Songs that may be forgotten, or many people have never heard

[Bequia]

... Burt Bacharach's version of "Little Red Book" onto the Love video (and I can't find the proper video on you tube)...

...Oops, I posted the wrong one out of my files (could have been worse...) - but it is a video "interpretation" I find amusing given what Burt thought about Love's version ... At any rate, here's the right one(out of daily motion not youtube from which it has been policed away) - if that doesn't work the later Live Love version is also on youtube but without video - unlike the "original" that Burt prefers ...

Here's another from the Bacharach/David team....Burt probably prefers the "original" hit for this one too but it is interesting that while Isaac Hayes did some hot buttered soulful transformations of Bacharach and other pop songs, some of what he wrote for Stax/Volt artists followed the Bacharach mold - "going uptown" as his collaborator David Porter said - this is one of those that I particularly like from 1967...shouldn't be in the "never heard" category but except for it being sampled in a hip hop song, that's pretty much where it is...

[John Etherington]

Leonka - Thanks for the Rosanne Cash songs (which I missed earlier). It's great to hear those...I've only fully got to appreciate her dad, recently.

Bequia: Thanks for locating the proper Love video. Thanks also for the Manfreds version, which I've never heard in full, before. I hadn't heard of the Charmels before, but I like most of that Sixties soul stuff. Isaac Hayes is someone I didn't appreciate until I saw a programme on Stax last year. Dione Warwick's "Walk on By" is a classic. Here's another "Walk On By":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElJJIBar1wk ("Walk on By" by Leroy Van Dyke)

Now, here are three more from 1967.

First, a psychedelic country song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb-SVPJM4L4 ("Some Velvet Morning" by Lee Hazelwood and Nancy Sinatra)

Second, a baroque soul song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl0yquEo194 ("Soul Man" by Rotary Connection)

Third, my all-time favourite soul song (by a singer I saw with the Manfreds, a few years ago):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0h1hhF-xdY ("The Time Has Come" by P.P. Arnold)

[John Etherington]

...and a fine song from an underrated guy from Belfast:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXoOG7UdSMI ("3 O'Clock Flamingo Street" by David McWilliams)

I wanted "Turn Homeward Stranger", but I couldn't find it on youtube.

[John Etherington]

Comments welcome from anyone who hasn't posted in this thread (even if you can't think of anything you particularly want to contribute). Is there anything you've heard here that you're pleased to have discovered, or do you think most of it is best forgotten? I've got a place in my heart for all of this stuff!

[Bequia]

... unlike Leroy's, this may be one that is best walked on by...

... The Webbs have done Some Velvet Morning - the Brothers not the Sisters (sons of Jimmy) - sorry can't find a link to play it ... but my search did unearth these Aussies doing a Johhny Preston classic ... gotta love youtube ...

Phaedra brings to mind another song borrowing on Greek mythology ... among Lee and Nancy's duets, this may be my favorite; Johnny & June did a great version of another song that Lee wrote and did with Nancy ... here's a later duet that I am sure LEONKA recognises; it was recorded a few months before the September in which Johnny died...

...can you pick P.P. Arnold out here? ... she certainly is a much underappreciated soul singer ... here's another soul song from '67 that I consider among the best but that sadly never got its due ... sung by someone who, like Minnie Riperton of the Rotary Connection link that you posted, passed away at a young age ... its writer (and singer's husband) was one of the true fathers of soul - here's another one that he wrote performed by an earlier wife - a later cover was the hit ...

... that guy from Belfast is another who didn't get the recognition he deserved; I missed him in "real time" but came to learn of him through a version of one of his songs by someone who shares your appreciation of Scott Walker and his interpretations of Brel...who I guess you can say has written much that is forgotten/never heard in English speaking countries ... like this one that hasn't been among the more commonly covered ones in English ...

[John Etherington]

Hi Bequia,

Quite a diverse bunch of stuff, there! A few comments...Britney should stick to "Hit Me Baby..."!...The Buckley video is great. Ironically this is one of my lesser known songs of his (even though I own it). Nice to hear "Summer Wine"...I don't remember that. First time I've heard "September..." - a very touching song. Jaibi is a real discovery...totally new to me. Thanks for making the link with "Go Now".

I may have posted this before, but here's my favourite Tim Buckley song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71T9NKjtbxY ("Wings by Tim Buckley)

Now two other Tims who deserve a mention...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKWqEXoD--8 ("Come Away Melnda" by Tim Rose)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uVcr7LIusc ("Simple Song of Freedom" by Tim Hardin)

[Bequia]

John - while you were replying I edited the above to include a link to the Webbs that you may enjoy....

Now two other Tims who deserve a mention

... For Tim Hardin, a simple song balanced the books for this according to a singer who does one of my all time favorites of any kind (this and this were none to bad either)...I am always impressed by how simple Hardin's songs seem and just how well they stand up - like this one ...

... Tim Rose's great cover of Weaver Fred Hellerman's (and Fran Minkoff's) Melinda was quite different to the first version I had heard from my parents' Belafonte records ...or a psychedelic version that I have to admit to liking at the time ...

... Wings is certainly an amazing song - Tim Buckley was only 19 when it was released in '66; this song (originally on the album released the following year) may be my favorite of his (it took his son a while to appreciate it) finds him referencing a line in a song he covered that was written by another Fred (doing it here) whose arrangement of another song of the Melinda genre was borrowed/adapted by Tim Rose resulting in something that led to some confusion (fostered by Tim Rose himself) about the song's authorship ... eventually another of those Canadian songwriters has been given full credit though ... of course, that Fred's best known song often gets credited to someone else too...

BTW, Tim Buckley in discussing some of his contemporaries in the late 60's said "as far as writing the most refreshing thing is Leonard Cohen"....

Here's a Tim to forget ... although his cover may be as good as the hit version by someone who should have stuck with songs like this or this...

[John Etherington]

Bequia,

That took some following, but I managed it! You picked all the right Bobby Darin and Tim Buckley songs. I almost included Darin earlier with "Jailor Bring Me Water" (B-side of "Things"). My other favourite song by Tim is "Morning Glory". I'd heard about Jeff's "Once I Was" but hadn't heard it before. Other Tim Hardin favourites of mine are "Lady Came From Baltimore" and "Black Sheep Boy" which I first heard by Scott Walker. I love Rod Stewarts version of "Reason to Believe". I was working in a record store in Soho when "Every Picture..." was released and was the first person in London to get the DJ at the Marquee club to play a track from it (from my copy). I thought about including Tiny Tim in my Tim post, but decided against! I had the (dubious) pleasure of hearing him sing "Tulips" at the Isle of Wight festival, but hadn't heard his Rod cover, before. I had no idea where this thread would lead when I started it, but I'm pleased with the way it's gone. There's a kind of alternative history of the Sixties (and offspring), here!

All good things, John E

[friscogrl]

Thanks Bequia for posting Beyond the Sea by Bobby Darin, one of my all time favorites. Here is another song I love but never hear played.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N9WSt_zC8w

[John Etherington]

Good choice friscogrl. I haven't heard that for decades, but I still remembered the "you don't know, you don't know, you don't know, you don't know..." bit before she got to it! In the Sixties, there was so much quality material, yet things moved on a such a phenomenal rate that good songs quickly got usurped.

[Bequia]

Friscogirl - Everybody needs somebody for inspiration - Nancy Wilson has said that her main/only influence was somebody with a story to tell ... Jimmy Scott ... Kallmann Syndrome is the reason for the distinctive voice etc. ... another clip here ... incredible voice/performer/story ... here's the official website and an interview ...

Here's where our mutual favorite Beyond The Sea came from - La Mer by Charles Trénet and Leo Chauliac - Trénet is seen here with subtitles and here without the interview break but no subtitles in performances ... very different and wonderful in the original French ... The Sea, shepherdess of azure infinity... See these white birds and these rusted houses...The Sea rocks them to sleep along the clear gulfs and with a song of love The Sea rocks my heart for life ...Django does a nice instrumental job with it too....

[friscogrl]

Thanks John and Bequia,this is really quite a thread! Such great songs listed and yes many forgotten. Loved hearing Tim Hardin's How Can We Hang on to a Dream I don't think I have heard this since it was released. I did not know that Beyond the Sea was derived from another song, Le mer. I loved hearing Trenet singing it and loved Django Reinhardt's version. So when Kevin Kline sang this song in French in French Kiss he was probably singing Le Mer and not simply Beyond the Sea in French.
I remember when Bobby Darin was getting involved in the peace movement and doing songs like Sing a Simple Song of Freedom and if I Was a Carpenter. A lot of his fans were upset by this. I admired him for it and liked both styles of his music
Also thanks for the clip of and info about Little Jimmy Scott. What a fascinating story. So not only did I learn about the origin of Beyond the sea I learned about Kallmann's syndrome.

Marsha

[Cate]

Comments welcome from anyone who hasn't posted in this thread (even if you can't think of anything you particularly want to contribute). Is there anything you've heard here that you're pleased to have discovered, or do you think most of it is best forgotten? I've got a place in my heart for all of this stuff!

I've enjoyed this thread too. Some songs post that brought back good memories including the 'Jamaica Farewell song', 'Beyond the Sea' and 'Mac the Knife'. It's great how a short song can bring back very vivid memories.

I love Tim Buckley's - Wings!!!
I also liked the Dean Martin and John Wayne Duet, that was funny.

Paolo Conte – It’s Wonderful

I can't find a youtube version of the song I really want to post - Let's burn down the Cornfield by Etta James, I found a cover but it's not the same (if you like I can e-mail you a proper version)
Let's burn down the Cornfield here's the voice that should be singing it Etta James

[Bequia]

Le mer,Kevin Kline... So not only did I learn about the origin of Beyond the sea I learned about Kallmann's syndrome

You never know where these threads will go, Marsha….Kevin does indeed “sing” the original…

Jamaica Farewell ... Paolo Conte ... Cornfield by Etta James, I found a cover but it's not the same

I couldn’t find Etta doing Cornfield either but here she is doing great versions of this and another song by its writer (shown there doing another of his songs that she also covers and here teaching political science) … and another of her signature songs

Via via, Vieni via con me...If the Canadian tempo grigio gets you down, Paolo’s music in this website(song loads slowly) might entice you to visit an island in the sun ... non perderti per niente al mondo...

[John Etherington]

Cate - I'm so glad you like "Wings" by Tim Buckley...that's one of my favourite songs ever. Thanks also for bringing in Ettta James and Bequia for adding more.

Now here's a girl from Jamaica who recorded for the Island label:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgxNgVMcYNY ("My Boy Lollipop" by Millie)

She was also the first person to record this song by a great artist who nearly got overlooked:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhkeXOjqiPs (Mayfair" by Nick Drake)

He played at Cousins with this lady (one of John Peel's two favourite female singers):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uriOEPCgxsc ("Catch a Falling Star" by Bridget St. John)

She in turn will be touring the UK in the Spring with this criminally underrated songwriter/guitarist and another John Peel favourite
(seen here singing my favourite song of the decade):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL7AT1MXNXs ("That Time of Night" by Michael Chapman)