So as the holidays approach, I’ve been tempted to post some Xmas stuff, but I don’t think its necessary as we’re probably overloaded with the stuff on the streets, TV and radio.
So without further ado, lets get back to the audio. This time its Scott Walker performing ‘Mathilde’ from Jacques Brel.
No, Sammy never replaced Eric Burdon, nor did he ever mimic the lyrics to ‘House of The Rising Sun’, but he did appear on the TV show ‘Hullabaloo’ with the Brits to do some show tunes…
Imagine Sammy and friends doing a medley of “Chim Chim Cheree” and “The Rain In Spain Falls Mainly On The Plain.”
I’ve only recently become interested in The Walker Brothers, mainly because I keep hearing Scott Walker’s name dropped by about every band I know as “a major influence in their work.”
You can’t miss Scott Walker’s baritone and how singers like Jarvis Cocker, Morrissey and David Bowie have all been influenced by his unique voice. I just liked the fact that when he went solo, he released 3 albums simply titled “Scott.” Whats the hurt in that?
Its interesting these days that when an actor/actress is also a singer, you need to hole them into one category or the other. However, when I think of Julie Andrews, its both, and its a rare breed. Humbling in all aspects, Andrews is a classic “entertainer” in every sense of the word. Its interesting seeing her in films these days basically playing the “Olde English Matron” part like ‘The Princess Diaries’, but I’ll always remember her from ‘The Sound of Music.’ I do, however, remember being startled when I saw ‘S.O.B.’ (directed by her husband, Blake Edwards) and Ms. Andrews ripped off her top and said “I am going to show my boobies. Are you here to see my boobies?” I guess that’s what I call a “range of characters.”
Apologies for the delay in posting, now it back to bringing back the goodies. Please keep on coming!
Yes, before he became the sun-tanned King of Malibu and sipped coffee with Imelda Marcos, the young George Hamilton took his chops to pop-songs and gained some noteable success by eventually hitting #134 on the Billboard Singles Charts in 1963 with “Don’t Envy Me”.
For the next couple of weeks, I’ll be posting YouTube stuff since, well, I’m moving, and the vinyl is currently in a buncha boxes. Please keep on coming!
Here comes another somewhat foreign post, but its Petula Clark. Yes, the woman who brought us the tune ‘Downtown’ also sang songs in French. In fact, you could call her the “British Nana Mouskouri.”
Now comes my first foreign post. I only recently became fascinated with French Pop music in the past couple of years. I had a Serge Gainsbourg CD since I felt his music was good bachelor pad stuff, and it worked. Soon I was into more traditional French musicians like Edith Piaf and Yves Montand. However, only recently did I stumble upon Jacques Brel after some reading up on Scott Walker and how Brel was a huge influence.
Since I couldn’t do a post for Wednesday, what better than another duet. 2 for the price of one.
This time its Frank Sinatra and Antonio Carlos Jobim performing a medley of duets on a tv show from November 1967. I especially love Frank’s Intro as he’s fiddling with a cigarette in his hands and says:
The instrument - guitar
The beat - Bossa Nova
The artist - One of the inventors of this exciting, all new sound, Antonio Carlos Jobim.
Okay, I’m lazy this week because of some business meetings I need to attend, so I’m posting some tracks from Nana Mouskouri again. I just can’t get enough of this voice.
I bought this in the dollar vinyl bin at Amoeba Music. Its made for the French-Canadian market as the LP’s made in Canada and every song is in French. There’s something kitschy yet exotic about hearing a Greek bouzouki backing up a French voice in the track ‘Quatre Soleils.’
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Peter Sellers was a comic genius. A bit ADD at times, but more or less, a classic ahead of his time.
The first two Pink panther films (The Pink Panther and A Shot In The Dark) showcase his slapstick side, Dr. Strangelove displayed his range of characterizations, The Party was amazing improv and Being There was his coup de grace.
He also recorded music - if you could call it that. It wasn’t Grammy-winning songwriting, but the point was brilliant comic material for its time. He did an album of duets with his then crush, Sophia Loren. She does some songs herself as does Peter. There’s even some comic sketches on it with his wide array of British voices. However, its the duets that stand out the most.
