Alright, it's about time I get back to writin' and continuing our fabulous series on the Wrecking Crew musicians (which is not even close to over)! First off, we're featuring American country music singer Glen Campbell, who was actually a regular guitarist amongst the first-call "Wrecking Crew" studio musicians before embarking on a highly successful solo career (something like releasing over 70 albums and selling over 45 million records, no biggie). In the mid-60s, he filled in for Brian Wilson as a touring musician on Beach Boys tours, and played guitar on the revolutionary Pet Sounds album. After the success of "Wichita Lineman" (featured here during the Country Crossovers series), Campbell scored a big hit with another Jimmy Webb song, "Galveston," which reached #4 on the Billboard charts and #1 on the country chart. Although it's widely considered an anti-Vietnam protest song, Campbell (a Republican) performed it up-tempo, conveying a more general message in a patriotic way, and it's considered the official anthem of Galveston, Texas. Other Wrecking Crew musicians included in this recording are Hal Blaine on drums (as usual), Al Casey on acoustic guitar, and Joe Osborn on bass. Here's a live performance of "Galveston" (with a studio backing track) on Campbell's own series The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour.
Joining the likes of The Beach Boys as vocal "surf music" pioneers, Los Angeles duo Jan & Dean used the Wrecking Crew musicians on their recordings too, and found peak success during the surf rock craze just prior to the British Invasion. Amongst their biggest songs like "Surf City" (featured way back here) and "Dead Man's Curve" was their #3 hit "Little Old Lady from Pasadena" released in June 1964. Based on a folk archetype of the widowed ladies in this East L.A. city, this comic song's twist was that not only did this little old lady drive a hot car, she was also a street racer. The top-notch WC musicians used on this recording are drummers Hal Blaine and Earl Palmer, pianist Leon Russell, guitarists Tommy Tedesco, Billy Strange, and Bill Pitman, and bassist Jimmy Bond, among a few others. The coolest part is that I found out this recording's personnel by looking at copies of actual contracts provided online by the Musician's Union (American Federation of Musicians; my husband was in that same union back in his professional musician days). You can check out some of these contracts for these legendary recording sessions on the official Wrecking Crew website here. Anyway, introduced by singer Lesley Gore, here's a live vocal performance by Jan & Dean.
You've probably heard of the popular New York girl group The Crystals (pictured left) who released huge hits in the early 1960s like "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Then He Kissed Me." But you may not know that their most-enduring success, "He's a Rebel," was only credited to The Crystals but was actually recorded by singer Darlene Love and her backing group The Blossoms (pictured right). Legend has it that when the real Crystals were unable to travel fast enough to L.A. from New York to record "He's a Rebel" (written by singer Gene Pitney), record producer Phil Spector had Love and her L.A.-based group record the single under the banner of The Crystals. The real Crystals had to add the song to their live repertoire, even though lead singer Barbara Alston's soft voice could not mimic Love's hearty deliver. While The Crystals are considered one of the defining acts of the girl group era of the first half of the '60s, this recording is among the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and is considered one of the definitive examples of the Spector-produced girl group sound. Including all WC musicians on this song, here's a lip-synced performance by The Crystals of the original recording.
While the Wrecking Crew may have its origins with studio musicians dating back to the late 1950s, the Crew was definitely at work with hits in the early '60s, playing for stars like the King of Soul himself, Sam Cooke. With his distinctive vocal abilities, Cooke's "Twistin' the Night Away" is among his most popular songs, reaching #9 on the pop charts and #1 on the R&B chart after its release in January 1962. Written by Cooke, it was even successful overseas as well, reaching #6 in the UK. The recording includes WC members Tommy Tedesco and Clifton White on guitar, and Earl Palmer on drums, as well as a swingin' horn section. Haven't figured where this footage comes from, but here's a great performance by the extremely talented Sam Cooke with a live band in December 1963 (one year before his untimely death).
The WC didn't just play rock 'n' roll of the '60s but were also used for traditional pop standard recordings as well, like Wayne Newton's "Danke Schoen." First composed and recorded by Bert Kaempfert, the song was originally intended for singer Bobby Darin as a follow-up to "Mack the Knife." However, after seeing a 21-year-old Newton perform at the Copacabana, he decided to give it to Newton and transposed the key of the recording to fit Newton's high tenor voice (sometimes mistaken for a female!). Released in 1963, this recording reached #13 on the Billboard pop charts and #3 on the easy listening chart, becoming Newton's signature song. Before becoming one of the biggest (and longest-running) performers in Las Vegas, here's a very polished live performance by the young, self-assured Wayne Newton in 1968.
Sunshine Pop: Part 1
Lately, we've had our fair share of foggy days out here on the West Coast,
so I thought I'd lighten up the place with some Sunshine Pop.
Originating in the mid-'60s in California, this subgenre of pop music is
naturally upbeat and cheerful, characterized by warm sounds, rich vocal
harmonies, and sophisticated sound productions. It is similar to baroque pop (my first featured series!) in its use of classical elements and instruments, although much less melancholic and dramatic. As this is a retroactive term, it's sometimes hard to pinpoint which songs actually fit this mood, especially since sunshine pop is influenced by easy-listening, has hook-like jingles, and sometimes contains psychedelia (minus the mind-altering aspect), drawing from other genres like folk rock, bubblegum, garage rock, and surf rock as well. Like I said, it's hard to describe, so hopefully the sounds of the next few posts will clarify the mystery of Sunshine Pop.
As an excellent composer and vocal arranger, Papa John Phillips perfected this sound of sunshine pop with the help of producer Lou Adler. While still embracing a hippie-like persona, The Mamas & The Papas brought this sunny yet apolitical sound to the airwaves and enjoyed great success in this genre. Released in June 1966, "I Saw Her Again" hit #5 in US, #1 in Canada, and #11 in the UK. Compared to the ultimate sunshine pop tunes "Monday Monday" and "California Dreamin'" (both previously featured), the lyrics may not be as light-hearted as the mood implies; written by Phillips and lead singer Denny Doherty, it was inspired by Doherty's brief affair with Michelle Phillips, who was then married to John, and it resulted in Michelle's temporary expulsion from the group (until fans complained!). In the recording, Doherty sings the first line of the third chorus a few beats early ("I saw her..."), but since it was left in the final mix, no one's quite sure if it was a mistake or not. Having a little too much fun in a clothing store, here's a cheerful music video that the group made to promote the single.
From 1965 through 1969, The Beach Boys (specifically Brian Wilson) began shifting gears from their usual surfing and hot rod racing tunes to musical experimentation in the recording studio. While their sunny vocal surf pop was a precursor to sunshine pop, it was at this time in the mid-'60s when their sophisticated music, with its warm sounds and prominent vocal harmonies, perfectly embodied this new genre. While predominantly a psychedelic rock/pop and baroque pop album, their '66 Pet Sounds is recognized as one of the most influential records in pop music history and one of the best from 1960s, including songs "God Only Knows" and "Wouldn't It Be Nice." Released as single in July 1966, "Wouldn't It Be Nice" reached #8 in the US and #2 both the UK and Australia, and has become one of the most widely recognized song by The Beach Boys. Written by Brian Wilson with lyrics by Tony Asher, this beautifully-produced tune features a wide variety of instruments including accordions, mandolins, saxophones, trumpet, and ethereal-sounding guitars in the introduction. Here's a cute promo video of this brilliant song.
Although sunshine pop is strongly associated with California, the genre did expand across the nation with groups like Spanky & Our Gang from Illinois. Although this folk rock/sunshine pop group was only together for under 2 years, their memorable vocal harmonies and well-produced music captured the essence of this upbeat genre. From their 1967 debut album, their most popular songs are "Sunday Will Never Be the Same" (featured during the Flower Power series) and "Lazy Day." Referred to as "a giddy joy no matter what" (Allmusic), the purely sunshine pop "Lazy Day" reached #14 on the charts and sold over a million copies. Since their Ed Sullivan Show performance is not available on YouTube, here's a video someone's original 45 recording by Spanky & Our Gang.
This next song is a fascinating one as it seems to combine those angelic harmonies of The Mamas & The Papas with the sophisticated productions of The Beach Boys, while throwing in the sounds of psychedelic pop and classical music. However, Sagittarius was not actually a band but a studio group devised by songwriter/producer Gary Usher (known for co-writing some Beach Boys tunes with Brian Wilson). Using LA studio musicians, Usher drafted friends like guitarist Glen Campbell (before his solo country career), as well as Beach Boy Bruce Johnston and record producer Terry Melcher (who produced The Byrds' biggest hits), and threw in some musique concrète(hey, so I do remember something from college!) in the middle. "My World Fell Down" was presented to Columbia executives under the group name Sagittarius, but when the song managed to reach #70 on the Billboard chart and there was pressure from the record label to tour, it was revealed that there was no group. Usher went on to complete the album with Curt Boettcher (a big influence on Brian Wilson just before Pet Sounds), but it was an expensive flop. With Glen Campbell singing lead vocals, here's the mysterious yet sunshine pop-ish "My World Fell Down" (and you'll know the musique concrete part when you hear it; it's the random noises in the bridge section).
And we'll conclude this first post of Sunshine Pop with the popular family group The Cowsills from Rhode Island. Like The Beach Boys, this family was known for their ability to achieve 4-and 5-part harmonies with impressive accuracy and relative pitch. Although their music ranges from bubblegum to rock and roll, one of their most popular hits, "The Rain, The Park, and Other Things," is a prime example of this sunny genre as it features their warm vocals and a elaborate arrangement. However, since this #2 hit song was already featured last year (here), I'll post their cover version of another quintessential Sunshine Pop song, originally by The Mamas & The Papas. Performing live on The Johnny Cash Show in 1969, here are The Cowsills singing "Monday Monday" (as well as "Children, How Do I Send Thee" with Johnny Cash; very different genre, of course, but cute nonetheless). Little Susan Cowsill sure seems to enjoy groovin' in their performances.
Country Crossovers: Part 1
Alright, folks, time for something completely different! Finally, we're going to talk about that purely American music called Country. And more specifically, those country songs that crossed-over from the US Billboard country charts into the pop charts. Even if you're more of a pop/rock person yourself, you still might enjoy hearing these classics that your parents (or maybe even your grandparents) likely listened to.
Of course we must begin with American singer-songwriter Johnny Cash, one of the most influential musicians in the 20th century. With songs and sound spanning many genres including country, rockabilly, rock n roll, blues, folk, and gospel, "The Man In Black" obviously had great crossover appeal, and is known for his distinctive bass-baritone voice. Originating from Arkansas, his music represented his life, echoing themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption. Released in April of 1963, one of his many signature songs is "Ring of Fire," co-written by June Carter (Cash's future wife) and Merle Kilgore (although Cash's first wife at the time claims that Cash himself co-wrote the song and gave Carter the song-writing credit because "she needed the money"). With its mariachi-style trumpet accompaniment, this tune became the biggest hit of his career, staying at #1 on the country charts for 7 weeks and reached #17 on the pop chart. Nice to see the often somber yet humble Johnny enjoying this live performance.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Also from Arkansas, the songs of country music singer and guitarist Glen Campbell have been in the country chart over 74 times, with 27 of those singles reaching the Top-10. First establishing his career as an in-demand session guitarist in the '60s, playing on numerous hits with "the Wrecking Crew" (you know, that elite group of session musicians that played on recordings for The Beach Boys, The Byrds, The Mamas & The Papas, The 5th Dimension, Nat King Cole, etc!), Campbell became a solo artist in the late '60s and made history by winning four Grammy Awards in both country and pop categories in 1967. In the same year when he received Country Music Awards' top honor as 1968 Entertainer of the Year, he released one of his biggest hits, "Wichita Lineman," written by Jimmy Webb (who also wrote "Up, Up and Away" and "MacArthur Park"). Referred to as "the first existential country song," it topped the country chart and reached #3 on the US pop chart, becoming certified Gold by January '69, and is now among those 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Due to his current Alzheimer's diagnosis, there was a nice tribute to Campbell at the 2012 Grammy Awards last month, and I thought he sounded great singing his "farewell" (it was quite touching seeing the whole audience singing "Rhinestone Cowboy" along with him). Anyway, here's that beauty of a song, "Wichita Lineman," performed by all-American Glen Campbell in December 1968.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ As an American country music singer who was successful in pop music crossovers during the early '60s era of the Nashville Sound, Patsy Cline is one of the most influential and acclaimed female vocalists of the 20th century. Known for her bold contralto voice, she was a pioneer in the country music industry, and is viewed by some as an icon similar to legends Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley, often voted as one of the greatest singers of all time. A follow-up to her hit "I Fall to Pieces," her 1961 single "Crazy" reached #2 on the country chart and #9 on the pop charts by early '62, becoming one of her signature tunes. Written by then-unknown Willie Nelson, this beautiful ballad with its complex melody suited Cline's vocal talent perfectly, and is also listed among the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In this clip, she is wearing a headband to cover up the scars on her forehead from a life-threatening car accident she had been involved in earlier that year. Sadly, while at the height of career, she died in a private plane crash in 1963 at the age of 30. Another beauty taken too soon.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We'll conclude this post with American singer-songwriter and actor Roger Miller, best known for his honky tonk-influenced novelty songs during the mid-1960s Nashville Sound era. After serving in the US Army, he began his music career as a popular songwriter in the late 1950s, and reached peak success as a recording artist in the late '60s. Released in January 1965, "King of the Road" was a chart-topping country hit for Miller and became a highly popular crossover record, reaching #4 on the Billboard pop chart. Selling a million copies by that May, it won him numerous awards and earned him a royalty check worth $160,000 that summer. The humorous lyrics tell a story of a hobo who enjoys his freedom as a "king of the road." (For the younger kiddos like me, you may recognize Miller's voice from Walt Disney's 1973 animated film Robin Hood as the "whistling" Rooster character). Here's fun footage of Miller playing with Johnny Cash on the latter's TV show.
