The Turtles - Lady O

The Turtles - Lady O (Judee Sill) White Whale 334 - 1969

Cuando en 1969, tras una fructífera carrera con grandes éxitos como "Happy Together" o "Elenore", The Turtles grabaron "Lady O", ya no existían como tales. Cinco años con los clásicos avatares y excesos de un grupo de rock a toda máquina habían pasado su factura, y la banda se había separado recientemente.

El bajista, Jim Pons, tuvo la idea de grabar una última canción, a modo de despedida digna, que equilibrara los últimos singles del grupo, un tanto erráticos.

Todos estuvieron de acuerdo y así pues, se decidieron por esta gran composición de una joven californiana (1944) llamada Judith Sill. Ella no había grabado todavía ningún disco, pero andaba ya intentando colocar sus canciones aquí y allá. Jim Pons y John Beck (de The Leaves) se hicieron cargo de la producción, contando con el precioso arreglo de cuerda de Bob Harris.

La voz principal del grupo, Howard Kaylan (en la foto, en el centro), cantó acompañado por los coros de Mark Volman y Al Nichol. La propia Judith se encargó de la guitarra acústica, y no se añadió ningún instrumento más. El resultado, fastuoso. Ahora The Turtles sí podían descansar en paz.


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When in 1969, after a fruitful career with big hits like "Happy Together" or "Elenore", The Turtles recorded "Lady O", they were no more. Five years with the classic vicissitudes and excesses of a rock band in full steam had taken its toll, and the group had recently split.

Bassist, Jim Pons, had the idea of recording a last song, as a more honorable farewell, which could amend the last singles of the band, a bit too erratic.

Everybody agreed and so, they selected this great tune by a young californian (1944) called Judith Sill. She hadn't still made any record herself, but was already trying to sell her songs here and there. Jim Pons and John Beck (ex - The Leaves) handled the production, with the beautiful string arrangement of Bob Harris.

Usual lead singer of the band, Howard Kaylan (centre in the photo), sang and members Mark Volman and Al Nichol la-laed. Judith herself played the acoustic guitar, and no other instruments were added. The result, greatness. Now, The Turtles could finally rest in peace.




http://rapidshare.com/files/408955299/The_Turtles_-_Lady_O.mp3.html



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LADY - O

While you seat and seek a crescent moon
is layin' at your feet,
with hope that's made of sand,
you don't think you can
but you have held it all in your hand,
Lady - O

I've been tryin' hard to keep from needin' you
but from the start,
my heart just rolled and flowed
I've seen where it goes
and still somehow my love for you grows,
Lady - O

So on my heels I'll grow wings,
gonna ride silver strings,
but I'll see you in my holiest dreams,
Lady - O



So on my heels I'll grow wings,
gonna ride silver strings,
but I'll see you in my holiest dreams,
Lady - O

I've been tryin' hard to keep from needin' you
but from the start,
my heart just rolled and flowed
I've seen where it goes
and still somehow my love for you grows,
Lady - O


So on my heels I'll grow wings,
gonna ride silver strings,
but I'll see you in my holiest dreams,
Lady - O


(Judee Sill)



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Judee Sill - Lady O

Judee Sill - Lady O (Judee Sill) del LP Asylum SD 5050 - 1972

Tres años después, en 1972, Judith conseguía editar su primer disco con el nombre artístico de Judee Sill. Era el primer album que pùblicaba la legendaria marca Asylum. En él se incluyo su propia versión de "Lady O", muy parecida a la de The Turtles ya que se utilizó casi el mismo equipo y el mismo planteamiento musical, incluyendo el delicado arreglo de cuerda de Bob Harris, que tan buenos resultados habían dado. Aunque siempre es definitivo escuchar una canción a quien la ha escrito.

Judee Sill sólo llegó a editar un segundo LP, al año siguiente. Tras grabar las maquetas para un tercero, que no vió la luz hasta más de 30 años después, Judee desapareció de la escena musical, seguramente ayudada por las escasas ventas de sus preciosos discos, su carácter dificil y sus devaneos con drogas varias. Murió de sobredósis en 1979.


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Three years later, in 1972, Judith finally released her first record under the artistic name of Judee Sill. It was the very first album of the legendary Asylum label. It included her own recording of "Lady O", quite similar to the one of The Turtles as almost the same musical scheme and team were used, including that touching Bob Harris string arrangement. Though it's always definitive listening to a song sung by its writer.

Judee Sill only managed to release a second LP, the following year. After recording the demos for a third, which remained in the can until more than 30 years later, Judee disppeared from the musical scene, most probably helped by the low sales of her precious records, her difficult character and her ravings with several drugs. She died of overdose in 1979.




http://rapidshare.com/files/408957847/Judee_Sill_-_Lady_O.mp3.html



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Nicky Hopkins - Waiting For The Band

Nicky Hopkins - Waiting For The Band (Nicky Hopkins) del LP Columbia KC 32074 - 1973

Hace unos pocos días, buscando cierto instrumental, me encontré de nuevo con esta gran canción, todo un derroche de melodía. Creo que se nota que está compuesta con piano. No en balde Nicky Hopkins fué, probablemente, el pianista con el historial de colaboraciones más apabullante de la historia del rock:
The Beatles (juntos y por separado), The Rolling Stones, Marc Bolan, David Bowie, The Who, Gene Clark, Joe Cocker, Donovan, The Easybeats, The Kinks, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jefferson Airplane, Steve Miller Band, Graham Parker, Rod Stewart, Matthew Sweet, y varios miles más.

Curiosamente, y aparte de alguna que otra banda sonora, este británico internacional editó únicamente tres LPs a su nombre (1966, 1973 y 1975). Esta entrañable "Waiting For The Band" aparece en el segundo de ellos y primero en el que se atrevió a cantar, "The Tin Man Was A Dreamer". Por cierto, esa guitarra tan característica y discreta pertenece, como no, a su amigo George Harrison.

Nicky dejó este mundo imposible en 1994 pero, probablemente, vivió más en sus cincuenta años que muchos de nosotros en varias vidas. Y además de sus incontables sesiones como músico de estudio para otros artistas, nos dejó pocas pero muy buenas muestras de su propia música. Como esta canción que hoy te traigo. Reflexión nocturna de un sesionero, aquí está la letra:



WAITING FOR THE BAND


The night was black,
it was the blackest that I've ever seen
I stopped a stranger and asked which way to go
He slapped me on the back,
and then he laughed and then he looked at me
Then he said, Sir, you can't get there from here,
no, no, no, no

Without a road
I cannot make it back to you
Without a light above I cannot find the way
Turn on your love light,
Let it shine like a peek and wait, you see me through
Cause baby how can I be happy without you.

Faster my heart is beating, faster and I'm all alone
Strangers are all around me, no one will tell me where to find a phone
It's like sitting in the studio waiting for the band to come
Sitting in the studio waiting for the band to come

And if the band don't come
by early in the moming
I'II have to find a way to have myself survive
Cause if the band don't show
by early in the moming
Then I'II be over darling, waiting for the band to come

Slower, I'm getting slower I've heard these songs so much before
Lower, I'm sinking lower, pretty soon you'll find me on the floor
Under the piano waiting for the band to come


Sittin' waitin' for the band to come



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A few days ago, searching for a certain instrumental, I met again with this great song, a monument in melody. I think it's evident it was composed with piano. Not in vain Nicky Hopkins was, quite probably, the pianist with the most striking sessions list in rock's whole history: The Beatles (together and one by one), The Rolling Stones, Marc Bolan, David Bowie, The Who, Gene Clark, Joe Cocker, Donovan, The Easybeats, The Kinks, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jefferson Airplane, Steve Miller Band, Graham Parker, Rod Stewart, Matthew Sweet, and several thousands more.

Curiously, and a few film soundtracks apart, this international british only released three proper LPs to his name (1966, 1973 and 1975). This warm "Waiting For The Band" belongs to the second of them and first one where he dared to sing, "The Tin Man Was A Dreamer". By the way, that characteristic and discreet guitar belongs, obviously, to his friend George Harrison.

Nicky left this impossible world in 1994 but, probably, he lived more in his fifty years than many of us in several lives. And apart from his countless sessions as a studio musician for other artists, he left few but quite more than good samples of his own music. Like this song I'm bringing you today. Nocturnal comment of a session man, its lyrics are up there above this text.



http://rapidshare.com/files/400332976/Nicky_Hopkins_-_Waiting_For_The_Band.mp3

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The Oscar Bicycle - On A Quiet Night

The Oscar Bicycle - On A Quiet Night (P.F. Sloan) CBS 3237 A - 1968

Force West era un sólido grupo de Bristol que publicó más de media docena de singles entre 1965 y 1969. Incluso daban la nota al ser uno de los poquísimos grupos británicos de la época, si no los únicos, que utilizaba una avioneta propia para muchos de sus desplazamientos, ya que su manager era también piloto y poseía una Piper de seis plazas.

Además también fueron, muy probablemente, el primer grupo del mundo en versionear a Los Brincos: Al año siguiente de su edición original, "Mejor" fué convertida en "All The Children Sleep" para el cuarto single de la banda en 1967. Aunque, por alguna oscura razón editorial, venía firmada por el productor del disco, Clive Westlake.

El caso es que en 1968, año mágico, se decidió hacer un experimento con el pop psicodélico, como era casi de obligación, y alejarse un poco de su sonido habitual de pop convencional, cercano a The Fortunes, por ejemplo. A tal efecto, grabaron un curioso y atractivo single. La cara B, "The Room Revolves Around Me" ha aparecido en alguna que otra recopilación de psico-oscuridades. No así la cara A del single en cuestión, "On A Quiet Night", una preciosidad firmada por el inefable P.F. Sloan, que a buen seguro debieron encontrar medio camuflada en el tercer LP de The Association, "Insight Out", transmutando la soleada limpieza californiana del original en una deliciosa y continental semilisergia nocturna. Para redondear el asunto, se buscó un nombre adecuado a la intención, y el single fué publicado finalmente bajo el nombre de The Oscar Bicycle.

Por cierto, no me habría importado en absoluto que el final de la canción se prolongara durante unos minutillos más...



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Force West was a solid band from Bristol who released more than half a dozen singles between 1965 and 1969. They could even claim to be one of the very few british groups of the times, if not the only one, who were using a private aeroplane for many of their trips. Their manager was also a pilot and owned a six-seater Piper.

Also, most probably, they were the first group in the world to cover an original song by spanish band Los Brincos: One year after its original release, "Mejor" was changed into "All The Children Sleep" for the fourth single of the band in 1967. Although, because of some dark publishing reason, it was credited to the record producer instead, Clive Westlake.

Anyway in 1968, magical year, it was decided to make an experiment with psych pop, as it was almost mandatory, and step a bit beyond their usual conventional pop sound, in the vein of say The Fortunes. To this effect, they recorded a curious and attractive single. The B side, "The Room Revolves Around Me" has already appeared in some of the well known psych-obscurities comps. Not so the A side of the single, "On A Quiet Night", a beauty written by the unutterable P.F. Sloan, which quite surelly was found half lost on The Association third LP, "Insight Out", transmutating the sunny californian neatness of the original into a delicious and nocturnal continental semilysergy. To round things up, a proper name according to the intentions was selected, and the single was finally released under the moniker of The Oscar Bicycle.

By the way, I wouldn't have minded at all if the ending of the song would have lingered on for a few little minutes more...




http://rapidshare.com/files/394598193/The_Oscar_Bicycle_-_On_A_Quiet_Night.mp3




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The Game - When Love Begins To Look Like You

The Game - When Love Begins To Look Like You (Alan Gordon) Commonwealth United C 3009 - 1969

Todo queda dicho en menos de dos minutos. Breve, como la mayor parte de las buenas cosas. Una oxigenante canción para una primavera otoñal, que podría ser un buen ejemplo de cómo sonaría Nueva York si estuviera en California.

A finales de los 60, y tras haber publicado un par de singles con su grupo The Proctor Amusement Co., con base en Fort Lauderdale, en Florida, un tal Chuck Kirkpatrick era uno de los técnicos de sonido de los famosos estudios Criteria de Miami, en donde le daba a los botones en las grabaciones de Aretha Franklin, Eric Clapton, The Allman Brothers y muchas otras lumbreras del momento. No se resignaba a quedarse en la trastienda del asunto, y tras algunos cambios de formación, su grupo se convirtió en The Game. Un contrato con un pequeño sello neoyorkino resultó en este single que nos ocupa.

"When Love Begins To Look Like You" fué escrita por Alan Gordon, ex-batería de The Magicians y co-autor de éxitos tan sonados como "Happy Together" y varias otras de The Turtles, "Celebrate" de Three Dog Night, y un montón más para The Lovin' Spoonful, The Righteous Brothers, Harper's Bizarre, The Critters y cien más. Alan murió a finales de 2008, todavía en activo. Tuve el honor de ser su último colaborador, escribiendo las letras para dos canciones que él llevaba últimamente entre manos, y que parece ser quedarán para siempre en el limbo.

Con respecto a The Game, después de trabajar con Alan Gordon, llegaron a editar un par de LPs con sus propias canciones. Incluso a finales de los 70, el persistente Chuck publicó un LP con Capitol, con el nombre de Chuch Crane. Burbújas en el mar.



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Everything is said in less than two minutes. Short, as most good things. An oxygenating song for an autumnal spring, it could be a good example of how New York would sound if it was in California.

In the late 60s, and after having released a couple of singles with his Fort Lauderdale, Florida based band The Proctor Amusement Co., a certain Chuck Kirkpatrick was a sound engineer at the famous Criteria studios in Miami, were he handled the knobs in recordings by Aretha Franklin, Eric Clapton, The Allman Brothers, and many other big names of the moment. He would not resign at keeping in the backroom and, after some line-up changes, his band mutated into The Game. A contract with a small newyorker label had the single we're having here as a result.

"When Love Begins To Look Like You" was written by Alan Gordon, ex-drummer with The Magicians and co-writer of such big hits as "Happy Together" and several others by The Turtles, "Celebrate" by Three Dog Night, and a bunch more for The Lovin' Spoonful, The Righteous Brothers, Harper's Bizarre, The Critters and a hundred more. Alan died in late 2008, still active. I had the honour of being his latest collaborator, writing the lyrics for two songs he was lately working on, and which will most probably remain forever in limbo.

Regarding The Game, after working with Alan Gordon, they managed to release a couple of LPs with their own songs. Even in the late 70s, the persistent Chuck released an LP with Capitol, under the name of Chuck Crane. Bubbles in the sea.




http://rapidshare.com/files/381540229/The_Game_-_When_Love_Begins.mp3




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David Kershenbaum - White Velvet Cat

David Kershenbaum - White Velvet Cat (Bobby Lile) Capitol P 2191 - 1968

Una de esas canciones con apariencia discreta y que, a pesar de todo, se hacen de notar rápidamente y permanecen. Nocturna y elegante, y vestida con un seductor arreglo, fué escrita por Bobby Lile, un experimentado artista con al menos una docena de singles a sus espaldas, editados desde mediados de los 50 por varios sellos diferentes.

Como Bobby, David Kershenbaum no tuvo mucho éxito con sus discos. Aunque, con el tiempo, sí pudo ver su nombre estampado en literalmente millones de ellos. Tras introducirse en la tenebrosa parte ejecutiva de la industria discográfica, encontaría finalmente el éxito, la reputación, la fama y el dinero, con sus producciones para Richie Havens, Cat Stevens, Joe Jackson, Graham Parker, Tracy Chapman y cien más. Nunca se sabe.



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One of those songs with a discreet appearance and which, in spite of all, grabs attention and lingers on. Nocturnal and elegant, and dressed with a seducing arrangement, it was written by Bobby Lile, an experienced artist himself with at least a dozen singles on his back, released since the mid 50s by several different labels.

Like Bobby, David Kershenbaum didn't have that much success with his records. Although, some time later, he could see his name printed in literally millions of them. After entering the gloomy executive side of the recording industry, he'd finally find success, reputation, fame and money, producing Richie Havens, Cat Stevens, Joe Jackson, Graham Parker, Tracy Chapman and a hundred more. You never know.




http://rapidshare.com/files/371867104/David_Kershenbaum_-_White_Velvet_Cat.mp3




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Clouds - Ladies And Gentlemen

Clouds - Ladies And Gentlemen (Ian Ellis/Billy Ritchie/Harry Hughes) del LP "Scrapbook", Island ILPS 9100 - 1969

Esta canción no estaba incluida en ninguno de los tres singles que Clouds editaron. Cerraba la cara uno de su primer LP. Y ya a los pocos segundos, se anuncia una de esas canciones especiales que tocan la fibra - no me preguntes cual. Elegante, bien provista de melodía, y con una orquestación al punto, ensancha el espiritu y dibuja una pequeña sonrisa escondida.

Clouds era un trío de Edinburgo - sin guitarra!, que además de los tres mencionados singles, editaron otros tantos LPs. "Scrapbook" es variopinto y con temas muy adecuados al pop como la mortalidad y las ambiciones fallidas. Un segundo álbum, "Up Above Our Heads", fué editado únicamente en USA. Tras "Watercolour Days", un LP con toques progresivos como mandaba la época, Clouds se disiparon en el aire. El organista, Billy Ritchie, parece ser que desapareció de la escena musical. Sus dos compañeros, el bajista Ian Ellis y el batería Harry hughes, lo intentaron un poco más. Tocaron con David Bowie en las maquetas para "Hunky Dory"... pero no fueron utilizadas. La vida es una tómbola.

Como reza la portada de "Scrapbook", "Riquezas en busca de un lugar al que pertenecer. Eso son los recuerdos, eso son las canciones."



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This song wasn't included on any of the three singles released by Clouds. It was closing side one of their first LP. And already after a few seconds, one of those very special songs is announced. Elegant, well provided with melody, and with an orchestration in the right measure, it broadens the spirit and draws a little hidden smile.

Clouds were a trio from Edinburgh - without a guitar!, which besides those already mentioned three singles, released as many LPs. "Scrapbook" is a diverse album, dealing with topics quite well related to pop as mortality and failed ambitions. A second one, "Up Above Our Heads", was released only in the U.S.A. After "Watercolour Days", an LP with progressive touches as times commanded, Clouds dissipated in the sky. It seems that organist Billy Ritchie quit the music scene for good. His two mates, bassist Ian Ellis and drumer Harry hughes, tried a little further on. They played with David Bowie on the "Hunky Dory" demo sessions... but they finally were not used. Life is a lottery.

As said on the "Scrapbook" cover, "Riches in search of a place to belong. Such are memories, such are songs."




http://rapidshare.com/files/359033045/Clouds_-_Ladies_And_Gentlemen.mp3

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