><div>• Discographies by e.g <a href="https://archive.org/details/almostcomplete7800barr?q=ALMOST+COMPLETE++78+RPM+RECORD++DATING+GUIDE"><b>Steven C. Barr</b></a> (<i>The Almost Complete 78 rpm Record Dating Guide</i>), <a href="https://archive.org/details/essentialrockdis0000stro"><b>Martin C. Strong</b></a></div><div><a href="https://archive.org/details/essentialrockdis0000stro"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYX4-OlIjEkInR5ZFxquIsYw_yM23uzJqOnGOMCq1XYCjKN3qdOfgspRlAIIYXWKwKV1DDa98IRHz47-S7Dj53ksDEk7EkNUiQ5BnG9QroCsoo9JOs9bTJVAZTVExQb76uFBcdPYD00_-W0iX0bapHARJc83c-vw7-HZM6_RykAHrgxw/s318/originals%20cover%20eng.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="318" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYX4-OlIjEkInR5ZFxquIsYw_yM23uzJqOnGOMCq1XYCjKN3qdOfgspRlAIIYXWKwKV1DDa98IRHz47-S7Dj53ksDEk7EkNUiQ5BnG9QroCsoo9JOs9bTJVAZTVExQb76uFBcdPYD00_-W0iX0bapHARJc83c-vw7-HZM6_RykAHrgxw/w184-h182/originals%20cover%20eng.jpg" width="184" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Originals </i>book in English (<a href="https://www.originals.be/en/">link</a>)</td></tr></tbody></table></b></a> (<i>The Essential Rock Discography</i>), or <a href="https://archive.org/details/essentialrockdis0000stro"><b>Brian Rust</b></a> (many, including <i>The complete entertainment discography, from the mid-1890s to 1942</i>). </div><div><br /></div><div>• Biggest and best original version sites: <a href="http://www.originals.be/en/"><b>The Originals</b></a>, <a href="https://cover.info/"><b>Cover.info</b></a>, and <a href="http://www.secondhandsongs.com/"><b>Secondhand Songs</b></a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>• 78s: <a href="http://78discography.com/"><b>Online Discographical Project</b></a> (78discography.com) for <i>recording </i>dates (not<i> release </i>dates)</div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes naming a release date is down to speculation, or even an informed hunch. You might have to declare it a draw and let it rest. Disappointing, but we are working with imperfect data.<div><p>- - -</p><p><i>Some of this appears in a different form at the <a href="https://poparchives.com.au/about/">About page</a> of my site <b>Where did they get that song? </b>and at <a href="https://poparchives.com.au/captain-matchbox-whoopee-band/my-canary-has-circles-under-his-eyes/">my page</a> about<b> My Canary Has Circles Under His Eyes. </b></i></p></div></div>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-88520707764500262392022-06-29T08:03:00.029+10:002024-03-19T07:19:18.903+10:00Just Out of Reach: The Stewart Family on KLCN Blytheville<p><b>"Just Out Of Reach (Of My Two Open Arms)"</b> by<b> </b><b>The Stewart Family </b>was the original version of the song. Written by <b>V.F. 'Pappy' Stewart</b>, it was released in<b> 1951</b> on <a data-id="https://tims.blackcat.nl/messages/bill_mccall.htm" data-type="URL" href="https://tims.blackcat.nl/messages/bill_mccall.htm">Bill McCall’s</a> Los Angeles label
Gilt-Edge. The group also had records issued on affiliated label 4 Star.</p>
<p>
<span style="background-color: #fffdd0;">Dozens of other versions of the song, many by major artists, have been released since early cover versions by
<b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color">Faron Young</span></b> (1952, <a data-id="https://www.45cat.com/record/f2299" data-type="URL" href="https://www.45cat.com/record/f2299">B-side on Capitol</a>) and by <span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color"><b>Bonnie Lou</b></span> (1953,
<a href="https://www.45worlds.com/78rpm/record/1192us">B-side on King</a>). The Originals website <a data-id="https://www.originals.be/en/originals/3472" data-type="URL" href="https://www.originals.be/en/originals/3472">lists a selection of <b>15</b> versions</a>, and Cover.info <a data-id="https://cover.info/en/song/The-Stewart-Family-Just-Out-Of-Reach-Of-My-Two-Open-Arms" data-type="URL" href="https://cover.info/en/song/The-Stewart-Family-Just-Out-Of-Reach-Of-My-Two-Open-Arms">lists <b>55</b></a>.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #fffdd0;"><b>Bunny Walters </b>charted #21 in New Zealand with his version in <b>1970</b>, hence my interest in it.</span>
</p>
<p>
<b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color"></span></b></p><blockquote style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YS2Z6Tst7PjPzOg29GSOI6N-TuyW5okOMHm42SPNp-M1u4Bk_ibXxzh5b3YVsFMK5is5e2C7MQkkXHS6CDitICMUpBgJ4Y_gTiYMUlKy16-2pjZigV9rRrgrcC-N1Phrmisxa1S-BCZGzz7zEq2VlvSyVFEJvllK2EklaqiwPv4BbVY/s673/pappy%20s.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="546" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YS2Z6Tst7PjPzOg29GSOI6N-TuyW5okOMHm42SPNp-M1u4Bk_ibXxzh5b3YVsFMK5is5e2C7MQkkXHS6CDitICMUpBgJ4Y_gTiYMUlKy16-2pjZigV9rRrgrcC-N1Phrmisxa1S-BCZGzz7zEq2VlvSyVFEJvllK2EklaqiwPv4BbVY/s320/pappy%20s.jpg" width="260" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pappy Stewart in 1976 (<a href="https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115413820/">local news story</a>).</span><p></p></td></tr></tbody></table></blockquote><b><div><b></b></div><div><b></b></div><div><b></b></div><div><b></b></div><div><b></b></div><div><b></b></div><div><b></b></div><div><b></b></div><div><b></b></div><div><b></b></div><div><b></b></div><div><b></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b></b></div><div><b></b></div><div><b></b></div><div><b></b></div><div><b></b></div><div><b></b></div><div><b></b></div><div><b></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div> The Stewart Family</b> was a real family, a country and gospel group led by <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color">Virgil F. “Pappy” Stewart</span></b> (1907-1988), a <a data-id="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blytheville,_Arkansas" data-type="URL" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blytheville,_Arkansas">Blytheville, Arkansas</a> soybean grower and the composer of <b>Just Out Of
Reach</b>, .<div><p></p>
<p>
<span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color"><b>The Stewarts</b></span>
were one of several family musical groups in the area at this time.
They were
part of a thriving country, hillbilly and gospel music
scene nurtured in the 1930s and 40s by local radio stations like KLCN in
Blytheville and KOSE in nearby
Osceola. </p><p>In 1970, Blytheville journalist Jim Branum noted
that <b><i>KLCN has done as much for country artists than any other station its size in the
nation</i></b>, and acknowledged the prevalence of family groups amongst hillbilly artists.
</p>
<p>
The Stewart family worked a farm, but they were also
musicians, and they married musicians, and they had neighbours who were
musicians. The names of Stewart family
and friends appear in the line-ups of multiple groups on
local radio, and at local events like the National Cotton Picking
Contest. </p><p>Some of these artists cut some
records on minor labels, but <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color">Pappy Stewart’s</span></b> extraordinary success with <b>Just Out Of
Reach</b>, and his connection with the music stars who recorded it, is an outlier in a mainly localised industry.
</p>
<p>
<b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color">Pappy</span></b>, his two daughters, and his sister appeared regularly on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KLCN">KLCN</a> Blytheville from 1934 after they convinced the station to give them a regular 15-minute segment. They toured
extensively around the region until 1953. The band broke up as the daughters began raising families of their own.
</p>
<p>
The family was billed at local events as <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color">Pappy Stewart’s Family</span></b> or <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color">Pappy Stewart And His Famous Family</span></b>. For a gig in Charleston, Missouri in October 1945 they were advertised as
“<b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color">Pap Stewart And His Arkansas Cowgirls</span></b> of Radio Station KLCN, Blytheville<i>“</i>.
</p>
<p>
In 1951 the line-up was <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color"><span style="background-color: #fffdd0;">Pappy Stewart</span></span></b>
(guitar), his daughters <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color"><span style="background-color: #fffdd0;">Bethyl</span></span></b> (fiddle and
vocals) and <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color"><span style="background-color: #fffdd0;">Janet</span></span></b> (bass violin), his
multi-instrumental sister <span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color"><b><span style="background-color: #fffdd0;">Baba Howard</span></b></span>
(mainly accordion) and Bethyl’s husband <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color"><span style="background-color: #fffdd0;">Buddy
Brown</span></span></b>.
</p>
<p>
<b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color">Baba</span></b> had also been heard on KLCN in <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color">Don & Baba Howard & Their Smiling Hillbillies</span></b> (clearly along similar lines to <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color">Don Howard and His Smiling Hillbilly Gang</span></b> and <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color">Donald
Howard and His Smiling Hillbillies</span></b>, also spotted in the archives).
</p>
<p>
Also touring with the <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color">Stewarts</span></b> during this period were <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color">Wilma Scott</span></b> and <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color">Don Whitney</span></b>.
</p>
<p>
<b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color"><span style="background-color: #fffdd0;">Wilma Scott</span></span></b> was from Blytheville too, and
had been in the <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color">Burdette Girls Quartet</span></b> with <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color">Bethyl</span></b>, <span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color"><b>Janet</b></span> and <span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color"><b>Baba Stewart</b></span> in the early 1940s. <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color"><span style="background-color: #fffdd0;">Don Whitney</span></span></b> (1926-1985), from nearby Osceola, also <a data-id="http://www.hillbilly-music.com/artists/story/index.php?id=12780" data-type="URL" href="http://www.hillbilly-music.com/artists/story/index.php?id=12780">worked
solo</a>, on stage as <b>Arkansas’ Biggest Hillbilly </b>and on several discs on the 4
Star label. He was a <a data-id="https://web.archive.org/web/20191118004251/http://www.bopping.org/artist/leblancs-french-band/" data-type="URL" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20191118004251/http://www.bopping.org/artist/leblancs-french-band/">disc jockey</a> at KLCN Blythedale and at KOSE Osceola where he
became <a data-id="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Daytime_Broadcast_Stations/sW0YPyw5OM0C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22don+whitney%22+KOSE&pg=PA334&printsec=frontcover" data-type="URL" href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Daytime_Broadcast_Stations/sW0YPyw5OM0C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22don+whitney%22+KOSE&pg=PA334&printsec=frontcover">general
manager</a>.</p>
<p>
Apart from <b>Just Out Of Reach</b>, <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color">Pappy Stewart</span></b> was a prolific songwriter who
had <a data-id="https://www.45cat.com/45_composer.php?tc=V.+F.+Stewart" data-type="URL" href="https://www.45cat.com/45_composer.php?tc=V.+F.+Stewart">a number of
other songs</a> recorded by other artists including <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color">Patsy Cline</span></b>. Many of the songs in the
family’s repertoire were written by <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color">Pappy</span></b> or his sister <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color">Baba</span></b>.
</p>
<p>
When interviewed in 1976 for a profile in Blytheville’s <i>Courier-News</i>, <span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color"><b>Pappy Stewart</b></span>
was 68 years old and had been married to <span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color"><b>Gladys</b></span> for 50 years. He was long retired from
professional music and happily living and working on his farm. His sister <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color">Baba</span></b>, who was much
younger than <b><span class="has-inline-color has-hilight-color">Pappy</span></b>, died in Blythedale in 2013, aged 87.
</p>
<figure class="wp-block-pullquote">
<blockquote>
<p><i>I’m just a country boy. I’d rather farm as do anything. I’m doing what I want to do.</i></p><p>Pappy Stewart to Jack Weatherly, <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115413820/"><i>The Courier-News</i>, 1976</a></p></blockquote>
</figure>
<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignright size-large">
<img alt="" class="wp-image-24294" height="265" src="https://poparchives.com.au/contents/uploads/2022/06/stewarts-whitney-3-sepia.jpg" width="300" />
<figcaption>
National Cotton Picking Contest 1949
</figcaption><figcaption><br /></figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
<p><i>This content was first published at my website in my <a href="https://poparchives.com.au/bunny-walters/just-out-of-reach/">history of <b>Just Out Of Reach</b></a>. See there for selected sources.</i></p></div><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R6CXznl8fEo" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-79100913541414198322021-07-25T09:43:00.068+10:002023-03-26T10:12:08.395+10:00Those D.J. Shows: country radio in late 60s Victoria<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTs551ukI_hFavGLfnnyf68TYncgisX-4JVul6mepXil9OWPmYkl7M87lCYsmNtsjRwIeV_VJnrpO3z50jFHWzr3ablszdlOvSOpTkmCpVrmFo8zWC0M2eCCPGgEqK0HDIMUU/s647/3CV+29+JUN+66+GOSET.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="647" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTs551ukI_hFavGLfnnyf68TYncgisX-4JVul6mepXil9OWPmYkl7M87lCYsmNtsjRwIeV_VJnrpO3z50jFHWzr3ablszdlOvSOpTkmCpVrmFo8zWC0M2eCCPGgEqK0HDIMUU/w320-h312/3CV+29+JUN+66+GOSET.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>[CLICK ON IMAGE FOR LARGER VIEW]</b></span></span><br /></p><p>That joyous early <span style="color: #660000;"><b>Supremes</b></span> song <b>Those D.J. Shows</b> strikes a chord with me. It's about getting out of school and racing home to listen to a Top 40 record show. <span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://youtu.be/GdH_1XEWCXk" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: white;"><b>YouTube</b></span></span></a></span> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/3zJRwynLcoeUbt1U7k5lxh?si=355a5dc8ae3b434a" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: #1db954;"><span style="color: white;"><b>Spotify</b></span></span></a></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYMio_hl8jwfC6L38noCpr-ZnQLc4SgLDGcp4EReQt6YWNTL0fcE1H9HgPGxe1Q-FeJnpTZjMLYeISVxo5sbLAfV8JgGp3BFqpf8lWUS1XNH9OCOYN4YQPgE5i6hVTp5K0CmM/s402/CV+DJ+SHOW+APR+68.2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="402" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYMio_hl8jwfC6L38noCpr-ZnQLc4SgLDGcp4EReQt6YWNTL0fcE1H9HgPGxe1Q-FeJnpTZjMLYeISVxo5sbLAfV8JgGp3BFqpf8lWUS1XNH9OCOYN4YQPgE5i6hVTp5K0CmM/w200-h98/CV+DJ+SHOW+APR+68.2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p>Even in country Victoria,
where I grew up, it wasn't unusual to find a late
afternoon radio show aimed at teenage pop fans. Maryborough station <span style="color: #073763;"><b>3CV</b></span> even had one called <b>DJ Show</b>.<span style="color: #073763;"><b> </b></span> </p><p>Further north, in Swan Hill, it was the <b>1330 Show</b> on <b><span style="color: #073763;">3SH</span></b> (1330 kHz) which held phone-in polls that seem quaint from this distance: <i>Are you a rocker or a jazzer?</i> or<i> Mods versus surfies!</i> Remarkable, considering that this was around late 1963, when the afternoon and evening highlights on <b><span style="color: #073763;">3SH</span></b> included <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>4pm Back to the Bible</b></span>, <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>6:45 Dad and Dave</b></span>, and <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>8:30pm Old-time Dance</b></span>.<br /></p><p></p><p>The <span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><b>1966</b></span> ad for <span style="color: #073763;"><b>3CV</b></span> (above) is from the teenage pop magazine <i>Go-Set</i>, showcasing <span style="color: #073763;"><b>3CV</b></span> disc jockeys <span style="color: #660000;"><b>Rod Batchelder</b></span>, <span style="color: #660000;"><b>John McPhee</b></span> and <span style="color: #660000;"><b>Graham Lever</b></span>. It reflects how I remember some country radio from the late 1960s. The graphics are groovy, and the music format is Top 40. </p><p>Like some other commercial country stations in the late 1960s, <span style="color: #073763;"><b>3CV</b></span>
was following the big city trend of programming Top 40 music hosted by
disc jockeys. I was a teenager who was picky about both music and radio,
but I never hesitated to listen to <span style="color: #073763;"><b>3CV</b></span> <span style="color: #073763;"><b>Maryborough</b></span> or <b><span style="color: #073763;">3SH Swan Hill</span></b>
as alternatives to the capital city Top 40 stations. (One or the other
was always nearby, depending on whether I was away at school or back
home at my parents' place.) A bonus was that you could hear some great
songs that <a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/2006/02/eight-records-on-radio-summer-of-1966.html">weren't being played</a> on the big city stations. </p><p>My memory of a golden era of country pop radio might be a little selective, though, as I saw when I looked up some of the <i>Country Radio</i> guides<i> </i>in Melbourne's <i>Age</i> newspaper. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ76QMO5xJFLLKM7z2-VYgSdPqrJLte3Avl5BHs3QKrULXN_9Hprw0LAk4BrtFlGPTMThUS_JNlmbSSm1Nqqjr3ZpYrg8jE3hgWx8UEVOmRaM2Se7i9EJt8nw6uc1q6GT9CSk/s2759/country+radio+68+brown.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="2759" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ76QMO5xJFLLKM7z2-VYgSdPqrJLte3Avl5BHs3QKrULXN_9Hprw0LAk4BrtFlGPTMThUS_JNlmbSSm1Nqqjr3ZpYrg8jE3hgWx8UEVOmRaM2Se7i9EJt8nw6uc1q6GT9CSk/s320/country+radio+68+brown.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>At that time, in <span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><b>1966</b></span>, traditional content still dominated across the 13 commercial stations* in regional Victoria. Listings like these hardly suggest wall-to-wall Top 40: <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>11:40am Friendship Club</b></span> (<b><span style="color: #073763;">3SR</span></b>), <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>10:15am</b> <b>Singalong</b></span> (<b><span style="color: #073763;">3SR</span></b>), <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>3:15pm</b> <b>Variety Fair</b></span> (<b><span style="color: #073763;">3BO</span></b>), and <b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">8:30pm Bible Speaks To You</span> </b>(<span style="color: #073763;"><b>3HA</b></span>).<p></p><p>Several serials were still on air across the state, including <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>Dr Paul</b></span> (<span style="color: #073763;"><b>3BO</b></span>, <span style="color: #073763;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3CV, </b></span>3HA</b></span>, <span style="color: #20124d;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">3NE</span></b></span>, <span style="color: #073763;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3SH, </b></span>3TR</b></span>). The serials were disappearing from Australian radio, and in the capital city Melbourne by this time only <span style="color: #073763;"><b>3DB</b></span> was still airing them. The networked radio quiz shows - <i>Quiz Kids</i>, <i>Winner Take All, </i><i>Pick-a-Box</i> and all - had already folded or migrated to TV which came to Australia in 1956.<br /></p><p>When I looked at <span style="color: #073763;"><b>3CV's</b></span> schedule in the <i>Country Radio</i> guide<i> </i>around the time of the <i>Go-Set</i> ad, I was surprised to see that it doesn't mention deejays <span style="color: #660000;"><b>Batchelder</b></span>, <span style="color: #660000;"><b>McPhee</b></span> and <span style="color: #660000;"><b>Lever</b></span>, nor does it name the programs from the ad. </p><p><span style="color: #660000;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #660000;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVLyUqd0WPcKH3lBghbD9JGCO44qLW5-4iwpGyRbYLKEFrbEqVMXI0Cl6evwGDue5HBTqR2r-o9xPI9rZAt2I3wEOP4_OqXFNwDWd7CK0abr-pMGohdqG2xPVSQay01TQbc8/s2048/ROD+NOT+JOHN+3CV.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1215" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVLyUqd0WPcKH3lBghbD9JGCO44qLW5-4iwpGyRbYLKEFrbEqVMXI0Cl6evwGDue5HBTqR2r-o9xPI9rZAt2I3wEOP4_OqXFNwDWd7CK0abr-pMGohdqG2xPVSQay01TQbc8/w119-h200/ROD+NOT+JOHN+3CV.JPG" width="119" /></a></b></span></div><span style="color: #660000;"><b>Batchelder's</b></span> <b>Big Breakfast Show</b> is easy to spot - <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>6am Breakfast Show</b></span> - and you can guess that <span style="color: #660000;"><b>McPhee's</b></span> <b>Big 100</b>, or <b><span style="color: #990000;">Lever's</span></b> <b>Go Go Show</b> fitted in somewhere to <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>2pm Hits</b></span>, <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>4pm Teen Beat</b></span>, and <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>7pm Music</b></span>. Not as exciting as the <b>THE GREATEST SHOW IN VICTORIA the Go Go Show</b>, though. (<span style="color: #073763;"><b>3CV's</b></span> <b>DJ Show</b> came later.)<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b><br /></b></span></b></span></span><p></p><p></p><p>In the capital city radio guide in the same paper, top-rating Top 40 station <span style="color: #073763;"><b>3UZ</b></span> had for some time listed most of its programs as deejay shows - <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>DON LUNN - Breakfast session</b></span>, <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>STAN ROFE SHOW</b></span>, <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>KEN SPARKES SHOW<span style="background-color: white;"> - </span></b></span>so I had expected something similar. <br /> <br />In fact the only on-air name to appear in the <span style="color: #073763;"><b>3CV</b></span> schedule is <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>11:30am Binnie Lum</b></span>,<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b> </b></span>the notable women's broadcaster who had been dropped by Melbourne station <span style="color: #073763;"><b>3XY</b></span> in 1964 but survived on the regional Victorian Broadcasting Network (VBN).</p><p>Certainly, there's nothing much in the<i> Guide</i> to suggest that <span style="color: #073763;"><b>3CV</b></span> was <b>THE STATION THAT'S GETTING THE COUNTRY GO-GOING From Victoria's Swingin' Centre</b>. Perhaps it was a lack of space, or perhaps the writer of the <i>Go-Set</i> ad didn't coordinate with whoever typed up the schedule for <i>The Age</i>. Even so, I do remember listening to deejay shows on <b><span style="color: #073763;">3CV</span></b>, but I suppose I would have twiddled the dial when anything else came on.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP11z6WnARo0rY-D1cyJCr-FIDZUskNrSP0CR6ViwMyvi9BXSbjmUQ47cbFRuG3tZwXV723-jB46H3EodOvlZXcSOpL6kreYDvzW0ioQhGg__UHmKubocLm8Y6Xaw43t2shwA/s707/3SH+67+SWITCH+ON+BnW.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="489" data-original-width="707" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP11z6WnARo0rY-D1cyJCr-FIDZUskNrSP0CR6ViwMyvi9BXSbjmUQ47cbFRuG3tZwXV723-jB46H3EodOvlZXcSOpL6kreYDvzW0ioQhGg__UHmKubocLm8Y6Xaw43t2shwA/s320/3SH+67+SWITCH+ON+BnW.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>[CLICK ON IMAGE FOR LARGER VIEW]</b></span></span></div><p>Up on the Murray River at <span style="color: #073763;"><b>3SH Swan Hill</b></span> in <span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><b>1966</b></span>, some of the station's on-air personalities were starting to appear in the printed schedule. The ubiquitous <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>10am Dr Paul</b></span> serial is still there, and so is <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>11:30am Binnie Lum</b></span> (VBN again) along with networked cooking celebrity <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>11:15am Graham Kerr</b></span>. But there are also some local names: <b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">9am Alan Kidd Ladies' Show</span>,</b> <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>12pm Mal Sutton</b></span> and <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>4pm Bob Taylor</b></span>. Still hanging on were early evening serials <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>6:45pm Dad and Dave</b></span> and <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>7:15pm Three Brothers</b></span>, and that country radio fixture from the USA, <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>9:30pm Back to the Bible</b></span>. </p><p>By <span style="background-color: #d0e0e3;"><b>1968</b></span>, though, it was wall-to-wall disc jockeys at <span style="color: #073763;"><b>3SH</b></span>. (The 3SH ad above is from <i>Go-Set</i> in June 1967). No serials, no specified "ladies" show, and no American evangelism (not in the program guide, anyway); just <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>5am Denis O'Kane Show</b></span>, <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>9am Mal Sutton Show</b></span>, <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>12pm Barry Bissell Show</b></span>, <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>4pm Bob Taylor</b></span>, <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>7 pm John Browne</b></span>, with news at least hourly. This looks a lot like the DJ oriented schedule of <span style="color: #073763;"><b>3UZ</b></span>. The entry for <span style="color: #073763;"><b>3SH </b></span>in<span style="color: #073763;"><b> </b></span>the <a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/2021/07/australian-radio-almanac-victoria.html"><i>Australian Radio Almanac</i></a> (1967) uses the phrase <i>strictly top 40 format</i>. <br /><span style="color: #660000;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b></b></span></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #660000;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_FwVxMHYwfYEnd3fdxXejPsGfa9Q2YzA9MpMyOoy1IZGPsw98XmDHYC-mdbVDui24SXyfvj1rFKEiJXzpQ4NpaYyTwKZVcCoawUcZc6ccwvmSP5deYxZ3gFHwnzPJi8emi_M/s2048/BB+67-8+2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1353" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_FwVxMHYwfYEnd3fdxXejPsGfa9Q2YzA9MpMyOoy1IZGPsw98XmDHYC-mdbVDui24SXyfvj1rFKEiJXzpQ4NpaYyTwKZVcCoawUcZc6ccwvmSP5deYxZ3gFHwnzPJi8emi_M/w132-h200/BB+67-8+2.jpg" width="132" /></a></b></span></b></span></div><p><span style="color: #660000;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3SH's </b></span>Barry Bissell</b></span> became a legend of Australian radio, best known through his years at <span style="color: #073763;"><b>FOX-FM</b></span> in Melbourne and as founding host of the national <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_40_Australia"><i>Take 40 Australia</i></a>. </p><p>In a 2019 <i>Swan Hill Guardian</i> <a href="https://journolillianaltman.wordpress.com/2019/02/20/profiles-radio-host-barry-bissell/">interview</a>, <b><span style="color: #660000;">Barry</span></b> recalls the change from “very old school” programming to a "hits format" soon after he joined <span style="color: #073763;"><b>3SH</b></span> in <span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><b>1967</b></span> when he was still a teenager. He says, “There was a box of 45s (records) in the studio, and an A, B and C list, but I cheated all the time and played my favourites; which everybody did.” This sort of personal input might help to explain my impression that the records on a country station could depart from what was heard in the big city. </p><p></p><p>In <span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><b>1968</b></span>, <span style="color: #073763;"><b>3TR Sale*</b></span> was also listing deejays' names as program titles: <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>5am Laurie Miller</b></span>, <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>9:30am Sam Gales</b></span>, <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>2:30pm Keith Wells</b></span>, and <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>5pm George Danes</b></span>. </p><p>Other stations list only one or two on-air names, but to be fair there are programs scattered throughout the <i>Country Radio</i> schedules that were probably filled with Top 40 music. Apart from the generic <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>2pm Music</b></span> (<span style="color: #20124d;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">3NE</span></b></span> but common across the board), they include the aforementioned <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>5pm DJ Show</b></span>, plus <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>7 pm Top 40 Hits in DJ Show to Midnight</b></span> (<span style="color: #073763;"><b>3CV</b></span>), <b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">6pm Teentime</span> </b>(<span style="color: #073763;"><b>3HA</b></span>), and <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>5:45pm Latest Hits from the Charts</b></span> (<span style="color: #073763;"><b>3UL</b></span>). There could even be some pop hits behind the neutral <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>7:30pm Evening Show</b></span> (<span style="color: #073763;"><b>3HA</b></span>), and although <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>4pm Music for Moderns</b></span> (<span style="color: #073763;"><b>3CS</b></span>) is an ungroovy name, the timeslot is right for an after-school deejay show.<br /></p><p>Other examples don't really scream "Top 40": <b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">10:30pm Jazz Club</span> </b>(<span style="color: #073763;"><b>3YB</b></span>), <b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">10:40pm Armchair Melodie</span>s</b> (<span style="color: #073763;"><b>3BA</b></span>), <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>7:15pm Light and Lovely</b></span> (<span style="color: #073763;"><b>3GL</b></span>), and <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>8:30pm Serenade</b></span> (<span style="color: #073763;"><b>3SR</b></span>), so the trend wasn't unanimously followed. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSiOP_oopv3edKgOkdjjhuscciF58KN6nJ-O3TFLxgGinaEFmPi_6TYUpYEqSAMDtF2MOu0Ye4IsGPfmjUPwNxMhEHMwwySpXtHY1iQMuLzD20mWTbZJ_TMZAkUvX3urMCtVQ/s396/TV+GUIDE+LOGO+2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="354" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSiOP_oopv3edKgOkdjjhuscciF58KN6nJ-O3TFLxgGinaEFmPi_6TYUpYEqSAMDtF2MOu0Ye4IsGPfmjUPwNxMhEHMwwySpXtHY1iQMuLzD20mWTbZJ_TMZAkUvX3urMCtVQ/w179-h200/TV+GUIDE+LOGO+2.jpg" width="179" /></a></div><p>Although I remember the music, country radio was full of other content. Country stations served their local communities in the way that the local newspapers did. As <span style="color: #660000;"><b>Barry Bissell</b></span> says, it was "market reports, funeral announcements, dedications to those in hospital". They aired networked content and syndicated shows distributed on records, but they had a full roster of local announcers from opening to closing. <br /><br />There were shows for children such as <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>4:35pm Children</b><span style="background-color: white;"> (<span style="color: #20124d;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">3NE</span></b></span>)</span></span> and (I'm guessing) <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>4pm Sunshiners' Club</b><span style="background-color: white;"> (<span style="color: #073763;"><b>3MA</b></span>)</span></span>; and women's shows <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>2pm Women's Corner</b><span style="background-color: white;"> (<span style="color: #073763;"><b>3BA</b></span>)</span></span>, <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>9am Women's Mag</b><span style="background-color: white;"> (<span style="color: #073763;"><b>3GL</b></span>). In their heyday, </span></span>some women's shows had active clubs with an off-air presence, as the <span style="color: #660000;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b><span style="color: #660000;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3SH</b></span></b></span></b></span></b></span> Women's Club had with its own club-rooms. A surprising number of religious programs were aired, especially but not necessarily on Sundays: <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>3:45pm Christian Scienc</b>e<span style="background-color: white;"> (<span style="color: #073763;"><b>3BO</b></span>)</span></span><span style="background-color: white;">,</span> <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>5:30pm Religion<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></b><span style="background-color: white;">(<span style="color: #073763;"><b>3BA</b></span>)</span></span>, <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b>9pm Salvation Army</b><span style="background-color: white;"> (<span style="color: #20124d;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">3NE</span></b></span>)</span></span>.</p><p>These days, it's sad to see multiple stations carrying identical lineups
from a distant hub, sometimes with only one or two local announcers.
Increasingly, this happens in a town where the local paper is struggling
or has closed down. On the bright side, many country towns now have a thriving <a href="https://www.cbaa.org.au/about/our-members">community radio</a> station, including <a href="https://www.991smartfm.com.au/"><span style="color: #073763;"><b><u>99.1 SmartFM</u></b></span></a> in Swan Hill and <a href="https://www.991smartfm.com.au/"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><u>Goldfields FM</u></span></b></a> in Maryborough Vic.<br /></p><p></p><p>Back in the day, regional commercial radio could even do proper local news coverage. One night in Swan Hill in <span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><b>1963</b></span>, when it seemed half the town turned out to see a fire that had broken out in a timber yard, we were joined by <span style="color: #660000;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b><span style="color: #660000;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3SH's</b></span></b></span> </b></span>Ken Guy</b></span> with a portable recorder, covering the story for the next day's News. </p><p>I shared that with <span style="color: #660000;"><b>Ken </b></span>on a Facebook thread not long ago. He said he didn't remember it, but it sounded right. It's good to know that not all my memories of country radio are faulty.</p><p><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: #073763;">- - -</span></span></span></span> <br /></p><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GdH_1XEWCXk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><b> Those D.J. Shows </b><br /><i>Right now, I'm in school<br />But as soon as the homebell rings<br />I'm gonna run to my locker<br />And gather up all my things<br />Then out the door<br />Running home I'll go<br />Faster than a new jet plane<br />And then turn on my radio<br />I'm gonna listen to those D.J. shows<br />I'm gonna be diggin' that rock 'n' roll<br />If I don't I'll go insane</i></p><p>This was an early <span style="color: #660000;"><b>Supremes</b></span> track<b> </b>written and produced by <b><span style="color: #660000;">William "Smokey" Robinson</span></b>. It didn't make their first album <i>Meet</i> <i>The Supremes</i> and remained unreleased until an <a href="https://www.discogs.com/The-Supremes-Meet-The-Supremes-Expanded-Edition/release/2519844">expanded edition</a> of the album in 2010.<span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Also on <span><a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/3zJRwynLcoeUbt1U7k5lxh?si=355a5dc8ae3b434a" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: #1db954;"><span style="color: white;"><b>Spotify</b></span></span></a></span><span style="color: #660000;">]</span></span></p><p><b><span style="color: #660000;">Patrice Holloway</span></b> also recorded a version, also unreleased until years later. <span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="
https://youtu.be/7j3vKzqQOIo" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: white;"><b>YouTube</b></span></span></a></span></p><p><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: #073763;">- - -</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #660000;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b><span style="color: #660000;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3SH </b></span></b></span></b></span></b></span>was clearly serious about promoting its on-air personalities, as seen in the <i>Go-Set</i> ad for <span style="color: #660000;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b><span style="color: #660000;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3SH</b></span></b></span></b></span></b></span> (above, in text). Of all the Victorian country stations listed in the 1967 <i>Australian Radio Almanac</i> [<a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/2021/07/australian-radio-almanac-victoria.html">view here</a>], it has the biggest entry. Note the phrase <i>strictly top 40 format</i>. .<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXlUOiuLBPzB-hekj1R_rCTxJmiVANHEE1UXSv9tbRq2EayVRayqKK48i1IIXxiPrH2nxusiNrJYZ9wNVAG4AU-0ZYFJTV44DiGX51fTIlr4wNkvo3tWFIgRSnhjH3rrtufY/s1382/ARA+3SH.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="1382" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXlUOiuLBPzB-hekj1R_rCTxJmiVANHEE1UXSv9tbRq2EayVRayqKK48i1IIXxiPrH2nxusiNrJYZ9wNVAG4AU-0ZYFJTV44DiGX51fTIlr4wNkvo3tWFIgRSnhjH3rrtufY/w320-h139/ARA+3SH.jpg" width="320" /></a><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>[CLICK ON IMAGE FOR LARGER VIEW]</b></span></span></p></div><p></p><p><i><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: #073763;">- - - </span></span></span></span><br /></i></p><a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/search/label/3SH">Click here</a> for all posts at this blog about <span style="color: #660000;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b><span style="color: #660000;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3SH</b></span></b></span></b></span></b></span> (or mentioning it).<p><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: #073763;">- - -</span></span></span></span> <br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>VBN</b>: the Victorian Broadcasting Network, <b>1965</b> trade ad. <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzKOAAuc4VS0Ywm8722KMWT0EiiTR5cnjvSNyWoj69_ADMr6ffXcM6_TYmyfUEGZ_H880lRHJ0PWTwxQnEXFLEXc5pijyCjko7Y4EoHg9Rj5GV_CkNpVL0_PK3lPZqPKRXEs/s600/VBN+1965+grscl+yes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="600" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzKOAAuc4VS0Ywm8722KMWT0EiiTR5cnjvSNyWoj69_ADMr6ffXcM6_TYmyfUEGZ_H880lRHJ0PWTwxQnEXFLEXc5pijyCjko7Y4EoHg9Rj5GV_CkNpVL0_PK3lPZqPKRXEs/w320-h201/VBN+1965+grscl+yes.jpg" width="320" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></span></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>[CLICK ON IMAGE FOR LARGER VIEW]</b></span></span><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: #073763;"> </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: #073763;">- - - <br /></span></span></span></span></p><p>The Victorian commercial country stations listed in the <i>Country Radio</i> guide in <i>The Age</i> in the 1960s, with their call-signs and frequencies at that time.<sup><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">†</span></b></sup></p><p><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3BA</b></span> Ballarat <b>1320</b> kcs (kHz)<br /><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3BO</b></span> Bendigo <b>960</b><br /><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3CS</b></span> Colac <b>1130</b><br /><span style="color: #073763;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3CV</b></span></b></span> Maryborough <b>1440</b><br /><span style="color: #073763;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3GL</b></span></b></span> Geelong <b>1350</b><br /><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3HA</b></span> Hamilton <b>1000</b><br /><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3MA</b></span> Mildura <b>1470</b><br /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><b><span style="color: #073763;">3NE</span></b></span></span></span> Wangaratta <b>1600</b><br /><span style="color: #073763;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3SH</b></span></b></span> Swan Hill <b>1330</b><br /><span style="color: #073763;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3SR</b></span></b></span> Shepparton <b>1260</b><br /><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3TR</b></span> Sale <b>1240*</b><br /><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3UL</b></span> Warragul <b>530</b><br /><span style="color: #073763;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3YB</b></span></b></span> Warrnambool <b>1210</b></p><p><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3LK </b></span></b></span></b>Lubeck<b> 1090</b>, near Horsham (now <b><span style="color: #073763;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3WM</b></span></b></span></b>), was mainly a relay station for <span style="color: #073763;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><b>3DB</b></span></b></span> Melbourne and wasn't listed in the <i>Country Radio </i>guides<i>.</i></p><p><b>*3TR</b>: <a href="https://trfm.com.au/articles/we-are-90-years-old/" target="_blank">From 1930</a> it was in <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Tr</b></span>afalgar but moved to Sale in 1932 then to <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Tr</b></span>aralgon in 1989. Even earlier, <a href="https://www.radioheritage.net/LLRI10.asp" target="_blank">in 1929</a>, it was an amateur station <b>3FB</b> owned by Frank Berkery.</p><sup><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">†</span></b></sup>Australian AM stations were changed in 1978 to space them at 9 kHz intervals instead of the original 10 kHz.<br /><p></p>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-21531676947345775952021-07-13T22:04:00.017+10:002021-08-26T09:31:14.717+10:00Australian Radio Almanac (c.1967): Victoria<br /><p>I have a copy of the<i> Australian Radio Almanac</i> that I bought when it was published by<i> The Age </i>and Keith Winslet Publications. <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/17189530?keyword=Australian%20Radio%20Almanac">Trove estimates <b>1967</b></a>, although it could be <b>1968</b>. It was probably a one-off publication. </p><p>It
is a small, slim booklet with a national map of station
locations, lists of radio stations, and other features of interest to
radio fans. </p><p>The highlight, though, is <i>Voices of Australian Radi</i>o, 30 pages of thumbnail photos and brief written notes about Australian announcers on commercial radio and the ABC.</p><p>The coverage of stations is uneven. Melbourne's high-rating <b>3UZ</b> has 0 notes and 3 photos, while<b> 2GB </b>Sydney covers 4 pages, with some quite detailed notes. Even regional station <b>3SH </b>Swan Hill has 6 notes and 6 photos each.<br /></p><p>Perhaps
it depended on material supplied by the stations and some were more
interested than others, or perhaps there was a subscription plan.</p><p>Physical
copies of the book are held by five Australian libraries: <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/17189530?keyword=Australian%20Radio%20Almanac">go to Trove</a> and click on <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Borrow (5)</span></span>.<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">As a sample, here are the cover and the pages for <b>Victoria</b>.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Click on image for<i> </i>larger view.<br /></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG0sZtV872pFjb70RifDDV3xcB1wKs_CPBXg3k4poXCjCofy-N78xBIVyKwiytUT1a_8MRB4Dwx4NoChC-678SNqnklA8C1FVDUkXlwOIhMkEzZTidyMFsrBQMbCx4m5wMp70/s1290/almanac+cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1290" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG0sZtV872pFjb70RifDDV3xcB1wKs_CPBXg3k4poXCjCofy-N78xBIVyKwiytUT1a_8MRB4Dwx4NoChC-678SNqnklA8C1FVDUkXlwOIhMkEzZTidyMFsrBQMbCx4m5wMp70/s320/almanac+cover.jpg" width="198" /></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlG2D5qA2MC_1dev_vO3hpwnXRo45MZL3lkHUMEmYnQoqOViO-ILzMpKiaU5c1aAEkz8T8W92o9Fuzm7v1LD8gjby_CERjoVZlYXn-QFEz7QpyXVdTVe3gsFPalxqkeJg-5I/s1449/VIC+1+p.22+BnW.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1449" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlG2D5qA2MC_1dev_vO3hpwnXRo45MZL3lkHUMEmYnQoqOViO-ILzMpKiaU5c1aAEkz8T8W92o9Fuzm7v1LD8gjby_CERjoVZlYXn-QFEz7QpyXVdTVe3gsFPalxqkeJg-5I/s320/VIC+1+p.22+BnW.jpg" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7t9C_GR8x-NREe8vp_Ywnq1la2POnNz7uMjewEA_vCVaqDrHSJ_PlpKfDYQ8csC9apNe6MQjNO3VGqb8BS-LZ-d4EFIA7bpRHqxjFFoHYidVaJ8PNSYEwmvvmGI8-VWnwdQ/s2048/VIC+2+p.23+BnW.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJep3THQHmOXE1UoHPMrevePrfsNE6kwo3ALcLUYOQBuQKy22dIB7IvS4zmjvFAhfVi8lX1JSjaChNO6Xd-xnzQglk5jXopS_P6OM9Qr4WLHdJzKOQsSg4t3dj2L-UeMIbs8/s1410/VIC+6+p.28+BnW.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1410" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJep3THQHmOXE1UoHPMrevePrfsNE6kwo3ALcLUYOQBuQKy22dIB7IvS4zmjvFAhfVi8lX1JSjaChNO6Xd-xnzQglk5jXopS_P6OM9Qr4WLHdJzKOQsSg4t3dj2L-UeMIbs8/s320/VIC+6+p.28+BnW.jpg" /></a></div><br /></span><span><!--more--></span><span><!--more--></span><span><!--more--></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-50603685570011883122021-03-22T21:56:00.028+10:002023-05-10T21:57:54.145+10:00The Zazous, from recklessness to the Resistance.<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>Philippe Edouard</b>, PopArchives correspondent in France, looks into an unlikely youth movement in Occupied France. This is almost a prequel to his <a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/2020/05/by-way-what-is-yeye.html" target="_blank">post on 1960s yé-yé</a></i><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;"><a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/2020/05/by-way-what-is-yeye.html" target="_blank"></a>.</span></span></i></span></span></span> </i><br /></span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">In
January 1964, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">The
Beatles</span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
set out to conquer the world, beginning their journey at L’Olympia
in Paris. The day after the first concert, the newspaper </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">France-Soir</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">took
the group down with the headline: “The Beatles: old </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">zazous</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">made
over by </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">yé-yé</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">,
their </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">yé-yé
</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">is
the worst we have heard in four years."</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">We
know what </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">yéyé</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">is,
but what did the journalist mean when he called the </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Fab
Four </span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">zazous</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">?</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"><iframe align="right" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="158" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o3yXEUVXrYk" title="YouTube video player" width="210"></iframe><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">From
the end of the First World War, Europe succumbed to jazz. At the
start of the 1930s, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Django
Reinhardt</span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Stéphane
Grapelli</span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
invented a purely French style, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">jazz
manouche</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">(gypsy
jazz), which combined jazz, gypsy music and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">musette</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">,
but without percussion or brass. This genre was all the rage with
youth, even as everything was still being influenced by the USA and
the arrival of the more universal "swing" jazz. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Swing!
The word is out. Far beyond jazz, swing refers to a state of mind.</span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0PX0_w10vtN3xXDK0lSB6reZwiNy6TzF_8UaJL1WSk2bMzAqC154ZCwzAGamJjkiT8Eq-mhjDAl9FN1aJePQmZz8JgGhkaeFmuAVPzYJQD3un-kDJfUc1NZ9ZH-jENJXVhd8/s1484/HESS_BnW.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1484" data-original-width="812" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0PX0_w10vtN3xXDK0lSB6reZwiNy6TzF_8UaJL1WSk2bMzAqC154ZCwzAGamJjkiT8Eq-mhjDAl9FN1aJePQmZz8JgGhkaeFmuAVPzYJQD3un-kDJfUc1NZ9ZH-jENJXVhd8/s320/HESS_BnW.jpg" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">In
1938 </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Johnny
Hess </span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">(who
sang in duet with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Charles
Trenet </span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">from
1933 to 1937) achieved a huge success with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Je
suis swing</span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">with
the refrain </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Je
suis swing, je suis swing, zazou, zazou, zazou, zazou dé </span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">,
inspired by </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Cab
Calloway's</span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
piece </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Zaz
Zuh Zaz</span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">which
he had admired in concert at the Salle Pleyel in Paris in 1934.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Some
amateur musicologists argue convincingly that the father of the <i>zazous</i> is the
American musician </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Freddy
Taylor</span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span> (also as <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Freddie</span></b></span></span></span></span></span></span>).<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
A pillar of New York's Cotton Club, he arrived in Europe in 1933 with his
combo and his impressive dandy wardrobe that included the famous zoot
suit. His repertoire mesmerised the audience with the outrageous
onomatopoeia of scat singing. He moved to Paris where he ran a club
in Montmartre and worked with the stars of jazz.</span></span></span></span></span></span> This did not prevent him from continuing to tour, and he was a remarkable success in Rotterdam. By chance or not, the Netherlands saw a movement similar to the zazous.</span></span>
</p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">In
June 1940, France was about to live out four years under German
occupation and its tragedies and deprivations.</span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Despite
the fury of the people, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Johnny
Hess’s</span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
song continued to cheer up those who decided to live free, at least
in spirit, especially young people from generally wealthy families.
These lovers of swing were called</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">zazous</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">,
in homage to </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Hess's
</span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">hit.
They invented a counter-culture, displaying a strong taste for
America and England, and an incredible dress style in that time of
scarcity.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHwYEq6CECKCri3U5COONtpADKZ1stgwEWvBU4X4vUQWw7FIlXKaQIW3rLm6lTG6uxZ4eEfZFG1hwF4FiLDGFzOHxW5ervwyQ6hS_b1Z9pfVMW6_9UaSqa7GD7Ot96iJuWA0o/s1143/fashion.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="824" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHwYEq6CECKCri3U5COONtpADKZ1stgwEWvBU4X4vUQWw7FIlXKaQIW3rLm6lTG6uxZ4eEfZFG1hwF4FiLDGFzOHxW5ervwyQ6hS_b1Z9pfVMW6_9UaSqa7GD7Ot96iJuWA0o/w144-h200/fashion.jpg" width="144" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Wide
pants with rolled up bottoms, long fitted jackets and big showy
shoes, shoulder-length hair slicked back. The </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">zazou</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">walked
with a closed umbrella whatever the weather, and wore sunglasses at
all times.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">The
girls wore excessive make-up, and raised their hair above the
forehead in a “crow's nest”. They wore tight-fitting sweaters
that sometimes stopped above the navel, frilled shirts with tailored
suits, quite short pleated skirts, and platform shoes or stiletto
heels.</span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Sure
of his phenomenal success, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Johnny
Hess </span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">did
it again with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Ils
sont zazous</span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">.</span></span></i></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Some
French jazzmen benefited from the prohibition of Anglo-Saxon records
by taking the opportunity to record these standards, give them a
French title, and take the credits. A real plunder!</span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuGIto7hwHNcJf0LK_f4cM54w9OUxjAxbpQiRjXxfSFriVJ6cGOVkUqZN-P3vANhwhAPFfMjCX3q-HFnT0YFRKU5SB6Gsg3PyjfpM4oMnvTJcEGn-uz99hEUG3bSBGH6Y4xSE/s1350/pauvres+bnw.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="1350" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuGIto7hwHNcJf0LK_f4cM54w9OUxjAxbpQiRjXxfSFriVJ6cGOVkUqZN-P3vANhwhAPFfMjCX3q-HFnT0YFRKU5SB6Gsg3PyjfpM4oMnvTJcEGn-uz99hEUG3bSBGH6Y4xSE/w200-h122/pauvres+bnw.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">The
dance venues were closed, and it was difficult to move around because
of the curfew, even more so for the orchestras and their instruments.
This did not prevent the </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">zazous</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">from
continuing their carefree life at night, in the furnished cellars,
dancing clandestinely to this forbidden music.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Meneurs
de jeux</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">(DJs)
innovated by switching the 78s onto amplified record players. Thus in
1941 </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">La
discothèque</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
opened, arguably the first modern dance-club in the world. One thing
is certain, its name has stuck for all eternity.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">In
1942 the film </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Mademoiselle
swing </span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">was
released, in which </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Irène
de Trébert </span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">sang
the song of the same name which had already been a big success over two
years<span style="font-size: x-small;"> [<a href="https://youtu.be/5oM5RFSa7vo"><b>YouTube</b></a>]</span>. In this feature film, we also hear the steadfast</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
Johnny Hess </span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">and
his eternal </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Je
suis swing</span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">.</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
Four years already!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">In
the field of war, the Allies gained the advantage, and the Nazis
needed even more materials and men to make it. The prisoners were no
longer enough, so they called for volunteers from the occupied
countries who did not rush despite the promise of a salary. The Slavs
were forcibly sent.</span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHtx2B8FcWg5ms91NhHhQ6mEcwjaZwWXOx7n_WLK3zfFS-4G1HvZk65l1yEzdSSgzHkPhEbmU6o8bE9MSGDIs7Bk4isk3YHjuaRVPzJY255aWyDs7fbp9Zov6tRox4L3RTYg/s686/zazou+star.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="611" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHtx2B8FcWg5ms91NhHhQ6mEcwjaZwWXOx7n_WLK3zfFS-4G1HvZk65l1yEzdSSgzHkPhEbmU6o8bE9MSGDIs7Bk4isk3YHjuaRVPzJY255aWyDs7fbp9Zov6tRox4L3RTYg/w178-h200/zazou+star.jpg" width="178" /></a></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Faced
with this fact, Germany imposed the STO</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><sup><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">1</span></b></span></span></sup></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
on the Vichy government, and the early facade of politeness gave way
to ferocity. The Germans and the collaborating militia took the
z</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">azous</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">for
degenerates. The </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">régime
de Vichy</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">(Vichy
regime) saw them as a dangerous influence on young people because the
z</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">azous</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">refused
the indoctrination of youth. They were sometimes discredited by the
population and the Resistance who saw them as futile, selfish and
anti-patriotic.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Yet
some </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">zazous</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">defied
the occupier. With the anti-semitic laws that obliged the Jews to
wear the yellow star, the</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">zazou</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">,
in solidarity, attached the star to their coats with a mention of swing or
</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">zazou</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">.
Most of them were arrested and interned before being released.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Like
many young people who refused forced labor in Germany, the z</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">azous</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">went
underground to take up arms.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0WjS_mTTESZ2xsCwUJLAFBDJ3IDpQRIBJbMnv9Ie3PBFzrZoTBJxqjiGAlN9-NPsRD511cLo9tE16JmiYlcrsT7HRwJ6BI9zJcuptSCVHibBZ4MEcKq5ZaOlOlqqga261Ic/s1069/andrex.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="820" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0WjS_mTTESZ2xsCwUJLAFBDJ3IDpQRIBJbMnv9Ie3PBFzrZoTBJxqjiGAlN9-NPsRD511cLo9tE16JmiYlcrsT7HRwJ6BI9zJcuptSCVHibBZ4MEcKq5ZaOlOlqqga261Ic/s320/andrex.jpg" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">In
the summer of 1944 came liberation, swing was still alive, and it was
</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Andrex</span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
who hit the mark with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Y’a
des zazous</span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Popular
until 1946, this style was being replaced by bebop. The underground
cellars had become clubs like the Tabou or the Caveau des Lorientais
where the </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Existentialistes</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">in
checkered lumberjack shirts, claiming to be </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">zazous</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">,
danced the lindy hop whose baby would be called rock 'n' roll.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Occasionally,
the </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">zazous</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">or
swing were celebrated in song. In 1963, the duo </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Roger
Pierre and Jean-Marc Thibault</span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
devoted an EP to it, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><i><a href="https://www.discogs.com/Roger-Pierre-Et-Jean-Marc-Thibault-Le-Temps-Des-Zazous/release/7126919" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Le
temps des zazous</span></span></span></a></i></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">,
in the middle of the </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">yéyé</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
period.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">In
1985, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Pet
Shop Boys</span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
sang </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">In
the night</span></b></span></span></span></span></span> <span style="font-size: x-small;">[</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-size: x-small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;"><span style="color: red;"><b><a href="https://youtu.be/OB2y40HID44" target="_blank">YouTube</a></b></span>]</span></span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">.</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
Its composer </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Neil
Tennant </span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">recounts
the possible ambiguity of the z</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">azou</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">vis-à-vis
the occupier <span style="font-size: x-small;">[<a href="https://www.petshopboys.co.uk/lyrics/in-the-night" target="_blank"><b>Lyrics</b></a>]</span>. It was David Pryce-Jones's book </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Paris
in the Third Reich</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
that gave him inspiration.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfN2zXK7mSjfJNOejWoNTOpGTIyKwPSRtjLnR9E3mVVxJOzuHjHDjTRuh7KopNVuOGrqRJOHq30NZvG7lJtJx2gtr_3qawELi7c6OjfK_Un9PmteYQTiZL_yB14CKCLcH0MqA/s1663/cortanze+zazous.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1663" data-original-width="1037" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfN2zXK7mSjfJNOejWoNTOpGTIyKwPSRtjLnR9E3mVVxJOzuHjHDjTRuh7KopNVuOGrqRJOHq30NZvG7lJtJx2gtr_3qawELi7c6OjfK_Un9PmteYQTiZL_yB14CKCLcH0MqA/w125-h200/cortanze+zazous.jpg" width="125" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Let
us leave the conclusion to Gérard de Cortanze</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><sup><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">2</span></b></span></span></sup></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><sup><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
</span></span></span></span></sup></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">in
his novel</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;"> </span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.amazon.fr/Zazous-G%C3%A9rard-Cortanze/dp/2253073733/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_fr_FR=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&dchild=1&keywords=G%C3%A9rard+de+Cortanze+zazous&qid=1616324325&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Zazous</span></span></i></span></span></span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">.
“Hunted down by the Germans, hunted down by collaborators, rejected
by the Resistance, the </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Zazous</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">did
not want to change life, simply take advantage of their fifteen
years. Of age by the end of the war, they had passed from childhood to
adulthood and life was about to change them."</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">Philippe <br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><hr /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;"><b>1.
</b><i>Service du Travail Obligatoire</i> (Compulsory Labor Service).
In addition to the 600,000 French workers sent to Germany, there were
prisoners of war. About 1,500,000 French people are said to have
worked for the Nazis between 1942 and 1945. France was the third
largest supplier of forced labor after the USSR and Poland. </span></span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 120%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span><span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;"><b>2.
</b>Also author of ‘<i>Laisse tomber les filles</i>', a history
devoted to yéyé. The link is obvious with regard to the zazou
phenomenon. </span></span></span></span>
</p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="296" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ht4hGxczUZo" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> <b><span style="color: #990000;">Johnny Hess</span></b> - <b>Je Suis Swing</b> (1938)</p><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="296" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7PumlgEy68E" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Johnny Hess</b></span> - <b>Ils sont zazous</b> (1942)</p><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="296" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZZq6EG1TsWo" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Andrex</b></span> - <b>Y'a des zazous</b> (1944)</p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="296" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bCqH_wgFFyU" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Cab Calloway</b></span> - <b>Zaz Zuh Zaz</b> (1933)<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="296" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0lO06Lywl6I" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Django Reinhardt </b></span>and the<span style="color: #990000;"><b> Quintette du Hot Club de France</b></span>, with <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Stéphane Grappelli</b></span> (violin), <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Freddy Taylor</b></span> (vocals) - <b>I'se A Muggin'</b> (1936)<b><br /></b>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-78809053221135327392021-02-25T22:08:00.089+10:002023-11-10T08:07:07.509+10:00Toppermost of the poppermost: the charts<p>Occasionally a visitor to <a href="http://www.poparchives.com.au/" target="_blank">my website</a> emails <span>that</span> they are not happy about the chart placings that I list for Australian records. They are usually people who are heard on those very records. That is is to say, artists.</p><p>There are two sources of disappointment: <b>The Legendary International Hit</b> and <b>My Record Did Better Than That!</b> The quotes below are not real examples. I'm improvising around the theme of emails
I've had over the years from artists about the insultingly low chart
placings I've listed for their records from the 50s, 60s, or 70s.</p><p><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><b>1. The Legendary International Hit</b></span></span><br /><i>• Our manager definitely told us we were #10 in Los Angeles.<br />• We were shafted by the Aussie music business, but our record charted Top 20 in Pennsylvania!<br />• Oh yeah, we were big all over the world. #1 in Sweden, Greece and Czechoslovakia.</i></p><p>These claims are nearly always wrong, and I usually know that before I've checked the sources. </p><p>You can also see statements like these in old newspaper stories. Back then, who was going to check any of this? There were no obsessive smart alecs like me who would go online and dig around till they found an answer. There was no "online", for a start.</p><p>If you said in 1965 that a record was big in Hungary, how would an Aussie music journo or the work experience kid from <i>Go-Set</i> know anything different? In any case, the effort and resources needed to do a fact-check would be ridiculous for a harmless little claim like that.</p><p>I wouldn't suggest that the artist made it up, because they seem sincerely to believe the legend. It's more likely to have originated with a creative publicist or journalist. Or a manager.<br /></p><p>My favourite hypothesis is that somebody mailed a chart (in an envelope, with a stamp) from an obscure locality in the US where our artist was racing up the chart at the local radio station, and everyone jumped to the wrong conclusion. (How about a chart from WNRI Woonsocket, Rhode Island, say?) But more later on radio station charts.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWYYXszhqJSdaqgUt8B8ePfUNAcL9x4W_4uLOELDP1Yzmgumo0GH1kDjTpPKZ6whXRnjaGmietH7_2-TV6rk8Tpr5vj5o5hPj6KyU8FDaFLuLTA2_kktoprzeKYrUE6KhLgk/s151/jeff+hilder.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="84" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWYYXszhqJSdaqgUt8B8ePfUNAcL9x4W_4uLOELDP1Yzmgumo0GH1kDjTpPKZ6whXRnjaGmietH7_2-TV6rk8Tpr5vj5o5hPj6KyU8FDaFLuLTA2_kktoprzeKYrUE6KhLgk/s16000/jeff+hilder.jpg" /></a><a href="https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wPpjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XeYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1582%2C7673773" target="_blank"></a></div><p><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Honourable mention</b></span></span></span></span> In 1976, Sydney singer <b><span style="color: #990000;">Jeff Hilder </span></b> <a href="https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wPpjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XeYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1582%2C7673773" target="_blank">told <i>The</i> <i>Sun-Herald</i> </a>that he was back in Australia after living in Venezuela where he had been on the local charts. </p><p>Yeah right, thought this smart alec. We'll see if that stands up to 21st century fact-checking. </p><p>Well, it's not easy to find archival Venezuelan charts, but I found <b><span style="color: #990000;">Jeff</span></b> at #6 in Venezuela in February 1972 with a song called <i><b>Mañana será otro día</b></i>. Sorry I doubted you, mate.</p><p><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><b>2. My Record Did Better Than That!</b></span></span><br /><i>• But we were #5 in Melbourne! Here's the actual 3DB chart that I clipped from the newspaper.<br />• How could I have been only #16 in Adelaide when I was #5 in Australia overall?</i></p><p>This is more complicated, partly because people have such faith in The Charts of the past. It's as if they were handed down in stone by some all-seeing data collector in the sky, who knows exactly how many 45s were sold in any week in 1965. So if they see #5 printed somewhere, it must be #5. Read on to see why not.<br /></p><p><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Retrospective charts</b></span></span></span></span> The charts that we consult today for Australia in the 50s, 60s and 70s have been retrospectively compiled from whatever data is available from those years. This pretty much means radio station charts, also known as surveys. (It makes sense, given that the rise of the Top 40 chart, and the loose genre of Top 40 music, came from American radio in the 1950s.) <br /></p><p>Each station with a music format would publish its own chart, distributed as a leaflet by music stores, or printed in the local paper. </p><p>In larger cities there could be several charts, <i>and</i> <i>they would all be different</i>.</p><p>It wasn't until the 1980s that Australian record charts began to be based solely on reliable sales figures, when the national ARIA chart was established, initially using data from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_Music_Report" target="_blank">Kent Music Report</a>. In 1997 ARIA started collecting data electronically, direct from music
stores, giving rise to the modern concept of a music chart being based
on hard sales data. Set in stone, you could say.</p><p>The pool of radio station charts would change over the years, as stations changed their formats or stopped publishing charts. For example, Gavin Ryan's Melbourne chart book uses 1967 charts from the 3DB <i>Top 40</i>, the 3AK <i>Top 100</i>, and 3UZ's<i> Official Top 40</i> (officially 3UZ's, maybe, nothing more).</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj955YUwuz-0Hpgeq9nVy2UmWrxvifwR7aZ5XDjD7tLnuXYCWI7o6Hs1GbRD0k0aINRDofIvW3DBvS8hjc32ahAxLC7uDrX25BRsKHtCBj3vvZ8PyNJRNY4DUjpMt7qP4n0qjU/s738/4BK-AK+65+survey.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="246" data-original-width="738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj955YUwuz-0Hpgeq9nVy2UmWrxvifwR7aZ5XDjD7tLnuXYCWI7o6Hs1GbRD0k0aINRDofIvW3DBvS8hjc32ahAxLC7uDrX25BRsKHtCBj3vvZ8PyNJRNY4DUjpMt7qP4n0qjU/s320/4BK-AK+65+survey.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><b>Radio charts</b></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span>Back then the radio charts were compiled from a number of sources. If a chart did list its sources, it might include record sales, listener requests, or audience surveys. For example, charts from 2UE Sydney and 4BK Brisbane in the 1960s cite "public survey" as well as sales. <i>Public survey </i>could mean anything, and would allow leeway in constructing a chart to reflect the station's playlist and its listeners' preferences. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXp2VT8FuzBr74u6dlAgzD6yXmOUNdyVlCesIM2esCSW84SxpSS3BrXqBpnSe8xE79m58ztPmjxlYazVB0gpxvrCk8w8-FunwDCKhhulEce1pt0GNzqWTYyjR7wDETmoTJSc/s206/2UE+survey+blogged.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXp2VT8FuzBr74u6dlAgzD6yXmOUNdyVlCesIM2esCSW84SxpSS3BrXqBpnSe8xE79m58ztPmjxlYazVB0gpxvrCk8w8-FunwDCKhhulEce1pt0GNzqWTYyjR7wDETmoTJSc/s0/2UE+survey+blogged.jpg" /></a></div>It's not uncommon to find a song that charted at one station but not at another in the same city.<div><p></p><p>As chart collector and compiler Tom Guest puts it, <i>At times 'hits' were played on one radio station only and thus appeared on their own charts and not on those produced by stations who, for various reasons, did not include the songs on their airplay lists.</i></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Sales figures and radio charts</span> </b></span></span></span></span>Sales figures were based on samples rather than comprehensive data from every outlet in town. Wayne Mac, in his radio history <i>Don't Touch That Dial</i>, writes:
<i>To compile the 40 most popular songs, stations telephoned selected record stores in their area which reported sales figures on records and sheet music. In addition to raw sales figures, the position or ranking of the week's 40 most popular songs was also subject to overseas sales trends and a station's own predictions...</i></p><p>I don't believe the collection of sales data was always a rigorous process. The ring-arounds to local record stores could be as informal as asking what was selling. One of my reliable correspondents, who worked at a capital city record store, says that it depended on whoever happened to answer the phone, as it wasn't unusual for that person to boost their favourite records.</p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Retrospective charts can disagree</span> </b></span></span></span></span>The job of the latter-day chart compiler is to apply some kind of statistical method to reconcile the differences and come up with plausible charts for a city. </p><p>At my website I use Gavin Ryan's charts for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. For two cities there are alternatives: Tom Guest's Melbourne chart book (<i>Thirty Years of Hits</i>) and Top 40 Research's chart book for Sydney (<i>The Book</i>).</p><p>This could be confusing to a casual reader. If Gavin Ryan's Sydney chart book has <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Rolling Stones'</span></b> <b>The Last Time </b>peaking at <b>#1</b> in April 1965, that's it, isn't it? Either <b>The Last Time</b> was<b> #1</b> in Sydney or it wasn't. So how is it that the other Sydney chart book, <i>The Book</i>, has it peaking at<b> #2</b>? </p><p>Sometimes the contrast is greater: down in Melbourne, Gavin Ryan has <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Ray Price Quartet's</span></b> <b>A Moi De Payer</b> (1962) at <b>#6</b>, Tom Guest has it at <b>#24</b>.<br /></p><p>Clearly, these differences are partly down to differences in statistical methods. I'm not privy to these, but Tom Guest told me that he weighted his placings in favour of 3UZ, the highest rating Top 40 station in Melbourne during the 60s, something that makes good sense to me. Even so, Tom has <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Groove's</span></b> <b>Simon Says</b> peaking at <b>#6</b>, and it's Gavin who has it spot on the 3UZ peak at <b>#4</b>. (Add 3DB's <b>#8</b> to the list and you have three different peaks for the song.)</p><p>Another variable is the availability of historic charts to each compiler. Some of them can be found in newspaper and magazine archives, but otherwise it depends on chart collectors. The compilers I know of started out as collectors, but there can be gaps in the charts they can access. Gavin Ryan lists his sources in each book, with a note to the reader: <i>If anyone has further charts that are not listed above, I would be most appreciative if you could pass them on to me for future updates of this book</i>.</p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Comparing radio charts</span> </b></span></span></span></span>In spite of these variables, and the presence of outliers in many charts, popular songs could follow similar trajectories in and out of competing station charts.</p><p>As one example, I looked at the chart history of an Australian record from 1967, <a href="http://www.poparchives.com.au/126/the-groove/simon-says" target="_blank"><b>Simon Says</b></a> by <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Groove</span></b>, as it charted at 3UZ and 3DB in Melbourne. (Chart site <a href="http://las-solanas.com/arsa/" target="_blank">ARSA</a> has an uninterrupted run of charts from these two.) It shows up how the charts could differ from each other in detail, but it also shows how close they could be.</p><p><b>Simon Says</b> was on the charts from September 1967 to January 1968. It did better on 3UZ than on 3DB.</p><p><b>3UZ</b>: 18 weeks on the Top 40, 4 weeks in the Top 10, peaked at <b>#4</b>.<br />
<b>3DB</b>: 16 weeks on the Top 40, 2 weeks in the Top 10, peaked at <b>#8</b>.. </p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">National charts</span> </b></span></span></span></span>Even the standard national Australian charts for these early decades, <a href="https://www.australianchartbooks.com.au/" target="_blank">now published by David Kent</a>, are based on radio surveys. As he puts it at his website, before rock'n'roll and in the earliest Top 40s, Hit Parade lists <i>were compiled from sales of sheet music as well as records, plus other factors such as public requests and (perhaps) the opinions of radio stations’ personnel! </i><br /></p><p>David Kent's own Kent Music Report provided the de facto official national charts from 1974 till 1983 when ARIA started its charts. Even then, Kent's data, which had increasingly emphasised sales figures over radio surveys, was licensed to ARIA until 1988. </p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><i>Go-Set's</i> national charts</span></b></span></span></span></span> An earlier national Top 40 had been published in <i>Go-Set</i> magazine 1966-1974 (now published online at <a href="https://gosetcharts.com">gosetcharts.com</a>). It was compiled by Ed Nimmervol using, according to chart historian Daniel Lowe,<i> a combination of sales figures from retail stores as well as... data from the radio stations charts from around the country</i>. </p><p>Even so, in 1968 (for example) the <i>Go-Set</i> carts were simply headed with <b><i>This chart is calculated each week from the most recent charts from the following radio stations: 2UW, 2UE, 3UZ, 3AK, 3DB, 3XY, 4BC, 4IP, 5AD, 6KA, 6PR, 6KY, 7LA, 7HO</i></b>. </p><p>(The earliest charts in Britain were also <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110903033717/http://www.davemcaleer.com/page21.htm" target="_blank">compiled by music magazines</a>. New Zealand's magazine charts <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170630210110/http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=NZ%20listener%20charts#n_view_location">in <i>NZ Listener</i></a> were based on polling rather than sales figures and the same was <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170630212554/http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=Lever%20hit%20parades#n_view_location">possibly true</a> of NZBC's early Lever Charts.)</p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">What should we make of all this?</span> </b></span></span></span></span>So if the retrospective charts we have now are not strictly a reflection of how well records actually sold back in the day, but seem to be based on sources that were open to all sorts of biases, are they a pointless exercise? If #10 in 1967 doesn't necessarily mean #10 as we understand it from say, the modern ARIA charts, am I wasting my readers' time by including chart positions at all?</p><p>Well, no. And no. It's possible to be too cynical about these collections of playlists, selective sales figures, and whatever the radio stations wanted to type into their charts. </p><p>Even if they were nothing more than a collection of radio playlists, they would provide a pretty good snapshot of what we were listening to at the time. <br /></p><p>At the website of <a href="https://radiolondon.co.uk/" target="_blank">pirate station Radio London</a> (The Big L), the compilers of the Fab 40 charts understand this. Not only are they <a href="https://www.radiolondon.co.uk/rl/scrap60/fabforty/65fabs/march66/fab130366/fab130366.html" target="_blank">explicit</a> about the fact that <i>the Big L charts were never compiled from figures supplied by retailer</i>s,<i> </i>but they <a href="https://www.radiolondon.co.uk/rl/scrap60/fabforty/" target="_blank">consider</a> this to be an advantage: <i>These Radio London Fab Forty charts differ very much from the National or 'Official' sales-based charts of the time, in that they contain numerous entries from obscure recording artists</i>. Those quotes around 'Official' almost look like a put-down.<br /></p><p>In the 50s and 60s, we listened to radio. There was no Spotify or YouTube, no instant downloads or file sharing. There was radio, some TV, and some vinyl if you could afford it (I usually couldn't: most of my 45s were oddities from the cut-out bins). But mainly it was radio. Our generation had a transistor radio to an ear at every possible moment. We woke up to Top 40 radio and we fell asleep to it.</p><p>Listening in to Melbourne, I was a dial surfer, from The Greater 3UZ, over to 3DB for Barry Ferber, and on to 3AK or 3KZ as the whim took me. I became a fan of 3XY when it flipped to a pop format. <br /></p><p>As a result, if I browse through the Melbourne chart books of Gavin Ryan or Tom Guest, compiled using charts from several stations, I am looking at a recognisable analogue of my teenage listening experience and, I assume, that of my readers. </p><p>Remember too, that radio stations were in a competitive commercial
industry. It
was their job to tap into the tastes and preferences of their audiences, and I doubt that their playlists and charts were compiled offhandedly. A retrospective chart based around radio playlists still has credibility, even if its sources were not based strictly on sales data.<br /></p><p><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A final digression</b></span></span></span></span> My habit of switching stations must have been common, because when 3XY changed its format from adult-oriented albums to Top 40 singles, it placed its news at 10 to and 10 past the hour, an innovation from America. The thinking was that kids listening to the established stations would twiddle the dial in search of music when the news came on at the top of the hour. At that time 3XY would be playing a record, so the kids might discover the station and stay... But maybe only till 10 past when the news came on! </p> <hr /><p><a href="https://www.angelfire.com/pa2/stella/fanfic.html"><i>Toppermost of the poppermost</i></a> are <b><span style="color: #990000;">John Lennon's </span></b>words, but you probably know that by now.<br /></p><p> <span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Sources</b></span></span></span></span> I haven't used academic footnoting, but I've drawn on these sources.<br /><i>• </i>Daniel Lowe's informed, concise overview of the history of Australian charts. [Offline but <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20080404224826/http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/edu/ICT/student_pages/sem1_2003/dlowe/hist1.html" target="_blank">archived here</a>.]<br /><i>• </i>Detailed chart history at Milesago which covers Australia and other countries: <a href="http://www.milesago.com/Radio/top40.htm" target="_blank"><i>Top 40 Radio and the Pop Charts</i></a><br />• The indispensable
<a href="http://las-solanas.com/arsa/" target="_blank">ARSA</a> - The Airheads Radio Survey Archive<br />• Wayne Mac, <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Don_t_Touch_that_Dial/bvHUAAAACAAJ?hl=en" target="_blank"><i>Don't Touch That Dial: Hits & Memories of Australian Radio</i></a> (2005)<br />• Gavin Ryan's <i>Music Chart Books</i> for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth 1953-2013, (2004-2007)<br />• Thomas J. Guest, <i>Thirty Years of Hits: Melbourne Top 40 Research 1960-1990</i> (1991)<br />• Jim Barnes, Fred Dyer and Stephen Scanes, <i>The Book</i>, Top 40 Research Services (1986)<br />• <a href="https://www.australianchartbooks.com.au/" target="_blank">Website</a> for David Kent's Australian Chart Books (includes online store) <br />• Alan Smith's <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110903033717/http://www.davemcaleer.com/page21.htm" target="_blank">history of British charts</a> at Dave McAleer's website [Internet Archive]<br />• New Zealand's <a href="http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=Lever%20hit%20parades#n_view_location" target="_blank">Lever Hit Parades</a> 1960-66 and <a href="http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=NZ%20listener%20charts#n_view_location" target="_blank">NZ Listener Charts</a> 1966-74 with brief commentary at Flavour of New Zealand.<br /></p><hr /><p><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Collectors' Corner</b></span></span></span></span> Here is my entire collection of authentic 1960s charts</p>:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7OTTKIaGgCypkuA6xlcm6Byzcdp6xW-jALNw7cheFFysB_1J_Gs3MZiXYh642wmnaX3Uj7IBJMtqJl6GqVANDEUr4CcJu_izhFhXzEg-_aTpGQk9KbOrDG9NaoDLIRsd_Ak/s860/3UZ+Aug+66+scan+smaller.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="650" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7OTTKIaGgCypkuA6xlcm6Byzcdp6xW-jALNw7cheFFysB_1J_Gs3MZiXYh642wmnaX3Uj7IBJMtqJl6GqVANDEUr4CcJu_izhFhXzEg-_aTpGQk9KbOrDG9NaoDLIRsd_Ak/w303-h400/3UZ+Aug+66+scan+smaller.jpg" width="303" /></a></div><br /></div>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-79073016538637419232020-10-24T20:16:00.086+10:002024-03-12T14:45:25.548+10:00Only in Oz (14): Diana Trask - Oh Boy (1974)<p><span style="font-style: italic;">Another in my </span><span><a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/search/label/ONLY%20IN%20OZ" style="font-style: italic;">series of posts</a></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span> about tracks that were more popular in Australia than in their countries of origin. See also: <a href="http://poparchivesblog.blogspot.com/search/label/ONLY%20IN%20MELBOURNE">Only in Melbourne</a></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 100%;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #990000;">14. Diana Trask</span> - Oh Boy</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 100%;"> (Tony Romeo)<br />USA 1974</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><b><a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/doa17536">ABC Dot single</a></b> (USA) # DOA-17536<br /><b><a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/k5808"> Dot single</a></b> (Australia 1975) K-5808</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><b>Australian charts</b>: #2 Melbourne, #4 Sydney, #2 Adelaide, #7 Perth (<a href="https://www.top100singles.net/2011/11/every-amr-top-100-single-in-1975.html#show" target="_blank"><b>#10 Australia</b></a>)<br /><a href="https://youtu.be/LS5D1HnWnqY" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: white;"><b>YouTube</b></span></span></a></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #ffe599;">Back at the website I have written about <a href="http://www.poparchives.com.au/feature.php?id=3170"><b><u>Going Steady</u></b></a>, <b><span style="color: #990000;">Diana Trask's </span></b>first single, released in Australia in 1958.</span> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwcVVWO7bwshQUEr17phNFNLyJL1GhzKnM7c1oZa8C2LKuFegvp5ugq7rWPrYxopQVeGmeBDwz1qMkNB-9hwIVgGxLd_45oALhVwuNce6soniyChJxsUDmbb-AXc2VRPYjWYc/s183/diana_trask2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img align="right" border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwcVVWO7bwshQUEr17phNFNLyJL1GhzKnM7c1oZa8C2LKuFegvp5ugq7rWPrYxopQVeGmeBDwz1qMkNB-9hwIVgGxLd_45oALhVwuNce6soniyChJxsUDmbb-AXc2VRPYjWYc/s0/diana_trask2.jpg" /></a></div><p><b>Oh Boy</b> is an American record by an Australian singer. It was produced in Nashville by <a href="https://countrymusichalloffame.org/artist/jim-foglesong/"><b><span style="color: #990000;"><u>Jim Foglesong</u></span></b></a>, the distinguished country music producer, A&R man, and recording industry executive. </p><p>By the time <b>Oh Boy</b> was released, <b><span style="color: #990000;">Diana Trask</span></b> was living and working in Nashville, where she was following a <a href="https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/70s/1975/CB-1975-03-08-OCR-Page-0061.pdf#search=%22diana%20trask%20oh%20boy%22">successful career as a country singer</a>. The single didn't chart on the American pop charts, but it did better on country music charts. On <i>Cash Box's</i> Country Top 75, for example, it <a href="https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/70s/1975/CB-1975-03-15-OCR-Page-0049.pdf#search=%22diana%20trask%20oh%20boy%22">reached #16</a> in March 1975.<br /></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 100%;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Trask</span></b> </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">(b.1940) began her career </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">in the late 50s </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">in Melbourne, her birthplace, but she soon moved to the US, in 1959. Before too long she was a regular on the high-rating network TV show <i>Sing Along With Mitch. </i><a href="https://youtu.be/6z8LJwzU4Oc" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: white;"><b>YouTube</b></span></span></a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 100%;">There are parallels with </span><b><span style="color: #990000;">Helen Reddy</span></b><span style="font-size: 100%;">, another </span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"></span>young single woman </span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">from Melbourne </span></span>who successfully tried her luck in the US</span>. She was born in nearby Warburton only a year after <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Trask</b></span>, and moved to the US in 1966. </p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Diana </span></b>Trask</span></b> supported <b><span style="color: #990000;">Frank Sinatra</span></b> on an Australian tour in 1959. He encouraged her move to the US, and later that year he took an entourage of dinner guests to her New York opening at the Blue Angel. <br /></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8RHK_nb6RptnIrore4qglATDpDYYlYN8gETWyCZQJBbpYIzrPz0O4UiZnSGneY0hJWu_cX3erIEv0BBvSwc8URLAr3YfkDaGbtfrlSAePNfpIrUhhNBujruNrOZgdfJ28uNc/s150/tony_romeo_the_trout_album_sleeve.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img align="right" border="0" data-original-height="149" data-original-width="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8RHK_nb6RptnIrore4qglATDpDYYlYN8gETWyCZQJBbpYIzrPz0O4UiZnSGneY0hJWu_cX3erIEv0BBvSwc8URLAr3YfkDaGbtfrlSAePNfpIrUhhNBujruNrOZgdfJ28uNc/s0/tony_romeo_the_trout_album_sleeve.jpg" /></a></b></div><b>Oh Boy</b> is an original song written by <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Tony Romeo</b></span>. (The 1957 <b><span style="color: #990000;">Crickets</span></b> hit is a <a href="https://www.45cat.com/record/55035">different song</a>.)<span style="color: #990000;"><b> </b></span>To my non-musicologist's ear, it<b> </b>seems to be an inventive composition with multiple melodic ideas, unusual in a popular song.<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: red;"></span></span></span></span></span></span><p></p><p>It was later recorded in Britain by <b><span style="color: #990000;">Brotherhood Of Man</span></b> as <b>Oh Boy (The Mood I'm In)</b>, with an arrangement by <b><span style="color: #990000;">Tony Heller</span></b> (1977, #8 UK). <a href="https://youtu.be/20oU_hIIhmo" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: white;"><b>YouTube</b></span></span></a> <br /></p><p><span style="color: #990000;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Tony </b></span>Romeo </b></span>(1938-1995) was a prolific songwriter. Wikipedia <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Romeo">lists around 130 compositions</a>, mainly from the mid-60s to the late-70s, and 45cat has numerous entries for <a href="https://www.45cat.com/45_search.php?sq=Tony+Romeo&sm=cm">Tony Romeo - composer</a>. He was also an arranger, producer, and performer.<br /></p><p>You might be familiar with these <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Tony Romeo</b></span> compositions:<br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #990000;"><b> The Cowsills'</b></span> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Lake_(song)"><b>Indian Lake</b></a> (1968, #10 USA, also arranged by <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Romeo</b></span>);</li><li><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Lou Christie's</b></span> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_Gonna_Make_You_Mine_(Lou_Christie_song)"><b>I'm Gonna Make You Mine</b></a> (1969, #10 <i>Billboard</i>, #7, <i>Cash Box</i>, #2 UK);</li><li><span style="color: #990000;"><b>The Partridge Family's</b></span><b> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Think_I_Love_You">I Think I Love You</a> </b>(1970, #1 USA);<span style="color: #990000;"><b> </b></span></li><li><span style="color: #990000;"><b>The Partridge Family's</b></span> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_One_of_Those_Nights_(Yes_Love)"><b>It's One Of Those Nights (Yes Love)</b></a> (1971, #20).</li></ul><p>Other notable artists who recorded his songs include <span style="color: #990000;"><b>David Cassidy</b></span>,
<span style="color: #990000;"><b>Wayne Newton</b></span>,
<span style="color: #990000;"><b>The Everly Brothers</b></span>,
<span style="color: #990000;"><b>Paul Anka</b></span>, and <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Richard Harris</b></span>. As <a href="https://www.45cat.com/45_search.php?sq=Tony+Romeo&sm=pr">a producer</a> he worked, for example, with <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Richard Harris</b></span> (<a href="https://www.discogs.com/Richard-Harris-Slides/release/2967138"><i>Slides</i></a>, 1972) and with <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Lou Christie</b></span> (<a href="https://www.discogs.com/Lou-Christie-Lou-Christie/release/2925480"><i>Lou Christie</i></a>, 1974). </p><p>As a performer, he recorded a couple of <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/442966-Tony-Romeo">solo singles</a>. (I've seen a self-titled album mentioned but I can't verify it.) With<span style="color: #990000;"><b> Cassandra Morgan</b></span> and <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Frank Romeo </b></span>- his brother - he recorded as
<span style="color: #990000;"><b>The Trout</b></span> for a well-received 1968 album, <a href="https://www.45worlds.com/vinyl/album/se4592"><i>The Trout</i></a>, produced and written by <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Tony</b></span>. <a href="https://youtu.be/d7Jcya8UGTI" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: white;"><b>YouTube</b></span></span></a><br /></p><p><b>_____________</b></p>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAbjfJnPk0RjuBe71xzZjkDZoEHRhZ2hSzj3sMH2u0bEm461UIvSSmxgMJL3zkMaJr42oFmK-9nTXh1roT9NAIjQxOgkmNv2UNw7TnZmmldSEpYdz0rE6FqvCTC8HFK3RpHg/s0/R-2925480-1374812891-4704.jpeg.jpg" style="clear: right; display: block; float: right; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="149" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAbjfJnPk0RjuBe71xzZjkDZoEHRhZ2hSzj3sMH2u0bEm461UIvSSmxgMJL3zkMaJr42oFmK-9nTXh1roT9NAIjQxOgkmNv2UNw7TnZmmldSEpYdz0rE6FqvCTC8HFK3RpHg/w151-h153/R-2925480-1374812891-4704.jpeg.jpg" width="151" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #ffe599;"><b>Update</b></span> (thanks to <a href="https://www.blogger.com/profile/10408350695496961014">Triman</a>, via the Comments): In the mid-70s <span style="color: #990000;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Tony </b></span>Romeo</b></span> worked for the <a href="https://www.discogs.com/label/100972-Three-Brothers-Records">Three Brothers</a> label, set up by jazz producer <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Creed Taylor</b></span>. The label's discography consists pretty much of <a href="https://www.45cat.com/label/three-brothers">some singles</a> by <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Lou Christie</b></span>, and<span style="color: #990000;"><b> </b></span>a <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Lou-Christie-Lou-Christie/release/2925480">self-titled <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Lou Christie</b></span> album</a> (1974, the only LP on the label until two outliers, in <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Various-Classical-Jazz/release/13556210">1983</a> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Duke-Jones-Thunder-Island/release/6064883">1994</a>). <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Romeo</b></span> was heavily involved, as writer, arranger, producer and musician. Also contributing were <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Cass Morgan</b></span> and <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Frank Romeo</b></span> who had been in <span style="color: #990000;"><b>The Trout</b></span> with <span style="color: #990000;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Tony</b></span></b></span> in the late 60s. Mark Cathcart tells <a href="https://www.ctproduced.com/three-brothers-records/">the full story in detail</a> at his fan website <i>Creed Taylor Produced</i>.<p></p>
</div>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-9004259116314973492020-05-29T20:21:00.010+10:002022-10-11T15:50:02.956+10:00By the way, what is yéyé?<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i><b>Philippe Edouard</b>, PopArchives correspondent in France, traces the origins and aftermath of yéyé.</i> </div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"> <b>
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"French <i>yéyé
</i>is the best music in the world."
<br />
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<br /></div>
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This assessment by the
Californian singer-songwriter <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/april-march-mn0000597239/biography" target="_blank">April March</a> is very flattering to
French pop, but it may be exaggerated.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
But by the way, what is
<i>yéyé</i>?</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The expression
indicates a musical style that appeared in France at the beginning of
the Sixties, influenced by the Anglo-Saxon pop successes of this
period. Nowadays it is even applied to the whole<span style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll transparent;">
decade of the Sixties, without distinction among musical genres.</span></div>
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<b>Saturday June 22, 1963</b>:
Radio Europe1 organises what would be known as <i>La Folle Nuit de la
Nation </i><span style="font-style: normal;">(mad night at the
Nation), a </span>free outdoor concert of rock and twist at Place de
la Nation in Paris, performed by the idols of the moment.</div>
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Europe1 hopes to bring
together 20,000 young people, but there will be 150,000 teenagers.
Some speak of 200,000 fans.</div>
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The next day, the
government and the press are terrified. Journalists report the damage
caused by the <i>"Blousons Noirs" </i><span style="font-style: normal;">(hooligans, lit. "black
jackets")</span>. The organisation, the singers, and the fans
all go down in flames. The event is so phenomenal that the press
around the world begins to talk about it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK7aKlqHbiuRgZmBV43YLCpiuanueM7Iwc9ltMeL8ZVsgp3LcOdY7Yc3PdEhcAq72KSt13x012BqEd0LZqDaxwlL-gWre8FvF2ynZlgzwzmIcbPCYuwdXGNpkxEkxHtXE_mh4/s1600/BLURyeye_Chris_Daltons_BnW+w250.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK7aKlqHbiuRgZmBV43YLCpiuanueM7Iwc9ltMeL8ZVsgp3LcOdY7Yc3PdEhcAq72KSt13x012BqEd0LZqDaxwlL-gWre8FvF2ynZlgzwzmIcbPCYuwdXGNpkxEkxHtXE_mh4/s1600/BLURyeye_Chris_Daltons_BnW+w250.jpg" /></a></div>
<b>On July 6, 1963</b>,<i> </i>the
sociologist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Morin" target="_blank">Edgar Morin</a> publishes an article<i> </i>on this
phenomenon, in the newspaper <i>Le Monde</i>. He intelligently
describes the ongoing changes in youth.</div>
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For the first time the
word <i>yéyé</i> appears in the press.</div>
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Edgar Morin is
therefore seen to this day as the father of the word <i>yéyé</i>.
Now 98 years old, he always takes pleasure in talking about his
creation and nobody finds anything to complain about, except certain
musicologists. Did he find it in a flash of genius? False! He visited
the haunts of young people, including the famous music club
<i><a href="http://www.musicfranco.net/le-golf-drouot-le-temple-du-rock-and-roll-un-lieu-mythique-qui-etait-le-passage-obligatoire-de-tous-les-plus-grands-representants-du-rock-francais-et-international-bientot-une-plaque-commemorative-a/" target="_blank">Golf-Drouot</a> </i><span style="font-style: normal;">in Paris</span>.</div>
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The band <a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Chris" target="_blank">Long Chris et Les Daltons</a> are regulars at <i>Golf.</i> Their guitarist, Jean-Pierre
Bordi, alias Peter, who spends his life there, does not stop to
finish his sentences when he enthuses about it: <i>"It's yeah,
yeah..!” </i>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-style: normal;">(The
group's </span>rhythm guitarist Gérard François, aka “Wimpy”,
says y<i>er, yer </i><span style="font-style: normal;">for</span>
<i>yeah, yeah, </i><span style="font-style: normal;">and so is
nicknamed </span><i>Yer Yer.</i><span style="font-style: normal;">)</span><br />
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In this way the
interjection <i>yé-yé</i> was born, not spontaneously, but in the
confines of Golf Drouot where the expression became part of everyday
life. And the <i>yeah! yeah! </i>that we often hear in Anglo-Saxon rock
songs is adopted by their French counterparts.
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On disc, <a href="https://www.georges-aber.com/en/index.php" target="_blank">Georges Aber</a>
used it for the first time in early 1963 with <i>‘Des ya ya des yé
yé’</i>. However, up until mid-1963, the singers of the 60s were
called simply rockers or twisters or even <i>copains </i><span style="font-style: normal;">(buddies)
and </span><i>idoles</i> (idols).</div>
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With the advent of the
twist, the recording industry had organized itself and quickly
recovered from the surge of rock.</div>
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<b>In 1962 </b><a href="https://theartsdesk.com/new-music/france-remembers-claude-fran%C3%A7ois" target="_blank">Claude François</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheila_(singer)" target="_blank">Sheila</a>, the prototype <i>yéyé</i> artists, appear. They sing
of the twist, but also of the new trends like the hully-gully,
mashed-potatoes, and Madison. It is a <i>variété
rythmée</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> (pop music)</span> that
appeals to young people and reassures parents. Record labels promote
many idols who, for one or more EPs, will discover glory in a more or
less ephemeral way.</div>
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<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>1963</b> marks the start of
the British invasion. Rock singers and French British-beat groups have a
hard time being heard, unlike during the first wave of rock and twist. Besides, the rockers are pure and hard, so there is no question of them going
<i>yéyé</i>.
It is marshmallow, a less virile form of their music, worked over by showbiz.</div>
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<b>1966</b> comes around. The
older generation was used to being more or less contemptuous or
indifferent to <i>yéyé</i>.<br />
<br />
Suddenly they are shaken by a newcomer.
<a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine_(chanteur)" target="_blank">Antoine</a>, with an air of folk-rock tinged with the jerk, throws
everything out the window, finding his generation as old-fashioned as
the old. His song <a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_%C3%89lucubrations_d'Antoine" target="_blank"><i>Les élucubrations d'Antoine</i></a> <span style="font-size: x-small;">[<b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3z4sTKn-f0" target="_blank">YouTube</a></b>] </span>revolutionizes French music but also shakes up society. Talking about over-the-counter contraceptive pills in supermarkets was totally subversive at the time.</div>
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<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2016/jul/05/cult-heroes-jacques-dutronc-french-pop-music-1960s" target="_blank">Jacques Dutronc</a> and
<a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/michel-polnareff-mn0000403794/biography" target="_blank">Michel Polnareff</a> also disrupt the music with original lyrics that no
longer speak only of love affairs but of a society of consumerism and
sex. Girls are not to be outdone: <a href="https://www.bide-et-musique.com/artist/3483.html" target="_blank">Charlotte Leslie</a> clearly says:
"Girls, they are made for making love" <span style="font-size: x-small;">[<b><a href="https://youtu.be/Npc4H6jz8mE" target="_blank">YouTube</a></b>] </span></div>
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This moral revolution
lands two years before the <b>May 1968</b> student revolt which will lead to
huge strikes and radical changes in society.</div>
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Strictly speaking, <i>yéyé
</i>is of the <b>period between 1963 and 1966</b>. It could go back to
<b>mid-1962</b>, but the name does not officially exist. And it could
continue after <b>1966</b>, but the term becomes more and more overused.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
This musical phenomenon
shines in the French-speaking world - Belgium, Switzerland,
Luxembourg and Quebec - but also in Italy, Portugal, Lebanon, and
even in Japan. Its influence is also felt in South America.</div>
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The other country of
<i>yéyé</i> (as with the EP) is Spain, which will reproduce in its
own way the French wave.
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[<b><a href="https://youtu.be/L2SG1P86JCQ" target="_blank">YouTube</a></b>] </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBEzzEjyszHPyPVaJUgNwb3fP_k-wzyj5Es43XgVKK5YdUVUXtUYOym4nXHM8ce99svVuqc0Ie6fVTpFqtcBEkvcu7MvTQGdofhkykOvthtrC55whPMyGKjS99ADZS-OUuo4/s1600/ye-ye-girls.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBEzzEjyszHPyPVaJUgNwb3fP_k-wzyj5Es43XgVKK5YdUVUXtUYOym4nXHM8ce99svVuqc0Ie6fVTpFqtcBEkvcu7MvTQGdofhkykOvthtrC55whPMyGKjS99ADZS-OUuo4/s1600/ye-ye-girls.jpg" /></a></div>
<b>In 2013</b>, in England,<b> </b>the music journalist, author, singer, and publisher <a href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/ye-ye-girls-jean-emmanuel-deluxe/book/9781936239719.html" target="_blank">Jean-Emmanuel Deluxe</a> published compilation albums and a book of French pop singers from the 60s. He called this series 'Yé-Yé Girls'. Since then, the name has toured the world. He can be reproached for being a bit of a copycat, but thanks to him everything is finally official. Since then, other <i>yéyé</i> collections<i> </i>have appeared in Anglo-Saxon markets. </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
By the way, how is it
written? <i>Yé-yé </i><span style="font-style: normal;">or </span><i>yéyé</i><span style="font-style: normal;">?</span><i>
</i><span style="font-style: normal;">O</span>r <i>yeyé</i> as in
Spain, or even <i>yèyè </i><span style="font-style: normal;">as</span>
in Italy? Do you need a plural “s”?</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Originally, <i>yé-yé
</i>is a double interjection so we put in the hyphen. Interjections
do not take a plural. Thereafter the attached form<i> yéyé </i>becomes
plural, <i>yéyés</i>. But whatever the spelling, it remains an
emblem of freedom for the youth of the 60s.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Philippe.<br />
____________________________<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDQfnvrBTrCYPoz_NSDI3A-zOipXcK7LtOIytiaea5GgwLV9_Ym7gZnjlfRCng2oLTs8DEtSrFHBTuyLuOgYa68_H3gh0VzHqA4crcI59See-NXfiBlzvI1rSbHgqjLeCfg8Q/s1600/anti-yeye_book.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="279" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDQfnvrBTrCYPoz_NSDI3A-zOipXcK7LtOIytiaea5GgwLV9_Ym7gZnjlfRCng2oLTs8DEtSrFHBTuyLuOgYa68_H3gh0VzHqA4crcI59See-NXfiBlzvI1rSbHgqjLeCfg8Q/s200/anti-yeye_book.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>
<b>Further reading, viewing</b>:<br />
<br />
Christian Eudeline, <a href="https://www.eyrolles.com/Audiovisuel/Livre/anti-yeye-9782207257319/" target="_blank"><i>Anti Yéyé</i></a> (2006) <br />
Remarkable work on singers and beat groups who had a difficult career because of <i>yéyé</i> and the British Invasion. (In French. The title is inspired by Pierre Vassiliu's 1963 song <span class="tracklist_track_title"><a href="https://www.discogs.com/Pierre-Vassiliu-Alice/release/4132133" target="_blank"><i>Twist Anti-Yé</i></a>.)</span><br />
<i><br /><a href="https://youtu.be/xKk02VXnhNY" target="_blank">YéYé Révolution 1962-1966</a></i> (2010)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
TV documentary (in French) at YouTube. A visual and musical treat, featuring many key figures of the period including Sheila, Claude François, Sylvie Vartan, Dick Rivers, Francoise Hardy, and Johnny Hallyday. <br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">____________________________</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b style="background-color: #ffe599;">Update 2022</b>:</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Gareth Jones, <i><a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/French-Pop-Gareth-Jones/9781739966706" target="_blank">French Pop From Music Hall to Yé-Yé</a> </i></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Newly published and well-reviewed, this will be followed by a second volume up to the late 1960s. The author is a friend of PopArchives who is <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Apoparchives.com.au+%22gareth+jones%22&oq=site%3Apoparchives.com.au&aqs=edge.1.69i59l5j69i58j69i64j69i61l2.4734j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">credited</a> in several places for his contributions.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">____________________________</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div></div>
Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-20892542646386585022016-05-06T21:19:00.001+10:002023-09-03T06:49:29.980+10:00Eulogies and celebrities (from 'Friday on My Mind')<p><i>I wrote this post <a href="https://bobwords.com.au/eulogies-and-celebrities/">as a guest</a> at </i><i>Bob Wilson's weekly blog <a href="https://bobwords.com.au">Friday on My Mind</a> </i></p><p>---</p><p><b>6 May 2016 </b>Back in January, when Bob and I discussed how lavishly some musicians are eulogised, it was David Bowie’s death that was in the news. Then Prince died a couple of weeks ago and my Facebook timeline filled up with posts from shocked friends. Still trying to digest this, said one, I just… I just can’t believe it said another.</p><p>There were Prince videos, and mentions of purple rain, Paisley Park and raspberry berets. A few days later, a friend said he had been listening solidly to Prince’s music for the past few days. Even literary magazine <i>The Paris Review</i> posted twice about Prince to Facebook. When my digital copy of <i>The New Yorker</i> appeared during the week, its cover was given over to a simple depiction of… purple rain. At the weekend, somebody at our monthly book club meeting repeated the (unfounded) gossip about Prince having had AIDS.</p><p><i>The Sydney Morning Herald</i> reported that Prince was soaring to the top of the album charts as mourning fans rush to remember the artist’s legacy through his music. This sounded like clumsy reporting. A fan doesn’t wait for the artist to die, they go ahead and access the music whenever it’s available, and in any case there didn’t seem to be a need for anyone to rush. A dignified saunter, perhaps.</p><p>As Bob said in his post following Bowie’s death, “some will grieve, others are just sad,” and on that occasion I was in the sad group, but I couldn’t say I was grieving. I remembered individual songs with affection, but the bottom didn’t fall out of my world.</p><p>In the case of Prince, I was on the footpath, watching the wild and colourful funeral procession of a stranger passing by. Many had urged Prince’s music on me over the years, and I had often followed their advice and listened, but I never became a fan. My response wasn’t callous, this was the death of a man of 57, too young in any walk of life, but I wasn’t shocked and I can’t say I was grieving.</p><p>The extent of the reaction took me by surprise, but as an outsider I’m not qualified to belittle it. No doubt there were outside observers who didn’t get it when we mourned the deaths of Buddy Holly and John Lennon, two examples when I was an insider and did get it.</p><p>Jack Shafer at Politico, wrote about the “mega-obituary” and suggested that Prince died when his prime fanbase, “Prince-loving Boomers and Gen-Xers”, are in a position to call the “editorial shots”. In <i>The Guardian</i>, Ian Jack commented tetchily on the voluminous David Bowie tributes, including 24 pages in <i>The Guardian</i>. He went to that paper’s archives and discovered its muted reporting of the deaths of Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley, a contrast that seems to support Shafer’s point.</p><p>Regardless of generational bias, I’ve never understood the impulse to go out and buy – or stay in and download – the works of an artist who has just died. If anything, my impulse has been to give their works a rest for a while. Later, I get back to them with the old enthusiasm.</p><p>No doubt, there are a lot of people who discover the artist through the publicity around their death; they like what they hear, and go ahead and buy some of it.</p><p>It is remarkable how people can genuinely grieve for a celebrity they’ve never met (Amy Winehouse, Whitney Houston or B.B King). We are routinely saddened, even depressed, about the deaths of unknown people we’ve never met, victims of violence or epidemics. But the grief some people show for celebrities goes beyond that natural empathy for another human. When Steve Irwin died, the circumstances were shocking, and it was a wrench to see such a positive, larger-than-life figure suddenly taken. A teaching colleague and her students made tributes which she delivered to Australia Zoo. They clearly felt that they knew Steve as if he had been present, in person, in their lives. I read an online comment from a woman who said her three-year-old already missed Steve, a sentiment you often see: they miss the celebrity.</p><p>I can think of times when I’ve missed a celebrity. I still miss Jon Stewart (still alive, I hasten to add) hosting <i>The Daily Show</i>, because I used to enjoy watching him every day, and now I can’t do that. When Phil Hartman died in violent circumstances it was shocking, and I missed him when he was no longer in the next season of <i>Newsradio</i>, but his absence was in the nature of a cast change, not in the sense that I was used to having him around the place and then he was gone. I was a little sad and reflective when Groucho Marx died, but I couldn’t really say I missed him. I didn’t come down to breakfast and think, “Gee I miss seeing old Groucho there every morning, cracking his egg open and making wise-ass comments over the morning newspaper.”</p><p>There is a persistent illusion that we “know” an artist through their work. Of course we know that important aspect of them, but we don’t know them as we know people we see every day. I’m not convinced that we can confidently claim to know a person through their works, in spite of attempts by some scholars of Shakespeare or J.S. Bach to extrapolate biographical details from the works. This is partly because a work of art has a life of its own that is beyond the control of its creator, especially after it’s published and every member of the audience puts their own construction on it.</p><p>Note the surprise when a well-loved celebrity disgraces themselves. Bill Cosby? Surely not! We know him so well, it’s not possible. Rolf Harris? Nooo, not Rolf! Please! tweeted the twitterers. We forget that we know only their published work, a little gossip and second-hand reportage, and a carefully crafted public persona that may tell us nothing about them out of the public gaze. Forgetting that, it’s a small step to grieving for them as if we’ve lost a family member or close friend.</p><p>I wondered why the cause of Prince’s death was so important to the fans. Then I thought of an example of my own. I’m a fan of British singer-songwriter Nick Drake who died in 1974 aged 26 without achieving much recognition. By the 1990s, when I discovered his albums, musicians were citing him as an influence, his songs were being heard in films, and he was being championed by <i>MOJO</i> magazine.</p><p>Even long after the events, I read everything I could, and hung out for the bio-doco <i>A Skin Too Few</i>, made by his sister Gabrielle who disagreed with the coroner’s suicide finding. I was interested in a theory that his depression was down to the grey English winters, a known syndrome. I was fascinated by a video snippet of a young man walking away from the camera at a music festival, in what might or might not be the only existing footage of Nick Drake.</p><p>See how they weave a spell on us, when we connect with their work?</p><p>All in all, though, a minimalist approach would suit me. Report the news succinctly and without gushing, write a well-researched obituary, and leave the rest to the reader. My ideals are those concise obits in the British press that manage to cover the life and achievements of an artist in one page. As a bonus, they usually get the details right and don’t demand any mass emotional response.</p>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12089133.post-38455643400236023142015-01-27T12:25:00.002+10:002021-10-03T21:39:05.654+10:00"Softly Whispering I Love You": five versions and one that never existed.When I looked into the history of this song I thought I was tracing the original version of a 1972 Australian single by <b><span style="color: #990000;">Johnny Farnham and Allison Durbin</span></b>.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>That single never existed</i>, it turned out, and the song was never recorded by <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Farnham and Durbin</b></span>.<br />
<br />
True, they recorded an album of duets in 1971, <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Together_(John_Farnham_album)" target="_blank">Together</a>. </i>One track on the album, <b>Baby Without You</b>, had been a hit that I'd already <a href="http://www.poparchives.com.au/1777/johnny-farnham-allison-durbin/baby-without-you" target="_blank">written about at the website</a>. <b>Softly Whispering I Love You</b> wasn't on the album, nor did it appear as a single the following year.<br />
<br />
Mick Robbins spotted it immediately. He's long been a friend of the website, and he's often helped me out with his knowledge of 60s and 70s Australian pop, especially of female singers such as <b><span style="color: #990000;">Allison Durbin</span></b>. There's no such record, he said, must be a misprint somewhere, and he was right.<br />
<br />
The phantom version was mentioned in two Wikipedia articles (now corrected) that had been copied and pasted many times on various websites, so a Google search certainly threw up a lot of mentions. That gave the impression that this was a known record.<br />
<br />
I finally found out that the Wikipedia article had used a source that had somehow substituted <b><span style="color: #990000;">Farnham and Durbin</span></b> for the name of <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Congregation</span></b>, the UK group that charted in Australia in 1972 with a version of the song. It was a simple transcription or cut-and-paste error that took on a little life of its own.<br />
<br />
[If you are sceptical, try finding the record in any reliable discography, 1972 chart, official artist biography or 1972 news story. The only mentions I found online were in the erroneous source - now corrected - or had been cut and pasted from the now-corrected Wikipedia articles. So ignore passing mentions and look in the databases, contemporary sources and authoritative books. You won't find it.]<br />
<br />
The non-existent<span style="color: #990000;"><b> Farnham-Durbin</b></span> version is still listed in my website's index pages, but all you'll find <a href="http://poparchives.com.au/2665/johnny-farnham-allison-durbin/softly-whispering-i-love-you" target="_blank">at my page on the song</a> is a brief explanation with a link to here, under the heading<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b> THE RECORD THAT NEVER WAS!</b></span> (Get <a href="http://au.movieposter.com/posters/archive/main/44/MPW-22459" target="_blank">the cultural reference</a>?)<br />
<br />
I had become attached to the song over the two or three days that I was researching it, and I still have it playing in my head. When I rediscovered it, I vaguely recalled that it had been previously released by someone else, but I had no details.<br />
<br />
It sounded to me like one of those pop tunes that originated with a classical piece, but that isn't so. (I was thinking of the likes of <b>If I Had Words </b>a 1978 record by
<b><span style="color: #990000;">Scott Fitzgerald and Yvonne Keeley</span></b> that reggaes up a melody by Camille Saint-Saëns <span style="font-size: x-small;">[<b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBDxKxp1eDg" target="_blank">YouTube</a></b>]</span>. My friend Ostin Allegro has a <a href="http://www.originalsproject.us/" target="_blank">website devoted to these classic-to-pop cases</a>.)<br />
<br />
I was pleased to find that it originated with <b><span style="color: #990000;">Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway</span></b>, examples of those powerhouse British songwriting teams of the late 60s whose songs were always on the charts, even if we'd never heard of them. Not only had they written it, but they'd recorded it in 1967 as <span style="color: #990000;"><b>David And Jonathan</b></span> whom I recalled only as having had a successful cover version of the Beatles' <b>Michelle</b> (1966, #11 UK). They also charted with <b>Lovers Of The World Unite</b> (1966, #7 UK).<br />
<br />
<iframe align="right" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="158" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/pt2PnfdqzTg" width="210"></iframe>I was also taken by a YouTube video a <i>Top of the Pops</i> performance of the 1971 version by <b style="color: #990000;">The Congregation</b>. This has vocalist<span style="color: #990000;"><b> Brian Keith</b></span> out front, with guitarist <b><span style="color: #990000;">Martin Sack </span></b>filling in for <b><span style="color: #990000;">Alan Parker</span></b> from <b><span style="color: #990000;">Blue Mink</span></b> (heard on the <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Congregation </b></span>record), who was unavailable for this filming. The rest of the studio space is taken over with a choir, complete with an energetic conductor - <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Andrew Jackman</b></span> - who I could swear is a model for the zany choir conductor in<i> The Vicar of Dibley</i>. (He is particularly noticeable from around 2:30.) <span style="font-size: x-small;">[Updated Nov 2018]</span><br />
<br />
There is also a lead quartet of young female singers up front. They could be session singers, but there is something about the encouraging smiles they give each other that suggests choristers who are not used to being in the limelight in this way, on a major TV pop show. See what you think, but they add a lot of charm to the performance.<br />
<br />
It reminds me of <b><span style="color: #990000;">Ray Davies'</span></b> recent performances of his songs with a choir (try <b>Waterloo Sunset </b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1b2duP2emgA" target="_blank">at Youtube</a>), and of a 2006 <b><span style="color: #990000;">Procol Harum</span></b> concert recorded in Denmark with orchestra and choir (try <b>A Salty Dog</b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gi7Z3-T_qQ&list=FL43-AFn1pR_jF_An4ibVOsQ" target="_blank">at YouTube</a>).<br />
<br />
It seemed pointless to leave at the website the background story of a recording that didn't exist, but I didn't want to delete the whole story, so here it is, beginning with the original version and working down the page to the latest charting version.<br />
<br />
<b><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;"><br /></span></b><b><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="color: #6fa8dc;">---------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #990000;"><b>DAVID AND JONATHAN</b> </span><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><b>Softly Whispering I Love You</b>
(Roger Cook - Roger Greenaway) </span><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #eeeeee;">UK 1967 </span><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;"><b style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Original version </b></span><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #eeeeee;"> #15 Brisbane #16 Perth</span><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><iframe align="right" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="158" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/O1Ih1djJVXQ" width="210"></iframe>Single on Parlophone, produced by <b><span style="color: #990000;">George Martin</span></b>, arranged by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Vickers" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Mike Vickers</span></b></a> (of <b><span style="color: #990000;">Manfred Mann</span></b>). Charted in Australia mid-1968.</span><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><span style="color: #990000;">David And Jonathan</span></b> were the composers, <b><span style="color: #990000;">Roger Cook</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #990000;">Roger Greenaway</span></b>. They had charted under this name in 1966 with <b>Michelle</b>, a cover of the <b><span style="color: #990000;">Beatles</span></b> song (#11 UK) and <b>Lovers Of The World Unite</b>, their own composition (#7 UK).</span><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Greenaway</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #990000;">Cook</span></b> wrote numerous hit songs together, beginning with <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Fortunes' </span>You've Got Your Troubles</b> (1965, #2 UK, #7 USA).</span><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Roger Greenaway</span></b> was one half of <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Pipkins</span></b> (<a href="http://poparchives.com.au/feature.php?id=275" target="_blank"><b>Gimme Dat Ding</b></a>, recorded in Australia by <b><span style="color: #990000;">Frankie Davidson</span></b> and by<span style="color: #990000;"> <b>Maple Lace</b></span>). <b><span style="color: #990000;">Roger Cook</span> </b>sang lead vocals with <b><span style="color: #990000;">Madeline Bell </span></b>in <b><span style="color: #990000;">Blue Mink</span></b>, a band whose repertoire was made up of <b><span style="color: #990000;">Greenaway-Cook</span></b> compositions, including <b>Melting Pot</b> (1969, #3 UK), <b>Banner Man</b> (1971, #3 UK) and <a href="http://poparchives.com.au/feature.php?id=181" target="_blank"><b>Can You Feel It Baby</b></a> (1970), covered in Australia by <b><span style="color: #990000;">Sherbet</span></b>.</span><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Disambiguation:</b> <a href="http://www.amplifier.co.nz/nzmusic/247/Roger_Greenaway.html" target="_blank">New Zealand musician Roger Greenaway</a> is a different person.</span><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span>
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Further reading</b>: 1. For the extent of their output, see Hiroshi Asada's <a href="http://www.tmgo.jp/Roger_Cookaway.html" target="_blank">Cook &; Greenaway Song List</a>. 2. The song catalogs of <a href="http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/exhibits/C6018" target="_blank">Roger Greenaway</a> and of <a href="http://songwritershalloffame.org/songs/detailed/C6017" target="_blank">Roger Cook</a> at Songwriters Hall of Fame include collaborations with many other songwriters. 3. Roger Cook: www.rogercook.com<a href="http://www.rogercook.com/" target="_blank">http://www.rogercook.com/</a>; Roger Greenaway: <a href="http://www.rogergreenaway.com/">www.rogergreenaway.com</a></span><br />
<b><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;"><br /></span></b><b><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="color: #6fa8dc;">---------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b><br />
<br />
<b style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="color: #990000;">THE CONGREGATION</span><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> (aka</span><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="color: #990000;"> THE ENGLISH CONGREGATION</span><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">)
</span></b><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><b>Softly Whispering I Love You</b>
(Roger Cook - Roger Greenaway) </span><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #eeeeee;">UK 1971 </span><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #eeeeee;"> #4 UK #29 USA #6 Sydney #12 Brisbane #4 Adelaide #5 Perth #9 Canberra</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><a href="http://www.45cat.com/record/db8830" target="_blank">Single on Columbia</a> (UK), released in USA <a href="http://www.45cat.com/record/456865" target="_blank">on Atco</a>,
as <b><span style="color: #990000;">The English Congregation</span></b> to avoid confusion with <b style="color: #990000;">The Mike Curb Congregation </b>who also covered this song. The writers, <b><span style="color: #990000;">Roger Greenaway</span></b> and <b><span style="color: #990000;">Roger Cook</span></b>, had recorded the song themselves as <b><span style="color: #990000;">David And Jonathan</span></b> in 1967.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Lead vocals on this version are by <b><span style="color: #990000;">Brian Keith</span></b>.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><span style="color: #990000;">The Congregation</span></b> was a studio band put together by guitarist<b> <span style="color: #990000;">Alan Parker</span></b> who, along with <b><span style="color: #990000;">Roger Cook</span></b>, was in <b><span style="color: #990000;">Blue Mink</span></b>, a band that recorded <b><span style="color: #990000;">Cook-Greenaway</span></b> songs.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Charted in USA and Australia early in 1972.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>References</b>: <b>1. </b><a href="http://www.rogercook.com/chronology/htm/chronology1.htm" target="_blank">Chronology</a> (go to November 1971) at Roger Cook's website. <b>2.</b> <a href="http://www.allmusic.com/artist/english-congregation-mn0001445395/biography" target="_blank">The English Congregation</a> at All Music.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Thanks</b> to Terry Stacey for chartology.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">UNNAMED SINGER</span><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> [<span style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">=</span></span><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold;">BRIAN KEITH</span><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">] </span></span><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><b>Softly Whispering I Love You</b>
(Roger Cook - Roger Greenaway) </span><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #eeeeee;">UK 1971</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><iframe align="right" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="158" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/mbMkQQ4TveY" width="210"></iframe>This was a track on <a href="http://hothitslps.weebly.com/hot-hits-9.html" target="_blank">album 9</a> of <i>Hot Hits</i>, the MFP label's budget series of cover versions of current hits.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Although the artists were unnamed on the <i>Hot Hits</i> albums, in this case the vocals are by <b><span style="color: #990000;">Brian Keith</span></b>, the singer from the band being covered, <b><span style="color: #990000;">The (English) Congregation</span></b>. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbMkQQ4TveY" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Hear this version at YouTube</b></span></a>.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">There is another re-recorded version using the name <b><span style="color: #990000;">New Congregation</span></b> which may also be <b><span style="color: #990000;">Brian Keith</span></b> but I can't confirm that. My impression is that it exists only as a downloadable track on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/artist/the-new-congregation/id392338875" target="_blank">Internet-only compilation albums</a>.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>This is not </b>Brian Keith the American star of TV's <i>Family Affair</i>, although you may notice a YouTube suggestion for a <i>Family Affair</i> video when you are listening to 'Softly Whispering I Love You'.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Further reading</b>: There is a whole site about the MFP Hot Hits albums: see <a href="http://hothitslps.weebly.com/hot-hits-9.html" target="_blank">Hot Hits 9</a> or <a href="http://hothitslps.weebly.com/" target="_blank">home page</a>.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="color: #990000;"><b style="background-color: #eeeeee;">THE MIKE CURB CONGREGATION </b></span><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><b>Softly Whispering I Love You</b>
(Roger Cook - Roger Greenaway) </span><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #eeeeee;">USA 1971 </span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Single on MGM.</span><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><br /></span><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">[An established US group called </span><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="color: #990000;"><b>The Mike Curb Congregation</b> </span><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">covers a record by a newer British group called </span><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;">The Congregation</span></b><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">, who have to be known as </span><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;">The English Congregation</span></b><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> in the US to avoid confusion.]</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Composer and producer <b><span style="color: #990000;">Mike Curb</span></b> (b. 1944) started up the <a href="http://www.bsnpubs.com/new/sidewalk.html" target="_blank">Sidewalk</a> label as a teenager in 1963. He became head of MGM and Verve records, and from the mid-70s he ran the <a href="http://www.bsnpubs.com/warner/distributed/warner-curb.html" target="_blank">Curb</a> label through Warner.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">He formed the <b><span style="color: #990000;">Mike Curb Congregation</span></b> in the 60s. Their notable recordings include <b>Burning Bridges</b> (1971, #34 USA, in the film <i>Kelly's Heroes</i>), <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Sherman Brothers' </span></b>Disneyland song <b>It's a Small Small World</b> (1973) and their appearance on <b><span style="color: #990000;">Sammy Davis Junior's</span></b> hit <b>The Candy Man</b> (1973, #1 USA, from <i>Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory</i>). <b>Curb</b>, a Republican, served as Lieutenant-General of California (and acting Governor) 1979-1983.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Further reading</b>: <b>1. </b><a href="http://www.mikecurb.com/about/bio.cfm" target="_blank">Biography</a> at Mike Curb's website. 2. Mike Curb <a href="http://www.45cat.com/45_composer.php?tc=Mike+Curb" target="_blank">compositions</a> and <a href="http://www.45cat.com/45_search.php?sq=mike+curb&sm=pr" target="_blank">producer credits</a> listed at 45Cat.com</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="color: #990000;"><b style="background-color: #eeeeee;">PAUL YOUNG </b></span><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><b>Softly Whispering I Love You</b>
(Roger Cook - Roger Greenaway) </span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="background-color: #eeeeee;">#21 UK #38 Perth</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><a href="http://www.45cat.com/record/young4" target="_blank">Single on CBS</a> by British soul styled singer, previously lead singer of soul revival band <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q-Tips_(band)" target="_blank"><b>Q-tips</b></a>.
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">There is also a 2004 version by New Zealand singer <b><span style="color: #990000;">Yulia (MacLean)</span></b> on her album<i> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_West_(album)" target="_blank">Into The West</a></i>. No doubt there have been others.</span>Lyn Nuttallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02787764444828858061noreply@blogger.com14