What's In Your CD Player/iPod/MP3/Computer/Hi Fi, Right Now?

[karl]

It's All In The Game-Complete Hits Of Tommy Edwards

followed by

All The Things You Are The Love Collection - Jack Jones

[LindyG]

Hi Eman

I see your comments re Dusty Springfield. I like some of her songs, others I can leave. I've just been listening to the "Dusty in Memphis" album and I'm not that struck, though she does a decent version of "Windmills of Your Mind"; I far prefer Scott Walker's version of "I Don't Want To Hear It Anymore" to hers, however. My favourite Dusty song is probably "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself".

Your comments on The Bay City Rollers are interesting - I didn't even know they'd reached America. It's also unusual for a guy to be praising them; in the UK they were overwhelmingly a teenage girl thing and I don't know of any adolescent male who'd have admitted to liking them (though maybe some did; certainly not me).

Hi Jon,
Interesting thoughts...
1) I don't care for Dusty's thin/strained-voiced "Windmills of Your Mind", but my favorite recording of Dusty's has always been "I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself". I think her voice is strongest in that one and there's no strain. Dionne did it beautifully as well. (Let's face it, Bacharach and David created a timeless BEAUTY with that song.)

2) I'm surprised to read what you say about the BCRs, Jon. I remember them having A LOT of boy fans in the U.S. (I was in Minnesota and North Dakota during their big years), and not as many girl fans. They were VERY BIG in the U.S for a while (and for a while I thought that they WERE American). I'm sure there is still video of them with huge numbers of boys in their audiences. Around their BIG time in the U.S. (I think), my contemporary favorites included Tom Jones, Joni Mitchell, Neil Diamond, Matt Monro, Gordon Lightfoot, Led Zep, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Beach Boys and any/all of the Beatles. I remember thinking the BCRs were too young, and thinking they were a boys' band! I didn't have a single close girl friend who was a BCR fan. Later, when the screaming and frenzy had chilled after they were less popular, I heard them more and liked them more.

[LindyG]

Noel Harrison's recording of "Windmills of Your Mind" was played much more in the U.S.
His was featured in the movie (Thomas Crowne Affair) as well, and that recording won the Oscar for Best Song.
He sings it effortlessly.

[LindyG]

Here's the song I remember most from the BCRs, and in the video, there's plenty of boys and men.
"Saturday Night".....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp1Dr6B43HU

What part of England were you in, Jon, may I ask, where males wouldn't have "admitted to liking" BCRs?

[LindyG]

Eman, I found the BCRs' "Don't Worry Baby", and the singing is FINE. I like the lead vocalist on this and the harmonies are fine. And that's high praise indeed from one of Brian Wilson's most ardent life-long admirers. Considering that the BCRs was probably not a big-budget, major studio product, I think they did well.

For the BB's "Don't Worry..." It's actually Brian's masterful vocal harmonies and instrumental arrangement and his studio crew, The Wrecking Crew which included Glen Campbell on guitar and harmony vocals, that combine to make the Beach Boys' recording the masterpiece.

[Marian]

Have you heard Jack Jones sing "The Windmills Of Your Mind" Lindy. Absolutely the best singer in the U.S.

[Eman]

LIndy, I'm glad you liked it. Big wig record producer "Jimmy Ienner" of Eric Carmen, Raspberries etc fame did the producing on "Dedication". However as Krusty The Clown or Simon Von Sinsister says with the rubbing of hands "I'll convert you yet"...

[LindyG]

Hi Marian,
Thanks, but I don't like the sound of Jack Jones' voice or style. I've tried to listen to him many times, attempted over many decades.

But you and I do agree on Gordon McCrae as one of America's best!

And we certainly agree that Matt is the World's Best!

[LindyG]

LIndy, I'm glad you liked it. Big wig record producer "Jimmy Ienner" of Eric Carmen, Raspberries etc fame did the producing on "Dedication". However as Krusty The Clown or Simon Von Sinister says with the rubbing of hands "I'll convert you yet"...

[Eman]

mwaahahahahahahah Matt is the BEST, VAL is ace but you will like the BCR's...
Seriously, some of the later period BCR stuff reeks into the high heavens, and that's coming from me a super fan!! It makes the Jonas Brothers (not that they are bad and I like them) look like bonafide rock n' rollers and Miley Cyrus like Joan Jett.. That's how much there later stuff stunk!!

[LindyG]

Whew!! For a minute there, Eman, I thought you were gonna say the later BCRs stuff made Jack Jones sound like Joan Jett!

mawwwahahahahahahhahaha!

Here's Joan's perfect response to "I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPkTGm4RtVM

[karl]

Marian regarding your statement on Jack Jones, I have an old LP by Vic Damone called The Best Damn Singer In The Whole World, it's a wonder that title didn't start a war!

I see on JJ's website there are details of his Live At The Sands cd, what a horrible sleeve, not even a picture of Jack!.

[Eman]

LOL.. LIndy, I can hear Dusty singing IHMFLY and botching it up.. or making it more Boufanted friendly.. Oh yeah in the record store today we were listening to the new Pet Shop Boys lp and it bites. It's really droll and depressing. Not like their old dancey stuff.

[Marian]

Hi Lindy,
Must put a in word for my favourite American singer Jack Jones, whose career I have followed since his BBC tv shows over here in the early seventies, but I agree with you Gordon Macrae is very good, and of course my favourite British singer is Matt Monro.
I hope I've got myself out of that one!!

[karl]

Marian I can beat you on that, I became a JJ fan at 16 when I heard an LP on the Music iFor Pleasure label playing in a department store. I had never heard of Jack Jones before but I bought the LP - it was 12/6!!!!

I became a firm fan after that.