Wednesday, January 13, 2016

It's Leap Year - The REST of the Story




Last week, I shared the story (well, speculated is a better term) of Tom Clare and his eponymously named record label, and offered up what may very well have been the first record on that label, all of which you can find here.  At the time, I commented that Mr. Clare seemed to have the traditional purpose of Leap Year wrong, in that it was not prime time for men to seek a mate. But I also indicated that there were reasons to think he knew full well of the tradition of women pursuing men during Leap Year (and specifically, on Leap Year Day).

That proof is here, on what may have been the second release on the Clare label (and for all we know, there may only have been two releases. This time, it's my beloved Cara Stewart, again with the supremely tasteful and lovely backing of Lee Hudson, singing "It's Leap Year (I'm Gonna Get My Man)". This record is beat to hell, but still quite enjoyable.

Download: Cara Stewart, Lee Hudson Orchestra: It's Leap Year (I'm Gonna Get My Man)
Play:

As is often the case when I use a specially themed song for a special date or time of year, I've ended up featuring the lesser of two songs: The flip side of this record is where the real action is. I've always really enjoyed "I've Got an Answering Echo", and would have to say it's the best of the four songs I've heard which resulted from the Clare. It's not unusual, in terms of the Cara Stewart/Lee Hudson team, but it does display their best qualities, being an uncommonly pretty record, with a sweet backing track and a winning vocal. And again, please forgive the dreadful surface noise on what is a very beat up record.

Download: Cara Stewart, Lee Hudson Orchestra: I've Got an Answering Echo
Play:

4 comments:

Timmy said...

Mesmerizing... Thanx!

Kenny said...

Now this one is remarkably good. You don't happen to know the year?

Sammy Reed said...

1/27/16:
There was a Sammy Marshall song posted here sometime ago titled "Leap Year", which had a 1962 date stamped on it.
http://bobpurse.blogspot.com/2012/01/leaping-into-2012.html
So, as with just about any other song-poem record, there's no way of knowing for sure what year this was made.

Stu Shea said...

Wow. "Answering Echo" is gorgeous!!