I am developing the uneasy feeling that I could continue on this theme indefinitely… just looking at all the 45s I haven’t covered yet. So…
this will be (for now) my final foray into my 45 collection. If I am at a loss for topics at some future juncture, I may revisit the subject. Meanwhile…
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Here is today’s set of 45s… you will see that it includes the final single release of The Beatles- The Long and Winding Road. The song reached #1 in May 1970, a month after the group broke up. Ironically, Paul McCartney cited producer Phil Spector‘s treatment of the song as one of the reasons for the band’s dissolution. In any case, here it is, complete with orchestral and choral background…
Apart from its pivotal position in the Beatles’ catalogue (and the fact that I do own the 45), the song has resonance in the context of today’s collection. As I follow the long and (at times torturously) winding road which will connect all of today’s songs you will understand why I started off with this one.
The Association Pandora’s Golden Heebie Jeebies
On the heels of the great success of Along Comes Mary and Cherish, The Association could have reason to hope that this next single would achieve similar notoriety. The song, written by (band member) Jules Alexander, only managed to reach #35 in late 1966.
Pandora’s Golden Heebie Jeebies can be found on the band’s second album, Renaissance. The song and album were produced by the brother of band member Jim Yester, Jerry (Yester). Wanting to escape the grinding touring schedule and to explore Eastern philosophy, Jules took a kind of extended hiatus from the band following the album’s release.
New Colony Six Things I’d Like to Say
Always a sucker for a good ballad, I picked up this single shortly after its release in 1969. Things I’d Like to Say reached #16 on the Hot 100 in March that year.
The song can be found on this Chicago band’s album, Attacking a Straw Man.
As a BTW, the band also charted a minor hit (#78) from the album with its opening track, Barbara, I Love You.
No, I never got this particular single…but I mention it because Jules Alexander is providing some of the backing vocals! Connections… connections…
The Fifth Dimension Wedding Bell Blues
Sometimes you find a songwriter you like because of the other artists who have covered the material. Save the Country? Wedding Bell Blues? Stoney End? When I Die? Eli’s Comin’? Stoned Soul Picnic? Time and Love?
If you know/like any of those songs, thank Laura Nyro. It took a couple of singles purchases before I realized that she was the composer behind those hits. As my collection photo indicates, one of the acquisitions was Wedding Bell Blues by The Fifth Dimension.
What I didn’t realize (until recently) was that the B-side of the single, Lovin’ Stew, had its own songwriting pedigree.
Songwriting credits go to Jeff Comanor and Jules Alexander (yes, Jules again) for that one! One more thing to note… The Fifth Dimension‘s longtime producer in the recording studio was a man named Bones Howe.
And now… a short aside.
Dayton Burr “Bones” Howe (born March 18, 1933) began his career in the recording industry in the late 1950’s and, by the mid-sixties, was achieving considerable success as a recording engineer and producer. He was responsible for engineering The Mamas and Papas‘ breakout hit California Dreamin’ (a part of today’s 45 collection).
You will note my inclusion of The Turtles‘ single, She’d Rather Be with Me (from previous post) in the current 45 set… not because I’m trying to repeat myself… rather, to observe that Bones Howe produced some of that band’s biggest hits (and he probably engineered that particular song). Regardless, he did produce Let Me Be which reached #29 in the US and #14 here in Canada in 1965 (…incidentally, a song written be the notable P.F. Sloan).
Howe deserves far more extensive acknowledgement than I can provide here…but, if you want a more definitive list of his recording work, check this out.
Now comes the ironic bit… Jules Alexander left The Association (and was replaced by Larry Ramos) following the release of Renaissance in 1966. Bones Howe became The Association‘s producer for their next two albums (Insight Out [1967] and Birthday [1968]) and guided them to two of their biggest hits (Windy and Never My Love). Jules returned to the band in 1969 just after the group and Howe had parted ways.
If you listen to The Fifth Dimension or The Association music during Howe’s tenure, you can hear his influence on their recordings. Both groups tending to the “Sunshine Pop” genre during this period, these albums are polished, harmonically sophisticated and carefully crafted.
Oddly enough, in the early 1970’s, Bones Howe explored a more “quirky” sound with a quirky artist. He became producer for Tom Waits and continued in that role for several decades. I have mentioned this artist in a previous post… so you can check out his particular sound if interested.
The Lovin’ Spoonful Never Going Back
As something of a “tying up of loose ends”, I would like to introduce you to my final 45 for this post. The song is Never Going Back by The Lovin’ Spoonful, released in 1968 and reached #73 in the US and #49 in Canada.
By the time this song was recorded, both John Sebastian and Zal Yanovsky had left the group. When Yanovsky departed in 1967, The Spoonful decided to replace him with Jerry Yester… and so, Yester is part of this particular single. Yester, you may recall, produced The Association‘s Renaissance album (prior to the arrival of Howe in the recording studio). And, although Howe joined Tom Waits on his second album, it was Jerry Yester who produced Wait’s debut offering, Closing Time, in 1973.
A long and winding road indeed… 
The Morgan Musings 