Zero to 180 – Three Minute Magic
Do not understand why so very little has been written about Allen Toussaint‘s 1968 composition “Hands Christianderson,” an instrumental B-side released 47 years ago this very month: “Hands Christianderson“ Allen Toussaint (1968) I hear a bit of Burt Bacharach-style melodicism in the trumpets and backing vocals, though the final product
Just an hour or so up the interstate from Baltimore resides a prominent metropolitan area that was once the “Rodney Dangerfield” of East Coast cities: Philadelphia. Somehow in the course of looking for bowling songs, I chanced upon this curious piece of sunshine pop – “A Bubble Called You“ by
“Major to Minor” by The Settlers is a tuneful slice of sunshine pop with a clever lyric that uses musical terminology as a metaphor for romantic discord: Once I thought, “Life is going my way!” – it was just like a beautiful song.When you came, well I thought you would
This boss near-instrumental from 1967 simply attributed to “The Paris Studio Group” features a mean harpsichord – something right out of Lurch from The Addams Family: “Accroche Toi, Caroline“ The Paris Studio Group (1967) New Musical Express informs us — Main title theme as used on Tony Hart`s UK TV
The words of Rod McKuen and music of Anita Kerr effortlessly intertwine on this breezy romp through the Pacific Coast of one’s mind: “Body Surfing With the Jet Set“ The San Sebastian Strings (1970) “Body Surfing With the Jet Set” serves, fittingly, as side one’s closing track of 1970 album,
How sad to learn of Phil Everly‘s passing – he and his brother Don (who left us in August, 2021) were once knocking at Paul McCartney’s door, you know. Looking at The Everly Brothers‘ chart history, I’m impressed by the broadness of their appeal in the early years of their
The Johnny Mann Singers channel their inner child to optimal effect in “Hello Yellow Bug” from 1968’s Love is Blue album on the Liberty label. Somewhat surprisingly, this song did not enjoy single release: Hello Yellow Bug – Johnny Mann Singers [Pssst: Click the triangle above to play “Hello Yellow
From David Bianculli‘s history of the Smothers Brothers’ groundbreaking television variety show, I discovered that Mason Williams was much more than the guy who wrote the million-selling instrumental, “Classical Gas.” Williams not only recorded albums for Warner Brothers (and Mercury & Vee Jay) but also wrote incisive and edgy sketches for
One year after Stu Phillips recorded a spectacularly soporific reading of “Tired of Waiting for You,” The Sandpipers released a similarly sluggish take on the garage rock classic, “Louie Louie” — it, too, makes me laugh: “Louie Louie“ The Sandpipers (1966) 45Cat’s BeatleJohn likewise warns listeners that this recording is
This track sounds like a collaboration between Burt Bacharach and Brian Wilson – only it isn’t. Although it wants to be: “South American Getaway“ Burt Bacharach Just like The 5th Dimension‘s “Dimension 5ive,” this is technically a vocal tune yet one without lyrics. It also has that sunny Southern California
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