Thursday, January 08, 2009

Three Song-Poems For the Price of One

I've received a few requests to make this a more frequent feature. While I don't think I can post often enough to make that happen, I can try to share more than one at a time, on some occasions. Today, for the second installment of "Song Poem of the Week", I have three prize items from my collection. 

First up is a treat from "The Real Pros", the only artists that I know of to ever appear on the Cinema label. "The Real Pros" were whoever happened to be present, from the Hollywood talentpool (and hack-pool) at a given session. I'm partial to two low-number (ie) early Pros 45's that I own, one an EP, one a single. The single contains one of my top five song-poems, "I'm Having My First Heartbreak", which was at the MP3 page of AS/PMA. The EP features "Teenage Queen", which was on one of the compilations released online some time ago. Here's another track from that EP, featuring the same insane early '70's keyboard, and the same overly "hot" recording of the lead vocal. It's called "Deep Freeze Mama", and yes, it really does end like that, on the EP: 

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Next up, a Film City special, by Rod Rogers and the Swinging Strings (aka Rodd Keith), the one man band playing and singing about that Ol' Time Religion on "You Better Believe": 

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Finally, a suggestion from a friend, a Tin Pan Alley number, by Mike Thomas, "It's Spring". There are a lot of things I love about this one, from the constant rhyming of the word "Spring", to the use of the word "Croon", to the way that the solo momentarily morphs into a late '60's rock solo with some out-of-place upbeat drumming providing a kick to the organist, to the way a rockin' bit of solo guitar sneaks in, seemingly from another (better) song, about 80 seconds in. Enjoy: 

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Comments, suggestions and other great thoughts welcome!

5 comments:

Stuart Shea said...

Nothing like preaching the gospel by threats.

These are all really good. Thanks for posting 'em.

Unknown said...

all of your posts are really wonderful. the star ads posting on the first 365 was in high rotation for a long time. I was wondering if you had any more information about Larry Taylor since the baby face/little boys posting?

Larry Carpenter said...

I found your blog and wanted you to know:

There is a new musical called "Song-Poems Wanted!" that will be presented at Theatre Building Chicago on August 22 and 23, 2009 with many real song-poems and music by Arthur Kaufman (aka David Fox from Off the Charts movie).

Check out the website

http://songpoemswantedthemusical.com
and contact me at larry@kitcarp.com if you have questions.

Sammy Reed said...

These songs aren't working now.

Timmy said...

"It's Spring" is a really good song.