Category: Music
Hey Beatles/Hey Bingle!
I’m thinking Joe Sinnott probably had Bing Crosby’s Hey Jude/Hey Bing! album in his record collection. 65-year-old Bing covered two Apple label singles from the fall of ’68.
On December 11, 1961, ABC-TV in America broadcast a TV special that Bing had produced in England, in which he performed this humorous rendition of ‘The Sheik of Araby’.
A few weeks later, on January 1, 1962, the Beatles, with Pete Best on drums, recorded their own humorous take of ‘The Sheik of Araby’ at their Decca Records audition.
Journey to the Center of 1968
Denro favors 1969 as the peak year for popular music, but I keep returning to 1968. That was the year of ‘Classical Gas’, ‘Love is Blue’ and the outstanding ‘This Guy’s in Love With You’. But ’68 also had the flip side of music, revealing the growing tension between Top-40 AM and nascent Underground Radio on FM.*
It began a year earlier with the Doors and the Jefferson Airplane. The Summer of Love in ’67 also had a hard edge. It came into very compelling full view in ’68.
The first time I became aware of “album cuts” was in 1967, with the Doors’ ‘Light My Fire’. Other records followed in ’68. Two examples include the Chambers Brothers.
And, in what is perhaps the ultimate example of the changes brought about in the Sixties, an era of change that I maintain can never be repeated, there is this AM single/FM album gem.
I didn’t even include Cream, but you’ll find them in this playlist that shows why I can never let go of 1968.
* The phenomenon of album-centered underground FM radio resulted from a unique and coincidental timing of events — The undeniable shift in the music industry; an FCC mandate requiring unique FM programming; and Vietnam Vets returning home with Japanese stereo receivers, which upended the American hi-fi market and marked the end of true mono-mixed singles.
Supertramp
As originally presented, Supergirl was so sweet and lovable that her cousin wished he could marry her.
“Lovable” isn’t how Superman thinks of the updated Supergirl. She’s a wild, drunk party girl.
This trailer for the new movie features Blondie’s ‘Call Me’.
Another trailer has Jimmy Ruffin’s ‘What Becomes of the Brokenhearted’.
Rick James’ ‘Superfreak’ seems a likely song selection, but when the credits roll this one from Donovan would be my pick.
It Was 59 Years Ago Today
Somebody declared this to be Global Beatles Day.
https://www.thebeatles.com/global-beatles-day-celebrate-25th-june
“All Together Now! Everybody!”
Born Under the Stax Sound
Last night, Booker T. Jones was a soulful, consummate professional, still at the top of his game musically. As well as performing his well-known Booker T. and the M.G.’s hits, he had tributes to Albert King, Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix, and Bob Dylan.
The show opened with the M.G.’s #9 1968 hit, a cover of the theme to Hang ‘Em High*. With those first four notes on the organ I smiled and thought, “Yep, that’s the sound.”
Left to right in the photo were Al Jackson (drums), Steve Cropper (guitar), Booker T. Jones (keyboards), Donald “Duck” Dunn (bass).
A highlight of the show for me was ‘Born Under a Bad Sign’, a song Jones wrote for Albert King.
This is King’s original version.
The best known version of ‘Born Under a Bad Sign’ is by Eric Clapton and Cream.
* The leading lady in Hang ‘Em High is Inger Stevens. I’ll take advantage of any excuse to look at Inger Stevens, who died tragically young.
