Brian's Weekly Sleevenotes - 15 November 14
No Milk Today - Herman’s Hermits
This became their ninth consecutive UK top twenty hit and in America it was released as a double ‘A’ side with 'There’s A Kind Of Hush'. 'No Milk Today' was the first track on which Herman’s Hermits featured a full orchestra and was written by Graham Gouldman who also composed their less successful follow up, 'East-West'. Over the years, several milk companies across Europe have extensively used the song in their TV advertising campaigns.
Black Pearl - Sonny Charles & Checkmates Ltd
Toni Wine and Irwin Levine who wrote the song were signed to Don Kirshner’s publishing company when they were still in their teens and went on to provide hits for many other acts not least of all Tony Orlando and Dawn. Sonny Charles launched a solo career in the early seventies and after a brief reunion with Checkmates Ltd in the eighties, toured with another member of the group, Marvin Smith continuing to use the group’s name. In 2008, Charles joined The Steve Miller Band and began touring with them.
We've Gotta Get Out Of This Place - The Animals
Written by husband and wife Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil who recorded the original demo themselves with the view of offering it to The Righteous Brothers having written their classic, 'You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'. Mann was then offered a recording contract himself and his label wanted him to release his own version. Meanwhile show business manager Alan Klein got to hear the song and sneaked a copy to Mickey Most, the producer of The Animals who was looking for new material for them. Loving the song, he rushed them into the studios and had a finished record before Mann’s signature was dry on his new contract.
Whispering Grass - The Platters
Next a recent triple CD pack release containing sixty tracks by The Platters from Not Now Music under the title of 'The Platters-The Ultimate Collection' with material dating back to 1955 around the time the group were signed to Mercury after their manager, Samuel ‘Buck’ Ram had persuaded the label to contract The Platters in a package deal with The Penguins who had an American top ten hit with 'Earth Angel'. The Platters remained with the label until the mid sixties where they had a string of hits and a number of successful albums including from 1961 'Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries' on which their version of 'Whispering Grass' was featured.
(When She Wants Good Lovin') My Comes To Me - The Chicago Loop
Songwriter and producer Barry Goldberg originally founded The Chicago Loop as The Time. Singer Judy Novy had previously released an album with her brother as Len and Judy. '(When She Wants Good Lovin’) My Baby Comes To Me' was a Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller composition that had first been recorded as a Coasters ‘B’ side then The Four Seasons producer, Bob Crewe turned it into a party record using The Chicago Loop’s vocals and guitar work from Mike Bloomfield.
When You Dance - Billy Storm
Billy had an amazing recording career, in 1955 as Billy Spicer, he was a member of The Sabres, by 1957 his group The Chavelles had become The Gents and later The Valiants then later turned up as Billy Fortune and the Squires, then in 1959 as Billy Storm achieved a solo US top thirty hit with a song called 'I’ve Come Of Age' based on part of the second movement from Tchaikovsky’s Fifth symphony. He then signed to Atlantic releasing several singles including 'When You Dance' which is now one of eighty-six tracks included on a new triple CD from Fantastic Voyage, 'Atlantic Club Soul And Deep Cuts' with contributions from artists among whom are The Isley Brothers, Ray Charles, The Coasters, Joe Turner and Ben E King.
Mrs Robinson - Simon & Garfunkel
'Mrs Robinson' by Simon and Garfunkel topped the American charts for three weeks in 1968 and came from the movie, 'The Graduate'. It was only the second motion picture to have been directed by Mike Nichols following his success with 'Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Wolf'. Nichols had asked Paul Simon to write the entire score for the film, but while Simon was composing, the director had other ideas and began working in earlier Simon and Garfunkel tracks with 'Mrs Robinson' being the only new song to be included on the soundtrack.
Prelude In C Sharp Minor Opus 3 - Ian Menzies & The Clyde Valley Stompers
Trombonist Ian Menzies began playing music whilst in his teens and training to become a draughtsman. Excited by the first wave of trad jazz, he took over the leadership of The Clyde Valley Stompers when founder Jim McHarg decided to call it a day. At this time they were virtually unknown outside of Scotland but Menzies was determined to change all that and by the mid fifties had made their first recording for the Beltona label. Before long they became one of the most travelled jazz bands in Europe and when they moved to London were signed to Pye Records where in 1960 they recorded Ian’s arrangement of Rachmaninov’s 'Prelude In C Sharp Minor Opus 3'. Two years later they had moved to Parlophone where they scored their only hit single with his adaptation of 'Peter And The Wolf'.
I Just Don't Understand - Ann-Margaret
Ann Margaret was born in Sweden but later became an American citizen who is best remembered as an actress making appearances in movies that included 'Bye Bye Birdie', 'The Cincinnati Kid' and probably most famously co-starring and singing with Elvis Presley in 'Viva Las Vegas'. Presley’s manager, Col Tom Parker had great concerns that her appearance would overshadow Elvis and had two of their duets removed from the final cut of the film. In 1961 she scored a top twenty hit in America with 'I Just Don’t Understand' that was later covered by The Beatles in their live shows and included on their 1994 compilation, 'Live At The BBC'.
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How Brian Met "The Collector"
Bob Stanley chats to Phil Swern about life producing SOTS
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Leiber and Stoller
Bob Stanley takes a look at the legendary songwriting partners
