1980s

20 Fab No I's of the 60's - Various Artists

20 Fab No I’s of the 60’s – Various Artists

Sleeve Notes:

SIDE ONE

1. EDDIE COCHRAN — 3 STEPS TO HEAVEN (B & E Cochran) Palace Music Co. Ltd. ℗ 1960 Liberty Records Inc. Within a month of the tragic death of American Rock ‘n’ Roller Eddie Cochran in April 1960, this record entered the charts and got to No 1 in mid June. A mid tempo disc, after his rock anthem classics “Summertime Blues”, “C’mon Everybody” and “Somethin’ Else”.

2. ADAM FAITH — POOR ME (Van Dyke) Mills Music Ltd. ℗ 1960 The follow-up to Adam’s first hit “What Do You Want”, this also went to the top and firmly established Terry Nelhams in a successful career that has embraced many facets of show business.

*3. RICKY VALANCE — TELL LAURA I LOVE HER (Barry, Raleigh) Lawrence Wright Ltd. ℗ 1960 Every now and then a so-called “death disc” makes its mark in the charts — one of the most successful was this tale of young Tommy determined to win the money to buy his girl a diamond ring in a stock-car race. A classic ‘one-hit wonder’ — please pass the kleenex!

4. JOHNNY KIDD AND THE PIRATES — SHAKIN’ ALL OVER (Heath) Mills Music Ltd. 1960 Shakin’ All Over has become a rock classic over the years. Written by London-born Johnny, under his real name of Frederick Heath, this was his only No 1 in a career that was cut short by his untimely death in a car crash in October 1966. His act is always remembered for the hard-driving rock ‘n’ rdll which has inspired many of today’s heavy metal bands and the exotic pirate costumes complete with Johnny’s eye patch.

5. HELEN SHAPIRO — YOU DON’T KNOW (Schroeder, Hawker) Lorna Music Ltd. ℗ 1961 Helen’s first disc ‘Don’t Treat Me Like A Child’ had reached No 3 and this was soon surpassed by You Don’t Know—the first of two chart toppers for this 14 years old school girl from London’s East End. Voted Top British Female Singer for 1961 and 1962, she notched up a million sales with this worldwide hit.

*6. DANNY WILLIAMS — MOON RIVER (Mancini, Mercer) Famous Chappell with the Rita Williams Singers and Geoff Love and his Orchestra ℗ 1961 A Norman Newell discovery, this young black crooner scored a No 1 with his 3rd chart entry — the haunting song from “Breakfast At Tiffany’s” starring Audrey Hepburn. Moon River was the fourth Oscar winner to top the Pop charts. Known as Britain’s answer to Johnny Mathis, Danny had many hits in the early 60’s, returning in 1977 with Dancin’ Easy’, based on the Martini T.V. jingle.

7. B. BUMBLE AND THE STINGERS—NUT ROCKER (Fowley) Ardmore & Beechwood Ltd./EMI ® 1962 Based on Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite and arranged by the legendary Kim Fowley this record was banned by the BBC but, in spite of this set-back, reached No 1 for a week in May 1962.

8. FRANK IFIELD — LOVESICK BLUES (Friend, Mills) Lawrence Wright Ltd. ℗1962 Born in the U.K. but achieving success in Australia where he grew up, Frank consolidated his first No 1 “I Remember You” with this more up tempo song with big band backing and his instantly recognisable yodel. A regular performer today, Frank has crossed to country music to great acclaim.

*9. GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS — YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE (from “Carousel”) (Rodgers, Hammerstein II) Chappell Music Ltd ℗ 1963 This likeable lad from Liverpool still holds the unique distinction of having hit the No 1 spot with his first 3 consecutive releases. First was “How Do You Do It?” then “I Like It” both written by Mitch Murray and for his 3rd release Gerry chose this beautiful ballad from “Carousel” that has since become the anthem of Liverpool Football Club or at least “The Kop”.

10. CLIFF RICHARD — BACHELOR BOY (from “Summer Holiday”) (Richard, Welch) Elstree Music Ltd./EMI ℗ 1962 A double A-side, coupled with ‘The Next Time’, Bachelor Boy came from Cliff’s highly successful movie follow-up to The Young Ones— “Summer Holiday” in which Cliff and The Shadows starred with Una Stubbs, Richard O’Sullivan and Melvyn Hayes. Co-written by Cliff and Shadow Bruce Welch who was to provide such a driving force in Cliff’s re-emergence in the late 70’s.

℗ Original Sound Recordings made by EMI Records except track 1 stereo


SIDE TWO

1. THE BEATLES — SHE LOVES YOU (Lennon, McCartney Northern Songs Ltd. ℗ 1963 The second No 1 from the Fab Four with its much imitated “Yeh, Yeh, Yeh” chorus. “From Me To You” their first chart-topper, held on to the top for 7 weeks in May 1963 but She Loves You entered the charts at the end of August, stayed at the top through September and remained in the charts for a total of 31 consecutive weeks — almost 7 months! even climbing back to No 1 for two weeks in December as if to mark the spot for the next single, USA conqueror “I Want To Hold Your Hand”.

2. BILLY J. KRAMER AND THE DAKOTAS — BAD TO ME (Lennon, McCartney) Northern Songs Ltd. ℗ 1963 Written as was his first hit “Do You Want To Know A Secret” (No 2), by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Bad To Me took another clean cut scouse lad to the top. Teamed with Manchester group The Dakotas and signed to The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein, Billy was a wow with the girls—their screams almost drowning the performance on his many successful package tours.

3. THE SHADOWS — DANCE ON (V & E Murtagh, Adams) S. Bron Music Co Ltd. ℗ 1962, The Fourth top pop for Cliff’s ‘backing group’, this tune will always be associated with the famous ‘Shadows Walk’. The top-selling records for eleven of the first fourteen weeks of 1963 were either by Cliff Richard or The Shadows or, indeed, by two ex-Shadows — Jet Harris and Tony Meehan. Dance On took over at No 1 from Cliff’s “Bachelor Boy”

*4. CILLA BLACK — YOU’RE MY WORLD (Bindi, Sigman, Paoli) Carlin Music Corp/MCPS ℗ 1964 Another Liverpool artist who was taken under the wing of Brian Epstein’s management, Cilla Black scored her second No 1 hit with this beautiful yet powerful rendition of a song originally an Italian ballad called “II Mio Mondo”. Cilia went on to have many hit records throughout the 60’s and also became a family favourite with her popular T.V. series.

*5. PETER & GORDON — WORLD WITHOUT LOVE (Lennon, McCartney) Northern Songs Ltd ℗ 1964 Another Lennon & McCartney composition which shot to the top but this time performed by Gordon Waller and Peter Asher, brother of Paul’s then girlfriend Jane. The duo enjoyed many successful years together before Gordon went into the theatre while Peter travelled Stateside where he is now a top record producer, particularly successful with Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor.

6. THE HOLLIES — I’M ALIVE (Ballard Jnr) S. Bernstein & Co. Ltd. ℗ 1965 The Hollies from Manchester showed the world that Liverpool was not the centre of the musical universe with a string of Top 10 hits through the 60’s including “Just One Look”, “Here I Go Again”, “I Can’t Let Go” and “Bus Stop”. But it was this Clint Ballard Jnr song on George Martins’s Parlophone label that gave these five fresh faces their only No 1 — so far!

*7. MANFRED MANN — PRETTY FLAMINGO (Barkan) S. Bernstein & Co. Ltd./Heath Levy Music ℗ 1966 On this, the Group’s second No 1, bass player Tom McGuiness had been replaced by Jack Bruce who can also be heard on backing vocals. Johannesburg-born Manfred had so developed the group over the preceding 3 years that their stage act and albums could reflect both their more ‘popular’ songs from the charts and the R & B classics which had been their early inspiration.

8. THE BEACH BOYS—GOOD VIBRATIONS (B. Wilson, M. Love) Rondor Music (Ldn) Ltd. ℗1966 Capitol Records Inc. The Beach Boys – brothers Carl, Brian and Dennis Wilson, cousin Mike Love and family friend Al Jardine put California on the musical map through their surf in’ songs, eulogising the free and easy way of life and “California Girls”. Good Vibrations however, was their first No 1 and reflected Brian’s efforts to combat the powerful influence that The Beatles were exerting on popular music.

9. PETER SARSTEDT — WHERE DO YOU GO TO (MY LOVELY) (Sarstedt) United Partnership Ltd. ℗ 1969 United Artists Inc. This highly memorable and melodic story song with a haunting accordian backing was performed and written by Peter Sarstedt, brother of early 60’s pop star Eden Kane and 70’s crooner Robin Sarstedt. A beautifully drawn word-picture of La Dolce Vita it held the top spot for 4 weeks in March 1969.

*10. THE SCAFFOLD — LILY THE PINK (trad. MT. Gorman, McGear, McGough) Noel Gay Music Ltd. ℗ 1968 This surreal masterpiece, conceived by group members Roger McGough (poet), Mike McGear (vocalist and brother of Beatle Paul) and John Gorman (general loon!), stayed at the top over Christmas 1968 and helped to pave the way to a wider appreciation for a burgeoning art form —Liverpool poetry!

℗ Original Sound Recordings made by EMI Records except tracks 8,9 *stereo
This compilation 1984 Music for Pleasure

20 Fab No I's of the 60's - Various Artists

Label: MFP 41 5657 1

1984 1980s Covers

First Ladies of Country - Various Artists

First Ladies of Country – Various Artists

Sleeve Notes:

Crystal Gayle – Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue, Lynn Anderson – Snowbird, Tammy Wynette – Ode To Billy Joe, Dolly Parton – Dumb Blonde, Tanya Tucker – Delta Dawn, Billie Jo Spears – 57 Chevrolet, Tammy Wynette – There Goes My Everything, Lynn Anderson – It’s Only Make Believe, Dolly Parton – Fuel To The Flame, Tammy Wynette – Stand By Your Man, Billie Jo Spears – Blanket On The Ground, Tammy Wynette – D.I.V.O.R.C.E., Crystal Gayle – Wrong Road Again, Lynn Anderson – Honey Come Back, Tanya Tucker – You Are So Beautiful, Dolly Parton – Your Old Handy Man, Lynn Anderson – A Little Bit More, Tanya Tucker – Let Me Be There, Tammy Wynette – No Charge, Lynn Anderson – Rose Garden

Label: CBS 10018

1980 1980s Covers

The Midnight Moods Orchestra - Themes and Dreams Vol. 2

The Midnight Moods Orchestra – Themes and Dreams Vol. 2

Sleeve Notes:

Everyone is a dreamer and we all dream of romantic times. THEMES AND DREAMS will encourage you to drift off into wonderland. At any time of day or night whether you are working or relaxing the memorable music in this collection will have you floating off into happy day—dreams. The beautifully orchestrated melodies are ideal for dancing, dreaming, or just plain listening. Enjoy them at anytime!

The Midnight Moods Orchestra - Themes and Dreams Vol. 2

Label: Hallmark SHM 3148

1984 1980s Covers

Sounds Orchestral - Clouds

Sounds Orchestral – Clouds

Sleeve Notes:

Words, Me, The Peaceful Heart, Love Is Blue, Jennifer Juniper, Soul Coaxing, Green Tambourine, Step Inside Love, What A Wonderful World, I Can Take Or Leave Your Loving, Do You Know The Way To San Jose, Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear, Simon Says, Classical Gas, Scarborough Fair, Sleepy Shores, Canadian Sunset, Clouds, Downtown, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Cast Your Fate To The Wind, Stranger On The Shore, Without You, Handel’s Largo, April In Portugal

Sounds Orchestral - Clouds

Label: PRT COMP 9

1984 1980s Covers

Delibes - Lakmé

Delibes – Lakmé

Sleeve Notes:

After a flourishing age of great spectacles, French opera went through a period of transition. The tradition had reached its limits and was groping for a new style around 1880. Meyerbeer had died in 1864, several months before the production of his L’Africaine, and Halevy in 1862.

Rossini had also composed in the grand French manner but althoiugh he had lived until 1868 he had been silent since Guillaume Tell (1829). Gounod’s Faust (1869), a typical ‘grand opera’, was a precursor of the modern lyric drama, but its adherence to older musical forms classifies it with the older style. (Gounod so far conceded to tradition as to insert a classical ballet in the middle of a mediaeval legend.) For a conscious stylistic renovation we must wait for Lalo’s Le roi d’Ys, staged in 1888 but begun as early as 1875. While one would not compare the Frenchman to Wagner, it must be noted that Parsifal appeared in 1882 and that Lalo, more of a symphonist than a stage performer could hardly have escaped the doctrines of his German contemporary. Like Verdi in his Otello (1887) he assigned to the orchestra an unheard-of importance. During the ‘period of transition’ around 1880. the active stage composers were Reyer, Paladilhe, Widor, Leroux, and above all Léo Delibes, who alone deserved (or managed) to escape operatic oblivion. Born in 1836 at St.-Germain-du-Val, Sarthe, Delibes entered the Paris Conservatoire in 1848 and studied under Francois Bazin and Adolphe Adam. In 1853 he took jobs as accompanist at the Theatre Lyrique and organist at Saint-Jean-Saint-Francois. In 1855 his first operetta was produced — Deux sous de charbon (Two Pennyworth of Charcoal). Ten years later. after composing several successful operettas, he was named assistant chorus master at the Paris Opera. Once inside those doors. he took the opportunity to present his first great hit. No doubt under the influence of his teacher Adam, it was a ballet, La Source, written with the collaboration of the Polish specialist at ballet composition, Minkus. Coppelia (1870) and Sylvia (1876) confirmed Delibes’ gifts in the field of ballet music. Then in 1873 he produced an opera-comique (The King said so), now forgotten.. In 1880 Jean de Nicene; and in 1883 his masterpiece, Lakmé. Two years before, he had been appointed professor of advanced composition at the Conservatoire, and before his death in 1891 he had been named to the Legion d’honneur and the Institute. Lakmé first came before the footlights of the Opera-Comique on April 14, 1883. The American Marie van Zandt and the tenor Talazac created, amid legendary intrigue, the leading roles. The work was a lively success, as much for its seductively exotic setting as for the vocal prowess of its heroine. If the score seems a bit old-fashioned now, attentive listening will reveal a harmonic freshness, cautiously used here, that the next generation of French composers was to use more boldly. We would hardly call Delibes ‘Wagnerian’, as did his contemporaries, who found him totally lacking in contrapuntal skill, but we must credit him with sweeping the French opera stage clear of hoary pseudo-historical trappings and with having chosen to favour melody over the ponderous ensembles so beloved of Meyerbeer.
Delibes - Lakmé

Label: HMV EG 29 0160 1

1984 1980s Covers

Pierre Belmonde - Themes for Dreams - panpipes music - another dreamy cover from Cover Heaven

Pierre Belmonde – Themes for Dreams

Light Of Experience, Bright Eyes, Feelings, Miss You Nights, Whiter Shade Of Pale, Don’t Cry For Me Argentina, Love Story, Ave Maria, Stranger On The Shore, Annie’s Song, Concerto De Aranjuez, You Don’t Bring Me Flowers, Aria, Forever Autumn, Sailing, Nights In White Satin, Amazing Grace, I Can’t Stop Loving You

Sleeve Notes:

Panpipes originally consisted of several bamboo pipes of differing lengths bound together, held and blown through vertically.

The instrument’s history in Europe stretches back to the zenith of both Greek and Roman civilisations, from which era it derived its association with the god Pan. Greek and Roman artists often depicted Pan flaying an instrument consisting of seven lengths of cane bound together.

As well as Europe (including Rumania and Hungary) the panpipes have originated from many far-flung corners of the world: from China, where sixteen bound pipes were favoured: from ancient Peru, where, as well as cane, they were made of red pottery and green soapstone (cane panpipes are still played in the Andes region today): from Melanesia: and the Solomon Islands, where the panpipes are played together as a band at funeral dances.

The hey-day of the panpipes in Europe was from the tenth to the thirteenth centuries, during the time of the medieval troubadours. They were constructed in a semi-circular, curved shape to make playing easier and more fluent. The style of medieval playing was probably similar to the way in which South American Indians still play today.

The panpipes enjoyed a temporary revival of popularity in England at the beginning of the 19th century where they were taken up by groups of travelling musicians, calling themselves Pandeaus, who went about the country giving performances. In recent tunes panpipes have rarely been heard in England. However, in Eastern European countries, in particular Rumania and Hungary they have remained popular. Modern virtuosi have achieved a high technical mastery of the instrument, displaying phenomenal agility, staggering breath control and double and triple tonguing of incredible rapidity.

This record reveals the versatility of the ancient instrument of panpipes in a collection of modern, well known hits set in tranquil mood; a dream of pipes indeed!

Pierre Belmonde - Themes for Dreams - panpipes music - another dreamy cover from Cover Heaven
Tablao Flamenco - Various Artists

Tablao Flamenco – Various Artists

Sleeve Notes:

Manuel Mairena, La Voz De Un Hombre (Seguiriyas De La Cava), José Menese, Cuando Llegara El Momento (Marianas), Mercedes Cubero, Calle Del Sentimiento (Soleares), Naranjito De Triana, Homenje A La Niña De Los Peines (Bamberas), Curro Malena, Cruce De Calles (Tientos), El Lebrijano

Condenaos Por Ser Gitanos (Cantes De Galeras), Juan Cantero, La Gitana Que Yo Quiero (Tangos Canasteros), El Perro De Paterna, Me Puse A Pensar Un Día (Peteneras), Chano Lobato, La Puerta De Tu Casa (Caracoles Nuevos), Manuel de Paula, Con Una Copa De Más (Bulerías De Jerez)

Tablao Flamenco - Various Artists

Label: RCA NL-35295

1980 1980s Covers

Golden Ladies Of Soul - Various Artists - Motown Hits

Golden Ladies Of Soul – Various Artists

Sleeve Notes:

This album is built around ladies who, either as soloists or in vocal groups, laid the foundation for successful careers and hit records during the early 1960s, and it is thus no coincidence that there is strong representation from the vintage Motown era, which grew to strength during those halcyon years.

Mary Wells was the first Motown lady superstar, enjoying many hits in the American charts and eventually being the first artist from the legendary Detroit Corporation to score a hit in the British charts with the success of “My Guy” in 1964. The previous year had seen Martha Reeves & The Vandellas establishing a hit reputation in the USA, “Quicksand” numbering among the group’s early winners, while 1964 saw ‘Dancing In The Street” climbing high, eventually going on to become a British hit a couple of times in later years, gaining notable acclaim in discotheques along with ‘Jimmy Mack,” a lilting beater from 1967 which was also reissued afterwards by UK public demand. The seeds for the success of Motown’s vocal groups had actually been sown during the preceding years by other groups presented in this collections Gladys Knight & The Pips had emerged from their hometown of Atlanta, Ga., during the late 1950s, and by 1961 had travelled north to New York, a journey made worthwhile by the healthy sales of soulful harmony ballads like “Every Beat Of My Heart” and “Letter Full Of Tears,” the latter song actually aspiring to the UK charts via a shallow cover-version by one Billy Fury (ironic in that Glady’s original hit was on the Fury label in the USA!). Gladys also, of course, later recorded for Motown, and in the early 1970s went on to international stardom with smash hits like “Midnight Train To Georgia” and “Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me” for Buddah — she remains eminently popular and successful to this day, being signed to CBS early in 1980. As Gladys and the Pips were adapting their gospel music roots to more general taste in 1961, so the Shirelles, led by Shirley Alston, were making a name for themselves with distinctive vocals on love-songs like “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow in a mood readily identifiable to teen-agers of that era, while a young producer named Phil Spector was building a reputation for himself in energetic style on some urgent, beaty hits by a quartet of teenage girls tagged the Crystals; “He’s A Rebel” was a crie de couer trying to justify the delinquent behaviour of a boyfriend in 1962, and the following year “Da Doo Ron Ron” raced up the charts almost as quickly as the tempo of the frantic love song.

This collection is completed with three other smash hits originating from various different areas of the USA; New York 1965, and a trio of young ladies named the Toys adapted a movement by Bach into ‘A Diver’s Concerto;” also 1965, further west in Chicago Fontella Bass, from St. Louis, Missouri, was opening her hit account with the throbbing plea “Rescue Me,” and finally in 1966, down south in Memphis, Carla Thomas was adding her unforgettable contribution to the honour roll of hits on Stax Records with the appealing “B-A-B-Y” Thus we are proud to present for your entertainment – some Golden Ladies of Soul.

Golden Ladies Of Soul - Various Artists

Label: Pickwick Super Stars ‎SSP 3077

1980 1980s Covers

Morgana King - A Taste Of Honey - Actress in The Godfather sings her heart out

Morgana King – A Taste Of Honey

Sleeve Notes:

One of the basic characteristics of any great artist is integrity, not only to themselves but to their many admirers who instilled with a deep sense of dedication expect consummate effort from the artist. Morgana King is a sensitive artist who employs with deep respect and reverence a style of singing that is imaginative and unique.

The wildly lyrical flights, the gorgeous swoops and glisses, the intense and dynamic structures that mark Morgana’s performances now are the end result of a long and arduous life-gathered frame of reference, sometimes painful and often starkly beautiful…distilled and placed in that subtly aging cask, ultimately ready for the tasting.

A lot of Morgana King’s greatness is in the future … because she’s a growing, wonderfully developing and complex human being. There’s an earthiness about Morgana that comes out when she gets to know you …or a song…really well. That’s why the songs you hear her do are tested, wrung out, dissected, clinically analysed and then put back together in such a lovely way that you could cry when you hear them.

Before one recording date was even scheduled, Morgana spent weeks and weeks going over countless numbers of compositions, seeking out the right ones for the album. After selecting the songs Morgana worked them in her act. This way she was thoroughly familiar with each tune. The one common pitfall which Morgana avoided was not allowing her interpretations to become stereotyped or sound dried up.

When Morgana was convinced that her interpretation was just right, her next procedure was to sit down with the arranger and work out her ideas with him. The arranger she chose is one of the freshest, most creative writing talents to come along in quite a while. His name is Torrie Zito and the combination of Morgana King and Torrie Zito is a perfect match. It’s like a Lorenz Hart lyric supported by a Richard Rodgers melody. Morgana and Torrie put their creative minds together and worked each tune out.

The original conception of “A TASTE OF HONEY” was moderately up tempo and initially performed instrumentally. Then Barbra Streisand recorded it in ballad style with a wispy, imaginative interpretation, but Morgana’s reading is so candid that it makes all the others obsolete and I’m sure that in the future there will be many artists who will try to imitate it, but the way she phrased and interpreted “A TASTE OF HONEY” will never be equalled. Torrie Zito sets the mood perfectly with a poignant introduction. Morgana sings the first verse delicately, accompanied by Barry Gailbraith’s smooth even guitar. Then she goes into the chorus which is sung in an up tempo. Here the steady drumwork of Mel Lewis and the tasty penetrating fills of Dave McKenna fully support Morgana. The second verse and chorus are performed in the same manner. The third verse is again sung in a slow moving style, but this time Morgana is accompanied by a magnificent counter melody in the strings that reminds you a lot of a duet by Puccini. Supported by a punching brass, soaring strings and Phil Woods’ tenor obligato, Morgana reaches to great heights as she makes the last chorus really swing. She then tapers off into a soft melancholy ending making full use of her unusual vocal style.

With each tune on this album Morgana King displays her talent as a true stylist. She is a unique vocalist, one that only comes along once in a great while—Morgana—A Taste of Honey.

Morgana King - A Taste Of Honey - Actress in The Godfather sings her heart out

Label: Mainstream MRL 5009
Photography: Jarry Lang

1982 1980s Covers