Welcome to vol. 15 of my series
Echoes of the Spectorian Era
featuring the greatest recordings
produced by Phil Spector and those
who imitated his Wall-of-Sound style.
THE CRYSTALS
First let's hear from Phil Spector's uptown girls The Crystals. Produced by Spector
from clear across the country in LA, the New York based Crystals were one of the
principal girl groups of the early to mid 60s. Barbara Ann Alston, 2nd from right in
the picture above, was a founding member and original lead singer of The Crystals.
Barbara died last year at age 74. Barbara sang lead on the Spectorian classic you
are about to hear. It's The Crystals' second single, "Uptown," the 1962 follow-up
to "There's No Other (Like My Baby)." "Uptown" was written by Cynthia Weil
and Barry Mann and originally intended for fellow New Yorker Tony Orlando
who, at the time, was three years into his career. Spector coaxed Weil and
Mann into giving him the song. Spector then proceeded to doctor the ditty,
changing notes to bring the song within the vocal range of The Crystals.
He also changed some of the lyrics about slum life and class issues
to give the song an African American perspective instead of a
Latin American POV. "Uptown" reached the top 15 on
Billboard and top 10 on Cash Box, making it
the second hit single for The Crystals.
and Barry Mann and originally intended for fellow New Yorker Tony Orlando
who, at the time, was three years into his career. Spector coaxed Weil and
Mann into giving him the song. Spector then proceeded to doctor the ditty,
changing notes to bring the song within the vocal range of The Crystals.
He also changed some of the lyrics about slum life and class issues
to give the song an African American perspective instead of a
Latin American POV. "Uptown" reached the top 15 on
Billboard and top 10 on Cash Box, making it
the second hit single for The Crystals.
"Uptown" - The Crystals
(May/June 1962, highest chart pos.
#10 Cash Box/#13 Hot 100/#18 R&B)
JOSEPHINE SUNDAY
It's Friday - T.G.I.F. - and I've got Sunday
on my mind - Josephine Sunday!
Here to sing a song that was racy by
mid 60s standards is 18 year old Sunday
mid 60s standards is 18 year old Sunday
Heppner, stage name Josephine Sunday.
In 1966, the perky songstress appeared
on American Bandstand to promote her
latest single which became the biggest
hit of her career, even though it failed
to reach the national chart. The song
was also recorded by a girl group
called The Starlets. With those
Spectorian castanets clacking,
miss Josephine sent a message
to every guy with a girlfriend:
Spend Saturday night with
Sunday and... come Monday...
"You Won't Even Know Her Name."
In 1966, the perky songstress appeared
on American Bandstand to promote her
latest single which became the biggest
hit of her career, even though it failed
to reach the national chart. The song
was also recorded by a girl group
called The Starlets. With those
Spectorian castanets clacking,
miss Josephine sent a message
to every guy with a girlfriend:
Spend Saturday night with
Sunday and... come Monday...
"You Won't Even Know Her Name."
"You Won't Even Know Her Name" - Josephine Sunday
(Apr. 1966, uncharted)
(Apr. 1966, uncharted)
THE CINDERELLAS
Up next, The Cinderellas, an R&B girl group that drew its lead singer,
Margaret Ross, from The Cookies. In the spring of 1964 The Cinderellas
released "Baby, Baby (I Still Love You)." With the Beatles and other
British Invasion bands dominating the pop chart, The Cinderellas'
hopes for a hit were merely a fairy tale. "Baby, Baby" charted
only one week near the bottom of the Bubbling Under
dungeon before vanishing into thin air.
Margaret Ross, from The Cookies. In the spring of 1964 The Cinderellas
released "Baby, Baby (I Still Love You)." With the Beatles and other
British Invasion bands dominating the pop chart, The Cinderellas'
hopes for a hit were merely a fairy tale. "Baby, Baby" charted
only one week near the bottom of the Bubbling Under
dungeon before vanishing into thin air.
"Baby, Baby (I Still Love You)" - The Cinderellas
(May 1964, highest chart pos. #134)
(May 1964, highest chart pos. #134)
ALDER RAY
Alder Ray's voice can be heard on some of the finest West Coast pop
recordings of the 60s. The soulful thrush performed as a session singer,
a member of various girl groups and as a solo recording artist.
recordings of the 60s. The soulful thrush performed as a session singer,
a member of various girl groups and as a solo recording artist.
In 1964, Alder Ray released "Cause I Love Him," a solo single recorded
at Gold Star with The Blossoms supplying background vocals and the
L.A. Wrecking Crew providing the orchestral backing track.
at Gold Star with The Blossoms supplying background vocals and the
L.A. Wrecking Crew providing the orchestral backing track.
"Cause I Love Him" - Alder Ray
(Aug. 1964, uncharted)
LINDA SCOTT
Linda Scott is best known as a cast regular on
Dick Clark's Where The Action Is and for her
first hit "I've Told Every Little Star" which
reached the top 5 on the pop chart in the
spring of 1961. Some folks don't realize
that Linda made other great recordings
before the Beatles showed up to spoil
the party. However my Pick to Click,
Dick Clark's Where The Action Is and for her
first hit "I've Told Every Little Star" which
reached the top 5 on the pop chart in the
spring of 1961. Some folks don't realize
that Linda made other great recordings
before the Beatles showed up to spoil
the party. However my Pick to Click,
the record I consider the best of
Linda's career, is different from
the others. It's Spectoresque,
and was released post-
Beatles in 1965.
Linda's career, is different from
the others. It's Spectoresque,
and was released post-
Beatles in 1965.
It's a cool cover of "You Baby," the song
written for The Ronettes by Barry Mann,
Cynthia Weil and Phil Spector, recorded
by the popular girl group and released in
the fall of '64 on their album, Presenting
written for The Ronettes by Barry Mann,
Cynthia Weil and Phil Spector, recorded
by the popular girl group and released in
the fall of '64 on their album, Presenting
the Fabulous Ronettes Feat. Veronica.
Released as a single a year later, Linda's
exciting version for Kapp Records copied
the lush Wall of Sound production style
of the original. It's a doggone shame a
record this good failed to make the chart.
Released as a single a year later, Linda's
exciting version for Kapp Records copied
the lush Wall of Sound production style
of the original. It's a doggone shame a
record this good failed to make the chart.
Heck, it never even Bubbled Under!
"You Baby" - Linda Scott
(Dec. 1965, uncharted)
THE
WALKER
BROS.
The Walker Brothers often imitated
the Spectorian production and vocal
style of The Righteous Brothers.
Here's a great example, a smooth,
dynamic cover of "Make It Easy
On Yourself," a Burt Bacharach -
Hal David song first made into
a hit by Jerry Butler in 1962.
the Spectorian production and vocal
style of The Righteous Brothers.
Here's a great example, a smooth,
dynamic cover of "Make It Easy
On Yourself," a Burt Bacharach -
Hal David song first made into
a hit by Jerry Butler in 1962.
"Make It Easy On Yourself" - The Walker Brothers
(Sept. 1965, highest chart pos. #16)
VIKKI
CARR
El Paso born Vikki Carr achieved her
greatest success singing in Spanish
greatest success singing in Spanish
but, in the fall of 1967, the thrush
reached the top 3 on the pop chart
and #1 on the Easy Listening survey
with a Spectorian English language
reached the top 3 on the pop chart
and #1 on the Easy Listening survey
with a Spectorian English language
version of a French song. Here now
is Vikki Carr with her biggest
pop hit-- "It Must Be Him!"
is Vikki Carr with her biggest
pop hit-- "It Must Be Him!"
"It Must Be Him" - Vikki Carr
Oct./Nov. '67, highest chart pos.
#3 Hot 100/#1 Easy Listening)
#3 Hot 100/#1 Easy Listening)
I hope you enjoyed vol. 15 of Echoes.
More echo-drenched classics are coming
your way in vol. 16, so stick around!
More echo-drenched classics are coming
your way in vol. 16, so stick around!
Have a Shady day!
Hey there, Shady! It's a cooler (just a bit) morning in Fort Worth and the end of the week.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember all of the songs you presented today, but most of them are pretty great! That Josephine Sunday was pretty wild, as Dick Clark said her outfit was! She said she made it herself, which is what a lot of did in the mid to later 1960's. We liked the "Cher" fashions that were not available to us in Kansas, haha! I went to California to visit a friend, and brought back a couple of "Cher" designed bell bottom outfits from a boutique in Santa Ana. I didn't know the song Josephine performed, but I did like it, and she had a lot of spunk!
I remember The Crystals, and "Uptown". The storyline is a good one, and the way they sing the song is chilling. I guess Kudos to Spector on the 're-arrangement' from the original is in order.
"It Must Be Him" is a song I always liked, even though it is not a good song for dancing to. What a voice! Vikki's voice is so precise and clear, and she tells this story with a delivery that is so vibrant! She makes it appear so personal to her.
I don't remember "Baby Baby" by the Cinderellas, but it is very reminiscent of the Ronettes.
Well, I don't know about the Walker Brothers cover of "Make it Easy on Yourself". I think I will stick with Jerry Butler on that one. I think he is smooth and believable as the owner. I also heard a version from Dionne Warwick, and she really added volume and drama to the song.
We've got the weekend upon us, dear Shady, and I wish a great one for you and Mrs. Shady. I have no plans at the moment, but I am sure something will surface as the day goes on, or not! Either way, it's okay!
This post rocks, Shady! A great way to start the weekend! Take care, dear friend! ♫
Hi, Suzanne!
DeleteHey, you're the early bird this morning, dear friend! Thanks a lot for hustling over here as you start your Friday.
Yessum, Josephine Sunday had lots of spunk. I expect that clip of her performing on Bandstand will draw some comments. First, I agree it is neat that Sunday made her own costume for the TV appearance. It seems a little odd though that Dick Clark would call her outfit "the wildest," because, as you pointed out, by that time Cher was making a fashion statement wearing similar clothes, and only a couple of years later the Bandstand dress code relaxed and the teenage dancers were also wearing those trendy pantsuits, and so it seems Sunday was ahead of her time. Certainly her outfit is not outlandish by today's standards. Secondly, the perky miss's performance of her regional hit song was over-the-top. She kinda looked like a bobblehead toy. :) In other words, she went out of her way to sell the song. That Bandstand episode aired in April 1966. Half a year earlier, in December, 1965, Josephine was on the TV music show Shivaree, apparently wearing the same outfit, only this time her performance was a little more subdued. It's a shame the audio is so low. Otherwise I would have used this clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t_zCBBPBfY
I can't imagine Tony Orlando singing "Uptown" and getting as big a hit from the song. I'm glad it worked out the way it did and Spector twisted some arms, secured the song for his Crystals, and turned it into their second hit in a row. Sad that the shy but gifted lead singer, Barbara Alston, died last year.
I'm delighted that you remember Vikki Carr's mainstream hit "It Must Be Him." It was very big on the radio in my area back in 1967, but 50+ years went by before I discovered it on YouTube and decided it would work in my Echoes series. If you watched the clip all the way through, you saw Vikki roaming the spooky woods alone in what looks like the prequel to Blair Witch Project. :)
I'm sorry your ears didn't like the blue-eyed soul sound of The Walker Brothers on "Make It Easy." It is an oft recorded song and I have at least one other version coming up in a future post.
My personal Pick to Click in this song set is Linda Scott's Spectorian single "You Baby." If you watched the clip at the 1:10 and the 2:15 marks you noticed it was a big hit in the Northern Soul clubs of England. "You Baby" was more soulful and "hip" than Linda's other recordings which were strictly in the pop and teen pop categories.
I'm glad I got your weekend off to a rockin' start with my Echoes, Suzanne. I hope you and Scootie find some fun things to do in the days ahead and that the weather cooperates. We have had rain, heavy at times, nearly every day for a week or more, but we regard it as a blessing as long as there's no rough stuff. Take care, dear friend!
I enjoyed all the songs you wrote about here. The one I remember the most was Vickki Carr’s, It Must Be Him. I was young and very in love and had found my guy. Youth is so dramatic.
ReplyDeleteHi, Arleen!
DeleteHow are you, dear friend? Thanks so much for dropping in for my 15th volume of Echoes!
I am delighted to know that you enjoyed all of the Spectorian sounds in today's post, and that Vikki Carr's seldom heard pop chart hit "It Must Be Him" is of special interest to you because it brings back memories of young love. It is indeed a dramatic song, but it tells the truth about the agony of waiting by the phone for that special someone to call following a lovers' quarrel or a break-up. I am sure you agree that the song seems dated now but, back in '67, it was very popular, played heavily on our WSBA-AM radio station in the Susquehanna Valley. Nationally the single topped the Easy Listening chart and reached the top 3 on the Hot 100.
Thank you again for coming over, dear friend Arleen. I hope you are doing well and I wish you a safe and happy weekend!
Lots of new-to-me names here, Shady! Cher was originally "Cherilyn"? (on the cover of that Dream Babies LP) I thought in those days it was Sonny & Cher and that, basically, her fame came with him. Educate me!
ReplyDeleteHi, Kelly!
DeleteThanks for dropping by, dear friend! How's my buddy Pat? :)
You have a good eye, Kelly. In a nutshell, Cher's real name is Cherilyn Sarkisian. Sonny was working for Phil Spector when he and Cher met. Sonny introduced Cher to the West Coast producing wizard and Spector used Cher as a backup singer on several Spectorian singles. "Dream Baby" is the title of the first Cher single released in December 1964 under her real name Cherilyn with Sonny as her producer. The record got airplay in the LA market, enough to encourage the Sonny & Cher collaboration which led their making singles as a duo and to stardom.
Thanks again for swinging over for a visit, dear friend Kelly. Take care and have a safe and happy weekend!
Kelly, I just remembered that I used Cherilyn's "Dream Baby" in a volume of Echoes published on my old SDMM blog in 2015. Info I collected for that post differs slightly from what I wrote in my earlier reply. In an effort to get all the details straight, I have pasted below a portion of my 2015 post:
Delete<< Early on, Cher found work as a backing singer for Phil Spector's Crystals, Ronettes and Darlene Love. Sonny and Cher released singles as Caesar and Cleo but those platters came and went almost unnoticed.
In 1964, using the stage name Bonnie Jo Mason, Cher waxed "Ringo I Love You." The 45 fizzled.Later that year, using her birth name, Cherilyn,
Sonny's singing sweetheart released one of the greatest examples of a Spector sound-alike recording. Penned and and produced by Bono and performed by his teenage girlfriend and future wife, here is the scintillating "Dream Baby." >>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCtQdTwAqjM
I hope that helps fill in more of the blanks for you, dear friend Kelly. Thanks again for your interest!
Thanks for providing the link... she sounds good there, obviously just not as mature as later stuff. I've always liked Cher, even if she does look a bit "plastic" these days. ;)
DeleteThanks, too, for the background info!
Pat says hello. He's napping with one eye open so he doesn't miss anything important. What a mutt.
Hi, Kelly!
DeleteI wish I were there to give Pat some lubbins. For that matter, I'd appreciate the opportunity to befriend all of your animals (if they'd allow it).
I'm glad you appreciated the extra info I pasted about Cher aka Bonnie Jo Mason aka Cherilyn. It took me many years to cultivate an appreciation of Spector's dense, "muddy" Wall-of Sound, because I prefer clean production. In recent years I finally embraced Spector's technique, purchased several CDs of Spector and Spector soundalike recordings, and my Echoes series was born.
It's great to see you, dear friend Kelly. I hope you are having a nice weekend and thank you again for stopping by!
Shady! My happy music! These songs put me in my happy place. I'm about to head to bed - I was roller skating and how I wish they played these songs instead of early 2000s punk... it would have been heaven. Now I'm tired and I must rest. I'll listen more closely tomorrow! Saturday morning wake up before the library perhaps?
ReplyDeleteHi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteThanks for coming over for a late night visit, dear friend! I'm happy to treat your ears to the happy sounds of these echo-drenched Spectorian relics. I acquired all these songs in recent years on volumes of Spector and Spector soundalike CDs. Most songs were brand new to my ears but, in the years since, have become as familiar to me as the sounds I knew and loved in my youth. Sometimes millennial rage music is what gets you through the night. Other times you derive benefits from listening to the more innocent music of the mid 20th century. I have "You Baby" stuck in my head this morning and I be loving it.
Have a safe and happy weekend, dear friend JM!
My Sunday night tunes. I'll be grooving before bed, maybe as I read. I was listening to this today while I was walking the streets of Philadelphia. A perfect soundtrack for a hot summer day.
DeleteHave a great Sunday, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteI am excited to know that you carried these tunes along with you as you walked the streets of Philly. Music is a valuable tool for chasing the blues, empowering yourself, recovering from loss or setbacks. Music heals. Use it every day, even as you read at bedtime. I love getting a groovy song stuck in my head for days on end, waking up in the morning with it running thru my mind, and it happens every time I publish a new post.
Thanks again for the anecdote, dear friend JM. I wish you a fine week ahead!
Hi Shady,
DeleteI had a pretty crummy day at work and these tunes lifted my spirit today. Thank you.
Other than Vikki Carr's song, of which I have a vague memory, I don't think I heard any of those before. I believe Carr was considered more easy-listening or middle-of-the-road than rock, and the reason I bring that up is by the late 1960s Spectorish music effects had crossed over from rock to easy-listening. The Carpenters come to mind. Karen's voice backed by something very similar to the Wall of Sound continues to mesmerize me. At this point I may be the ONLY one who finds the Carpenters mesmerizing, but I had to get that off my chest.
ReplyDeleteI like all these songs you played, but my favorites were the Cinderellas and Josephine Sunday. As for the latter's clothing, I wonder if Dick Clark wasn't both testing the waters by letting her dress like that but at the same time hedging his bets by pretending--yes, that's what it sounds like to me--that he's surprised by her outfit. By 1966, the idea of the unusually-dressed pop star was beginning to take hold, and the commercially-savvy Clark may have been looking for a way to gradually segue into that without creating too much undue controversy. Just a thought.
Hi, Kirk!
DeleteThanks for coming by to bask in Spectorian splendor, good buddy. I'm happy to see you!
I'm pleased to know you enjoyed this edition of Echoes. If memory serves, you remarked that you appreciated a past volume or volumes of this series. You have a good memory if you recall Vikki Carr's 1967 single "It Must Be Him" which topped the Easy Listening chart. Hey, you aren't the only one who finds The Carpenters mesmerizing, my friend. In recent years I have become a huge fan. I'll be posting a good number of their recordings in the months and years to come, so stick around.
I'm glad you got a kick out of no-hit-wonders The Cinderellas and Josephine Sunday. I think you are correct about Dick Clark. During the rapidly changing period of the mid to late 60s, I believe Dick tried to straddle the fence and appear hip and youthful while at the same time appeasing jittery sponsors and parents by reacting as a concerned father would when confronted with radical trends in music and fashion. In my observations, sometimes Dick merely blurted out an ad lib that didn't make much sense just to avoid dead air. That Josephine Sunday intro might have been one of those occasions. As I noted in my reply to Suzanne, Sunday appears to be wearing the same handmade outfit in her appearance on another TV music program, Shivaree, nearly six months before her guest shot on Bandstand.
Thanks for expanding the thread about Sonny and Cher. Since you are a fan of my Echoes series, you might enjoy checking out Vol. 9 entitled "Cher and Cher Alike" published in 2015:
https://shadydell.blogspot.com/2015/12/todays-lesson-cher-and-cher-alike.html
Thanks again for your visit and great comments, good buddy Kirk, and enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Oh! One last thing. I see in the other comments much discussion of Cher. Sonny Bono worked for Phil Spector as a promotion man and occasional songwriter. It's how he met Cher.
ReplyDeleteI replied to this above. Thanks!
DeleteHi Tom,
ReplyDeleteHappy Saturday to you. It's been a while since I've made any rounds but my first stop is always your place. I've enjoyed your Echoes from years gone by, and all were new to me.
I liked the Crystals' song "Uptown", and I especially loved the castanets. I think they were castanets anyway. The song had a very nice sound. I was trying to get more educated on the meaning and technique of Spector's Wall of Sound production style. I don't know that I have quite the ear for it yet, as far as being able to pick out a Wall of Sound song vs one that isn't but I'll just have to keep working on training my ear to hear.
I got a kick out of Josephine Sunday. You're right, she is perky! And the lyrics are quite racy, aren't they? Dick Clark's intro and interviews always make me giggle. I liked her outfit that she made to "show up good on TV".
I also really liked The Cinderellas song "Baby, Baby".
I got a kick out of the album cover that featured Alder Ray (neat name). I liked reading the names of the various girl groups from the 60s that were featured on the album. I noticed right away Cher's name in parentheses and I had forgotten that she used her given name Cherilyn in the early days. And also Merry Clayton: Did you ever see the documentary on backup singers "20 Feet from Stardom"? I haven't but want to find it and check it out.
Linda Scott's "You Baby" is a really good song and it is surprising that it failed to chart. I guess the British Invasion really did usher out those 60s girl groups, didn't it?
You threw a curve ball: I wasn't expecting a male group to show up in your set. I never heard of the Walker Brothers but their "Make It Easy On Yourself" ended up being my favorite of all the songs featured here.
As far as my second fav, for me it's a toss up between the Crystals and the Texas native Vikki Carr.
As always, it's been a pleasure hanging out at Shady's Place. Thanks for introducing me to some great old "not so" hits! Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Michele at Angels Bark
Hi, Michele!
DeleteI am very happy to see you, dear friend! Thank you for coming over to enjoy these Wall-of-Sounders in my latest edition of Echoes. I am honored to know that you made my space, Shady's Place, your first stop, and I hope you are doing better day by day.
I am thrilled to know that all of these Spectorian singles are new to your ears. You're right, those are castanets you hear in the first two songs, "Uptown" and "You Won't Even Know Her Name." The use of castanets was one of Spector's trademarks. Can you imagine Tony Orlando singing "Uptown"? I'm glad the classic girl group The Crystals got the chance to record it instead. Josephine Sunday was a no-hit-wonder, but she sure did try hard as evidenced by that energetic performance on Bandstand. Her single has grown in popularity over the years and has been given new life, included on Spector soundalike anthologies and girl pop/girl group CDs of the 21st century. I'm glad you picked up on the fact that the lyrics of her song were rather suggestive for a teenage girl to be singing in 1966. Maybe it caused radio stations to shy away from playing the record, keeping it off the chart.
Yessum, I saw 20 Feet From Stardom with Merry Clayton and other little known studio session vocalists, the unsung sirens who backed up major stars and helped make some of the biggest hits of the 60s. I encourage you to watch the documentary. As I recall Mrs. Shady and I found it on Netflix. I am also delighted to know that you enjoyed Linda Scott's grooviest recording, a single that completely missed the chart, possibly because Linda was associated with her earlier hits and regarded as old school by the time it was released at the end of 1965. By then young fans were caught up in the excitement of The Beatles and other long haired British bands and classic girl groups, girl pop and the Spector sound were fading from popularity. The Walker Brothers are today highly regarded blue-eyed soul artists, three guys from Los Angeles who struggled stateside but found a measure of success in the UK. Sadly, two of the three Walker Brothers are now deceased.
So glad you appreciate the easy listening number by Vikki Carr. It had been ages since I heard that one and was delighted to find that nicely remastered video featuring pictures of Vikki and showing her wandering around in the woods alone singing her dramatic song. :)
Michele, thank you again, very much, for making time for a visit, dear friend. You have been on my mind all these weeks and I hope your life is at least starting to fall back into place in the wake of your recent loss. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Michele. I hope to see you soon!
Summery greetings from Alberta, friend Shady. Thank for presenting a new edition of Golden Oldies. Don't know any of them but truly enjoyed The Walker Brothers, which indeed sound much like The Righteous Brothers. Signing off, cat and cat Theo Thunderbutt … smiles … https://youtu.be/Fo5RUhuoLO4
ReplyDeleteHi, cat!
DeleteWelcome back to Shady's Place, dear friend! I'm delighted you could make it over for Echoes Vol. 15 featuring the sounds of Spector and those who imitated his style.
I'm excited that you appreciated The Walker Brothers and agree they sound like Bill and Bobby. The Walker Bros. didn't go over that well here at home, but they made a splash across the pond. Their biggest hits stateside were this cover of "Make It Easy On Yourself" and "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" which reached #13.
I'm happy to know that summer has finally arrived in Alberta. :) You have a beautiful kitty. Thanks for showing me that Y/T clip of Theo Thunderbutt. :)
Thanks again for joining the fun and have a wonderful week, dear friend cat!
Happy Sunday Shady...although I'm still a bit sad after bidding farewell to our Oregon crew. You always have such nice things to say on my blog and I appreciate you being a loyal Pines follower! Oh, we still call Addy "Rae Rae" but in print I go back and forth..don't know why! This post had new voices to me but songs I remember..does that even make sense? Anyway, the poor Cinderellas who didn't even make it to the ball! Those fab four put many out of business didn't they. I couldn't help but think back to my youth when listening to Vicki Carr. We had no cell phones, no caller ID, so when the family phone rang it could be old Aunt Tilly or the answer to your prayers about the cute guy at school who you prayed would be the caller! I guess kids still pray when their phones ding that it's "HIM"! One other question..where there 4 Crystals or 5? The number seemed to change in the pics..just wondering!That's all I've got this evening. Take care and stay cool down there!
ReplyDeleteHi, Yaya!
DeleteThanks a lot for dropping by for some Echoes, dear friend. I am very happy to see you! Thanks for explaining Addy's back and forth name change. A Rae by any other name remains the same - a wonderful girl with a bright future ahead. :)
Yessum, 1964 wasn't a very promising year for classic sweetly singing girl groups and solo artists to be releasing records. By then it was all about bands, British bands, or American bands that could look and sound British. To answer your question, there were five members of The Crystals at the start, but one got married and a second joined another ill-fated girl group The Butterflys and was replaced. If you do the match that left the group as a quartet from then on. This happened in early 1963 just before The Crystals had a big hit with "Da Doo Ron Ron." I'm delighted to know you remember Vikki Carr. It surprises me that several other readers also remember Vikki and this major easy listening hit of hers. It was certainly big in my neck of the woods. You're right. When the phone rang back in the days of our youth, several family members usually ran to answer it, each hoping the call was for them. I remember all the times we were disappointed because it turned out to be a wrong number. We were also on a party line and often needed to wait our turn until a neighbor finished a long-winded conversation with a friend. Sometimes you knew that a nosy neighbor was eavesdropping on your conversation because you could hear him or her breathing. Today's young people can't imagine what that was like.
Thank you again for your kind visit and wonderful comment, dear friend YaYa. Take care and have a great week!
Tom,
ReplyDeleteSome of these oldie groups I remember from past posts on this blog or the earlier one. All of your song picks are new2me as you might have guessed. I was just wee kitten when these tracks hit the airwave and unless a song hit it big in the early 60s for continous repeat time on the radio then chances are those songs never made it to my ears. That's one of the wonderful things about visiting your place, I'm introduced to not only some of the classic sounds from the past but often tims newer stuff from today that doesn't hit my radar. Thanks for transporting me this morning back to the past and for popping in at my place to listen to what's playing on my turntable on the 4M dance floor. Have a boogietastic week, my friend!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThank you very much for coming by and sampling some sounds in my latest installment of Echoes of the Spectorian Era!
Given the significant difference in our ages, I am always happy to introduce you to new oldies from the 50s and 60s. As I have mentioned many times before, most of these recordings were also new to my ears until recently when I purchased the three volume CD series called "Phil's Spectre: A Wall of Soundalikes." Many of the selections in my Echoes series are pulled from those three CDs. I am just as excited as you are to go back to the past and discover great oldies that I somehow missed the first time around.
Thanks again for joining the party, dear friend Cathy. Have a boogietastic week yourself!
😀
DeleteI'm here and on the last day of July! I listened to all the musical pieces you showcased and enjoyed it all. The Crystals were quite appealing but I can see why the Cinderellas didn't make it. There was something off about thyeir singing style..for me anyway. The little girl Josephine, whom Dick Clark couldn't get over her outfit, was cute as she lip-synced her way through the song.Alder Ray wasn't bad but I loved Linda Scott with her great voice. That song could easily be in some Rom-Com movie like 4 Weddings and a Funeral. The Walker bros do sound like those Righteous Bros and so funny to see them sing with the Beatles style hair cut. I also love Vicki Carr who has such a strong voice. Have a beautiful day and stay cool
ReplyDeleteHi again, Birgit!
DeleteI see you followed your usual pattern and commented on two posts the same day. Thanks for coming, dear friend, and for the 11th anniversary acknowledgement!
As for this volume of Echoes, I'm glad you found a tune or two (or six) that you appreciated. The Crystals story is interesting. The late Barbara Ann Alston sang lead on their first three singles "There's No Other (Like My Baby)," "Uptown" and "He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)," the latter a song that takes the POV of a battered girlfriend. "He Hit Me" was written by Brill Building vets Carole King and Gerry Goffin and was inspired by real life events. King & Goffin's babysitter, rising singing star Little Eva, was regularly beaten by her boyfriend. "He Hit Me" proved too controversial for radio at the time and was banned by many stations. Then came the scandal over The Crystals next single and biggest hit "He's A Rebel" which was not actually recorded by The Crystals. It was instead waxed by Darlene Love and her girl group The Blossoms, Phil Spector's go-to session singers. When The Crystals returned to the studio, there were personnel changes and a formation shift. Lead singer Barbara Alston was too shy to continue fronting the group, and Dolores "LaLa" Brooks was brought into the act as the new lead singer.
I'm delighted that you like Linda Scott's cool single "You Baby." It's my Pick To Click. The Walker Bros. adopted the mop top look as did many English and American bands of the mid 60s. So glad you also like Vikki Carr's powerful pipes as she sings "It Must Be Him," her biggie from 1967, long before phones had "Caller I.D. :)
Thanks again for your friendship and support, dear friend BB!