Welcome to volume 11
of my globetrotting series
BANDSTANDS IN
FOREIGN LANDS!
I'm Shady Seaweed, here to bring you more great
music performances that originated from TV studios,
big halls and nightclubs in Europe and other parts
of the world from the 1960s through early 2000s.
music performances that originated from TV studios,
big halls and nightclubs in Europe and other parts
of the world from the 1960s through early 2000s.
Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of music,
the thrill of Vic Tory (the little known "Fifth Beatle")... and
the agony of the feet (from so much dancing)... this is:
Bandstands in
the thrill of Vic Tory (the little known "Fifth Beatle")... and
the agony of the feet (from so much dancing)... this is:
Bandstands in
Foreign Lands!
SANTA ESMERALDA
STARRING
LEROY GOMEZ
TOPPOP
THE NETHERLANDS
"Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" was originally recorded by Nina Simone.
Baby Boomers know and love the cover version by The Animals, a hit single
on both sides of the pond in early 1965. Younger audiences best remember
the song as a chart-topping late 70s disco hit by the U.S. - French group
Santa Esmeralda featuring Massachusetts born lead singer Leroy Gómez.
Behold a very exciting performance as Leroy and his trio of flamenco
dancers perform the song on the Dutch TV music show TopPop!
Santa Esmeralda featuring Massachusetts born lead singer Leroy Gómez.
Behold a very exciting performance as Leroy and his trio of flamenco
dancers perform the song on the Dutch TV music show TopPop!
"Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"
Santa Esmeralda Starring Leroy Gómez
(Dec. 1977/Jan. 1978, highest chart pos.
#14 Cash Box/#15 Hot 100, perf. on TopPop)
CREAM
BEAT-CLUB
BREMEN, WEST GERMANY
The British rock band Cream was the all star trio of Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and
Ginger Baker. "Strange Brew" is a Cream classic, one of their best known songs.
As I did my research for this edition of Biffle, I was shocked to discover that
the single of "Strange Brew" single failed to chart in the U.S. (It penetrated
the top 20 in the UK.) I think I solved the mystery. The 45 was released
in June of 1967, five months before the band's second studio album
Disraeli Gears became a smash hit on both sides of the Atlantic.
During the Summer of Love, 1967, Cream was not yet well
known by rock lovers stateside. Here now is a beautifully
restored clip of Cream with Clapton on lead performing
"Strange Brew" on Beat-Club, the West German TV
music program broadcast on the national public
television channel based in Bremen.
the top 20 in the UK.) I think I solved the mystery. The 45 was released
in June of 1967, five months before the band's second studio album
Disraeli Gears became a smash hit on both sides of the Atlantic.
During the Summer of Love, 1967, Cream was not yet well
known by rock lovers stateside. Here now is a beautifully
restored clip of Cream with Clapton on lead performing
"Strange Brew" on Beat-Club, the West German TV
music program broadcast on the national public
television channel based in Bremen.
"Strange Brew" - Cream
(June/July 1967, highest chart pos.
#17 UK, perf. on Beat-Club)
#17 UK, perf. on Beat-Club)
IKE AND TINA TURNER
(PAN'S PEOPLE)
TOP OF THE POPS
LONDON, ENGLAND
In the summer of 1973, just before separating from husband Ike, Tina Turner
penned and recorded the semi-autobiographical "Nutbush City Limits," a song
about her rural hometown of Nutbush, Tennessee. The single, produced by Ike
and released as by Ike & Tina Turner, brushed the top 10 on the R&B chart
that fall. Here in their customary colorful costumes are those saucy sirens,
the dancing damsels of Pan's People, hoofing to the song on the London
based TV show Top Of The Pops. (Please clap your hands and cheer.)
"Nutbush" - Ike and Tina Turner
(Oct./Nov. 1973, highest chart pos. #11 R&B/#22 Hot 100,
dance performed by Pan's People on Top of the Pops)
LAURA BRANIGAN
ZDF KULTNACHT
MAINZ, GERMANY
She left us too soon - Laura Branigan. This summer marks 15 years since the
much loved pop singer died of a brain aneurysm at age 52. Let's turn back
the clock to happier times and hop back over to Germany where Laura
appeared on the TV musical series ZDF Kultnacht broadcast on the
PBS system in Mainz. Enjoy Laura in her prime as she performs
her 1984 top 5 hit "Self Control," a single that spent nearly
half the year on the chart!
"Self Control" - Laura Branigan
(May thru July 1984, highest chart pos. #4 Hot 100,
perf. on the German TV show ZDF Kultnacht)
CLIMAX BLUES BAND
TOP OF THE POPS/G PLUS
LONDON, ENGLAND
Earlier we caught Cream performing in Germany on Beat-Club, the show that
in 1972 evolved into Musikladen. Now here's another British rock act, this one
called Climax Blues Band. Released as a single in the UK in September 1976,
"Couldn't Get It Right," a song written by the band, went top 10. Released in
the U.S. at the beginning of 1977, the record became an even bigger hit in
the states, finishing in the top 3 that spring. Our Biffle tour takes us back
to England now where Climax Blues Band is set to perform their hit on
Top Of The Pops, a vid shown on the UK entertainment channel G Plus.
"Couldn't Get It Right" - Climax Blues Band
(Apr./May 1977, highest chart pos. #3 Hot 100,
perf. on Top Of The Pops/G Plus Channel UK)
SANTA ESMERALDA
STARRING
LEROY GOMEZ
ZDF FERNSEHGARTEN
MAINZ, GERMANY
At the beginning of the post you experienced Santa Esmeralda Starring Leroy Gómez
performing the disco hit "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" on a Dutch TV broadcast
in the late 70s. Fast forward to May 2014 when Leroy, once again flanked by zesty
flamenco dancers, performed his signature song live for the enthusiastic crowd at
ZDF Fernsehgarten, a show that originated from the ZDF public broadcasting
center in Mainz. If you would rather skip most of the German introduction,
click to start the video at the 30 second mark, and I urge you to turn
the sound up loud to get maximum enjoyment from this exciting
performance. As you are about to see and hear, Leroy still had it,
still had that zest, that fire burning inside 36 years later!
center in Mainz. If you would rather skip most of the German introduction,
click to start the video at the 30 second mark, and I urge you to turn
the sound up loud to get maximum enjoyment from this exciting
performance. As you are about to see and hear, Leroy still had it,
still had that zest, that fire burning inside 36 years later!
"Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"
Santa Esmeralda Starring Leroy Gómez
(May 18, 2014 perf. on ZDF Fernsehgarten)
START PLAYING VIDEO
AT 30 SEC MARK!
I hope you enjoyed volume 11 of
BANDSTANDS IN
FOREIGN LANDS!
Stay tuned for the next edition coming soon.
Have a Shady day!
I remember most of those but I'd never heard that version of the Animals' song. They did a good job with it.
ReplyDeleteHi, Alex!
DeleteThanks for staking your claim to early bird honors again this week, good buddy!
It's interesting that you mention the song "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood." I read quite a few comments on YouTube from younger people who do not remember it as an Animals song, don't remember the Animals version at all, nor do they remember the Nina Simone original. They think of it as a Santa Esmeralda song, the disco hit of the 70s. In more recent years "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" has been covered by Lana Del Rey and Lady Gaga.
Thanks again for dropping in, good buddy Alex!
The Climax Blues Band song was the most familiar to me, though not my favorite of theirs. Same with the Laura Branigan... it was Gloria that first came to mind.
ReplyDeleteInteresting clip of Cream. I still love Eric Clapton, especially his forays into Blues/Jazz. (remember Riding With the King?)
I feel like I should remember that first Santa Esmeralda number. Maybe I'd recognize the Animals version? Who knows.. it's a whole new world every morning! ;)
Hi, Kelly!
DeleteHow are you, dear friend? Thanks for popping in for my Musical Interlude! :)
It's interesting that of all these acts and songs, The Climax Blues Band is most familiar to you. I'm starting to realize how big a blues fan you are. Yessum, I certainly do remember your post a couple of months ago when you introduced me to Riding With the King, the 2000 blues album by Eric Clapton and B.B. King.
"Gloria" is always the first Laura Branigan song that pops into my head, too, because it made such an impression on me in clubs and because it was used so effectively in the figure skating scene in the movie Flashdance. That clip of Clapton and Cream performing on the German TV show Beat-Club was uploaded to YouTube recently and I couldn't wait to work it into a Biffle post. It's a lost nugget!
I'm surprised you don't remember this biggie by Santa Esmeralda. It was another hot number in the dance clubs during my second stint as a bachelor. You should be familiar with the Animals version. I'm sure your older sister knew that one.
Thanks again for joining the fun, dear friend Kelly!
I do remember the Animals and this song but I really enjoyed Leroy Gomez version better! It's great to see that 36 years didn't change his ability to knock it out! So fun! I don't remember the Ike and Tina Turner song but those dancers were pretty impressive..a Chiropractor's dream patient actually! The rest were good but of course I enjoyed the clothes and the hair..oh that big, crazy hair! And that's just the guys! Everyone seemed so skinny back then too...I know I was! Ha! Well, have a good week Shady. I started out on a better Monday than last week although I'm still feeling a bit under the weather. Crazy Spring viruses! Take care!
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteThanks for dropping in, dear friend!
I'm sorry to learn that stubborn bug is still hanging on. I hope you'll be rid of it soon, and I hope this won't be another week of all Mondays.
I'm glad you're old enough to remember the Animals having a substantial U.S. hit with "Misunderstood." I am also delighted to know that you appreciate the disco-flamenco treatment given the song by Leroy Gómez in the late 70s and the fact that he still had the ability to knock it out of the park on German TV 36 years later, a wonderful live performance five years ago this week.
Yessum, Pan's People did some wild gesticulating and gyrating in their choreography on the song "Nutbush," one of my favorite Ike & Tina Turner singles. As is usually the case in my Bandstands in Foreign Lands and Shady Train series, you get to see the changing hair and clothing styles from the 60s through the 90s. I know that interests you.
Thanks again for coming by, YaYa. I'm rooting for you to be back to 100% real soon. Have a great week, dear friend!
I really like the rendition of Don’t pLet Me Be Misunderstood by Leroy Gomez and his troupe. I enjoyed all the artists you have shown us in this post.
ReplyDeleteHi, Arleen!
DeleteHow are you this evening, dear friend? Thanks so much for coming over to take a world tour to Bandstands in Foreign Lands. This series focuses on artists of all genres, many of them American, who performed on TV shows and in clubs and halls of Europe, Australia and Canada from the mid 60s through the 2000s. I'm delighted you enjoyed the fire and zest of Leroy and his Santa Esmeralda dancers as they performed "Misunderstood" in two different clips 36 years apart. I was thrilled to find HD video and HQ sound uploads for both. I am also pleased that you enjoyed Cream, Ike & Tina Turner featuring the Pan's People dance troupe on Top of the Pops, Laura Branigan and Climax Blues Band.
Thanks again for stopping in, dear friend Arleen, and have a wonderful week!
Awesome post, Mr Shady ... Love, cat.
ReplyDeleteHi, cat!
DeleteHow are you, dear friend? Thanks for taking the Biffle tour with me to Holland, Germany and England!
I'm happy to learn that you enjoyed the tuneage. I have a feeling the rousing flamenco disco of Santa E pleased someone with your taste in music.
Have a terrific Tuesday, dear friend cat!
Good-morning, Tom! My brain is in such a fog but I have my first cup of coffee in hand ready to start my day. I always enjoy this series which usually features a not-so-new bands but often ones I'd not heard of or hadn't heard in a long time. Santa Esmeraldo while isn't a name I knew right off the top of my head, I do recall his disco hit, "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood". Did he do anything else noteable? Cream is a band that I do not remember so much at the time as I do in recent years with reintroductions from fellow blog buds which probably explains why 'Strange Brew' rings familiar to my ears. They really had a groovy sound. Eric Clapton is the only band member I know by name, though. I certainly appreciate the dance trooper Pan's People but I really didn't care for the choreography much. However, I really dig their outfits! :) I was thinking, 'WOW I hadn't heard Laura Branigan in a long time! What happened to her?" that's when I spotted the discovery in your content that she died in 2004. How is it I don't remember that? Gee, that's just awful and to pass from a brain aneurysm at 52 is young. Now, I did forget about Climax Blues Band 'Couldn't Get It Right'! Whew, I love their bluesy rock energy!! I really need to revisit more of their tunes from yesteryear. That would be a lot of fun. Thanks for getting me going this morning with your newest edition of Bandstands in Foreign Lands. Have a funky day filled with lots of good vibes, my friend! :)
ReplyDeleteHi, Cathy!
DeleteThank you very much for waking up with me today and enjoying the mewsical lineup on volume 11 of Bandstands in Foreign Lands!
Santa Esmeralda is basically a one-hit-wonder studio-based disco act fronted by Leroy Gómez, a collaboration between Gómez and French producers and songwriters Nicolas Skorsky and Jean Manuel de Scarano. "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" is by far their best known recording. However, in late 1977, Santa E scored a top 20 disco hit with another Animals cover, "The House of the Rising Sun," which peaked on Billboard's Hot 100 at #78 in April of 1978. Leroy, by the way, was born in Massachusetts, but has family origins in the Portuguese Cape Verde Islands off the coast of Africa.
On that video of Cream performing on Beat-Club, I'm sure you noticed the bearded "presenter" introducing the band at the beginning of the song. The original clip lifted from the show has crappy audio, and the YouTube uploader did us a favor by syncing the performance footage to nicely remastered studio sound of the original recording. That clip is a wonderful find!
I agree that the dance routine put together by Pan's People was wild and outrageous. I read that the Top Of The Pops dance troupes were given the songs only a few days before the show was taped, and they needed to scramble to create the choreography in time. Overall I think they did a great job of working (and dancing) under pressure.
Yessum, lovely Laura passed away 15 years ago this summer - a tremendous loss to mewsic. I'm pleased that The Climax Blues Band got you stoked to hear more.
I'm feelin' the good vibes, dear friend Cathy. Thanks again for dropping in and have a super day!
Tom,
DeleteI listened to Santa's 'House of the Rising Sun' cover. I don't remember him doing it and really didn't care for it too much. I did notice the bearded guy at the beginning of the Cream mewsic clip. The audio synch with the band isn't too bad. It's slightly bothersome but I've seen far worse. That usually drives me a little nut. :) I guess inspite of the Pan's People short notice they did alright with the choreography, even if it's not exactly my style. :) Have a funtastic day, my friend!
Hi again, Cathy!
DeleteTruth be told I never heard Santa's version of "House Of The Rising Sun." I just listened to it on YouTube and don't like it very much either. It's bland disco, nothing special. I honestly never liked the version by The Animals either because I simply don't care for the song no matter who performs it. It's depressing.
The art of syncing remastered studio sound to existing vintage film or videotape footage is tricky. Sometimes the sound drifts out of sync, but I much prefer that HQ sound to the inferior audio found on the original TV broadcasts.
The three main dance troupes on Top Of The Pops: Pan's People, Ruby Flipper and Legs & Co, had some overlapping members. Overall they did a much better job of choreographing dances to hit songs than the dancers on other European music TV shows, particularly the Go-Go girls on the German show Musikladen. Most people agree that those women were not very good dancers.
Thanks again for coming over, dear friend Cathy!
Tom,
DeleteI don't think anyone really cares about those dancers being good. It's the skimpy clothing and pretty faces that drives the audience to keep watching. LOL
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteI think you got it right, dear friend! :) I read that the men of London would flock to the set of Top Of The Pops each week to watch the dance troupes rehearse. Each bloke had his favorite bird, and there were dating offers and marriage proposals. Surviving members of Pan's People admitted to looking "saucy" in their skimpy costumes, and they fancied the male attention.
Thanks again for dropping by, dear friend Cathy!
Hi Shady,
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with any of these songs, but I like the rhythm and beats. I know what I'm listening to all day today as I work!
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteThanks for joining the fun, dear friend! I'm surprised to learn that all five of these songs are new to your ears. Check with your mom and dad. Between the two of them they must know a few of these. Cream was huge during my college years and Santa E was big in the disco clubs I frequented in the late 70s during my second stint as a bachelor.
I hope you'll enjoy listening to Shady Seaweed's tuneage while you work. Thanks again for coming and have a wonderful day, dear friend JM!
There's always seems to be a song here whose title and artist I don't recognize, then I listen and find I now it, such is the case with "Couldn't Get It Right".
ReplyDeleteI remember Laura Branigan, but, like everyone else, for "Gloria", but I find I do recognize "Self-Control" and even like that song better.
Finally, I was bad and didn't wait for the 30 second mark on the second go-around "Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood". I don't mean to be insulting, and I'm thinking some humor involved, but that one guy looks like a Klingon.
Hi, Kirk!
DeleteThanks for coming over to take the latest Biffle tour, good buddy!
I'm glad you recognized some of these songs, not by title, but by playing Name That Tune and listening until you remembered them. It had been years since I heard "Couldn't Get It Right." I was pleased to find this excellent video recently and plug it into this volume of BIFL. I agree that the lovely singer Laura Branigan was by no means a one-hit wonder, and "Self Control" is a great song.
If you disobeyed my orders and watched that last video from the beginning instead of the 30 second mark as instructed, I will need to throw the red flag and march off a 15-yard "Illegal Procedure" penalty! :) I agree. That German guy in the red jacket is creepy. He looks like the illicit love child produced by the mating of Tiny Tim and Jeffrey Tambor! :)
Thanks again for your visit and super comment, good buddy Kirk. Enjoy the rest of your week!
I'm surprised you even understood my comment. I just now re-read it.
ReplyDelete"...then I listen and find I now it"
Sheesh!
Hi, Kirk!
DeleteNo problem, good buddy. We're usually on the same wavelength and I understood what you meant there.
Thanks for helping to boost my comment total :) and enjoy the rest of your week!
Hi Seafarin' Shady! Sorry I'm late, but my day got away from me yesterday.
ReplyDeleteThis is so exciting! "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood". That Leroy is something else, isn't he! Your opening video is the best...love the dancers, and he is good! It's like Leroy is full of energy, but NO SWEAT! I adore The Animals and Eric Burdon, but Leroy "RULES" this song! Even 36 years later, I vote YES!
I wasn't a huge follower of "Cream", but always liked Eric Clapton. I actually have an album of his, I believe from 1970, entitled "Eric Clapton". But "Strange Brew" isn't on this one. The album also features help from Leon Russell, Bonnie and Delaney, Rita Coolidge and others. I haven't listened to it in years, and will have to put it on my turntable and refresh my memory! I've come to appreciate Clapton so much more in the past 20 years!
Bravo, Shady on the "Flatbush" number by Tina Turner. I have always liked this song. Tina put her heart and soul into this one with her lyrics and performance of it. I've got to tell you, the Pan dancers outdid themselves on this one! They put a lot into their routine!
I remember "Couldn't Get It Right", and always liked the song. I like it even better after seeing them perform. Thanks Shady!
It is sad about losing Laura Branigan at such a young age. I liked her...she really had such a beautiful voice, and could nail all types of songs. But, of course, my favorite is "Gloria"! It's an unforgettable song that she just goes over the top performing!
This is a very cool post, Shady! I have to pick Leroy as having "made my day", even 36 years later! Good job...cool finds! Take care and have a great week, dear friend, Shady!♫
Hi, Suzanne!
DeleteI am very happy to see you, dear friend. Thanks for coming! I assumed this was the week you were up north visiting your mother and sister. Is that trip coming up sometime next month?
Welcome to the 11th Biffle tour! I'm very pleased you enjoyed the before and after videos of Santa Esmeralda starring Leroy Gómez. I find both videos absolutely enchanting, solid entertainment. Leroy's cover of the Animals hit is a classic in its own right - a fiery flamenco style of disco that stands the test of time and doesn't seem stale and dated like certain other genre recordings of the 70s.
Thanks for telling me about Eric Clapton's first solo studio album. In my vinyl collecting years I owned Clapton's fifth album Slowhand, the one with "Cocaine" and "Lay Down Sally," the latter co-written by Clapton along with American blues rock guitarist George Terry and Motor City singer and songscribe Marcy Levy. Terry and Levy performed on that song and other album tracks along with Yvonne ("If I Can't Have You") Elliman who provided harmony and backing vocals.
Hey, I'm thrilled that you remember "Nutbush City Limit," one of my favorites by the Turners as well. I checked the map and Nutbush, TN, is a tiny town out in the middle of nowhere between Memphis and Nashville. As I told Cathy (above) I read or perhaps watched a video in which a former member of Pan's People explained that the dancing women were rushed every week, under the gun. They were given the songs only a few days in advance, and were required to whip together a convincing dance routine by the time the show was taped. They did a wonderful job all those years.
I am also excited to know you remember Climax Blues Band and one of their hits, "Couldn't Get It Right." That video is actually a mashup of two different performances of the song by the band. "Gloria" seems to be the Laura Branigan song favored by most people, perhaps because it made a comeback in the 1983 soundtrack of the hit film Flashdance. As you recall, it was the music the character Jeannie used for her figure skating routine.
I have watched that last video, the 2014 performance of "Misunderstood," at least a dozen times by now. When you crank up the loudness on that one, it enables you to soak up the excitement as if you are there in the audience, and you experience a truly great live performance by the artist and his zesty dancers.
Thanks again for taking a musical journey across Europe with me today, Suzanne. This Sunday, please join Kathleen Mae Schneider for another of her special guest posts in honor of her late mother Margaret. I appreciate it, dear friend!
I love Cream and know this song well. It's fun to see the young men in their funky hip hair. Leroy sounds good and seems to have gotten younger, not older. The flamenco gals in the first video were not sure if they were Flamenco, Hawaiian, or just Studio 54. I don't know the Tina Turner song at all and was hoping to see Tina but they showcased those gals in their 70's outfits dancing a bit wildly:). It's a shame that Laura Brannigan died way too young from something that really can go unchecked and hit any of us...freaky really. I knew someone who was in her 30's that died from the same thing. Her voice is great and I remember that song well. Have a beautiful week
ReplyDeleteHi, Birgit!
DeleteI'm glad to see you, dear friend. Thanks a lot for dropping by to take the latest Biffle tour!
I'm happy to know that you are a Cream fan. That "Strange Brew" video boasts excellent picture and sound quality, a rare and wonderful find, and I couldn't wait to insert it in the BIFL lineup a.s.a.p. I'm pleased you agree that Leroy Gómez had pizzazz back in the 70s and still had it five years ago when he performed live on German public television before an appreciative crowd. I don't know whether those girls in the first video were authentic in their flamenco dancing. All I know is that I enjoyed their lively performance, and the same is true of Pan's People. Those ladies worked hard for the money. Their interpretation of Tina Turner's "Nutbush" has to be one of the most energetic workouts in the history of the dance troupe.
Yessum, it is very sad what happened to Laura Branigan, her life and career cut short. Did you know about "The Curse of Gloria"? Laura Branigan sang the hit song "Gloria." Actress Sunny Johnson played the character Jeanie in the movie Flashdance. Jeanie used "Gloria" as the music for her figure skating routine. Sunny Johnson and Laura Branigan share the same cause of death. Both died as the result of an aneurysm, 20 years apart. Spooky, isn't it? I'm sorry you lost someone from the same medical abnormality and that she was in her 30s. Sunny Johnson was only age 30 when she died.
Thank you again for your visit and marvelous comment, dear friend BB!
I really like the song "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood." It has a very fun sound! Have a great rest of the week!
ReplyDeleteHi, Sherry!
DeleteThanks for coming, dear friend! You're about the right age to remember or at least appreciate Santa Esmeralda's updated flamenco version of "Misunderstood," and I'd be surprised if you remember the 60s hit version by The Animals or the original by Nina Simone. At any rate, I'm glad you like the song.
Thanks again for popping in, dear friend Sherry!
Hi Shady,
ReplyDeleteI've been so busy for the past few days that I forgot to comment! I took a listen to these songs while at work and most of these songs sounded familiar, but I didn't connect them. I really liked Cream and the Climax Blues Band the best. Their sounds were amazing and I liked the lyrics.
Have a great Thankful Thursday, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteThanks for returning to let me know how you like the tuneage. Rock lover that I know you are, I figured the blues-rock anthems by Cream and Climax BB would be your Picks-to-Click.
Thanks again for reporting in, dear friend JM, and happy Thankful Thursday to you as well!
What a fun flashback!! I loved laura Branigan in the 80's and i remember the shock of hearing about her death. Its especially freaky since i just turned 51 last week and to think how short life can be.
ReplyDeleteYou know i loved those Pan dancers!! I wish i had some of those flowy pants. haha! I have the soundtrack to Whats love got to do with it and i know all those songs well.
Great songs this week Shadester. Have a great holiday weekend my friend.
Hi, Holliberry!
DeleteI'm happy to see you, dear friend! Thank you very much for coming along on the latest Biffle tour which began in a foreign land you and Todd know well - Holland, The Netherlands.
Happy birthday to you, Holli! You are so young it isn't even funny. The Shadester is pushing 70! I'm happy to know you enjoyed "Self Control" and other great recordings Laura Branigan gave us in her short life.
I am also pleased that you appreciate when I post performances by the female dance troupes on Top Of The Pops. I try to include one in every volume of BIFL. Pan's People executed a high energy workout to this Ike and Tina Turner number and their costumes were striking, weren't they?
Thank you again for being here for Bandstands #11, dear friend Holli. I wish you and Todd and your dogs a safe and restful holiday weekend!
Hi Tom,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I want to thank you for all of your support, encouragement and prayers for my Mom. It means so very much to me. It's times like these when we need our friends the most and you have proven to be exactly that, a true friend. Thank you!
Now, for your Bandstands in Foreign Lands post: Wow, I love the first cover of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" -- I never heard this later version and it's fabulous! The beat, Leroy Gomez' vocals and the flamenco dancers all make for a very fun disco version.
You found a fabulous restoration of Cream's performance clip from their appearance on the German show Beat Club. What killed me and gave me a moment of fascination was the sideburns on the guy doing the intro. And Eric's hair! Was that natural or a perm? Perms for guys wasn't the rage until in the 70s I thought... Anyway, it was super entertaining to watch, on so many levels. Such a great band the three of them made, short as their time together was. They put out several of what would become classic rocks' most loved hits. I like so many of them but I think perhaps my favorite may be "Tales of Brave Ulysses", followed closely by "White Room" and "Badge."
"Nutbush City Limits" is a Tina classic. I bet that made her hometown so proud. Pan's People Dancers sure had fun with this one. Very colorful!
I remember Laura Branigan from back in the 80s. "Self Control" was my favorite by her. Such a great beat. I like that lyric line "I live among the creatures of the night..." That is so sad, her passing. Tragic. Besides "Gloria" (of which I wasn't that fond), I can't recall any other songs of hers that were getting radio airplay. The video you presented from the German show I'd never be able to figure out how to pronounce is a good performance. It was great to hear "Self Control" again --- that was popular during my senior year in college. Oh to be back in those days...
As for the Climax Blues Band: I was just watching that video the other day! I'm thinking of using it for an upcoming Battle of the Bands! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this song! The sound the put together in this song is so tight. Love the drums. And is that a Cow Bell in there too? You are really making me smile with this Biffle tour Tom!
And what a cool way to tie it all up, ending with another performance by Leroy Gomez, 36 years later! What a beautiful setting and a breath-taking stage! I loved seeing the crowd with so many aging Boomers. He sounds as good as he did three decades earlier.
Volume 11 was Excellent! I needed this spirit lift. Thanks! (Now I'm going to hit Publish but I bet I was again too wordy and will have to do it in two comments. I hate limiting my words, can you tell? :) )
Michele at Angels Bark
haha! wow, it posted! Yay! I betcha I'm pretty close to being right at the word limit though...
ReplyDeleteHi, Michele! Thanks so much for coming, dear friend! If you keep these excellent comments coming, I'm going to start calling you Meaty Michele :) Yessum, your comment was published this time w/o the need to divide it in half. :)
DeleteIf you are here today then it must mean that your mother is at least stable. I hope the news is even better than that, and she is responding to treatment and out of the woods. Just in case, I will keep praying. You can count on it.
I'm pleased you enjoyed the two performances 36 years apart by Santa Esmeralda featuring the lead vocals of Leroy Gómez. At first I assumed Leroy was from a "foreign land," but it turns out he was born and raised in Massachusetts. I don't know what Clapton did to his hair, but I agree that this cleaned-up clip is a wonderful find. The German presenter at the beginning of the song threw me, but fortunately he ducked out of the way just in time for Eric's vocals to start. To my delight, YouTube producers are lifting 1960s clips from Beat-Club, Top Of The Pops and other black and white music programs and syncing HQ studio sound, making them sound infinitely better than they do on the actual show tapes. That means plenty of great material for me to present in my Biffle series.
I'm happy to have selected your favorite Laura Branigan song for this edition of BIFL. There again, it is a brilliantly restored clip and I couldn't resist it. To refresh your memory, Laura had a top 10 hit with "Solitaire," brushed the top 10 with "How Am I Supposed To Live Without You" and reached the top 20 with "The Lucky One."
Yessum, The Climax Blues Band gave us another cow bell rock classic to add to the list you recently posted. :)
Michele, I can't thank you enough for coming over during a week when you have so much on your mind. If this musical tour of Europe helped ease you stress and gave your spirits a lift then I am very happy about it.
Please take good care of yourself and your mother. I will continue to pray that both of your lives return to normal soon. Thanks again, dear friend Michele, and enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Late as usual what a FABULOUS post !
ReplyDeleteI knew so many of the songs but so very sad about Laura I loved her voice.
But no one, no one can beat Eric Burdon and The Animals.
parsnip