I picked up a collection last week, and in it was a record called "Phil Spector: 74/79." I've seen this record before. It's hard to forget the cheesy cover. But the track list surprised me. Kim Fowley? Jerri Bo Keno? (Who?) The former is what you'd expect. The latter was third rate Ronnie Spector. But it also includes three songs by Dion, two from the "Born To Be With You" record, which was a disappointment at the time---really don't need a cover of "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands"---but has since grown on me. The third track, "Baby Let's Stick Together," was a single only, and was somehow left off the original album. This was new to me and a real treat. "74/79" also includes two unreleased Darlene Love tracks, both recorded with the Wall Of Sound, but held back once Love signed with Philadelphia International. There is also a slow, dramatic Wall Of Sound cover of "Baby I Love You" that isn't bad at all, as well as one of my favorite singles of all time, Cher's duet with Nilsson on "A Love Like Yours." I've got to say, "Phil Spector 74/79" is a terrific companion to any of the other classic 60's compilations and worth seeking out if you're a fan of the madman and haven't tossed all of your Righteous Brothers records now that Spector is convicted a murderer.
Monday, March 11, 2019
Phil Spector: 74/79
I picked up a collection last week, and in it was a record called "Phil Spector: 74/79." I've seen this record before. It's hard to forget the cheesy cover. But the track list surprised me. Kim Fowley? Jerri Bo Keno? (Who?) The former is what you'd expect. The latter was third rate Ronnie Spector. But it also includes three songs by Dion, two from the "Born To Be With You" record, which was a disappointment at the time---really don't need a cover of "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands"---but has since grown on me. The third track, "Baby Let's Stick Together," was a single only, and was somehow left off the original album. This was new to me and a real treat. "74/79" also includes two unreleased Darlene Love tracks, both recorded with the Wall Of Sound, but held back once Love signed with Philadelphia International. There is also a slow, dramatic Wall Of Sound cover of "Baby I Love You" that isn't bad at all, as well as one of my favorite singles of all time, Cher's duet with Nilsson on "A Love Like Yours." I've got to say, "Phil Spector 74/79" is a terrific companion to any of the other classic 60's compilations and worth seeking out if you're a fan of the madman and haven't tossed all of your Righteous Brothers records now that Spector is convicted a murderer.
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3 comments:
I haven't tossed any records but I'm having some challenges with the Art / Artist argument these days -- Phil Spector, Michael Jackson, ...
If you said "guess who this is?" on that 3rd track, I would have picked out Cher -- but never Nilsson. That's when his voice was gone, right? The Darlene Love track is pretty good!
If it wasn't for Brian Wilson, I'd have no appreciation at all for Phil or his Wall Of Sound.
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