This is a great old song that I heard today on RadioIO 50's and 60's Rock channel. Enjoy both versions!
The Impressions (1961)
Brian Hyland (1970)
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
My Review of Our Vines Have Tender Grapes (DVD)
Originally submitted at WB Shop
An endearing and quietly rhapsodic slice of Americana about a single year among the Norwegian immigrants in a Wisconsin farm town, Our Vines Have Tender Grapes enthralled 1945 audiences and critics with its timeless joys. Told from the viewpoint of little Selma (Margaret O’Brien), the film explores...
Against Type: Edward G. Robinson Shines!
By Dustin Blythe from Mishawaka, IN on 8/11/2010
Pros: Classic, Original, High Production Value, Wholesome
Best Uses: Adult Viewers, Younger Viewers
Describe Yourself: Movie Buff
Like some of his contemporaries (James Cagney,Humphrey Bogart) Edward G. Robinson was often pigeonholed as a tough guy or a hoodlum. However, once he had a chance to break out of those roles, he really ran with the chance.
"Our Vines Have Tender Grapes" was Robinson's chance. The story is set in a small Wisconsin farming community in the 1940's. Robinson plays Martinius Jacobson, a Norwegian farmer with a young daugher, Selma (played by Margaret O'Brien) and a wife (played by a young Agnes Moorehead, long before "Bewitched").
First time viewers will be struck by the relative lack of "plot" in this movie. Rather than an overarching plot, this movie is more of a slice of life, showing Martinius, his wife, Selma and a neighbor child and other people in the community as they live their lives in Benson Junction.
Perhaps the most striking feature of the film is the gentle, loving and, yes, tender relationship between Martinius and Selma. Selma's changing world, and the beginning of her growth from a small girl to a young woman, provides the viewer with a number of touching moments and memorable scenes.
I have always been struck by the Hollywood studios' apparent fearlessness in telling stories that would never make it past the front gate, for better or for worse, in today's studio culture. "Our Vines Have Tender Grapes" is one of those movies. A simple, sweet story to watch on a weekend afternoon.
Robinson, O'Brien and Moorehead
Tags: Production still
(legalese)
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Song(stress) of the Day: Timi Yuro
In my previous post about the Brill Building Sound, I labored over what songs to highlight. One of the hardest decisions was whether or not to include "What's A Matter, Baby?" by Timi Yuro, written by Clyde Otis and Joy Byers (Byers co-wrote a number of songs for Elvis Presley's musicals in the 60's).
Finally, I decided that Timi Yuro deserved her own showcase on my blog. One of the most underrated and overlooked singers of the sixties, Yuro had a powerful, soulful style that belied her petite, demure appearance. Once, while on tour with Frank Sinatra, he walked onstage during her performance and just looked at her. She stopped the show and asked what he wanted. He replied that he was just looking for the place where they plugged her in!
She was born Rosemary Timi Yuro in Chicago, Illinois in 1940.
Here are a few samples of Timi Yuro and her magnificent voice.
"What's A Matter Baby?"
"Hurt" This is, by far, her biggest hit and the song that she is most known for, if anyone knows her at all. This song, however, is probably best known as one of Elvis Presley's last hits in 1976. Presley undoubtedly sang the song as a result of his admiration for Yuro. Elvis would reserve a table for himself each time she performed in Las Vegas.
Here is Timi, live in Rotterdam the Netherlands in 1981 in front of an adoring audience. Even twenty years after her initial success, her voice is still as powerful and emotive.
"You've Lost That Lovin Feeling/All Alone Am I"
Incredibly, Timi was diagnosed and treated for throat cancer two years before this peformance. Sadly, she suffered a recurrence of cancer two years later and had to have her larynx removed, which effectively ended her singing career. She died in 2004.
Bonus:
Among the singers Timi Yuro inspired, most notable was Elvis Presley. Already a legend by the time her first records came out, Elvis was instantly impressed and moved by her performances. Here are two that most clearly show her influence on his delivery of two songs, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" and "Hurt". Elvis, in all likelihood, saw her perform these two songs live in Las Vegas shortly before his own engagements there in the early 70's.
"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin"
"Hurt". This version, without the later overdubs of background singers, is from what were later called the "Jungle Room Sessions". Elvis was increasingly reluctant to attend regular recording sessions by 1976. RCA, in a desperate attempt for new recordings, sent a mobile studio to Graceland. Elvis and the band set up in the "jungle room", not the best setup for audio quality but the best the engineers could do.
Finally, I decided that Timi Yuro deserved her own showcase on my blog. One of the most underrated and overlooked singers of the sixties, Yuro had a powerful, soulful style that belied her petite, demure appearance. Once, while on tour with Frank Sinatra, he walked onstage during her performance and just looked at her. She stopped the show and asked what he wanted. He replied that he was just looking for the place where they plugged her in!
She was born Rosemary Timi Yuro in Chicago, Illinois in 1940.
Here are a few samples of Timi Yuro and her magnificent voice.
"What's A Matter Baby?"
"Hurt" This is, by far, her biggest hit and the song that she is most known for, if anyone knows her at all. This song, however, is probably best known as one of Elvis Presley's last hits in 1976. Presley undoubtedly sang the song as a result of his admiration for Yuro. Elvis would reserve a table for himself each time she performed in Las Vegas.
Here is Timi, live in Rotterdam the Netherlands in 1981 in front of an adoring audience. Even twenty years after her initial success, her voice is still as powerful and emotive.
"You've Lost That Lovin Feeling/All Alone Am I"
Incredibly, Timi was diagnosed and treated for throat cancer two years before this peformance. Sadly, she suffered a recurrence of cancer two years later and had to have her larynx removed, which effectively ended her singing career. She died in 2004.
Bonus:
Among the singers Timi Yuro inspired, most notable was Elvis Presley. Already a legend by the time her first records came out, Elvis was instantly impressed and moved by her performances. Here are two that most clearly show her influence on his delivery of two songs, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" and "Hurt". Elvis, in all likelihood, saw her perform these two songs live in Las Vegas shortly before his own engagements there in the early 70's.
"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin"
"Hurt". This version, without the later overdubs of background singers, is from what were later called the "Jungle Room Sessions". Elvis was increasingly reluctant to attend regular recording sessions by 1976. RCA, in a desperate attempt for new recordings, sent a mobile studio to Graceland. Elvis and the band set up in the "jungle room", not the best setup for audio quality but the best the engineers could do.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Songs of the Day: Brill Building Brilliance
A great, if rare and expensive, compilation is K-Tel's "Brill Building Sound", a mid 90's box set that looked back at the incredible blizzard of songs that came out of New York's Brill Building in the 1960's. The roster of talent there was staggering: Neil Sedaka, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, Neil Diamond, Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman, Leiber and Stoller, Gerry Goffin, Carole King, not to mention Phil Spector and the list goes on.
These kids (many were not much older than the artists, or their fans for that matter) literally sat in the Brill Building in cubicle like offices and just cranked out the hits: "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do", "Teenager In Love", "Locomotion", "Stand By Me", "Will You Love Me Tomorrow". Not only were these genuine pop hits, but many had somber undertones which, in many cases, reflected the real life struggles of the songwriters' own lives.
Here are a few of my faves.
"Magic Town" by the Vogues. Written by Mann and Weil.
"Needles and Pins". Before the Searchers came in the British Invasion, Jackie Deshannon recorded the first version of this song co-written by Sonny Bono.
"Hey Girl", a great ballad from the team of Goffin and King. This is a great cover by Billy Joel.
"It Hurts To Be In Love" by Gene Pitney. Pitney himself was a songwriter who wrote hits for a number of groups/artists in the early sixties, including "He's a Rebel" for the Crystals and "Hello Mary Lou" for Ricky Nelson. "It Hurts To Be In Love" was co-written by another Brill Building veteran, Howard Greenfield, and was originally meant for Neil Sedaka. Sedaka loved it, recorded it, but his record company refused to allow the recording to be released because the rights were owned by a rival. The song was then given to Pitney. Sedaka's recording was used, but his vocals were wiped out and Pitney sang over Sedaka's backing track. The rest is history.
"I'm Into Something Good" by Earl Jean. Earl Jean was the lead singer of the girl group The Cookies when she was given this solo song by Goffin and King. Her version is most notable for inspiring the British Invasion act Herman's Hermits to cover it for their first U.S. hit. Still, this is an interesting glimpse into the song, done in the "girl group" style and very similar to a Cookies treatment.
Howard Greenfield co-wrote a number of hits ("Breaking Up Is Hard To Do", "Love Will Keep Us Together", "Where The Boys Are", "Calendar Girl", "Crying In The Rain", "Venus In Blue Jeans") as well as composing the themes for "Bewitched", "The Flying Nun" and "Hazel". In his spare time, he also wrote a number of minor hits, including this one for Johnny Crawford of "The Rifleman", "Rumors", presented here as it was heard in 1962.
These kids (many were not much older than the artists, or their fans for that matter) literally sat in the Brill Building in cubicle like offices and just cranked out the hits: "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do", "Teenager In Love", "Locomotion", "Stand By Me", "Will You Love Me Tomorrow". Not only were these genuine pop hits, but many had somber undertones which, in many cases, reflected the real life struggles of the songwriters' own lives.
Here are a few of my faves.
"Magic Town" by the Vogues. Written by Mann and Weil.
"Needles and Pins". Before the Searchers came in the British Invasion, Jackie Deshannon recorded the first version of this song co-written by Sonny Bono.
"Hey Girl", a great ballad from the team of Goffin and King. This is a great cover by Billy Joel.
"It Hurts To Be In Love" by Gene Pitney. Pitney himself was a songwriter who wrote hits for a number of groups/artists in the early sixties, including "He's a Rebel" for the Crystals and "Hello Mary Lou" for Ricky Nelson. "It Hurts To Be In Love" was co-written by another Brill Building veteran, Howard Greenfield, and was originally meant for Neil Sedaka. Sedaka loved it, recorded it, but his record company refused to allow the recording to be released because the rights were owned by a rival. The song was then given to Pitney. Sedaka's recording was used, but his vocals were wiped out and Pitney sang over Sedaka's backing track. The rest is history.
"I'm Into Something Good" by Earl Jean. Earl Jean was the lead singer of the girl group The Cookies when she was given this solo song by Goffin and King. Her version is most notable for inspiring the British Invasion act Herman's Hermits to cover it for their first U.S. hit. Still, this is an interesting glimpse into the song, done in the "girl group" style and very similar to a Cookies treatment.
Howard Greenfield co-wrote a number of hits ("Breaking Up Is Hard To Do", "Love Will Keep Us Together", "Where The Boys Are", "Calendar Girl", "Crying In The Rain", "Venus In Blue Jeans") as well as composing the themes for "Bewitched", "The Flying Nun" and "Hazel". In his spare time, he also wrote a number of minor hits, including this one for Johnny Crawford of "The Rifleman", "Rumors", presented here as it was heard in 1962.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Songs of the Day: the Four Tops
Part of the original Motown sound, the Four Tops had a talent for great performances of diverse, eclectic material.
Along with their signature 60's hits ("I Can't Help Myself", "Reach Out I'll Be There", "Sugar Pie Honey Bunch", et al), the group had success with some unexpected covers, which I want to focus on.
In 1968 the Tops covered "Walk Away Renee", originally a very stylized baroque-sounding lament by the Left Banke. Here it receives a great Motown soul treatment:
"Walk Away Renee"
1967's "If I Were A Carpenter". This was a song, much like "Little Green Apples" and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", that almost every artist seemed almost contractually obligated to cover. Again, the Tops set themselves apart from the crowd.
"If I Were A Carpenter"
Showing their resilience through the years, in 1988 with the same line up the Tops had a top 40 hit with this song, "Indestructible".
"Indestructible"
Bonus:
From "Motown 25" in 1983, a recreation of the old "Battle of the Bands" contests they waged while on tour in the 60's.
Along with their signature 60's hits ("I Can't Help Myself", "Reach Out I'll Be There", "Sugar Pie Honey Bunch", et al), the group had success with some unexpected covers, which I want to focus on.
In 1968 the Tops covered "Walk Away Renee", originally a very stylized baroque-sounding lament by the Left Banke. Here it receives a great Motown soul treatment:
"Walk Away Renee"
1967's "If I Were A Carpenter". This was a song, much like "Little Green Apples" and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", that almost every artist seemed almost contractually obligated to cover. Again, the Tops set themselves apart from the crowd.
"If I Were A Carpenter"
Showing their resilience through the years, in 1988 with the same line up the Tops had a top 40 hit with this song, "Indestructible".
"Indestructible"
Bonus:
From "Motown 25" in 1983, a recreation of the old "Battle of the Bands" contests they waged while on tour in the 60's.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Songs of the Weekend: Journey "Raised On Radio"
It was Steve Perry's (first) kiss of death in Journey. It marked the end of an era. It was Journey's last great album of the 80's. 1986's "Raised On Radio".
Steve Perry had just enjoyed a hit solo album and a hit single, "Oh Sherry". Now he was ready to really take the reins of Journey. He talked management, guitarist Neil Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain into firing their two longtime bandmates: bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith. Then he brought in studio session players to fill in for them. On tour he used session drummer Randy Baird and veteran Randy Jackson (yes, that Randy Jackson, dawg!). The result was still Journey enough to rock, but definitely with Steve Perry's touch. However, it did not hold together and Journey split soon afterward.
The album's singles were a staple of mid 80's MTV and are a reminder of some good times.
"Girl Can't Help It"
"I'll Be Alright Without You"
"Be Good To Yourself"
Great stuff, but what was Randy Jackson thinking when he got dressed?!? I know it was the 80's, but come on. Have some pride.
Steve Perry had just enjoyed a hit solo album and a hit single, "Oh Sherry". Now he was ready to really take the reins of Journey. He talked management, guitarist Neil Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain into firing their two longtime bandmates: bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith. Then he brought in studio session players to fill in for them. On tour he used session drummer Randy Baird and veteran Randy Jackson (yes, that Randy Jackson, dawg!). The result was still Journey enough to rock, but definitely with Steve Perry's touch. However, it did not hold together and Journey split soon afterward.
The album's singles were a staple of mid 80's MTV and are a reminder of some good times.
"Girl Can't Help It"
"I'll Be Alright Without You"
"Be Good To Yourself"
Great stuff, but what was Randy Jackson thinking when he got dressed?!? I know it was the 80's, but come on. Have some pride.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Song of the Day: Even Now
This is an often overlooked Bob Seger classic. Turn it up and enjoy the sound of vinyl, courtesy of YouTube.
Bob Seger "Even Now"
Bob Seger "Even Now"
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