More "soundtrack" Liner Notes
May. 24th, 2001 04:15 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
penpusherI need to get all of these into the journal, so I'm spacing them out, one every few days or so. Here is the listing of songs and notes for side B of the first tape in the series:
"Manic" Part II
Navy Blue – Diane Renay: Military jargon and wacky lyrics (“a walkie-talkie wind up/little china doll/that says ‘wish you were here’”) made this a cutie pie song with a patriotic (jingoistic?) spin. With the Far East references and the softer edged rock, the moms listening along to their daughters’ phonograph 45’s could relate to waiting for their men to come back from their tours of duty for some R and R.
Mais Que Nada – Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66: This is the group’s signature song, sung entirely in Portuguese by Lani Hall, though she's originally from Chicago! “Mais Que Nada” is a Swingin’ 60’s happening! Once you hear it, you never forget it. It captures the frantic samba energy that was just exploding at that moment, and is truly a part of the Boomer experience.
Only In America – Jay and The Americans: The great songwriting team of Lieber and Stoller were responsible for this piece, which almost sounds like it wants to be a part of the score of “West Side Story.” Again, it’s a battle of Love and Money. The singers, presumably serenading the girl from the stoop of their run-down brownstone, marvel at the amazing things that happen exclusively in the United States (“Only in America/could a dream like this come true/could a guy like me/start with nothing/and end up with you”).
Reach Out I’ll Be There – The Four Tops: This song hooks you from the first note: the sparse opening, immediately followed by the vocal scream. A support system was what the Boomers were forming. It was reflected here in a very passionate ‘end of the world’ way (“I know what you’re thinking/you’re alone/no love of your own/darling, reach out/reach out/I’ll be there…”). Could this be the most powerful love song of the era?
These Boots Are Made For Walkin’ – Nancy Sinatra: Not daddy’s little girl anymore, the twenty-five year old singer made her declaration of independence in 1966. Like The Beatles, this war baby champions the spirit of the Boomers here. It’s all about attitude (“one of these days/these boots are gonna/walk all over you”). Whether it’s parents or peers, we cannot and will not sit still for actions we don’t like. Start walking!
Walk Don’t Run – The Ventures: The ‘surf’ sound was crashing against the mainland shores in the ‘60’s and this was a great example: a twangy guitar and pounding drums echo the action and motion of the ocean. It’s all about fun, sun, surf and the carefree lifestyle… the mantra of the Boomers.
The Look of Love – Dusty Springfield: Perhaps the sexiest mainstream pop song ever recorded, it was lifted from the soundtrack of “Casino Royale.” In the scene: Peter Sellers and Ursula Andress are in her oh so plush bachelorette pad. In the background, we have the singer at her sex kitten peak, purring lyrics in a dream-like trance (“let this be/just the start/of so many/nights like this/let’s take/a lover’s vow/and then/seal it with a kiss”). And the sax, the sax: Nudging the notes out as if nudging a lover awake in bed. This is the definition of lounge music!
A Girl Like You – The Rascals: A great, manic love song, so manic in fact that the singer is disoriented (“I don’t know/what it’s all about”) and he’s thrilled about it! This is a hard-core straight on passion rant from a singer who finds subtlety as easy to master as the intricate drum line that underscores this tune. Another message from the Boomers: if you have the feeling, let it out!
Devil With A Blue Dress On + Good Golly Miss Molly – Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels: How can you not dance (or at least tap your toes) when you hear this song? A nod to Little Richard (and to the almighty auto), this is, simply, non-stop, gas-powered, super-charged fun (“high heeled sneakers/and her alligator hat”). There’s nothing serious going on here, except maybe lust. But, that’s what devils do.
Tower Of Strength – Gene McDaniels: A wonderful turnabout, in the grand tradition of “the power behind the throne.” The singer is fully in charge and plans to end the relationship (“I don’t want you/I don’t need you/I don’t love you anymore/and I’d walk out the door”). The truth is another issue entirely (“but a tower of a strength/is a something/I’ll never be”). Men are clearly the weaker sex. Especially when it comes to sex.
Lazy Day – Spanky and Our Gang: Totally carefree, bright and breezy, and what images conjured: (“ice cream/daydream/’til the sky becomes/a blanket of stars”). With the flutes twittering like lovebirds in the background and the singer’s impassioned delivery of the lyrics (“and what a day/for thinking right out loud/I love you”), it’s a late spring afternoon captured permanently and preserved perfectly, in between the rallies for social change and protest marches against the war.
(I Got You) I Feel Good – James Brown: If this was The Godfather of Soul’s only contribution to the era, his place in music history would still be secure. It isn’t the lyrics, it’s the unmistakable James delivery: those screeches and stops. The horn section, blasting away to match the maestro: “So Good! So Good!”
The Letter – The Box Tops: They don’t make songs like this one anymore: Just over two minutes for the whole thing? But, here, it’s very appropriate. The vocalist is in a hurry (“lonely days are gone/I’m a going home/my baby just a/wrote me a letter”). We even hear the jet engines roaring away before the band finishes its riff. In the Space Age, everything happens fast.
It’s Not Unusual – Tom Jones: “It’s not unusual/to see me cry/I wanna die!” Somehow, we knew the big-throated singer from Wales wasn’t going to succumb. There’s plenty of tongue-in-cheek humour here (well, we are talking Great Britain!) and that’s the fun of it. There are some winking accusations and hints of multiple lovers on both sides of the romance; however, it always comes back to the one favorite (“why can’t this/crazy love be mine”). The Boomers say: "you can’t know your true love until you’ve tried several."
Sweet Blindness – The 5th Dimension: Laura Nyro was a brilliant songwriter. This tune, disguised as half tavern-style drinking song and half revival meeting hymn is, in fact, something quite different from either of those. Here, it’s brought to life by the group that made her famous, and it’s another hit she wrote to help them garner worldwide acclaim (“Wedding Bell Blues,” “Blowing Away,” others). Teamwork is paramount to the Boomers. Yes, the pleasures of the vine are celebrated (“ain’t gonna tell you/what I’ve been drinkin’/wine”), but listen for the “by the way” towards the song’s end to discover what the whole ‘Wild Turkey’ chase was really about.
Downtown – Petula Clark: If you couldn’t be in London during the 1960’s, the next best place was New York. And it’s clear that it’s Manhattan that Pet was referencing in this tune, all about fun and escape by doing the activities available in The City (“maybe you know/some little places to go to/where they never close”). Just like a British Blanche Du Bois, the singer is relying on the kindness of strangers to lift her from her ennui. So, maybe I’ll see you there!
She Loves You – The Beatles: Arguably the sprightliest song in the Fab Four Canon, this bit of advice to a mate, as most of their early work, has that straightforward approach (“apologize to her/because she loves you”). Simple rhythms and major chords keep the presentation from overshadowing the message. Though, in truth, it’s hard to know if anyone at the time heard any of it (except, perhaps the ‘woos’), over the shrill shrieks of the audience: yeah, yeah, yeah.
Navy Blue – Diane Renay: Military jargon and wacky lyrics (“a walkie-talkie wind up/little china doll/that says ‘wish you were here’”) made this a cutie pie song with a patriotic (jingoistic?) spin. With the Far East references and the softer edged rock, the moms listening along to their daughters’ phonograph 45’s could relate to waiting for their men to come back from their tours of duty for some R and R.
Mais Que Nada – Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66: This is the group’s signature song, sung entirely in Portuguese by Lani Hall, though she's originally from Chicago! “Mais Que Nada” is a Swingin’ 60’s happening! Once you hear it, you never forget it. It captures the frantic samba energy that was just exploding at that moment, and is truly a part of the Boomer experience.
Only In America – Jay and The Americans: The great songwriting team of Lieber and Stoller were responsible for this piece, which almost sounds like it wants to be a part of the score of “West Side Story.” Again, it’s a battle of Love and Money. The singers, presumably serenading the girl from the stoop of their run-down brownstone, marvel at the amazing things that happen exclusively in the United States (“Only in America/could a dream like this come true/could a guy like me/start with nothing/and end up with you”).
Reach Out I’ll Be There – The Four Tops: This song hooks you from the first note: the sparse opening, immediately followed by the vocal scream. A support system was what the Boomers were forming. It was reflected here in a very passionate ‘end of the world’ way (“I know what you’re thinking/you’re alone/no love of your own/darling, reach out/reach out/I’ll be there…”). Could this be the most powerful love song of the era?
These Boots Are Made For Walkin’ – Nancy Sinatra: Not daddy’s little girl anymore, the twenty-five year old singer made her declaration of independence in 1966. Like The Beatles, this war baby champions the spirit of the Boomers here. It’s all about attitude (“one of these days/these boots are gonna/walk all over you”). Whether it’s parents or peers, we cannot and will not sit still for actions we don’t like. Start walking!
Walk Don’t Run – The Ventures: The ‘surf’ sound was crashing against the mainland shores in the ‘60’s and this was a great example: a twangy guitar and pounding drums echo the action and motion of the ocean. It’s all about fun, sun, surf and the carefree lifestyle… the mantra of the Boomers.
The Look of Love – Dusty Springfield: Perhaps the sexiest mainstream pop song ever recorded, it was lifted from the soundtrack of “Casino Royale.” In the scene: Peter Sellers and Ursula Andress are in her oh so plush bachelorette pad. In the background, we have the singer at her sex kitten peak, purring lyrics in a dream-like trance (“let this be/just the start/of so many/nights like this/let’s take/a lover’s vow/and then/seal it with a kiss”). And the sax, the sax: Nudging the notes out as if nudging a lover awake in bed. This is the definition of lounge music!
A Girl Like You – The Rascals: A great, manic love song, so manic in fact that the singer is disoriented (“I don’t know/what it’s all about”) and he’s thrilled about it! This is a hard-core straight on passion rant from a singer who finds subtlety as easy to master as the intricate drum line that underscores this tune. Another message from the Boomers: if you have the feeling, let it out!
Devil With A Blue Dress On + Good Golly Miss Molly – Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels: How can you not dance (or at least tap your toes) when you hear this song? A nod to Little Richard (and to the almighty auto), this is, simply, non-stop, gas-powered, super-charged fun (“high heeled sneakers/and her alligator hat”). There’s nothing serious going on here, except maybe lust. But, that’s what devils do.
Tower Of Strength – Gene McDaniels: A wonderful turnabout, in the grand tradition of “the power behind the throne.” The singer is fully in charge and plans to end the relationship (“I don’t want you/I don’t need you/I don’t love you anymore/and I’d walk out the door”). The truth is another issue entirely (“but a tower of a strength/is a something/I’ll never be”). Men are clearly the weaker sex. Especially when it comes to sex.
Lazy Day – Spanky and Our Gang: Totally carefree, bright and breezy, and what images conjured: (“ice cream/daydream/’til the sky becomes/a blanket of stars”). With the flutes twittering like lovebirds in the background and the singer’s impassioned delivery of the lyrics (“and what a day/for thinking right out loud/I love you”), it’s a late spring afternoon captured permanently and preserved perfectly, in between the rallies for social change and protest marches against the war.
(I Got You) I Feel Good – James Brown: If this was The Godfather of Soul’s only contribution to the era, his place in music history would still be secure. It isn’t the lyrics, it’s the unmistakable James delivery: those screeches and stops. The horn section, blasting away to match the maestro: “So Good! So Good!”
The Letter – The Box Tops: They don’t make songs like this one anymore: Just over two minutes for the whole thing? But, here, it’s very appropriate. The vocalist is in a hurry (“lonely days are gone/I’m a going home/my baby just a/wrote me a letter”). We even hear the jet engines roaring away before the band finishes its riff. In the Space Age, everything happens fast.
It’s Not Unusual – Tom Jones: “It’s not unusual/to see me cry/I wanna die!” Somehow, we knew the big-throated singer from Wales wasn’t going to succumb. There’s plenty of tongue-in-cheek humour here (well, we are talking Great Britain!) and that’s the fun of it. There are some winking accusations and hints of multiple lovers on both sides of the romance; however, it always comes back to the one favorite (“why can’t this/crazy love be mine”). The Boomers say: "you can’t know your true love until you’ve tried several."
Sweet Blindness – The 5th Dimension: Laura Nyro was a brilliant songwriter. This tune, disguised as half tavern-style drinking song and half revival meeting hymn is, in fact, something quite different from either of those. Here, it’s brought to life by the group that made her famous, and it’s another hit she wrote to help them garner worldwide acclaim (“Wedding Bell Blues,” “Blowing Away,” others). Teamwork is paramount to the Boomers. Yes, the pleasures of the vine are celebrated (“ain’t gonna tell you/what I’ve been drinkin’/wine”), but listen for the “by the way” towards the song’s end to discover what the whole ‘Wild Turkey’ chase was really about.
Downtown – Petula Clark: If you couldn’t be in London during the 1960’s, the next best place was New York. And it’s clear that it’s Manhattan that Pet was referencing in this tune, all about fun and escape by doing the activities available in The City (“maybe you know/some little places to go to/where they never close”). Just like a British Blanche Du Bois, the singer is relying on the kindness of strangers to lift her from her ennui. So, maybe I’ll see you there!
She Loves You – The Beatles: Arguably the sprightliest song in the Fab Four Canon, this bit of advice to a mate, as most of their early work, has that straightforward approach (“apologize to her/because she loves you”). Simple rhythms and major chords keep the presentation from overshadowing the message. Though, in truth, it’s hard to know if anyone at the time heard any of it (except, perhaps the ‘woos’), over the shrill shrieks of the audience: yeah, yeah, yeah.