#6 Pop

Before there was the angelic youthful tenor of the pre-teen Michael Jackson,  there was a teenager named Frankie Lymon. He sang lead on “Why Do Fools Fall in Love”  propelling his group, The Teenagers,  right on up the Pop charts!

The young Frankie influenced everyone from Ronnie Spector to Berry Gordy, who would later pattern his cross-over success on the musical template that Frankie Lymon laid out for the Pop Music industry.

I recall vividly being so excited by the youthful MJJ and sharing his music with my musical mentor, my Father.  Daddy like MJJ but would repeatedly tell me that he was just a copy of Frankie Lymon.  And of course eventually, when my musical taste matured,  I realized how right he was. But I also wish my Dad had lived to here the entire development of MJJ musical talents during the span of his in credible solo career.

The composer of this song has been in dispute for years — but I can say that whoever wrote it made a classic hit song for the ages.

#2 Adult Contemporary, # 6 R&B & #7 Pop

The proof of the song’s classic stature is that  almost 30 years after it’s release,  the cover version of “WDFFIL” by Diana Ross zoomed up the charts just as Lymon’s original release had done decades before.

Which of these two renditions is your fave and why?

Now please enjoy Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers first live TV performance of “WDFFIL” in 1956 and Diana Ross’ 1981 promotional video for “WDFFIL.”

www.youtube.com/watch?v=q96ylFiQK_I

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPO46xvT0Xk

Musically Yours,

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#1 R&B, #11 Pop

If you have been around OSML since the beginning you may remember that  I blogged about this Orioles’ classic cover, “Crying In The Chapel,” back in 2008.  And you may also recall that this song has a very special place in my heart so not only am I blogging about it again but I may do so again in the future.

If you are new here please listen to this beautiful ballad covered by the Baltimore male vocal group, active from 1946-1954,  that were part of the master blueprint for what Doo-Wop & R&B were to become -- The Orioles!

#4 Pop

June Valli covered the song in 1953 as well and charted quite high. She has an awesome voice IMHO.

This was Valli’s (the one time voice of Chiquita Banana)  biggest hit.

#4 Country & Western, #6 Pop

And of course here is the  original version by Darrell Glenn that I had not yet heard at the time of my first post, but have since purchased and want to share here for  your listening pleasure. The original charted well both Pop and Country Western in 1953.

Besides Glenn’s original and The Orioles and June Valli Covers ( all three versions hits in 1953),   Rex Allen’s cover charted #8; Ella Fitzgerald’s cover charted #15 and an Art Lund cover charted #23 all in 1953.

Two of my favorite subsequent cover versions are by The Platters and Mahalia Jackson.

#1 Easy Listening #3 Pop, #1 U.K.

Here is Elvis’ cover version recorded in 1960 for a Gospel LP,  but released as a single in 1965.

Lastly here is a later version of a performance by latter day Orioles performing “CITC” to replace the video that has been removed from the previous post on this topic. Enjoy this  beautiful ballad one more time right after you vote for your favorite. 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvZM55H3jtk

Musically Yours,

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I loved Peggy Lee singing her signature cover song  “Fever” in the Fifties  (another of my Barbie doll’s favorites to sing in a night club -- LOL) and her her songs from Disney’s 1955 American film “Lady & The Tramp” Soundtrack!

But her only Grammy win was The Grammy for  the 1969 Best Contemporary Vocal Performance, Female that went to   “Is That All There Is.”  The arrangement makes me think of  the musical “Cabaret”!

This Lieber and Stoller penned classic  charted #1 Adult Contemporary and #11 on the Billboard T op 100. This was Peggy’s (born Norma Deloris Egstrom)  last number one hit.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe9kKf7SHco

And here are two of my faves from “Lady & The Tramp.” Actually I have never seen the movie all of the way through or if I did as a child I don’t recall the plot. I only remember these awesome songs! What about you? Do you recall the plot?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN69gnkNtLo

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL9hooe-yKQ

The Siamese Cat Song

Lear More about Peggy at this site.

Musically Yours,

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Song writer, singer and session musician Joe Souter, known professionally as Joe South, had written and played on many hits for other artists — but  his composition “Games People Play” was his first chart topping hit at #12 on the Billboard Top 100: plus it won him not one but two Grammys as songwriter!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k0GUDfqmnU

The 1969 Grammy for Song of the Year went to “Games People Play” written by Joe South.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5znh58WITU8

The 1969 Grammy for Best Contemporary Song went to “Games People Play written by Joe South

Last but not least the 1969 Grammy for Best R&B Instrumental Performance went to “Games People Play” performed by King Curtis. Curtis, Born  Curtis Ousley,  was both a  renowned soloist and session musician on his tenor sax.

So there you have it — one awesome song and three Grammy wins!

Trivia: South  was inspired to write this award winning song by Dr. Eric Berne’s 19   book “Games People Play:
The psychology of human relationships”

More Trivia: King Curtis and Duane Allman were both session players and great friends. They played together often and both Curtis and Allman are playing in the GPP track above.

Musically Yours,

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Last August 2008  OSML spotlighted the Best R&B Grammy Winners from 1958 to 1968. This month, February 2010, OSML is moving on to present all of the wonderful 1969 Grammy winners, in a variety of categories, that I grew up with and loved.

This music was oh so special and should never be forgotten.  I, for one, will never ever take it for granted and still continue to enjoy it daily.

I shall start off the month with the winner of both the Grammy for 1969 Record of the Year and 1969 Best Contemporary Vocal Performance By a Group -- “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures),” sung by The 5th Dimension.

This one really brings back special memories of blossoming into a full fledged teenager in the Sixties era of “Flower Power” and “Grooviness!” This award winning song, composed by James Rado, Gerome Ragni and Galt MacDermot, was from the smash  “Hair: The American Tribal Love Rock Musical”. ” Producer Bones Howe constructed the mini-suite presentation for The 5th Dimension.

The song appeared on the  5th Dimension’s fourth LP released in the prime of their music career. This LP topped the charts at #2. The song topped the Adult Contemporary and Billboard Hot 100 charts at #1 and R&*B at #6.

Check out this performance and sing along with the lyrics provided below.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LANwIgpha7k

Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In

When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars
This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
Age of Aquarius
Aquarius!
Aquarius!

Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revelation
And the mind’s true liberation
Aquarius!
Aquarius!

When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars
This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
Age of Aquarius
Aquarius!
Aquarius!
Aquarius!
Aquarius!

[instrumental and tempo shift]

Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in, the sunshine in
Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in, the sunshine in
Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in, the sunshine in

[continue to end with concurrent scat]

Oh, let it shine, c’mon
Now everybody just sing along
Let the sun shine in
Open up your heart and let it shine on in
When you are lonely, let it shine on
Got to open up your heart and let it shine on in
And when you feel like you’ve been mistreated
And your friends turn away
Just open your heart, and shine it on in

And here is the cast of the recent “Hair” revival” performing on the David Letterman Show in 2009. Enjoy.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPLg5gA-9ck

Musically Yours,

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Probably one of the most under-rated pop singers of my generation is Dionne Warwick.

Brought up in the gospel world in a musical extended family, Dionne formed the “Gospelaires” singing group with her sister Dee Dee and her aunt Cissy Houston ( later the mother of Whitney Houston).  Dionne and her group did vocal session work in New York on weekends while she studied music on scholarship in college during the week.

The story goes that Dionne was asked to provide vocals for some demos written by the songwriting-producing team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David, while in the studio working on the backing vocal for the Drifter’s song “Mexican Divorce.”

When the composing duo pitched the demo(s) to Scepter Records, the head of the label (Florence Greenberg) liked what she heard and signed Dionne to a recording contract.

Bacharach and David wrote her first song for recording and the rest is legend!

Dionne sang her first and all  subsequent Bacharach and David unusually complicated songs with ease, grace and smoothness. Her voice is just so mellow  yet expressive and her singing sounds effortless. I recall playing with my Barbie doll in her black evening gown, microphone and pink scarf singing nothing but Dionne Warwick songs because even as a youngster she epitomized class to me!

Warwick charted high continuously from 1963 up until 1980 before her recording career began to slow down a bit.

This 1967 the single, “I Say A Little Prayer,” charted #8 R&B and #4 on the Billboard Top 100.  The song appeared on Dionne’s LP  of the same year “The Windows of the World”  pictured above.

Aretha obviously loved the song too because only a year later she put her spin on the tune and released her cover of Dionne’s hit.  Naturally The Queen of  Soul’s version was a hit too!  Charting #3 R&B and #10 Pop in 1968.  The song appeared on her 1968 certified Gold classic LP  “Aretha Now”  pictured above.

Over the years, Aretha’s hit cover of Marie Dionne Warwick’s original hit has become the definitive version of the song. Don’t think  so? Then check this out --  my most favorite part of the movie “My Best Friend’s Wedding” is this clip: this is why I love YouTube

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vji6vzyrI-A

Of course I want to know which of these two renditions of the Bachrach/David classic YOU like best so please vote.

And here are a few more related videos to enjoy while they last on YouTube.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlWFQynaxqk

www.youtube.com/watch?v=STKkWj2WpWM

Trivia: The Gospelaire’s  are thought to have provided backing vocals for Ben E. King’s “Spanish Harlem” and “Stand By Me.”

Musically Yours,

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Sam Harris -- Sugar Don’t Bite (1984) Peaked at #36 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Oklahoman Sam Harris is a Motown male vocalist in from Eighties era. This is a bit out of my area of knowledge since I sort of shut down on Pop music in the Eighties. Basically it was pretty much crapolla IMHO (as were the clothes and hairstyles). Other than spending hours and hours listening to the Prince and Bob Marley catalog I decided soon in the Eighties that the early Rock and Roll, Pop and Soul music was the best and my Oldies love affair began full throttle.

But a history of Motown would be incomplete if I didn’t touch upon a few of the artists that came along after the “Golden Age,”  so let’s start the ball rolling with the super talented performer Sam Harris.

Long before there was “American Idol”  hosted by Ryan Seacrest there was “Star Search” hosted by Ed McMahon (not the mediocre “Star Search” reprise hosted by Arsenio Hall ;-(). I watched religiously as did most of America and so I certainly knew Sam Harris.

Sam was the first winner of “Star Search” who won everyone over with his version of “Over The Rainbow” as seen here in this 1984 clip from the show.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZyjSuOrRBw

Motown then  swooped Sam up and signed him to a record deal.  Only two LPs were done on him with one hit record from each set and then before you know it he was off to live life after Motown — just like that.

Here is the promotional video for the biggest hit of Sam’s Motown career.  Leave it to Motown to take a great ballad singer and try to turn him into a typical Eighties pop travesty so that he would fit into the MOR category of the times.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPf0jCF1wHQ

Now in case you thought that you were getting your melodies confused — yes the 1985 Madonna song “Papa Don’t reach” sounds just like this song! But have no fear because according to Sam,  the writers of the song  Donna Weiss and Bruce Roberts,  sued Madonna and won! So it came out ok in the end.

Sam is doing just fine making his living singing. Trust he still has pipes that just won’t quit.

You may keep up with his doings by following his blog Sam Harris.Com and his SamTube.com YouTube Page.

The Blog The A.v. Club also has a nice interview with Sam from 1998.  Good reading.

Musically Yours,

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There Must Be More To Life Than This (demo) (~1985)

This beautiful song, composed by Freddie Mercury of Queen fame, appeared on Freddie’s first solo LP “Mr. Bad Guy.”  Listen to MJJ feel it and sing it.

While  you write your feelings on the loss of MJJ please listen to, this awesome proof of the marvelous instrument that was, Mike’s tenor voice in song. R.I.P. dear man.

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Kyu Sakamoto – Sukiyaki aka Japanese Love Song (1963) #1 Adult Contemporary, #18 R&B, #1 Pop

This wonderful, much covered song, composed by Hachidal Nakamura, was the first Japanese song to ever reach the top of the American music charts. I recall singing it as a child having no clue as to what the song was about … I just made up my own words to the marvelously jaunty and catchy melody!

Kyu Sakamoto was born Hisashi Oshima in 12/10/41. This well respected Japanese actor and singer  died in the  8/12/85 crash of Japan Airlines Flight 123 leaving behind his wife and two children.

Taste of Honey -  Sukiyaki aka Japanese Love Song (1981)  #1 Adult Contemporary, #1 R&B Singles, #3 Pop Singles

It wasn’t until the 1981  cover version, by the disco era R&B “Two-Hit  Wonder”  group “Taste of Honey,”  topped the charts again that I recalled the original Japanese version of my youth. This version was slowed down in tempo and given English lyrics and then I knew it was meant to be a love song: but the lyrics that were used were not a translation of the original Japanese song.

Selena – Sukiyaki aka Japanese Love Song (1989)

This beautiful Spanish language cover of “Sukiyaki”  performed by Selena Quintanilla-Pérez (b.4/16/71 d.3/31/95) appeared on her 1989 release “Selena.”

Selena is by no means a “One Hit Wonder” but I just included her version here because it is truly beautiful and I like it and it’s my blog

I hope you enjoy all three versions as much as I do.

TRIVIA: After “Sukiyaki” was a hit for “Taste of Honey,  the duo  went to Japan and toured with Kyu Sakamoto!

And from the WIKI Kyu Sakomoto Pag:

The lyrics were written by Rokusuke Ei and the melody was composed by Hachidai Nakamura. The lyrics tell the story of a man who looks up and whistles while he is walking so that his tears won’t fall. The verses of the song describe him doing this through each season of the year. The original Japanese title was considered too difficult for American audiences to remember and pronounce, therefore a well-known word that people would associate with Japan was used – Sukiyaki, even though the word has nothing to do with the song. A Newsweek columnist noted that the re-titling was like issuing “Moon River” in Japan under the title “Beef Stew.”

For more interesting facts check out:

Kyu Salamoto’s Official Web Site

A Taste of Honey’s Official Web Site

A great Taste of Honey Fan Page

Q Productions online -  The Only Official Selena Website!

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[audio http://www.hotlinkfiles.com/files/1610866_ivwbp/k-ReleaseMe_AndLetLoveAgain_.mp3] Engelbert Humperdinck – Release Me (1966)

Well the lyrics are pretty macho but the voice singing the lyrics is very very romantic and that’s all I thought about or understood about this song when my paternal grandmother would play this on her 8-track player over and over again. Nanny’s Humperdinck and Charley Pride tapes were two of her favorites. (So perhaps now you can see another of the many roots of my eclectic musical tastes.)

“Release Me,”  composed by Eddie Miller, Dub Williams and Robert Yount, was the breakout hit for Britian’s Arnold Dorsey. Arnold had been struggling on the music scene since the early fifties first as a saxophone player and later as a singer.

In 1965 Arnold ran into a former roommate, George Mills, who also happened to be managing the singer Tom Jones.

Aware that Dorsey had been struggling several years to make it in music, Mills suggested a name change to the more arresting Engelbert Humperdinck, borrowed from the composer of such operas as Hansel and Gretel. Mills also arranged a new deal with Decca Records. And in early 1967, the changes paid off when Humperdinck’s version of “Release Me,” done in a smooth ballad style with a full chorus joining him on the third chorus, reached the top ten on both sides of the Atlantic and went to number one in Britain, keeping The Beatles’ adventurous “Strawberry Fields” from entering the top slot in the UK. Release Me also went on to become the longest running chart single in history. It spent 56 weeks in the Top 50 in a single chart run, a record that still holds to this day (SOURCE)

This first hit was my favorite EH sang until “After the Lovin” came along in 1976. His voice was too smooth in that one! Simply dreamy.

Englebert continues to wow crowds today. His Official Site features his tour schedule plus fan club information, discography, photos, news, and web shop.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCZO9xeYA8g

Please enjoy this visual of EH performing the song that has become his trademark. The clip is from the series “The Engelbert Humperdinck Show” recorded in London 1969-1970.

Thanks for stopping by.

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