Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Some Of Your Mid-Week Comments

re: TV THEMES:  
>>>I had the "Secret Agent" soundtrack LP, and was VERY disappointed that someone else sang "Secret Agent Man" on its first track. In fact, I actually tried to cut a groove on it, so the needle, of my record player, would automatically travel to the second track! (John LaPuzza)
Here is a sample of the version John wrote about:
It does seem a little odd the soundtrack album used someone else's version, but it's not the first time. Maybe the composer Edwin Ashley had his own recording contract like Henry Mancini did. Mancini's albums almost never had the same singers as on the movie track. 
Paul Urbahns 
Radcliff, Ky    

Hey Kent,
I did okay ... my picks finished #9, #11, & #12 -- and my fourth pick would have been #3! GREATEST AMERICAN HERO was a sleeper -- was glad it finished so well, GREAT song! Your newsletter is more relatable than Rolling Stone,
CONSISTENTLY A GREAT READ!Thank-You,
Tim     


re: AIN'T:  
Kent,
I am a little bit disappointed in you. To me the ultimate "ain't" song has got to be from 1960, Buster Brown's followup to FANNIE MAE, IS YOU IS OR IS YOU AIN'T MY BABY? To me, that had to be the number one song with every teacher who taught English in school at the time.
Larry
Actually, Buster Brown's version barely made the charts ... so, had I featured it at all, it wouldn't have been HIS version that I used. The REAL hit version of this song dates back to 1944 when the incomparable Louis Jordan took it to #5. How big was it? Besides reaching #5 on the pop charts (and #2 on Billboard's Juke Box Chart) it also topped their COUNTRY Chart for five weeks ... and reached #3 on their R&B Chart, too ... a true, genuine cross-over hit in every sense of the word. The song comes from the movie "Follow The Boys", starring Marlene Dietrich. Buster Brown's 1960 remake topped out at #81. (By the way, we DID mention this one in our "ain't" definition the following day, within the context of being every teacher's worst nightmare ... but I'm also featuring it here today for anyone else who cares to hear it!) kk 

Kent,  
The other songs would be ... ill-fitted if we removed the "ain't" from them, but "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" would lose all its boyish, brotherly charm if changed. The original Boy's Town story of "He ain't heavy, Father, he's my(me?) brother." flourishes within this expression of true caring and love. One of my favorites. 
Shelley J. Sweet-Tufano  
It was funny seeing (during our little "ain't" history discovery mission) that the word was already being used in the 1600's. I swear I remember ... in THIS lifetime ... a big controversy when the word was FINALLY acknowledged and put into the dictionary, simply because it was being so commonly used at the time. Doing a bit more research I found that somebody has actually written a book about this topic ... and other words FINALLY added to Webster's Dictionary. It looks like "ain't" made Webster's Third, published in 1961 amongst a bit of controversy. Citing this quote (and its reference to The Chicago Tribune) maybe THIS is why I remember this being such a big deal, growing up in Chi-Town at the time. (kk)  
ain't  
To announce its new dictionary, the G. and C. Merriam Co. sent out a press release saying Webster’s Third had finally welcomed ain’t into a dictionary and was endorsing its use. This was inaccurate on both counts, but newspapers lapped up the news that, in the words of the Chicago Tribune, “the word ‘ain’t’ ain’t a grammatical mistake anymore.” The Toronto Globe and Mail, however, was not laughing. It said in an editorial, “A dictionary’s embrace of the word ain’t will comfort the ignorant, confer approval upon the mediocre, and subtly imply that proper English is the tool only of the snob.” Even worse, said the newspaper, speaking in the midst of the early Cold War, a bad dictionary could help undermine communications with the Russians and thus bring about a nuclear apocalypse.

re: THIS AND THAT:
Same Old Song? Not Exactly. Many classic hits are secretly re-recorded. Can this be stopped? http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2013/05/re_recordings_runaway_and_other_classic_songs_redone_in_the_studio_can_we.html
Don
 
Author Brian L. Forsythe sent us a couple of signed copies of his new book "Inside The Songs Of The Sixties" to give away to our readers. If you're interested, drop me a line and we'll pick two winners.
It's a neat compilation of interesting song facts and tidbits that Brian has picked up and collected over the years. (In fact, we're even credited as one of his references, which I didn't know when he first approached me about doing the book give away!) You'll also find Songfacts.com and KissThatGuy.com on the list ... as well as personal memories shared by the likes of Peter Noone, Billy J. Kramer, Gerry Marsden and more. It's a quick, fun read and (although I think we ultimately disproved a couple of things I see here), still entertaining as can be if you're into rock and roll trivia. (kk)
 

You can pick up your own copy here: Click here: Home Page
 
 
Congratulations to David Beard, whose "Endless Summer Quarterly" celebrates its 100th Issue with a look back at The Beach Boys' "Holland" LP.
It was a crazy time ... The Boys packed up their families and all of their equipment (including enough to build a brand new studio!) and literally MOVED to Holland to record this LP! (And this was not exactly during their "hit years" either!!!)
Exclusive interviews with Mike Love and Al Jardine help to tell the story. You can read all about it here:
And subscribe to Endless Summer Quarterly here:
(kk)   
 
And, speaking of The Beach Boys, sounds like a great new DVD release is right around the corner. It captures all three Wilson Brothers, Mike Love and Al Jardine during the "comeback years" ... and I remember watching this one before ages ago. 
 
EAGLE ROCK ENTERTAINMENT PROUDLY PRESENTS THE BEACH BOYS GOOD VIBRATIONS TOUR
~ON DVD AND DIGITAL VIDEO JUNE 18~
 

New York, NY (May 14, 2013) — On June 18, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release The Beach Boys: Good Vibrations Tour on DVD and Digital Video [Pre-book Order Date May 24, MSRP $9.98]
Filmed in 1976 at Anaheim Stadium for American television, Good Vibrations follows the release of their 15 Big Ones album. Combining full live performances with interviews and several whimsical vignettes, Good Vibrations is 50 minutes of Beach Boys faire at its finest. This DVD features all the original band members (Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, Mike Love, and Al Jardine) performing their timeless classic hits: “Good Vibrations,” “God Only Knows,” “I Get Around,” “Fun, Fun, Fun,” “Sloop John B,” “California Girls,” “Help Me Rhonda,” “Surfin’ USA,” and many more. From the three Wilson brothers performing a song about their father to the full band harmonizing with a gospel choir, this DVD is packed with incredible moments.
The Beach Boys were the most successful American pop group of the sixties. Their legendary vocal harmonies, renowned anthems, and classic albums earned an induction into the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall Of Fame, and to this day, this music inspires fans, musicians, and songwriters of all generations.
Above all, Good Vibrations is a perfect snapsnot of why The Beach Boys are one of the most endearing and beloved music acts of all time.
Track Listing
1) Fun, Fun, Fun
2) Be True To Your School
3) I'm Bugged At My Ol’ Man
4) God Only Knows
5) I Get Around
6) You Are So Beautiful
7) That Same Song
8) Good Vibrations
9) Sloop John B
10) Surfin’ USA
11) California Girls
12) Help Me Rhonda
13) It's OK
14) Rock ’n’ Roll Music
15) Wouldn’t It Be Nice
 
 
Another interesting new release ... which (incredibly!) also has a Holland tie-in!!! ...
Legendary 'Dutch Woodstock' Featuring Pink Floyd, Santana, T-Rex, The Byrds, Soft Machine, Jefferson Airplane and Others Now Available on Double CD / DVD Set
Featuring performances by Pink Floyd, Santana, T.Rex, The Byrds, Canned Heat, Jefferson Airplane, Soft Machine, It's A Beautiful Day, Family, Country Joe, Dr. John & the Night Trippers, Flock and Al Stewart
London, UK - One of the most historic concert events of the early '70s, the Dutch Woodstock, also called the 'Holland Pop Festival', has now been released on a double CD/DVD set by UK's Gonzo MultiMedia. Featuring rare and exciting performances by Pink Floyd, Santana, T.Rex, The Byrds, Canned Heat, Jefferson Airplane, Soft Machine, It's A Beautiful Day, Family, Country Joe, Dr. John & The Night Trippers, Flock and Al Stewart, makes this extraordinary release a must for fans of music everywhere! The three-day festival was held in August 1970 at the Kralingse Bos (Kralingse Forest) in Rotterdam, and despite the rain, an estimated 100,000 people attended the astounding event!
 
Featuring ...
Pink Floyd - Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun, A Saucerful Of Secrets 
 
Santana – Gumbo, Savor, Jingo 
 
The Byrds - Old Blue
 
Canned Heat - Human Condition, So Sad
 
T-Rex - Pavillions Of Sun
 
Jefferson Airplane - Saturday Afternoon, White Rabbit, 
 
Ballad Of You & Me & Pooneil plus interviews with Paul 
 
Kanter & Grace Slick
 
Soft Machine - Esther's Nose Job
 
It’s A Beautiful Day - Wasted Union Blues, Open Up Your 
 
Hearts
 
Family - Drowned In Wine
 
Country Joe - Freedom Is A Constant
 
Dr. John & The Night Trippers - Mardi Gras Day
 
Flock - Big Bird
 
Al Stewart - Zero She Flies
 
The Dutch Woodstock double CD/DVD set will be released by GONZO MultiMedia UK on March 22, 2013
To Purchase The Dutch Woodstock double CD/DVD set: http://www.gonzomultimedia.co.uk/product_details/15545



 

Here's one just for fun ... a "mash-up" of The Monkees and Big Bang Theory ... sent in by FH Reader Gary Strobl:
By the way, thanks to everybody who has already responded regarding helping out with Gary's new Monkees coffee table book.  For more details, scroll back to Sunday's "Helping Out Our Readers" article.  (kk)