What is your favorite tune from each respective Herb album? JUST ONE!

toeknee4bz

Well-Known Member
Ok, let's play a little game here: If you had to pick... just ONE track and ONE track only, from each of the 42 released albums in Herb's catalogue... which would you choose? These are the songs that, for unanswerable reasons, will just stick in your head. Or think of it this way: Which song off of each album can you just not live without? I'll go first:

1. The Lonely Bull (THE LONELY BULL)
2. Spanish Harlem (VOLUME 2)
3. South of the Border (SOUTH OF THE BORDER)
4. Green Peppers (WHIPPED CREAM & OTHER DELIGHTS)
5. Tijuana Taxi (!!GOING PLACES!!)
6. Cantina Blue (WHAT NOW MY LOVE)
7. Freight Train Joe (S.R.O.)
8. The Charmer (...SOUNDS LIKE...)
9. My Heart Belongs To Daddy (HERB ALPERT'S NINTH)
10. A Beautiful Friend (THE BEAT OF THE BRASS)
11. Las Mananitas (THE CHRISTMAS ALBUM)
12. Girl Talk (WARM)
13. I'll Be Back (THE BRASS ARE COMIN')
14. Darlin' (SUMMERTIME)
15. Last Tango In Paris (YOU SMILE-THE SONG BEGINS)
16. I Belong (CONEY ISLAND)
17. Musique (JUST YOU AND ME)
18. Skokiaan (HERB ALPERT/HUGH MASEKELA)
19. Shame The Devil (MAIN EVENT LIVE)
20. Rise (RISE)
21. Reach For The Stars (BEYOND)
22. Magic Man (MAGIC MAN)
23. Route 101 (FANDANGO)
24. Latin Lady (BLOW YOUR OWN HORN)
25. Love Without Words (BULLISH)
26. No Time For Time (WILD ROMANCE)
27. Our Song (KEEP YOUR EYE ON ME)
28. I Need You (UNDER A SPANISH MOON)
29. Legs (MY ABSTRACT HEART)
30. Where's Tommy? (NORTH ON SOUTH ST.)
31. Friends (MIDNIGHT SUN)
32. Side Steppin' (SECOND WIND)
33. Baila Conmigo (PASSION DANCE)
34. Magic Man '99 (HERB ALPERT & COLORS)
35. Promises, Promises (LOST TREASURES)
36. Whipped Cream (RE-WHIPPED)
37. It's Only A Paper Moon (ANYTHING GOES)
38. What Now My Love (I FEEL YOU)
39. Jacky's Place (STEPPIN' OUT)
40. Begin The Beguine (IN THE MOOD)
41. Blue Skies (COME FLY WITH ME)
42. Don't Go Breaking My Heart (HUMAN NATURE)
 
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Ouch, do I have to think so early in the morning? :D

I'll take a stab at some of the records. I think it is interesting to see everyone's responses, as different songs resonate with everyone. Some albums, it's hard to pick any one song, so my favorite could change on any given day. Some seem really obvious (like "A Taste of Honey") but they seem to best embody the spirit of the entire album and remain a favorite nonetheless. Sometimes, I will gravitate towards one song even when playing a favorite album, such as my oddball pick for Going Places (which is tough, since "Tijuana Taxi," "Third Man Theme," "Walk Don't Run," "And the Angels Sing" and "Zorba" are also big favorites). Or a couple of albums where not any one song stands out, and it's hard to choose one I'd want to single out.

Lonely Bull -- Crawfish
Volume 2 -- A-Me-Ri-Ca
South of the Border -- Mexican Shuffle
Whipped Cream -- A Taste of Honey
Going Places -- Mae
What Now My Love -- What Now My Love
S.R.O. -- Blue Monday
Sounds Like -- Casino Royale
Ninth -- The Love Nest
Beat of the Brass -- Panama
Warm -- The Sea Is My Soil
Brass are Comin' -- Good Morning Mr. Sunshine (perhaps the most "mariachi" song they ever did)
Summertime -- Summertime
You Smile--The Song Begins -- Last Tango in Paris
Coney Island -- Vento Bravo
Just You and Me -- Musique
Herb/Hugh -- Lobo
Main Event Live -- Foreign Natives
Rise -- Behind The Rain
Beyond -- Beyond
Magic Man -- Magic Man
Fandango -- Route 101
Blow Your Own Horn -- Red Hot
Bullish -- Always Have a Dream
Wild Romance -- It's All For You
Keep Your Eye On Me -- Pillow
Under a Spanish Moon -- I Need You
My Abstract Heart -- 3 O'Clock Jump
North on South St. -- Passion Lady
Lost Treasures -- Promises, Promises (kind of a cheater because I couldn't pick two for You Smile :wink: )
 
I recall an ancient thread on the old board from two decades ago when we did this exercise for the TjB albums only, so this is a good updating of that. Here's the way I approach this. You've got a few minutes to listen to a song. You grab a Herb Alpert album - which song do you pick to listen to from each of the albums?

1. A Quiet Tear (THE LONELY BULL)
2. Winds Of Barcelona (VOLUME 2)
3. Up Cherry Street (SOUTH OF THE BORDER)
4. A Taste Of Honey (WHIPPED CREAM & OTHER DELIGHTS)
5. Mae (!!GOING PLACES!!)
6. What Now My Love (WHAT NOW MY LOVE)
7. The Wall Street Rag (S.R.O.)
8. Wade In The Water (...SOUNDS LIKE...)
9. Carmen (HERB ALPERT'S NINTH)
10. This Guy's In Love With You (THE BEAT OF THE BRASS)
11. My Favorite Things (THE CHRISTMAS ALBUM)
12. The Sea Is My Soil (WARM)
13. You Are My Life (THE BRASS ARE COMIN')
14. Summertime (SUMMERTIME)
15. Fox Hunt (YOU SMILE-THE SONG BEGINS)
16. Coney Island (CONEY ISLAND)
17. Promenade (JUST YOU AND ME)
18. Lobo (HERB ALPERT/HUGH MASEKELA)
19. She-Been (MAIN EVENT LIVE)
20. 1980 (RISE)
21. Red Hot (BEYOND)
22. Magic Man (MAGIC MAN)
23. Route 101 (FANDANGO)
24. Gently (Suavemente) (BLOW YOUR OWN HORN)
24½. Noche De Amor (NOCHE DE AMOR)
25. Passion Play (BULLISH)
26. No Time For Time (WILD ROMANCE)
27. Cat Man Do (KEEP YOUR EYE ON ME)
28. Fragile (UNDER A SPANISH MOON)
29. When The Lights Go Down Low (MY ABSTRACT HEART)
30. Jump Street (NORTH ON SOUTH ST.)
31. Someone To Watch Over Me (MIDNIGHT SUN)
32. Second Wind (SECOND WIND)
33. T.K.O. (PASSION DANCE)
34. Libertango (HERB ALPERT & COLORS)
35. Speakeasy (LOST TREASURES)
36. Bittersweet Samba (RE-WHIPPED)
37. The Trolley Song (ANYTHING GOES)
38. Something Cool (I FEEL YOU)
39. Puttin' On The Ritz (STEPPIN' OUT)
40. Chattanooga Choo-Choo (IN THE MOOD)
41. Got A Lot Of Livin' To Do (COME FLY WITH ME)
42. Doodles (HUMAN NATURE)

I added NOCHE DE AMOR as a sort-of album number 24½.
 
South of the Border -- Mexican Shuffle
Whipped Cream -- A Taste of Honey
Beat of the Brass -- Panama
Warm -- The Sea Is My Soil
Brass are Comin' -- Good Morning Mr. Sunshine (perhaps the most "mariachi" song they ever did)
You Smile--The Song Begins -- Last Tango in Paris
Main Event Live -- Foreign Natives
Rise -- Behind The Rain
Beyond -- Beyond
Magic Man -- Magic Man
Fandango -- Route 101
Bullish -- Always Have a Dream
Wild Romance -- It's All For You
North on South St. -- Passion Lady
Lost Treasures -- Promises, Promises (kind of a cheater because I couldn't pick two for You Smile :wink: )

I agree with quite a few of your picks, and there were a few that, on a particular given day, just might just as easily replace a few of my own picks.
I have to say, though, that I really never cared for the BRASS ARE COMIN' version of "Good Morning, Mr. Sunshine". Like "Mae" from GOING PLACES, it just soaked in the syrupy string orchestration... which is fine, if that's what you like. I just prefer strings to be a bit more laid back. For this reason, as well as rhythm, I preferred the STEPPIN' OUT version.
"Foreign Natives" is pure JAM. Nine minutes of loud, kick-butt, crazy fast and the most intense of any Herb track I've ever heard. So why did I not pick it for my MAIN EVENT fave? Hey, on another day I might have... ! :wink:
At any rate... great choices!
 
I recall an ancient thread on the old board from two decades ago when we did this exercise for the TjB albums only, so this is a good updating of that. Here's the way I approach this. You've got a few minutes to listen to a song. You grab a Herb Alpert album - which song do you pick to listen to from each of the albums?

2. Winds Of Barcelona (VOLUME 2)
3. Up Cherry Street (SOUTH OF THE BORDER)
4. A Taste Of Honey (WHIPPED CREAM & OTHER DELIGHTS)
8. Wade In The Water (...SOUNDS LIKE...)
9. Carmen (HERB ALPERT'S NINTH)
10. This Guy's In Love With You (THE BEAT OF THE BRASS)
19. She-Been (MAIN EVENT LIVE)
20. 1980 (RISE)
22. Magic Man (MAGIC MAN)
23. Route 101 (FANDANGO)
24. Gently (Suavemente) (BLOW YOUR OWN HORN)
24½. Noche De Amor (NOCHE DE AMOR)
25. Passion Play (BULLISH)
26. No Time For Time (WILD ROMANCE)
27. Cat Man Do (KEEP YOUR EYE ON ME)
28. Fragile (UNDER A SPANISH MOON)
29. When The Lights Go Down Low (MY ABSTRACT HEART)
30. Jump Street (NORTH ON SOUTH ST.)
31. Someone To Watch Over Me (MIDNIGHT SUN)
32. Second Wind (SECOND WIND)
35. Speakeasy (LOST TREASURES)
37. The Trolley Song (ANYTHING GOES)
40. Chattanooga Choo-Choo (IN THE MOOD)
Same notation as my reply to Rudy above: Great choices! As for NOCHE, I am particularly mesmorized by "Sueno Precolombino".
 
One of the picks I struggled with was for Blow Your Own Horn, since I never warmed (not even "luke-warmed" :D ) to that album at all. Picking "Red Hot" was sort of a grab at anything just to fill in an album in the list; I should have skipped it. Although I prefer this mix of "Red Hot" over the original mix--it is not as muddy.

I probably gravitate to those tracks with strings just because they are different from everything else. Sound quality has a lot to do with it also--"Mae" has quite an expansive soundstage to it, so that is one of its appeals for me.

One thing I noticed today was that the Bullish album sounds a little stuffy in the mastering (of the original vinyl version). Once I get the new tubes in for the amp in a week or so, I'll break those in and give the record another spin. That is another track where it seems to envelope the listener, and sounds quite good because of it. It is nicely arranged and orchestrated.
 
One of the picks I struggled with was for Blow Your Own Horn, since I never warmed (not even "luke-warmed" :D ) to that album at all.
You don't like the BLOW YOUR OWN HORN album?

OW!!! YA HURTIN' ME HERE!!! :wink: Just kidding. Of course, I am a child of the 70s and 80s. I was always more open to the synthpop styles and electronic drums, etc. I always considered this album to be more of an American extension of FANDANGO, with several tracks written by Juan Carlos Calderon and co-produced by Jose Quintana. Granted, they're nowhere near as Spanish in style as the tracks on FANDANGO, but they're compelling nonetheless. "Latin Lady" and "Oriental Eyes" are timeless, IMHO.
 
I guess I'm a child of the 70s and 80s also. :wink: But really, that album never appealed to me--just something about it that I never could warm to. It seemed like leftover tracks from Fandango, a reissue of "Red Hot," some H-D-H tracks thrown in as filler...and not one of the songs ever reached out and grabbed me like, say, nearly every track on Fandango. In contrast, many here dislike Keep Your Eye On Me, but since I was big into Prince and The Time before most people knew who they were, and followed the Minneapolis scene as a result, the album just fell right into that same niche I was already heavily into. Funk and R&B also played heavily here. And synthpop in general? A lot of us here were into groups like Yazoo (with the Upstairs at Eric's album)--can't get much more synth than that, I would guess. :wink:

That's just the way the rekkid spins, I guess. :D Some of it works for us, some doesn't.
 
I think I will attempt to give a few cents worth here
The Lonely Bull .Limbo Rock
Volume 2 America
South of the Border. Salud AMOR Y Dinero
Whipped cream Butterball
Going places Felicia
What Now My Love Memories of Madrid
S.R.O Flamingo
Sounds like. The charmer
Herb alpert's ninth The Happening
Beat of the brass She Touched Me
Christmas album Las Mananitas
Warm The Continental
The Brass are comin. Moments
Summertime If you could read my mind
You smile the song begins. ( the title track)
Coney island Ratatouille
Just you and me musique
Herb and Hugh Ring Bell
Main event live I'm coming home
Rise Love Is
Beyond That's the way of the world
Magic man I Get it from you
Fandango Sugarloaf
Blow your own Horn Latin Lady
Bullish Life is my song
Wild romance No time for time
Keep your eye on me our song
Under a Spanish moon Hidden angel
My abstract heart wish you were here
North on South Street I can't Stop thinking about you
Midnight sun Silent tears and roses
Second wind Sugar cane
Passion dance Creeping
Colors The Lady in my life
Lost treasures Up cherry street
Rewhipped Lollipops and roses
Anything goes morning coffee
I feel you call me
Stepping out and the angels sing
In the mood 5am
Come fly with me something
Human nature Don't go breaking my heart

Whew it was not easy choosing because there are just too many favorites but I chose my standouts I know they won't be everyone's favorites and it's OK
 
Wow, I discovered this thread too late at night to do it now...I'm going to have to look at some album covers and make some very tough choices. The mid-period Brass in particular, it's almost impossible to pick ONE tune. But I'll give it a shot!
 
I think I will attempt to give a few cents worth here
The Lonely Bull .Limbo Rock
South of the Border. Salud AMOR Y Dinero
Going places Felicia
What Now My Love Memories of Madrid
Sounds like. The charmer
Beat of the brass She Touched Me
Christmas album Las Mananitas
Just you and me musique
Herb and Hugh Ring Bell
Main event live I'm coming home
Rise Love Is
Beyond That's the way of the world
Magic man I Get it from you
Fandango Sugarloaf
Blow your own Horn Latin Lady
Bullish Life is my song
Wild romance No time for time
Keep your eye on me our song
Under a Spanish moon Hidden angel
My abstract heart wish you were here
North on South Street I can't Stop thinking about you
Passion dance Creeping
Colors The Lady in my life
Lost treasures Up cherry street
Rewhipped Lollipops and roses
I feel you call me
Stepping out and the angels sing
In the mood 5am
Human nature Don't go breaking my heart

Whew it was not easy choosing because there are just too many favorites but I chose my standouts I know they won't be everyone's favorites and it's OK

WOW! Some unexpected ones on here! I LLLLLIKE IT!!!
Blew my mind when I saw "Love Is" from RISE listed. It is a catchy chorus, though.
"Sugarloaf" from FANDANGO would've been a strong contender for me, but nothing on that album could replace "Route 101". The whole album is incredible, mind you. But there's just something about "Route 101" that captivates me.
You're now the third so far to pick "No Time For Time" from WILD ROMANCE. It really is one of Herb's best vocal efforts, if not the best... IMHO. "I Get It From You" from MAGIC MAN is another great vocal gem too.
Sometimes I've had "Creepin" from PASSION DANCE just 'creep' into my head, and it was a strong contender for my list as well. But "Baila Conmigo" won out, just for the simple sake of its compelling earworm quality.
I never was too crazy about the RE-WHIPPED album, but I've gotta admit that "Lollipops and Roses" was pretty innovative in the remix.
And "5am" from IN THE MOOD... I mean, WOW. Have you ever heard something so sultry, yet so soothing in a Herb and Lani track? Her lower octave range is just downright phenomenal. Also a strong contender for my list, but "Begin the Beguine" just sticks in my head.
I couldn't help notice that "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" was a fave. The fresh, new version from HUMAN NATURE is now my preferred one too, but I have always enjoyed the S.R.O. version as well... and still do.
 
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A few of my picks actually require some alternate versions.

"What Now My Love" has to be the wetter LP version.
"The Sea Is My Soil" needs to be from my clean LP.
"You Are My Life" needs to come from a de-CSG'ed version.
"Jump Street" needs to be the Brighton Daze remix.
"Bittersweet Samba (Re-whipped)" needs to be the alternate version from the promotional CD.
 
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I never can remember which is the 'wet' version of "What Now My Love", but suffice to say I prefer the album version with the echoed trumpet (which never seems to be offered on any of the hits compilations).
As for "The Sea Is My Soil", I only play that one if I am listening to the WARM album specifically. I don't usually think of it on its own.
As for "Jump Street", I like the Brighton Daze extended remix (6:29), as well as the original album version equally well.
Not too wild about the whole RE-WHIPPED album as a whole. Not that I'm against remixes. I rather liked "Whipped Cream" and "Lollipops And Roses". But as for the rest of the album, it's just too weird for me.
 
I never can remember which is the 'wet' version of "What Now My Love", but suffice to say I prefer the album version with the echoed trumpet (which never seems to be offered on any of the hits compilations).

Yeah, it's the one with the reverbed trumpet. We've taken to calling the CD version dry, since there's no echo, and the old LP the wet version. That's also the place to find the shorter "Plucky" and the trombone part in "Brasilia". And since this is a different day, I might have picked "Brasilia"...
 
If Herb Had not participated on the Rewhipped CD i would not have added it to my collection but I judge it on its own merit. It is true it's not the colossus that the original was but yet for the most part in my opinion (Exception being Butterball which IN NO WAY RESEMBLES THE ORIGINAL.) It is a good cd and now that it is out of print I'm glad I have it and I also like the reworking of the song whipped cream
 
For those who haven't seen the cover for the promotional advance CD for REWHIPPED, here it is:

RewhippedPromoFront.jpg
For some unknown reason, the version of "Bittersweet Samba" on the promo is different from the released version.
 
If Herb Had not participated on the Rewhipped CD i would not have added it to my collection but I judge it on its own merit. It is true it's not the colossus that the original was but yet for the most part in my opinion (Exception being Butterball which IN NO WAY RESEMBLES THE ORIGINAL.) It is a good cd and now that it is out of print I'm glad I have it and I also like the reworking of the song whipped cream

Oh, I judge it on its own merit as well. Same goes for Herb's covers of songs he recorded previously.
But as for RE-WHIPPED, I just can't enjoy the songs themselves when they're so jumbled up and the mixes are so off the wall that you forget what song you're listening to. For instance, the beginning of "Tangerine" is just incredibly weird with the distortion and the muffled voice speaking "Why don't we start at the top?" over and over again, muffled and muted and sounding absolutely terrible. I mean, what's up with that? Granted, it finally does get into the song itself... but it's obviously more about showing off 'cool' sonic textures to the younger crowd than it is simply performing the songs with new arrangements.
I hate to say it, but I kinda had the same complaint with a few tracks on the COLORS album back in 99. Don't get me wrong. There are some great tracks on it, but I don't tend to crank it up too much these days... definitely a mood album.
 
Oh, I judge it on its own merit as well. Same goes for Herb's covers of songs he recorded previously.
But as for RE-WHIPPED, I just can't enjoy the songs themselves when they're so jumbled up and the mixes are so off the wall that you forget what song you're listening to. For instance, the beginning of "Tangerine" is just incredibly weird with the distortion and the muffled voice speaking "Why don't we start at the top?" over and over again, muffled and muted and sounding absolutely terrible. I mean, what's up with that? Granted, it finally does get into the song itself... but it's obviously more about showing off 'cool' sonic textures to the younger crowd than it is simply performing the songs with new arrangements.
I hate to say it, but I kinda had the same complaint with a few tracks on the COLORS album back in 99. Don't get me wrong. There are some great tracks on it, but I don't tend to crank it up too much these days... definitely a mood album.
I understand and I agree with your observations for the most part and as I said before there was enough good songs on Rewhipped to justify it's inclusion and staying in my collection and in fine chuck barris like tradition I used the Rewhipped Lollipops and Roses as the closing theme song for my radio show starting in 2007 and nowadays on occasion because I use a different one from week to week
 
Rewhipped was targeted to those younger fans, not us long-time listeners, so I can give it a pass. But that doesn't mean I spin it, either. :wink:

My own opinion is that the art of remixing went way off the rails by the mid to late 80s. Janet Jackson's 12 inch singles for Rhythm Nation were probably the last new ones I really could get into. Only a small number of Bebel Gilberto's remixes do anything for me...there are some strange ones on her remix discs. And as much as I like Depeche Mode's albums, I can get into their single mixes for some tracks, but the remixes just leave me cold. (And there are very many.)

The remixing started on dance singles (intended for clubs) in the mid 1970s. When the DJs started getting into it by adding parts and changing the bass line and tempo, that killed it for me. I'm a fan of the old school remixers like Tom Moulton, Bob Clearmountain, etc. Give me a nice, punchy 12 inch single remix with a hot mastering and I'm happy. Some of those were mastered loud. Not compressed, but cut at least 3dB higher than the album version. Some of them sound fantastic. (But good luck finding them today...most I find now are too worn to be of any use.)
 
Rewhipped was targeted to those younger fans, not us long-time listeners, so I can give it a pass. But that doesn't mean I spin it, either. :wink:

My own opinion is that the art of remixing went way off the rails by the mid to late 80s. Janet Jackson's 12 inch singles for Rhythm Nation were probably the last new ones I really could get into. Only a small number of Bebel Gilberto's remixes do anything for me...there are some strange ones on her remix discs. And as much as I like Depeche Mode's albums, I can get into their single mixes for some tracks, but the remixes just leave me cold. (And there are very many.)

The remixing started on dance singles (intended for clubs) in the mid 1970s. When the DJs started getting into it by adding parts and changing the bass line and tempo, that killed it for me. I'm a fan of the old school remixers like Tom Moulton, Bob Clearmountain, etc. Give me a nice, punchy 12 inch single remix with a hot mastering and I'm happy. Some of those were mastered loud. Not compressed, but cut at least 3dB higher than the album version. Some of them sound fantastic. (But good luck finding them today...most I find now are too worn to be of any use.)
I agree Rudy I didn't get too much into remixes unless it was a favorite song or artist and these days I'm much more picky about my music and if a remix isn't equally as enjoyable or better than the original to me then I usually will say "No Go". Which is usually the norm but there are a few good ones and thankfully they are few but Good enough for me
 
Man, back in the day, I could count on the remixes being a must-have in addition to owning the album. In most cases, for favorite artists, they were a must-have purchase. I got more picky when the price went up, but often I would find used copies shortly after release.

With Prince, if you were any sort of fan, buying the 12 inch singles, import 12 inchers or EPs, or even a couple of the 45s, was necessary to get the non-album tracks. I think I probably bought them all up through Lovesexy. The B-sides were compiled on his first 3-disc hits compilation, but they were all the 45 RPM B-sides, not the longer 12 inch versions. The first of any notoriety was the B-side "Gotta Stop (Messin' About)", which appeared on the extended 12 inch of "Let's Work." It took me months to find it, and I found the last new copy I'd ever seen anywhere.

I usually picked up Herb's 12" singles if I came across them. I am glad I got all of them for the Keep Your Eye On Me album, even the promo 3-pack of singles in three colors (red, blue, clear).
 
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