since July 7, 2004.They’re the songs that haunt you, the lone hits (or non-hits), catchy tunes that hit the airwaves, sometimes briefly, then faded into oblivion. Here’s a few of these so-called 'lost oldies' – lost to some, cherished by others, but definitely not to be forgotten:
The Bards, "Never Too Much Love": A bit heavy on the organ and bass, this one first sounds like a ballad, then switches to an upbeat tempo, then a mellow 1960s beat. With its groovy mellowness and simple lyrics – "never too much love/never too much love/never in this world/will there be too much love" – this is the definitive love song you’ve never heard of.
Mouse and the Traps, "L.O.V.E. Love": This tune boasts a mellow, psychedelic 1960s sound and simple lyrics as well: "searchin’ for love love love/love love love/sweet love/true love/L.O.V.E. love." However, this song is eerily reminiscent of another psychedelic-era tune, only I’m not sure which one. (Anybody out there know?)
Janis Joplin, "To Love Somebody": I know I already wrote about this in a previous article, but it came up on my playlist while I was writing this and, as always, this song just evokes such strong emotions – not that I don’t like the Bee Gees’ version, but I think in this one you can really hear the vulnerability and loneliness, and I don’t care how many people in Hollywood feel they can portray Janis, there’s no one who can display such raw emotion like that and mean it. Man, I’m gonna need a Kleenex now. (Here’s to you, Pearl!)
Mark Lindsay, "Arizona": What can I say about Mark Lindsay? The recently retired former lead singer of Paul Revere and the Raiders had his most successful solo hit with this song, which has (at times) been classified into the one-hit wonder category and barely gets an airplay on oldies or classic rock stations. Too bad, ‘cause this guy is an incredible vocalist, especially on the "and all you can do is laugh at her/doesn’t anybody know how to pray/ARIZONA." (Like, wow!)
Burton Cummings, "Stand Tall": And another solo effort, this time by the former-turned-unformer lead singer of The Guess Who. After the group disbanded in the mid-1970s, Cummings’ took the solo route, his only real success being the wistful tale of dealing with a broken romance: "stand tall/don’t you fall/God sakes don’t go and do something foolish."
The Guess Who, "Shakin’ All Over": Speaking of The Guess Who, before Burton Cummings came on the scene, Chad Allen and the Expressions released a little ditty with no artist name, just Guess Who? Well, as they say, the rest is history, but the original version of "Shakin’ All Over" is classic and was a preamble to the psychedelia to come.
The Wonder Who, "Don’t Think Twice": With its strong vocal harmonies, upbeat tempo and falsetto lead singer, this tune is reminiscent of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. (Hmm, I wonder why!) But as the song goes, "don’t think twice/it’s alright."
Billy Swan, "I Can Help": Listening to this, it’s hard to believe it came out in 1974. Its vocals, harmonies and melodies bear strong resemblances to those commonly heard in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and the guy has a swell voice.
Ike & Tina Turner, "River Deep – Mountain High": Though the label says Ike and Tina, it’s actually just Tina, backed by Phil Spector’s wall of sound. Listening to this, I still get the chills; not only is it a great song, but it also forshadowed her future – and successful – solo career, sans Ike.
Richard Harris, "MacArthur Park": Long before he was Dumbledore, Brit actor Richard Harris recorded this psychedelic ballad, clocking in at just over seven minutes. (And, yes, the 45 is actually that long; why they couldn’t do that for "Light My Fire". . .) This was Harris’ only jaunt down the musical path, but his one hit would inspire longer 45s (singles) and career crossovers for generations to come.
Peter, Paul and Mary, "Leaving on a Jet Plane": This song reminds me of why I like folk music: story songs. This one is not only about love, regret and the future, but it’s told as a wistful tale. It’s one that’s managed to transcend time and generations, appearing on the "Armageddon" soundtrack, though only Mary’s vocals adequately portray the emotions. And, believe it or not, it was written by John Denver. (How’s that for irony?)
Otis Redding, "I’ve Been Loving You Too Long": While Otis Redding is mostly famous for "Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay" and dying at a young age (thankfully not from drugs), his soulful yet energetic performance of this ballad literally brought down the house at the Monterey Pop Festival during the Summer of Love. So, before you even try to listen to this, go rent "Monterey Pop" and watch Redding’s performance and see if you’re as moved as an audience of fellow musicians and flower children.
Regardless of the music’s genre-labeled segment, artists and listeners have managed to put race, gender and other factors aside – some of which very prominent issues when much of this music was released – and embrace each other and, put simply, rock on. Maybe the rest of the world should follow suit. Could you imagine the effects of rock music on post-war Iraq? (Crazy!)
Copyright © 2004, Talia M. Wilson
published in Cooper Point Journal, April 8, 2004
since July 7, 2004.