Getting this one out as I'm running out the door this morning!!!
re: HELPING OUT OUR READERS:
>>>I have been looking for a maybe early '60's tune called Angelico.I don't know who wrote it or who sang it, A Peter Maffay does a German version but I remember hearing it in English as a kid. Any help on this forgotten hit? I have asked and asked and so far haven't even gotten a reply. (Bill)
>>>A quick check of Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles book came up empty ... maybe somebody else on the list recalls this one??? (kk)
Is Bill thinking of "Angelica"? That song was written by Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil and originally released as a Capitol single by Mann in 1966 (it Bubbled Under in Billboard at #111, but peaked at #96 in Cash Box). In the next five years, there were at least 10 other single releases of the song, the most notable by Oliver on Crewe Records in 1970 (his version peaked at #97 in Billboard, #84 in Cash Box and #73 in Record World). Some of the other artists who released single versions in that period were Barry Gordon (Dunhill), Johnny Crawford (Sidewalk), Wayne Newton (MGM) and Ed Ames (RCA Victor).-- Randy Price
Bill, could your song be "Angelica" by Oliver (Swofford) from 1970? It was his 45 followup to "Sunday Morning".
Clark Besch
I've included both the Barry Mann version AND the Oliver version for consideration. I can honestly say that I've never heard EITHER of these before! (kk)
Hey Kent,
How about Bud & Travis on their "Best Of" release?
Guy Arnston in Algonquin
A few options here for Bill to choose from ... perhaps now that we've shared a couple of these tracks with him, he'll recognize the one he's been looking for ... and we'll have solved yet another Musical Mystery here in Forgotten Hits!!! (Get back to us, Bill!!!) kk
I LOVE a mystery. I have come up with two possibilities in Bill's search for Angelico.
1. Angelito. Rene and Rene on Columbia from the summer of 1964.
2. Angelica. Original version by its songwriter Barry Mann on Capitol in the summer of 1966. Cover versions by Johnny Crawford on Sidewalk, Oliver on Crewe, and the Sandpipers lp cut from their Guantanama album on A&M. The Barry Mann version has always been one of my FAVORITE records of all time and only took me 20 years to get it (thanks to a great friend from NYC I met in the oldies chat room. Thanks David!)
Allan
OK, Bill, we've given you ALL kinds of choices here ... now you've just GOT to get back to us and tell us which one it is!!! (kk)
>>>Would LOVE to hear the complete versions of "Make A Date With The Watergate" and "Press My Conference" again if you've got 'em to share!!! (kk)Kent,
Look no further than the "WLS only" CDs I gave you.
Ed Erxleben
Thanks, Ed ... hadn't even thought of that! Both songs are featured (along with the WLS / John "Records" Landecker jingle) below! (kk)
Kent,
I'm looking for an instrumental called "Margo" done by a group called The Larks. It came out in late1962 or 1963. I've been trying to find it for years with no success. Can you or someone help me out? I'd love to have a copy of it.
Thanks,
Anita
OK, let's see how we do on THIS one!!! Anybody? Buehler??? Buehler??? (kk)
... and, speaking of instrumentals ...
re: INSTRUMENTALS:
>>>I've considered DOING a list of instrumental favorites ... it'd be interesting to see how the charts compare. Are you guys up for that??? (kk)
YES!
David Lewis
Let's see what kind of response (if any) we get on this topic! (kk)
Wait ... here comes one now!!! (lol)
Hey Kent,
I like that idea of a list of favorite instrumentals.
One of my personal favorites has always been K-Jee by The Nite-Liters and it's remake by MFSB from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack wasn't bad either. Not a big hit in either version, but good instrumentals nonetheless!! Others would include Keem-O-Sabe - Electric Indian, Red River Rock - Johnny & the Hurricanes, Soulful Strut - Young-Holt Unlimited, Scorpio, Taurus - Dennis Coffey, Also Sprach Zarathustra - Deodato, The Horse - Cliff Nobles & Co., Space Race - Billy Preston and so many others!!
I would be very interested to see some of the list's subscribers favorites as well as your own.
Eddie,
Orange, CT
P.S. - OMG!! How could I have "forgotten" some of my other favorites? Love's Theme - Love Unlimited Orch., Bongo Rock - Incredible Bongo Band, Hawaii Five-O - The Ventures, You Can't Sit Down pt 2 - The Phil Upchurch Combo, Time Is Tight - Booker T and the MGs, I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman - Whistlin' Jack Smith, Peaches En Regalia - Frank Zappa and again, so many others.
Eddie
OK, if you guys want to nominate up to TEN of your instrumental favorites, I'll tabulate your votes through November 20th ... that'll give you SIX WEEKS of voting time ... then we'll publish your Top 50 Instrumental Favorites over the Thanksgiving Weekend. How's that sound??? (kk)
>>>Below is what I came up with for the 1960-1970 WLS INSTRUMENTALS of the era back then in 1980. If you take out the songs Randy came up with that don't fit my WLS period, there are many similar ranks and many not even near being national hits.
18. Moon River (highest #3 charter)
Clark Besch
Henry Mancini's version of "Moon River" might or might not be considered an instrumental, depending on one's definition. This is a case where there is a vocal performance of a full verse of the song, even though it's sung by a chorus and not the principle artist (Mancini being the orchestra director). Whitburn does agree in this case (and also considers a couple of other Mancini hits -- "Days Of Wine And Roses" and "Charade" -- to be non-instrumentals).
-- Randy
This whole topic has spurred some interesting conversations, particularly in regards to deciding what is ... and is NOT ... an instrumental recording. (Let's face it ... a GOOD number of MAJOR instrumental hits had substantial vocal interludes ... "TSOP" by MFSB, "Gonna Fly Now" by Bill Conti, "Pick Up The Pieces" by The Average White Band and, depending how COMPLETELY anal one might wish to be, even "Tequila"!!! I asked Joel Whitburn what HIS criteria was in determining whether or not a song constituted being considered an Instrumental ... and this is what he sent me (kk):
My definition of an instrumental, which I designate in my books with an [I] symbol, is a song that is two minutes or longer with less than 30 seconds of vocals. I have allowed a few exceptions ... however, I try to keep that as my basic rule. I think that the MFSB song “TSOP” certainly qualifies as an instrumental because it’s a 3-1/2 minute song and the first actual vocals (not the “du-du’s) aren’t heard until the 3 minute mark. And, the Grammys agreed with that reasoning, giving it an award for R&B Instrumental. On the other hand, although the first 1:19 of “Moon River” is an instrumental, the final 1:23 is sung by a chorus. “Fingertips, Pt. 2”, I do not show as an instrumental because Stevie Wonder’s vocals are heard for 70 seconds, interspersed throughout the approx. 3+ minute song.
On an interesting aside note, my good friend Duane Eddy took exception to my rule, saying that his four chart hits that have vocals by The Blossoms (The Rebelettes) were all instrumentals. Despite his prodding, I still do not classify them as instrumentals. “Boss Guitar”, for instance, features 70 seconds of vocals. Anyhow, opinions probably vary greatly as to what really constitutes a true instrumental recording. I’ve had responses from customers who’ve asked me why I designate “Topsy II” with an [I], when the first thing heard is a spoken word, or why “Tequila” has an [I] when the last thing heard is a spoken word. So, I give them my explanation as shown above and some agree and others don’t. I guess that’s all part of the fun in being passionate about your personal record archive.
Joel
By the way, Randy Price's updated list of The Top 50 Instrumental Hits, 1955 - 1979, is now posted on the OTHER Forgotten Hits website ... you can find it here: Click here: Forgotten Hits - Top 50 Instrumentals, 1955 - 1979
And, after Thanksgiving Weekend, we'll add in your Top 50 Instrumental Favorites, too ... so let the voting begin!!! (kk)
