Sunshine Pop of the Sixties

This bizarre video clip is worth watching, if only to hear Lawrence Welk, a native German speaker, say “Dionn-a Warwick-a” (apologies to the great Dionne Warwick!)  No, this is not the fabulous Dionne singing this time … nor  is it the arguably even-more-fabulous diva, Aretha Franklin.  It’s Lawrence Welk’s daughter-in-law, Tanya Falan.  I would never question Falan’s talent; she certainly can carry a tune.  But it probably didn’t hurt her career to have a world-famous father-in-law, a big band leader with his own musical variety show.

Nevertheless, with about as much soul as an airline commercial, this performance might make you cringe.  Just think of it as a novelty.  One wonders if poor Dionne or Aretha – or the legendary songwriting team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David, the song’s composers – ever saw this particular rendition.  Maybe they cringed, too.  Or maybe they just said a little prayer.

Here is a video clip of the Australian folk-pop group The Seekers, performing their hit “Georgy Girl” which reached number one on the US pop charts in February 1967. Originating in Melbourne, The Seekers were the first popular music group from Down Under to make it big in the United Kingdom and the United States.

“Georgy Girl” is the title song on the soundtrack of the 1966 movie Georgy Girl, starring Lynn Redgrave. The song was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song. Interestingly, the co-writers of the song were not Aussies but Brits — Tom Springfield, the brother of Dusty Springfield and actor Jim Dale, who narrates the Harry Potter series of audiobooks.

The song appeared both at the beginning and at the end of the movie – each time a slightly different version than the pop single release.

It is unclear exactly where and when this clip was filmed, but it appears to be from 1967, after the song had become a monster hit.

Put this eclectic German import on your wish list! Released in 2003 on the Universal Jazz label, this 2-CD set is a fabulously offbeat collection of ’60s easy listening, lounge, and pop-rock. Some of these tunes are recognizable, while others are … well … not so much. You get the great sunshine pop anthems, such as Spanky & Our Gang’s “Like to Get to Know You” and The Critters’ “Mr. Dieingly Sad”, nestled among truly obscure tracks like “Always You” by The Sundowners. Now that’s what I call high-contrast living. Who were The Sundowners, anyway? More on this mysterious British trio in a future post.

There’s a smattering of schmaltz here and there (Doc Severinsen, anyone?) but it is quite admirable to see how no stone was left unturned. Universal Jazz really put together a glorious compilation of grooves. If you like American vocal groups (The Mamas & the Papas, The Cowsills, and The Sandpipers), you’re in luck. If you want to hear a French chanteuse (Claudine Longet) or the Doris Day of Germany (Heidi Brühl), they’ve got you covered. There’s something for everyone. And who can resist the cover art … come on, people.

To sum up, this is an astonishing set of 40 tracks, many of them almost impossible to find elsewhere. Believe me, you’ll be the envy of lounge and easy listening fans, who pride themselves on their acquisitions of uncategorized ’60s eclectica. Get it while you can … and get easy!