Opinions, 08/04?

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Pete70s said:

Sheila E.-I'm quite sure we did her, but I can't remember what I wrote. Probably that I found her to look extremely HOT playing the drums!

Shirrelles-Not bad, the blueprint for the Motown girl groups. We had the 45 of "Everybody Loves a Lover" when I was a kid, so I've always liked that one. The Mama's & Papa's did "Dedicated" MUCH better, and the Beatles and Smith did "Baby It's You" much better!

Shocking Blue-"Venus" was a great song, did they even DO any others? I agree about their singer, nice eyes!

Dinah Shore-I remember her show, and I think I remember hearing 78s of her music, probably at my grandparents house. Pleasant enough for the post-WWII era, not what I listen to often but good for what it is.

Carly Simon-Interesting piece of news I heard on Paul Harvey (rest of the story) this afternoon (I work in talk radio, so I hear stuff like this all the time), that there is currently an auction on ebay where the winner will get to meet Carly Simon, and she will tell him/her who "You're So Vain" was REALLY written about. However, that person MUST sign an affidavit stating that he/she will never tell ANYONE! I wonder what the purpose of this is, publicity, maybe? Either way, I put in my bid already (just kidding). I borrowed her box set from a friend, and copied all the songs I wanted.

I always loved the way the Smith singer screamed BABY it's You near the end. When I was young, I used to listen to the Shirelles and Beatles version, trying to find that scream, not realizing there was a third version.

Interesting about the Carly ebay thing.

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Dawn said:

Sheila E. - Excellent drummer, and quite a good singer as well. Favorites: The Glamorous Life, A Love Bizarre.

Shirelles - Talented girl group. I hear their songs often on oldies radio, but never get tired of them. Favorites: Will You Love Me Tomorrow, Foolish Little Girl, Soldier Boy.

Shocking Blue - I only know 'Venus', which is a great song.

Dinah Shore - I know I've heard some of her songs on the "Music of Your Life" nostalgia station here, but the only title that comes to mind is 'Love and Marriage'. Good singer from music's early era.

Carly Simon - One of my favorite female vocalists. I'd love to see her in the Hall someday. Wonderful songwriter. Favorites: You Belong to Me, Haven't Got Time for the Pain, You're So Vain, Jesse, Nobody Does It Better, The Right Thing to Do, Anticipation, That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be, Vengeance, Tranquillo.

I am hearing less of stuff like the Shirelles on the oldies station these days, more 70s stuff.

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Boogieman said:

Sheila E. : Very talented drummer and Prince protege'. Had Latin flavored songs that were very catchy and danceable. Better as a musician than a singer. Still I have to give her a great big thumbs up.
Favorites = The Glamourous Life, A Love Bizarre, The Belle of St. Mark

Shirelles : Can't knock 'em because they WERE good. I don't like their music though. Just a matter of preferences.
Favorites = Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow

Shocking Blue : Only know "Venus" which I enjoy. One of the first Dutch groups to have a hit in the US.
Favorites = Venus

Dinah Shore : Never heard her music. Known more now for her talk show of the seventies and for her somewhat controversial relationship with Burt Reynolds back in the day. No favorites, obviously

Carly Simon : Decent singer, good songwriter. Good chance at the Hall I suppose. Daughter of ultra wealthy publishing magnate. Will she EVER admit who "You're So Vain" is really about? Probably not. My money is on Warren Beatty.

Favorites include:
You're So Vain
Jesse
Nobody Does It Better
Mockingbird
Thats the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be
Anticipation
Coming Around Again

I forgot about Caroly being the daughter of Simon of Simon and Schuster.

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KenFrank said:

Sheila E - The only song that I'm familiar with is Glamerous Life . I thought it was alright - she is a talented drummer though.

Faves - none really


Shirelles - Heard the Beatles version of Baby It's You first. I like quite a few of their songs. I have a reissue 45 of Will You Still Love Me and Dedicated To The One I Love.


Faves - Mama Said , Baby It's You , Dedicated To The One I Love and Soldier Boy.


Shocking Blue - I only know Venus but I've always loved it . I have it on 45 and CD . Excellent tune.

Faves - Venus


Dinah Shore - I watched her TV show in The 70's once in a while. Don't really know any of the tunes though.


Faves - None


Carly Simon - She had some excellent tunes!

Faves - Anticipation , You're So Vain ( have it on 45) , Jesse and You Belong To Me

I knew Dinah as a talk show host long before I knew she had been a singer.

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Railyn said:

Grrr - another post disappeared!

Anyway, not to sound all "Afterschool Special", Sat, but if your mood doesn't improve soon (ie: week or two) please speak to someone about it. I've been there, and it's no fun....

Shiela E - I like her, but her stuff tends to sound a lot alike. She's a great drummer though. Favorites: Love Bizarre, U Got The Look (w/Prince), Glamorous Life

Shirelles - I don't like the 50's and 60's girly groups. Mama Said is ok.

Shocking Blue - I only know Venus, and this is one case where I prefer the reissue (by Bananarama).

Dinah Shore - Seeeee the USA in your Chevrolet......About the only stuff I know her for is her talk show, Depends commercials, and Golf.

Carly Simon - I always heard that song was about James Taylor - Favorites: You're So Vain, Coming Around Again, Anticipation, Let The River Run

Well, unfortunately, my mood is out of my control. Don't worry, I'm not out pricing razor blades or anything.

Oh no, not the Venus remake!

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55dodger said:

Sheila E. - Glamorous Life is the only song I know and it's pretty good. Got the 45.

Shirelles - Pretty good girl group, music was pretty typical of the early 60s. Will never be compared with the Supremes, but not bad. Favorites: Will You Love Me Tomorrow, Soldier Boy.

Shocking Blue - Venus is a great song, they had a great lead singer, but Venus is only song by them I know. Much better than Bananarama's cover.

Dinah Shore - TV talk show host and Burt Reynold's former main squeeze. Don't know her music.

Carly Simon - Ranks right up there with Carole King, Karen Carpenter, Diana Ross, Olivia Newton-John, & Linda Ronstadt as one of the premier female artists of the 70s. Did so many great songs and You're So Vain still stirs up the controversy (It was written about me in case anybody is curious). Great singer, great songwriter, should be in the Rockhall. Favorites: You're so Vain, Anticipation, Attitude Dancing, Nobody Does It Better (one of my favorite Bond movies).

I'm with you all the way about the original Venus being better than the remake.

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DJ said:

Although I didn't request him, I thought you'd remember Bobby Sherman...not that you'd care. ;D

Sheila E.-Great for her time. One of the best percussionists ever. My mom confuses her with Sheena Easton, who was the one who sang on "U got the look", not Sheila. Does my head go CRAZY bobbing hearing "A love bizarre"!
Faves:
A love bizarre (the sax sounds straight outta AWB)
The glamorous life
The belle of St. Mark
Sister fate
Hold me
Sex cymbal

Shirelles--Fine girl group. Nothing I get real excited about, but their music's good.
Faves:
Will you love me tomorrow (eternal top 1000, FRESH for 1960-61)
Soldier boy
Dedicated to the one I love (originally done by the 5 Royales, the Mamas' version doesn't COMPARE (Sorry, Pete).
Baby it's you
Mama said
Foolish little girl
Tonight's the night
Everybody loves a lover
Welcome home baby
Stop the music
Big John
A thing of the past

Shocking Blue--Yes! One of the best Dutch groups ever, glad to own their first album! To the contrary, I DON'T think Mariska Veres, the lead singer is that attractive (pretty hair, but UGLY, manly eyes!). This band was truly the genius of Robbie Van Leeuwen. Super melodies, fine instrumentation, they DEFINITELY should have been bigger.
Faves:
Venus (ETERNAL top 200, my personal fave of all in 1970--LOVE that guitar intro!)
Mighty Joe (Mean, almost funky!)
Never marry a railroad man
Long and lonesome road
Send me a postcard
Poor boy
Serenade
Love machine
Love buzz
Bool weevil (not a typo)
California here I come
Acka ragh
The butterfly and I
I'm a woman

Dinah Shore--HOORAY! My fave today! While others are left in the cold, perhaps wondering about Burt, golf, or "See the USA", I absolutely IDOLIZE this lady, along with Doris Day and Ruby Keeler (30's dancer) (Sorry, Lora, not quite Judy--yet.) Had some great talk shows, did many movie cameos (also narrated Disney's "Bongo") as well. I just can't say enough, a most pretty presence and superior voice. Proud to own an RCA Victor CD compilation. RIP 1917-1994.
Faves: (Hold on!)
BUTTONS AND BOWS (will rank in my top 100 when I update my CRAZY list to include all songs as far back as 1940--my Mom and I absolutely LOVE this)
CHANTEZ CHANTEZ (LOVE it! WOO HOO! One of the late 50's best!)
Sweet violets (GREAT song scheme of faux rhyming)
I'll walk alone (one of 1944's best)
The gypsy
Murder he says
Laughing on the outside (Crying on the inside)
The anniversary song
Shoo fly pie and apple pan dowdy
Blue canary
Doin' what comes naturally
Lavender blue
You'd be so nice to come home to
I love you for sentimental reasons
Blues in the night
Why don't you fall in love with me
My heart cries for you
Baby it's cold outside
One dozen roses
How soon will I be seeing you
Dear hearts and gentle people
Candy
I wish I didn't love you so
Jim
Changing partners
Faraway places
Sleigh ride in July
Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo
Blues in advance
Miss you
Little white lies
All that glitters is not gold
You do
Love and marriage
You keep coming back like a song
A penny a kiss
I hear a rhapsody
Whatever Lola wants
Fascination
Delicado
Skylark
My guy's come back
I got it bad and that ain't good
I could have danced all night
Together
I'll never say "never again" again
Cattle call
--whew--

Carly Simon--Sorry. Not quite #1 on this list. But what a fine singer. Well deserved 1971 New Artist Grammy win. Had some wonderful stuff in the 70's AND 80's! Not a tune I dislike.
Faves:
You're so vain (At first I didn't know it, now I love singing the chorus like Mick Jagger!)
You belong to me (absolutely LOVE Richard "Stuffy" Tee's keyboards--RIP)
Nobody does it better (my fave Bond theme of all)
Jesse
Mockingbird (even better than Inez Foxx' original)
Anticipation (The Heinz ketchup song)
The right thing to do
Coming around again (not bad for a mid 80's AC tune!)
We have no secrets
Haven't got time for the pain
That's the way I've always heard it should be
Attitude dancing
It keeps you runnin'
Tired of being blonde
Vengeance
Devoted to you
Let the river run (Oscar winner in a WEAK field)
Legend in your own time
More and more
Give me all night
Waterfall
All I want is you (did tire of it for a while)

That'll do!
Easy come and easy go... ;D

I'll put Bobby Sherman on today.

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Lora-Forever said:

I just read in People magazine yesterday that Carly Simon is doing some kind of contest thing where she'll have lunch with the winner, do a private concert, and reveal the secret of who that song is actually about. But, the person has to sign a contract that they won't tell a soul. Some of the people it listed that the song might possibly be about were, naturally, Warren Beatty, James Brown (?), and...ugh, I can't remember who the other guy was.

Yeah, Pete mentioned that above. Pretty interesting.

[H2IZCOOL]

OK. Yet ANOTHER catch-up post. (It's gonna be the rule rather than the exception for a while, I think.)

Sheila E. - Not a fan. Only vaguely familiar with her music.

Shirelles- Although there were R&B girl groups before the Shirelles, I always think of them as the first BIG R&B girl group. Some great stuff. Faves: Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, Foolish Little Girl, Tonight's The Night, Dedicated To The One I Love, Mama Said,

Shocking Blue- Only know Venus. Very fine song. Their version far surpassed the later cover by Bananarama.

Dinah Shore- WOW! A lot of her stuff was even before MY time. As a kid, one of my earliest memories is of my mom playing 78s on our "Victrola" (record player). I remember watching the record with the red Columbia Records label going round and round (at 78 rpm, it made you dizzy) The song? Dinah's "Doin' What Comes Naturally" (From the musical "Annie Get Your Gun"). The flip side was "I Got Lost in His Arms." I still have that 78 today!! Of course I remember the Burt Reynolds stuff, the talk show, and the Dinah Shoe Chevy Show. Faves: Doin' What Comes Naturally, Buttons and Bows, Chantez, Shoo Fly Pie.

Carly Simon- I always enjoyed listening to her music. That's The Way I Always Heard It Should Be is in my all time top 250. Other Faves: You're So Vain, Anticipation (with or without the ketchup bottle), Haven't Got Time for the Pain.