September 23, 2008 Earworm

Sure, The Chordettes usually bring to mind "Mr. Sandman" and "Lollipop": two records that make detractors cry of tooth decay and other malt shop crimes against humanity but lately I have been fascinated by "Born To Be With You", the big hit they had in 1957, right in the middle of their more commonly known calling cards. It's the same Chordettes yet utterly different and provides a link from their days as a folk act in the Weavers mold and the barber shop harmonies that made them famous.

The first time I heard this version - on a Varese Sarabande Vintage release, "The History of Cadence Records", "negro spiritual in Vegas" came to mind and, realizing the oddity of that thought, I had to play it again. And again. It's haunting in a way that I still can't describe and I've encountered some interesting reactions to it as I share it with others. A co-worker called it "creepy" and mentioned that someone may have a stalker on their hands. The better half dismissed it as "corny" but I caught him humming the melody later in the day. Sending it along to Kmatt, she replied that it was "a perfect pop record", then came back later to say that it conjured up the sounds of "I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow" which completely flipped me out because around the same time that she was typing that message, I had it playing while I was showering and thought, "This would fit right in to the soundtrack of "O! Brother, Where Art Thou?". She then came back the next day with a message that she had a dream about the damn thing and finally thought of the other song of which it reminded her; Nick Drake's "All My Trials". And she's right, of course - I hear it as plain as day. Not to mention the seeds of Phil Spector's "kiss the mic" production of "To Know Him Is To Love Him" and "I Love How You Love Me" and, for reasons I can't explain, Dick and Dee Dee's "The Mountain's High". "Born To Be With You" is officially all that and probably anything else which may explain covers as diverse as Sonny James' country cover from 1968, Dave Edmonds' Spectorized version in '73, Spector's funeral in New Orleans production for Dion in '75, and a live version by Starsailor on their 2002 live dvd, "Love Is Here (Live)" which provides yet another Spector link. That's an impressive list and one of which writer Don Robertson should be proud.

So in the end, I think it's one of the most beautiful records I've ever heard and you just might, too. Give it a spin...