This is kind of silly of you are american, but this was the first time Australians in general became aware of this famous Bob Seger track. The singer Jon English became famous locally by playing Judas (brilliantly) in the local production of Jesus Christ Superstar (which I saw twice as a teen).
But the original Bob Seger version was recorded in 1972, was much more pensive, less dynamic and less melodramatic. Bob Seger didn't hit top 40 in Australia until 1978 with Still The Same, although Night Moves got some radio play, but no chart action. Even on his Greatest Hits collection the 1975 live version was chosen over the original studio version. Not sure whether that was because of a label change or because the live version is a bit more lively. Still prefer the Jon English version - I'm obviously biased but I think English is a better singer (technically), be interested in what others think. It peaked at 11 on the oz charts in the summer of 74/75. Note also that the Jon English version dumps the eerie sax for some orchestration.
Cool! The Troggs did well on the basis of less is more. I'd never really thought about their flute solo before - guess it trumped the originals omnipresent harmonica.
That was an ocarina solo. I'm wondering if there's ever been another one in top 40 history?
BTW Ocarina means "little goose" in the Bolognese dialect.
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panzade
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Thu 26 May, 2011 02:01 pm
@hingehead,
Without the soprano sax figure it just doesn't seem right.
I'll give you this: English is a superb singer but the song is about a touring musician who is just about burned out and Seger's voice really captures the mood.
In any case our country band gets a lot of requests for it and I have to approximate the sax with my Sopr sax patch and my pitch bender
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panzade
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Thu 26 May, 2011 02:13 pm
It makes me sad to see this video because Otis and the Bar Kays died in a plane crash less than 24 hours later
What a difference from the original by Ray Noble(UK) and his Orchestra and Bing Crosby. The 2 came out the same year(1933)
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Setanta
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Sun 29 May, 2011 01:08 pm
In 1984, Leonard Cohen released an album which contained his first version of "Hallelujah." He has since released a half-dozen more versions, and the lyrics differ in every version, but what really amazed me was to learn that there are currently more than 150 recorded covers of this song on the market. It only became a "hit song" for Cohen when he released a new recording of the song in 2007, and then released two more versions in 2008 and 2009. Most of those more than 150 covers which are on the market today were released after Cohen had a "hit" with it in 2007.
Here is the current largest selling version, by "the Canadian Tenors":
Most people might have trouble recognizing this version, as it differs so much from the many covers out there now.
Cohen is a national treasure.
I like his take on his song:
Quote:
In an April 2009 CBC Radio interview, Cohen said that he finds the number of covers of his song "ironic and amusing" given that when he first wrote the song, his record company wouldn't put it out.
However, he now thinks the song could benefit from a break in exposure: "... I was just reading a review of a movie called Watchmen that uses it and the reviewer said - 'Can we please have a moratorium on "Hallelujah" in movies and television shows?' And I kind of feel the same way...I think it's a good song, but I think too many people sing it."
I'd go along with that--i listen to the local "classical" radio station, that they play it there all the time . . . i mean, really . . .
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panzade
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Sun 29 May, 2011 02:52 pm
Sammy Ambrose with the Afro Beats in Miami.
In the early 60's he cut a song from a demo written by Al Kooper later to star in Blood sweat & Tears.
The song was called This Diamond Ring, soon to be covered by Jerry Lewis's son Gary.
Sadly, Sammy died in prison in Miami charged with manslaughter in the overdose death of a Viet Nam veteran.
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Setanta
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Sat 16 Jul, 2011 02:24 pm
I came across this oddity today. The following is the "country music" version, i suppose, with Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt and Dolly Parton. They change the line "look at mother nature on the run, in the 1970s" to "look at mother nature on the run in the 20th century," which is reasonable enough i suppose. But when they get to the line "there was a band playin' in my head and i felt like getting high" they change it to "i felt like i could cry." That sucks; i guess country music divas don't get high--or don't admit it at least.
And here's ol' Dirty Neil hisself . . .
I always loved the french horn passage between the second and final verses.
I'm obviously biased but I think English is a better singer (technically), be interested in what others think.
Never heard of Jon English or his version of this song before now - but objectively-I have to choose the Bob Seger version and not just because it's more familiar. That arrangement that Jon English uses reminds me of 'Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves' by Cher. Seriously - that's what I thought of when I listened to i- it's just sort of bouncy. I do like some of the strings though.
Yeah - it makes sense that his roots are in musical theatre when you listen to how he changes that song, but I have to say that I prefer Seger's voice to this guy. He sounds a little like John Bon Jovi.
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wandeljw
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Sun 17 Jul, 2011 07:44 am
@panzade,
Chip Taylor not only wrote the legendary Wild Thing but he also wrote the legendary Angel of the Morning (which was first recorded in 1967 by Evie Sands).
At least they didn't alter Neil's "and i felt like getting high" line.
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hingehead
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Sun 17 Jul, 2011 04:59 pm
@wandeljw,
That's a nice one JW, I'd always thought Merrilee Rush's was the original, and looking into it I see that although Evie Sands was the first recorded it wasn't immediately released, so possible Billie Davis's version beat it onto the shelves in some places of the world.
wikipedia wrote:
Written and composed by New York-born songwriter Chip Taylor, "Angel of the Morning" was originally offered to Connie Francis to sing, but she turned it down because she thought that it was too risqué for her career.[citation needed] Taylor produced a recording of the song with his protégée Evie Sands but the financial straits of Cameo-Parkway Records, who had Sands on their roster, reportedly either prevented that version's release or its distribution. Other early recordings of "Angel of the Morning" were made in 1967 by Danny Michaels for Lee Hazelwood's LHI label and by UK vocalist Billie Davis.
I could fill the next several pages with things like this. It has become quite the fashion to do string quartet, string orchestra or even full orchestra versions of songs by the Beatles. I chose this one because it was not a case of taking the easy way out, but a full treatment--a rescoring to employ this string orchestra to its full potential.
