Best Herb Alpert Composition?

[Captain Bacardi]

Okay, we all know Herb Alpert has written quite a few tunes in his time. Which song do you think is Herb's best composition? This can also include anything he co-wrote with another writer. Remember, we're not talking about arrangements or adaptations (like "Carmen" or "Wade In The Water"). Also, be careful not to mention songs that his brother Dave Alpert wrote (such as "Plucky" or "Acapulco 1922").

I've listed a few, but if it's not on the list, select 'other' and tell us why you like it.

And the winner is.....


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Harry]

I picked "For Carlos", though "A Quiet Tear" might run a close second. I like the introspectiveness of both of those songs. Strong, haunting melodies, yet both are often overlooked as album filler. I've found that over the years, I'm drawn to these two.

There are a bunch of tunes that Herb wrote on the Just You And Me album that I also think are pretty good.

As far as enduring 'hits' go, you can't beat "What A Wonderful World (This Will Be)"

Harry
...choosing, online...

 

[Dave]

I picked "Magic Man"--Have both the single and the album. It does have that real swing, he sorta' gave (Gato Barbieri's) "Last Tango In Paris", which it reminds me of. Both should'a made it to DEFINITIVE HITS.

I suppose if "Rise" (I know, he wrote it with Nephew, Randy "Badazz" Alpert) was on the list, I'd pick that, but who wouldn't?

"Sandbox" was written with John Pisano. That is also a favorite of mine, too!

Dave

 

[Captaindave]

There is a song on the PASSION DANCE album called "Until We Meet Again" with the credit going to both Herb Alpert and Eddie Del Barrio as writers. I'm not sure in a collaborative song like this who writes what or how much, but it is a very nice song with a very nice melody and very well performed.

I voted for "A Quiet Tear" although "For Carlos" is also very nice. For an uptempo song, I'd vote for "Slick."

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I suppose if "Rise" (I know, he wrote it with Nephew, Randy "Badazz" Alpert)

No, Herb had no writing credits for "Rise". Randy and Andy Armer wrote it.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Captain Bacardi]

For me, it was a tossup between "Slick" and "Behind The Rain", but I went for "Behind The Rain". I always liked the sultry melody, but it's the chord changes of the chorus that grabbed me. Starting with a C minor 7 chord to a Db chord (with an Eb in the bass) then a Ab major 7 to a Cb (with a Db in the bass) makes for a neat little progression. I also like his little time changes, such as one bar of 3/4 in the chorus on this tune. Just enough to throw you off. "Fox Hunt" is another with the quirky time changes. But when it's played right, you don't really notice these things.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Dave]

No, Herb had no writing credits for "Rise". Randy and Andy Armer wrote it.

Capt. Bacardi

Ooops! Yer Right! Finally looked at the writing credits.

Dave

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I had to go with "A Quiet Tear" as well. "Jerusalem" is a close second for me. When I was a teenager I probably would have picked "Slick" and I still like it a lot, but I guess my tastes have mellowed(?)

It's a lot easier to pick my LEAST favorite on this list ("Carmine").

 

[Rudy]

I also like his little time changes, such as one bar of 3/4 in the chorus on this tune. Just enough to throw you off. "Fox Hunt" is another with the quirky time changes. But when it's played right, you don't really notice these things.

Sort of a Bacharach touch there in both songs. I don't know why it is, but I have never had trouble with odd time signatures. "Promises Promises" is one of the trickier songs, but it just flows so well, even in Herb's version.

But back to Herb's own songs...I actually like some of the songs from Just You & Me as much the others listed above. "Musique", "Aria" and "The Lady Needs Romance" have some interesting chord changes, as does "Promenade". It was quite a bold idea to put this highly introspective album out--no TJB in sight, and all but one of the songs were penned by Alpert. For that reason I chose "other" in the poll, since I usually find I like any one of these as a favorite Alpert song.

I'll admit "Carmine" doesn't do much for me at first...as a song, it doesn't have quite the ingredients of the others, but when Bob Findley opens up and wails on it, the song just seems to soar into the ending!

I've grown to like "Jerusalem" a lot more over the years. There's not really a bad tune in the bunch though!

 

[DAN BOLTON]

I like a relatively unknown tune from the BMB's WATCH OUT album...TOMORROW WILL BE BETTER. It starts out with an almost country-sounding piano intro; then the main theme plays over and over; and, finally, the piano comes back in. There really isn't a chorus that I remember, but it is a very introspective, reassuring and somewhat sad song. It was one of the first really "tender" things Herb wrote, at least as an instrumental.




Dan

 

[Mr Bill]

I picked "Fox Hunt" though I probably would have picked the extremely similar "Promenade" from Just You And Me if it were a choice. "Slick" and "Jerusalem" are also big faves. I'm not sure why "Carmine" got a bashing here. I recently came across a cassette of Coney Island and have found that "Carmine" is one of three songs from it ("Catfish" and the title track being the other two) that have been running through my head lately. Findley's trumpet solo blows Herb away IMHO and we got a terrific preview of Herb's piano playing which would be the anchor in rhythm and tune on the next LP, Just You And Me.

--Mr Bill

 

[Rudy]

"Carmine" is a difficult song to get used to, I think. I've had Coney since it came out and it was a song I usually skipped if I was near the record player. It just got in the way of "Vento Bravo" for me. I do like it now, more for the soloing at the end than I do for the main body of the song.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

"Carmine" is a difficult song to get used to, I think. I do like it now, more for the soloing at the end than I do for the main body of the song.

"Carmine" is a song I like for both the trumpet solo of Bob Findley and the rhythm section's groove when Findley goes on a tear. Songs like "Carmine", "A Quiet Tear" and "Jerusalem" are very simple tunes composition-wise. The performance is really what makes those songs happen.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I also like his little time changes, such as one bar of 3/4 in the chorus on this tune. Just enough to throw you off. "Fox Hunt" is another with the quirky time changes. But when it's played right, you don't really notice these things.

Sort of a Bacharach touch there in both songs. I don't know why it is, but I have never had trouble with odd time signatures.

Same here, except for a couple of Don Ellis tunes. But the more I started "analyzing" some of Herb's tunes, the more I noticed how he'll throw in a little time change here and there. "Just You And Me" is another one I like, and rather similar to "Fox Hunt" where it skips between 4 and 3 - although "Fox Hunt" doesn't have that annoying vocal. I'm actually surprised that more musicians haven't recorded some of Herb's tunes. He has some nifty ones out there that could work for another instrumental artist. One tune that I've forgotten about is "The Lovers (Theme From Aspen)", which Perry Botkin, Jr. recorded on his Ports album.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Steven J. Gross]

"Fox Hunt" was my pick. And Mr. Bill's too- whoa! "Slick" is a close second, IMHO.

 

[Captaindave]

I picked "Fox Hunt" though I probably would have picked the extremely similar "Promenade" from Just You And Me if it were a choice. "Slick" and "Jerusalem" are also big faves. I'm not sure why "Carmine" got a bashing here. I recently came across a cassette of Coney Island and have found that "Carmine" is one of three songs from it ("Catfish" and the title track being the other two) that have been running through my head lately. Findley's trumpet solo blows Herb away IMHO and we got a terrific preview of Herb's piano playing which would be the anchor in rhythm and tune on the next LP, Just You And Me.

--Mr Bill

I am of the opinion that Findley is the stronger player of the two. ( I think that Tonni Kalash was the stronger in purely technical terms in that pair also). He is probably more of a trumpet "athlete" as some players might put it. He probably has greater range, power, and technical mastery of the purely physical aspects of playing the trumpet...

The solo was possibly given to him to showcase his playing skills, IMO.

 

[W.B.]

I'd probably tip my hat to "A Quiet Tear (Lagrima Quieta)" -- as much for the sound of the recording as for the composition and structure thereof. And no doubt due to having heard it quite a few times in its incarnation as the "B" side of his #1 single "This Guy's In Love With You."

 

[Mr Bill]

While I voted when this poll first popped up a few months ago, I never posted a comment. My favorites are actually not listed among the choices and are from the largely unpopular Just You & Me album: Promenade, Musique, Spanish NIght (needs more lyrics) and The Day Will Come. I am partial to Fox Hunt (very similar to Promenade) and Jerusalem has a haunting feel to it. As I've grown older I've come to enjoy You Smile more, preferring the version on the like -titled LP over the Magic Man version (which is quite fine as well).

--Mr Bill
wondering if Herb will include JY&M in the reissues if they ever come at all...

 

[Antonio]

I voted several weeks ago for "Jerusalem", because of the very touching melody, arrangement and the power that shows up during the song. But choosing this song I feel sorry that I can't vote for other songs too. "A quiet tear" is absolutely one of my favorites. I like also "Musique" and "Aria" of the "Just you and me" album. There are some jewels too on the "Second wind" and "Passion Dance" albums.
Why doesn't Herb make another album? Doesn't he like to perform anymore? Maybe he's tired of working so hard. But he should keep on writing and recording songs. How wonderful would that be!
(Sorry for my bad English)