Archive for the 'Gruesome' Category
Gruesome Twosome: Generic Perky Chorus Edition
March 28th, 2006Francis Lai: “The Bobo”
LP: The Bobo Soundtrack, 1967
Neal Hefti: “Waltz for Jeannie”
LP: Harlow Soundtrack, 1965
Today’s selections spotlight that ’60s soundtrack staple, the Generic Perky Chorus. Many soundtrack albums of that era substitute a film’s actual soundtrack music with more palatable fare — and that includes vocal numbers sporting the inevitable Generic Perky Chorus. Not that […]
Gruesome Twosome: Reheated Nostalgia Edition
March 14th, 2006Lady Flash: “Street Singin’”
LP: Beauties In The Night, 1976
The Rubettes: “Tonight”
LP: Wear It’s At, 1974 | BUY
Old was new in the mid-’70s, and this pair of enjoyably retro efforts put me in a Happy Days frame of mind. Oreo-like trio Lady Flash were formed as backup singers for Barry Manilow’s touring show. Barry himself wrote […]
Gruesome Twosome: God Save the Telly Edition
February 28th, 2006Barry Gray: “Captain Scarlet”
TV theme, 1967 | BUY
John Barry: “The Persuaders”
TV theme, 1971 | BUY
In the spirit of insternational comraderie, I am reaching across the pond today for a duo of marvy vintage British TV themes. The funky charm of Gerry Anderson’s Supermarionation productions couldn’t have had a better complement in Barry Gray’s music. Captain […]
Gruesome Twosome: I Want My MPB Edition
February 15th, 2006Johnny Alf: “Canto Prá Pai Corvo”
LP: Ele E Johnny Alf, 1971 | BUY
Marcos Valle: “Casamento, Filhos E Convenções”
LP: Marcos Valle, 1974 | BUY
We’re going Brazilian today — specifically, Musica Popular Brasileira (or MPB). MPB is a catch-all term for the wide variety of ’70s Brazilian music styles that evolved from the Bossa Nova and Tropicalia […]
Gruesome Twosome: Kids Are All Right Edition
January 31st, 2006The Brady Bunch: “Everything I Do”
LP: The Brady Bunch Phonographic Album, 1973 | BUY
Rodney Allen Rippy: “Eenie-Meenie-Minee-Moe”
LP: Take Life a Little Easier, 1974
On today’s menu: kiddie music, funky style. The Brady’s recordings consisted of frenzied shoutalongs and/or inappropriate covers of the day’s hits (such as “Baby I’m a Want You”), but “Everything I Do” from […]
Gruesome Twosome: Poet, Fool, Bum Edition
January 18th, 2006Lee Hazlewood: “What’s More I Don’t Need Her”
LP: Cowboy In Sweden, 1970 | BUY
Honey LTD.: “Louie, Louie”
LHI Records single, 1968
For today’s aural delights, I turn to the enigmatic Lee Hazlewood. Richie Unterberger nicely sums up Hazlewood’s appeal in his book Unknown Legends of Rock ‘n’ Roll: “How can you judge a man who sounds like […]
Gruesome Twosome: J’aime Françoise Edition
January 3rd, 2006Françoise Hardy: “Je Ne Suis Là Pour Personne”
Vogue Records [France] single, 1966 | BUY
Air featuring Françoise Hardy: “Jeanne”
CD: Pop Romantique: French Pop Classics, 1999 | BUY
Today I’m turning the spotlight on one of my fave singers ever, Françoise Hardy. When Ms. Hardy entered the music scene in the early ’60s, she bust open the “girl […]
Gruesome Twosome: Nick and Val, Sittin’ in a Tree Edition
December 20th, 2005Diana Ross: “I Can’t Give Back The Love I Feel For You”
LP: Surrender, 1971
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas: “Won’t It Be So Wonderful”
LP: Natural Resources, 1970 | BUY
On the menu today, a couple of later Motown efforts written and produced by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson. Nick and Val made for Diana Ross’ most sympathetic […]
Gruesome Twosome: Bad Santa Edition
December 6th, 2005Lenny Dee: “Mister Santa”
LP: Happy Holi-Dee, c.1961
Gisele MacKenzie: “Too Fat for the Chimney”
LP: Christmas with Gisele, 1957
These two frisky odes to Santa Claus came from a compilation I received five years ago from Vern Stoltz, author of the late thrifting ‘zine Cannot Become Obsolete. Organist Lenny Dee’s “Mr. Sandman” rewrite is utterly charming with a […]
Gruesome Twosome: Limeys Only Edition
November 23rd, 2005Split Enz: “Six Months In A Leaky Boat”
LP: Time and Tide, 1982 | BUY
Reparata & The Delrons: “Captain Of Your Ship”
Mala Records single, 1968 | BUY
Two psychedelic odes to sea travel and the vagaries of love. The Split Enz track captures them in their usual overlooked brilliance, while Reparata & the Delrons’ (huge in the […]
Gruesome Twosome: Bacharach A Go-Go Edition
November 8th, 2005The Anita Kerr Singers: “Are You There (With Another Girl)”
LP: Reflect on the Hits of Burt Bacharach and Hal David, 1969 | BUY
The Renaissance: “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again”
LP: Bacharach Baroque, 1970
This time I have two exquisitely arranged Bacharach covers that pretty much scream “60s”. Longtime session pro Anita Kerr strikes a contast between […]
Gruesome Twosome: Flies in the Attic Edition
October 25th, 2005Goblin: “Tenebre (Main Title)”
LP: Tenebre, 1982 | BUY
Lalo Schifrin: “Amityville Frenzy”
LP: The Amityville Horror, 1979 | BUY
Trying something new here. Every other Tuesday, I’ll post a pair of thematically similar mp3s to share. For this first edition, I have a duo of scary (and strangely funky) horror soundtrack cuts. The Goblin track is a propulsive […]
