April 13, 2009 Earworm

The jury has finally reached a verdict and Phil Spector is guilty of second degree murder. By most accounts, he was not a good man: driven by demons and haunted by a family history of mental instability, the stories of his manipulations and eccentricities compile a very strong narrative for his eventual comeuppance. Yet, there still seems to be something missing in this, the final nail in both his and Lana Clarkson's coffin. While I think that Spector is guilty of much, and in the case for which he was tried, of something, I still have reasonable doubt as to how Clarkson's final hour played out and what, exactly, Phil's part in that gunshot was. The details do not matter to the victim when the outcome is death but the difference between manslaughter and murder mean everything for the defendant although, given Phil's litigious history, his appeals may mean that he, himself, dies before he ever spends a day in prison.

His legacy, of course, will live on regardless of these events. When I received a text telling me that the jury was about to announce it's verdict, an odd bit of timing found me listening to Shivaree's beautiful cover of "Paradise", a song Phil recorded with the Ronettes in 1965 and then left to languish while the kids at Red Bird made a classic Shangri-Las track with it. Ambrosia Parsley and company create a wide open oasis on their version with only the tympani passing judgement on her fantasy.

Spector Guilty of Second Degree Murder

LA jury finds Phil Spector guilty of murder
Mon Apr 13, 2009 5:24pm EDT



LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Music producer Phil Spector was found guilty on Monday of the murder of a Hollywood actress at his Los Angeles area home in 2003.

A Los Angeles jury returned the verdict against Spector, 69, after a five-month retrial. The first trial ended in a jury deadlock in September 2007.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant, Editing by Sandra Maler)

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...

June 11, 2008 Eaworm

Conversing about the subtext of sixties pop songs with the Siniawsky's - as one does on a Friday evening - has me bending an ear in an attempt to see what I may have been missing. "Johnny Get Angry" was finally asked "Johnny Are You Queer" but I already knew the answer to that and I'm pretty sure I know the real story of "Jimmy Kiss and Run". And it's good to know that I'm not the only one who has suspected a down low theme to "I Think We're Alone Now".

The Crystal's "He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss)" has been discussed in detail for it's underlying theme of masochism but I've always thought the real story there was about insecurity, no matter how aware Spector was of the innuendo. Grizzly Bear's cover on their "Friend EP", however, throws any ambiguity aside like an empty condom wrapper with just one brief pause between "it felt like a" and "kiss"; just long enough to make it clear that he treasures the memory and the gratification that the moment provided.

It may not be my thing but it still sounds sexy as hell and not one bit gratuitous which is more than can be said for previous covers by Hole and The Motels. Go ahead, try it.

March 18, 2008 Earworm

“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” Spends 2,184th week at #1 on Hells Hot 100!

Recognized in 1999 by BMI publishing as the most played record of the century, with over eight million spins, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” is not only an undisputed classic, but a pioneer as well.

“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” celebrates another milestone as it spends its 2,184th week - a full forty-two years - at number one on Hells Hot 100. In celebration of this achievement, I sat down with Hells number one dj, Satan, to discuss the durability of this classic recording.

Me: Satan, forty-two years at number one; that’s quite an achievement. To what do you attribute the durability of “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” in Hell?

Satan: You know, I’ve given that a lot of thought over the years and I gotta tell ya, it’s all about the raw honesty of that lyric. It’s quite selfish in its observations, much like a paranoiac in the way that it doesn’t take the time to ask why.

Me: The ultimate victim?

Satan: Yea, but it’s something that everyone has felt, or will feel. Even if you find true love, it’s pretty much a given that you’re gonna have your heart broken a few times before, if not after. You know, everyone has noted the way Bill Medley’s opening line, “you never close your eyes, anymore when I kiss your lips” – brilliant, by the way - sounds like a finger is holding the record back from its normal speed but, if you think about it… It’s really more like an aural version of the way your stomach feels when you’ve discovered some horrible truth. ‘Like the realization didn’t come from your head but from deep down in your gut.

Me: But what about the music? It’s a pretty revolutionary pop song. Nothing preceding it ever sounded quite like it.

Satan: It certainly was new. The way it works in those little jazz rhythms, its symphonic structure. And it’s actually a little frightening in places – the percussion at times kinda sounds like it’s gonna hit you back… the bongos on the bridge in particular. But it’s hard to pin down - there are so many hooks within that record that, even now, you can find something new to experience. It’s almost overloaded.

Me: Is there a particular hook or piece that you favor?

Satan: Well, the descending bass thing is as sneaky as.. well, hell. It insinuates something menacing is following the vocalist and kinda underscores that realization thing that I mentioned. You know, first the thought, and then reconciling the thought to a new reality. That’s a nifty little trick. But I really love the open throated “ahhhh” thing that occurs during the bridge – very frightened… pained, a little higher in pitch. I’ll tell you a little known fact about that…

Me: What’s that?

Satan: Well, Phil sure wouldn’t admit it – it’s one of his dirty like secrets - like the fact that he didn’t actually produce “Unchained Melody”…

Me: There’s been rumor…

Satan: He wasn’t even there; it was all Bill Medley. But anyway, the choir on “…Lovin’ Feeling”… that wasn’t just the Blossoms you know…

Me: Well, it’s been documented that Phil had just about everyone he knew in there; Sonny and Cher…

Satan: Yeah, yeah… but that choir was sweetened by not only yours truly, but a little vocal group we have down here.

Me: Wait. You’re telling me that you are on “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling”?

Satan: Yep. I was standing right between Cher and Darlene Love.

Me: No way!

Satan: Way! I got Cher’s autograph that day. I knew she was gonna be huge one day… Anyway, I’m a little bit more prominent in the stereo mix but that’s a mess so… But I’m not the only representative from down here. I brought in the Zealot Evangelical Choir for some extra support.

Me: Zealot Evangelical Choir?

Satan: Who better to back up persecution than the evangelicals?

Me: You’ve got a point. I’m just surprised to hear that they’re down there. How did that happen?

Satan: What? You thought they were gonna go to heaven?! Besides, it gives the rest of us a chance to make fun of bad outfits.

Me: Of course. So, I have to mention that I’ve done a little number crunching and it appears that “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” either took a while to hit number one, or hasn’t been number one every week since it was released…

Satan: Philly gave me an acetate and I started spinning it out of the box – it went in at number one. Thank God!

Me: What do you mean?

Satan: The song it replaced was “Dominique” by The Singing Nun. Fifty some odd weeks of that…

Me: Ouch! That, to me, just may be the definition of hell.

Satan: Not on my watch. But anyway, in ’65, I think it was February, The Shangri-Las’ “Give Him A Great Big Kiss” popped up to number one for two weeks.

Me: Really?

Satan: Yea. That whole “he’s good bad, but he’s not evil” still makes me chuckle.

Me: That still leaves about four weeks…

Satan: Well, I don’t like to admit it ‘cause I take pride in the fact that I never manipulate the charts, no matter how much Goldner tried…

Me: Yes…

Satan: Around 1996 I put Debbie Boone’s “You Light Up My Life” at number one for four weeks…

Me: For the love of… um, Satan, why would you do such a cruel thing?

Satan: A bunch of anti-smoking nuts started making noise so… I mean, it’s HELL people! How ya wanna designate no smoking in Hell? Well, I thought it was a good way to shut them up and I thought it was funny as Hell. “You Light Up My Life”, get it?!

Me: That is pretty funny, actually. Do you regret it?

Satan: Yes, actually I do.

Me: Cruel and unusual punishment, and all that?

Satan: Nope. I regret it because it kinda tarnished my reputation. You know, the devil has all the best tunes and all that.

March 10, 2008 Earworm

From 1961 through 1963**, Phil Spector's productions were tales of hearts aflutter romance and lustful angst. Midway through 1964, a melancholy mood began to descend, casting shadows on the wall of sound. The year was kicked off with The Ronettes' "(The Best Part Of) Breakin' Up" but ended with The Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling". Right in the middle you could find The Crystals announcing that they were "All Grown Up", and could do and go where they wanted to go and away they went from the Philles stable, leaving The Ronettes as the last chance of teeny bop romance but instead, we got the beautifully depressed yearning of "Walking In The Rain".

By the time that "Is This What I Get For Loving You?" was released in March of 1965, Ronnie no longer sounded like a girl waiting on the stoop for her dream boy, replaced by the voice of a woman who realizes that sometimes the best part of breaking up is actually breaking up. Where she once promised "I'll make you happy baby, just wait and see...", in less than two years she's now begging, "Don't leave me baby, don't tell me it's over, after I trusted you, and did my best to make you happy...", her longing vibrato clipped and her vocal bathed in so much echo that she sounds as though she's descended into a pit. A pit filled with angry bongos, to boot.

It's a hauntingly beautiful record yet it's disheartening to think that any women just barely twenty years old could sound as weary as this, particularly at the moment when, as the record fades to silence, you can just barely hear her sing "You know I love you baby" as the needle hits the run-out groove...


**
1961:
100 There's No Other Like My Baby - The Crystals
1962:
102 Uptown - The Crystals
105 He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss) - The Crystals
106 He's A Rebel - The Crystals
107 Zip-A-Dee-Doo Dah - Bob B. Soxx and The Blue Jeans
108 Puddin N' Tain - The Alley Cats
109 He's Sure The Boy I Love - The Crystals
1963:
110 Why Do Lovers Break Each Other's Heart - Bob B. Soxx and The Blue Jeans
111 (Today I Met) The Boy I'm Gonna Marry - Darlene Love
112 Da Doo Ron Ron - The Crystals
113 Not Too Young To Get Married - Bob B. Soxx and The Blue Jeans
114 Wait 'Til My Bobby Gets Home - Darlene Love
115 Then He Kissed Me - The Crystals
116 Be My Baby - The Ronettes
117 A Fine Fine Boy - Darlene Love
118 Baby, I Love You - The Ronettes
119 Little Boy - The Crystals
1964:
120 (The Best Part Of) Breakin' Up - The Ronettes
121 Do I Love You - The Ronettes
122 All Grown Up - The Crystals
123 Walking In The Rain - The Ronettes
124 You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' - The Righteous Brothers
125 Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Darlene Love
1965:
126 Born To Be Together - The Ronettes
127 Just Once In My Life - The Righteous Brothers
128 Is This What I Get For Loving You - The Ronettes
129 Unchained Melody / Hung On You - The Righteous Brothers
130 Ebb Tide - The Righteous Brothers
1966:
131 River Deep-Mountain High - Ike and Tina Turner
132 White Cliffs of Dover - The Righteous Brothers
133 I Can Hear Music - The Ronettes (produced by Bob Crewe)
134 Two To Tango - Ike and Tina Turner (produced by Bob Crewe)
135 I'll Never Need More Than This - Ike and Tina Turner
136 A Love Like Yours - Ike and Tina Turner

February 22, 2008 Earworm

Songs about infidelity should not sound as upbeat as George Harrison's "What Is Life" and the one being screwed over should not sound as happy as he does on this fuzz filled acquiescence. Sure, taking the high road is supposed to be liberating but this is ridiculous. Especially when Eric Clapton gets to play guitar on the damn thing.

1971 must have been a very exciting year for Patti Boyd as "What Is Life" was followed a month later by "Layla" and rock gods were singing her praises to us, mere mortals invited to worship but not yet sure to whom we were praying.

Have a great weekend.

February 14, 2008 Earworm

From the skip in the heart drumbeat - an icon in its right - to the spine shivers of the castanets, "Be My Baby" is undoubtedly the candy heart of popular music. Little more than a string of promises not easily lived up to, delivered with an eager innocence that belies Ronnie Spector's reputation as teen lust incarnate, that merely hints at what may come after three kisses. Quivering with the anticipation of that first touch, the electricity of that first kiss, "Be My Baby" perfectly captures the moment when love walks in and anxiously begins to tap its foot while waiting for lust to show up.

The mournful, string laden bridge is the only hint of reality, a reminder that the hunter has yet to capture the game, but it is quickly kicked back into romantic form by a tiny, high heel clad angel, and her posse of starry eyed vixens.

You'd be a fool not to believe.

This is dedicated to the one I love. The one who, when asked, "What's the perfect Valentine's Day song", replied without hesitation, "'Be My Baby'".

Indeed.

February 06, 2008 Earworm

I recently stated that the arrangement of Leonard Cohen's "True Love Leaves No Trace" has always seemed to me like a few different songs bumped into each other during the
last dance of the prom, but I realize that I missed the mark with my description. It may be a last dance but the arrangement is better suited to a bar. It's the lyric that belongs to the prom:

"As the mist leaves no traces
on the dark green hill,
So my body leaves no scar on you,
and never will"

As beautiful as that verse is to me, I've always had trouble believing. It's not that I think that Leonard's lying, it's that his seems to be a truth believed only after a few too many bendings of the elbow, uttered by a lopsided grin behind a mask of cigarette smoke. It sounds right for the moment but never for the long haul, when the morning light exposes everyone's reality.

If true love leaves no traces, how can it be real? What was felt? What was learned?

"True Love Leaves No Traces" can be found on "Death of a Ladies' Man".

February 1, 2008 Earworm

And so we begin the month of love. Like the summer of love but with more deodorant and better gifts. Chocolate, cards, and other minutiae are the norm but, if you're lucky, jewelry, vacations and cars could be coming your way. I usually get a grunt and surly peck on the cheek. Just the way I like it, actually.

I can't think of a better song to start the Valentine's Dance then the clunky Imperial debut 45 by Cher; "Dream Baby". Actually, that would be Cherilyn, should you find a copy and scan the label. Sonny wouldn't stray far from his Spector run backyard when creating the setting for his little jewel - the whole "Wrecking Crew" was employed, Gold Star Studios provided the echo, and there is even a sax solo that was already out of date in 1964. The shy little Cher(ilyn) holds her own and Sonny double tracks that power house voice for extra value. It's absolutely delightful Although it starts to lose some steam after the mandatory almost fake ending, when the bells jump in to remind us that we've heard most of this before.

"Dream Baby" went nowhere but it took Cher from the back row of Phil's choir and put her on the road to icon status and all its obligatory tabloid fodder.

"Dream Baby" is available on the excellent, if pricey, "One Kiss Can Lead To Another: Girl Group Sounds Lost And Found"

January 22, 2008 Earworm

Clyde Otis' career in music began while driving a taxi. He overheard his fare discussing their upcoming attendance at a music executive's party and suggested that they pass along a song that he wrote. The passengers followed through and Nat King Cole had a top twenty hit with Clyde's "That's All There Is To That" in 1956. Two years later, he made music history by becoming the first African-American A&R executive at a major label when he joined Mercury Records. He formed a close working relationship with Brook Benton beginning with his production of Brook's delicious "It's Just A Matter of Time", an Otis composition, and together they would rack up another 16 hits. Otis also worked with Sarah Vaughn, both solo and on her duets with Brook.
Leaving Mercury for a position with Liberty, he left his mark on recordings by two of my favorite ladies: Jackie DeShannon and Timi Yuro. The DeShannon records didn't fare well on the charts but Timi's debut, the shocking "Hurt", rose to the top five and confused listeners everywhere when they saw the tiny little girl who sounded like a very large man.

Clyde's final release with Timi, "What's The Matter Baby (Is It Hurting You)", was not quite finished when he left the label in '62 and Phil Spector was called in to doctor the tracks. The story is varied as to what, exactly, he did to it - a remixing is the closest you'll get to a general consensus - but there's no denying his, nor Clyde's presence. It practically throws the stylus off with it's "needles in the red" shot gun blast opening and then stabs at your wounds with a defiant string line. And then Timi really gets nasty. The backing lalalalala chants add insult to injury with mocking that suggests a stuck out tongue and moose-ears.

It's awesome!

Clyde Otis died on January 8th at the age of 84. Timi died of throat cancer in 2004. Spector is so far gone that he might as well be gone. "What's A Matter Baby" plays on and on and on.