16 Jul 03 ·konsu: Claudine Longet did a great version of "God Only Knows" on her Let's Spend The Night Together LP from 1972 (BR-15001). Although her version is not what i'd call jazzy, more like meadow-flower California country? Nick Decaro arranged a lot of her 60's albums. 17 Jul 03 ·bobbyspacetroup: I've actually been looking for that LP. It seems to be one of the less common Claudine records... Thanks for the recommendation! 15 Mar 04 ·konsu: I was recently introduced to Four King Cousins version of "God only Knows", also an A&M product from 1967... It's more faithful vocally to the original arrangement, only it's four girls doing the harmonies! 16 Mar 04 ·Mike: James Warren (of The Korgis and Stackridge) has recorded a version of "Caroline, No" which I'd be very interested to hear. 28 Apr 07 ·artlongjr: I have this 45 by Nick DeCaro. What's weird is I heard
it before I heard the Beach Boys original, which I first listened to in 1996.
Nice mellow one from A&M master arranger Nick DeCaro (Claudine Longet, many more), but this is probably my fifth "favorite" song off of this wonderful album, with versions of songs by Stevie Wonder ("happier than the morning sun") and Joni Mitchell ("all i want") that even the composers would have to admit have value added. I don't know if Ms. Mitchell necessarily sees the humor in changing the lyric "I want to knit you a sweater" to "I want to lift your sweater", but I do. Also a radical arrangement of "tea for two" only Bob Azzam can compete with. Nice comments by "konsu" on Nick's earlier album only show up if you put a space between "De" and "Caro".
from Italian Graffiti (MCA MVCM-21036), available on CD (MCA Japan)
29 Jan 03 ·konsu: Cordially corrected for hair splitters,and for the benefit of search engines everywhere!I'm sure Joni
has lifted a top or two in her heyday too!His work needs WAY MORE stateside attention indeed. 03 Apr 03 ·drchilledair: Even if you think you don't know who Nick DeCaro is, chances are you are familiar with his music, via his arrangements for many Golden Age of Warner-Reprise "Burbank Sound" recordings incl: Gordon Lightfoot's 'If You Could Read My Mind', James Taylor's 'Shower The People' and Randy Newman's 'Marie'. By conservative estimate, as producer, arranger, musician, songwriter, or singer, DeCaro, who died in 1992, partnered with over a hundred groups or artists - including not just Warners-Reprise artists like Arlo Guthrie, Maria Muldaur, Ry Cooder, the Everly Brothers, the Mojo Men & Harpers Bizarre, but also such diverse recorded citizenry as Barbra Streisand, the Ventures, Claudine Longet, Chris Montez, the Sandpipers, Del Shannon, Gary Lewis, et al - amassing a catalogue in excess of 300 albums and sundry 45rpm singles. In an interview I conducted with Randy Newman in 2001, he described DeCaro as being almost pathologically shy. Thus explaining, perhaps, the state of anonymity that still surrounds Nick, despite his prolific achievements. As a journalist I have devoted some of the last couple of years trying to redress this oversight. If you are interested, one result is an article I published in Japan in 2001. The English language version is available at communities.msn.com/NickDeCaro. A more recent article can be found on the web at www.spectropop.com/NickDeCaro
Whenever I hear this track I think the same thing, that it seems to be the beginning of something
bigger. ....And it seems in a way that it was...
What a great version of an already undisputed soul classic! He really adds something to it thats loose and breezy. Like he did with his arrangement work, he adds something indefineable, but definately something we would hear for decades to come in american radio pop. More precisely, in the 70's.
It's one of the many blossoms in the blue-eyed soul bouquet!
from Happy Heart (A&M SP-4176) available on CD - Afternoon Tea Music - Orange Iced Tea (UM3 (Japan))
29 Jan 03 ·klatu: Anyone interested in the work of A&M sound sculptor/master arranger Nick DeCaro would be well directed towards the masterful album "Italian Graffiti", MCA 74. 14 Jan 08 ·steveo443: Happy Heart album by Nick Decaro has some great tracks..Outstanding is the title track(Happy Heart)
there is a Bacharach influence here....Another Great tune on the album is Quiet Sunday?(think thats the title)
Nick Decaro was a certifiable genius! Love his arrangements.
