THE BEATLES BELGIAN HOME PAGE Janvier 2006

The German bandleader had a US #1 hit with "Wonderland By Night" a.k.a. "Wunderland bei Nacht" one year earlier (before "Spanish Eyes") as Bert Kämpfert und sein Orchester, Solotrompette : Charly Tabor, Polydor NH 24 086. Later he also had a hit with the cover version of "Moon Over Naples" by Al Martino [b. Jasper Alfredo Cini, 1927/10/07-2009/10/03] aka "Spanish Eyes" B-side as of the 1954 The Ink Spots' "Melody Of Love", issued in December 1965 (US #8, UK #15). Kaempfert worked with The Beatles when they were under contract to Deutsche Grammophon/Polydor.

Berthold Kaempfert : 16. Oktober 1923, Hambpurg - 21. Juni 1980, Majorca.

http://youtu.be/yV7hLHiFHxg (Wonderland By Night) - http://youtu.be/2GNjzsUnNqI (Moon Over Naples)

US reference : Capitol F 5542, 12/1965 - Capitol X-6108, 1975 reissue - UK ref.: CL 15430, 28.01.1966 - GER ref.: K 23 129, 1965. The Belgian single (4 C 006-80460) is a 1975 reissue.

http://youtu.be/m5EPzTFlAXE (Spanish Eyes) 

The most fantastic story of modern music, that of 4 young men from Liverpool, has been told hundreds of times. Future generations will remember no doubt of their names, their songs continue to stand the test of time and the passage of modes: their legend, even though significant that two of the four heroes are still alive and active, take a unimaginable scale. Books, films, compilations, commemorations (Beatles Day in Mons every first Saturday in September and others), concerts of Paul and Ringo, analyzes (some more infamous than others) ... There is no doubt that even in 100 years the name The Beatles will always be known as today. It is a story so compelling that even the most imaginative mind could have invented, so amazing that the most original writers could not write it, and if documented, than in any library or even in some record stores in any country, you will find works of the Fab Four. The adventure lived by John, Paul, George and Ringo was exciting.

Photo : X - Owner of the photo : Apple i Tunes (with their kind permission.)

http://youtu.be/BjHyMAUshos (Let It Be)

La plus fantastique histoire de la musique moderne, celle des 4 jeunes de Liverpool, a déjà été contée des centaines de fois. Les générations à venir se souviendront sans nul doute de leurs noms; leurs chansons continueront à résister à l'épreuve du temps et au passage des modes : leur légende, considérable alors même que deux des quatre héros sont toujours vivants et en activité, prendra une ampleur inimaginable. Livres, films, compilations, commémorations (Beatles Day à Mons chaque premier samedi de septembre e.a.), concerts de Paul et Ringo, analyses (certaines plus infâmes que d'autres)...Nul doute que même dans plus de 100 ans le nom des Beatles sera toujours aussi connu qu'aujourd'hui. C'est une histoire tellement fascinante, que même l'esprit le plus imaginatif n'aurait pu l'inventer; si étonnante que le plus original des scénaristes n'aurait pu l'écrire; et si documentée, que dans n'importe quelle librairie ou même chez certains disquaires de n'importe quel pays, on trouvera des œuvres sur les Fab Four. L'aventure que vécurent John, Paul, George et Ringo fut passionnante. 

Photos : X

 http://youtu.be/ajCYQL8ouqw

1955: Maurice White (1941/12/19-present) begins playing drums with Memphis schoolfriend Booker T. Jones (later of Booker T. And The MG's (Memphis Group.)

1966: he joins The Ramsey Lewis Trio and plays on 10 of Lewis' albums.

1969: White forms The Sally Peppers, who have a local Chicago hit with La La Time and Love Is Life on Capitol Records.

1970: White changes group name to Earth, Wind & Fire. They sign to Warner Bros. Records.

1978/07/14: "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is released. White wins a Grammy Award of the best instrumental arrangements accompanying all the vocalists a few months later. 

1978/09/16: Got To Get You Into My Life, which the band performs in film "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" hits US Pop chart #9; R'n'B #1 and is a million-seller. Produced by Maurice White.

28.09.1978: the said single makes UK #33. ( http://youtu.be/6ljFPOmwg28 )

Personnel: Maurice White, Verdine White, Philip Bailey, Larry Dunn, Ralph Johnson, Al McKay, Johnny Graham, Andrew Woolfolk, Fred White (lead vocals, percussion; vcls, bs; vcls, percussion; piano, synthesizer; drums; gtrs; gtr; tenor sax; drums, percussion.)

Single references i.a.: US COLUMBIA 3-10796 - UK CBS 6553 released in September 1978.

Compilation: P. 1991 Sony Music Entertainment (France) S.A., COLUMBIA COL 468931-2 also released in Belgium, in The Netherlands...

Wish you all a happy New Year !

1977/02/28 (28.02.1977) : Ray Charles is attacked while performing, by a man who rushes on stage with a rope and tries to strangle him.

1977/11/19 : True To Life, a one-off return to Atlantic with a Crossover Records production climbs to US #78. This album is released in November 1977, US reference Crossover/Atlantic 19142 - UK reference London SHU8509.

Left : US album - right : Belgian pressing I Can See Clearly Now (s) Johnny Nash reaches #35 on the R'n'B chart b/w Let It Be. Both songs are taken from the Belgian LP 143.015-Ray Charles-True To Life distributed by FONIOR BRUSSELS/BELGIUM - A DIVISION OF THE INTERNATIONAL PELGRIMS GROUP IPG.

Belgian reference : London/CROSSOVER 26.548 y. Arranged by Larry Mahoberack / Produced by Ray Charles.

http://youtu.be/eof2c5fTcI8.

Rubber Soul tops UK chart on 25.12.1965.

Farewell to the stage: 1965 will be an exceptional year on the musical plan since The Beatles, from Help!, will be published in this year another album, Rubber Soul. This new album reveals in all its glory new musical concepts as The Beatles began testing out. It marks a decisive change in their music, already far removed from their first songs with choruses witty but still a bit easy, full of yeah-yeah.

Ultimately, Rubber Soul ended the year of 1965 on an encouraging image and changed the future of the Fab Four, now directly influenced by American musical concepts developed by artists like The Byrds.

9.05.1987 : the second batch of Beatles' albums is released on CD including i.a. Rubber Soul (UK #60).

http://youtu.be/Gv_Y1kbZbJA / http://youtu.be/RmZmMuzS4MM / http://youtu.be/suuU3mliNo8

Rubber Soul tops UK chart on 25.12.1965. 

L'adieu à la scène : 1965 sera une année exceptionnelle sur le plan musical car les Beatles, après Help !, vont faire paraître en cette fin d'année un autre album, Rubber Soul. Ce nouveau disque dévoile dans toute leur splendeur les nouveaux concepts musicaux que les Beatles commencent à expérimenter. Il marque un changement décisif dans leur musique, déjà très éloignée de leurs premières chansons aux refrains pleins d'esprit mais tout de même un peu faciles, truffés de yeah-yeah.

En définitive, Rubber Soul clôture l'année 1965 sur une image encourageante et renouvelée de l'avenir des Fab Four, désormais directement influencés par les conceptions musicales américaines développées par des artistes tels The Byrds.

 http://youtu.be/liR9bW5hm2c   / http://youtu.be/nfWVKQoRXhk / http://youtu.be/hfWEPu0w-7w

Personnel : according to Alex Gitlin ( http://www.alexgitlin.com/npp2/trifle.htm ) : George Bean, vcls; Rod Coombes, drums; Patrick "Speedy" King, bass; Barry Martin, tenor sax; John Pritchard, trumpet. However, Trifle comprises 7 members. De Lisle Harper (?), gtr + John Hawken, organ.

George Bean, ex-George Bean and The Runners was a band managed by Robert Stigwood. As for Rod Coombes, he went on to JUCY LUCY in the course of 1970 to help them for i.a. their first album "Lie Back And Enjoy It" issued on Philips/Vertigo 636 014. Later he joined STEALERS WHEEL playing drums i.a. on "Stuck In The Middle With You" released in 1972.

"All Together Now" : produced by Noel Walker - Arranged by Mike Batt. http://youtu.be/qQhpePfiyVk

"Stuck In The Middle With You" : http://youtu.be/OMAIsqvTh7g

UK reference : UNITED ARTISTS UP 2270, February 1969. NL ref.: united artists UA 25.970. Austria ref. : UA 35016.  

En tout et pour tout il y en a eu 10. Il me manque (?)  Michelle / Drive My Car-K.A. / DP 564, 02/1966 mais pas de pochette single connue pour Yellow Submarine / Eleanor Rigby-K.A. (Keep Account) / R 5493, 5/08/1966.

Avec le doublon de la pochette de Lady Madonna (l'une sur fond jaune et la 2de sur fond vert), ça ferait 11...A moins qu'il n'y en ait en fait que 10 avec ce doublon ? Probablement pas de pochette pour Michelle / Drive My Car...

http://youtu.be/xbtFF4rLj90 / http://youtu.be/hG7hG3zb6f8 / http://youtu.be/LUl2-osCcO4

http://youtu.be/JUe-lXAoSZI / http://youtu.be/VMxyK9azXR4 / http://youtu.be/7uVRIAinA3E

http://youtu.be/XvbWL3TlaRU / http://youtu.be/X7dHoEmUtIs / http://youtu.be/JDTeGOyMXF4

http://youtu.be/lwS_YDzxH3M / http://youtu.be/g--Vlij1X1Y / http://youtu.be/XwmtNk_Yb2Q

http://youtu.be/e_cwWP5Qf1k / http://youtu.be/k9Itt02QOO0 / http://youtu.be/jJ98qac2UIM

http://youtu.be/HBZ8ulc5NTg / http://youtu.be/UNc5Q3Y8LKw / http://youtu.be/VfthrizXKOM

How to recognize a Belgian pressing ? This label shows the "K.A." on left. "The Parlophone Co. Ltd. -" (in the upper circle) whereas the picture cover shows "PARLOPHONE-Trade Mark Of THE GRAMOPHONE CO. LTD. Please, see my other topic about Hello Goodbye posted in large format.

• Songs recorded in 1977 at Davlen Sound Studios owned by Len Kovner, N. Hollywood, LA. The vinyl album was issued on Atlantic XSD 16037 in January 1981. Re-released on CD by Rhino-Atlantic (reference: 16037) in 1990, 1993 as well as in 2005.
• Get Back / And I Love Her / Eleanor Rigby / The Fool On The Hill / You Never Give Me Your Money / Come Together / I Want You (She's so heavy) / Blackbird / Something / Here, There And Everywhere / The Long And Winding Road / Yesterday / Hey Jude.
• Arrangements and production by David and Marty Paich.
• Musicians includes i.a. Jean-Baptiste "Toots" Thielemans [from Belgium] (harmonica); Jeff Porcaro (drms, percussion); Louie Shelton (gtr); Bob Magnusson (bs); David & Marty Paich (keyboards); John Smith (tenor sax); Jim Gilstrap, Bill Thedford, Perry Morgan (background vcls.)
• And so on...
• http://youtu.be/dc67rUVZ52s (Yesterday)
• http://youtu.be/Uo3kl8V_f84 (And I Love Her)
• http://youtu.be/do5aoGW9Esc (Get Back)
• http://youtu.be/DW6hGRiuRJE (Eleanor Rigby)
• http://youtu.be/DTXDb4ksvsY (The Fool On The Hill)
• http://youtu.be/uL-HCGIAk50 I Want You (She's so heavy)

Esther Phillips (b. Esther Mae Jones, 1935/12/23, Galveston, TX - d. 1984/08/07, Torrance, Ca.) covers And I Love Her as And I Love Him.

The single which reaches the Billboard Pop chart #54 and hits the R'n'B chart #11 (ATLANTIC 45-2281, 1965) is taken from the album of the same name.

UK reference : ATLANTIC AT.4028, 1965 - DNC.

John Lennon introduces Esther Phillips :  http://youtu.be/SRpCd73hOrI

Billy J. Kramer had been singing with a group called the COASTERS  not to be confused with the American group The Coasters.

I'll Keep You Satisfied hits the UK chart #4 (source : Billy J. Kramer discography). According to Sixties City web site, it hits #5 on 30.11.1963. This single is released on 1.11.1963.

Reference : PARLOPHONE R 5073 

http://youtu.be/WjrLFgCIO90

Bobby Rydell alias Robert Ridarelli (1942/04/26, Philadelphia, Pa.- present) : singer (and earlier he began taking lessons on percussion. At age 8, he was an accomplished cabaret performer playing drums. Ex-Rocco and the Saints featuring Frankie Avalon to the trumpet.

CAMEO was a parent label of PARKWAY owned by Bernie Lowe, Harry Chipitz and Kal Mann. Parkway was a sister label of Cameo owned by Bernie Lowe and Kal Mann.

Source : Terry Gordon's tremendous web site Rockin' Country Style.

http://rcs-discography.com/rcs/index.html

A World Without Love : B-side of Make Me Forget released in Denmark in May 1964 but not published as a single in America.

DK 45rpm7" : CAMEO-PARKWAY CFF 32

http://youtu.be/H3RVsnrcGUs

Members : Mark Stein (lead vcls and organ); Vince Martell (gtr, vcls);  Tim Bogert (bass, vcls); Carmine Appice (drums, vcls). Bogert and Stein who have been playing in Rick Martin & The Showmen, form their own group , The Pigeons. Martell and Appice join the band in the course of 1966.

December 1966 : renamed Vanilla Fudge, the quartet is one of the few East Coast groups to join ranks with acid rock West Coast movement, with a style it will describe as "psychedelic-symphonic rock" (a central element of which is slowed-down rearrangements of artists' hit singles).

July 22, 1967 : V.F. signed to Atlantic Records' subsidiary label ATCO RECORDS, makes its New York debut at the Village theater (soon renamed the Fillmore East) with The Byrds and The Seeds. Debut single, a version of The Supremes' You Keep Me Hanging On, hits US #6 and makes UK #18.

September : debut album Vanilla Fudge [released 1967/06/02] (left) hits US #6 (and will make UK #31 2 months later). It also includes elongated versions of The Beatles' Eleanor Rigby and Ticket To Ride. http://youtu.be/IpkXMSvwmZw

Eleanor Rigby : http://youtu.be/5I-XPO4DIeQ

Left : US reissue album ATCO RECORDS SD 33-224 released in 1969 - Right : NL/BEL single compilation by WEA from the Warner Bros.' 1980 11.000 serie (11.763). This one released in September 1982.

Brian alias Brian Bastow ; Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK is at the time an ex-Shake Spears singer. Nice cover version of The Beatles' And I Love Her issued on RONNEX 1385 as the B-side of GIVE AND TAKE in January 1968 which hits the Belgian chart at #2 the same month in the Flemish-speaking region of Belgium.

Photo : http://www.memoire60-70.be/TheShakespeares/Les_debuts.htm : scroll down to the said photo.

Nice cover version of The Beatles' Yesterday by Sarah Vaughan (aka Sarah Lois Vaughan - 1924/03/27 (Newark, NJ) - 1990/04/03 (Hidden Hills, CA). Taken from the album  Pop Artistry  issued on Mercury MG 21069 in 1966.

Arranged and conducted by Luchi de Jesus.

Called "Sassy" by her musicians and "The Divine One" by her fans all over the world.

http://youtu.be/Ib1McN2g_fk

Roy Hamilton : 1929/04/16, Leesburg, Georgia - 1969/07/20, New Rochelle, NY . Nice cover version of the Beatles' And I Love Her : US RCA Victor 47-8705, 1965 - UK RCA Victor RCA 1500, 1965. 4 stars !

http://youtu.be/Z3u4e5Ippa8

(*) : http://www.bsnpubs.com/mercury/intrepid.html

(**) : other details written by myself.

UNDERGROUND SUNSHINE is a rock quartet based in Montebello, WI - * Members : Berthy Khol (bs, vcls); Frank Khol (drs, vcls) [*]; Chris Connors (gtrs, vcls); Jane Little (keyboards, vcls). Berthy Koelb, Frank Koelb (**)

First issued in America on Fontana 262.600, July 1969 - **

Second issue on Intrepid 45rpm7"  75002, 07/1969. Birthday enters the Billboard charts at Pop #105 for the week ending July 12, 1969, makes #100 the next week, then jumped to #76 and finally #56 by the beginning of August, then ending September 6, when the record tops out at Pop #26. It hits the Cash Box chart at # 24. (*/**). The Intrepid label was a short-lived subsidiary of Mercury Records (*).

This 45rpm7" single is also featured on the album/LP/LP Record Let There Be Light (INTREPID IT-74003 including also a.o. Don't Let Me Down (**). http://youtu.be/6AvWJcr2szo

Other references dating to July and August 1969 (all issued on Fontana) : BEL : POLYGRAM BELGIUM/fontana TF 272600 / NL 272 600 TF / NZ TF 272600 / SP 272600 TF / NOR 272600 TF / FR 262 600 MF. AUS Tf-14 / OZ TF-014 / UK TF-1049 [08/69]. As for the Canadian single STARDUST Urc1212/UND1212 :  probably released the same month. A-side : Sue Thompson (If the boy only knew, 1962) / B-side : Birthday by Underground Sunshine. Produced and arranged by Underground Sunshine.  (**)

Original US TOP 50 ! Except that it was at the beginning of August. So, in my opininon, it couldn't have been released in January as seen on a French web site.  Elle est vraiment bien bonne cette info : le disque serait (est ?) sorti le 1er janvier 1969 = 1969/01/01 ! - On public holiday !!! Un jour férié !!!

November 1968 : George Harrison (25.02.1943-30.11.2001 [29.11.2001 in Los Angeles, CA]) : becomes the first Beatle to issue material independently of the group with album soundtrack "Wonderwall", which reaches US #49.

March 1969 : Electronic Sound, which makes US #191, consists of Harrison experimenting with new acquisition, a moog synthesizer.

November : having become the second writing force behind Lennon and McCartney within The Beatles, the first single he has penned is released by the group, Something which hits UK #4 and US #1. (it will become a show biz standard with hundreds of cover versions recorded in the coming years.)

December : George plays a number of concerts with Delaney (Bramlett), guitar and vocals & Bonnie Lynn Bramlett, vocals.

May 26, 1970 : he begins recording All Things Must Pass released next December which hits UK #4 and US #1. After The Beatles split, George is the first to secure a chart-topping album. Released to tie in with the first non-Beatle Christmas since 1962, it achieves worldwide sales of 3 million copies. The triple album box set is a showcase of his talent and will never be equalled by future releases. Co-produced by Phil Spector, Harrison is backed by an all-star band, including Ringo Starr, Ginger Baker, Billy Preston, Badfinger and debut of Derek & The Dominoes, featuring Eric "Slowhand" Clapton as well as Bob Dylan...R.I.P., Mr. Harrison...

http://youtu.be/p4G2RlBKbrM (The Beatles : Within You Without You)

http://youtu.be/g-ATb5FNci8 (Paul McCartney in concert : All Things Must Pass)

Ann C. Sheridan alias Ann Calvert is an American singer. Cover from left is the one issued on RCA Victor 42548 in 1976 produced in France by Laurent Voulzy for BING BANG Music/ESSEX Music, and also available in Belgium. The two other picture covers contain 2 mistakes "She's so heavy" instead of "He's So Heavy". German Hansa international 17 226 AT, 1976 (DCC/Deutsche Club Charts #45) and the NL single also released in 1976 is issued on Ariola 17 061.  Other references : UK BRADLEYS RECORDS BLAK1003, 1976 produced by David Barnes and Laurent Voulzy; CAN Amour Records A.M. 8417, 1976; US RCA PD-11049, 1976; IT Fonit Cetra S 20204, 1977. Her version tops the charts in Montreal. Arrangements : Laurent Voulzy. Photos : John Moore.

http://youtu.be/kwXlCCfY-p8 I want you (for the US army, enlist now :D)