One of the best tracks from probably the best album in MGM's "21 Channel Sound" series.
Recorded by a Japanese orchestra in Tokyo, the styles range from big-band latin to more exotica-styled pieces. This track belongs to the latter. Each track is dedicated to a building in modern Tokyo giving this album a fun travelogue quality.
From the liner notes:
THE OKURA. Adjacent to the American Embassy, this hotel is just minutes away from the night club and shopping area. It advertises air-conditioned rooms -- all with bath -- and such extra features as a Japanese garden and Turkish bath. [...]
06 Jan 06 ·physlics66: Thanks for the advice! I just got this album today and wasn't expecting it to be so great. I'll check The Okura out next. 06 Jan 06 ·physlics66: Sorry for the double post but I just listened to the song and it is EXACTLY the type of thing I've been looking for! Thanks! 15 Mar 11 ·pastinaca: The Tokyo Boys lp is simply a reissue of an earlier Japanese lp 'More Echoes of Japan' by the Tokyo Cuban Boys. the titles have been changed and you can guess why they dropped the 'Cuban' on a Japanese travelogue lp.
The sound on the MGM release is much better than on the Japanese King original.
never liked musicals, especially not the ones done by andrew lloyd webber. this one though is a whole different story! strange moog sounds mixed with big band jazz.
available on CD - the sound gallery vol 1 (scamp)
18 Feb 02 ·n-jeff: It actually sounds better on the Sound Gallery Comp than the original Studio 2 LP (if you play the vinyls back to back), The other track lifted from this LP for the Sound Gallery I Feel the Earth Move, is the other stand out track. Along with the beefy Moog Bassline I love the harmonica on JCS, and used to double this up with Grooving with Mr Bloe.
a soul nugget from white mama chris clark. however this song did not hit as hard as expected so the boys in the underdogs recorded it too and released it (on the same label!) a few weeks later. i don't understand why it didn't make the charts because it's a great song.
21 Feb 02 ·scrubbles: Oh, man, I agree. This song ROCKS. Holland-Dozier-Holland must have had major issues with Motown when they wrote this, it's overflowing with grit and pissed-offiness. I would give a slight edge to Chris Clark's version, the lyrics somehow seem more credible coming from a Dusty Springfield soundalike than a Paul Revere and the Raiders soundalike.
One of the great mysteries of 60s Aussie Psych. This track first appeared on the Datura Dreamtime CD and I have been playing it to death since - yet no one seems to have an inkling as to who the band were. It's really creamy late pop psych complete with Byrdsy guitars, rich harmonies and sitar like sounds. Wonderful chorus too.
from Datura Dreamtime (Boobsalot CD02), available on CD
25 Dec 02 ·richteratmosphere: Is the Datura Dreamtime CD still in print and available. I'm a big fan of UK psychedelic pop, but haven't heard much Aussie psych. 06 Sep 04 ·mickster44: The track Naturally was released in Australia in June 1970. Alison Gros were Graham Goble, Russ Johnson & John Mower. The 3 later changed their name to Mississippi & had considerable success with their 1972 self titled L.P. plus 3 singles, Kings Of The World (1972) Early Morning ('73)& Will I ('74)
Graham Goble went on to form Little River Band with later members of Mississippi and of course had considerable success in the US during the mid '70's to early '80's.
Russ Johnson later played with another popukar Oz band Country Radio. 01 Jun 08 ·dillonkidvillain: Just thought I'd add a little extra info about "Naturally". It was written by my father Russ Johnson and was released on the South Australian label Gamba. Phil Cuneen produced it and also played sitar on the song. I love the sounds produced on this song, a true Australian gem. My dad wrote this song in 1970, just after arriving from London in late 1969.
