It's rare when a song can make you cry, at least in my case. This one always seems to shake something loose inside, some glacier of residule emotions or something. Nevertheless, this song has that certain something for me. Written by the more than capable Mr.Webb,and brought to life by Walter Wanderley on electric harpsichord alongside Don Sebesky's crush-velvet arrangements.The vocalists sound like they did the whole piece in one take, without fixing anything,to give it this dreamy adolescent quality,bathed in swirling soft lights...This record is one of the best of the A&M/CTI collaborations, bringing the best of both worlds together seamlessly... Magic stuff!
26 Jan 05 ·Pal: Yes it's a wonderful track! I found a version on soulseek with Hugo Montenegro but I can't find out on which record it's recorded originally. Is it anyone who can help? 26 Jan 05 ·konsu: The Hugo Montenegro LP is "Colours Of Love" RCA LSP-4273. It also has great takes on The Guess Who's "Undun" and Steams "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye"!
Despite '2002 - A Hit Song's insistent chorus of "it's gonna be a hit, hit, hit!", by the end you're not convinced, "it's not gonna be a hit is it Free Designers?" "No� I'm afraid not Rum. To be honest it hasn't a hope in hell. Oh yeah we're bitter, of course we are, but, you know, when you're in the idiom of soft rock you can't get away with angst, you've got to maintain this 'pleasing' fa�ade, so that's why we sound so jolly, so 'up' on this song. But yeah, it's hard..." Yes, they may, as they sing, have "sealed it with a kiss" but the cracks show. And it's that that makes this song particularly memorable. It's fascinating to see the rips in their Peter Pan wonderland, a place where they usually spend their time flying kites, blowing bubbles, befriending dolphins. And so this palpable excitement you hear in their heady harmonies is not fuelled by a surefire optimism of success but by an almost delirious desperation, "hit, hit, hit, sure to be a hit, hit, hit, gonna make a hit, hit, hit" they sing, panting, shaking nervously, craving that big fix. The track is a flip-side to the Byrds' 'So You Wanna Be A Rock'N'Roll Star'. Both are bitter recipes for pop success but whereas the Byrds are pissed off that any talentless buffoon can follow their recipe to success get a hit, the Free Design are pissed that "We did all this last time, and it did not work!". I guess you have to suffer for your art, and maybe the Free Design were having too happy a time. Or maybe their hair didn't swing right or their pants weren't tight.
10 Feb 05 ·olli: heh..brilliant commentary. 11 Feb 05 ·konsu: Wow. I never thought of that song as such an exploded schematic. But it does shed light on their own self awareness even if unintentional at the time.
The perfect example of the kind of soft pop song I love. Heavy with melencholy. The strings and clarinet on this track break my heart. The fadeout is one of the greatest in history.
from Roger Nichols@ The Small Circle Of Friends (A&M) available on CD - The Complete Roger Nichols & The Small Circle Of Friends
06 Mar 05 ·olli: hmm, just made me curious. i generally hate fadeouts..they always seem to obscure some kind of interesting or trippy stuff that was starting happen in the studio:)
gotta check it out though, thanks. 07 Mar 05 ·eftimihn: This one was arranged by Bob Thompson not Nick DeCaro. Actually i just wanted to recommend this, because today i received my newly reissued copy by Rev-Ola. An even more complete 20 track edition, fantastic remastering, extensive essay and at a reasonable price tag. Awesome. 07 Mar 05 ·laughingmood: Thanks for the info on Bob Thompson's arrangment on this track. All I've ever had is the Japanese reissue and I've never been able to fully read all the info! I'll have to change that. I really need to get that new reissue. I've heard the liners and photos are all really nice. 07 Mar 05 ·delicado: I also have the japanese issue. Are there extra tracks on the Rev-Ola one? 07 Mar 05 ·eftimihn: The Rev-Ola one has one additional track compared to the japanese 19-track version and it's "St. Bernie The Sno-Dog". It was Roger Nichols' first ever recording in 1964 and is, quite frankly, absolutely forgettable (waltzing child-like song, with yodeling and funny voices, makes you feel rather uncomfortable after the preceding soft rock bliss). Nichols refers to this as "a pile of crap" in the essay/liner notes, a track he never really wanted to do. Just read the essay and must say it's wonderfully done. I have to stress that the sound quality on the new Rev-Ola issue is absolutely amazing, surpassing the japanese one on every level: Virtually no background noise, clearer highs, bass is rendered deeper and better, the harmonies got even silkier, overall better dynamics and resolution. It just won't get any better than this. So, kudos to Rev-Ola... 07 Mar 05 ·laughingmood: Wow! That is very cool. Generally I think Rev-Ola's remasters tend to be a bit on the trebley side but of course I'll pick this up. Mainly for the liners by Steve Stanley. This album has been in my top five since I heard it, yet...I know very little of the detailed background because of the japanese liners. Steven Stanley also did the Bergen White reissue liners and is the head of LA-based pop act, The Now People. 07 Mar 05 ·konsu: Hmmm... Once again no mention of Smokey Roberds. He was in the closely related A&M group The Parade. He claims partial writing credits for this in an interview : http://www.doctorroberds.com/parade.html ... If you like this album you owe yourself a listen of that "other" great one-off long player. They do a great version of "Kinda Wasted Without You" thats more raw with less overdubs. Really a magical time at A&M!
a wee lush love song that makes me turn into a puddle without fail. very dreamy and ethereal, and it has a gorgeous melody too... so if you're into that brand of guitar pop, you'll dig this.
from The Fashion Focus, available on CD
17 Mar 05 ·konsu: Already recommended, only with olli's "mooncat style" lower case spelling... While you are there, observe if you will the ensuing religious commentary thread. One of the more entertaining on the site so far. 17 Mar 05 ·avalyn: heh. merci for letting me know. i'll keep me nose to the ground then, and just watch from afar. (religious thread -- would it have to do with them being on Tooth on Nail or summat?)
Of course this is Nirvana's biggest hit and probably bugging everyone because all the time you see Nirvana you see Smells Like Teen Spirit hand in hand. I dont dont blame Cobain- playing the song all the time can get to you...
Any way the song title has nothing to do with teen pride-it's really a girl's deodorant, bet hey, that's what you would expect from the band anyway
from Nevermind
07 Apr 05 ·rum: There should be a rule against bands recommending their own songs. The ever devious Signor Morricone did at least submit his own tracks under a variety of cunning guises. 07 Apr 05 ·konsu: Hey! Maybe they need some free promo... besides, I think these guys are gonna make some money someday, then musicaltaste will get a peice of the action!! sweet... 08 Apr 05 ·olli: Never heard of them. but this sounds like a rip off of The Offspring's "Self Esteem" to me:)
