ANGEL ON MY SHOULDER

THE CASCADES

SONGWRITER: SHELBY FLINT

COUNTRY: U. S. A.

ALBUM: RHYTHM OF THE RAIN

LABEL: VALIANT RECORDS

GENRE: POP MUSIC

YEAR: 1963

 

        The Cascades was an American vocal group best known for the single "Rhythm of the Rain", recorded in 1962, an international hit the following year.

        In 1960, the Silver Strands were a group of United States Navy personnel serving on the USS Jason(AR-8) based in San Diego, California. They recruited John Gummoe, who originally acted as manager, then left the Navy to become The Thundernotes. The group's membership consisted of John Claude "John" Gummoe (born August 2, 1938) (lead vocals), Lenny Green (vocal and lead guitar), Dave Wilson (drums and vocal), Dave Stevens (bass), and Art Eastlick (rhythm guitar). Their first and only recording, "Thunder Rhythm" (and "Payday" on the reverse of the 45rpm) was with DelFi Records of Hollywood, owned and managed by Bob Keane. It was a surf-type instrumental. Lenny left soon after to pursue his own goals and the group acquired Eddie Snyder (guitar), David Szabo (keyboards), Dave Stevens (bass) and Dave Wilson (drums).

         Influenced by the Beach Boys, the group became more interested in vocal harmony. They recorded demos and signed with Barry De Vorzon at Valiant Records, a subsidiary of Warner Bros., and changed their name to The Cascades – inspired by a nearby box of dishwashing detergent. Their first release, "There's a Reason", became a minor regional hit; in the summer of 1962, they went to Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles to record a song Gummoe wrote in his Navy days on watch during a thunderstorm. The song was to become "Rhythm of the Rain" and the musicians on the recording included the "Wrecking Crew"-including Hal Blaine on drums, Carol Kaye on bass, and Glen Campbell on guitar-arranged by Perry Botkin Jr. "Rhythm of the Rain" was issued in November 1962. It rose to Nº 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1963, becoming a major hit in over 80 countries. It peaked at Nº 5 in the UK Singles Chart. "Rhythm of the Rain" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.

        The Cascades continued to record, produced an album and several additional singles, including the follow-up "The Last Leaf", but did not match the charm or success of their big hit. The group continued to receive major radio airplay in their hometown, San Diego. The Cascades' cover version of Bob Lind's "Truly Julie's Blues" received spins on KCBQ and KGB in 1966, and their song "Maybe the Rain Will Fall" fared well on San Diego radio charts in mid-1969.

        The group was active, played local San Diego clubs like The Cinnamon Cinder, and at other times, toured widely. In 1967, The Cascades appeared onscreen in the Crown International Pictures teen comedy adventure film, Catalina Caper, which included their version of a song written by Ray Davies of the Kinks, "There's A New World Opening For Me".

Got an angel on my shoulder

Got a penny in my pocket

And I found a four-leaf clover

And I put it in my wallet

 

Wished on all the stars above me

And I caught the nearest rainbow

Gonna find someone to love me

Gonna find someone to love

 

Well I tossed a lot o' nickels in a wishing well

And saved the fortunes that the fortune cookies tell

I've got a lucky penny and a mustard seed

But a warm and tender love is all I need

 

And I want a love that lingers

And is stronger through and through

So I'm gonna cross my fingers

That I find a girl to love me true

And I'm gonna love her too

 

Well I tossed a lot o' nickels in a wishing well

And saved the fortunes that the fortune cookies tell

I've got a lucky penny and a mustard seed

But a warm and tender love is all I need

 

And I want a love that lingers

And is stronger through and through

So I'm gonna cross my fingers

That I find a girl to love me true

 

And I'm gonna love her too

And I'm gonna love her too

And I'm gonna love her too

And I'm gonna love her too.

BLUE FEELING

THE ANIMALS

SONGWRITER: HENSHAW

COUNTRY: U. K.

ALBUM: THE ANIMALS

LABEL: ABKCO MUSIC & RECORDS

GENRE: ROCK

YEAR: 1964

 

           The Animals(also billed as Eric Burdon and the Animals) are an English rhythm-and-blues and rock band, formed in Newcastle upon Tyne in the early 1960s. The band moved to London upon finding fame in 1964. The Animals were known for their gritty, bluesy sound and deep-voiced frontman Eric Burdon, as exemplified by their signature song and transatlantic number-one hit single "The House of the Rising Sun" as well as by hits such as "We Gotta Get Out of This Place", "It's My Life", "Don't Bring Me Down", "I'm Crying", "See See Rider" and "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood." The band balanced tough, rock-edged pop singles against rhythm-and-blues-oriented album material and were part of the British Invasion of the US.

     The Animals underwent numerous personnel changes in the mid-1960s, and suffered from poor business management, leading the original incarnation to split up in 1966. Burdon assembled a mostly new lineup of musicians under the name Eric Burdon and the Animals; the much-changed act moved to California and achieved commercial success as a psychedelic and hard rock band with hits such as "San Franciscan Nights", "When I Was Young" and "Sky Pilot" before disbanding at the end of the decade. Altogether, the group had 10 top-20 hits in both the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100.

       The original lineup of Burdon, Alan Price, Chas Chandler, Hilton Valentine and John Steel reunited for a one-off benefit concert in Newcastle in 1968. They later launched brief comebacks in 1975 and 1983. Several partial regroupings of the original-era members have occurred since then under various names. The Animals were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

          The Animals is the American debut album by the British Invasion group, the Animals. Released in late summer 1964, the album introduced the States to the "drawling, dirty R&B sound (with the emphasis on the B)" that typified the group.

     The album includes several R&B standards, written by the likes of Chuck Berry, Fats Domino and John Lee Hooker, as well as the number one single "House of the Rising Sun", here presented in its truncated-for-radio form (it would be restored to full length on the February 1966 compilation The Best of the Animals, and later CD and digital reissues of The Animals would feature the full-length recording).

       The British album The Animals was released a month later, the group's debut album there albeit with substantially differing contents.

Sit here and wonder what am I so blue

Is it because I'm still in love with you?

Blue blue feeling got me down today

Blue blue feeling, my baby's gone away

Now that she's gone, I don't know what I'll do

I guess I'll have to find, find somebody new

Blue blue feeling got me down today

Blue blue feeling, my baby's gone away

 

Baby please don't leave me, oh don't leave me

Now that she's gone, I'm feeling kind of blue

I guess I'll have to find, find somebody new

Blue blue feeling got me down today

Blue blue feeling, my baby's gone away

 

Well baby please don't leave me

Baby please don't go

Awh!Honey child don't leave me now,

Baby please, baby please.

THERE'S A KIND OF HUSH

THE CARPENTERS

SONGWRITERS: LES REED & GEOFF STEPHENS

COUNTRY: U. S. A.

ALBUM: A KIND OF HUSH

LABEL: A & M RECORDS

GENRE: POP

YEAR: 1976

 

      The Carpenters(officially known as Carpenters) were an American vocal and instrumental duo consisting of siblings Karen(1950–1983) and Richard Carpenter (born 1946). They produced a distinct soft musical style, combining Karen's contralto vocals with Richard's harmonizing, arranging and composition skills. During their 14-year career, the Carpenters recorded 10 albums along with numerous singles and several television specials.

        The siblings were born in New Haven, Connecticut, and moved to Downey, California, in 1963. Richard took piano lessons as a child, progressing to California State University, Long Beach, while Karen learned the drums. They first performed together as a duo in 1965 and formed the jazz-oriented Richard Carpenter Trio followed by the middle-of-the-road group Spectrum. Signing as Carpenters to A&M Records in 1969, they achieved major success the following year with the hit singles "(They Long to Be) Close to You" and "We've Only Just Begun". The duo's brand of melodic pop produced a record-breaking run of hit recordings on the American Top 40 and Adult Contemporary charts, and they became leading sellers in the soft rock, easy listening and adult contemporary music genres. They had three number-one singles and five number-two singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and 15 number-one hits on the Adult Contemporary chart, in addition to 12 top-10 singles.

      The duo toured continually during the 1970s, which put them under increased strain; Richard took a year off in 1979 after he had become addicted to Quaalude, while Karen suffered from anorexia nervosa. Their joint career ended in 1983 when Karen died from heart failure brought on by complications of anorexia. Extensive news coverage surrounding these circumstances increased public awareness of eating disorders. Their music continues to attract critical acclaim and commercial success. They have sold more than 90 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

       A Kind of Hush is the seventh studio album by American popular music duo Carpenters. It was released on June 11, 1976.

      By the time of the album's recording, Richard Carpenter's addiction to sleeping pills had begun to affect him professionally, and he blames this for the album being, in his opinion, sub-par. All three excerpted singles became hits. "There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)", a cover of a 1960s song by Herman's Hermits, broke both the UK Top 30 and US Top 20, as well as topping the adult contemporary chart. "I Need to Be in Love" hit number 25 in the US and number 36 in the UK. "Goofus" was only a minor success, stalling at number 56 on the Billboard chart, though it did crack the adult contemporary top 10.

     John Bettis called "I Need to Be in Love" the favorite lyrics he ever wrote for Karen Carpenter. "If there was ever anything that came out of my heart straight to Karen's I would say that was it. I was very proud of it for that." Richard Carpenter recalled that the song "became Karen's favorite Carpenters song". The album was also the first not to have Karen playing drums on any tracks, which were performed by Los Angeles session drummer Jim Gordon.

       Despite being certified Gold, the album was a relative commercial disappointment in the US, where its chart peak was outside the Top 30. Like its predecessor Horizon, it performed better in the UK, reaching number three in the UK Albums Chart. The CD has been out of print since 2006 except in the Japanese market.

There's a kind of hush

All over the world tonight

All over the world you can

Hear the sound of lovers in love

You know what I mean

 

Just the two of us and nobody else

In sight there's nobody else and

I'm feeling good just holding you tight

 

So listen very carefully

Get closer now and

You will see what I mean

It isn't a dream

 

The only sound that you will hear

Is when I whisper in your ear

I love you forever and ever

 

There's a kind of hush

All over the world, tonight

All over the world, people

Just like us have fallen in love

 

So listen very carefully

Get closer now and

You will see what I mean

It isn't a dream

 

The only sound that you will hear

Is when I whisper in your ear

I love you forever and ever

 

There's a kind of hush

All over the world, tonight

All over the world, people

You can hear the sounds of lovers in love.

CALIFORNIA GIRLS

THE BEACH BOYS

SONGWRITERS: BRIAN WILSON & MIKE LOVE

COUNTRY: U. S. A.

ALBUM: SUMMER DAYS(AND SUMMER NIGHTS)

LABEL: CAPITOL RECORDS

GENRE: ROCK

YEAR: 1965

 

     The Beach Boys are an American rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Distinguished for their vocal harmonies, adolescent-oriented themes, and musical ingenuity, they are one of the most influential acts of the rock era. They drew on the music of older pop vocal groups, 1950s rock and roll, and black R&B to create their unique sound, and under Brian's direction, often incorporated classical or jazz elements and unconventional recording techniques in innovative ways.

       The Beach Boys began as a garage band, managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, and with Brian as composer, arranger, producer, and de facto leader. In 1963, they had their first national hit with "Surfin' U.S.A.", beginning a string of top-ten singles that reflected a southern California youth culture of surfing, cars, and romance, dubbed the "California sound". They were one of the few American rock bands to sustain their commercial standing during the British Invasion. Starting with 1965's The Beach Boys Today!, they abandoned beachgoing themes for more personal lyrics and ambitious orchestrations. In 1966, the Pet Sounds album and "Good Vibrations" single raised the group's prestige as rock innovators. After scrapping the Smile album in 1967, Brian gradually ceded control of the group to his bandmates.

    In the late 1960s, the group's commercial momentum faltered in the US, and despite efforts to maintain na experimental sound, they were widely dismissed by the early rock music press. Carl took over as the band's musical leader; records from this period later enjoyed a cult following among fans. In the mid-1970s, as their concerts drew larger audiences, the band transitioned into na oldies act. Dennis drowned in 1983 and Brian soon became estranged from the group. Following Carl's death from lung cancer in 1998, the band granted Love legal rights to tour under the group's name. In the early 2010s, the original members briefly reunited for the band's 50th anniversary. As of 2022, Wilson and Jardine do not perform with Love's edition of the Beach Boys, but remain official members of the band.

     Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) is the ninth studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released on July 5, 1965, on Capitol. The band's previous album, The Beach Boys Today!(released March 1965), represented a departure for the group through its abandonment of themes related to surfing, cars, and teenage love, but it sold below Capitol's expectations. In response, the label pressured the group to produce bigger hits. Summer Days thus returned the band's music to simpler themes for one last album, with Brian Wilson combining Capitol's commercial demands with his artistic calling.

       Produced by Wilson, Summer Days reached number two on the US Billboard 200 and number four on the UK Albums Chart. Two singles were issued from the album: "Help Me, Rhonda", which became the group's second chart-topper in the US, and "California Girls", which peaked at number three.

Well, East Coast girls are hip

I really dig those styles they wear

And the Southern girls, with the way they talk

They knock me out when I'm down there

 

The Midwest farmers' daughters really make you feel all right

And the Northern girls, with the way they kiss

They keep their boyfriends warm at night

 

I wish they all could be California

I wish they all could be California

I wish they all could be California girls

 

The West Coast has the sunshine

And the girls all get so tanned

I dig a French bikini on Hawaiian island dolls

By a palm tree in the sand

 

I been all around this great big world

And I seen all kinds of girls

Yeah, but I couldn't wait to get back in the States

Back to the cutest girls in the world

 

I wish they all could be California

I wish they all could be California

I wish they all could be California girls

 

I wish they all could be California (girls, girls, girls, yeah, I dig the)

I wish they all could be California (girls, girls, girls, yeah, I dig the)

I wish they all could be California (girls, girls, girls, yeah, I dig the)

I wish they all could be California (girls, girls, girls, yeah, I dig the)

I wish they all could be California (girls, girls, girls, yeah, I dig the)

I wish they all could be California (girls, girls, girls, yeah, I dig the).