I always love it when older performers "try out" younger, more popular musical forms. In this case we have Doris Day's attempt at Brill Building Pop, the title track for one of her movies. Has she ever sounded sexier?
available on CD - Golden Girl: The Columbia Recordings 1944-1966 (Sony/Columbia)
Sylvie Vartan is supposedly one of the cheezier "ye ye" singers, yet I am so in love with this French cover of an American pop classic. It's so charming, the seriousness with which Sylvie Vartan approaches the song. "Must ... Locomotion ... NOW!"
available on CD - Est-Ce Que Tu Le Sais (BMG)
20 Apr 04 ·olli: i love the scopitone video to this track. nice and silly. it's probably the reason she's considered to be cheesy.
it _was_ downloadable on http://scopitones.com a while ago, but they seem to have removed it. oh well, it will probably resurface somewhere.
This gets my vote as a lost classic, one of the best "fake Phil Spector" records ever. The tremendous production is matched by Timi Yuro's booming, soulful voice. Still not sure about the lyrics; we just know that Timi's hurtin', and has something bad on her mind.
from Something Bad on my Mind (Liberty records) available on CD - Best of Timi Yuro (EMI/Capitol)
13 Jan 02 ·delicado: yeah, totally dig the production! As for the words, it sounds like a very similar story to that told in Glenda Collins's Something I've got to tell you.
So groovy. Outstanding popcraft from an outstanding group. Love the contrasts between such pretty music and Chris Dedrick's trenchant lyrics. The arrangement - heavy on the trumpets and harpsichords - is exquisite. Fetch me my paisley nehru jacket, Gweniviere.
from Kites Are Fun (Project 3) available on CD - Raindrops (Siesta)
21 Sep 01 ·tempted: Kites really are fun! 31 Jul 04 ·charlesives: Blow your mind (but not completely)! 02 Aug 04 ·konsu: See!! 20 Jan 06 ·Delimit: defintely one of their better songs. it's one of those weird songs that every once and a while i need to listen to about 50 times in a row. great lyrics, Free Designs usual amazing vocals and some slick arrangement.
Try to remove this from all the boring "classic rock" trappings its acquired over the years. Appreciate what a fascinatingly strange combination of overheated pop, symphonic grandeur, and rock-ish muscle this is. So 1977, yet so timeless. Thank you.
