This is a very lively track that was produced by Bob Crewe, of Four Seasons fame (and who just might be my favourite producer of all time). It utilizes piano triplets, horns, clattering drums, and great lead and backing vocals to make a typically tight '60s track where not a moment is wasted. And it's in 6/8 time, which means it can sound straightforward but with a bit of "swing" to it, meanwhile some of the drum fills can hit on every second beat rather than every third one. There really hasn't been a better song out of Canada in these past 40 years ...
available on CD - Made in Canada Vol. 1 1960-1970 (RCA)
The best of the lesser-known "wall of sound" productions from ace producer Phil Spector in the early 1960s. Many people think it's Veronica singing, and indeed it does sound most like the Ronettes, although it's not quite as awe-inspiring as their strongest track "Baby I Love You". I do love the rising strings in the background on the way into the chorus. Lyrically, it's in the "He's A Rebel" vein.
available on CD - Phil Spector's Flips And Rarities
19 Jul 04 ·kwan_dk: Indeed a great song and a terriffic production. The only problem is that it's supposedly not produced by Spector, but by a young aspiring songwriter/producer named Jerry Riopelle who was assigned to Philles Records at the time. Riopelle himself has acknowledged this and other evidence seems to indicate he's right.
As for Veronica singin lead, it has been established that the girl in question was a singer called Charlotte O'Hara, as far as I recall...
hm, i wonder why this hasn't been added yet. if this isn't classic, then what is?
there are about a zillion different interpretations of this song by about a million different artists. there are compilations only with this song but by different artists. and i got two of them.
maybe it's mainstream and it's played too often but i love it nonetheless.
my favourite version is on the album "the composer of desafinado plays". of course arranged by claus ogerman. he did also the arrangement for "the wave" which is i think the best album by antonio carlos jobim. an album packed full with classics.
he made the strings sound so cool and you really get the feeling of what for a lifestyle bossa nova seems to have been those days. (as i think and hope it has been...)
from the composer of desafinado plays
21 Oct 03 ·delicado: Totally digging those Ogerman strings. Ogerman is a genius arranger; I particularly like the work he did with Astrud Gilberto ('funny world' and 'non-stop to brazil' are two great ones) and Joao Gilberto. 24 Jun 04 ·brasilnut: I always hear Claude Debussy's 'Claire de lune' in the phrase 'ah, but he watches so sadly'
A wild ride down the Nile. If anyone ever accuses the girl group sound of being all innocent or only about boys then just shove this riot in their ears.
Resplendent with one of the greatest nonsense refrains in popular music ("shimmy-shimmy-shimmy-shi-mi-mis-pe-dis") and screams aplenty, this track is a winner on every conceivable level. The instrumentation is clearly designed to sound Egyptian, but instead resembles the soundtrack to a campy exploitation flick about girl gangs among the pyramids (or something).
A highly unusual platter, and deservedly enjoying a greater cult reputation as the years go by.
from the single Egyptian Shumba (United Artists UA 678) available on CD - Egyptian Shumba: The Singles And Rare Recordings (RPM)
05 Apr 04 ·unathanthium: Yes,most songs that have Egyptian in the title are fabulously stupid.Egyptian Reggae,Walk Like an Egyptian for instance.Egyptian Shumba is better than the pyramids and should outlast them.Also available on Girls Go Zonk.Shimmy,shimmy,shimmy,shy-yi,meece-e-deece according to their sleeve notes. 07 Apr 04 ·jeanette: That Girls Go Zonk CD is cool, esp. that vocal version of Mission: Impossible. But you know when you have your own version of lyrics in your head and are reluctant to change them? Their sleevenotes are probably accurate but I'll never think of the song that way. An example: until embarrasingly recently I thought the the lyrics to Fame by Irene Cara were "take your pants down, and make it happen". It is of course "passion" and lord only knows what relatives thought of a four-year old me singing those lyrics at the top of my kiddy voice. 09 Apr 04 ·unathanthium: Are you sure you misheard the lyrics of Fame?Your version makes more sense to me.
the perfect teen heartbreak country ballad. the arrangement on this just BLOWS me away. check out the dissonant strings and the gentle steel guitar! not to mention skeeters vocals.. she never sounded better in my opinion, it just comes across as so goddamn heartfelt. marvel at the heavy, deadpan spoken word section at the end!
A desert island break-up song if there ever was one:)
Why does my heart go on beating
Why do these eyes of mine cry
Don't they know it's the end of the world
It ended when you said goodbye
19 Oct 04 ·jeanette: Skeeter sadly died earlier this month. This is a gorgeous song, also brilliantly done by brit-chick Twinkle who I've enthused about elsewhere on these pages. I also love Skeeter's poppier moments, in particular the superlative I Can't Stay Mad At You. 19 Oct 04 ·olli: twinkle covered this? ooh, can't wait to hear it, i totally dig "golden lights"!
