Raindrops Downtown

Just a word at the top of the post to share that fellow blogger, song-poem fanatic and great friend of the site Sammy Reed has returned to blogspot and reopened his "Music from the World of the Strange and the Bizarre" at this location. The link to Sammy's site, below and to the right, has also been updated. There's only one post so far, but it's a doozy - another example of someone literally taking the words, verbatim, from a pop hit and submitting them as his or her own, to a song-poem company. 

On the preview label, Rodd Keith most often appeared under his own preferred name (Rodd Keith), and sometimes, particularly on poppy, lightweight numbers, he was credited along with a backing band labeled "The Raindrops", and, on less than two dozen occasions, Rodd tracks were released credited to "The Downtowners". On even fewer occasions (three which are listed at AS/PMA), those latter releases were credited to "Downtowners", sans "the". This is one of those releases. 

Given it's light pop feel, this certainly could have been one of those records which were credited to "Rodd Keith and The Raindrops". However, in a bit of a coincidence, given that name of Rodd's typical backing band, the song itself is titled "Raindrops". Rodd offers his typical sterling arrangement, melodic excellence and heartfelt vocals. 

Download: Downtowners - Raindrops

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The flip side of this record has actually been available, off and on (currently "on") for several years now, but I thought it was worth posting this record since "Raindrops" doesn't appear to be previously available anywhere, and also, the flip side, "My Wife Ain't Lazy" is downright funny and clever. 

Plus, it gives me an always welcome chance to again link to Darryl Bullock's wonderful "World's Worst Music" blog. This song was part of a full CD length set of mostly terrible song-poems (this was no doubt one of the exceptions, as he explains in the post), that you can download, complete with a CD booklet, in this post, and I heartily recommend doing so. 

Anyway, "My Wife Ain't Lazy" is, as I said, catchy, bouncy and fun, with some great lyrics. The verse that starts around 1:30, and the spoken word section at the end feature one comical image after another.  The band is cooking, as usual, and Rodd again chooses just the right tone and style of vocal to match the material. 

Download: Downtowners - My Wife Ain't Lazy

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And in the Role of "Fred Hamilton".... RODD KEITH!

Over the past few months, one of my longest standing song-poem pals, who I believe I've been corresponding with for the better part of a decade, has sent me some favorites from his collection. With his permission, I'm going to share a few of these over the next few months, interspersed with many more from my collection. Most of these do not have scans of the labels, but on the other hand, given that they are among his favorites, they are quite excellent and shareable, and I didn't want the lack of label scans to prevent me from letting them be heard here.

Today's example comes from the Preview label, and that charming man-about-Preview, Rodd Keith. For whatever reason, on this side of the record, he is billed as "Fred Hamilton", a name not documented on any other Preview record in the AS/PMA database. Be that as it may, it's certainly Rodd singing, and the fantastic production could hardly have been anyone else.

As heard here, Rodd reminds me of no one so much as late period (i.e. the last two decades) Leonard Cohen. And the otherworldly sounds on this track - the overall wooziness, the plucking guitar, the spacy sounds in the background - this is a keeper which should have been anthologized a long time ago. First rate stuff!

ADDENDUM, 1/30/13: A couple of my closest song-poem pals, including the person who supplied these tracks, have written to say that they don't think this is Rodd singing (see comments). I believe that it is, and have other records of his where his singing sounds much like this, but can see their point that it might be someone else. I'd be interested to hear what others think!

Download: Fred Hamilton - A Star Alone
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On the flip side is a song credited to "The Downtowners", titled "Among My Memories". That group name usually means Rodd and some of his cohorts, and this is no exception. But this side seems like a missed chance - the chorus at the start is absolutely fabulous, but then he does that damn talky-talk thing that rarely works (on a song-poem or elsewhere). Then nearer the end, they kind of mix up the singing and talking, and that doesn't do it for me, either. Throughout, the backing track holds the promise of what might have been. Obviously, dear listener, your mileage may vary. Here 'tis!

Download: The Downtowners - Among My Memories
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