Memory: The Singer's Singer

[Wahzy]

Just come across this song. Really like it. Quite different to many of Matt's other recordings.

Richard could you tell me anymore about this song? When it was recorded and whether it was a single?

Thanks,
Alex.

[Rmoore]

It was recorded Monday 2nd May 1983 at Ad and Ad Studios, Manila, Philippines along with the track Be My Lady. Recorded for Dyna Records, Philippines

It was intended as a single release, but when a competing version of Be My Lady was released this was cancelled and released only on 'The Very Best of Matt Monro Volume 3' in the Philippines only.

Despite a very long search ALL master tapes have been lost. Every issue of these songs now is from disc.

Richard

[ROBERT M.]

Alex, you do know that Memory is a leading song from the musical Cats

[Wahzy]

I can't say I've ever seen Cats so nope

[Wahzy]

Be My Lady is a great tune as well! There's just something about the later recordings that gets to me. I think in 1983 & 1984 his voice was sounding better than ever. You can tell on the tracks he's enjoying his second wind and making the most of it.

I am making no sense so I'll stop now

[mike]

Who did the other version of Be My Lady?

[Rmoore]

I'm afraid i don't know. It was a singer from the Philippines, nobody known over here.

[karl]

Eamon might know.

[Rmoore]

Yes, or his dad!

Alex I agree about Matt. He went through a bad time in the mid to late 70's health wise and I think his voice suffered a little (although the songs chosen for him to sing during this time leave quite a bit to be desired too!) - I won't go into the details it's all in Michele's book. When that was all behind him his voice, whilst different to how it had been in the 60's, regained the strength it once had and songs like 'If I Never Sing Another Song' show just how well it had regained it's strength.

He song brilliantly then right up to the end. It is said that his last BIG concert at the Barbican in London was a triumph (I wish it had been recorded!) despite how ill he was.

Richard

[Wahzy]

I keep hearing about this Barbican concert. Damn shame nothing has been recorded.

Richard may I ask what is your personal favourite of Matt's later recordings post 1980?

Cheers,
Alex.

[Rmoore]

Post 1980 there aren't many to choose from in that time he recorded only 6 English language songs. Precious Moments, the pretty awful Diana (which he didn't want to record), Memory / Be My Lady and his last single You Bring Out the Best In Me/I Don't Want to Run Your Life. He was in discussions with EMI to make a new album in 1985 which of course didn't happen, but from interviews around that time would have included a lot of very contemporary material - I know he had his eye on a Lionel Ritchie song but can't remember which. He also made his last Spanish LP in 1981.

I actually prefer Matt's live recordings from post 1980. John Burgess just wasn't as good as George Martin at finding original material for him to sing - Most of the songs he found were pretty awful! Have a look at the 'Long & Winding Road' album the original songs on that are pretty dire.

My favourite 'late' Matt recording is 'If I Never Sing Another Song' from 1977 when he was just emerging from the rough period and gave (what I believe is) his greatest vocal performance of the 70's/80's.

[Wahzy]

Thanks Richard always such interesting reading.

The Live in Australia CD is still one of my favourites. Shame the 1985 album never came to be...

Is there anything else recorded post 1980 that has yet to be found or is that it? Any reason why much wasn't recorded?

On a completely different note. I really like When You Wish Upon A Star. When was this recorded?

Alex.

[Rmoore]

Nothing left from the studio in the 80's - there might be something else live (nudge nudge wink wink) and there is also the other two surviving BBC radio live shows with Billy May and Ron Goodwin if we can ever get through the licensing hoops.

I have found no evidence that he recorded anything else in the studio other than what I quoted before. The session tapes for the Spanish album are in LA and inaccessible to us, although I think everything from there has been released and I do know for a fact that he recorded no English vocals on any of those recordings.

The odd thing with Matt's session tapes is that whilst we know why many of his UK 60's sessions no longer exist (Pretty much everything from 69/70 UK sessions onwards is complete) of the songs recorded in the 80's Precious Moment may exist but in the hands of the film company, every tape of the Philippines sessions has gone and even the 24 tracks for the last single are missing in action. The only 24 track from the 80's i know the whereabouts of is Diana, but by this time Matt would have been recording to pre-recorded backings and it's doubtful that there were any alternates on the reels anyway, so what is out there is pretty much all there is studio wise.

I live in hope that someday some of his studio sessions for radio in the late 70's early 80's reappear.

As to why he did so little recording. I don't know for sure. His live show was the most important thing I suppose in the era following the release of 'Heartbreakers' which really catapulted him back into the limelight in a major way. He was booked to sing Vegas in 1985 and had just set up home in the US too so maybe that was more important than recording. - or maybe EMI just didn't ask!

[Wahzy]

Richard thank you.

I really appreciate your replies! So interesting to read.

Live thing from the 80s? Sounds fascinating!

[Wahzy]

Is Heartbreakers an album? Can't find it.