As I may have mentioned before I'm a bugger for a cover version, and one area rich with glittering goodies and buried treasure is that period when traditional, torch or show style singers decided to get 'with it' and shake a well-tailored trouser leg or cocktail dress to the way out sounds of the In Crowd.
The finest selections are typically found around the tail-end of the sixties/early seventies, when, for the first time, themes of social awareness, cultural tolerance and polite political pop started to appear in the rock songbook and provided a platform for Vegas style cabaret and cocktail acts to appear hip, happening and doing old school cool with a twist of contemporary conscience ...
Mel Torme - 'Games People Play'
Peggy Lee 'Everyday People'
Brenda Lee - Walk A Mile In My Shoes
Tom Jones & Engelbert Humperdinck (and Billy Preston)'Games People Play' - you have to wait one full minute for the tune to kick in, but it's well worth it
13 comments:
TOO COOL! THANKS FOR THIS POST!
"The Games People Play" is now the West Virginia Lotto's theme song, really.
When do think Tom Jones will do my parody of "The Little Drummer Boy?"
http://www.soundlift.com/band/music.php?song_id=82930
Stay on groovin' safari,
Tor
This is a really awesome post. Cool tunes. I love all of these. I can never get tired of this type of music. I'm going to mention it in my Friday post over at the Dino Lounge. Cheers!
Thanks chaps, glad the tunes are rocking your boots - there's a couple of other cocktail swingers here you may enjoy Tom Jones(and he is well overdue for a Christmas album Tor) and Peggy Lee and Mae West
I love the Tom, Engelbert n' Billy collaberation!
Tom Jones really had something back then didn't he?
S'great isn't it Lil - have you checked youtube for Tom bits - there's so many mighty clips and duets out there
These tunes are a perfect way to wind down at the end of a long week. My hands are itching for the cocktail shaker now!
I particularly like the Mel Torme track - I've only heard his earlier, more Frank-style swinging stuff. Have you heard much else by him from this period? Is it similar or was this the exception?
I don't know much of Mel's other material really Cocktails, I've always been put off by a truly dreadful 'Guys and Dolls' medley that Melody FM played too often - but he does a rocking version of 'Sunshine Superman' - I may upload soonish..
If you like this stuff check out the internet radio station www.martiniinthemorning.com
All good stuff
Great post - juat came from Dino's lounge. I LOVE hearing the kings of the lounge try to reach the hippie generation via really bad cover songs. There's nothin' like hearing the Velvet Fog sing "Sunshine Superman"!
Thanks for the tip off bish - perfect soundtrack for Saturday night or Sunday morning
Have you checked out some of Ella's takes on sixties tunes Gilligan - there are some belters about or Sarah Vaughn's Beatles covers album - you can grab her version of Get Back here
May tom could sing back then he seems to be wearing simon cowells trousers though.
some great tunes here... all very under-rated too. They never seem to get their fair share of the aclaim. Cool!
P
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