| Author | Message | ||
  Dinelle (dinelle_watson) 6-Zenith Username: dinelle_watson Post Number: 2139 Registered: 4-2004 |
Hey y'all. Dinelle here. I was playing around on Youtube when I came across this clip of Barbara Lewis singing one of my favorite songs "Baby I'm Yours" from Shindig. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =LQC9FxU2QZU&feature=related The way I came across this clip was that I was actually listening a cover by Cass Elliot. I think she did a good job on this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =oui_EWVZre0 | ||
Motown_Fan (motown_fan) 6-Zenith Username: motown_fan Post Number: 4597 Registered: 9-2006 |
Does anyone have details on the group singing with Barbara Lewis on this classic? | ||
Randy Russi (randy_russi) 6-Zenith Username: randy_russi Post Number: 2642 Registered: 4-2004 |
On Shindig it would be the Blossoms, but the actual recording would've been NYC session singers. I never knew Cass Elliott did a version of this song. | ||
Motown_Fan (motown_fan) 6-Zenith Username: motown_fan Post Number: 4600 Registered: 9-2006 |
But who were those session singers? They're so good. | ||
Steve (steve_litos) 6-Zenith Username: steve_litos Post Number: 423 Registered: 4-2004 |
Damn...I just wrote out a long response but lost it. Here I go again! The "Beg Scream & Shout" boxed set claims that songwriter Van McCoy performed 3 backing vocal parts via overdubs. The evidence suggests that this feat was possible because the song was recorded at Atlantic Studios in 1965 and they had been recording with an 8 track machine since 1958. There's no way to really verify the story since most of the principals have passed on - producer Bert Berns, writer Van McCoy, & probable engineer Tom Down. Likewise the session tapes would have burnt up in the infamous "Atlantic Records Warehouse Fire" of the 1970s...where most of the session tapes, metal masters, & outtakes burnt to a crisp. Ray Charles performed the same backing vocals feat at Atlantic on "I Believe To My Soul" via 8 track at least 5 years earlier. Now there does exist a Van McCoy demo acetate of the song and it shows that Van was quite an accomplished singer capable of a very light tenor voice with a vibrato similar to Johnny Nash. He had a great range as a vocalist. Likewise in the forum archives, Philly guitarist Bobby Eli spoke about how Van McCoy used to take on different "characters" while dubbing backing vocals so that it doesn't all sound like the same voice. So in closing I'd go with Van "The Hustle" McCoy performed at least one, if not all, the background parts on the song. Impressive! | ||
roddee (rod_rick) 6-Zenith Username: rod_rick Post Number: 1318 Registered: 4-2004 |
The Jones Girls did a great cover in the 80's on their "On Target" lp. | ||
Adrian (adrian) 6-Zenith Username: adrian Post Number: 827 Registered: 11-2006 |
Of all bands, the Arctic Monkeys covered it too! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =SclrjM2sGWI&feature=related  | ||
Garo (gary_james) 6-Zenith Username: gary_james Post Number: 3039 Registered: 5-2004 |
On Baby I'm Yours, there might be some of the backround singers Burt Bacharach used on Dionne Warwick sessions. Maybe Dee Dee Warwick and Cissy Houston??? | ||
Steve (steve_litos) 6-Zenith Username: steve_litos Post Number: 424 Registered: 4-2004 |
I just looked at the 45 label on ebay. The production credit has Detroit-er Ollie McLaughlin on it. He has also passed. Maybe Barbara Lewis would know? | ||
kamasu (kamasu) 6-Zenith Username: kamasu Post Number: 8456 Registered: 3-2005 |
I doubt if Cissy Houston or Dee Dee Warwick were on Baby I'm Yours. I can always tell when they were on a session. It doesn't sound like them at all. And if that's van McCoy overdubbed and sounding like three girls...I'll eat my cap. No way! Burt Bacharach did use Valerie Simpson and a white singer named Marilyn on his sessions. It's possible it might be them. (Message edited by kamasu on July 29, 2010) | ||
Steve (steve_litos) 6-Zenith Username: steve_litos Post Number: 425 Registered: 4-2004 |
Kamasu- I'll put up the Van McCoy acetate demo on youtube in the next couple of days. Then you can compare the vocals between the two versions. He was capable of a feminine voice at times. I'm a little skeptical myself and would like to contact the liner notes writer of "Beg Scream & Shout" to find out the primary source of this info. The boxed set came with Soul "trading cards" & each card had info on the artist and a quiz question. The question for the "Baby I'm Yours" card was: Q: Who sang the 3 parts to the backing vocals on Baby I'm Yours? A: Van McCoy, Van McCoy, & Van McCoy If you can't wait and are a little download savvy, the demo is available via a google search - van mccoy baby I'm yours demo before they were hits | ||
144man (144man) 5-Doyen Username: 144man Post Number: 486 Registered: 9-2007 |
Adrian, yes the Arctic Monkeys' version is certainly a strange choice of material, and doesn't quite come off imo. I must admit a sneaking affection though for "I Bet You Look Good On the Dance Floor". | ||
daddyacey (daddyacey) 6-Zenith Username: daddyacey Post Number: 2835 Registered: 11-2005 |
I like where this thread is heading. Steve ,pointed out the quiz question of, "Q: Who sang the 3 parts to the backing vocals on Baby I'm Yours?" In my search on the net I found these little tid bits quoted from various sites, using the search title of ,"Baby I'm Yours ,Barbara Lewis Personnel", (1) "In the 60’s, Detroit was a major recording center rivaled only by New York and Los Angeles. Every major record label was recording in Detroit, mainly because of the tremendous success of Motown. United Sound on Second Ave. was the prestigious stand-alone recording studio during those years. Hit recordings such as “Heavy Music” by Bob Seger, “Cool Jerk” by The Capitols, “Just Like Romeo and Juliet” by The Reflections, and “Baby I’m Yours” by Barbara Lewis were all done at United Sound." Atlantic handed the marvelous Barbara Lewis to Berns to revitalise, since her sales had taken a dip after ‘Hello Stranger’ and her next two singles with BB ‘Baby I’m Yours/ I Say Love’ and ‘Make Me Your Baby/ Love To Be Loved’ both went into the top 10. The great ‘Don’t Forget About Me’ missed out but ‘Make Me Belong To You’ bounced back at #36 the following year and she also cut ‘He’s So Bad’ and ‘Sorrow’ that were used as album tracks. (2) In the mid-'60s she began doing some recordings in New York City, with assistance from producers like Bert Berns and Jerry Wexler, that employed more orchestral arrangements and pop-conscious material. The approach clicked, both commercially and artistically: "Baby I'm Yours" and "Make Me Your Baby" were both big hits, and both among the best mid-'60s girl group-style productions. Sooo ,the first question would be ,where exactly was this track recorded at ,Detroit or New York? That would at least give us an idea of who was available for session work in those two locales. Also ,you have to consider that in 1963 ,multi track was in existence in both 3 and 4 track formats and ,combined with Sound on Sound and Sound with Sound ,(which gave rise to 8 and then 16 tracks), it was theoretical and technically possible that Barbara did her own background vocal. ????? I only bring this up to acknowledge reasonal doubt ,so that Kam won't have to eat doo doo , and it's also good conversation. | ||
Brother Love (brother_love) 6-Zenith Username: brother_love Post Number: 814 Registered: 4-2004 |
Detroit's own Dianne Steinberg also covered the song on her 1977 ABC album "Universal Child." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =gy78lU68zAI | ||
Steve (steve_litos) 6-Zenith Username: steve_litos Post Number: 426 Registered: 4-2004 |
Here's the known session info. Another song "Stop That Girl" was recorded at the same recording session at Atlantic Studios in NYC. Strings & Backgrounds are "unknown"! Likewise Here's "Stop That Girl" for speculation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =jEwUIsSNhAU Barbara Lewis With Teacho Wiltshire's Orchestra Dud Bascomb, Clark Terry (tp) Jimmy Cleveland (tb) Tony Studd (btb) Charles Brown (ts) Haywood Henry (bars) Paul Griffin (p) Bill Suyker (g) Jimmy Lewis (el-b) Gary Chester (d) Artie Butler (per???) Barbara Lewis (vo) Teacho Wiltshire (arr, dir) unidentified choir, unidentified strings NYC, January 8, 1965 8468 Baby, I'm Yours Atlantic 2283, LP 8110, SD 8208, SD 8286, SD 501 8469 Stop That Girl Atlantic LP 8110, SD 8286 8470 Mama, Mama Please unissued | ||
Tony Russi (tony_russi) 6-Zenith Username: tony_russi Post Number: 4123 Registered: 4-2004 |
I remember Barbara Lewis telling me that "Baby I'm Yours" was recorded in NYC but Van McCoy was not at the session. |
